Presence of activating KRAS mutations correlates significantly with expression of tumour suppressor genes DCN and TPM1 in colorectal cancer

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Rems Miran

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite identification of the major genes and pathways involved in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC, it has become obvious that several steps in these pathways might be bypassed by other as yet unknown genetic events that lead towards CRC. Therefore we wanted to improve our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of CRC development. Methods We used microarrays to identify novel genes involved in the development of CRC. Real time PCR was used for mRNA expression as well as to search for chromosomal abnormalities within candidate genes. The correlation between the expression obtained by real time PCR and the presence of the KRAS mutation was investigated. Results We detected significant previously undescribed underexpression in CRC for genes SLC26A3, TPM1 and DCN, with a suggested tumour suppressor role. We also describe the correlation between TPM1 and DCN expression and the presence of KRAS mutations in CRC. When searching for chromosomal abnormalities, we found deletion of the TPM1 gene in one case of CRC, but no deletions of DCN and SLC26A3 were found. Conclusion Our study provides further evidence of decreased mRNA expression of three important tumour suppressor genes in cases of CRC, thus implicating them in the development of this type of cancer. Moreover, we found underexpression of the TPM1 gene in a case of CRCs without KRAS mutations, showing that TPM1 might serve as an alternative path of development of CRC. This downregulation could in some cases be mediated by deletion of the TPM1 gene. On the other hand, the correlation of DCN underexpression with the presence of KRAS mutations suggests that DCN expression is affected by the presence of activating KRAS mutations, lowering the amount of the important tumour suppressor protein decorin.

Meckel's Diverticulum in Children-Parameters Predicting the Presence of Gastric Heterotopia.

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Slívová, Ivana; Vávrová, Zuzana; Tomášková, Hana; Okantey, Okaikor; Penka, Igor; Ihnát, Peter

2018-05-10

The presence of gastric ectopic mucosa in Meckel's diverticulum is associated with a higher risk of development of complications. The aim of the present study was to investigate which demographic/clinical parameters predict the presence of gastric heterotopia in Meckel's diverticulum. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a single institution (University Hospital Ostrava, Czech republic). All children who underwent laparoscopic/open resection of Meckel's diverticulum within a 20-year study period were included in the study. In total, 88 pediatric patients underwent analysis. The mean age of the children was 4.6 ± 4.73 years; the male-female ratio was approximately 2:1. There were 50 (56.8%) patients with asymptomatic Meckel's diverticulum in our study group. Laparoscopic resection was performed in 24 (27.3%) patients; segmental bowel resection through laparotomy was performed in 13 (14.8%) patients. Gastric heterotopia was found in 39 (44.3%) patients; resection margins of all patients were clear of gastric heterotopia. No correlation was found between the presence of gastric heterotopia and the following parameters: age, gender, maternal age, prematurity, low birth weight, perinatal asphyxia, distance from Bauhin's valve and length of Meckel's diverticulum. The width of the diverticulum base was significantly higher in patients with gastric heterotopia (2.1 ± 0.57 vs. 1.2 ± 0.41 cm; p < 0.001). According to the study outcomes, the width of the diverticulum base seems to be a significant predictive factor associated with the presence of gastric heterotopia in Meckel's diverticulum. The laparoscopic/open resection of asymptomatic MD with a wide base should therefore be recommended.

The Interactions between Facilitator Identity, Conflictual Presence, and Social Presence in Peer-Moderated Online Collaborative Learning

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Xie, Kui; Lu, Lin; Cheng, Sheng-Lun; Izmirli, Serkan

2017-01-01

Research has focused on the significance of social presence in online learning. However, peer interaction does not always result in positive emotions and feelings; it can trigger tension, distress, and anger within a learning community. Therefore, conflictual presence, as a carrier of negative valence within presence, is also a critical element…

The effect of maternal presence on premature infant response to recorded music.

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Dearn, Trish; Shoemark, Helen

2014-01-01

To determine the effect of maternal presence on the physiological and behavioral status of the preterm infant when exposed to recorded music versus ambient sound. Repeated-measures randomized controlled trial. Special care nursery (SCN) in a tertiary perinatal center. Clinically stable preterm infants (22) born at > 28 weeks gestation and enrolled at > 32 weeks gestation and their mothers. Infants were exposed to lullaby music (6 minutes of ambient sound alternating with 2x 6 minutes recorded lullaby music) at a volume within the recommended sound level for the SCN. The mothers in the experimental group were present for the first 12 minutes (baseline and first music period) whereas the mothers in the control group were absent overall. There was no discernible infant response to music and therefore no significant impact of maternal presence on infant's response to music over time. However during the mothers' presence (first 12 minutes), the infants exhibited significantly higher oxygen saturation than during their absence p = .024) and less time spent in quiet sleep after their departure, though this was not significant. Infants may have been unable to detect the music against the ambient soundscape. Regardless of exposure to music, the infants' physiological and behavioral regulation were affected by the presence and departure of the mothers. © 2014 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Presence and Perceived Learning in Different Higher Education Blended Learning Environments

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Khodabandelou, Rouhollah; Jalil, Habibah Ab; Ali, Wan Zah Wan; Daud, Shaffe Mohd

2015-01-01

Blended learning as "third generation" of distance learning has the potential to offer multimethod instruction through the blend, to leverage the strengths of current online and traditional instructions. Therefore, higher education institutions having recognized the fact that blended learning is beneficial, adopted this alternative…

Serum concentration of alpha-1 antitrypsin is significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than in healthy controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez-Holanda, Sergio; Blanco, Ignacio; Menéndez, Manuel; Rodrigo, Luis

2014-01-01

The association between alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency and colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently controversial. The present study compares AAT serum concentrations and gene frequencies between a group of CRC patients and a control group of healthy unrelated people (HUP). 267 CRC subjects (63% males, 72 ± 10 years old) were enlisted from a Hospital Clinic setting in Asturias, Spain. The HUP group comprised 327 subjects (67% males, mean age 70 ± 7.5 years old) from the same geographical region. Outcome measures were AAT serum concentrations measured by nephelometry, and AAT phenotyping characterization by isoelectric focusing. Significantly higher serum concentrations were found among CRC (208 ± 60) than in HUP individuals (144 ± 20.5) (p = 0.0001). No differences were found in the phenotypic distribution of the Pi*S and Pi*Z allelic frequencies (p = 0.639), although the frequency of Pi*Z was higher in CRC (21%) than in HUP subjects (15%). The only statistically significant finding in this study was the markedly higher AAT serum concentrations found in CRC subjects compared with HUP controls, irrespective of whether their Pi* phenotype was normal (Pi*MM) or deficient (Pi*MS, Pi*MZ and Pi*SZ). Although there was a trend towards the more deficient Pi* phenotype the more advanced the tumor, the results were inconclusive due to the small sample size. Consequently, more powerful studies are needed to reach firmer conclusions on this matter

Significantly higher Carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) catch in conventionally than in organically managed Christmas tree plantations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagge, Søren; Lund, Malthe; Rønn, Regin

2012-01-01

Carabid beetles play an important role as consumers of pest organisms in forestry and agriculture. Application of pesticides may negatively affect abundance and activity of carabid beetles, thus reducing their potential beneficial effect. We investigated how abundance and diversity of pitfall...... trapped carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) varied between conventionally and organically managed Caucasian Fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.)) plantations, in northern Zealand, Denmark. We recorded significantly higher numbers of carabid beetle specimens and species at conventionally than at organically...

Analysis of changes of vibrational properties of water in the presence of disaccharides

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Branca, C; Maisano, G; Migliardo, F; Romeo, G; Bennington, S M; Fak, B; Bellocco, E; Lagana', G

2002-01-01

Results of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements performed by the MARI spectrometer (ISIS, UK) on aqueous solutions of sucrose and alpha,alpha-trehalose are reported. To get some insight into the effects of disaccharides on the hydrogen-bond network of water, we investigated the intramolecular O-H stretching modes. The obtained spectra show that, contrary to sucrose, the presence of trehalose affects significantly the pure-water O-H stretching mode. The observed changes can be related to the presence of heavier vibrating units, namely to the higher hydration number of trehalose with respect to sucrose. (orig.)

Analysis of changes of vibrational properties of water in the presence of disaccharides

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Branca, C.; Magazu' , S.; Maisano, G.; Migliardo, F.; Romeo, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita' di Messina, PO Box 55, 98166 Messina (Italy); Bennington, S.M.; Fak, B. [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 OQX (United Kingdom); Bellocco, E.; Lagana' , G. [Dipartimento di Chimica Organica Biologica,Universita' di Messina, PO Box 55, 98166 Messina (Italy)

2002-07-01

Results of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements performed by the MARI spectrometer (ISIS, UK) on aqueous solutions of sucrose and {alpha},{alpha}-trehalose are reported. To get some insight into the effects of disaccharides on the hydrogen-bond network of water, we investigated the intramolecular O-H stretching modes. The obtained spectra show that, contrary to sucrose, the presence of trehalose affects significantly the pure-water O-H stretching mode. The observed changes can be related to the presence of heavier vibrating units, namely to the higher hydration number of trehalose with respect to sucrose. (orig.)

A lower degree of PBMC L1 methylation is associated with excess body weight and higher HOMA-IR in the presence of lower concentrations of plasma folate.

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Piyathilake, Chandrika J; Badiga, Suguna; Alvarez, Ronald D; Partridge, Edward E; Johanning, Gary L

2013-01-01

Identification of associations between global DNA methylation and excess body weight (EBW) and related diseases and their modifying factors are an unmet research need that may lead to decreasing DNA methylation-associated disease risks in humans. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the following; 1) Association between the degree of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) L1 methylation and folate, and indicators of EBW, 2) Association between the degree of PBMC L1 methylation and folate, and insulin resistance (IR) as indicated by a higher homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). The study population consisted of 470 child-bearing age women diagnosed with abnormal pap. The degree of PBMC L1 methylation was assessed by pyrosequencing. Logistic regression models specified indicators of EBW (body mass index-BMI, body fat-BF and waist circumference-WC) or HOMA-IR as dependent variables and the degree of PBMC L1 methylation and circulating concentrations of folate as the independent predictor of primary interest. Women with a lower degree of PBMC L1 methylation and lower plasma folate concentrations were significantly more likely to have higher BMI, % BF or WC (OR = 2.49, 95% CI:1.41-4.47, P = 0.002; OR = 2.49, 95% CI:1.40-4.51, P = 0.002 and OR = 1.98, 95% = 1.14-3.48 P = 0.0145, respectively) and higher HOMA-IR (OR = 1.78, 95% CI:1.02-3.13, P = 0.041). Our results demonstrated that a lower degree of PBMC L1 methylation is associated with excess body weight and higher HOMA-IR, especially in the presence of lower concentrations of plasma folate.

Clinical Significance of A Waves in Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy.

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Lakshminarasimhan, Sindhuja; Venkatraman, Chandramouleeswaran; Vellaichamy, Kannan; Ranganathan, Lakshminarasimhan

2018-05-25

A wave is a late response recognized during recording of F waves. Though they might be seen in healthy subjects, their presence assumes significance in a patient presenting with polyradiculoneuropathy. In this prospective study, 75 patients with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) were enrolled. They were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of A waves. Clinical features, electrophysiological parameters and extent of clinical recovery in short-term follow-up were analyzed. A waves were present in 49 out of 75 patients (65%). Most common pattern observed was multiple A waves. Prevalence of A waves was more in lower limb nerves than upper limb nerves. Occurrence of A waves correlated with the presence of conduction block. Patients with A waves had higher Hughes grade (P = 0.003) and lower Medical Research Council sum score at 6 weeks of follow-up (P = 0.04) as compared to patients without A waves. A waves are common in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy form of Guillain Barre syndrome and are considered as a marker of demyelination. Long-term follow-up studies are required to ascertain their significance in prognostication and assessing recovery.

Control over the virtual environment influences the presence and efficacy of a virtual reality intervention on pain.

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Gutiérrez-Martínez, Olga; Gutiérrez-Maldonado, José; Loreto-Quijada, Desirée

2011-01-01

The main aim of this study is to investigate whether the control the user has over a virtual environment (VE) influences the sense of presence. A secondary purpose is to explore the relationship between Virtual Reality (VR) presence and pain tolerance during a cold-pressor experience. Ninety-four participants underwent two consecutive cold-pressor trials, one without VR exposure and the other providing a VR stereoscopic figure used as a symbolic representation of the sensation of pain. Participants were randomly assigned to an interactive condition in which they could actively manipulate the VR figure to achieve a pleasant, tranquil environment (analogous to no-pain situation) or to a passive intervention, in which they observed the changes in the VR figure. Results showed that the amount of VR presence reported was significantly higher in the interactive condition. Participants had a higher pain tolerance during both VR conditions than in the no-VR trial, with a greater increase in pain tolerance from the non-VR trial in the interactive condition. Presence scores correlated significantly and positively with pain tolerance scores. We discuss the importance of VR interaction and control over the VR environments used in VR pain interventions designed to increase cognitive control over pain.

Presence of Dry Eye in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

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Emrah Kan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To evaluate the tear function tests in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and to compare the results with healthy subjects. Methods. A hundred and ten patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 100 healthy subjects were included in this study. The presence of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and tear function tests were evaluated clinically. The results were first compared between the patients and the control groups and then compared between patients with NOSPECS and patients without NOSPECS. Logistic regression analyses of the risk factors for dry eye including sex, gender, free plasma thyroxine, proptosis, upper eyelid margin-reflex distance, and duration of the disease were also evaluated. Results. The mean ocular surface disease index score was significantly higher and mean Schirmer and mean tear break-up time scores were significantly lower in patients compared to control subjects. Mean Schirmer and tear break-up time scores were found to be significantly lower in patients with NOSPECS when compared to the patients without NOSPECS. Both proptosis and free plasma thyroxine levels were significantly associated with dry eye. Conclusions. Patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis tend to develop dry eye more common than healthy subjects. Proptosis and lower free plasma thyroxine levels were found to be risk factors for the presence of dry eye.

The EU, "Regulatory State Regionalism" and New Modes of Higher Education Governance

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Robertson, Susan L.

2010-01-01

Jayasuriya's conceptualisation of "regulatory regionalism" is particularly useful for examining the presence, significance and effect of new higher education governance mechanisms in constituting Europe as a competitive region and knowledge-based economy. In particular he argues that we need to take sufficient account of the role of…

Clinical significance of presence of the conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel after oral cholecystography

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Kim, Byung Young; Kim, Jung Sik; Kim, Hong; Kim, Ok Bae; Zeon, Seok Kil; Park, Sam Kyoon

1984-01-01

Oral cholecystography after ingestion of the 3.0 gr. Sodium tyropanoate (Bilopque ) was done in 504 patients from January 1983 to August 1983. Simple supine views of the abdomen of 37 patients, in whom the gallbladder was either nonvisualized or faintly visualized upto 17 hours after Bilopaque administration, were reviewed in search of the presence of conjugated material in the bowel. The results were as follows: 1. The ratio of male to female was nearly 2 : 3 and age distribution was even from 20 years to 79 years. 2. Among 26 cases which showed conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, cholecystitis with stone was 20 cases (77%) and acalculus cholecystitis was 6 cases (23%). 3. Among 11 case which showed no conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, hepatitis was 3 caes (28%) and clonorchis sinensis, salmonellosis, pancreatitis, acute gastritis was 2 cases (13%) respectively. 4. All of the 20 cases of cholecystitis with stone showed conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel. 5. Among 6 cases of which conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, salmonellosis was 1 case (17%) and remaining 5 caes (83%) were acalculus cholecystitis. 6. The result of our study show that the presence of conjugated Bilpaque in the bowel in nonvisualized or faintly visualized gallbladder after oral cholecystography is of definite indicative of cholescystitis. 7. Surgical intervention or ultrasonographic examination of the gallbladder without double dose or second dose oral cholecystography on such cases is recommended.

Clinical significance of presence of the conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel after oral cholecystography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Byung Young; Kim, Jung Sik; Kim, Hong; Kim, Ok Bae; Zeon, Seok Kil; Park, Sam Kyoon [Keimyung University Medical College and Hospital, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

1984-09-15

Oral cholecystography after ingestion of the 3.0 gr. Sodium tyropanoate (Bilopque ) was done in 504 patients from January 1983 to August 1983. Simple supine views of the abdomen of 37 patients, in whom the gallbladder was either nonvisualized or faintly visualized upto 17 hours after Bilopaque administration, were reviewed in search of the presence of conjugated material in the bowel. The results were as follows: 1. The ratio of male to female was nearly 2 : 3 and age distribution was even from 20 years to 79 years. 2. Among 26 cases which showed conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, cholecystitis with stone was 20 cases (77%) and acalculus cholecystitis was 6 cases (23%). 3. Among 11 case which showed no conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, hepatitis was 3 caes (28%) and clonorchis sinensis, salmonellosis, pancreatitis, acute gastritis was 2 cases (13%) respectively. 4. All of the 20 cases of cholecystitis with stone showed conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel. 5. Among 6 cases of which conjugated Bilopaque in the bowel, salmonellosis was 1 case (17%) and remaining 5 caes (83%) were acalculus cholecystitis. 6. The result of our study show that the presence of conjugated Bilpaque in the bowel in nonvisualized or faintly visualized gallbladder after oral cholecystography is of definite indicative of cholescystitis. 7. Surgical intervention or ultrasonographic examination of the gallbladder without double dose or second dose oral cholecystography on such cases is recommended.

Frequent occurrence of mitochondrial DNA mutations in Barrett's metaplasia without the presence of dysplasia.

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Soong Lee

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Barrett's esophagus (BE is one of the most common premalignant lesions and can progress to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA. The numerous molecular events may play a role in the neoplastic transformation of Barrett's mucosa such as the change of DNA ploidy, p53 mutation and alteration of adhesion molecules. However, the molecular mechanism of the progression of BE to EA remains unclear and most studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA mutations in BE have performed on BE with the presence of dysplasia. METHODS/FINDINGS: Thus, the current study is to investigate new molecular events (Barrett's esophageal tissue-specific-mtDNA alterations/instabilities in mitochondrial genome and causative factors for their alterations using the corresponding adjacent normal mucosal tissue (NT and tissue (BT from 34 patients having Barrett's metaplasia without the presence of dysplasia. Eighteen patients (53% exhibited mtDNA mutations which were not found in adjacent NT. mtDNA copy number was about 3 times higher in BT than in adjacent NT. The activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme complexes in tissues from Barrett's metaplasia without the presence of dysplasia was impaired. Reactive oxygen species (ROS level in BT was significantly higher than those in corresponding samples. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: High ROS level in BT may contribute to the development of mtDNA mutations, which may play a crucial role in disease progression and tumorigenesis in BE.

Measuring sense of presence and user characteristics to predict effective training in an online simulated virtual environment.

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De Leo, Gianluca; Diggs, Leigh A; Radici, Elena; Mastaglio, Thomas W

2014-02-01

Virtual-reality solutions have successfully been used to train distributed teams. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between user characteristics and sense of presence in an online virtual-reality environment where distributed teams are trained. A greater sense of presence has the potential to make training in the virtual environment more effective, leading to the formation of teams that perform better in a real environment. Being able to identify, before starting online training, those user characteristics that are predictors of a greater sense of presence can lead to the selection of trainees who would benefit most from the online simulated training. This is an observational study with a retrospective postsurvey of participants' user characteristics and degree of sense of presence. Twenty-nine members from 3 Air Force National Guard Medical Service expeditionary medical support teams participated in an online virtual environment training exercise and completed the Independent Television Commission-Sense of Presence Inventory survey, which measures sense of presence and user characteristics. Nonparametric statistics were applied to determine the statistical significance of user characteristics to sense of presence. Comparing user characteristics to the 4 scales of the Independent Television Commission-Sense of Presence Inventory using Kendall τ test gave the following results: the user characteristics "how often you play video games" (τ(26)=-0.458, Pvirtual environment experience such as dizziness, nausea, headache, and eyestrain. The user characteristic "knowledge of virtual reality" was significantly related to engagement (τ(26)=0.463, Pvirtual environments and experience with gaming environments report a higher sense of presence that indicates that they will likely benefit more from online virtual training. Future research studies could include a larger population of expeditionary medical support, and the results obtained could be used to create

Diversity of apolipoprotein E genetic polymorphism significance on cardiovascular risk is determined by the presence of metabolic syndrome among hypertensive patients.

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Teixeira, Andrei Alkmim; Marrocos, Mauro Sergio; Quinto, Beata Marie Redublo; Dalboni, Maria Aparecida; Rodrigues, Cassio Jose de Oliveira; Carmona, Silmara de Melo; Kuniyoshi, Mariana; Batista, Marcelo Costa

2014-11-20

Hypertension has a significant relevance as a cardiovascular risk factor. A consistent increase on world's Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) incidence has been associated with an epidemic cardiovascular risk in different populations. Dislipidemia plays a major role determining the epidemic CV burden attributed to MetS. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is involved on cholesterol and triglycerides metabolism regulation. Once ApoE polymorphism may influence lipid metabolism, it is possible that it brings on individual susceptibility consequences for the development of MetS and cardiovascular risk. The objective of the study is to measure the discriminatory power of ApoE polymorphism in determining cardiovascular risk stratification based on the presence MetS in a cohort of hypertensive patients. It was enrolled 383 patients, divided in two groups, classified by MetS presence (IDF criteria): Group 1: 266 patients with MetS (MetS +) and Group 2: 117 patients without Mets (MetS -). Patient's data were collected by clinical evaluation, physical exam, file reviews and laboratory testing. Polymorphic ApoE analysis was performed by PCR amplification. Groups were compared on clinical and laboratory characteristics as well as allele and genotype distribution towards ApoE polymorphism. Mets CVD prevalence was analysed according to E4 allele prevalence. The results evidenced 184 men (48%), 63,7% whites, 45,1% diabetics and 11,7% of patients were smokers. Mean age was 64,0 ± 12,0 years. When genotypic distribution was analyzed, E3/3 genotype and E3 allele frequencies were more prevalent. Among patients with MetS, we observed an independent association between CVD prevalence and E4 allele frequency (OR 2.42 (1.17- 5.0, p < 0,05)). On the opposite direction, in those without MetS, there was lesser CVD burden in E4 allele carriers (OR 0,14 (0,02-0,75)). These associations remained significant even after confounding factor corrections. The results presented demonstrate that the association

Increased epicardial fat is independently associated with the presence and chronicity of atrial fibrillation and radiofrequency ablation outcome

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Stojanovska, Jadranka; Kazerooni, Ella A.; Gross, Barry H.; Patel, Smita [University of Michigan Health System, Department of Radiology, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, UH B1-132 Taubman/Box 0302, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Sinno, Mohamad; Oral, Hakan [University of Michigan Health System, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Electrophysiology Laboratory, Cardiovascular Center, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Watcharotone, Kuanwong [University of Michigan, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR), Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Jacobson, Jon A. [University of Michigan Health System, Department of Radiology, Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2015-08-15

To determine whether intrathoracic fat volumes are associated with presence and chronicity of atrial fibrillation (AF) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment outcome. IRB approval was obtained and patient consent was waived for this HIPAA-compliant retrospective study. 169 patients with AF (75 non-paroxysmal and 94 paroxysmal) and 62 control patients underwent cardiac CT examination. Extrapericardial (EPFV) and epicardial fat volumes (EFV) were measured on CT, the sum of which is the total intrathoracic fat volume. Associations between these three fat volumes and presence and chronicity of AF, and outcome after RFA, were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. EFV was significantly associated with presence [OR 1.01 (95 % CI 1.003-1.03), p = 0.01], chronicity of AF [1.008 (1.001-1.020), p = 0.03] and AF recurrence after RFA [1.009 (1.001-1.01), p = 0.02] after adjustment for age, gender and BMI. Patients with a larger EFV had a shorter time to AF recurrence (p = 0.017) and a higher rate of recurrence (54 % vs 46 %) (p = 0.002) after RFA. EPFV had no significant associations. Increased epicardial fat is associated with the presence and chronicity of AF, a higher probability of AF recurrence after RFA and a shorter AF-free interval. (orig.)

The Relationship Between Serum Endocan Levels With the Presence of Slow Coronary Flow: A Cross-Sectional Study.

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Kundi, Harun; Gok, Murat; Kiziltunc, Emrullah; Topcuoglu, Canan; Cetin, Mustafa; Cicekcioglu, Hulya; Ugurlu, Burcu; Ulusoy, Feridun Vasfi

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between endocan levels with the presence of slow coronary flow (SCF). In this cross-sectional study, a total of 88 patients, who admitted to our hospital, were included in this study. Of these, 53 patients with SCF and 35 patients with normal coronary flow were included in the final analysis. Coronary flow rates of all patients were determined by the Timi Frame Count (TFC) method. In correlation analysis, endocan levels revealed a significantly positive correlation with high sensitive C-reactive protein and corrected TFC. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the endocan levels were found as independently associated with the presence of SCF. Finally, using a cutoff level of 2.3, endocan level predicted the presence of SCF with a sensitivity of 77.2% and specificity of 75.2%. In conclusion, our study showed that higher endocan levels were significantly and independently related to the presence of SCF.

Prognostic significance of low skeletal muscle mass compared with protein-energy malnutrition in liver cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Hiroki; Enomoto, Hirayuki; Ishii, Akio; Iwata, Yoshinori; Miyamoto, Yuho; Ishii, Noriko; Yuri, Yukihisa; Takata, Ryo; Hasegawa, Kunihiro; Nakano, Chikage; Nishimura, Takashi; Yoh, Kazunori; Aizawa, Nobuhiro; Sakai, Yoshiyuki; Ikeda, Naoto; Takashima, Tomoyuki; Iijima, Hiroko; Nishiguchi, Shuhei

2017-09-01

To investigate the impact of low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) on survival as compared with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). A total of 206 individuals with LC were analyzed. We retrospectively examined the impact of LSMM, as defined by psoas muscle mass at the third lumber on computed tomography, on survival as compared with PEM. In terms of comparison of the effects of LSMM and PEM on survival, we used time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Our study cohort included 115 men and 91 women with a median age of 67 years. There were 140 patients with Child-Pugh A, 62 with Child-Pugh B, and 4 with Child-Pugh C. A total of 117 patients (56.8%) had LSMM and 52 patients (25.2%) had PEM. The proportion of PEM in patients with LSMM (31.62%, 37/117) was significantly higher than in patients without LSMM (16.85%, 15/89) (P = 0.0229). In the multivariate analysis for the entire cohort, the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, lower body mass index, presence of LSMM, lower triglyceride value, poorer renal function, and higher des-γ-carboxy prothrombin value were found to be significant adverse predictors linked to overall survival, while presence of PEM tended to be significant. In the time-dependent ROC analysis, all area under the ROCs for survival in LSMM at each time point were higher than those in PEM except for Child-Pugh B patients. In this comparison of LSMM and PEM on clinical outcomes in LC patients, it was shown that LSMM may have stronger prognostic impact than PEM. © 2016 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Investigation the foam dynamics capacity of SDS in foam generator by affecting the presence of organic and inorganic contaminant

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Haryanto, Bode; Siswarni, M. Z.; Sianipar, Yosef C. H.; Sinaga, Tongam M. A.; Bestari, Imam

2017-05-01

The effect of negative charge SDS monomer on its foam capacity with the presence of contaminants was investigated in foam generator. Generally, surfactant with higher concentration has higher foam capacity. The higher concentration will increase the number of monomer then increase the micelles in liquid phase. Increasing the number of monomer with the negative charge is a potential to increase interaction with metal ion with positive charge in solution. The presence of inorganic compound as metal ion with positive charge and organic compound (colloid) as particle of coffee impacting to generate the foam lamella with monomer is evaluated. Foam dynamic capacity of only SDS with variation of CMC, 1 x; 2 x; 3 x have the height 7.5, 8.0 and 8.3 cm respectively with the different range time were investigated. The Height of foam dynamic capacity with the presence of 20 ppm Cd2+ ion contaminant was 8.0, 8.3 and 8.4 cm at the same CMC variation of SDS. The presence of metal ion contaminant within the foam was confirmed by AAS. The black coffee particles and oil as contaminant decreased the foam capacity significantly in comparing to metal ions.

Evaluation of the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in Iranian patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Homayouni, Maryam; Mohammad Arabzadeh, Seyed Ali; Nili, Fatemeh; Razi, Farideh; Amoli, Mahsa Mohammad

2017-07-01

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid cancer. EBV is one of the most important viruses related to different types of malignancies. This study investigated the relationship between EBV and papillary thyroid carcinoma. In this study the presence of Epstein-Barr Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1) gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues were examined by nested-PCR method. Paraffin-embedded tissues (N=41) blocks of thyroid cancer were used. DNA was extracted from all samples and then samples were evaluated for the presence of EBV gene. In 41 samples, EBNA1 was detected in 65.8% of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma which was significantly higher in younger ages. The significant presence of EBV genome in papillary thyroid carcinoma suggests that this virus may play a role in this cancer especially in younger ages. As a result, monitoring of patients with EBV latent infection for PTC can be very important. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Response of free-living soil protozoa and microorganisms to elevated atmospheric CO2 and presence of mycorrhiza

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønn, R.; Gavito, M.; Larsen, J.

2002-01-01

with or without the presence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus caledonium. It was hypothesised that (1) the populations of free-living soil protozoa would increase as a response to elevated CO2, (2) the effect of elevated CO2 on protozoa would be moderated by the presence of mycorrhiza and (3......) the presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza would affect soil protozoan numbers regardless of atmospheric CO2. After 3 weeks growth there was no difference in bacterial numbers (direct counts) in soil, but the number of free-living bacterial-feeding protozoa was significantly higher under elevated CO2...... elevated CO2 suggest increased bacterial production, whereas the lower populations in response to presence of mycorrhiza suggest a depressing effect on bacterial production by AM colonisation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved....

Presence of angina pectoris is related to extensive coronary artery disease in diabetic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Celik, Atac; Karayakali, Metin; Erkorkmaz, Unal; Altunkas, Fatih; Karaman, Kayihan; Koc, Fatih; Ceyhan, Koksal; Kadi, Hasan; Avsar, Alaettin

2013-08-01

Due to sensorial autonomic neuropathy, the type and severity of angina pectoris in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may be rather different from the type and severity of angina pectoris in patients without DM. The aim of the study was to understand if angina pectoris is related to extensive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with DM. The study included 530 patients with DM who underwent coronary angiography at our center in 2009 and 2010. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to type of chest pain: group 1, noncardiac chest pain or no pain; group 2, angina equivalent; group 3, atypical angina; and group 4, typical angina. All angiograms were re-evaluated and Gensini scores were calculated. Three-vessel disease was diagnosed in the presence of stenosis >50% in all 3 coronary artery systems. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to age, sex, systolic or diastolic blood pressures, body mass index, creatinine clearance, or lipid profile. Fasting blood glucose was significantly higher in group 4 than in group 2. Gensini scores were not statistically different between groups 1 and 2 or between groups 3 and 4; however, the scores for groups 3 and 4 were higher than the score for either group 1 or group 2. Prevalence of 3-vessel disease was significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 compared with the other groups. The presence of angina pectoris was related to extensive CAD in patients with DM. The extent of CAD was not correlated with the type of angina (typical or atypical). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The presence of ADHD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breining, Sanni Nørgaard

2014-01-01

This paper uses high quality register-data to study the spillover effects on firstborns from having a younger sibling suffering from ADHD. Using OLS and cousin fixed effects analyses it is found that the educational outcomes of healthy firstborn children are significantly reduced by the presence...

What a Decade of Experiments Reveals about Factors that Influence the Sense of Presence

Science.gov (United States)

2006-03-01

included tex- tures, radiosity , and sound, whereas the second used flat, shaded polygons and no sound. One experiment (Nuñez and Blake, 2003a) had a...significantly higher presence scores given for the condition with textures, radiosity , and spatialized sound. In the first experiment, however, only the Witmer...HMD mono head-tracked, HMD mono mouse, desktop monitor). Computing platform: VE created using 3-D Studio MAX modeling suite and Lightscape radiosity

Show us you are real: the effect of human-versus-organizational presence on online relationship building through social networking sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyojung; Lee, Hyunmin

2013-04-01

This study examined how creating a human presence in organizational online communication affects organization-public relationships and publics' favorable behavioral intentions to engage in word-of-mouth (WOM) and dialogic communications. Four hypotheses were tested in the context of Twitter through a 2×2 (presence: human vs. organizational×organization type: nonprofit vs. for-profit) within-subjects design. The results revealed that conversational human voice was perceived to be higher for Twitter pages of organizations with a human presence than for those with an organizational presence. Providing a human presence on social media through the use of social media managers' avatars and names appeared to promote favorable organization-public relationships and positive WOM communication. However, dialogic communication intentions did not significantly differ between organizations incorporating a human presence versus an organizational presence into their Twitter pages. The proposed dynamic role of human presence versus organizational presence adds a new perspective as to how organizations can take better advantage of interpersonal aspects of social media.

Environmental predictors of ice seal presence in the Bering Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Miksis-Olds, Jennifer L; Madden, Laura E

2014-01-01

Ice seals overwintering in the Bering Sea are challenged with foraging, finding mates, and maintaining breathing holes in a dark and ice covered environment. Due to the difficulty of studying these species in their natural environment, very little is known about how the seals navigate under ice. Here we identify specific environmental parameters, including components of the ambient background sound, that are predictive of ice seal presence in the Bering Sea. Multi-year mooring deployments provided synoptic time series of acoustic and oceanographic parameters from which environmental parameters predictive of species presence were identified through a series of mixed models. Ice cover and 10 kHz sound level were significant predictors of seal presence, with 40 kHz sound and prey presence (combined with ice cover) as potential predictors as well. Ice seal presence showed a strong positive correlation with ice cover and a negative association with 10 kHz environmental sound. On average, there was a 20-30 dB difference between sound levels during solid ice conditions compared to open water or melting conditions, providing a salient acoustic gradient between open water and solid ice conditions by which ice seals could orient. By constantly assessing the acoustic environment associated with the seasonal ice movement in the Bering Sea, it is possible that ice seals could utilize aspects of the soundscape to gauge their safe distance to open water or the ice edge by orienting in the direction of higher sound levels indicative of open water, especially in the frequency range above 1 kHz. In rapidly changing Arctic and sub-Arctic environments, the seasonal ice conditions and soundscapes are likely to change which may impact the ability of animals using ice presence and cues to successfully function during the winter breeding season.

Environmental predictors of ice seal presence in the Bering Sea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer L Miksis-Olds

Full Text Available Ice seals overwintering in the Bering Sea are challenged with foraging, finding mates, and maintaining breathing holes in a dark and ice covered environment. Due to the difficulty of studying these species in their natural environment, very little is known about how the seals navigate under ice. Here we identify specific environmental parameters, including components of the ambient background sound, that are predictive of ice seal presence in the Bering Sea. Multi-year mooring deployments provided synoptic time series of acoustic and oceanographic parameters from which environmental parameters predictive of species presence were identified through a series of mixed models. Ice cover and 10 kHz sound level were significant predictors of seal presence, with 40 kHz sound and prey presence (combined with ice cover as potential predictors as well. Ice seal presence showed a strong positive correlation with ice cover and a negative association with 10 kHz environmental sound. On average, there was a 20-30 dB difference between sound levels during solid ice conditions compared to open water or melting conditions, providing a salient acoustic gradient between open water and solid ice conditions by which ice seals could orient. By constantly assessing the acoustic environment associated with the seasonal ice movement in the Bering Sea, it is possible that ice seals could utilize aspects of the soundscape to gauge their safe distance to open water or the ice edge by orienting in the direction of higher sound levels indicative of open water, especially in the frequency range above 1 kHz. In rapidly changing Arctic and sub-Arctic environments, the seasonal ice conditions and soundscapes are likely to change which may impact the ability of animals using ice presence and cues to successfully function during the winter breeding season.

Sickness presence, sick leave and adjustment latitude

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Joachim Gerich

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Previous research on the association between adjustment latitude (defined as the opportunity to adjust work efforts in case of illness and sickness absence and sickness presence has produced inconsistent results. In particular, low adjustment latitude has been identified as both a risk factor and a deterrent of sick leave. The present study uses an alternative analytical strategy with the aim of joining these results together. Material and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a random sample of employees covered by the Upper Austrian Sickness Fund (N = 930 was analyzed. Logistic and ordinary least square (OLS regression models were used to examine the association between adjustment latitude and days of sickness absence, sickness presence, and an estimator for the individual sickness absence and sickness presence propensity. Results: A high level of adjustment latitude was found to be associated with a reduced number of days of sickness absence and sickness presence, but an elevated propensity for sickness absence. Conclusions: Employees with high adjustment latitude experience fewer days of health complaints associated with lower rates of sick leave and sickness presence compared to those with low adjustment latitude. In case of illness, however, high adjustment latitude is associated with a higher pro­bability of taking sick leave rather than sickness presence.

Variable presence of the inverted repeat and plastome stability in Erodium.

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Blazier, John C; Jansen, Robert K; Mower, Jeffrey P; Govindu, Madhu; Zhang, Jin; Weng, Mao-Lun; Ruhlman, Tracey A

2016-06-01

Several unrelated lineages such as plastids, viruses and plasmids, have converged on quadripartite genomes of similar size with large and small single copy regions and a large inverted repeat (IR). Except for Erodium (Geraniaceae), saguaro cactus and some legumes, the plastomes of all photosynthetic angiosperms display this structure. The functional significance of the IR is not understood and Erodium provides a system to examine the role of the IR in the long-term stability of these genomes. We compared the degree of genomic rearrangement in plastomes of Erodium that differ in the presence and absence of the IR. We sequenced 17 new Erodium plastomes. Using 454, Illumina, PacBio and Sanger sequences, 16 genomes were assembled and categorized along with one incomplete and two previously published Erodium plastomes. We conducted phylogenetic analyses among these species using a dataset of 19 protein-coding genes and determined if significantly higher evolutionary rates had caused the long branch seen previously in phylogenetic reconstructions within the genus. Bioinformatic comparisons were also performed to evaluate plastome evolution across the genus. Erodium plastomes fell into four types (Type 1-4) that differ in their substitution rates, short dispersed repeat content and degree of genomic rearrangement, gene and intron content and GC content. Type 4 plastomes had significantly higher rates of synonymous substitutions (dS) for all genes and for 14 of the 19 genes non-synonymous substitutions (dN) were significantly accelerated. We evaluated the evidence for a single IR loss in Erodium and in doing so discovered that Type 4 plastomes contain a novel IR. The presence or absence of the IR does not affect plastome stability in Erodium. Rather, the overall repeat content shows a negative correlation with genome stability, a pattern in agreement with other angiosperm groups and recent findings on genome stability in bacterial endosymbionts. © The Author 2016

Normal LVEF measurements are significantly higher in females asassessed by post-stress resting Tc-99m sestamibi gated myocardial perfusion SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Ho; Shin, Eak Kyun

1999-01-01

Volume-LVEF relationship is one of the most important factors of automatic EF quantification algorithm from gated myocardial perfusion SPECT(gMPS) (Germano et al. JNM, 1995). Gender difference whereby normal LVEF measurements are higher in females assessed by gMPS (Yao et al. JNM 1997). To validate true physiologic value of LVEF vs sampling or measured error, various parameters were evaluated statistically in both gender and age matched 200 subjects (mean age= 58.41±15.01) with normal LVEF more than 50%, and a low likelihood of coronary artery disease. Correlation between LVEDVi(ml/m2) and LVEF was highly significant (r=-0.62, p<0.0001) with similar correlations noted in both male (r=-0.45, p<0.0001) and female (r=-0.67, p<0.0001) subgroups. By multivariate analysis, LV volume and stroke volume was the most significant factor influencing LVEF in male and female, respectively. In conclusion, there is a significant negative correlation between LV volume and LVEF as measured by Tc-99m gated SPECT. Higher normal LVEF value should be applied to females as assessed by post-stress resting Tc-99m Sestamibi gated myocardial perfusion SPECT

Considerations relating to the presence of water in the reactor cavity during severe accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, F.; Morales, M.D.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present some of the factors, both positive and negative, associated with the presence of water in the reactor cavity. The presence of water in the reactor cavity is one of the factors whose influence on the evolution of severe accidents must be determined since, on the one hand, it has an impact on some of the most significant severe accident phenomena and, on the other, it could be an important factor when preparing accident management strategies resulting from containment analyses. In spite of the initial intuitive impression that water in the reactor cavity must always be beneficial, certain phenomena, such as the following must also be taken into account before developing accident management strategies: - Higher production of steam - Possibility of steam explosions - Increased production of H 2 due to oxidation of steel components of the melted core ejected from the vessel - More oxidation energy released due to the presence of oxygen in the cavity (Author)

High oxygen partial pressure increases photodynamic effect on HeLa cell lines in the presence of chloraluminium phthalocyanine.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajgar, Robert; Kolarova, Hana; Bolek, Lukas; Binder, Svatopluk; Pizova, Klara; Hanakova, Adela

2014-08-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is linked with oxidative damage of biomolecules causing significant impairment of essential cellular functions that lead to cell death. It is the reason why photodynamic therapy has found application in treatment of different oncological, cardiovascular, skin and eye diseases. Efficacy of PDT depends on combined action of three components; sensitizer, light and oxygen. In the present study, we examined whether higher partial pressure of oxygen increases lethality in HeLa cell lines exposed to light in the presence of chloraluminium phthalocyanine disulfonate (ClAlPcS2). ClAlPcS2- sensitized HeLa cells incubated under different oxygen conditions were exposed to PDT. Production of singlet oxygen ((1)O2) and other forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by appropriately sensitive fluorescence probes. The effect of PDT on HeLa cell viability under different oxygen conditions was quantified using the standard methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) test. At the highest oxygen concentration of 28 ± 2 mg/l HeLa cells were significantly more sensitive to light-activated ClAlPcS2 (EC50=0.29 ± 0.05 μM) in comparison to cells incubated at lower oxygen concentrations of 8 ± 0.5 and 0.5 ± 0.1 mg/l, where the half maximal effective concentration was 0.42 ± 0.06 μM and 0.94 ± 0.14 μM, respectively. Moreover, we found that the higher presence of oxygen is accompanied with higher production of singlet oxygen, a higher rate of type II photodynamic reactions, and a significant drop in the mitochondrial membrane potential. These results demonstrate that the photodynamic effect in cervical cancer cells utilizing ClAlPcS2 significantly depends on oxygen level. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Triglyceride content in remnant lipoproteins is significantly increased after food intake and is associated with plasma lipoprotein lipase.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, Katsuyuki; Tokita, Yoshiharu; Sakamaki, Koji; Shimomura, Younosuke; Kobayashi, Junji; Kamachi, Keiko; Tanaka, Akira; Stanhope, Kimber L; Havel, Peter J; Wang, Tao; Machida, Tetsuo; Murakami, Masami

2017-02-01

Previous large population studies reported that non-fasting plasma triglyceride (TG) reflect a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than TG in the fasting plasma. This is suggestive of the presence of higher concentration of remnant lipoproteins (RLP) in postprandial plasma. TG and RLP-TG together with other lipids, lipoproteins and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in both fasting and postprandial plasma were determined in generally healthy volunteers and in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after consuming a fat load or a more typical moderate meal. RLP-TG/TG ratio (concentration) and RLP-TG/RLP-C ratio (particle size) were significantly increased in the postprandial plasma of both healthy controls and CAD patients compared with those in fasting plasma. LPL/RLP-TG ratio demonstrated the interaction correlation between RLP concentration and LPL activity The increased RLP-TG after fat consumption contributed to approximately 90% of the increased plasma TG, while approximately 60% after a typical meal. Plasma LPL in postprandial plasma was not significantly altered after either type of meal. Concentrations of RLP-TG found in the TG along with its particle size are significantly increased in postprandial plasma compared with fasting plasma. Therefore, non-fasting TG determination better reflects the presence of higher RLP concentrations in plasma. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PRESENCE OF ARCOBACTER SPP. IN IN-LINE MILK FILTERS: AN EMERGING AND SIGNIFICANT MICROBIOLOGICAL HAZARD IN FOOD

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F. Giacometti

2011-04-01

Full Text Available While a study on the presence of foodborne pathogens in in-line milk filters of Italian dairy farms authorized for production and sale of raw milk was in progress, we fortuitously detected and isolated some Arcobacter spp. during routine analysis for thermotolerant Campylobacter. This observation suggested that extraordinary and non-standardized growth conditions for detection and identification were needed to provide more information and data on this poorly known emergent zoonotic pathogen. The presence of Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacacter cryaerophilus in milk filters of dairy farms authorized for production and sale of raw milk poses a risk for public health and rather suggests that raw milk samples should also be examined for Arcobacter contamination. While the role of Arcobacter spp. in human disease awaits further evaluation, a precautionary approach is advisable and control measures to prevent or to eliminate the hazard of Arcobacter spp. in food and from the human food chain should be encouraged as well as more epidemiological studies. With this article, we review the literature of this organism in order to focus the relevant information to food safety.

Multivariate analysis of factors affecting presence and/or agenesis of third molar tooth.

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Mohammad Khursheed Alam

Full Text Available To investigate the presence and/or agenesis of third molar (M3 tooth germs in orthodontics patients in Malaysian Malay and Chinese population and evaluate the relationship between presence and/or agenesis of M3 with different skeletal malocclusion patterns and sagittal maxillomandibular jaw dimensions. Pretreatment records of 300 orthodontic patients (140 males and 160 females, 219 Malaysian Malay and 81 Chinese, average age was 16.27±4.59 were used. Third-molar agenesis was calculated with respect to race, genders, number of missing teeth, jaws, skeletal malocclusion patterns and sagittal maxillomandibular jaw dimensions. The Pearson chi-square test and ANOVA was performed to determine potential differences. Associations between various factors and M3 presence/agenesis groups were assessed using logistic regression analysis. The percentages of subjects with 1 or more M3 agenesis were 30%, 33% and 31% in the Malaysian Malay, Chinese and total population, respectively. Overall prevalence of M3 agenesis in male and female was equal (P>0.05. The frequency of the agenesis of M3s is greater in maxilla as well in the right side (P>0.05. The prevalence of M3 agenesis in those with a Class III and Class II malocclusion was relatively higher in Malaysian Malay and Malaysian Chinese population respectively. Using stepwise regression analyses, significant associations were found between Mx (P<0.05 and ANB (P<0.05 and M3 agenesis. This multivariate analysis suggested that Mx and ANB were significantly correlated with the M3 presence/agenesis.

ASSESSING SELF-STUDY WORK’S SIGNIFICANT SKILLS FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING IN THE HIGHER SCHOOL

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Galina V. Milovanova

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: the problem of organizing students’ independent work/self-study is not new, but the changes in the higher school for the last two decades show that the experience accumulated in the traditional educational model can be applied only when it is processed in the present-day conditions. The article analyses the innovative component of the educational process in terms of a significant increase in the volume of compulsory independent work in the university. Particular attention is paid to determining the levels of the formation of skills for independent work in terms of students’ readiness for its implementa¬tion. The aim of the research is to identify the most significant skills of independent work for successful study at the university. Materials and Methods: the research is based on general scholarly methods: analysis, comparison, generalisation. A questionnaire survey was carried out and a correlation analysis of the results was presented. The mathematical statistics methods in Excel application were u sed for processing the survey data. Results: the article focused on the relevance of formation the students’ ability to work independently in the learning process. Requirements for professionals recognize the need for knowledge and skills, but more importantly, the ability and readiness to complete this knowledge and be in a state of continuous education and self-education. In turn, readiness to self-education cannot exist without independent work. The ratio of students to work independently and their skills’ levels in this area of the gnostic, design, structural, organisational and communicative blocks were identified because o f the research. Discussion and Conclusions: the levels of the formation of the skills for independent work influence on the success of the learning. There is a correlation between indicators of achievement and the ability to work independently. Organisation and communication skills have significant

Observations on the presence of insulin resistance in patients with essential hypertension and coronary heart disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Mei; Wu Guo

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the presence of insulin resistance in patients with essential hypertension (EH) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: Fasting and 2h post oral 75g glucose blood sugar (with oxidase method), insulin and C-peptide (with RIA) levels were examined in 52 patients with EH, 40 patients with CHD and 35 controls. Results: The fasting and 2h post o- ral glucose serum levels of glucose, insulin and C-peptide in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (P < 0.01), suggesting presence of impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Conclusion: Impaired glucose tolerance due to insulin resistance was demonstrated in the studied patients with EH or CHD. (authors)

Alkali Silica Reaction In The Presence Of Metakaolin - The Significant Role of Calcium Hydroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Zapała-Sławeta, Justyna

2017-10-01

Reducing the internal corrosion, which is the result of reactions between alkalis and reactive aggregates is especially important in ensuring durability properties of concrete. One of the methods of inhibiting the reaction is using some mineral additives which have pozzolanic properties. This paper presents the efficacy of high-reactivity metakaolin in reducing expansion due to alkali-silica reaction. It was demonstrated that metakaolin in the amount from 5% to 20% by mass of Portland cement reduce linear expansion of mortar bars with opal aggregate. Nevertheless, the safe expansion level in the specimens, classified as non-destructive to concrete, was recorded for the mortars prepared with 20% addition of metakaolin. Depletion of free calcium hydroxide content was considered as one of the most beneficial effects of metakaolin in controlling alkali silica reaction. Based on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) performed on mortar bars with and without metakaolin the differences in portlandite content were determined. Microstructural observation of the specimens containing metakaolin indicated the presence of a reaction products but fewer in number than those forming in the mortars without mineral additives.

Using a higher criticism statistic to detect modest effects in a genome-wide study of rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

In high-dimensional studies such as genome-wide association studies, the correction for multiple testing in order to control total type I error results in decreased power to detect modest effects. We present a new analytical approach based on the higher criticism statistic that allows identification of the presence of modest effects. We apply our method to the genome-wide study of rheumatoid arthritis provided in the Genetic Analysis Workshop 16 Problem 1 data set. There is evidence for unknown bias in this study that could be explained by the presence of undetected modest effects. We compared the asymptotic and empirical thresholds for the higher criticism statistic. Using the asymptotic threshold we detected the presence of modest effects genome-wide. We also detected modest effects using 90th percentile of the empirical null distribution as a threshold; however, there is no such evidence when the 95th and 99th percentiles were used. While the higher criticism method suggests that there is some evidence for modest effects, interpreting individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms with significant higher criticism statistics is of undermined value. The goal of higher criticism is to alert the researcher that genetic effects remain to be discovered and to promote the use of more targeted and powerful studies to detect the remaining effects. PMID:20018032

Sterol 27-Hydroxylase Polymorphism Significantly Associates With Shorter Telomere, Higher Cardiovascular and Type-2 Diabetes Risk in Obese Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Pavanello

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Background/objectivesThe pathologic relationship linking obesity and lipid dismetabolism with earlier onset of aging-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease (CVD and type-2 diabetes (T2D, is not fully elucidate. Chronic inflammatory state, in obese individuals, may accelerate cellular aging. However, leukocyte telomere length (LTL, the cellular biological aging indicator, is elusively linked with obesity. Recent studies indicate that sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1 is an emerging antiatherogenic enzyme, that, by converting extrahepatic cholesterol to 27-hydroxycholesterol, facilitates cholesterol removal via high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C. We tested the hypothesis that obese subjects who carry at least three copies of CYP27A1 low-hydroxylation (LH activity genome-wide-validated alleles (rs4674345A, rs1554622A, and rs4674338G present premature aging, as reflected in shorter LTL and higher levels of CVD/T2D risk factors, including reduced HDL-C.Subjects/methodsObese subjects from SPHERE project {n = 1,457; overweight [body mass index (BMI 25–30 kg/m2] 65.8% and severe-obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2 34.2%} were characterized for the presence from 0 to 6 LH-CYP27A1 allele copy number. Univariate and multivariable sex–age–smoking-adjusted linear-regression models were performed to compare CVD/T2D risk factors and biological aging (LTL in relation to the combined BMI-LH groups: overweight-LH: 0–2, overweight-LH: 3–6, severe-obese-LH: 0–2, and severe-obese-LH: 3–6.ResultsHigher LTL attrition was found in severe-obese than overweight individuals (p < 0.001. Multivariable model reveals that among severe-obese patients those with LH: 3–6 present higher LTL attrition than LH: 0–2 (p < 0.05. Univariate and multivariable models remarkably show that insulin resistance is higher both in overweight-LH: 3–6 vs overweight-LH: 0–2 (p < 0.001 and in severe-obese-LH: 3–6 vs severe-obese-LH: 0–2 (p�

How Nurse Work Environments Relate to the Presence of Parents in Neonatal Intensive Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallowell, Sunny G; Rogowski, Jeannette A; Lake, Eileen T

2017-09-25

Parental presence in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is essential for families to participate in infant care and prepare them to transition from hospital to home. Nurses are the principal caregivers in the NICU. The nurse work environment may influence whether parents spend time with their hospitalized infants. To examine the relationship between the NICU work environment and parental presence in the NICU using a national data set. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study of a national sample of 104 NICUs, where 6060 nurses reported on 15,233 infants cared for. Secondary analysis was used to examine associations between the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) (subscale items and with a composite measure) and the proportion of parents who were present during the nurses' shift. Parents of 60% (SD = 9.7%) of infants were present during the nurses' shift. The PES-NWI composite score and 2 domains-Nurse Participation in Hospital Affairs and Manager Leadership and Support-were significant predictors of parental presence. A 1 SD higher score in the composite or either subscale was associated with 2.5% more parents being present. Parental presence in the NICU is significantly associated with better nurse work environments. NICU practices may be enhanced through enhanced leadership and professional opportunities for nurse managers and staff. Future work may benefit from qualitative work with parents to illuminate their experiences with nursing leaders and nurse-led interventions in the NICU and design and testing of interventions to improve the NICU work environment.

Integration of Stem Cell to Chondrocyte-Derived Cartilage Matrix in Healthy and Osteoarthritic States in the Presence of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles.

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Rupak Dua

Full Text Available We investigated the effectiveness of integrating tissue engineered cartilage derived from human bone marrow derived stem cells (HBMSCs to healthy as well as osteoarthritic cartilage mimics using hydroxyapatite (HA nanoparticles immersed within a hydrogel substrate. Healthy and diseased engineered cartilage from human chondrocytes (cultured in agar gels were integrated with human bone marrow stem cell (HBMSC-derived cartilaginous engineered matrix with and without HA, and evaluated after 28 days of growth. HBMSCs were seeded within photopolymerizable poly (ethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA hydrogels. In addition, we also conducted a preliminary in vivo evaluation of cartilage repair in rabbit knee chondral defects treated with subchondral bone microfracture and cell-free PEGDA with and without HA. Under in vitro conditions, the interfacial shear strength between tissue engineered cartilage derived from HBMSCs and osteoarthritic chondrocytes was significantly higher (p < 0.05 when HA nanoparticles were incorporated within the HBMSC culture system. Histological evidence confirmed a distinct spatial transition zone, rich in calcium phosphate deposits. Assessment of explanted rabbit knees by histology demonstrated that cellularity within the repair tissues that had filled the defects were of significantly higher number (p < 0.05 when HA was used. HA nanoparticles play an important role in treating chondral defects when osteoarthritis is a co-morbidity. We speculate that the calcified layer formation at the interface in the osteoarthritic environment in the presence of HA is likely to have attributed to higher interfacial strength found in vitro. From an in vivo standpoint, the presence of HA promoted cellularity in the tissues that subsequently filled the chondral defects. This higher presence of cells can be considered important in the context of accelerating long-term cartilage remodeling. We conclude that HA nanoparticles play an important role in

Enhanced phytoextraction of chromium by the aquatic macrophyte Potamogeton pusillus in presence of copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monferrán, Magdalena V.; Pignata, María L.; Wunderlin, Daniel A.

2012-01-01

The aquatic macrophyte, Potamogeton pusillus was evaluated for the removal of Cu 2+ and Cr +6 from aqueous solutions during 15 days phytoextraction experiments. Results show that P. pusillus is capable of accumulating substantial amount of Cu and Cr from individual solutions (either Cu 2+ or Cr +6 ). Significant correlations between metal removal and bioaccumulation were obtained. Roots and leaves accumulated the highest amount of Cu and Cr followed by stems. The bioaccumulation of Cr was significantly enhanced in the presence of Cu, showing a synergic effect on Cr +6 removal, presenting a good alternative for the removal of these metals from polluted aquifers. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the first report on both enhanced phytoextraction of Cr +6 in presence of Cu +2 and bioaccumulation of these heavy metals by P. pusillus. - Highlights: ► First report on enhanced phytoextraction of Cr +6 in the presence of Cu +2 by P. pusillus. ► P. pusillus can be a good candidate for phytoremediation of contaminated water bodies. ► Roots and leaves presented higher accumulation, suggesting that they are in charge of metal uptake. - We report enhanced effect of Cu +2 upon phytoextraction of Cr +6 by Potamogeton pusillus from water. Metals accumulation occurs mainly in roots and leaves of this aquatic plant.

Differential Clinical Outcomes Between Angiographic Complete Versus Incomplete Coronary Revascularization, According to the Presence of Chronic Kidney Disease in the Drug-Eluting Stent Era.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jihoon; Lee, Joo Myung; Choi, Ki Hong; Rhee, Tae-Min; Hwang, Doyeon; Park, Jonghanne; Ahn, Chul; Park, Taek Kyu; Yang, Jeong Hoon; Song, Young Bin; Choi, Jin-Ho; Hahn, Joo-Yong; Choi, Seung-Hyuk; Gwon, Hyeon-Cheol

2018-02-15

There are limited data regarding the prognostic impact of angiographic complete revascularization (CR) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We sought to investigate the differential prognostic impact of angiographic CR over incomplete revascularization (IR), according to the presence of CKD in the drug-eluting stent era. Between 2003 and 2011 at Samsung Medical Center, consecutive patients with multivessel disease were stratified by the presence of CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ) and classified according to angiographic CR (residual SYNTAX score=0) or IR. Clinical outcomes were compared between angiographic CR and IR, stratified by the presence of CKD. Primary outcome was patient-oriented composite outcomes (POCO, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, any revascularization) at 3 years. Inverse probability weighting was performed between the CR and IR groups. A total of 3224 patients were eligible for analysis: 2295 without CKD; 929 with CKD. Among non-CKD patients, angiographic CR showed a significantly lower risk of POCO than IR (17.2% versus 21.7%, adjusted hazard ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.95, P =0.014), mainly driven by a significantly lower risk of any revascularization. Among CKD patients, however, angiographic CR was associated with a significantly higher risk of POCO than IR (37.7% versus 28.4%, adjusted hazard ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval, 1.08%-1.85%, P =0.011), mainly driven by a significantly higher risk of nonfatal target vessel myocardial infarction. Angiographic CR was associated with reduced risk of POCO than IR in patients without CKD; however, it was associated with a significantly higher risk of POCO and nonfatal myocardial infarction in CKD patients. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Enhanced diisobutene production in the presence of methyl tertiary butyl ether

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L.A. Jr.

1983-03-01

In the liquid phase reaction of isobutene in the presence of resin cation exchange resins with itself in a C[sub 4] hydrocarbon stream to form dimers, the formation of higher polymers, oligomers, and co-dimer by-products is suppressed by the presence of 0.0001 to 1 mole per mole of isobutene of methyl tertiary butyl ether. 1 fig.

Enhanced chlorine dioxide decay in the presence of metal oxides: Relevance to drinking water distribution systems

KAUST Repository

Liu, Chao; von Gunten, Urs; Croue, Jean-Philippe

2013-01-01

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) decay in the presence of typical metal oxides occurring in distribution systems was investigated. Metal oxides generally enhanced ClO2 decay in a second-order process via three pathways: (1) catalytic disproportionation with equimolar formation of chlorite and chlorate, (2) reaction to chlorite and oxygen, and (3) oxidation of a metal in a reduced form (e.g., cuprous oxide) to a higher oxidation state. Cupric oxide (CuO) and nickel oxide (NiO) showed significantly stronger abilities than goethite (α-FeOOH) to catalyze the ClO2 disproportionation (pathway 1), which predominated at higher initial ClO2 concentrations (56-81 μM). At lower initial ClO2 concentrations (13-31 μM), pathway 2 also contributed. The CuO-enhanced ClO2 decay is a base-assisted reaction with a third-order rate constant of 1.5 × 10 6 M-2 s-1 in the presence of 0.1 g L -1 CuO at 21 ± 1 C, which is 4-5 orders of magnitude higher than in the absence of CuO. The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) significantly enhanced the formation of chlorite and decreased the ClO 2 disproportionation in the CuO-ClO2 system, probably because of a higher reactivity of CuO-activated ClO2 with NOM. Furthermore, a kinetic model was developed to simulate CuO-enhanced ClO 2 decay at various pH values. Model simulations that agree well with the experimental data include a pre-equilibrium step with the rapid formation of a complex, namely, CuO-activated Cl2O4. The reaction of this complex with OH- is the rate-limiting and pH-dependent step for the overall reaction, producing chlorite and an intermediate that further forms chlorate and oxygen in parallel. These novel findings suggest that the possible ClO2 loss and the formation of chlorite/chlorate should be carefully considered in drinking water distribution systems containing copper pipes. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Enhanced chlorine dioxide decay in the presence of metal oxides: Relevance to drinking water distribution systems

KAUST Repository

Liu, Chao

2013-07-19

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) decay in the presence of typical metal oxides occurring in distribution systems was investigated. Metal oxides generally enhanced ClO2 decay in a second-order process via three pathways: (1) catalytic disproportionation with equimolar formation of chlorite and chlorate, (2) reaction to chlorite and oxygen, and (3) oxidation of a metal in a reduced form (e.g., cuprous oxide) to a higher oxidation state. Cupric oxide (CuO) and nickel oxide (NiO) showed significantly stronger abilities than goethite (α-FeOOH) to catalyze the ClO2 disproportionation (pathway 1), which predominated at higher initial ClO2 concentrations (56-81 μM). At lower initial ClO2 concentrations (13-31 μM), pathway 2 also contributed. The CuO-enhanced ClO2 decay is a base-assisted reaction with a third-order rate constant of 1.5 × 10 6 M-2 s-1 in the presence of 0.1 g L -1 CuO at 21 ± 1 C, which is 4-5 orders of magnitude higher than in the absence of CuO. The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) significantly enhanced the formation of chlorite and decreased the ClO 2 disproportionation in the CuO-ClO2 system, probably because of a higher reactivity of CuO-activated ClO2 with NOM. Furthermore, a kinetic model was developed to simulate CuO-enhanced ClO 2 decay at various pH values. Model simulations that agree well with the experimental data include a pre-equilibrium step with the rapid formation of a complex, namely, CuO-activated Cl2O4. The reaction of this complex with OH- is the rate-limiting and pH-dependent step for the overall reaction, producing chlorite and an intermediate that further forms chlorate and oxygen in parallel. These novel findings suggest that the possible ClO2 loss and the formation of chlorite/chlorate should be carefully considered in drinking water distribution systems containing copper pipes. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Water Exchange Produces Significantly Higher Adenoma Detection Rate Than Water Immersion: Pooled Data From 2 Multisite Randomized Controlled Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Felix W; Koo, Malcolm; Cadoni, Sergio; Falt, Premysl; Hsieh, Yu-Hsi; Amato, Arnaldo; Erriu, Matteo; Fojtik, Petr; Gallittu, Paolo; Hu, Chi-Tan; Leung, Joseph W; Liggi, Mauro; Paggi, Silvia; Radaelli, Franco; Rondonotti, Emanuele; Smajstrla, Vit; Tseng, Chih-Wei; Urban, Ondrej

2018-03-02

To test the hypothesis that water exchange (WE) significantly increases adenoma detection rates (ADR) compared with water immersion (WI). Low ADR was linked to increased risk for interval colorectal cancers and related deaths. Two recent randomized controlled trials of head-to-head comparison of WE, WI, and traditional air insufflation (AI) each showed that WE achieved significantly higher ADR than AI, but not WI. The data were pooled from these 2 studies to test the above hypothesis. Two trials (5 sites, 14 colonoscopists) that randomized 1875 patients 1:1:1 to AI, WI, or WE were pooled and analyzed with ADR as the primary outcome. The ADR of AI (39.5%) and WI (42.4%) were comparable, significantly lower than that of WE (49.6%) (vs. AI P=0.001; vs. WI P=0.033). WE insertion time was 3 minutes longer than that of AI (Prate (vs. AI) of the >10 mm advanced adenomas. Right colon combined advanced and sessile serrated ADR of AI (3.4%) and WI (5%) were comparable and were significantly lower than that of WE (8.5%) (vs. AI P<0.001; vs. WI P=0.039). Compared with AI and WI, the superior ADR of WE offsets the drawback of a significantly longer insertion time. For quality improvement focused on increasing adenoma detection, WE is preferred over WI. The hypothesis that WE could lower the risk of interval colorectal cancers and related deaths should be tested.

Sense of presence and anxiety during virtual social interactions between a human and virtual humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Morina, Nexhmedin; Brinkman, Willem-Paul; Hartanto, Dwi; Emmelkamp, Paul M G

2014-01-01

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has been shown to be effective in treatment of anxiety disorders. Yet, there is lack of research on the extent to which interaction between the individual and virtual humans can be successfully implanted to increase levels of anxiety for therapeutic purposes. This proof-of-concept pilot study aimed at examining levels of the sense of presence and anxiety during exposure to virtual environments involving social interaction with virtual humans and using different virtual reality displays. A non-clinical sample of 38 participants was randomly assigned to either a head-mounted display (HMD) with motion tracker and sterescopic view condition or a one-screen projection-based virtual reality display condition. Participants in both conditions engaged in free speech dialogues with virtual humans controlled by research assistants. It was hypothesized that exposure to virtual social interactions will elicit moderate levels of sense of presence and anxiety in both groups. Further it was expected that participants in the HMD condition will report higher scores of sense of presence and anxiety than participants in the one-screen projection-based display condition. Results revealed that in both conditions virtual social interactions were associated with moderate levels of sense of presence and anxiety. Additionally, participants in the HMD condition reported significantly higher levels of presence than those in the one-screen projection-based display condition (p = .001). However, contrary to the expectations neither the average level of anxiety nor the highest level of anxiety during exposure to social virtual environments differed between the groups (p = .97 and p = .75, respectively). The findings suggest that virtual social interactions can be successfully applied in VRET to enhance sense of presence and anxiety. Furthermore, our results indicate that one-screen projection-based displays can successfully activate levels of anxiety in

Sense of presence and anxiety during virtual social interactions between a human and virtual humans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nexhmedin Morina

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET has been shown to be effective in treatment of anxiety disorders. Yet, there is lack of research on the extent to which interaction between the individual and virtual humans can be successfully implanted to increase levels of anxiety for therapeutic purposes. This proof-of-concept pilot study aimed at examining levels of the sense of presence and anxiety during exposure to virtual environments involving social interaction with virtual humans and using different virtual reality displays. A non-clinical sample of 38 participants was randomly assigned to either a head-mounted display (HMD with motion tracker and sterescopic view condition or a one-screen projection-based virtual reality display condition. Participants in both conditions engaged in free speech dialogues with virtual humans controlled by research assistants. It was hypothesized that exposure to virtual social interactions will elicit moderate levels of sense of presence and anxiety in both groups. Further it was expected that participants in the HMD condition will report higher scores of sense of presence and anxiety than participants in the one-screen projection-based display condition. Results revealed that in both conditions virtual social interactions were associated with moderate levels of sense of presence and anxiety. Additionally, participants in the HMD condition reported significantly higher levels of presence than those in the one-screen projection-based display condition (p = .001. However, contrary to the expectations neither the average level of anxiety nor the highest level of anxiety during exposure to social virtual environments differed between the groups (p = .97 and p = .75, respectively. The findings suggest that virtual social interactions can be successfully applied in VRET to enhance sense of presence and anxiety. Furthermore, our results indicate that one-screen projection-based displays can successfully activate levels

Impact of underlying diabetes and presence of lung cavities on treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, A; Hagiwara, E; Hamai, J; Taguri, M; Terauchi, Y

2014-06-01

We investigated the effects of diabetes and the presence of lung cavities on treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. We conducted a retrospective review of the clinical records of all consecutive patients admitted to the Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Centre with the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The study outcomes examined were time to sputum culture conversion and percentage of patients with sputum culture conversion by the time 2 months of treatment, and these outcomes were compared between patients with and without diabetes. Of the 260 patients enrolled in the study, 69 were diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus, while the remaining 191 did not have diabetes. The percentage of patients with cavities was higher in the patients with diabetes (71.0%) than in those without (45.5%; P = 0.0003). The time to sputum culture conversion was significantly longer in the patients with diabetes than in those without (P = 0.0005), and the percentage of patients with a positive sputum culture at 2 months was higher in the patients with diabetes (43.5%) than in those without (18.8%; P = 0.0001). Multivariate analyses revealed that the presence/absence of lung cavities was a more important determinant of treatment outcomes than the presence/absence of diabetes. The presence of lung cavities was found to be a more important determinant of the treatment outcomes than that of diabetes per se in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. © 2014 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2014 Diabetes UK.

Collateral circulation as a marker of the presence of viable myocardium in patients with recent myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, M.; Ohno, A.; Wada, O.; Miwa, K.; Nozawa, T.; Yamanishi, K.; Sasayama, S.

1991-01-01

The relationship between the presence of viable myocardium and the extent of coronary collateral circulation to the infarct area was evaluated in 20 patients with a recent anterior myocardial infarction who had complete obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The viability of myocardial tissue was assessed by exercise thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy, and the collateral circulation was angiographically evaluated by means of a collateral index ranging from 0 to 3. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group 1, n = 10) or absence (group 2, n = 10) of viable myocardium in the perfusion territory of the infarct-related artery. The collateral index in group 1 was 2.5 ± 0.5 (SD), which was significantly higher than the 0.7 ± 0.8 in group 2. These findings indicate that the presence of ischemic but viable myocardium is intimately related to the development of collateral circulation in patients with myocardial infarction, and the existence of well-developed collateral channels predicts the presence of viable myocardium in the infarct area

Significance of a negative exercise thallium test in the presence of a critical residual stenosis after thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutton, J.M.; Topol, E.J.

1991-01-01

After thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction, increasing emphasis is placed on early submaximal exercise testing, with further intervention advocated only for demonstrable ischemia. Although significant residual coronary artery lesions after successful thrombolysis are common, many patients paradoxically have no corresponding provokable ischemia. The relation between significant postthrombolytic residual coronary artery disease and a negative early, submaximal exercise thallium-201 tomogram was studied among 101 consecutive patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction and at least 70% residual stenosis of the infarct artery. A negative test occurred in 49 (48.5%) patients with a mean 88% residual infarct artery stenosis. Further characteristics of the group were as follows: mean time to treatment was 3.1 hours; mean age was 54 +/- 10 years; 80% were male; 47% had anterior infarction; 39% had multivessel disease; mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 53 +/- 14%; and mean peak creatine kinase level was 3,820 +/- 3,123 IU/ml. A similar group of 52 (51.5%) patients, treated within 3.3 hours from symptom onset, with a mean postthrombolysis stenosis of 90%, had a positive exercise test. Characteristics of this group were as follows: age was 58 +/- 10 years; 92% were male; 56% had anterior infarction; 40% had multivessel disease; and mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 54 +/- 15%. The peak creatine kinase level associated with the infarction, however, was lower: 2,605 +/- 1,805 IU/ml (p = 0.04). There was no difference in performance at exercise testing with respect to peak systolic pressure, peak heart rate, or time tolerated on the treadmill between the two groups. By multivariate logistic regression, only peak creatine kinase level predicted a negative stress result in the presence of a significant residual stenosis

Presence of Social Presence during Disasters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mukkamala, Alivelu Manga; Beck, Roman

2017-01-01

During emergencies, affected people use social media platforms for interaction and collaboration. Social media is used to ask for help, provide moral support, and to help each other, without direct face-to-face interactions. From a social presence point of view, we analyzed Twitter messages...... to understand how people cooperate and collaborate with each other during heavy rains and subsequent floods in Chennai, India. We conducted a manual content analysis to build social presence classifiers comprising intimacy and immediacy concepts which we used to train a machine learning approach to subsequently...

Adding immersive virtual reality to a science lab simulation causes more presence but less learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Makransky, Guido; Terkildsen, Thomas S.; Mayer, Richard E.

2017-01-01

significantly higher cognitive load based on the EEG measure (d = 0.59). In spite of its motivating properties (as reflected in presence ratings), learning science in VR may overload and distract the learner (as reflected in EEG measures of cognitive load), resulting in less opportunity to build learning...... whether the principles of multimedia learning generalize to immersive VR. Furthermore, electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to obtain a direct measure of cognitive processing during learning. A sample of 52 university students participated in a 2 × 2 experimental cross-panel design wherein students learned...

Health promotion messages: the role of social presence for food choices.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittner, Jenny V; Kulesz, Micaela M

2015-04-01

We investigated whether social presence cues encourage consumers to self-regulate and select healthier food products. In the first experiment, workers completed food choices in an e-commerce environment. After the activation of health-related goals, they saw a social presence cue and were asked to choose between healthy and unhealthy food options. The analyses revealed main effects of social presence and health goal activation on food choices. These effects were additive, such that the combination of social presence and health goals induced significantly healthier choices compared with the control group. The second experiment further examined social presence cues that were presented on a menu. The results showed significant effects on food choices and on the perceived self-regulatory success in dieting. These findings indicate that social presence cues could be employed to increase healthful eating and, furthermore, that it may be useful to co-activate multiple cues in health promotion messages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Significant enhancement in thermoelectric performance of nanostructured higher manganese silicides synthesized employing a melt spinning technique.

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Muthiah, Saravanan; Singh, R C; Pathak, B D; Avasthi, Piyush Kumar; Kumar, Rishikesh; Kumar, Anil; Srivastava, A K; Dhar, Ajay

2018-01-25

The limited thermoelectric performance of p-type Higher Manganese Silicides (HMS) in terms of their low figure-of-merit (ZT), which is far below unity, is the main bottle-neck for realising an efficient HMS based thermoelectric generator, which has been recognized as the most promising material for harnessing waste-heat in the mid-temperature range, owing to its thermal stability, earth-abundant and environmentally friendly nature of its constituent elements. We report a significant enhancement in the thermoelectric performance of nanostructured HMS synthesized using rapid solidification by optimizing the cooling rates during melt-spinning followed by spark plasma sintering of the resulting melt-spun ribbons. By employing this experimental strategy, an unprecedented ZT ∼ 0.82 at 800 K was realized in spark plasma sintered 5 at% Al-doped MnSi 1.73 HMS, melt spun at an optimized high cooling rate of ∼2 × 10 7 K s -1 . This enhancement in ZT represents a ∼25% increase over the best reported values thus far for HMS and primarily originates from a nano-crystalline microstructure consisting of a HMS matrix (20-40 nm) with excess Si (3-9 nm) uniformly distributed in it. This nanostructure, resulting from the high cooling rates employed during the melt-spinning of HMS, introduces a high density of nano-crystallite boundaries in a wide spectrum of nano-scale dimensions, which scatter the low-to-mid-wavelength heat-carrying phonons. This abundant phonon scattering results in a significantly reduced thermal conductivity of ∼1.5 W m -1 K -1 at 800 K, which primarily contributes to the enhancement in ZT.

Performance of in-vessel composting of food waste in the presence of coal ash and uric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Chun-Jiang; Huang, Guo-He; Yao, Yao; Sun, Wei; An, Kai

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The amendments of CA and UA could facilitate the composting performance. ► The overall performance is a sum of different events with different mechanisms. ► The added CA and UA might lead to higher pH during the composting. ► The process is correlated with the variations of microbial activity and C/N ratio. ► The presence of CA and UA has significant influence on composting of food waste. - Abstract: Massive quantities of food waste often coexist with other agroindustrial and industrial waste, which might contain coal ash (CA) and uric acid (UA). This study investigated the influence of CA and UA on the composting of food waste in the in-vessel system. The patterns of food waste composting were compared among various combinations. The results showed that the temperature level was enhanced in the presence of CA and UA during the first 8 days. The significant drop in pH was observed in the treatment without any amendment. But the presence of CA could alleviate the drop of pH. More intensive organic mass reduction took place in the treatments with amended CA and UA in the first half of process. The O 2 uptake rate in the reactor with CA and UA was higher than that with only CA in the early stage. Both thermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms were present throughout the composting period. The populations of both thermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms were influenced when amended with CA and UA. The decreasing trend in C/N ratio was shown in all the reactors, while a relatively lower C/N ratio was obtained in the series with both CA and UA.

Tribes and Territories in the 21st Century: Rethinking the Significance of Disciplines in Higher Education. International Studies in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Trowler, Paul, Ed.; Saunders, Murray, Ed.; Bamber, Veronica, Ed.

2012-01-01

The "tribes and territories" metaphor for the cultures of academic disciplines and their roots in different knowledge characteristics has been used by those interested in university life and work since the early 1990s. This book draws together research, data and theory to show how higher education has gone through major change since then…

Presence of plaque, gingivitis and caries in Sudanese children with congenital heart defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Hiba Mohamed; Mustafa, Manal; Hasabalrasol, Siham; Elshazali, Osama Hafiz; Nasir, Elwalid Fadul; Ali, Raouf Wahab; Berggreen, Ellen; Skeie, Marit Slåttelid

2017-05-01

The objective of this study is to assess the presence of plaque, gingivitis, and caries in a group of Sudanese children with congenital heart defects CHDs (cases) and compare them to children without CHDs (controls). This analytical cross-sectional study included cases (N = 111, with a mean age of 7.2 ± 3.0 years) and controls (N = 182, with a mean age of 7.2 ± 2.8 years) from Khartoum, Sudan. Examinations were done by two calibrated dentists using plaque index, gingival index, and WHO (World Health Organization) caries diagnostic criteria (dmft/DMFT index: decayed, missing, and filled teeth). Children with CHDs (cases) had statistically significantly higher mean number of sites with plaque and gingivitis than children without CHDs (controls), although almost all children experienced plaque. Cases also experienced significantly higher mean dmft/DMFT than controls (age group 1, 3-7 years: 3.7 vs 2.3 and age group 2, 8-12 years: 1.3 vs 0.6). The Significant Caries Indices in cases (age groups 1 and 2) were also significantly higher than among controls (SiC 8.2 vs 5.9 and 1.8 vs 0.8, respectively). Fillings were totally lacking among cases and scarce among controls. The findings clearly showed that this group of Sudanese children with CHDs was more severely affected with gingivitis and caries than the control group without CHDs. These results are cause for concern in children at risk of developing systemic infections and serious complications related to poor oral health. These findings provide important baseline data for planning appropriate dental preventive strategies for Sudanese children with CHDs.

The Significance of Prolonged and Saddleback Fever in Hospitalised Adult Dengue.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deborah Hl Ng

Full Text Available Dengue fever is gaining importance in Singapore with an increase in the number of cases and mortality in recent years. Although prolonged and saddleback fever have been reported in dengue fever, there are no specific studies on their significance in dengue. This study aims to examine the prevalence of prolonged and saddleback fever in dengue as well as their associations with dengue severity. A total of 2843 polymerase-chain reaction (PCR confirmed dengue patients admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital from 2004 to 2008 were included in the study. Sixty-nine percent of them were male with a median age of 34 years. Prolonged fever (fever > 7 days duration was present in 572 (20.1% of patients. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF, dengue shock syndrome (DSS and severe dengue (SD were significantly more likely to occur in patients with prolonged fever. Mucosal bleeding, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, lethargy, rash, clinical fluid accumulation, hepatomegaly, nosocomial infection, leukopenia, higher neutrophil count, higher hematocrit, higher alanine transaminase (ALT and aspartate transaminase (AST, higher creatinine, lower protein and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT were significantly associated with prolonged fever but not platelet count or prothrombin time (PT. Saddleback fever was present in 165 (5.8%. Although DHF and SD were more likely to occur in patients in those with saddleback fever, DSS was not. Compared with prolonged fever, saddleback fever did not show many significant associations except for diarrhea, abdominal pain, clinical fluid accumulation, hematocrit and platelet change, and lower systolic blood pressure. This study demonstrates that prolonged fever may be associated with various warning signs and more severe forms of dengue (SD, DSS, DHF, while saddleback fever showed associations with DHF and SD but not DSS. The presence of prolonged or saddleback fever in dengue patients should therefore

Gemfibrozil Concentrations are Significantly Decreased in the Presence of Lopinavir/ritonavir

Science.gov (United States)

Busse, Kristin H.; Hadigan, Colleen; Chairez, Cheryl; Alfaro, Raul M.; Formentini, Elizabeth; Kovacs, Joseph A.; Penzak, Scott R.

2009-01-01

Objective: To determine the influence of a two-week course of lopinavir-ritonavir on the pharmacokinetics of the triglyceride-lowering agent, gemfibrozil. Methods: The study was conducted as an open label, single-sequence pharmacokinetic study in healthy human volunteers. Gemfibrozil pharmacokinetic parameter values were compared using a students t test after a single 600 mg dose was administered to healthy volunteers before, and after two weeks of lopinavir-ritonavir (400/100 mg) twice daily. Results: Fifteen healthy volunteers (8 males) completed the study. All study drugs were generally well-tolerated and no subjects withdrew participation. The geometric mean ratio (GMR, 90% CI) for gemfibrozil area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-∞) after 14 days of lopinavir-ritonavir compared to baseline was 0.59 (0.52, 0.67) (P gemfibrozil AUC0-∞ after lopinavir-ritonavir (range: −6% to −74%). The GMRs for gemfibrozil apparent oral clearance (Cl/F) and maximum concentration (Cmax) were 1.69 (1.41, 1.97) and 0.67 (0.49, 0.86) after 14 days of lopinavir-ritonavir versus baseline, respectively (P Gemfibrozil elimination half-life did not change after lopinavir-ritonavir administration (P = 0.60). Conclusion: Lopinavir/ritonavir significantly reduced the systemic exposure of gemfibrozil by reducing gemfibrozil absorption. Clinicians treating HIV-infected patients with hypertriglyceridemia should be aware of this drug interaction. PMID:19648824

Gemfibrozil concentrations are significantly decreased in the presence of lopinavir-ritonavir.

Science.gov (United States)

Busse, Kristin H; Hadigan, Colleen; Chairez, Cheryl; Alfaro, Raul M; Formentini, Elizabeth; Kovacs, Joseph A; Penzak, Scott R

2009-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of a 2-week course of lopinavir-ritonavir on the pharmacokinetics of the triglyceride-lowering agent, gemfibrozil. The study was conducted as an open label, single-sequence pharmacokinetic study in healthy human volunteers. Gemfibrozil pharmacokinetic parameter values were compared using a Student t test after a single 600-mg dose was administered to healthy volunteers before and after 2 weeks of lopinavir-ritonavir (400/100 mg) twice daily. Fifteen healthy volunteers (eight males) completed the study. All study drugs were generally well tolerated and no subjects withdrew participation. The geometric mean ratio (90% confidence interval) for gemfibrozil area under the plasma concentration-time curve after 14 days of lopinavir-ritonavir compared with baseline was 0.59 (0.52, 0.67) (P gemfibrozil area under the plasma concentration-time curve after lopinavir-ritonavir (range, -6% to -74%). The geometric mean ratios for gemfibrozil apparent oral clearance and maximum concentration were 1.69 (1.41, 1.97) and 0.67 (0.49, 0.86) after 14 days of lopinavir-ritonavir versus baseline, respectively (P Gemfibrozil elimination half-life did not change after lopinavir-ritonavir administration (P = 0.60). Lopinavir-ritonavir significantly reduced the systemic exposure of gemfibrozil by reducing gemfibrozil absorption. Clinicians treating HIV-infected patients with hypertriglyceridemia should be aware of this drug interaction.

Muscle Activity Adaptations to Spinal Tissue Creep in the Presence of Muscle Fatigue

Science.gov (United States)

Nougarou, François

2016-01-01

Aim The aim of this study was to identify adaptations in muscle activity distribution to spinal tissue creep in presence of muscle fatigue. Methods Twenty-three healthy participants performed a fatigue task before and after 30 minutes of passive spinal tissue deformation in flexion. Right and left erector spinae activity was recorded using large-arrays surface electromyography (EMG). To characterize muscle activity distribution, dispersion was used. During the fatigue task, EMG amplitude root mean square (RMS), median frequency and dispersion in x- and y-axis were compared before and after spinal creep. Results Important fatigue-related changes in EMG median frequency were observed during muscle fatigue. Median frequency values showed a significant main creep effect, with lower median frequency values on the left side under the creep condition (p≤0.0001). A significant main creep effect on RMS values was also observed as RMS values were higher after creep deformation on the right side (p = 0.014); a similar tendency, although not significant, was observed on the left side (p = 0.06). A significant creep effects for x-axis dispersion values was observed, with higher dispersion values following the deformation protocol on the left side (p≤0.001). Regarding y-axis dispersion values, a significant creep x fatigue interaction effect was observed on the left side (p = 0.016); a similar tendency, although not significant, was observed on the right side (p = 0.08). Conclusion Combined muscle fatigue and creep deformation of spinal tissues led to changes in muscle activity amplitude, frequency domain and distribution. PMID:26866911

Surface-Based fMRI-Driven Diffusion Tractography in the Presence of Significant Brain Pathology: A Study Linking Structure and Function in Cerebral Palsy

Science.gov (United States)

Cunnington, Ross; Boyd, Roslyn N.; Rose, Stephen E.

2016-01-01

Diffusion MRI (dMRI) tractography analyses are difficult to perform in the presence of brain pathology. Automated methods that rely on cortical parcellation for structural connectivity studies often fail, while manually defining regions is extremely time consuming and can introduce human error. Both methods also make assumptions about structure-function relationships that may not hold after cortical reorganisation. Seeding tractography with functional-MRI (fMRI) activation is an emerging method that reduces these confounds, but inherent smoothing of fMRI signal may result in the inclusion of irrelevant pathways. This paper describes a novel fMRI-seeded dMRI-analysis pipeline based on surface-meshes that reduces these issues and utilises machine-learning to generate task specific white matter pathways, minimising the requirement for manually-drawn ROIs. We directly compared this new strategy to a standard voxelwise fMRI-dMRI approach, by investigating correlations between clinical scores and dMRI metrics of thalamocortical and corticomotor tracts in 31 children with unilateral cerebral palsy. The surface-based approach successfully processed more participants (87%) than the voxel-based approach (65%), and provided significantly more-coherent tractography. Significant correlations between dMRI metrics and five clinical scores of function were found for the more superior regions of these tracts. These significant correlations were stronger and more frequently found with the surface-based method (15/20 investigated were significant; R2 = 0.43–0.73) than the voxelwise analysis (2 sig. correlations; 0.38 & 0.49). More restricted fMRI signal, better-constrained tractography, and the novel track-classification method all appeared to contribute toward these differences. PMID:27487011

Effects of hydrogen and propylene presence on decomposition of hydrogen peroxide over palladium catalysts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, T.; Kertalli, E.; Nijhuis, T.A.; Podkolzin, S.

2016-01-01

Reaction rates for H2O2 decomposition in a methanol solution were measured over Pd/SiO2 catalysts in the presence of gas-phase N2, H2 and propylene. The H2O2 decomposition rates were higher in the presence of H2 and lower in the presence of propylene compared to those under N2, which acted as an

Depression, anxiety and stress among higher secondary school students of Imphal, Manipur

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Sathish Kumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Adolescence is a stressful period due to physical, psychological, sexual changes, and the presence of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress at this stage of life is a matter of concern. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalences of depression, anxiety, and stress among higher secondary school students of Imphal and to determine the association between depression, anxiety, and stress and selected variables such as gender, standard, and religion. Materials and methods: From September 2014 to October 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted among higher secondary school students of Imphal. The sample size was calculated to be 750. Seven schools were randomly selected, and all the students in that school were enrolled in the study. The study tool used was a questionnaire containing DASS (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The prevalences of depression, anxiety, and stress among 830 valid respondents were 19.5%, 24.4%, and 21.1%, respectively. In total, 81.6% of the respondents had at least one of the studied disorders and 34.7% of the respondents had all the three negative states. The prevalences of depression, anxiety, and stress were high among females and were significant for anxiety (P = 0.00 and stress (P = 0.04. The prevalences of depression and stress were significantly higher among 12th standard students with P-values of 0.00 and 0.02. Conclusion: The prevalences of depression, anxiety, and stress were high with anxiety and stress significantly higher among females, whereas prevalences of depression and stress were significantly higher among 12th standard students. More studies are recommended to determine the factors leading to these mental disorders.

Presence and significance of TT virus in Danish patients on maintenance hemodialysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boysen, T.; Christensen, J. K.; Madsen, C. D.

2003-01-01

-positive patients were significantly older than TTV-negative patients (p = 0.011). No relations were found between TTV infection and elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or CRP or hypo-response to EPO treatment. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 11.24 +/- 1.48 g/dl. Patients with a high TTV viral...... load had a lower level of hemoglobin (10.86 +/- 1.47 g/dl) than the others (p = 0.01). This trend suggested a positive relation between TTV infection and the number of blood transfusions. A restriction fragment length polymorphism assay suggested that patients were infected with different TTV strains......Objectives: To determine the prevalence of TT virus (TTV) in a population of Danish hemodialysis patients and evaluate possible relations between TTV infection and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and hypo-response to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO). Material and Methods: Patients...

Presence and significance of TT virus in Danish patients on maintenance hemodialysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boysen, Trine; Christensen, Jens K; Madsen, Chris D

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of TT virus (TTV) in a population of Danish hemodialysis patients and evaluate possible relations between TTV infection and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and hypo-response to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients......-positive patients were significantly older than TTV-negative patients (p = 0.011). No relations were found between TTV infection and elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or CRP or hypo-response to EPO treatment. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 11.24 +/- 1.48 g/dl. Patients with a high TTV viral...... load had a lower level of hemoglobin (10.86 +/- 1.47 g/dl) than the others (p = 0.01). This trend suggested a positive relation between TTV infection and the number of blood transfusions. A restriction fragment length polymorphism assay suggested that patients were infected with different TTV strains...

Lower serotonin level and higher rate of fibromyalgia syndrome with advancing pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Atasever, Melahat; Namlı Kalem, Muberra; Sönmez, Çiğdem; Seval, Mehmet Murat; Yüce, Tuncay; Sahin Aker, Seda; Koç, Acar; Genc, Hakan

2017-09-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between changes in serotonin levels during pregnancy and fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) and the relationships between FS and the physical/psychological state, biochemical and hormonal parameters, which may be related to the musculoskeletal system. This study is a prospective case-control study conducted with 277 pregnant women at the obstetric unit of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, in the period between January and June 2015. FS was determined based on the presence or absence of the 2010 ACR diagnostic criteria and all the volunteers were asked to answer the questionnaires as Fibromyalgia Impact Criteria (FIQ), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity Scale (SS), Beck Depression Inventory and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Biochemical and hormonal markers (glucose, TSH, T4, Ca (calcium), P (phosphate), PTH (parathyroid hormone) and serotonin levels) relating to muscle and bone metabolism were measured. In the presence of fibromyalgia, the physical and psychological parameters are negatively affected (p serotonin levels may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia but this was not statistically significant. The Beck Depression Inventory scale statistically showed that increasing scores also increase the risk of fibromyalgia (p serotonin levels in women with FS are lower than the control group and that serotonin levels reduce as pregnancy progresses. Anxiety and depression in pregnant women with FS are higher than the control group. The presence of depression increases the likelihood of developing FS at a statistically significant level. Serotonin impairment also increases the chance of developing FS, but this correlation has not been shown to be statistically significant.

Presence Management and Merging Presence Information for NGN Services

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, Sebastian; Mikoczy, Eugen; Podhradsky, Pavol; Muruchi, Feliciano; Maruschke, Michael

This paper describes an approach for interworking scenarios between Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based and non SIP based frameworks (e.g. web services) in case of the presence management service. The characteristics of the concept of a centralized presence management will be introduced.

ATTACHMENT, RELATIONAL-NEEDS, AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC PRESENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard G. Erskine

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Humans require the contactful presence of another person who is attuned and responsive to relational-needs. Insecure attachment patterns are the result of repeated disruptions in significant relationships. This article describes eight relational-needs that, when repeatedly unsatisfied, lead to insecure attachment patterns based on the fears of loss of relationship, vulnerability, violation, and invasion.The healing of insecure attachment patterns occurs through a contactful psychotherapeutic presence that occurs when the attitude, behavior and communication of the psychotherapist consistently respects and enhances the client's integrity while responding to relational-needs. The article is the Keynote Address given at the 5th International Integrative Psychotherapy Association Conference in Vichy, France, April 21, 2011.

[The presence of a companion in the primary care consultation].

Science.gov (United States)

Turabián, J L; Pérez Franco, B

2015-01-01

The presence of an adult accompanying the patient in the consulting room is a significant fact that deserves the attention of the physician. Some types of companions and their presence in the consultation have been described and may improve communication, patient management, and participatory decision making, achieving greater patient satisfaction. Consultations with companion are generally longer, and patients accompanied are often elderly, women, less educated, and with poorer physical and mental health. But it is not known exactly what is the significance of a consultation with a companion. It may be a semiological fact to keep in mind for the family diagnosis, or it may be the risks of their presence, the influence of medication, or the importance of the doctors themselves that are the cause of the presence of a companion. Different communication skills must be achieved during the interview with the companion in the consultation, rather than with the patient alone. Copyright © 2014. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Presence and potential significance of aromatic-ketone groups in aquatic humic substances

Science.gov (United States)

Leenheer, J.A.; Wilson, M.A.; Malcolm, R.L.

1987-01-01

Aquatic humic- and fulvic-acid standards of the International Humic Substances Society were characterized, with emphasis on carbonyl-group nature and content, by carbon-13 nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy, proton nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. After comparing spectral results of underivatized humic and fulvic acids with spectral results of chemically modified derivatives, that allow improved observation of the carbonyl group, the data clearly indicated that aromatic ketone groups comprised the majority of the carbonyl-group content. About one ketone group per monocyclic aromatic ring was determined for both humic and fulvic acids. Aromatic-ketone groups were hypothesized to form by photolytic rearrangements and oxidation of phenolic ester and hydrocarbon precursors; these groups have potential significance regarding haloform formation in water, reactivity resulting from active hydrogen of the methyl and methylene adjacent to the ketone groups, and formation of hemiketal and lactol structures. Aromatic-ketone groups also may be the point of attachment between aliphatic and aromatic moieties of aquatic humic-substance structure. ?? 1987.

Attenuated age-impact on systemic inflammatory markers in the presence of a metabolic burden.

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Anuurad Erdembileg

Full Text Available The overall burden of chronic disease, inflammation and cardiovascular risk increases with age. Whether the relationship between age and inflammation is impacted by presence of an adverse metabolic burden is not known.We determined inflammatory markers in humans (336 Caucasians and 224 African Americans and in mice, representing a spectrum of age, weight and metabolic burden.In humans, levels of inflammatory markers increased significantly with age in subjects without the metabolic syndrome, (P=0.009 and P=0.037 for C-reactive protein, P<0.001 and P=0.001 for fibrinogen, P<0.001 and P=0.005 for serum amyloid-A, for Caucasians and African Americans, respectively. In contrast, trend patterns of inflammatory markers did not change significantly with age in subjects with metabolic syndrome in either ethnic group, except for fibrinogen in Caucasians. A composite z-score for systemic inflammation increased significantly with age in subjects without metabolic syndrome (P=0.004 and P<0.006 for Caucasians and African Americans, respectively but not in subjects with metabolic syndrome (P=0.009 for difference in age trend between metabolic syndrome and non-metabolic syndrome. In contrast, no similar age trend was found in vascular inflammation. The findings in humans were paralleled by results in mice as serum amyloid-A levels increased across age (range 2-15 months, P<0.01 and were higher in ob/ob mice compared to control mice (P<0.001.Presence of a metabolic challenge in mice and humans influences levels of inflammatory markers over a wide age range. Our results underscore that already at a young age, presence of a metabolic burden enhances inflammation to a level that appears to be similar to that of decades older people without metabolic syndrome.

Clinical significance of changes of serum gastrin levels in patients with chronic eczema or chronic urticaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Xianghong; Jiang Xiaoling; Chen Wei; Wang Jinglin

2005-01-01

Objective: To study the clinical significance of changes of serum levels of gastrin in patients with chronic eczema or chronic urticaria. Methods: Serum gastrin levels were, 37 patients with chromic urticaria and 43 controls. Results: Serum gastrin levels in patients with chronic exzema (102.95 ± 27.33 ng/L) and patients with chronic urticaria (109.87 ± 33.64 ng/L) were both significantly higher than those in controls (61.72 ± 20.38 ng/L, both P<0.01). Difference between the levels in the two patients groups was not significant. Conclusion: The high gastrin levels in those patients might reflect the presence of helicobacter pylori infections; eradication of which might be helpful for treatment of these chronic dermatologic disorders. (authors)

Evolving Privatization in Eastern and Central European Higher Education

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Levy, Daniel

2014-01-01

With the fall of communism in 1989, Eastern and Central Europe would quickly become part of an already strong global tide of privatization in higher education. Nowhere else did private higher education rise so suddenly or strongly from virtual nonexistence to a major regional presence. A fresh database allows us to analyze the extent and…

The presence of proliferative breast disease with atypia does not significantly influence outcome in early-stage invasive breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowble, B.; Hanlon, A.L.; Patchefsky, A.; Freedman, G.; Hoffman, J.P.; Sigurdson, E.R.; Goldstein, L.J.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of the benign background breast-tissue change of atypical hyperplasia (AH) on outcome in patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and radiation. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and sixty women with Stage I--II breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and radiation from 1982-1994 had pathologic assessment of their background adjacent benign breast tissue. The median follow-up was 5.6 years (range 0.1-15). The median age was 55 years (range 24-88). Of these, 23% had positive axillary nodes; 25% received adjuvant chemotherapy (CMF or CAF) with (9%) or without (17%) tamoxifen. Of the total, 24% received adjuvant tamoxifen alone. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 131 patients with atypical hyperplasia (ductal, 99 patients; lobular, 20 pts; and type not specified, 12 pts), and 329 patients with no proliferative changes or proliferative changes without atypia. Result: A statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups for method of detection, primary tumor size, presence of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), pathologic nodal status, region(s) treated with radiation, and type of adjuvant therapy. Patients with atypical hyperplasia (AH) had smaller primary tumors (T1 80% vs. 70%) more often detected solely by mammography (51% vs. 36%) with negative axillary nodes (87% vs. 73%) and radiation treatment to the breast only (93% vs. 78%). LCIS was observed in 9% of the patients with AH and 3% of those without AH. Patients with AH more often received tamoxifen alone (32% vs. 21%), rather than chemotherapy (15% vs. 29%). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups for race, age, menopausal status, family history, histology, histologic subtype DCIS when present, the presence or absence of an extensive intraductal component, final margin status, estrogen or progesterone receptor status, use of re-excision, or total radiation dose to the

Does leader-affective presence influence communication of creative ideas within work teams?

Science.gov (United States)

Madrid, Hector P; Totterdell, Peter; Niven, Karen

2016-09-01

Affective presence is a novel, emotion-related personality trait, supported in experimental studies, concerning the extent to which a person makes his or her interaction partners feel the same way (Eisenkraft & Elfenbein, 2010). Applying this concept to an applied teamwork context, we proposed that team-leader-affective presence would influence team members' communication of creative ideas. Multilevel modeling analysis of data from a survey study conducted with teams from a consultancy firm confirmed that team-leader-affective presence interacted with team-member creative idea generation to predict inhibition of voicing their ideas. Specifically, withholding of ideas was less likely when team members generated creative ideas and their team leader had higher positive affective presence or lower negative affective presence. These findings contribute to emotion research by showing affective presence as a trait with interpersonal meaning, which can shape how cognition is translated into social behavior in applied performance contexts, such as teamwork in organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Foreign Banks Presence on the Performance of Domestic Banks in Kosovo during the Period 2001-2007

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Driton Balaj

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to empirically research the impacts of the foreign bank’spresence on the performance of domestic banking sector in Kosovo. The research data on foreign anddomestic banking are quarterly time seri data gathered by the Central Bank for the period 2001-2007.By using the compatible data on seven commercial banks, we introduce how the net interest margin,non interest margin, overhead cost, tax paid, and profitability differ between the foreign and domesticbanks. We find that the foreign banks have higher net interest margin and profit than the domesticbanks. The research outcome indicates that the presence of foreign banks had a negative andstatistically significant impact on the net interest margin and loan loss provision of domestic banks,but positively related to the non-interest income, overhead cost and profitability of domestic banks,but we did not find any statistically significant values. The general conclusion is that the presence offoreign banks has not influenced on the increase of competitiveness.

The Significance of Arachnoid Granulation in Patients With Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Watane, Gaurav Vishwasrao; Patel, Bhumi; Brown, Derek; Taheri, M Reza

The aim of this article was to study the significance of arachnoid granulations (AGs) in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). In an institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review study, 79 patients with clinical diagnosis of idiopathic increased intracranial pressure were compared with 63 patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Inclusion criteria also included available magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, older than 18 years, and female sex. Patients with elevated intracranial pressure due to other causes were excluded. The electronic medical records were mined for presence of the following: body mass index, age, headache, vision changes, tinnitus, and vertigo. The MRI of the brain was reviewed for the presence of the following features: empty sella, prominent cerebrospinal fluid space in the optic sheaths, tortuosity of the optic nerves and enlarged Meckel cave. In addition, the number, size, and location of AGs associated with major venous drainage sinuses were documented in all patients. Using statistical analysis, association between various imaging and clinical signs were evaluated. The association between AG and various imaging and clinical signs were evaluated. The percentage of patients with AG were significantly higher in patients with IIH. Patients with IIH tended to have 0 to 3 AG. The most common imaging findings observed in MRI of the brain of patients with IIH were empty sella and prominent cerebrospinal fluid space in the optic sheaths. The prevalence of these MRI findings in patients with IIH was inversely proportional to the number of AG. A similar inverse trend was also noted with the opening pressure of patients with IIH and number of AG. The study establishes that there is a relationship between presence of AG and IIH. Arachnoid granulation seems to act in a compensatory mechanism in patients with IIH.

Podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblast recruitment within cancer stroma is associated with a higher number of single nucleotide variants in cancer cells in lung adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakasone, Shoko; Mimaki, Sachiyo; Ichikawa, Tomohiro; Aokage, Keiju; Miyoshi, Tomohiro; Sugano, Masato; Kojima, Motohiro; Fujii, Satoshi; Kuwata, Takeshi; Ochiai, Atsushi; Tsuboi, Masahiro; Goto, Koichi; Tsuchihara, Katsuya; Ishii, Genichiro

2018-05-01

Podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an essential role in tumor progression. However, it is still unclear whether specific genomic alterations of cancer cells are required to recruit podoplanin-positive CAFs. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the mutation status of lung adenocarcinoma cells and the presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs. Ninety-seven lung adenocarcinomas for which whole exome sequencing data were available were enrolled. First, we analyzed the clinicopathological features of the cases, and then, evaluated the relationship between genetic features of cancer cells (major driver mutations and the number of single nucleotide variants, SNVs) and the presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs. The presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs was associated with smoking history, solid predominant subtype, and lymph node metastasis. We could not find any significant correlations between major genetic mutations (EGFR, KRAS, TP53, MET, ERBB2, BRAF, and PIC3CA) in cancer cells and the presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs. However, cases with podoplanin-positive CAFs had a significantly higher number of SNVs in cancer cells than the podoplanin-negative CAFs cases (median 84 vs 37, respectively; p = 0.001). This was also detected in a non-smoker subgroup (p = 0.037). Multivariate analyses revealed that the number of SNVs in cancer cells was the only statistically significant independent predictor for the presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs (p = 0.044). In lung adenocarcinoma, the presence of podoplanin-positive CAFs was associated with higher numbers of SNVs in cancer cells, suggesting a relationship between accumulations of SNVs in cancer cells and the generation of a tumor-promoting microenvironment.

Irradiation of polyethylene in the presence of antioxidants

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworska, E.; Kałuska, I.; Strzelczak-Burlińska, G.; Michalik, J.

The radiation induced reactions in LDPE in the presence of phenolic type antioxidants have been studied. It was shown that various antioxidants can influence the polyethylene network formation and the radical yield in different ways. The dependence of network structure on absorbed doses was determined by gel analysis, hot-set test and extraction of antioxidants for samples irradiated with accelerated electrons. It was found that the antioxidants eluated from polyethylene in higher percentage influence polymer crosslinking to a smaller degree. The ESR studies of γ-irradiated blends of polyethylene with antioxidant indicate the presence of alkyl and phenoxyl radicals. The role of antioxidant molecules on radiation induced reactions in polyethylene-antioxidant systems is considered. The correlation between the network structure and the type of additive in polyethylene is also discussed.

From "Hello" to Higher-Order Thinking: The Effect of Coaching and Feedback on Online Chats

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, David S.; Wanstreet, Constance E.; Slagle, Paula; Trinko, Lynn A.; Lutz, Michelle

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined the effect of a coaching and feedback intervention in teaching presence and social presence on higher-order thinking in an online community of inquiry. Coaching occurred before each chat, and feedback was provided immediately afterwards. The findings suggest that over time, the frequency of higher-order thinking…

Fortune favours the bold: a higher predator reduces the impact of a native but not an invasive intermediate predator.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrios-O'Neill, Daniel; Dick, Jaimie T A; Emmerson, Mark C; Ricciardi, Anthony; MacIsaac, Hugh J; Alexander, Mhairi E; Bovy, Helene C

2014-05-01

Emergent multiple predator effects (MPEs) might radically alter predictions of predatory impact that are based solely on the impact of individuals. In the context of biological invasions, determining if and how the individual-level impacts of invasive predators relates to their impacts in multiple-individual situations will inform understanding of how such impacts might propagate through recipient communities. Here, we use functional responses (the relationship between prey consumption rate and prey density) to compare the impacts of the invasive freshwater mysid crustacean Hemimysis anomala with a native counterpart Mysis salemaai when feeding on basal cladoceran prey (i) as individuals, (ii) in conspecific groups and (iii) in conspecific groups in the presence of a higher fish predator, Gasterosteus aculeatus. In the absence of the higher predator, the invader consumed significantly more basal prey than the native, and consumption was additive for both mysid species - that is, group consumption was predictable from individual-level consumption. Invaders and natives were themselves equally susceptible to predation when feeding with the higher fish predator, but an MPE occurred only between the natives and higher predator, where consumption of basal prey was significantly reduced. In contrast, consumption by the invaders and higher predator remained additive. The presence of a higher predator serves to exacerbate the existing difference in individual-level consumption between invasive and native mysids. We attribute the mechanism responsible for the MPE associated with the native to a trait-mediated indirect interaction, and further suggest that the relative indifference to predator threat on the part of the invader contributes to its success and impacts within invaded communities. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

How sociodemographics, presence of oncology specialists, and hospital cancer programs affect accrual to cancer treatment trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Sateren, Warren B; Trimble, Edward L; Abrams, Jeffrey; Brawley, Otis; Breen, Nancy; Ford, Leslie; McCabe, Mary; Kaplan, Richard; Smith, Malcolm; Ungerleider, Richard; Christian, Michaele C

2002-04-15

We chose to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on accrual to National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored cancer treatment trials. We estimated the geographic and demographic cancer burden in the United States and then identified 24,332 patients accrued to NCI-sponsored cancer treatment trials during a 12-month period. Next, we examined accrual by age, sex, geographic residence, health insurance status, health maintenance organization market penetration, several proxy measures of socioeconomic status, the availability of an oncologist, and the presence of a hospital with an approved multidisciplinary cancer program. Pediatric patients were accrued to clinical trials at high levels, whereas after adolescence, only a small percentage of cancer patients were enrolled onto clinical trials. There were few differences by sex. Black males as well as Asian-American and Hispanic adults were accrued to clinical trials at lower rates than white cancer patients of the same age. Overall, the highest observed accrual was in suburban counties. Compared with the United States population, patients enrolled onto clinical trials were significantly less likely to be uninsured and more like to have Medicare health insurance. Geographic areas with higher socioeconomic levels had higher levels of clinical trial accruals. The number of oncologists and the presence of approved cancer programs both were significantly associated with increased accrual to clinical trials. We must work to increase the number of adults who enroll onto trials, especially among the elderly. Ongoing partnership with professional societies may be an effective approach to strengthen accrual to clinical trials.

Rib fractures and their association With solid organ injury: higher rib fractures have greater significance for solid organ injury screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Rostas, Jack W; Lively, Timothy B; Brevard, Sidney B; Simmons, Jon D; Frotan, Mohammad A; Gonzalez, Richard P

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to identify patients with rib injuries who were at risk for solid organ injury. A retrospective chart review was performed of all blunt trauma patients with rib fractures during the period from July 2007 to July 2012. Data were analyzed for association of rib fractures and solid organ injury. In all, 1,103 rib fracture patients were identified; 142 patients had liver injuries with 109 (77%) associated right rib fractures. Right-sided rib fractures with highest sensitivity for liver injury were middle rib segment (5 to 8) and lower segment (9 to 12) with liver injury sensitivities of 68% and 43%, respectively (P rib fractures. Left middle segment rib fractures and lower segment rib fractures had sensitivities of 80% and 63% for splenic injury, respectively (P Rib fractures higher in the thoracic cage have significant association with solid organ injury. Using rib fractures from middle plus lower segments as indication for abdominal screening will significantly improve rib fracture sensitivity for identification of solid organ injury. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Significance of Blackstone's Understanding of Sovereign Immunity for America's Public Institutions of Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Brian A.; Thro, William E.

2001-01-01

Asserts that from the perspective of America's public institutions of higher education, Blackstone's greatest legacy is his understanding of sovereign immunity. Explores the similarities between Blackstone's understanding of sovereign immunity and the current jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court. (EV)

The determination of thyroid hormone autoantibodies and its clinical significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Li; Zhao Zhiying; Wang Zhenghua Lian Xiaolan; Guo Zhisheng; Bai Yao; Su Wei

2003-01-01

To study the reasons of falsely high concentrations of serum thyroid hormone and the way of determination of thyroid hormone autoantibodies, the experiments of thyroid hormone autoantibodies binding reaction, dilution testing, calibration curves and their check analysis were performed. Results showed that the combination of the autoantibodies with 125 I-T 3 or 125 I-T 4 was specific, the binding rates were 58.77% and 49.05% respectively and 7-12 times higher than control groups. The radioactive peaks of the autoantibodies and rabbit anti-T 3 or T 4 antibody appeared on the same position in radio electrophoretogram analysis and these antibodies were considered as IgG. The important reasons of falsely high concentrations of serum thyroid hormone are the presence of anti-thyroid hormone antibodies. Determination of thyroid hormone autoantibodies significantly benefits diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease

Photoassisted Electrochemical Treatment of Azo and Phtalocyanine Reactive Dyes in the Presence of Surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Sala, Mireia; López-Grimau, Víctor; Gutiérrez-Bouzán, Carmen

2016-01-01

An electrochemical treatment (EC) was applied at different intensities to degrade the chromophoric groups of dyes C.I. Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and C.I. Reactive Blue 7 (Rb7) until uncolored species were obtained. Decolorization rate constants of the azo dye RB5 were higher than the phtalocyanine Rb7 ones. In addition, the EC treatment was more efficient at higher intensities, but these conditions significantly increased the generation of undesirable by-products such as chloroform. The combination of EC with UV irradiation (UVEC) drastically minimized the generation of chloroform. The photo-assisted electrochemical treatment was also able to achieve decolorization values of 99%. Finally, mixtures of dyes and surfactants were treated by EC and UVEC. In the presence of surfactants, the decolorization kinetic of dyes was slowed due to the competitive reactions of surfactants degradation. Both methods achieved total decolorization and in both cases, the generation of haloforms was negligible. PMID:28773335

Improving Consumer Information for Higher Education Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Herndon, M. Craig

2012-01-01

It is a historically held principle of microeconomics that in the presence of better information, consumers make better decisions. This chapter focuses on information to guide consumers in making decisions about higher education. It examines the development and implementation of a one-stop career and college planning tool that leverages existing…

Arsenic Transfer from As-Rich Sediments to River Water in the Presence of Biofilms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Martiñá Prieto

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of epipsammic biofilms on As release from river sediments was evaluated in a microcosm experiment where biofilms were grown on sediments containing 106 mg kg−1 As, collected in the Anllóns River, and compared with control systems without biofilms. The As transfer to the water column was low (<0.11% of total As in the sediment and was further reduced by 64% in the presence of biofilms. AsV was the predominant species in the overlying water in both systems. AsIII concentration was higher (up to 12% of total dissolved As in the control systems than in the systems with biofilms, where this species was almost absent. This fact is of toxicological relevance due to the usually higher mobility and toxicity of the reduced AsIII species. Control systems exhibited higher As mobility in water, in sulphate solution, and in weak acid medium and higher bioavailability in diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT devices. Arsenic retained by the biofilm was equally distributed between extracellular and intracellular compartments. Inside the cells, significant concentrations of AsIII, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAV, and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAV were detected, suggesting that active methylation (detoxification processes are occurring in the intracellular compartment.

Risk factors for the presence of Deformed wing virus and Acute bee paralysis virus under temperate and subtropical climate in Argentinian bee colonies.

Science.gov (United States)

Molineri, Ana; Giacobino, Agostina; Pacini, Adriana; Bulacio Cagnolo, Natalia; Fondevila, Norberto; Ferrufino, Cecilia; Merke, Julieta; Orellano, Emanuel; Bertozzi, Ezequiel; Masciángelo, Germán; Pietronave, Hernán; Signorini, Marcelo

2017-05-01

Beekeepers all across the world are suffering important losses of their colonies, and the parasitic mites Varroa destructor and Nosema sp, as well as several bee viruses, are being pointed out as the possible causes of these losses, generally associated with environmental and management factors. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the presence of seven virus species (Deformed wing virus -DWV-, Acute bee paralysis virus -ABPV-, Chronic bee paralysis virus -CBPV-, Black queen cell virus -BQCV-, Kashmir bee virus -KBV-, Israeli acute bee paralysis virus -IAPV-, and Sacbrood bee virus -SBV), as well as the prevalence of Nosema sp. and Varroa destructor, and their possible associated factors, under temperate and subtropical climate conditions in Argentinean colonies. A total of 385 colonies distributed in five Argentinean eco-regions were examined after honey harvest. The final multivariable model revealed only one variable associated with the presence of DWV and two with the presence of ABPV. The apiary random effect was significant in both cases (P=0.018; P=0.006, respectively). Colonies with a Varroa infestation rate >3% showed higher presence of DWV than colonies with <3% of Varroa infestation level (OR=1.91; 95% CI: 1.02-3.57; P<0.044). The same pattern was observed for the presence of ABPV (OR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.04-4.77; P<0.039). Also, colonies where replacement of old combs was not a common practice had higher presence of ABPV (OR=6.02; 95% CI: 1.16-31.25; P<0.033). Regardless of the location of the colonies, virus presence was strongly associated with V. destructor level. Therefore, all the factors that directly or indirectly influence the levels of mites will be also influencing the presence of the viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Olfactory Impact of Higher Alcohols on Red Wine Fruity Ester Aroma Expression in Model Solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameleyre, Margaux; Lytra, Georgia; Tempere, Sophie; Barbe, Jean-Christophe

2015-11-11

This study focused on the impact of five higher alcohols on the perception of fruity aroma in red wines. Various aromatic reconstitutions were prepared, consisting of 13 ethyl esters and acetates and 5 higher alcohols, all at the average concentrations found in red wine. These aromatic reconstitutions were prepared in several matrices. Sensory analysis revealed the interesting behavior of certain compounds among the five higher alcohols following their individual addition or omission. The "olfactory threshold" of the fruity pool was evaluated in several matrices: dilute alcohol solution, dilute alcohol solution containing 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol individually, and dilute alcohol solution containing the mixture of five higher alcohols, blended together at various concentrations. The presence of 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol alone led to a significant decrease in the "olfactory threshold" of the fruity reconstitution, whereas the mixture of alcohols raised the olfactory threshold. Sensory profiles highlighted changes in the perception of fruity nuances in the presence of the mixture of higher alcohols, with specific perceptive interactions, including a relevant masking effect on fresh- and jammy-fruit notes of the fruity mixture in both dilute alcohol solution and dearomatized red wine matrices. When either 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol was added to the fruity reconstitution in dilute alcohol solution, an enhancement of butyric notes was reported with 3-methylbutan-1-ol and fresh- and jammy-fruit with butan-1-ol. This study, the first to focus on the impact of higher alcohols on fruity aromatic expression, revealed that these compounds participate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in masking fruity aroma perception in a model fruity wine mixture.

Measuring significant inhomogeneity and anisotropy in indoor convective air turbulence in the presence of 2D temperature gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razi, E Mohammady; Rasouli, Saifollah

2014-01-01

Using a novel set up, experimental study of the statistical properties of a light beam propagating horizontally through indoor convective air turbulence in the presence of a 2D temperature gradient (TG) is presented. A laser beam enters a telescope from its back focal point by virtue of an optical fiber and is expanded and recollimated by it and then passes through the turbulent area. Then the beam enters another telescope’s aperture. A mask consisting of four similar widely separated small subapertures was installed in front of the second telescope’s aperture. The subapertures were equidistant from the optical axis of the telescope and located at the corners of a square. A flat plane heater is used to produce a vertical TG in the medium. Due to the limited width of the heater, a horizontal component for the TG appeared. Near the focal plane of the second telescope, four distinct images of the source are formed and recorded by a CCD camera. Due to the turbulence all the images (spots) in the successive frames fluctuate. Using the four spot displacements we have calculated the fluctuations of the angle of arrival (AA) over the subapertures. The statistical properties of the optical turbulence are investigated using variance analysis of the AA component fluctuations at horizontal and vertical directions over the subapertures for different temperatures of the heater at different heights of the beam path from the heater. Experimental results show that when the heater is turned off, the variances of horizontal and vertical components of the AA fluctuations are approximately equal to zero over all the subapertures. When it is turned on, the variance of the horizontal component of the AA fluctuations over all of the subapertures are larger than those from the vertical one. In addition, in this case, we find a significant dependence of the variance of the AA components on the height from the heater. (paper)

Clinical significance of acquired somatic mutations in aplastic anaemia.

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Marsh, J C W; Mufti, G J

2016-08-01

Aplastic anaemia (AA) is frequently associated with other disorders of clonal haemopoiesis such as paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and T-large granular lymphocytosis. Certain clones may escape the immune attack within the bone marrow environment and proliferate and attain a survival advantage over normal haemopoietic stem cells, such as trisomy 8, loss of heterozygosity of short arm of chromosome 6 and del13q clones. Recently acquired somatic mutations (SM), excluding PNH clones, have been reported in around 20-25 % of patients with AA, which predispose to a higher risk of later malignant transformation to MDS/acute myeloid leukaemia. Furthermore, certain SM, such as ASXL1 and DNMT3A are associated with poor survival following immunosuppressive therapy, whereas PIGA, BCOR/BCORL1 predict for good response and survival. Further detailed and serial analysis of the immune signature in AA is needed to understand the pathogenetic basis for the presence of clones with SM in a significant proportion of patients.

Composition of dental plaque formed in the presence of sucrose and after its interruption

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Cury Jaime Aparecido

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Since dental plaque reservoirs of fluoride (F, calcium (Ca and inorganic phosphorus (Pi are susceptible to decreases in pH, this in situ crossover study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the low concentration of these ions in plaque, formed in the presence of sucrose, could be attributed merely to the fermentation of this sugar. Eleven volunteers wore palatal appliances containing 6 human enamel blocks during two stages. In each stage, the treatments were either 20% sucrose solution or distilled deionized water, which were dripped onto the blocks 8 times a day. After 28 days, in each stage, the dental plaque formed on two blocks was collected, the treatment was inverted and after a further 24 and 48 h, the biofilm formed was collected from the other blocks. The concentration of acid-soluble F, Ca and Pi, and the concentration of insoluble polysaccharide (IP were determined in the dental plaque. Statistically lower concentrations of F, Ca and Pi, and a higher concentration of IP were found in the 28-day biofilm formed in the presence of sucrose than in its absence; after the treatment inversion the change in F, Ca and Pi was not statistically significant, but the IP concentration changed significantly. The hypothesis was rejected because change in concentration of F, Ca and Pi is not due to fermentation of the sucrose.

Spinor Green function in higher-dimensional cosmic string space-time in the presence of magnetic flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinelly, J.; Mello, E.R. Bezerra de

2008-01-01

In this paper we investigate the vacuum polarization effects associated with quantum fermionic charged fields in a generalized (d+1)-dimensional cosmic string space-times considering the presence of a magnetic flux along the string. In order to develop this analysis we calculate a general expression for the respective Green function, valid for several different values of d, which is expressed in terms of a bispinor associated with the square of the Dirac operator. Adopting this result, we explicitly calculate the renormalized vacuum expectation values of the energy-momentum tensors, (T A B ) Ren. , associated with massless fields. Moreover, for specific values of the parameters which codify the cosmic string and the fractional part of the ratio of the magnetic flux by the quantum one, we were able to present in closed forms the bispinor and the respective Green function for massive fields.

Inflationary scenario from higher curvature warped spacetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Narayan; Paul, Tanmoy

2017-01-01

We consider a five dimensional warped spacetime, in presence of the higher curvature term like F(R) = R + αR 2 in the bulk, in the context of the two-brane model. Our universe is identified with the TeV scale brane and emerges as a four dimensional effective theory. From the perspective of this effective theory, we examine the possibility of ''inflationary scenario'' by considering the on-brane metric ansatz as an FRW one. Our results reveal that the higher curvature term in the five dimensional bulk spacetime generates a potential term for the radion field. Due to the presence of radion potential, the very early universe undergoes a stage of accelerated expansion and, moreover, the accelerating period of the universe terminates in a finite time. We also find the spectral index of curvature perturbation (n s ) and the tensor to scalar ratio (r) in the present context, which match with the observational results based on the observations of Planck (Astron. Astrophys. 594, A20, 2016). (orig.)

Inflationary scenario from higher curvature warped spacetime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, Narayan [Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Department of Physical Sciences, Nadia, West Bengal (India); Paul, Tanmoy [Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Department of Theoretical Physics, Kolkata (India)

2017-10-15

We consider a five dimensional warped spacetime, in presence of the higher curvature term like F(R) = R + αR{sup 2} in the bulk, in the context of the two-brane model. Our universe is identified with the TeV scale brane and emerges as a four dimensional effective theory. From the perspective of this effective theory, we examine the possibility of ''inflationary scenario'' by considering the on-brane metric ansatz as an FRW one. Our results reveal that the higher curvature term in the five dimensional bulk spacetime generates a potential term for the radion field. Due to the presence of radion potential, the very early universe undergoes a stage of accelerated expansion and, moreover, the accelerating period of the universe terminates in a finite time. We also find the spectral index of curvature perturbation (n{sub s}) and the tensor to scalar ratio (r) in the present context, which match with the observational results based on the observations of Planck (Astron. Astrophys. 594, A20, 2016). (orig.)

Lutetium-177 complexation of DOTA and DTPA in the presence of competing metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Satoshi; Ishioka, Noriko S.; Hashimoto, Kazuyuki

2013-01-01

177 Lu complexation of DOTA and DTPA is investigated by the addition of Ca(II), Fe(II) and Zn(II). The 177 Lu complexation yield of DTPA was higher than that of DOTA in the presence of Ca(II), Fe(II) and Zn(II). Therefore, it was found that the 177 Lu complexation of DTPA was more advantageous compared with DOTA in the presence of competing metals, Ca, Fe and Zn. (author)

Lateral Dispersal and Foraging Behavior of Entomopathogenic Nematodes in the Absence and Presence of Mobile and Non-Mobile Hosts.

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Harit K Bal

Full Text Available Entomopathogenic nematodes have been classified into cruisers (active searchers and ambushers (sit and wait foragers. However, little is known about their dispersal and foraging behavior at population level in soil. We studied lateral dispersal of the ambush foraging Steinernema carpocapsae (ALL strain and cruise foraging Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (GPS11 strain from infected host cadavers in microcosms (0.05 m2 containing Wooster silt-loam soil (Oxyaquic fragiudalf and vegetation in the presence or absence of non-mobile and mobile hosts. Results showed that the presence of a non-mobile host (Galleria mellonella larva in a wire mesh cage enhanced H. bacteriophora dispersal for up to 24 hr compared with no-host treatment, but had no impact on S. carpocapsae dispersal. In contrast, presence of a mobile host (G. mellonella larvae increased dispersal of S. carpocapsae compared with no host treatment, but had no effect on H. bacteriophora dispersal. Also H. bacteriophora was better at infecting non-mobile than mobile hosts released into the microcosms and S. carpocapsae was better at infecting mobile than non-mobile hosts, thus affirming the established cruiser-ambusher theory. However, results also revealed that a large proportion of infective juveniles (IJs of both species stayed near (≤ 3.8 cm the source cadaver (88-96% S. carpocapsae; 67-79% H. bacteriophora, and the proportion of IJs reaching the farthest distance (11.4 cm was significantly higher for S. carpocapsae (1.4% than H. bacteriophora (0.4% in the presence of mobile hosts. S. carpocapsae also had higher average population displacement than H. bacteriophora in the presence of both the non-mobile (5.07 vs. 3.6 cm/day and mobile (8.06 vs. 5.3 cm/day hosts. We conclude that the two species differ in their dispersal and foraging behavior at the population level and this behavior is affected by both the presence and absence of hosts and by their mobility.

Relatively slow stochastic gene-state switching in the presence of positive feedback significantly broadens the region of bimodality through stabilizing the uninduced phenotypic state.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Hao; Wu, Pingping; Qian, Hong; Xie, Xiaoliang Sunney

2018-03-01

Within an isogenic population, even in the same extracellular environment, individual cells can exhibit various phenotypic states. The exact role of stochastic gene-state switching regulating the transition among these phenotypic states in a single cell is not fully understood, especially in the presence of positive feedback. Recent high-precision single-cell measurements showed that, at least in bacteria, switching in gene states is slow relative to the typical rates of active transcription and translation. Hence using the lac operon as an archetype, in such a region of operon-state switching, we present a fluctuating-rate model for this classical gene regulation module, incorporating the more realistic operon-state switching mechanism that was recently elucidated. We found that the positive feedback mechanism induces bistability (referred to as deterministic bistability), and that the parameter range for its occurrence is significantly broadened by stochastic operon-state switching. We further show that in the absence of positive feedback, operon-state switching must be extremely slow to trigger bistability by itself. However, in the presence of positive feedback, which stabilizes the induced state, the relatively slow operon-state switching kinetics within the physiological region are sufficient to stabilize the uninduced state, together generating a broadened parameter region of bistability (referred to as stochastic bistability). We illustrate the opposite phenotype-transition rate dependence upon the operon-state switching rates in the two types of bistability, with the aid of a recently proposed rate formula for fluctuating-rate models. The rate formula also predicts a maximal transition rate in the intermediate region of operon-state switching, which is validated by numerical simulations in our model. Overall, our findings suggest a biological function of transcriptional "variations" among genetically identical cells, for the emergence of bistability and

Presence of third molars in orthodontic patients from northern Greece

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Barka G

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Georgia Barka,1 Georgios Tretiakov,1 Theodosios Theodosiou,2 Ioulia Ioannidou-Marathiotou31School of Dentistry, 2Biostatistics, Department of Informatics, School of Natural Sciences, 3Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GreeceObjective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the frequency of presence of third molar teeth and their distribution in each jaw and each side, according to sex, in a group of orthodontic patients with permanent dentition from northern Greece.Methods: The sample included panoramic radiographs from 220 patients with permanent dentition (mean age 13.62 ± 1.81. The Χ2 test was used to assess the relationships between the variables, and the Fisher's exact test was used in cases where the expected frequencies in each cell were <5.Results: The frequency of third molar presence was 79.1%, and 20.9% was the frequency of third molar agenesis. Intersexual differences in the number of third molars was not statistically significant. There was a correlation between the distribution of third molars on the right and the left side (Fisher's exact test = 100.788; P = 0. The two sides showed the same tendency toward the presence or absence of third molars. A correlation was also found between the distribution of maxillary and mandibular third molars (Fisher's exact test = 24.372; P = 0. In each jaw, the presence or absence of third molars was highly related to the number of third molars found in the other jaw.Conclusion: The present results showed that in this orthodontic group of northern Greek patients, presence accounted for 79.1% and agenesis for 20.9%. No significant difference was found between the frequencies of third molar presence on the left and right sides in either the maxilla or mandible.Keywords: third molars, presence, orthodontic population, Greeks

Cybersickness in the presence of scene rotational movements along different axes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, W T; So, R H

2001-02-01

Compelling scene movements in a virtual reality (VR) system can cause symptoms of motion sickness (i.e., cybersickness). A within-subject experiment has been conducted to investigate the effects of scene oscillations along different axes on the level of cybersickness. Sixteen male participants were exposed to four 20-min VR simulation sessions. The four sessions used the same virtual environment but with scene oscillations along different axes, i.e., pitch, yaw, roll, or no oscillation (speed: 30 degrees/s, range: +/- 60 degrees). Verbal ratings of the level of nausea were taken at 5-min intervals during the sessions and sickness symptoms were also measured before and after the sessions using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). In the presence of scene oscillation, both nausea ratings and SSQ scores increased at significantly higher rates than with no oscillation. While individual participants exhibited different susceptibilities to nausea associated with VR simulation containing scene oscillations along different rotational axes, the overall effects of axis among our group of 16 randomly selected participants were not significant. The main effects of, and interactions among, scene oscillation, duration, and participants are discussed in the paper.

Radion stabilization in higher curvature warped spacetime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Ashmita [Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Guwahati, Assam (India); Mukherjee, Hiya; Paul, Tanmoy; SenGupta, Soumitra [Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Department of Theoretical Physics, Kolkata (India)

2018-02-15

We consider a five dimensional AdS spacetime in presence of higher curvature term like F(R) = R + αR{sup 2} in the bulk. In this model, we examine the possibility of modulus stabilization from the scalar degrees of freedom of higher curvature gravity free of ghosts. Our result reveals that the model stabilizes itself and the mechanism of modulus stabilization can be argued from a geometric point of view. We determine the region of the parametric space for which the modulus (or radion) can to be stabilized. We also show how the mass and coupling parameters of radion field are modified due to higher curvature term leading to modifications of its phenomenological implications on the visible 3-brane. (orig.)

On estimating probability of presence from use-availability or presence-background data.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Steven J; Elith, Jane

2013-06-01

A fundamental ecological modeling task is to estimate the probability that a species is present in (or uses) a site, conditional on environmental variables. For many species, available data consist of "presence" data (locations where the species [or evidence of it] has been observed), together with "background" data, a random sample of available environmental conditions. Recently published papers disagree on whether probability of presence is identifiable from such presence-background data alone. This paper aims to resolve the disagreement, demonstrating that additional information is required. We defined seven simulated species representing various simple shapes of response to environmental variables (constant, linear, convex, unimodal, S-shaped) and ran five logistic model-fitting methods using 1000 presence samples and 10 000 background samples; the simulations were repeated 100 times. The experiment revealed a stark contrast between two groups of methods: those based on a strong assumption that species' true probability of presence exactly matches a given parametric form had highly variable predictions and much larger RMS error than methods that take population prevalence (the fraction of sites in which the species is present) as an additional parameter. For six species, the former group grossly under- or overestimated probability of presence. The cause was not model structure or choice of link function, because all methods were logistic with linear and, where necessary, quadratic terms. Rather, the experiment demonstrates that an estimate of prevalence is not just helpful, but is necessary (except in special cases) for identifying probability of presence. We therefore advise against use of methods that rely on the strong assumption, due to Lele and Keim (recently advocated by Royle et al.) and Lancaster and Imbens. The methods are fragile, and their strong assumption is unlikely to be true in practice. We emphasize, however, that we are not arguing against

Detection of HCV core antigen and its diagnostic significance

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YANG Jie

2013-02-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo compare the abilities of the hepatitis C virus (HCV core antigen (cAg test and the HCV RNA assay for confirming anti-HCV presence in order to determine the clinical utility of the HCV-cAg as an alternative or confirmatory diagnostic tool. MethodsSerum samples collected from 158 patients diagnosed with HCV infection were subjected to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based HCV-cAg test. The optical density (OD measured values were used to calculate the ratio of specimen absorbance to the cutoff value (S/CO. Simultaneously, the serum samples were subjected to PCR-based nucleic acid amplification quantitative fluorescence detection of HCV RNA. ResultsNone of the serum samples had a S/CO value ＜1 for the HCV-cAg test (100% negative, but all of the samples had a S/CO value ＞5 (100% positive. The HCV-cAg test sensitivity was 87.05%, specificity was 76.67%, positive predictive value was 9653%, and negative predictive value was 44.23%. As the S/CO value gradually increased, the significantly higher positive coincident rate of the HCV RNA test decreased. The HCV RNA negative coincident rate was significantly higher than that of the HCV-cAg test. HCV-cAg S/CO values between 1 and 2 corresponded to an HCV RNA values between 1.0×103 copies/ml and 1.0×104 copies/ml. The highest S/CO value obtained was 1.992. ConclusionThe HCV-cAg test is comparable to the HCV RNA assay for diagnosing HCV infection.

Transportability and Presence as Predictors of Avatar Identification Within Narrative Video Games.

Science.gov (United States)

Christy, Katheryn R; Fox, Jesse

2016-04-01

To understand how narratives may best be implemented in video game design, first we must understand how players respond to and experience narratives in video games, including their reactions to their player character or avatar. This study looks at the relationship that transportability, self-presence, social presence, and physical presence have with identification with one's avatar. Survey data from 302 participants (151 males, 151 females) were analyzed. Both transportability and self-presence explained a significant amount of variance in avatar identification. We discuss the implications of these findings for future narrative video game research.

Atherogenic index and coronarian risk – comparative assessment regarding the particularities of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis presence

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Seceleanu Mihaela

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Assessment of autoimmune cause hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia involvement in the apparition of major vascular complications. Methods: A total of 152 patients were investigated appreciating in comparison to a healthy control lot the hormone serum level, the presence of antimicrosomal thyroid antibodies and the serum levels of lipids. Atherogenic index and coronarian risk were calculated and correlated with the incidence of coronarian and cerebral vascular accidents. Results: Among the patients with goiter it was noted a high incidence of a subclinical hypothyroidism (31,58%. Thyroid autoimmunity was involved in 94,4% of the patients with clinical hypothyroidism, in 93,7 % with subclinical hypothyroidism and 100% in the patients with thyrotoxicosis. Low serum level of HDL-cholesterol was identified in 66,6% of patients with clinical hypothyroidism and 64,5% patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. The assessment of atherogenic index and coronarian risk was significantly higher (p<0,01 in patients with hypothyroidism in comparison to healthy control subjects. The incidence of vascular accidents was significantly higher (p<0,01 among the hypothyroid patients ( 19,7%/ 10,8%, of masculine gender (12,7% where the main cause of hypothyroidism was autoimmunity. Conclusions: The atherogenic index and coronarian risk were higher in patients with hypothyroidism associated to thyroid autoimmunity resulting in an increased probability in producing vascular accidents

Presence of enthesopathy in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome: ultrasonographic study of a local cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Sag, Sinem; Sag, Mustafa Serdar; Tekeoglu, Ibrahim; Kamanlı, Ayhan; Nas, Kemal

2018-01-01

Musculoskeletal findings in Sjögren's syndrome are arthralgia, arthritis, myalgia, myositis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue. Enthesis zones are important in the formation of pain in the musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) may show subclinical enthesitis in the synovial joints and in the axial skeleton before joint swelling in inflammatory diseases characterized by arthritis. In this study, we aimed to determine the presence of enthesopathy using the Madrid sonographic enthesitis index (MASEI) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS). Consecutive patients with PSS and age-matched healthy controls were included in this study. All the patients met the 2002 American College of Rheumatology/European League against Rheumatism classification criteria for PSS. The demographic characteristics of the patients were recorded. Six enthesis sites were evaluated using gray-scale and Doppler US with a linear transducer, and they were scored using the MASEI. They were assessed by the EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). We evaluated 40 patients with PSS (average age 48.67 ± 11.23 years) and 30 healthy controls (average age 45.40 ± 8.24 years). Patients with PSS had significantly higher MASEI scores than the healthy controls. Plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and distal patellar tendons were significantly thicker in the PSS group than in the healthy controls. The MASEI total score had a positive correlation with age. There was no correlation between MASEI total score and BMI and ESSDAI. In this study, it was shown that the MASEI scores assessed by US were significantly higher in patients with PSS than in healthy controls. Plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and distal patellar tendon were significantly thicker in the PSS group than in the healthy controls. This result suggests that PSS may be one of the causes of musculoskeletal pain that can be seen in patients with PSS. Our study was the first study to use an enthesis

The second higher education and additional education as factors of development of commercialization in Ukrainian higher education

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M. V. Strigul

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The attention in the article has been drawn to the nature and characteristics of commercialization in the higher education system of Ukraine. It has been noted that commercialization in the consumer society is a social process of transformation of knowledge into a product or service. It provides the growing influence of market relations on the goals and objectives of higher education, promotes the growing importance of knowledge as a source for economic development and focuses on the concept of rooting and academic capitalism and the creation of market-oriented and entrepreneurial universities, which provide dynamic development of economy based on knowledge. Defining the essence of the Ukrainian forms of commercialization, there is a significant role of further and second higher education (that is, the presence of a variety of educational forms, which allows the University receiving the profit in the monetary form. The model of commercialization, which is implemented in Ukrainian higher education, differs from the American and Western European ones, as it is focused on financial returns, not on the economization of intellectual profit. Secondly, a peculiar type of consumer behavior, consumerism, which provides growth of profitability of higher education institutions by a variety of additional services (training, additional courses, further education, developing classes, retaking tests, etc.. The factors of development and dynamics of the Ukrainian forms of commercialization, as well as recommendations for avoiding the negative consequences of the economization and commercialization in higher education structure of modern Ukraine have been considered in the article. It has been noted that the University lost its original purpose and became a huge supermarket, which offers various kinds of knowledge. Rational action considers in the desire to buy the most qualitative product – a diploma from a prestigious University. Nowadays, the higher

Soluble OX40L is associated with presence of autoantibodies in early rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laustsen, Julie K; Rasmussen, Tue K; Stengaard-Pedersen, Kristian

2014-01-01

) and with methotrexate alone (n = 37). Adalimumab was discontinued after the first year, and patients were followed for additional 12 months. For comparison, sOX40 and sOX40L were measured in patients with chronic RA (cRA, n = 15) and healthy volunteers (HV, n = 34). Membrane-bound OX40 and OX40L expression on T cells......, B cells and monocytes were quantified. RESULTS: Soluble OX40 plasma levels of eRA patients were not different at the time of treatment initiation, but were significantly higher after 12 months of treatment, compared with HV or cRA patients. Soluble OX40L was significantly elevated throughout...... the first 12 months of treatment compared with HVs and patients with cRA. Adalimumab treatment did not influence sOX40 or sOX40L plasma levels. At baseline, sOX40L levels were strongly associated with the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) (P

Pitting of Incoloy 800 in presence of CuII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, G.L.; Alvarez, M.G.

1993-01-01

The pitting behaviour of Incoloy 800 in presence of Cu II ions, at 60 degrees C and 280 degrees C was studied by long term exposition of specimens in aqueous cupric chloride solutions. At 60 degrees C experiments were performed in aerated (7 ppm O 2 ) and deaerated solutions containing 500, 1000, 2000, 10000 and 20000 ppm CuCl 2 . At 280 degrees C experiments were performed in deaerated 20 ppm, 50 ppm and 100 ppm CuCl 2 solutions. During each experiment the open circuit potential of the alloy was measured as a function of time. After corrosion test the specimens were examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy for the presence of pits. In another set of experiments potentiodynamic anodic polarization curves were used to determine the pitting potential of Incoloy 800 in deaerated NaCl solutions at chloride concentrations and pH values corresponding to those possessed by solutions containing 20 ppm to 20000 ppm CuCl 2 . At 60 degrees C pitting was observed in those solutions where the CuCl 2 concentration is higher than 1000 ppm. At 280 degrees C pitting was found in the specimens exposed to those solutions where the CuCl 2 concentration was higher than 20 ppm. (author). 3 refs

HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR ASSESSING THE PRESENCE ...

Science.gov (United States)

As an integral part of our continuing research in environmental quality assessment approaches, we have developed a variety of passive integrative sampling devices widely applicable for use in defining the presence and potential impacts of a broad array of contaminants. The semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) has gained widespread use for sampling hydrophobic chemicals from water and air, the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) is applicable for sequestering waterborne hydrophilic organic chemicals, the stabilized liquid membrane device (SLMD) is used to integratively sample waterborne ionic metals, and the passive integrative mercury sampler (PIMS) is applicable for sampling vapor phase or dissolved neutral mercury species. This suite of integrative samplers forms the basis for a new passive sampling approach for assessing the presence and potential toxicological significance of a broad spectrum of environmental contaminants. In a proof-of-concept study, three of our four passive integrative samplers were used to assess the presence o,f a wide variety of contaminants in , the waters of a constructed wetland, and to determine the effectiveness of the constructed wetland in removing contaminants. The wetland is used for fmal polishing of secondary- treatment municipal wastewater and the effluent is used as a source of water for a state wildlife area. Numerous contaminants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis in Women during Early Pregnancy Are Associated with Higher Prevalence of Allergic Rhinitis in Their Offspring

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Miwa Shinohara

2007-01-01

Results: Offspring whose mothers had any AR symptoms during early pregnancy showed a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio for the onset of AR in offspring than those whose mothers had no symptoms during pregnancy (adjusted Odds Ratio: 6.26, p=0.036. However, the symptoms of AR during late pregnancy showed no effects on the odds ratio. In contrast, the presence or absence of AR symptoms during early or late pregnancy showed no association with the prevalence of food allergy, atopic dermatitis or asthma in offspring. Conclusions: Our results suggest the presence of possible epigenetic mechanisms regulating the onset of AR in humans presumably through increased organ-specific hypersensitivity.

Parental presence within households and the impact of antiretroviral ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

often return to the parental home to access care and support, primarily ... contact with children, even when they do not reside in the ... remained low in all specifications. ... CI = confidence interval. ... maternal presence, fathers were significantly.

Comparison of Student and Instructor Perceptions of Social Presence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen Mathieson

2014-05-01

Full Text Available As enrollment in online courses continues to grow and online education is increasingly recognized as an established instructional mode, the unique challenges posed by this learning environment should be addressed. A primary challenge for virtual educators is developing social presence such that participants feel a sense of human connection with each other. Accomplishing this within learning management systems (LMS that are often restrictive can be difficult. Prior research has established a relationship between student perceptions of social presence and satisfaction, but little research has included perceptions of instructors. This study compares student and instructor perceptions of social presence and the importance placed on social connections. While students and instructors reported high levels of social presence, students reported significantly lower levels than instructors. In particular, students found the LMS more impersonal than instructors and were less comfortable participating in LMS activities than instructors. Students had less desire for social connections with other students and instructors, and reported having less time available for such connections. Strategies to facilitate social presence, including offering social networking opportunities outside the LMS, are discussed in light of these differences in perceptions between students and instructors.

Early DNA vaccination of puppies against canine distemper in the presence of maternally derived immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Griot, Christian; Moser, Christian; Cherpillod, Pascal; Bruckner, Lukas; Wittek, Riccardo; Zurbriggen, Andreas; Zurbriggen, Rinaldo

2004-01-26

Canine distemper (CD) is a disease in carnivores caused by CD virus (CDV), a member of the morbillivirus genus. It still is a threat to the carnivore and ferret population. The currently used modified attenuated live vaccines have several drawbacks of which lack of appropriate protection from severe infection is the most outstanding one. In addition, puppies up to the age of 6-8 weeks cannot be immunized efficiently due to the presence of maternal antibodies. In this study, a DNA prime modified live vaccine boost strategy was investigated in puppies in order to determine if vaccinated neonatal dogs induce a neutralizing immune response which is supposed to protect animals from a CDV challenge. Furthermore, a single DNA vaccination of puppies, 14 days after birth and in the presence of high titers of CDV neutralizing maternal antibodies, induced a clear and significant priming effect observed as early as 3 days after the subsequent booster with a conventional CDV vaccine. It was shown that the priming effect develops faster and to higher titers in puppies preimmunized with DNA 14 days after birth than in those vaccinated 28 days after birth. Our results demonstrate that despite the presence of maternal antibodies puppies can be vaccinated using the CDV DNA vaccine, and that this vaccination has a clear priming effect leading to a solid immune response after a booster with a conventional CDV vaccine.

Shared Leadership Transforms Higher Education IT

Science.gov (United States)

Duin, Ann Hill; Cawley, Steve; Gulachek, Bernard; O'Sullivan, Douglas M.; Wollner, Diane

2011-01-01

Globalization, immersive research and learning environments, unlimited access to information and analytics, and fiscal realities continue to impact higher education--and higher education IT. Although IT organizations face immense pressure to meet significantly greater expectations at significantly less cost, with such pressure comes the…

Spinning particle approach to higher spin field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corradini, Olindo

2011-01-01

We shortly review on the connection between higher-spin gauge field theories and supersymmetric spinning particle models. In such approach the higher spin equations of motion are linked to the first-class constraint algebra associated with the quantization of particle models. Here we consider a class of spinning particle models characterized by local O(N)-extended supersymmetry since these models are known to provide an alternative approach to the geometric formulation of higher spin field theory. We describe the canonical quantization of the models in curved target space and discuss the obstructions that appear in presence of an arbitrarily curved background. We then point out the special role that conformally flat spaces appear to have in such models and present a derivation of the higher-spin curvatures for maximally symmetric spaces.

Adsorption of hydrophobic organic compounds onto a hydrophobic carbonaceous geosorbent in the presence of surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Keller, Arturo A

2008-06-01

The adsorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs; atrazine and diuron) onto lampblack was studied in the presence of nonionic, cationic, and anionic surfactants (Triton(R) X-100), benzalkonium chloride [BC], and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate [LAS]) to determine the effect of the surfactant on HOC adsorption onto a hydrophobic carbonaceous geosorbent. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate showed an adsorption capacity higher than that of BC but similar to that of Triton X-100, implying the charge property of a surfactant is not a useful indicator for predicting the surfactant's adsorption onto a hydrophobic medium. The results also indicated that the octanol-water partition coefficient (K(OW)) of a surfactant is not a good predictor of that surfactant's sorption onto a hydrophobic medium. Under subsaturation adsorption conditions (i.e., before sorption saturation is reached), surfactant adsorption reduced HOC adsorption to a significant extent, with the reduction in HOC adsorption increasing monotonically with the amount of surfactant adsorbed. Among the three surfactants, Triton X-100 was the most effective in reducing HOC adsorption, whereas BC and LAS showed similar effectiveness in this regard. Under the same amount of the surfactant sorbed, the reduction in atrazine adsorption was consistently greater than that for diuron because of atrazine's lower hydrophobicity. No significant difference was observed in the amount of the HOC adsorbed under different adsorption sequences. Our results showed that the presence of surfactant can significantly decrease HOC adsorption onto hydrophobic environmental media and, thus, is important in predicting HOC fate and transport in the environment.

Arcuate foramen and its clinical significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cakmark, O.; Gurdal, E.; Cavdar, S.; Ekinci, G.; Yildiz, E.

2005-01-01

The present study determines the degree of ossification of the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane in dry bone, plane lateral cervical spine radiographs and computer tomography (CT). The average length, width and the area of the arcuate foramen were measured on dry bone and on cervical CT. Further, age, gender and complaints of the patients of shoulder and arm pain, neck pain, headache, vertigo, and lacrimation in relation to the presence of bony complete or incomplete arcuate foramen were evaluated. From February 2004 to January 2005 60 dry atlases were obtained from the Anatomy Department, University of Marmara, Istanbul, Turkey and 416 lateral cervical spine radiographs were obtained from the Radiology department for neurological and orthopedic evaluations. Each complete arcuate foramen was calculated with the aid of Clemex Vision PE demo version computer program. Among the 60 dry atlases examined 7 (11.7%) had complete and 2 (3.3 %) had incomplete bony bridge formation. Of the 416 plane lateral cervical spine radiographs examined, 30 (7.2%) had complete and 26 (6.25%) had incomplete bony bridge formation. Of the 30 complete arcuate foramen 24 (80%) were females and 6 (20%) were males. The frequency of having a complete arcuate foramen in females was 8.45%, and in males it was 4.55%. Further, of the 26 incomplete arcuate foramen 20 (76.9%) were females and 6 (23.1%) were males. The frequency of having an incomplete arcuate foramen in females was 7%, and in males was 4.55%. The statistical evaluations showed that patients with complete arcuate foramen had significant complaints of shoulder-arm pain (p=0.0072), neck pain (p=0.0072) and vertigo (p=0.0598) compared to patients with incomplete arcuate foramen. The patients with complete arcuate foramen had a headache ratio of 12:30 and this ratio was 2:26 in patients with incomplete arcuate foramen and the difference between complete and incomplete arcuate foramen was statistically significant (p=0.0062). Further

The Impact of Social Presence on Learners' Satisfaction in Mobile Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Alsadoon, Elham

2018-01-01

Distributing learning completely through mobile courses is a new trend. Social presence has been identified as a significant predictor of learner satisfaction with online learning. It is a key element that improves learner satisfaction with online learning (Cobb, 2009; Reio & Crim, 2013). This study explores whether social presence is inherent…

Frequency and significance of parvovirus B19 infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Naciute, Milda; Mieliauskaite, Diana; Rugiene, Rita; Nikitenkiene, Rita; Jancoriene, Ligita; Mauricas, Mykolas; Nora-Krukle, Zaiga; Murovska, Modra

2016-01-01

The present study aims to clarify the possible involvement of parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis by investigating the presence of B19V infection markers (genomic sequences and virus-specific antibodies) in association with the level of cytokines and RA clinical activity and aggressiveness. A total of 118 RA patients and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Nested PCR was used to detect B19V sequences in whole blood and cell-free plasma DNA, ELISA to detect virus-specific antibodies and cytokine levels in plasma and recomLine dot blot assay for antibodies to separate B19V antigens. The detection frequency of B19V DNA was higher in patients with RA (25.4 %) in comparison with healthy persons (18.4 %). B19V DNA in cell-free plasma (B19+p) was detected significantly often in RA patients in comparison with healthy controls (13.6 vs 2 %; P=0.0002). RA B19+p patients had higher disease activity and aggressiveness, decreased haemoglobin and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates. IL-6 plasma levels were significantly higher in RA patients than in controls. Within the RA patients’ group the IL-6 level was significantly increased in B19+p patients with disease activity scores of DAS28>5.2, high C-reactive protein and low haemoglobin. Contrary to the healthy controls, the majority of RA B19+p patients did not have antibodies to VP-1S (VP1u) and VP-N (N-terminal half of structural proteins VP1 and VP2), which correspond to the epitopes of neutralizing antibodies. These results indicate that B19V infection at least in some patients is involved in RA pathogenesis. PMID:27902343

Frequency and significance of parvovirus B19 infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Naciute, Milda; Mieliauskaite, Diana; Rugiene, Rita; Nikitenkiene, Rita; Jancoriene, Ligita; Mauricas, Mykolas; Nora-Krukle, Zaiga; Murovska, Modra; Girkontaite, Irute

2016-12-01

The present study aims to clarify the possible involvement of parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis by investigating the presence of B19V infection markers (genomic sequences and virus-specific antibodies) in association with the level of cytokines and RA clinical activity and aggressiveness. A total of 118 RA patients and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Nested PCR was used to detect B19V sequences in whole blood and cell-free plasma DNA, ELISA to detect virus-specific antibodies and cytokine levels in plasma and recomLine dot blot assay for antibodies to separate B19V antigens. The detection frequency of B19V DNA was higher in patients with RA (25.4 %) in comparison with healthy persons (18.4 %). B19V DNA in cell-free plasma (B19+p) was detected significantly often in RA patients in comparison with healthy controls (13.6 vs 2 %; P=0.0002). RA B19+p patients had higher disease activity and aggressiveness, decreased haemoglobin and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates. IL-6 plasma levels were significantly higher in RA patients than in controls. Within the RA patients' group the IL-6 level was significantly increased in B19+p patients with disease activity scores of DAS28>5.2, high C-reactive protein and low haemoglobin. Contrary to the healthy controls, the majority of RA B19+p patients did not have antibodies to VP-1S (VP1u) and VP-N (N-terminal half of structural proteins VP1 and VP2), which correspond to the epitopes of neutralizing antibodies. These results indicate that B19V infection at least in some patients is involved in RA pathogenesis.

Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance: Bethesda Classification and Association with Human Papillomavirus

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Ana Cristina Macêdo Barcelos

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. To analyze patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS through a cytology review and the presence of microbiological agents, with consideration of colposcopy and semiannual tracking. Methods. 103 women with ASCUS were reviewed and reclassified: normal/inflammatory, ASCUS, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL, or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL. If ASCUS confirmed, it was subclassified in reactive or neoplastic ASCUS, ASC-US, or ASC-H; and Regione Emilia Romagna Screening Protocol. Patients underwent a colposcopic examination, and test for Candida sp., bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and human papillomavirus (HPV were performed. Results. Upon review, ASCUS was diagnosis in 70/103 (67.9%, being 38 (54.2% reactive ASCUS and 32 (45.71% neoplastic ASCUS; 62 (88.5% ASC-US and 8 (11.41% ASC-H. ASCUS (Regione Protocol, respectively 1-5: 15 (21.4%, 19 (27.1%, 3 (27.1%, 16 (22.8%, and 1 (1.4%. A higher number of cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II/III in the biopsies of patients with ASC-H compared to ASC-US (P=.0021. High-risk HPV test and presence of CIN II/III are more frequent in ASC-H than ASC-US (P=.031. Conclusions. ASC-H is associated with clinically significant disease. High-risk HPV-positive status in the triage for colposcopy of patients with ASC-US is associated with increased of CIN.

Cystic echinococcosis: prevalence and economic significance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to April 2016 at ELFORA export abattoir to determine the prevalence, cyst viability, organ distribution and economic significance of small ruminant cystic echinococcosis. A total of 850 small ruminants (400 sheep and 450 goats), were examined for the presence of ...

The Inflammatory Radicular Cysts Have Higher Concentration of TNF-α in Comparison to Odontogenic Keratocysts (Odontogenic Tumour

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Vladimir Jurisic

2007-01-01

Full Text Available TNF-α is a pleiotropic cytokine that is considered as a primary modifier of inflammatory and immune reaction in response to various inflammatory diseases and tumour. We investigated levels of TNF-α in 43 radicular cysts and 15 odontogenic keratocysts, obtained from patients undergoing surgery, under local anaesthesia, and after aspiration of cystic fluid from non-ruptured cysts. TNF-α is elevated in both cysts’ fluid, but higher values were found in radicular cysts in comparison to keratocysts. The significantly higher concentration of TNF-α was associated with smaller radicular cysts, higher protein concentration, higher presence of inflammatory cells in peri cystic tissues, and the degree of vascularisation and cysts wall thickness (Mann-Whitney U-test, p<0.05. No correlation was found based on these parameters in odontogenic keratocyst, but all cysts have detectable concentrations of TNF-α. We here for the first time present that a difference in the concentration of TNF-α exists between these two cystic types.

Comparing aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) presence and distribution between degraded and non-degraded forest within Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

Science.gov (United States)

Farris, Zach J; Morelli, Toni Lyn; Sefczek, Timothy; Wright, Patricia C

2011-01-01

The aye-aye is considered the most widely distributed lemur in Madagascar; however, the effect of forest quality on aye-aye abundance is unknown. We compared aye-aye presence across degraded and non-degraded forest at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We used secondary signs (feeding sites, high activity sites) as indirect cues of aye-aye presence and Canarium trees as an indicator of resource availability. All 3 measured variables indicated higher aye-aye abundance within non-degraded forest; however, the differences across forest type were not significant. Both degraded and non-degraded forests showed a positive correlation between feeding sites and high activity sites. We found that Canarium, an important aye-aye food source, was rare and had limited dispersal, particularly across degraded forest. This preliminary study provides baseline data for aye-aye activity and resource utilization across degraded and non-degraded forests. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prognostic significance of IgG4+ plasma cell infiltrates following neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Yakirevich, Evgeny; Lu, Shaolei; Allen, Danisha; Mangray, Shamlal; Fanion, Jacqueline R; Lombardo, Kara A; Safran, Howard; Resnick, Murray B

2017-08-01

Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) tissue following chemoradiotherapy (CRT) reflect alterations in the tumor immunoenvironment. The presence and role of plasma cells in this process are poorly understood. Our aim was to characterize the IgG4+ plasma cell population in EAC following CRT. Seventy-one esophagectomy specimens post-CRT were compared with a surgery-only group of 31 EACs. The distribution, density, and ratio of IgG4+ and IgG+ plasma cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathologic features, treatment response, and survival. In the CRT group, the presence of higher numbers of IgG4+ (≥ median of 94/high-power field) and IgG+ (≥ median of 225/high-power field) plasma cells and increased IgG4+/IgG+ ratio (≥ median of 41%) within ulcers was associated with complete or near-complete treatment response (P = .0077, P = .0503, and P = .0063, respectively). Lower tumor grade, smaller tumor size, and higher levels of IgG4+ plasma cells in posttherapy ulcers significantly correlated with better overall survival, whereas pretherapy clinical stage, posttherapy pathologic stage, smaller tumor size, and lower tumor grade were associated with longer recurrence-free survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that both posttherapy pathologic stage and high IgG4+ plasma cells in ulcers were independent predictors of overall survival (P = .05 and P = .01), whereas only posttherapy pathologic stage was associated with recurrence-free survival (P IgG4+ plasma cell infiltrate in EAC following CRT. The presence of increased IgG4+ plasma cells may be a novel reliable factor to predict prognosis of EAC patients following CRT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Core Processes Roadmap to Deploy the Higher Education Institution's Internationalization Strategy

OpenAIRE

Elena FLEACĂ

2017-01-01

Technological development, competition and globalisation are radically changing the landscape of higher education which maintains its crucial role in individual and societal advancement. Many higher education institutions are competing on increasing their attractiveness by providing innovative curricula, excellence in teaching and research opportunities. The paper attempts to tackle the push for stronger international presence which brings favourable conditions for internationalisation strate...

Influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Na; Yu, Ruifeng

2017-12-01

This study employed an eye-tracking technique to investigate the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. A total of 20 male subjects performed visual search tasks in a 2 (target presence: present vs. absent) × 2 (task complexity: complex vs. simple) × 2 (social presence: alone vs. a human audience) within-subject experiment. Results indicated that the presence of an audience could evoke a social facilitation effect on response time in visual search tasks. Compared with working alone, the participants made fewer and shorter fixations, larger saccades and shorter scan path in simple search tasks and more and longer fixations, smaller saccades and longer scan path in complex search tasks when working with an audience. The saccade velocity and pupil diameter in the audience-present condition were larger than those in the working-alone condition. No significant change in target fixation number was observed between two social presence conditions. Practitioner Summary: This study employed an eye-tracking technique to examine the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. Results clarified the variation mechanism and characteristics of oculomotor scanning induced by social presence in visual search.

Towards a sensor for detecting human presence and activity

OpenAIRE

Benezeth , Yannick; Laurent , Hélène; Emile , Bruno; Rosenberger , Christophe

2011-01-01

International audience; In this paper, we propose a vision-based system for human detection and tracking in indoor environment allowing to collect higher level information on people activity. The developed presence sensor based on video analysis, using a static camera is ¯rst of all presented. Composed of three main steps, the ¯rst one consists in change detection using a background model updated at di®erent levels to manage the most common variations of the environment. A moving objects trac...

'Presence' of the past in the presence (Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, Eelco Runia)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Schure, L

2006-01-01

In recent writings historian Eelco Runia (Groningen) and literary theorist Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht (Stanford) have introduced the notion of presence, a new and promising way of thinking about history. Although there are differences between the two authors, both think of presence as the antithesis of

Constructing a Brand Identity Scale for Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Goi, Mei Teh; Goi, Chai Lee; Wong, David

2014-01-01

Malaysia is a newly industrialized market economy and reliant upon foreign direct investment to increase its economic outlook. Being located in a strategic position between Asia, Australasia and Oceania has made it an attractive proposition for foreign higher education providers wanting to expand their international presence. Despite this, there…

A higher derivative view of the arc length and area actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zoller, D.

1991-01-01

Higher derivative versions of the arc length and area actions are presented. The higher derivative theories are equivalent with the corresponding lower derivative theories in absence of interactions. The extra degrees of freedom associated with the higher derivatives are pure gauge due to a hidden reparametrization invariance these theories possess. The extra degrees of freedom are no longer pure gauge in the presence of background fields and the equivalence no longer holds. A string version of Wigner's continuous spin particle is also noted

Combined Effect of Hyperhomocysteinemia and Hypertension on the Presence of Early Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhongying; Fang, Xianghua; Hua, Yang; Liu, Beibei; Ji, Xunming; Tang, Zhe; Wang, Chunxiu; Guan, Shaochen; Wu, Xiaoguang; Liu, Hongjun; Gu, Xiang

2016-05-01

To examine the individual effect of elevated homocysteine and its combined effect with hypertension on early carotid artery atherosclerosis (ECAS). We recruited 1257 subjects from a community-based population in Beijing, China, aged 55 years and older. The definition of hyperhomocysteinemia was referred to as the presence of homocysteine concentrations greater than 15 µmol/L. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), plaque, the sum of plaque thickness (plaque score, PS), and plaque location in common carotid artery were established by ultrasonography. The presence of increased CIMT (≥1.0 mm) and plaque was defined as ECAS. Age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, total cholesterol, glucose, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hypoglycemic therapy, and lipid-lowering therapy were adjusted by logistic regression analysis. After adjustments for all potential confounders, the risks of presence of plaque, bilateral plaque, and high PS were significantly higher in the group with hyperhomocysteinemia as compared with reference group (the normal homocysteine and normotensive). The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.56 for presence of plaque (95% CI 1.05-2.33), 1.80 for bilateral plaque (95% CI 1.08-2.99), and 1.90 for high PS (95% CI 1.09-3.30), respectively. The group with both hyperhomocysteinemia and hypertension manifested the highest ORs of ECAS. The fully adjusted ORs were 1.67 for increased CIMT (95% CI 1.15-2.42), 2.48 for bilateral plaques (95% CI 1.54-3.99), and 2.69 for high PS (95% CI 1.61-4.47), correspondingly. Elevated homocysteine had a mild-to-moderate independent effect on ECAS. Combined with hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia might increase the strength of the above-mentioned effects. Copyright © 2016 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Significant determinants of academic performance by new students enrolled in the higher distance education system of Ecuador. The case of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis F. Moncada Mora

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this article we present the significant determiners of academic performance of new students enrolled in the higher distance education system of Ecuador. A description and correlation of the variables were undertaken to formalize the probabilistic model that confirms the positive, negative, individual and global effects.

Land use type significantly affects microbial gene transcription in soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Nacke, Heiko; Fischer, Christiane; Thürmer, Andrea; Meinicke, Peter; Daniel, Rolf

2014-05-01

Soil microorganisms play an essential role in sustaining biogeochemical processes and cycling of nutrients across different land use types. To gain insights into microbial gene transcription in forest and grassland soil, we isolated mRNA from 32 sampling sites. After sequencing of generated complementary DNA (cDNA), a total of 5,824,229 sequences could be further analyzed. We were able to assign nonribosomal cDNA sequences to all three domains of life. A dominance of bacterial sequences, which were affiliated to 25 different phyla, was found. Bacterial groups capable of aromatic compound degradation such as Phenylobacterium and Burkholderia were detected in significantly higher relative abundance in forest soil than in grassland soil. Accordingly, KEGG pathway categories related to degradation of aromatic ring-containing molecules (e.g., benzoate degradation) were identified in high abundance within forest soil-derived metatranscriptomic datasets. The impact of land use type forest on community composition and activity is evidently to a high degree caused by the presence of wood breakdown products. Correspondingly, bacterial groups known to be involved in lignin degradation and containing ligninolytic genes such as Burkholderia, Bradyrhizobium, and Azospirillum exhibited increased transcriptional activity in forest soil. Higher solar radiation in grassland presumably induced increased transcription of photosynthesis-related genes within this land use type. This is in accordance with high abundance of photosynthetic organisms and plant-infecting viruses in grassland.

Cocaine use is associated with a higher prevalence of elevated ST2 concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wijk, Xander M R; Vittinghoff, Eric; Wu, Alan H B; Lynch, Kara L; Riley, Elise D

2017-09-01

Cocaine is a well-known risk factor for acute cardiac events, but the effects in users outside of acute events are less clear. We investigated a possible association between cocaine use and the concentration of a novel biomarker for cardiac stress and heart failure, ST2. A case-control study was conducted to compare ST2 concentrations by the presence of cocaine in patients presenting for care, but not cardiac care, at an urban safety net hospital. In samples taken from 100 cocaine-positive and 100 cocaine-negative patients, the presence of cocaine was associated with ST2 concentrations>35ng/mL. Serum concentrations of benzoylecgonine, a major cocaine metabolite, were significantly correlated with ST2 concentrations. Cocaine use is associated with subclinical cardiac stress and damage outside of acute cardiac events. This information could add to better stratification of cocaine users with elevated ST2 concentrations who may be at higher risk for developing heart failure and other cardiac complications. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Presence of Trifolium repens promotes complementarity of water use and N facilitation in diverse grass mixtures

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Pauline eHernandez

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Legume species promote productivity and increase the digestibility of herbage in grasslands. Considerable experimental data also indicate that communities with legumes produce more above-ground biomass than is expected from monocultures. While it has been attributed to N facilitation, evidence to identify the mechanisms involved is still lacking and the role of complementarity in soil water acquisition by vertical root differentiation remains unclear. We used a 20-month mesocosm experiment to investigate the effects of species richness (single species, two- and five-species mixtures and functional diversity (presence of the legume Trifolium repens on a set of traits related to light, N and water use and measured at community level. We found a positive effect of Trifolium presence and abundance on biomass production and complementarity effects in the two-species mixtures from the second year. In addition the community traits related to water and N acquisition and use (leaf area, N, water-use efficiency and deep root growth were higher in the presence of Trifolium. With a multiple regression approach, we showed that the traits related to water acquisition and use were with N the main determinants of biomass production and complementarity effects in diverse mixtures. At shallow soil layers, lower root mass of Trifolium and higher soil moisture should increase soil water availability for the associated grass species. Conversely at deep soil layer, higher root growth and lower soil moisture mirror soil resource use increase of mixtures. Altogether, these results highlight N facilitation but almost soil vertical differentiation and thus complementarity for water acquisition and use in mixtures with Trifolium. Contrary to grass-Trifolium mixtures, no significant over-yielding was measured for grass mixtures even those having complementary traits (short and shallow vs tall and deep. Thus, vertical complementarity for soil resources uptake in mixtures

Presence of Trifolium repens Promotes Complementarity of Water Use and N Facilitation in Diverse Grass Mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Pauline; Picon-Cochard, Catherine

2016-01-01

Legume species promote productivity and increase the digestibility of herbage in grasslands. Considerable experimental data also indicate that communities with legumes produce more above-ground biomass than is expected from monocultures. While it has been attributed to N facilitation, evidence to identify the mechanisms involved is still lacking and the role of complementarity in soil water acquisition by vertical root differentiation remains unclear. We used a 20-months mesocosm experiment to investigate the effects of species richness (single species, two- and five-species mixtures) and functional diversity (presence of the legume Trifolium repens) on a set of traits related to light, N and water use and measured at community level. We found a positive effect of Trifolium presence and abundance on biomass production and complementarity effects in the two-species mixtures from the second year. In addition the community traits related to water and N acquisition and use (leaf area, N, water-use efficiency, and deep root growth) were higher in the presence of Trifolium. With a multiple regression approach, we showed that the traits related to water acquisition and use were with N the main determinants of biomass production and complementarity effects in diverse mixtures. At shallow soil layers, lower root mass of Trifolium and higher soil moisture should increase soil water availability for the associated grass species. Conversely at deep soil layer, higher root growth and lower soil moisture mirror soil resource use increase of mixtures. Altogether, these results highlight N facilitation but almost soil vertical differentiation and thus complementarity for water acquisition and use in mixtures with Trifolium. Contrary to grass-Trifolium mixtures, no significant over-yielding was measured for grass mixtures even those having complementary traits (short and shallow vs. tall and deep). Thus, vertical complementarity for soil resources uptake in mixtures was not only

Prognostic significance of Cdx2 immunohistochemical expression in gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of published literatures

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Wang Xiao-Tong

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cdx2 is a homeobox domain-containing transcription factor that is important in the development and differentiation of the intestinal cells, and served as a potential biomarker of tumor progression in early intestinal-type gastric cancer. However, its prognostic value and significance in gastric cancer remain controversial. A meta-analysis based on published studies was performed to obtain an accurate evaluation of the association between the presence of Cdx2-positive in clinical samples and clinical outcome. A total of 13 eligible retrospective cohort studies with 1513 patients were included. Cdx2-positive cases were significantly associated with higher male-to-female ratio (RR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.17–1.38, PPP=0.002 fixed-effect and lymph node metastasis (RR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.33-1.73, PP

Factors determining presence of passerines breeding within White Stork Ciconia ciconia nests

Science.gov (United States)

Zbyryt, Adam; Jakubas, Dariusz; Tobolka, Marcin

2017-10-01

Nests of White Stork Ciconia ciconia are commonly used by various passerines as nesting sites. In this study, we investigated factors determining presence and number of pairs of species breeding within White Stork nests in an extensive farmland in NE Poland. In 133 (57%) out of 233 White Stork nests, we found at least one breeding pair of passerine bird. These were from three species: House Sparrows Passer domesticus (68% of 133 nests with co-breeding), Tree Sparrows Passer montanus (65%), and Starlings Sturnus vulgaris (30%). The probability of breeding passerines within White Stork nests increased with increasing nest thickness, and was significantly higher in currently occupied nests. Sparrows were more likely to breed in White Stork nests located on electricity poles, situated closer to settlements and surrounded mainly by arable fields where meadows were not prevalent. In this paper, we show that White Stork nests are favorable nesting sites for passerines, as they are well insulated and provide an anti-predatory shield.

Factors determining presence of passerines breeding within White Stork Ciconia ciconia nests.

Science.gov (United States)

Zbyryt, Adam; Jakubas, Dariusz; Tobolka, Marcin

2017-08-18

Nests of White Stork Ciconia ciconia are commonly used by various passerines as nesting sites. In this study, we investigated factors determining presence and number of pairs of species breeding within White Stork nests in an extensive farmland in NE Poland. In 133 (57%) out of 233 White Stork nests, we found at least one breeding pair of passerine bird. These were from three species: House Sparrows Passer domesticus (68% of 133 nests with co-breeding), Tree Sparrows Passer montanus (65%), and Starlings Sturnus vulgaris (30%). The probability of breeding passerines within White Stork nests increased with increasing nest thickness, and was significantly higher in currently occupied nests. Sparrows were more likely to breed in White Stork nests located on electricity poles, situated closer to settlements and surrounded mainly by arable fields where meadows were not prevalent. In this paper, we show that White Stork nests are favorable nesting sites for passerines, as they are well insulated and provide an anti-predatory shield.

Systemic inflammation is higher in peripheral artery disease than in stable coronary artery disease.

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Rein, Philipp; Saely, Christoph H; Silbernagel, Günther; Vonbank, Alexander; Mathies, Rainer; Drexel, Heinz; Baumgartner, Iris

2015-04-01

The knowledge on the level of systemic inflammation in peripheral artery disease (PAD) is less well established than that in coronary artery disease (CAD). Systemic inflammation frequently coincides with atherosclerosis, but also with various traits of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The individual contribution of CAD, PAD, and the MetS to inflammation is not known. We enrolled a total of 1396 patients, 460 patients with PAD Fontaine stages IIa-IV verified by duplex ultrasound (PAD group) and 936 patients free of limb claudication undergoing coronary angiography, of whom 507 had significant CAD with coronary stenoses ≥50% (CAD group), and 429 did not have significant CAD at angiography (control group). C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher in the PAD than in the CAD or in the control group (0.86 ± 1.85 mg/dl versus 0.44 ± 0.87 mg/dl and 0.39 ± 0.52 mg/dl, respectively, p < 0.001 for both comparisons). These significant differences were confirmed when patients with and subjects without the MetS were analyzed separately. In particular, within the PAD group, CRP was significantly higher in patients with the MetS than in subjects without the MetS (1.04 ± 2.01 vs. 0.67 ± 1.64 mg/dl; p = 0.001) and both, the presence of PAD and the MetS proved to be independently associated with CRP in analysis of covariance (F = 31.84; p < 0.001 and F = 10.52; p = 0.001, respectively). Inflammatory activity in PAD patients is higher than in CAD patients and is particularly high in PAD patients affected by the MetS. Low grade systemic inflammation is independently associated with both the MetS and PAD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of Spotters Improves Bench Press Performance: A Deception Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheridan, Andrew; Marchant, David C; Williams, Emily L; Jones, Hollie S; Hewitt, Phil A; Sparks, S Andy

2017-10-24

Sheridan, A, Marchant, DC, Williams, EL, Jones, HS, Hewitt, PA, and Sparks, SA. Presence of spotters improves bench press performance: a deception study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2017-Resistance exercise is a widely used method of physical training in both recreational exercise and athletic populations. The use of training partners and spotters during resistance exercise is widespread, but little is known about the effect of the presence of these individuals on exercise performance. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of spotter presence on bench press performance. Twelve recreationally trained participants (age, 21.3 ± 0.8 years, height, 1.82 ± 0.1 m, and weight, 84.8 ± 11.1 kg) performed 2 trials of 3 sets to failure at 60% of 1 repetition maximum on separate occasions. The 2 trials consisted of spotters being explicitly present or hidden from view (deception). During the trials, total repetitions (reps), total weight lifted, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and self-efficacy were measured. Total reps and weight lifted were significantly greater with spotters (difference = 4.5 reps, t = 5.68, p < 0.001 and difference = 209.6 kg, t = 5.65, p < 0.001, respectively). Although RPE and local RPE were significantly elevated in the deception trials (difference = 0.78, f = 6.16, p = 0.030 and difference = 0.81, f = 5.89, p = 0.034, respectively), self-efficacy was significantly reduced (difference = 1.58, f = 26.90, p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that resistance exercise is improved by the presence of spotters, which is facilitated by reduced RPE and increased self-efficacy. This has important implications for athletes and clients, who should perform resistance exercise in the proximity of others, to maximize total work performed.

The relationship between the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms and waist circumference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira MC

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Maria Clara Eugênia de Oliveira, Larissa Ramalho Dantas Varella, Priscylla Helouyse melo Angelo, Maria Thereza Albuquerque Barbosa Cabral Micussi Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Purpose: The aim of the study is to evaluate the pressure of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM according to waist circumference (WC and correlate the presence of urinary tract symptoms (UTS with WC. Patients and methods: The study was observational and cross-sectional. One-hundred and sixty-four females between 45 and 65 years of age were evaluated. The sample was divided into two groups, according to WC: Group ≤80 (G≤80 was composed of females in whom WC was up to 80 cm; and Group >80 (G>80 was composed of females with WC above 80 cm. The subjects were assessed in terms of sociodemographic data, pre-existing conditions, urogynecological and obstetric history, and the presence of lower UTS (LUTS, as well as physical examination, measurement of WC, height, and weight. The PFM assessment was made by perineometry. To compare the mean between groups, the independent samples t-test was applied, and to correlate the WC with perineometry and LUTS, the Pearson’s correlation test was used. Results: The final sample was composed of 156 patients. The average age of participants was 55.21 (±24.5 years in G≤80 and 57.23 (±6.12 years in G>80. There were significant differences regarding the presence of LUTS between the groups (P<0.05; as to the perineometry, there was a significant difference (P=0.03 between the groups: 38.68±13.63 cmH2O for G≤80 and 30.11±11.20 cmH2O for G>80. There was a correlation between the presence of urinary urgency (r=0.7; P=0.00, nocturia (r=0.7; P=0.00, and urinary incontinence (r=0.9; P=0.00 with WC. Conclusion: Females with larger abdominal diameter have a higher prevalence of LUTS such as urinary incontinence, nocturia, and urinary urgency, as well as a lower PFM

Enhanced viability of Lactobacillus reuteri for probiotics production in mixed solid-state fermentation in the presence of Bacillus subtilis.

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Zhang, Yi-Ran; Xiong, Hai-Rong; Guo, Xiao-Hua

2014-01-01

In order to develop a multi-microbe probiotic preparation of Lactobacillus reuteri G8-5 and Bacillus subtilis MA139 in solid-state fermentation, a series of parameters were optimized sequentially in shake flask culture. The effect of supplementation of B. subtilis MA139 as starters on the viability of L. reuteri G8-5 was also explored. The results showed that the optimized process was as follows: water content, 50 %; initial pH of diluted molasses, 6.5; inocula volume, 2 %; flask dry contents, 30∼35 g/250 g without sterilization; and fermentation time, 2 days. The multi-microbial preparations finally provided the maximum concentration of Lactobacillus of about 9.01 ± 0.15 log CFU/g and spores of Bacillus of about 10.30 ± 0.08 log CFU/g. Compared with pure fermentation of L. reuteri G8-5, significantly high viable cells, low value of pH, and reducing sugar in solid substrates were achieved in mixed fermentation in the presence of B. subtilis MA139 (P fermentation showed the significantly higher antimicrobial activity against E. coli K88 (P solid-state fermentation with low cost. Moreover, the viability of L. reuteri G8-5 could be significantly enhanced in the presence of B. subtilis MA139 in solid-state fermentation, which favored the production of probiotics for animal use.

Disruptive Technologies in Higher Education

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Flavin, Michael

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the role of "disruptive" innovative technologies in higher education. In this country and elsewhere, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have invested significant sums in learning technologies, with Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) being more or less universal, but these technologies have not been universally…

Presence of an interaction between smoking and being overweight increases risks of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in outpatients with mood disorders.

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Nishiyama, Midori; Kimijima, Michio; Muto, Takashi; Kimura, Kazumoto

2012-07-01

We aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that the presence of an interaction between smoking and being overweight increases the risks of lifestyle-related diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease) in outpatients with mood disorders. In this cross-sectional survey, using data from 213 outpatients with mood disorders (95 men, 118 women), we calculated the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipedemia, and cardiovascular disease, using a binary logistic regression model; we then calculated the adjusted OR values for smokers and non-smokers with body mass indexes (BMIs) of <25 or ≥25 kg/m². Next, we examined the data for the presence of an interaction between smoking and being overweight, using three measures of additive interaction: relative excess risk due to the interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to the interaction (AP), and the synergy index (S). Smokers with BMI <25 kg/m² had a significantly lower risk of hypertension (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09-0.81) than non-smokers with BMI <25 kg/m² (reference group). Compared with the reference group, overweight non-smokers had a significantly higher risk (2.82, 1.34-6.19) of hypertension, and overweight smokers had a higher risk (4.43, 1.28-15.26) of hypertension and very high risks of diabetes (8.24, 2.47-27.42) and cardiovascular disease (13.12, 1.95-88.41). The highest RERI was derived from the relation with cardiovascular disease. The highest AP and S were derived from the relation with type 2 diabetes. There was no interaction of smoking and being overweight with dyslipidemia. The presence of an interaction between smoking and being overweight exacerbates the risks of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in outpatients with mood disorders.

Flow properties and chemical composition of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flours as related to particle size and seed presence.

Science.gov (United States)

Benković, Maja; Belščak-Cvitanović, Ana; Bauman, Ingrid; Komes, Draženka; Srečec, Siniša

2017-10-01

Due to abundance in carbohydrates, dietary fibres and bioactive compounds, as well as for its outspread and low prices, carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flour has a great potential of use as a functional ingredient. The aim of this study was to analyse this potential by physical and chemical properties assessment of different particle sizes of carob flour with and without seeds. The influence of seed presence on physical and chemical properties of flour was also investigated. Seed presence in carob flour led to higher cohesivity and cake strength. It also affected the extraction efficiency of polyphenols, which was confirmed by the ranking of samples according to their procyanidin and tannins contents. With regard to the carbohydrate content, significant differences (Pflours. These findings confirm the importance of understanding physical and chemical properties of carob flours in order to use them efficiently as a functional food ingredient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure–function relationship of β-lactoglobulin in the presence of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahihi, M.; Bordbar, A.K.; Ghayeb, Y.; Fani, N.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Stability parameters and retinol binding property of β-lg in the presence of SDBS have been determined at various pH. ► Higher denaturating effect of SDBS at acidic pH can be due to positive charge density of β-lg at this pH. ► SDBS enhances the retinol binding affinity of β-lg in all of its concentration range. ► The β-lg/retinol binding is pH-dependent. - Abstract: Bovine β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) present in milks has been found “in vivo” in complexes with lipids such as butyric and oleic acids. To elucidate the still unknown structure–function relationship in this protein, the structural changes of β-lactoglobulin variant A (β-lg A) were investigated in the presence of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) as an anionic surfactant using spectrofluorimetry. Subsequently, the retinol binding was investigated by β-lg in the presence of various amounts of this surfactant as its extrinsic functional binding fluorophore. The comparison of the results allowed for determining the binding of retinol by β-lg in the presence of SDBS. The results of fluorescence studies showed a higher denaturating effect of SDBS at acidic pH that can be due to the positive charge density of β-lg at this pH which was calculated using the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation and pK a values of its ionizable groups. For each transition curve, the conventional method of analysis which assumed a linear concentration dependence of the pre- and post-transition base lines gave the most realistic values for ΔG D o (H 2 O). The value of about 21.6 kJ · mol −1 was obtained for ΔG D o (H 2 O) at various pH from transition curves. The results of retinol binding studies represented the substantial enhancement of retinol binding affinity of β-lg in the presence of this surfactant at various pH levels. Moreover, the obtained results confirmed that the β-lg/retinol binding was pH-dependent.

Ergonomic factors that cause the presence of pain muscle in students of dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Caballero, Antonio-José; Gómez-Palencia, Isabel-Patricia; Díaz-Cárdenas, Shyrley

2010-11-01

To identify the ergonomic factors and the presence of muscular pain in dental students of VIII, IX, X semesters presently practicing at the clinics of the College of Dentistry of university of Cartagena, Colombia, South America. This is a descriptive study carried out in dental students of the VIII, IX, and X semesters which were undergoing clinical practice at the College of Dentistry of University of Cartagena. A convenience sample of 83 students who met the inclusion criteria was taken and those who agreed to participate signed an informed consent. Data collection was obtained by means of a structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors and the presence of pain was identified palpating the muscles object of the study by a physical therapist. The variables evaluated were: presence of pain, affected muscles, affected zones, gender, postures and work environment. The adoption of inadequate postures such as exaggerated flexions or cervical torsions could generate a higher frequency of muscular pain in dental students. The approximating muscle of the thumb showed 11% frequency of pain. The presence of muscular pain was higher for the female group participating in this study. Dentists are prone, since the beginning of their clinical practice as students, to lesions of the skeletal muscle system due to the clinical exercise of the profession, being the most common, muscle pain in the back, neck, shoulders and hands. This would imply initiating an occupational health program promoting healthy lifestyles in their academic environment and their future professional life, at the beginning of their clinical practice in dental school.

Presence of Cytotoxic Extracellular Histones in Machine Perfusate of Donation After Circulatory Death Kidneys.

Science.gov (United States)

van Smaalen, Tim C; Beurskens, Daniëlle M H; Hoogland, E R Pieter; Winkens, Bjorn; Christiaans, Maarten H L; Reutelingsperger, Chris P; van Heurn, L W Ernest; Nicolaes, Gerry A F

2017-04-01

Extracellular histones are cytotoxic molecules that are related to cell stress and death. They have been shown to play a crucial role in multiple pathophysiologic processes like sepsis, inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and thrombosis. Their role in organ donation and graft function and survival is still unknown. The aim of this study was to assess whether an association exists between the presence of extracellular histones in machine perfusates and deceased donor kidney viability. Machine perfusates of 390 donations after circulatory death kidneys were analyzed for histone concentration, and corresponding graft function and survival were assessed. Extracellular histone concentrations were significantly higher in perfusates of kidneys with posttransplant graft dysfunction (primary nonfunction and delayed graft function) and were an independent risk factor for delayed graft function (odds ratio, 2.152; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.199-3.863) and 1 year graft failure (hazard ratio, 1.386; 95% CI, 1.037-1.853), but not for primary nonfunction (odds ratio, 1.342; 95% CI, 0.900-2.002). One year graft survival was 12% higher in the group with low histone concentrations (P = 0.008) as compared with the group that contained higher histone concentrations. This study warrants future studies to probe for a possible role of cytotoxic extracellular histones in organ viability and suggests that quantitation of extracellular histones might contribute to assessment of posttransplant graft function and survival.

A novel solution to the Klein–Gordon equation in the presence of a strong rotating electric field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raicher, E., E-mail: erez.raicher@mail.huji.ac.il [Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Department of Applied Physics, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 81800 (Israel); Eliezer, S. [Department of Applied Physics, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 81800 (Israel); Nuclear Fusion Institute, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain); Zigler, A. [Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel)

2015-11-12

The Klein–Gordon equation in the presence of a strong electric field, taking the form of the Mathieu equation, is studied. A novel analytical solution is derived for particles whose asymptotic energy is much lower or much higher than the electromagnetic field amplitude. The condition for which the new solution recovers the familiar Volkov wavefunction naturally follows. When not satisfied, significant deviation from the Volkov wavefunction is demonstrated. The new condition is shown to differ by orders of magnitudes from the commonly used one. As this equation describes (neglecting spin effects) the emission processes and the particle motion in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) cascades, our results suggest that the standard theoretical approach towards this phenomenon should be revised.

Preterm Gut Microbiome Depending on Feeding Type: Significance of Donor Human Milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Parra-Llorca

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Preterm microbial colonization is affected by gestational age, antibiotic treatment, type of birth, but also by type of feeding. Breast milk has been acknowledged as the gold standard for human nutrition. In preterm infants breast milk has been associated with improved growth and cognitive development and a reduced risk of necrotizing enterocolitis and late onset sepsis. In the absence of their mother’s own milk (MOM, pasteurized donor human milk (DHM could be the best available alternative due to its similarity to the former. However, little is known about the effect of DHM upon preterm microbiota and potential biological implications. Our objective was to determine the impact of DHM upon preterm gut microbiota admitted in a referral neonatal intensive care unit (NICU. A prospective observational cohort study in NICU of 69 neonates <32 weeks of gestation and with a birth weight ≤1,500 g was conducted. Neonates were classified in three groups according to feeding practices consisting in their MOM, DHM, or formula. Fecal samples were collected when full enteral feeding (defined as ≥150 cc/kg/day was achieved. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Despite the higher variability, no differences in microbial diversity and richness were found, although feeding type significantly influenced the preterm microbiota composition and predictive functional profiles. Preterm infants fed MOM showed a significant greater presence of Bifidobacteriaceae and lower of Staphylococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Pasteurellaceae compared to preterm fed DHM. Formula fed microbial profile was different to those observed in preterm fed MOM. Remarkably, preterm infants fed DHM showed closer microbial profiles to preterm fed their MOM. Inferred metagenomic analyses showed higher presence of Bifidobacterium genus in mother’s milk group was related to enrichment in the Glycan biosynthesis and metabolism pathway that was not identified in

Gender/ed Discourses and Emotional Sub-Texts: Theorising Emotion in UK Higher Education

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Leathwood, Carole; Hey, Valerie

2009-01-01

This article engages with contemporary debates about the absence/presence of emotion in higher education. UK higher education has traditionally been constructed as an emotion-free zone, reflecting the dominance of Cartesian dualism with its rational/emotional, mind/body, male/female split. This construction has been challenged in recent years by…

The prognostic significance of parapharyngeal tumour involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teo, P.Y.; Lee, W.; Yu, P.

1996-01-01

From 1984 to 1989, 903 treatment-naive non-disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) were given primary radical radiotherapy. All patients had computed tomographic and endoscopic evaluation of the primary tumour. Potentially significant parameters were analysed by both univariate and multivariate methods for independent significance. In the whole group of patients, the male sex, skull base and cranial nerve(s) involvement, advanced Ho N-level, presence of fixed or partially fixed nodes and nodes contralateral to the side of the bulk of the nasopharyngeal primary, significantly determined survival and distant metastasis rates, whereas skull base and cranial nerve involvement, advanced age and male sex significantly worsened local control. However in the Ho T2No subgroup, parapharyngeal tumour involvement was the most significant prognosticator that determined distant metastasis and survival rates in the absence of the overriding prognosticators of skull base infiltration, cranial nerve(s) palsy, and cervical nodal metastasis. The local tumour control of the Ho T2No was adversely affected by the presence of oropharyngeal tumour extension. The administration of booster radiotherapy (20 Gy) after conventional radiotherapy (60-62.5 Gy) in tumours with parapharyngeal involvement has led to an improvement in local control, short of statistical significance

Hydrogen output from radiolytic split of water in the presence of some zeolites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cecal, A.; Colisnic, D.; Popa, K.; Paraschivescu, A.; Bilba, N.

2002-01-01

Radiolytic decomposition of water under the action of gamma rays in the presence of some zeolites such as ZSM-5, SAPO-5 and MOR was studied. The irradiation was performed using a gamma 60 Co source at an activity of 3 . 10 4 Ci and dose rate 8.3 KGy/h. The stable products of radiolysis as well as the other chemical species were identified by mass spectrometry. The calculated radiochemical yield decreased in order: H-ZSM-5 > Na-ZSM-5 > H-SAPO-5 > MOR and was higher in the presence of these catalysts than in their absence

[The association between the presence of occupational health nurses at Japanese worksites and health promotion activities].

Science.gov (United States)

Kanamori, Satoru; Kai, Yuko; Kawamata, Kayo; Kusumoto, Mari; Takamiya, Tomoko; Ohya, Yumiko; Odagiri, Yuko; Fukushima, Noritoshi; Inoue, Shigeru

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the presence of occupational health nurses and health promotion activities, relative to the number of employees, and the health promotion policies of the companies. We investigated 3,266 companies with at least 50 employees listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Questionnaires were sent by mail, and employees in charge of health management or promotion were asked about health promotion activities at their own worksites. Logistic regression analysis was performed with each type of health promotion activity (nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental health, smoking cessation, alcohol consumption reduction, and oral health) as dependent variables, and the presence of an occupational health nurse as the independent variable. The results were adjusted for the type of industry, total number of company employees, presence of company health promotion policies, and the presence of an occupational health physician. Responses were received from 415 companies (response rate: 12.7%). Occupational health nurses were present at 172 companies (41.4%). Health promotion activities such as (in order of frequency) mental health (295 companies, 71.1%), smoking cessation (133, 32.0%), exercise (99, 23.9%), nutrition (75, 18.1%), oral health (49, 11.8%), sleep (39, 9.4%), and alcohol consumption reduction (26, 6.3%) were being conducted. Setting worksites with no occupational health nurse as a reference, the odds ratios of each health promotion activity of a worksite with one or more occupational health nurses were calculated. The odds ratios of mental health (2.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.32-4.48), smoking cessation (3.70, 2.14-6.38), exercise (4.98, 2.65-9.35), nutrition (8.34, 3.86-18.03), oral health (4.25, 1.87-9.62), and alcohol consumption reduction (8.96, 2.24-35.92) were significant. Stratified analysis using the number of worksite employees, 499 or fewer and 500 or more, also showed significantly higher odds ratios of

Sustainable spatial development in higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maja Terlević

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Sustainable development is not only a great challenge for society as a whole, but also for higher education institutions, which have been rapidly including sustainable development in their educational process in the last two decades. Directly or indirectly, education for sustainable spatial development includes all aspects of sustainable development: environmental, economic, social and cultural. Space is a junction of various interests, which requires coordinating the entire process of spatial planning, taking into account the goal of sustainable spatial development. The existing values of space are insufficient for the rapid implementation of a sustainable spatial development paradigm. Suitable education is needed by both individuals and spatial planning professionals and at all levels of education. It is therefore necessary to transform some of the academic programs in the higher education curriculum by integrating teaching content and methods that include long-term knowledge and holistic thinking, taking into account the importance of interdisciplinary integration. This article reviews literature in sustainable development in higher education from 2002 to 2013. Topics discussed include students’ and teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development, the presence of sustainable development and sustainable spatial development in higher education and the reasons for the slow introduction of this material into the curriculum. Based on a literature analysis, the last section identifies important drivers that can contribute to a more rapid integration of a sustainable spatial development paradigm into higher education.

Accurate characterization of organic thin film transistors in the presence of gate leakage current

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Vinay K. Singh

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The presence of gate leakage through polymer dielectric in organic thin film transistors (OTFT prevents accurate estimation of transistor characteristics especially in subthreshold regime. To mitigate the impact of gate leakage on transfer characteristics and allow accurate estimation of mobility, subthreshold slope and on/off current ratio, a measurement technique involving simultaneous sweep of both gate and drain voltages is proposed. Two dimensional numerical device simulation is used to illustrate the validity of the proposed technique. Experimental results obtained with Pentacene/PMMA OTFT with significant gate leakage show a low on/off current ratio of ∼ 102 and subthreshold is 10 V/decade obtained using conventional measurement technique. The proposed technique reveals that channel on/off current ratio is more than two orders of magnitude higher at ∼104 and subthreshold slope is 4.5 V/decade.

Home food environment factors associated with the presence of fruit and vegetables at dinner: A direct observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Trofholz, Amanda C; Tate, Allan D; Draxten, Michelle L; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Berge, Jerica M

2016-01-01

Little research exists about the factors influencing the foods available at family meals. This study examines the home food environment factors contributing to the presence of fruit and vegetables at family meals. Home food inventory (HFI) and survey data were collected from low-income, minority families (n = 120) with children 6-12 years old. Observations from video-recorded family dinner meals, totaling 800 videos, were used to measure the frequency at which fruit and vegetables were served. Multiple regression was used to investigate how the fruit and vegetables in the HFI and other home food environment factors were related to the number of days fruit and vegetables were served at dinner during the observation period. Availability and accessibility of fruit and vegetables in the home were each found to be significantly associated with the presence of fruits and vegetables at family dinners. Of the fruit and vegetable categories (i.e., fresh, canned, or frozen), having fresh fruit and vegetables available in the home was found to be most strongly associated with serving fruit and vegetables at dinner, respectively. Higher parent intake of vegetables was associated with the presence of vegetables at dinners, and parent meal planning was associated with the presence of fruit at dinners. Increasing the availability and accessibility of fresh fruit and vegetables in the home may be an effective approach to increasing the presence of fruits and vegetables at family dinners, especially among low-income, minority households. It is also essential to understand why families are not using all fruits and vegetables (e.g., canned and frozen) available in the home for family meals. Family meals are a place to promote the increased presence of both fruit and vegetables. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unlocking higher harmonics in atomic force microscopy with gentle interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Sergio; Barcons, Victor; Font, Josep; Verdaguer, Albert

2014-01-01

In dynamic atomic force microscopy, nanoscale properties are encoded in the higher harmonics. Nevertheless, when gentle interactions and minimal invasiveness are required, these harmonics are typically undetectable. Here, we propose to externally drive an arbitrary number of exact higher harmonics above the noise level. In this way, multiple contrast channels that are sensitive to compositional variations are made accessible. Numerical integration of the equation of motion shows that the external introduction of exact harmonic frequencies does not compromise the fundamental frequency. Thermal fluctuations are also considered within the detection bandwidth of interest and discussed in terms of higher-harmonic phase contrast in the presence and absence of an external excitation of higher harmonics. Higher harmonic phase shifts further provide the means to directly decouple the true topography from that induced by compositional heterogeneity.

Accretion onto a charged higher-dimensional black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharif, M.; Iftikhar, Sehrish

2016-01-01

This paper deals with the steady-state polytropic fluid accretion onto a higher-dimensional Reissner-Nordstroem black hole. We formulate the generalized mass flux conservation equation, energy flux conservation and relativistic Bernoulli equation to discuss the accretion process. The critical accretion is investigated by finding the critical radius, the critical sound velocity, and the critical flow velocity. We also explore gas compression and temperature profiles to analyze the asymptotic behavior. It is found that the results for the Schwarzschild black hole are recovered when q = 0 in four dimensions. We conclude that the accretion process in higher dimensions becomes slower in the presence of charge. (orig.)

Accretion onto a charged higher-dimensional black hole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharif, M.; Iftikhar, Sehrish [University of the Punjab, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan)

2016-03-15

This paper deals with the steady-state polytropic fluid accretion onto a higher-dimensional Reissner-Nordstroem black hole. We formulate the generalized mass flux conservation equation, energy flux conservation and relativistic Bernoulli equation to discuss the accretion process. The critical accretion is investigated by finding the critical radius, the critical sound velocity, and the critical flow velocity. We also explore gas compression and temperature profiles to analyze the asymptotic behavior. It is found that the results for the Schwarzschild black hole are recovered when q = 0 in four dimensions. We conclude that the accretion process in higher dimensions becomes slower in the presence of charge. (orig.)

Humanitarian presence and urban development: new opportunities and contrasts in Goma, DRC.

Science.gov (United States)

Büscher, Karen; Vlassenroot, Koen

2010-04-01

This paper examines the impact of the presence of international humanitarian organisations on local urban transformation processes in the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Rather than evaluating the direct effects of humanitarian interventions and strategies, it focuses on the indirect but profound effects of the presence of this 'humanitarian sector'. It argues that the international humanitarian presence became a significant factor in the recent shaping and reshaping of the city's profile and has reinforced competition over the urban political and socioeconomic space. The paper evaluates the direct and indirect impact of the international humanitarian presence on the local urban economy and the larger political economy of war in eastern DRC. It analyses how this presence has reinforced processes of spatial reconfiguration, how it has influenced urban planning, and how it has affected dynamics of gentrification and marginalisation on the urban spatial level.

A procedure for monitoring the presence of the virulence plasmid (pYV) in Yersinia pestis under culture conditions

Science.gov (United States)

The pathogenicity of Yersinia pestis depends on the presence of a virulence plasmid (pYV). The unstable nature of pYV in Y. pestis leads to the eventual outgrowth of pYV less cells due its higher growth rate. Thus, it was necessary to develop procedures to monitor the presence of the plasmid durin...

Physician rating websites: do radiologists have an online presence?

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Kirven; Hawkins, C Matthew; Hughes, Danny R; Patel, Kishen; Gogia, Navdeep; Sekhar, Aarti; Duszak, Richard

2015-08-01

Given that patient satisfaction and provider transparency intersect on online physician-rating websites, we aimed to assess radiologist representation on these increasingly popular sites. From a directory of all Medicare participating physicians, we randomly selected 1,000 self-designated diagnostic radiologists and manually extracted their rating information from five popular online physician-review websites (HealthGrades, Healthcare Reviews, RateMDs, Kudzu, and Yelp). Using automated web "data-scraping" techniques, we separately extracted all radiologist and nonradiologist rating information from a single amenable site (Healthcare Reviews). Rating characteristics were analyzed. Of 1,000 sampled self-designated diagnostic radiologists representing all 50 states, only 197 (19.7%) were profiled on any of the five online physician-review websites. Only 24 (2.4%) were rated on two of the sites, and none was profiled on ≥3 sites. Of all 6,775 physicians listed on a single electronically interrogated site, only 30 (0.4%) were radiologists. With 28,555 (5.2%) of all 547,849 Medicare-participating physicians identified as diagnostic radiologists, radiologists were thus significantly underrepresented online (P < .0001). Although reviewed radiologists and nonradiologists were rated online by similar numbers of patients (1.13 ± 0.43 versus 1.03 ± 0.22, P = .22), radiologists were rated (on a low to high score of 1 to 10) significantly higher than nonradiologists (median 8.5 versus 5, P = .04). Most diagnostic radiologists are not profiled on common online physician-rating websites, and they are significantly underrepresented compared with nonradiologists. Reviewed radiologists, however, scored favorably. Given the potential for patient satisfaction scores and public domain information to affect referrals and future value-based payments, initiatives to enhance radiologists' online presence are advised. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by

Affective interactions using virtual reality: the link between presence and emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Riva, Giuseppe; Mantovani, Fabrizia; Capideville, Claret Samantha; Preziosa, Alessandra; Morganti, Francesca; Villani, Daniela; Gaggioli, Andrea; Botella, Cristina; Alcañiz, Mariano

2007-02-01

Many studies showed the ability of movies and imagery techniques to elicit emotions. Nevertheless, it is less clear how to manipulate the content of interactive media to induce specific emotional responses. In particular, this is true for the emerging medium virtual reality (VR), whose main feature is the ability to induce a feeling of "presence" in the computer-generated world experienced by the user. The main goal of this study was to analyze the possible use of VR as an affective medium. Within this general goal, the study also analyzed the relationship between presence and emotions. The results confirmed the efficacy of VR as affective medium: the interaction with "anxious" and "relaxing" virtual environments produced anxiety and relaxation. The data also showed a circular interaction between presence and emotions: on one side, the feeling of presence was greater in the "emotional" environments; on the other side, the emotional state was influenced by the level of presence. The significance of these results for the assessment of affective interaction is discussed.

Successful total knee arthroplasty in the presence of sporotrichal arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koeter, S.; Jackson, R.W.

2006-01-01

Articular sporotrichosis, a chronic granulomatous fungal infection, is a rare entity but when present may lead to significant joint destruction. Severe knee arthrosis due to sporotrichal arthritis has traditionally been treated with arthrodesis. Total knee arthroplasty in the presence of

The presence of urinary nitrites is a significant predictor of pediatric urinary tract infection susceptibility to first- and third-generation cephalosporins.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisz, Dany; Seabrook, Jamie A; Lim, Rodrick K

2010-07-01

Previous studies in adults have refuted the use of nitrites as a predictor of bacterial resistance to both trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cephalosporins. Some centers now consider first-line outpatient therapy with an oral third-generation cephalosporin appropriate for young children. The objective of this study was to determine if nitrite-negative pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) were more likely than nitrite-positive UTIs to be resistant to cephalosporins. This may enable physicians to adjust antimicrobial therapy before patients leave the Emergency Department (ED) to avoid the complications of ineffectively treated pediatric UTIs. A retrospective chart review examined, over a 9-month period, 173 pediatric patients who were diagnosed with a clinical UTI in the ED and who also had a positive urine culture and a recorded dipstick at the time of visit. The chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare nitrite-negative vs. nitrite-positive UTIs for resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and other empiric antimicrobials. For third-generation cephalosporins, 1.4% of nitrite-positive UTIs were resistant, whereas 14.4% of nitrite-negative UTIs were resistant (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.22 to -0.05). For first-generation cephalosporins, 8.4% were resistant in the nitrite-positive group, compared to 22.2% in the nitrite-negative group (95% CI -0.24 to -0.03). The absence of urinary nitrites is a significant indicator for potential resistance to cephalosporins in pediatric UTIs. Due to low levels of pediatric UTI resistance, cephalosporins continue to represent useful empiric therapy in the general pediatric population. However, in high-risk patients, physicians may opt to alter their empiric choice of antibiotic based on the presence of urinary nitrites. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cone-beam computed tomography analysis of accessory maxillary ostium and Haller cells: Prevalence and clinical significance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ali, Ibrahim K.; Sansare, Kaustubh; Karjodkar, Freny R.; Vanga, Kavita; Salve, Prashant [Dept. of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai (India); Pawar, Ajinkya M. [Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai (India)

2017-03-15

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Haller cells and accessory maxillary ostium (AMO) in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, and to analyze the relationships among Haller cells, AMO, and maxillary sinusitis. Volumetric CBCT scans from 201 patients were retrieved from our institution's Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine archive folder. Two observers evaluated the presence of Haller cells, AMO, and maxillary sinusitis in the CBCT scans. AMO was observed in 114 patients, of whom 27 (23.7%) had AMO exclusively on the right side, 26 (22.8%) only on the left side, and 61 (53.5%) bilaterally. Haller cells were identified in 73 (36.3%) patients. In 24 (32.9%) they were present exclusively on the right side, in 17 (23.3%) they were only present on the left side, and in 32 (43.8%) they were located bilaterally. Of the 73 (36.3%) patients with Haller cells, maxillary sinusitis was also present in 50 (68.5%). On using chi-square test, a significant association was observed between AMO and maxillary sinusitis in the presence of Haller cells. Our results showed AMO and Haller cells to be associated with maxillary sinusitis. This study provides evidence for the usefulness of CBCT in imaging the bony anatomy of the sinonasal complex with significantly higher precision and a smaller radiation dose.

Creative Diversity: Promoting Interculturality in Australian Pathways to Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Suzanne

2018-01-01

The growth in international student enrollments in Australian pathways to higher education over the last decade is helping to broaden awareness of the presence of culturally diverse ontological perspectives. Nevertheless, tutors and students are still confronted with numerous difficulties that point to an inherent Western denial of cultural…

Prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yee, David S; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Lowrance, William T; Maschino, Alexandra C; Savage, Caroline J; Cronin, Angel M; Scardino, Peter T; Eastham, James A

2011-08-01

Study Type - Prognosis (case series). 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The reported incidence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in radical prostatectomy specimens ranges from 5% to 53%. Although LVI has a strong and significant association with adverse clinicopathologic features, it has almost uniformly not been found to be a predictor of biochemical recurrence (BR) on multivariate analysis. This study confirms that LVI is associated with features of aggressive disease and is an independent predictor of BCR. Given that LVI may play a role in the metastatic process, it may be useful in clinical decision-making regarding adjuvant therapy for patients treated with RP. To determine whether lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens has prognostic significance. The study examined whether LVI is associated with clinicopathological characteristics and biochemical recurrence (BCR). LVI was evaluated based on routine pathology reports on 1298 patients treated with RP for clinically localized prostate cancer between 2004 and 2007. LVI was defined as the unequivocal presence of tumour cells within an endothelium-lined space. The association between LVI and clinicopathological features was assessed with univariate logistic regression. Cox regression was used to test the association between LVI and BCR. LVI was identified in 10% (129/1298) of patients. The presence of LVI increased with advancing pathological stage: 2% (20/820) in pT2N0 patients, 16% (58/363) in pT3N0 patients and 17% (2/12) in pT4N0 patients; and was highest in patients with pN1 disease (52%; 49/94). Univariate analysis showed an association between LVI and higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels and Gleason scores, and a greater likelihood of extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis and positive surgical margins (all P < 0.001). With a median follow-up of 27 months, LVI was significantly associated with an

Advanced Glycation End-Products Are Associated With the Presence and Severity of Paratonia in Early Stage Alzheimer Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Drenth, Hans; Zuidema, Sytse U; Krijnen, Wim P; Bautmans, Ivan; van der Schans, Cees; Hobbelen, Hans

2017-07-01

Paratonia, a distinctive form of hypertonia in patients with dementia, causes loss of functional mobility in early stage dementia to severe contractures and pain in the late stages. The pathogenesis of paratonia is not well understood. Patients in early stage dementia with diabetes mellitus showed a significantly higher risk for the development of paratonia. Both Alzheimer disease and diabetes mellitus are related to higher concentrations of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). The purpose of this study is to explore the association of AGEs with the prevalence and severity of paratonia in patients with Alzheimer disease. Observational longitudinal, 1-year follow-up cohort study with 3 assessments. Day care centers for patients with dementia. A total of 144 community-dwelling patients with early stage Alzheimer or Alzheimer/vascular disease were recruited from 24 dementia day care centers in The Netherlands. The presence of paratonia (Paratonia Assessment Instrument), the severity of paratonia (Modified Ashworth Scale for paratonia), and AGE levels (AGE-reader). From the 144 participants (56.3% female and 43.7% male, with a mean [standard deviation] age of 80.7 [7.7] years), 118 participants were available for final follow-up. A significant association between AGE levels and the presence of paratonia (odds ratio 3.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.87-6.44, P factor to paratonia and its severity and could be the result of peripheral biomechanical changes reducing elasticity and increasing stiffness. These results provide a new perspective on paratonia and gives rise to further research whether paratonia could be postponed or movement stiffness can be improved by reducing AGE levels. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oxidation of nitrobenzene by ozone in the presence of faujasite zeolite in a continuous flow gas-liquid-solid reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Reungoat, J; Pic, J S; Manéro, M H; Debellefontaine, H

2010-01-01

This work investigates the oxidation of nitrobenzene (NB) by ozone in the presence of faujasite zeolite. Experiments were carried out in a gas-liquid-solid reactor were ozone transfer and NB oxidation took place at the same time. Three configurations of the reactor were compared: empty, filled with inert glass beads and filled with faujasite pellets. First, ozone transfer coefficient (k(L)a) and decomposition rate constant (k(C)) were determined for each configuration. In presence of solid, k(L)a was 2.0 to 2.6 times higher and k(C) was 5.0 to 6.4 times higher compared to the empty reactor. Then, the various configurations were evaluated in terms of NB removal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) decrease. The faujasite reactor showed higher removal of NB and decrease of COD compared to other configurations under the same conditions suggesting that the faujasite increases the oxidation rate of NB. Oxidation of NB in presence of faujasite also proved to be limited by the transfer of ozone from the gas to the liquid phase.

The ratio of nurse consultation and physician efficiency index of senior rheumatologists is significantly higher than junior physicians in rheumatology residency training

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emamifar, Amir; van Bui Hansen, Morten Hai; Jensen Hansen, Inger Marie

2017-01-01

To elucidate the difference between ratios of nurse consultation sought by senior rheumatologists and junior physicians in rheumatology residency training, and also to evaluate physician efficiency index respecting patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data regarding outpatient visits for RA...... patients between November 2013 and 2015 were extracted. The mean interval (day) between consultations, the nurse/physician visits ratio, and physician efficiency index (nurse/physician visits ratio × mean interval) for each senior and junior physicians were calculated. Disease Activity Score in 28 joints....../physician visits ratio (P = .01) and mean efficiency index (P = .04) of senior rheumatologists were significantly higher than that of junior physicians. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between physician postgraduate experience and physician efficiency index adjusted for DAS28 at baseline...

PREDICTIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTI-HLA AUTOANTIBODIES IN HEART TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. P. Shevchenko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim of this study was to define the role of preformed anti-HLA antibodies (anti-HLA in antibody-mediated rejection (AMR and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV after heart transplantation. Materials and Methods. 140 heart transplant recipients were followed after heart transplantation performed for 106 dilated and 34 – ischemic cardiomyopathy. Anti-HLA was determined before transplantation by ELISA. Results. Recipients were divided into 2 groups: anti-HLA positive (n = 45, 32,1% and anti-HLA negative (n = 95, 67,9%. The incidence of AMR in anti-HLA positive group was 12 (26,67% and 11 (11,58% in anti-HLA negative group. Risk of AMR was significantly higher in anti-HLA positive recipients (RR 2,3: 95% CI 1,02–4,81, р = 0,03. During first three years after transplantation CAV was diagnosed in 9 (20% of anti-HLA positive recipients and in 7 (6,8% of patients without anti-HLA. (RR 2,7: 95% CI 1,08–6,82, р = 0,03. Survival in freedom from CAV in anti-HLA negative recipients was much higher than in anti-HLA positive recipients (0,89 ± 0,07, 0,72 ± 0,06, resp. (p = 0,02.Conclusions. The presence of preformed anti-HLA antibodies in candidates for heart transplantation increase the risk of AMR and CAV post transplantation in 2,3 and 2,7 times, respectively. 

The Peierls argument for higher dimensional Ising models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonati, Claudio

2014-01-01

The Peierls argument is a mathematically rigorous and intuitive method to show the presence of a non-vanishing spontaneous magnetization in some lattice models. This argument is typically explained for the D = 2 Ising model in a way which cannot be easily generalized to higher dimensions. The aim of this paper is to present an elementary discussion of the Peierls argument for the general D-dimensional Ising model. (paper)

[The presence of callous/unemotional traits among students in different roles of bullying].

Science.gov (United States)

Nagy, Ildikó; Pataky, Nóra; Szklenárik, Péter; Körmendi, Attila

2012-01-01

The phenomenon of bullying in the schools is more frequent in our country and abroad too. The bullying behaviour is a persistent, intentional harm of others where the balance of power between the participants is uneven.Researches about school bullying has provided many useful information regarding prevention and treatment of bullying but only the few of them takes an interest in the personality traits in bullies which can increase the appearance of the aggressive, bullying behaviour.The callous/unemotional traits get a growing role in the explanation and understanding of aggressive behaviour. In case of the presence of callous/unemotional traits a special emotional (lack of guilt, shallow emotions) and interpersonal style (use of proactive aggression and absence of responsibility) can be observed in children. The purpose of our study was to measure the callous/unemotional traits between the different groups determined by the role they play in the bullying. We assume that the presence of callous/unemotional traits are significantly more typical within the group of Bullies than the other groups. Our sample consisted of 117 elementary school students (6th-8th grade). To examine the roles of bullying we used the Bullying Questionniare. The questionnaire consist 23 items, it was developed to determine the role of students and involvement in the process of bullying. To measure callous/ unemotional traits we used the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU) developed by Frick which measure the factors of callous unemotional traits along 24 items. According to our results the group of Bullies scored significantly higher in all three factors of the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits compared to other groups. Treatment of callous/unemotional features may reduce the occurrence of bullying.

The presence of pMRC01 promotes greater cell permeability and autolysis in lactococcal starter cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallico, Vincenzo; McAuliffe, Olivia; Fitzgerald, Gerald F; Hill, Colin; Ross, R Paul

2009-08-15

Conjugative transfer of plasmid-associated properties is routinely used to generate food-grade derivatives of lactococcal starter strains with improved technological traits. However, the introduction of one or more plasmids in a single strain is likely to impose a burden on regular cell metabolism and may affect the growth characteristics of the transconjugant culture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the 60.2-kb plasmid pMRC01 (encoding for an abortive infection bacteriophage resistance system and production of the anti-microbial, lacticin 3147) on starter performance. Five lactococcal strains (L. lactis HP, 255A, SK1, 712 and IL1403) and their pMRC01-containing derivatives were compared in terms of technological properties, including analysis of growth, acidification and autolysis rates. The transconjugants exhibited lower specific growth rates and higher generation times compared to the parental strains when grown at 30 degrees C in glucose-M17, but the presence of pMRC01 did not significantly affect the acidification capacity of strains in 11% reconstituted skimmed milk and synthetic media. Levels of lactate dehydrogenase were two-fold higher in supernatants of transconjugants than in those of parental strains, after 24 and 72 h of growth at 30 degrees C in glucose-M17, suggesting that the presence of pMRC01 somehow accelerates and promotes cellular autolysis. Analysis by flow cytometry following live/dead staining confirmed this result by showing larger populations of injured and dead cells in pMRC01-carrying cultures compared to the parental strains. The results of this study reveal that the plasmid pMRC01 places a burden on lactococcal host metabolism, which is associated with an increased cell permeability and autolysis, without significantly affecting the acidification capacity of the starter. While the magnitude of these effects appears to be strain dependent, the production of the bacteriocin lacticin 3147 may not be involved.

Clinical significance of anismus in encopresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Catto-Smith, A G; Nolan, T M; Coffey, C M

1998-09-01

Treatments designed to relieve paradoxical contraction of the anal sphincters during defecation (anismus) have had limited success in children with encopresis. This has raised doubts as to the clinical relevance of this diagnosis in childhood as anorectal dysfunction. Our aim was to determine whether, in patients who had treatment-resistant encopresis, the presence of electromyographic anismus was associated with increased faecal retention. Sixty-eight children with soiling (mean age 8.7+/-2.06 years) were assessed by clinical examination, abdominal radiography and then with anorectal manometry. Patients with electromyographic anismus (n=32; 47%) had significantly increased radiographic rectal faecal retention and were significantly less likely to be able to defecate water-filled balloons. There were no significant differences in response to prior therapy, history of primary encopresis, behavioural adjustment or in sociodemographic data. Our results suggest that electromyographic anismus is associated with obstructed defecation and faecal retention.

Heterofacial alkylation of alkylenediamines by higher alkyl halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenov, V.A.; Kryshko, G.M.; Sokal'skaya, L.I.; Zhukova, N.G.

1985-01-01

A study of the physiochemical properties of alkylenediamines substituted by lower alkyls, showed that they possess increased complex-forming ability with respect to salts of different metals as titanium, niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, and zinc. To create a simpler method of synthesis of higher tetraaklyalkylalklyenediamines, based on the use of the accessible domestic raw material, the authors investigated the reaction of alkylenediamines with various alkyl halides. It was established that the best reagents can be obtained using alkyl bromides. It is concluded that the procedure of alkylation of alkylenediamines by higher alkyl halides in the presence of water developed permits the production of terraalkylalkylenediamines in one step with good yield and with purity acceptable for use as extraction reagents

Clinical significance of metabolic superscan in patients with hyperthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotb, M.; Khalafallah, K.; Omar, W.; El-Maghraby, T.; Grace, G.

2007-01-01

Hyperthyroid patients commonly complain of generalized bony aches, which are frequently overlooked due to the more prominent symptoms of cardiovascular and nervous disturbances. Hyperthyroid patients are expected to have abnormal bone metabolism as part of the generalized hypermetabolic status. The aim of this study is to verify the presence of metabolic bone superscan in association with the hypermetabolic stats in various groups of hyperthyroidism. Secondly, to correlate these superscan features with the various laboratory results in hyperthyroid patients. Forty-five hyperthyroid patients confirmed by clinical and laboratory results were enrolled in this work. In all patients, a 99 m T c-pertechnetate thyroid uptake scan was acquired. On a different day, total body bone scan was acquired three hours post IV injection of 555-925 MBq of 99 m T c-MDP. Serum FT3, FT4, TSH, Ca ++ , alkaline phosphatase (AP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were monitored in all patients as markers of thyroid and bone metabolism. Ten cases with no thyroid diseases were included as a control group. Patients with thyroiditis or long history of antithyroid drugs for more than one year were excluded from the study. The patients were subdivided into three groups: Graves' disease (GD) (n = 30), toxic nodular goiter (TNG) (n = 10) and autonomous toxic adenoma (AT) (n = 5). The TSH for the whole group was significantly suppressed compared to the control group with higher suppression in the Graves' disease group than in the TNG or AT groups. 99m Tc-pertechnetate uptake values in the Graves' disease group were significantly higher than the TNG and AT groups (p + , AP and PTH between the Graves' and non-Graves' groups (p ≥ 0.05). Disturbances in bone metabolism are more prevalent in Graves' disease than in other types of hyperthyroidism. The addition of the bone scan to the diagnostic work up of patients with Graves' disease is a sensitive indicator for metabolic bone changes and could help in the

Homologation of methanol catalyzed by transition metal complexes in the presence of tertiary amines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Masato; Ogata, Ikuei

1987-12-18

This paper describes the homologation of methanol by transition metal carbonyl catalysts in the presence of tertiary amines. Methanol was reacted with amine using a catalyst at 180/sup 0/C under 100 atm in the atmosphere of CO and H/sub 2/ mixed at the ratio of 4 in an autoclave. The reaction activities and selectivities of ethanol using iron carbonyl and Co carbonyl catalysts are superior. Only the iron catalyst was used hereafter because phosphine is required for the latter catalyst. N-methyl- piperidine, a cyclic amine, is superior to the other amines. The selectivity of ethanol is higher under higher partial pressure of H/sub 2/ and lower partial pressure of CO. The conversion rate is optimum at 180/sup 0/ and it goes down with increasing the temperature from it. Since the selectivity is markedly decreased with increasing amine, the reaction activity must be balanced with the amount of amine. The presence of solvent affects it. (3 figs, 6 tabs, 15 refs)

A novel solution to the Klein–Gordon equation in the presence of a strong rotating electric field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Raicher

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The Klein–Gordon equation in the presence of a strong electric field, taking the form of the Mathieu equation, is studied. A novel analytical solution is derived for particles whose asymptotic energy is much lower or much higher than the electromagnetic field amplitude. The condition for which the new solution recovers the familiar Volkov wavefunction naturally follows. When not satisfied, significant deviation from the Volkov wavefunction is demonstrated. The new condition is shown to differ by orders of magnitudes from the commonly used one. As this equation describes (neglecting spin effects the emission processes and the particle motion in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED cascades, our results suggest that the standard theoretical approach towards this phenomenon should be revised.

Area deprivation and the food environment over time: A repeated cross-sectional study on takeaway outlet density and supermarket presence in Norfolk, UK, 1990–2008

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, Eva R.; Burgoine, Thomas; Monsivais, Pablo

2015-01-01

Socioeconomic disparities in the food environment are known to exist but with little understanding of change over time. This study investigated the density of takeaway food outlets and presence of supermarkets in Norfolk, UK between 1990 and 2008. Data on food retail outlet locations were collected from telephone directories and aggregated within electoral wards. Supermarket presence was not associated with area deprivation over time. Takeaway food outlet density increased overall, and was significantly higher in more deprived areas at all time points; furthermore, socioeconomic disparities in takeaway food outlet density increased across the study period. These findings add to existing evidence and help assess the need for environmental interventions to reduce disparities in the prevalence of unhealthy food outlets. PMID:25841285

Leaching of spent fuel in the presence of environmental material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Lous, Karine

1997-01-01

The aim of this work is the study of the alteration kinetics of spent fuels and the making of a status of the radioactivity released by spent fuels in conditions of direct disposal in deep underground. A system has been fitted inside a shielded cell to study the leaching by synthetic groundwater of fuel powder irradiated at 60 GWJ.tU -1 in the presence of environmental material (clay or granite) at 40 bars and 90 deg. C. This system allows to reach and keep reductive conditions characteristic of the redox conditions of a deep geological repository. The preparation of calibrated spent fuel powders and the recovery of the activity fixed by the environmental materials has required the implementation of specific procedures. Similar experiments have been performed in parallel with Simfuel in a controlled area. A first series of experiments has been carried out in 4 environments for each fuel. Important sorption phenomena take place in the environmental materials and the actinide concentrations stabilize rapidly at low values: 10 -8 mol/l for U, 10 -12 mol/l for Pu and 10 -13 -10 -14 mol/l for Cm. The activity released by 90 Sr at the end of each experiment is about two times higher in the presence of clay than in the presence of granite. The average alteration rates are of about 0.2 mg.m -2 /day in the presence of granite and 0.4 to 0.6 mg.m -2 /day in the presence of clay. They are comparable to those reported in the literature for reducing conditions. Such tests are necessary to determine the leaching rate of spent fuels in reducing conditions and in the absence of environmental materials in order to show the possible effects of these materials. (J.S.)

A puzzle form of a non-verbal intelligence test gives significantly higher performance measures in children with severe intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bello, Katrina D; Goharpey, Nahal; Crewther, Sheila G; Crewther, David P

2008-08-01

Assessment of 'potential intellectual ability' of children with severe intellectual disability (ID) is limited, as current tests designed for normal children do not maintain their interest. Thus a manual puzzle version of the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) was devised to appeal to the attentional and sensory preferences and language limitations of children with ID. It was hypothesized that performance on the book and manual puzzle forms would not differ for typically developing children but that children with ID would perform better on the puzzle form. The first study assessed the validity of this puzzle form of the RCPM for 76 typically developing children in a test-retest crossover design, with a 3 week interval between tests. A second study tested performance and completion rate for the puzzle form compared to the book form in a sample of 164 children with ID. In the first study, no significant difference was found between performance on the puzzle and book forms in typically developing children, irrespective of the order of completion. The second study demonstrated a significantly higher performance and completion rate for the puzzle form compared to the book form in the ID population. Similar performance on book and puzzle forms of the RCPM by typically developing children suggests that both forms measure the same construct. These findings suggest that the puzzle form does not require greater cognitive ability but demands sensory-motor attention and limits distraction in children with severe ID. Thus, we suggest the puzzle form of the RCPM is a more reliable measure of the non-verbal mentation of children with severe ID than the book form.

Sclerostin and Antisclerostin Antibody Serum Levels Predict the Presence of Axial Spondyloarthritis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Luchetti, Michele Maria; Ciccia, Francesco; Avellini, Chiara; Benfaremo, Devis; Guggino, Giuliana; Farinelli, Alessia; Ciferri, Monia; Rossini, Matteo; Svegliati, Silvia; Spadoni, Tatiana; Bolognini, Laura; Fava, Giammarco; Mosca, Piergiorgio; Gesuita, Rosaria; Skrami, Edlira; Triolo, Giovanni; Gabrielli, Armando

2018-05-01

The early diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-associated spondyloarthritis (SpA/IBD) in patients affected by IBD represents a major topic in clinical practice; in particular, to date there are no available serum biomarkers revealing the presence of joint inflammation in these patients. Sclerostin (SOST), an antagonist of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and antisclerostin-immunoglobulin G (anti-SOST-IgG) have been recently studied in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) as a putative marker of disease activity. SOST and anti-SOST-IgG serum levels were assayed in 125 patients with IBD, 85 with axial or peripheral SpA, and in control groups (patients with AS and rheumatoid arthritis, and healthy individuals). The diagnostic performance in discriminating the presence of SpA/IBD was assessed for both candidate biomarkers. Patients affected by SpA/IBD with axial involvement displayed significantly lower levels of SOST and higher levels of anti-SOST-IgG compared to patients with only peripheral arthritis, IBD, and controls. Moreover, SOST and anti-SOST-IgG serum levels were inversely correlated and were associated with the duration of articular symptoms. Both biomarkers showed good accuracy in predicting the presence of axial SpA in patients with IBD. We demonstrated that in patients with IBD, SOST and anti-SOST-IgG might represent novel biomarkers to assess the presence of axial joint involvement. Moreover, the development of anti-SOST-IgG and the subsequent decrease of SOST serum levels could play a role in the pathogenesis of SpA/IBD.

Clinical Significance of the Presence of Autonomic and Vestibular Dysfunction in Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Neuropathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soo Kyoung Kim

2012-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWe investigated the prevalence of diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN and vestibular dysfunction (VD in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.MethodsThirty-five diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy were enrolled from August 2008 to July 2009. All subjects underwent autonomic function tests. Nineteen of the patients (54.3% underwent videonystagmography.ResultsDiabetic autonomic neuropathy was observed in 28 patients (80%. A mild degree of autonomic failure was observed in 18 patients (64.3%, and a moderate degree of autonomic failure was observed in ten patients (35.7%. Factors related to DAN included diabetic nephropathy (P=0.032, degree of chronic kidney disease (P=0.003, and duration of diabetes (P=0.044. Vestibular dysfunction was observed in 11 of 19 patients (57.9%. There was no significant association between DAN and VD.ConclusionDiabetic autonomic neuropathy was observed in 28 diabetic patients (80% with peripheral neuropathy. Vestibular dysfunction was observed in nearly 60% of diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy who complained of dizziness but showed no significant association with DAN. Diabetic patients who complained of dizziness need to examine both autonomic function and vestibular function.

Useful field of view predicts driving in the presence of distracters.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Joanne M; Chaparro, Alex; Lacherez, Philippe; Hickson, Louise

2012-04-01

The Useful Field of View (UFOV) test has been shown to be highly effective in predicting crash risk among older adults. An important question which we examined in this study is whether this association is due to the ability of the UFOV to predict difficulties in attention-demanding driving situations that involve either visual or auditory distracters. Participants included 92 community-living adults (mean age 73.6 ± 5.4 years; range 65-88 years) who completed all three subtests of the UFOV involving assessment of visual processing speed (subtest 1), divided attention (subtest 2), and selective attention (subtest 3); driving safety risk was also classified using the UFOV scoring system. Driving performance was assessed separately on a closed-road circuit while driving under three conditions: no distracters, visual distracters, and auditory distracters. Driving outcome measures included road sign recognition, hazard detection, gap perception, time to complete the course, and performance on the distracter tasks. Those rated as safe on the UFOV (safety rating categories 1 and 2), as well as those responding faster than the recommended cut-off on the selective attention subtest (350 msec), performed significantly better in terms of overall driving performance and also experienced less interference from distracters. Of the three UFOV subtests, the selective attention subtest best predicted overall driving performance in the presence of distracters. Older adults who were rated as higher risk on the UFOV, particularly on the selective attention subtest, demonstrated poorest driving performance in the presence of distracters. This finding suggests that the selective attention subtest of the UFOV may be differentially more effective in predicting driving difficulties in situations of divided attention which are commonly associated with crashes.

Associations between presence of relevant information in referrals to radiology and prevalence rates in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hedner, Charlotta; Sundgren, Pia C; Kelly, Aine Marie

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study was to assess if the presence of information including the pretest probability (Wells score), other known risk factors, and symptoms given on referrals for computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography correlated with prevalence rates for pulmonary embolism (PE). Also, to evaluate for differences between a university and a regional hospital setting regarding patient characteristics, amount of relevant information provided on referrals, and prevalence rates for pulmonary embolism. Retrospective review of all consecutive referrals (emergency room, inpatient, and outpatient) for CT performed on children and adults for suspected PE from two sites: a tertiary (university) hospital (site 1) and a secondary (regional) hospital (site 2) over a 5-year period. The overall prevalence rate was 510/3641 or 14% of all referrals. Significantly higher number of males had a positive CT compared to women (18% versus 12%, P relevant information on the referral and the probability for positive finding existed, a slight trend was noted (P = .09). In two categories, "hypoxia" and "signs of deep vein thrombosis," the presence of this information conferred a higher probability for pulmonary embolism, P information conferred a higher probability for pulmonary embolism. The amount of relevant clinical information on the request did not correlate with prevalence rates, which may reflect a lack of documentation on the part of emergency physicians who may use a "gestalt" approach. Request forms likely did not capture all relevant patient risks and many factors may interact with each other, both positively and negatively. Pretest probability estimations were rarely performed, despite their inclusion in major society guidelines. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PresenceRemote

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sokoler, Tomas; Svensson, Marcus Sanchez

2008-01-01

how these technologies can accommodate the specific challenges related to the everyday life of elderly people. In particular, using an example concept – the PresenceRemote – we will discuss how the stigma associated with being lonely, an inherent part of senior living, can be addressed by leaving room...

Formation of Diastereoisomeric Piperazine-2,5-dione from dl-Alanine in the Presence of Olivine and Water

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchida, Shigeshi; Naraoka, Hiroshi; Masuda, Harue

2017-03-01

dl-Alanine (Ala) was heated with/without powdered olivine and water at 120 °C for 8 days to investigate the formation of the diastereoisomers of piperazine-2,5-dione (diketopiperazine, DKP). When only dl-Ala was heated with a small amount of water, 3.0 % of dl-Ala changed to cis- and trans-DKP after 8 days. DKPs were not detected after heating when no water was added. The presence of a small amount of water is important factor controlling peptide production rates under thermal conditions. When DL-Ala was heated with olivine powder for 8 days, the yields of cis- and trans-DKP were 6.8 and 4.9 %, respectively. The high yield of cis-DKP compared with trans-DKP was attributed to greater thermal stability of cis-DKP. After heating for 8 days, the diastereoisomeric excess of cis-DKP without olivine was 7.3 %, whereas a much higher value of 16.3 % was obtained in the presence of olivine. Taken together, these results show that olivine is not only an efficient catalyst for the formation of DKPs but that it also play a significant role in determining the diastereoisomer selectivity of these cyclic dipeptides.

Technology Use in Higher Education Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Elzarka, Sammy

2012-01-01

The significance of integrating technology use in higher education instruction is undeniable. The benefits include those related to access to instruction by underserved populations, adequately preparing students for future careers, capitalizing on best instructional practices, developing higher order thinking activities, and engaging students…

Volumetric evaluation of dual-energy perfusion CT by the presence of intrapulmonary clots using a 64-slice dual-source CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okada, Munemasa; Nakashima, Yoshiteru; Kunihiro, Yoshie; Nakao, Sei; Matsunaga, Naofumi [Dept. of Radiology, Yamaguchi Univ. Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi (Japan)], e-mail: radokada@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp; Morikage, Noriyasu [Medical Bioregulation Dept. of Organ Regulatory Surgery, Yamaguchi Univ. Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi (Japan); Sano, Yuichi [Dept. of Radiology, Yamaguchi Univ. Hospital, Yamaguchi (Japan); Suga, Kazuyoshi [Dept. of Radiology, St Hills Hospital, Yamaguchi (Japan)

2013-07-15

Background: Dual-energy perfusion CT (DE{sub p}CT) directly represents the iodine distribution in lung parenchyma and low perfusion areas caused by intrapulmonary clots (IPCs) are visualized as low attenuation areas. Purpose: To evaluate if volumetric evaluation of DE{sub p}CT can be used as a predictor of right heart strain by the presence of IPCs. Material and Methods: One hundred and ninety-six patients suspected of having acute pulmonary embolism (PE) underwent DE{sub p}CT using a 64-slice dual-source CT. DE{sub p}CT images were three-dimensionally reconstructed with four threshold ranges: 1-120 HU (V{sub 120}), 1-15 HU (V{sub 15}), 1-10 HU (V{sub 10}), and 1-5 HU (V{sub 5}). Each relative ratio per V{sub 120} was expressed as the %V{sub 15}, %V{sub 10}, and %V{sub 5}. Volumetric data-sets were compared with D-dimer, pulmonary arterial (PA) pressure, right ventricular (RV) diameter, RV/left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratio, PA diameter, and PA/aorta (PA/Ao) diameter ratio. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were examined for their relationship to the presence of IPCs. This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Results: PA pressure and D-dimer were significantly higher in the patients who had IPCs. In the patients with IPCs, V{sub 15}, V{sub 10}, V{sub 5}, %V{sub 15}, %V{sub 10}, and %V{sub 5} were also significantly higher than those without IPC (P = 0.001). %V{sub 5} had a better correlation with D-dimer (r = 0.30, P < 0.001) and RV/LV diameter ratio (r = 0.27, P < 0.001), and showed a higher AUC (0.73) than the other CT measurements. Conclusion: The volumetric evaluation by DE{sub p}CT had a correlation with D-dimer and RV/LV diameter ratio, and the relative ratio of volumetric CT measurements with a lower attenuation threshold might be recommended for the analysis of acute PE.

Prevalence of and risk factors associated with the presence of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts in opossum (Didelphis virginiana) from Michigan: a retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elsheikha, Hany M; Murphy, Alice J; Mansfield, Linda S

2004-11-10

From April 1996 to December 2002 the prevalence of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts in North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) in Southern Michigan was estimated. Sporocysts of S. neurona were found in intestinal scrapings from 31 (15%) of 206 examined opossum. The frequency of infection was higher in adult animals (26/206; 12.6%) and females (19/206; 9.2%) than in juveniles (5/206; 2.4%) and males (12/206; 5.8%). Also, prevalence of S. neurona sporocysts in opossums in relation to factors such as age, sex, season, body condition, presence of concomitant infection, and presence of young in the pouch of females was studied in detail over the course of the year, 2002. Univariate analyses identified the following factors as being associated with the presence of S. neurona sporocysts in opossums: (i) for age, adult (odd ratio [OR] = 2.074, P = 0.0005); (ii) for sex, female (OR = 7.016, P = 0.0119); (iii) for season, summer (OR = 7.917, P = 0.0032) and spring (OR = 4.071, P = 0.1063); (iv) for body condition, poor (OR = 3.50, P = 0.1200) and good (OR = 1.167, P = 0.8637); (v) for the presence of concomitant infection (OR = 23.056, P = 0001), and (vi) for the presence of young in the pouch of females (OR = 40.083, P = 0.0001). Multivariate logistic-regression analyses selected the following factors as being significantly associated with presence of S. neurona sporocysts in opossums: (i) for the presence of concomitant infection (OR = 8.722, P = 0.0160) and (ii) for the presence of young in the pouch of females (OR = 31.915, P = 0.0065). The prevalence of S. neurona sporocysts in D. virginiana suggests that this opossum may constitute an ample reservoir of infection to other animals in the northern United States.

Presence of Helicobacter pylori in betel chewers and non betel chewers with and without oral cancers

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, Neluka; Jayakumar, Gnanapragasam; Perera, Naomal; Amarasingha, Indranee; Meedin, Fahra; Holton, John

2009-01-01

which two were also culture positive (Only thirty samples were cultured). The presence of H. pylori in betel chewers (with or without cancer) compared to non-betel chewers was statistically significant. (Chi-square test p < 0.05) The use of tobacco and areca nut in betel chewers was significant with the presence of H. pylori (p < 0.05). Conclusion There is a significant higher proportion of H. pylori in betel chewers compared to non-betel chewers but not between oral cancer patients compared to patients without oral cancer. Hence Betel chewing may predispose to colonisation with H. pylori in the digestive tract through swallowing the quid or during betel chewing. PMID:19772630

Area deprivation and the food environment over time: A repeated cross-sectional study on takeaway outlet density and supermarket presence in Norfolk, UK, 1990-2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, Eva R; Burgoine, Thomas; Monsivais, Pablo

2015-05-01

Socioeconomic disparities in the food environment are known to exist but with little understanding of change over time. This study investigated the density of takeaway food outlets and presence of supermarkets in Norfolk, UK between 1990 and 2008. Data on food retail outlet locations were collected from telephone directories and aggregated within electoral wards. Supermarket presence was not associated with area deprivation over time. Takeaway food outlet density increased overall, and was significantly higher in more deprived areas at all time points; furthermore, socioeconomic disparities in takeaway food outlet density increased across the study period. These findings add to existing evidence and help assess the need for environmental interventions to reduce disparities in the prevalence of unhealthy food outlets. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Presence While Watching Movies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Troscianko

2011-05-01

Full Text Available “Presence” is the illusion of being in a mediated experience rather than simply being an observer. It is a concept often applied to the question of realism of virtual environments. However, it is equally applicable to the act of watching a movie. A movie provides a markedly different visual environment to that given by the natural world—particularly because of frequent edits. And yet, the audience in a movie achieves high levels of presence. We investigate the relationship between presence and the optical and temporal parameters of movies. We find effects of mean shot length, colour/b&w, and 3D/2D. We find that short shots, while being unnatural, are associated with high levels of presence. We consider why such artificial stimuli should appear so real and immersive.

Lipid solubility of the platinum group metals Pt, Pd and Rh in dependence on the presence of complexing agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmermann, Sonja; Menzel, Christoph M.; Stueben, Doris; Taraschewski, Horst; Sures, Bernd

2003-01-01

All complexing agents had a significant influence on octanol solubility of PGM. - Investigations on the bioaccumulation of the platinum group metals (PGM) Pt, Pd and Rh in aquatic organisms are of growing interest in environmental research due to the increasing emission of these metals by motor vehicles with catalytic converters. Until now, nothing is known about the possible influence of complexing agents on the bioaccumulation capacity of these precious metals. According to the partition coefficient between 1-octanol and water (P OW ) as a measure of bioaccumulation, in this study a simple shaking method was performed in order to investigate the effects of different complexing agents (L-methionine, thio urea, EDTA, humic substances, bile compounds) on the octanol solubility of the PGM. The results demonstrated a significant influence of all agents used. L-Methionine and thio urea decreased the lipid solubility. In contrast, the presence of EDTA, humic substances and especially bile caused a higher transfer of metals in the octanol phase. For most complexing agents tested, the transfer of Pd to the lipid phase was significantly higher compared with Rh and Pt, except for bile acid where the highest octanol solubility was found for Pt. Recent experimental results on PGM accumulation in zebra mussels confirm a high bioaccumulation of Pd which could be predicted from the lipid solubility

Lipid solubility of the platinum group metals Pt, Pd and Rh in dependence on the presence of complexing agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmermann, Sonja; Menzel, Christoph M.; Stueben, Doris; Taraschewski, Horst; Sures, Bernd

2003-07-01

All complexing agents had a significant influence on octanol solubility of PGM. - Investigations on the bioaccumulation of the platinum group metals (PGM) Pt, Pd and Rh in aquatic organisms are of growing interest in environmental research due to the increasing emission of these metals by motor vehicles with catalytic converters. Until now, nothing is known about the possible influence of complexing agents on the bioaccumulation capacity of these precious metals. According to the partition coefficient between 1-octanol and water (P{sub OW}) as a measure of bioaccumulation, in this study a simple shaking method was performed in order to investigate the effects of different complexing agents (L-methionine, thio urea, EDTA, humic substances, bile compounds) on the octanol solubility of the PGM. The results demonstrated a significant influence of all agents used. L-Methionine and thio urea decreased the lipid solubility. In contrast, the presence of EDTA, humic substances and especially bile caused a higher transfer of metals in the octanol phase. For most complexing agents tested, the transfer of Pd to the lipid phase was significantly higher compared with Rh and Pt, except for bile acid where the highest octanol solubility was found for Pt. Recent experimental results on PGM accumulation in zebra mussels confirm a high bioaccumulation of Pd which could be predicted from the lipid solubility.

Hydration study of ordinary portland cement in the presence of zinc ions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Adriana Trezza

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Hydration products of Portland cement pastes, hydrated in water and in the presence of zinc ions were studied comparatively at different ages. Hydration products were studied by X ray diffractions (XRD and infrared spectroscopy (IR. Although IR is not frequently used in cement chemistry, it evidenced a new phase Ca(Zn(OH32. 2H2O formed during cement hydration in the presence of zinc. The significant retardation of early cement hydration in the presence of zinc is assessed in detail by differential calorimetry as a complement to the study carried out by IR and XRD, providing evidence that permits to evaluate the kinetic of the early hydration.

Higher insulin sensitivity in vegans is not associated with higher mitochondrial density.

Science.gov (United States)

Gojda, J; Patková, J; Jaček, M; Potočková, J; Trnka, J; Kraml, P; Anděl, M

2013-12-01

Vegans have a lower incidence of insulin resistance (IR)-associated diseases and a higher insulin sensitivity (IS) compared with omnivores. The aim of this study was to examine whether the higher IS in vegans relates to markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and to intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content. Eleven vegans and 10 matched (race, age, sex, body mass index, physical activity and energy intake) omnivorous controls were enrolled in a case-control study. Anthropometry, bioimpedance (BIA), ultrasound measurement of visceral and subcutaneous fat layer, parameters of glucose and lipid homeostasis, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and muscle biopsies were performed. Citrate synthase (CS) activity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and IMCL content were assessed in skeletal muscle samples. Both groups were comparable in anthropometric and BIA parameters, physical activity and protein-energy intake. Vegans had significantly higher glucose disposal (M-value, vegans 8.11±1.51 vs controls 6.31±1.57 mg/kg/min, 95% confidence interval: 0.402 to 3.212, P=0.014), slightly lower IMCL content (vegans 13.91 (7.8 to 44.0) vs controls 17.36 (12.4 to 78.5) mg/g of muscle, 95% confidence interval: -7.594 to 24.550, P=0.193) and slightly higher relative muscle mtDNA amount (vegans 1.36±0.31 vs controls 1.13±0.36, 95% confidence interval:-0.078 to 0.537, P=0.135). No significant differences were found in CS activity (vegans 18.43±5.05 vs controls 18.16±5.41 μmol/g/min, 95% confidence interval: -4.503 to 5.050, P=0.906). Vegans have a higher IS, but comparable mitochondrial density and IMCL content with omnivores. This suggests that a decrease in whole-body glucose disposal may precede muscle lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in IR development.

An analysis of self-esteem in stroke survivors: the interaction between gender, income, and the presence of a spouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eun-Young; Kim, Jung-Hee

2016-01-01

Self-esteem is considered a significant factor affecting both the emotional and functional outcomes of stroke survivors; however, research on self-esteem in this group is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gender-specific effects of income status and the presence of a spouse on the self-esteem of stroke survivors using data from a population-based study in Korea. The Korea Welfare Panel Study was used to investigate the gender-specific effects of income and the presence of a spouse on the self-esteem of stroke survivors. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Males in the general income category had higher self-esteem than males in the low-income category. However, no differences were found in the self-esteem of females by income category. The self-esteem of females without a spouse or partner was lower than the males without a spouse. Self-management interventions to enhance self-esteem should focus on gender to facilitate patients' adjustment and rehabilitation after a stroke.

Examining the Relationship between the Levels of Digital Citizenship and Social Presence for the Graduate Students Having Online Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mithat ELCICEK

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine the levels of digital citizenship and social presence of the graduate students having distance education and to reveal the relationship between these two variables. The research was carried out with 50 women (35% and 93 men (65% graduate students enrolled in distance education master programs of Karadeniz Technical University. Individual Information Form, Social Presence Scale and Digital Citizenship Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used in the study to determine the levels of digital citizenship and social presence of the students. Correlation analysis for the relationship between variables and linear regression for the predictive power were used. The results indicated that graduate students enrolled in distance education master programs had high levels in digital citizenship and social presence. Furthermore, the mentioned levels were comprehended to have significant and positive relationship among themselves. While the levels of digital citizenship and social presence didn’t differentiate significantly in terms of gender, social presence levels differentiated in favour of Educational Sciences Insitute. Also the level of social presence for the graduate students was concluded to be significantly predictive for digital citizenship level.

Occult pneumothoraces in Chinese patients with significant blunt chest trauma: radiological classification and proposed clinical significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ryan K L; Graham, Colin A; Yeung, Janice H H; Ahuja, Anil T; Rainer, Timothy H

2012-12-01

An occult pneumothorax (OP) is a pneumothorax not seen on a supine chest X-ray (CXR) but detected on abdominal or thoracic computed tomography (CT) scanning. With the increasing use of CT in the management of significantly injured trauma patients, more OPs are being detected. The aim of this study was to classify OPs diagnosed on thoracic CT (TCT) and correlate them with their clinical significance. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected trauma registry data. Total 36 (N=36) consecutive significantly injured trauma patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) who sustained blunt chest trauma and underwent TCT between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2008 were included. OP was defined as the identification (by a consultant radiologist) of a pneumothorax on TCT that had not been detected on supine CXR. OPs were classified by laterality (unilateral/bilateral) and location (apical, basal, non apical/basal). The size of pneumothoraces, severity of injury [including number of associated thoracic injuries and injury severity score (ISS)], length of hospital stay and mortality were compared between groups. The need for tube thoracostomy and clinical outcome were also analysed. Patients with bilateral OPs (N=8) had significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 23, p=0.02) and longer hospital stay (median: 20 days vs. 11 days, p=0.01) than those with a unilateral OP (N=28). Basal OPs (N=7) were significantly larger than apical (N=10) and non-apical/basal Ops (N=11). Basal OPs were associated with significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 17 days, p=0.02) than apical Ops, which had higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 15 days, p=0.02) than non-apical/basal OPs. Non-apical/basal OPs were associated with more related injuries (median: 2

Incidence and presence of virulence factors of Streptococcus suis infection in slaughtered pigs from Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Padungtod, Pawin; Tharavichitkul, Prasit; Junya, Supansa; Chaisowong, Warangkhana; Kadohira, Mutsuyo; Makino, Souichi; Sthitmatee, Nattawooti

2010-11-01

This study was designed to determine the incidence of Streptococcus suis infection in slaughtered pigs raised in industrial facility and backyard system in Chiang Mai City, Thailand. A total of 90 tonsils and submaxillary salivary gland/lymph node samples from slaughtered pigs raised in industrial facility and 122 samples from slaughtered pigs raised in backyard system were collected. Isolation and identification of S. suis were conducted using standard bacteriological methods. Farm management and risk factor data were collected by a questionnaire. Serotyping and presence of virulence factor genes, epf, mrp and sly, were determined by multiplex PCR assay. The overall incidence of S. suis in this study was 9% (n = 212) and the incidence is significantly higher in districts located at a greater distance south of Chiang Mai City. S. suis serotype 2 was present more in healthy pigs (43%) than ill pigs (10%). Every S. suis isolate carried mrp and sly and ill pigs carried epf (80%) more than healthy pigs (57%). However, the probability of S. suis serotype 2 with epf+ (0.245) detected in healthy pigs was higher than in ill pigs (0.08) indicating people may have a higher risk of being infected with S. suis from healthy than ill pigs.

Solar cells from 120 PPMA carbon-contaminated feedstock without significantly higher reverse current or shunt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manshanden, P.; Coletti, G. [ECN Solar Energy, Petten (Netherlands)

2012-09-15

In a bid to drive down the cost of silicon wafers, several options for solar grade silicon feedstock have been investigated over the years. All methods have in common that the resulting silicon contains higher levels of impurities like dopants, oxygen, carbon or transition metals, the type and level of impurities depending on the raw materials and refining processes. In this work wafers from a p-type mc-Si ingot made with feedstock contaminated with 120 ppma of carbon have been processed into solar cells together with reference uncontaminated feedstock from semiconductor grade polysilicon with <0.4 ppma carbon. The results show that comparable reverse current, shunts, and efficiencies can be reached for both types of wafers. Gettering and defect hydrogenation effectiveness also did not deviate from the reference. Electroluminescence pictures do not show increased hotspot formation, even at -16V.

The environmental Kuznets curve in the presence of corruption in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Masron, Tajul Ariffin; Subramaniam, Yogeeswari

2018-05-01

Environmental degradation is at an alarming level in developing economies. The present paper examines the direct and indirect impacts of corruption on environmental deterioration using the panel data of 64 developing countries. Adopting the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique, the paper finds evidence that corruption exhibits a positive impact on pollution. Subsequently, there is also evidence indicating that the level of pollution tends to be higher in countries with a higher level of corruption, eliminating the effectiveness of income effect on environmental preservation. These results also suggest that environmental degradation is monotonically increasing with higher corruption and invalidate the presence of the EKC. Hence, a policy focuses that an anti-corruption particularly in the environmental and natural resources sector needs to be emphasized and enforced in order to reduce or possibly to totally eliminate the rent for corruption.

Maternal presence, childrearing practices, and children's response to an injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Broome, M E; Endsley, R C

1989-08-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of maternal presence or absence and childrearing practices on young children's response to an injection. One hundred thirty-eight mothers and their children, who were attending health screening clinic, were assigned to one of four groups in which mothers were either present or absent during an interview and an immunization. Mothers were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their childrearing practices. Child behavior was observed during both the interview and the immunization. Results indicated that while maternal presence was associated with the children behaving more distressed during the interview, maternal presence had no effect on child behavior during the immunization. Children whose mothers reported high levels of both control and warmth in their relationship (authoritative parents) were found to be significantly less distressed during the immunization than children of either the low-control, high-warmth (permissive), high-control, low-warmth (authoritarian) or low-control, low-warmth (nonresponsive) parent groups.

Effect of Task-Correlated Physiological Fluctuations and Motion in 2D and 3D Echo-Planar Imaging in a Higher Cognitive Level fMRI Paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Ladstein, Jarle; Evensmoen, Hallvard R; Håberg, Asta K; Kristoffersen, Anders; Goa, Pål E

2016-01-01

To compare 2D and 3D echo-planar imaging (EPI) in a higher cognitive level fMRI paradigm. In particular, to study the link between the presence of task-correlated physiological fluctuations and motion and the fMRI contrast estimates from either 2D EPI or 3D EPI datasets, with and without adding nuisance regressors to the model. A signal model in the presence of partly task-correlated fluctuations is derived, and predictions for contrast estimates with and without nuisance regressors are made. Thirty-one healthy volunteers were scanned using 2D EPI and 3D EPI during a virtual environmental learning paradigm. In a subgroup of 7 subjects, heart rate and respiration were logged, and the correlation with the paradigm was evaluated. FMRI analysis was performed using models with and without nuisance regressors. Differences in the mean contrast estimates were investigated by analysis-of-variance using Subject, Sequence, Day, and Run as factors. The distributions of group level contrast estimates were compared. Partially task-correlated fluctuations in respiration, heart rate and motion were observed. Statistically significant differences were found in the mean contrast estimates between the 2D EPI and 3D EPI when using a model without nuisance regressors. The inclusion of nuisance regressors for cardiorespiratory effects and motion reduced the difference to a statistically non-significant level. Furthermore, the contrast estimate values shifted more when including nuisance regressors for 3D EPI compared to 2D EPI. The results are consistent with 3D EPI having a higher sensitivity to fluctuations compared to 2D EPI. In the presence partially task-correlated physiological fluctuations or motion, proper correction is necessary to get expectation correct contrast estimates when using 3D EPI. As such task-correlated physiological fluctuations or motion is difficult to avoid in paradigms exploring higher cognitive functions, 2D EPI seems to be the preferred choice for higher

Presence and significance of temperature gradients among different ovarian tissues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hunter, Ronald Henry Fraser; Einer-Jensen, Niels; Greve, Torben

2006-01-01

also be involved. Temperature gradients would be maintained locally by counter-current heat exchange mechanisms and, in this context, the microvasculature and lymphatic flow of individual follicles were found to be appropriate. Observations on the temperature of preovulatory follicles appear relevant......, and cow, and generally fell in the range of 1.3-1.7 degrees C: follicles were always cooler than stroma. Measurements were made principally by means of a thermo-sensing camera at midventral laparotomy, but also using microelectrodes or thermistor probes sited in the follicular antrum of rabbits and pigs...

Determining Semantically Related Significant Genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Kamal

2014-01-01

GO relation embodies some aspects of existence dependency. If GO term xis existence-dependent on GO term y, the presence of y implies the presence of x. Therefore, the genes annotated with the function of the GO term y are usually functionally and semantically related to the genes annotated with the function of the GO term x. A large number of gene set enrichment analysis methods have been developed in recent years for analyzing gene sets enrichment. However, most of these methods overlook the structural dependencies between GO terms in GO graph by not considering the concept of existence dependency. We propose in this paper a biological search engine called RSGSearch that identifies enriched sets of genes annotated with different functions using the concept of existence dependency. We observe that GO term xcannot be existence-dependent on GO term y, if x- and y- have the same specificity (biological characteristics). After encoding into a numeric format the contributions of GO terms annotating target genes to the semantics of their lowest common ancestors (LCAs), RSGSearch uses microarray experiment to identify the most significant LCA that annotates the result genes. We evaluated RSGSearch experimentally and compared it with five gene set enrichment systems. Results showed marked improvement.

Spleen Stiffness Correlates with the Presence of Ascites but Not Esophageal Varices in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuyo Mori

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Although spleen stiffness has recently been identified as potential surrogate marker for portal hypertension, the relationship between spleen stiffness and portal hypertension has not been fully elucidated. We attempted to determine the relationship between the liver or spleen stiffness and the presence of ascites or esophageal varices by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI imaging. A total of 33 chronic hepatitis C (CHC patients (median age 68; range 51–84 were enrolled. We evaluated the relationship between the liver or spleen stiffness and indicators of portal hypertension as well as clinical and biochemical parameters. Fourteen healthy volunteers were used for validating the accuracy of AFRI imaging. The liver and spleen stiffness increased significantly with progression of liver disease. A significant positive correlation was observed between the liver and spleen stiffness. However, spleen stiffness, but not liver stiffness, was significantly associated with the presence of ascites (, while there was no significant association between the spleen stiffness and spleen index/presence of esophageal varices in CHC patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve based on the spleen stiffness was 0.80. In conclusion, spleen stiffness significantly correlates with the presence of ascites but not esophageal varices in CHC patients.

Association of prolidase activity, oxidative parameters, and presence of atrial fibrillation in patients with mitral stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabus, Murat; Demirbag, Recep; Yildiz, Ali; Tezcan, Orhan; Yilmaz, Remzi; Ocak, A Riza; Alp, Mete; Erel, Ozcan; Aksoy, Nurten; Yakut, Cevat

2008-07-01

Mitral stenosis (MS) is a common cause of atrial fibrillation (AF). Oxidative stress and inflammation factors were shown to be involved in atrial remodeling. The study aim was to compare the oxidative parameters and prolidase activity in severe MS patients with and without AF. The study population was comprised of 33 patients with MS and sinus rhythm (group I), 27 patients with MS and AF (group II), and 25 healthy controls (group III). Plasma prolidase activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidative status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined. Additionally, we measured tissue TOS and TAC in patients with mitral valve replacement. TAC and OSI were higher, but TOS and prolidase were lower in patients with MS than control (all p 0.05). Tissue TAC was significantly lower in group II than group I (0.015 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.026 +/- 0.01 mmol Trolox equiv/L, p = 0.014), tissue TOS was similar between groups I and II (0.24 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.22 +/- 0.05 mmol Trolox equiv/L, p = 0.161). Presence of AF was correlated with systolic blood pressure, left atrial diameter, plasma TAC, tissue TAC, plasma TOS, plasma OSI, and plasma prolidase activity. Tissue TAC level (beta = -0.435, p = 0.006) and left atrial diameter (beta = 0.460, p = 0.003) were independently related with presence of AF in patients with MS. This study suggested that the presence of AF in patients with severe MS may be associated with the plasma prolidase activity, tissue and plasma oxidative parameters.

Assessment of the presence/absence of the palmaris longus muscle in different sports, and elite and non-elite sport populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fowlie, Craig; Fuller, Colin; Pratten, Margaret K

2012-06-01

To investigate whether higher presence of the palmaris longus muscle is associated with sports that require hand grip. Cross-sectional study. Six hundred and forty-two medical students, members of sports clubs and national athletes. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire that assessed their main sport, elite or non-elite level of participation, and level of activity. The presence of the palmaris longus was assessed visually using a standardised test. Presence of the palmaris longus, type of hand grip required for the sport and the level of participation. The presence of the palmaris longus was higher in elite athletes (21/22, 96%) than non-elite athletes (66/84, 79%; P=0.066) for sports that require a dominant-handed or two-handed cylindrical grip (18/22, 82% and 19/35, 54%, respectively; P=0.034). For both elite and non-elite athletes, the presence of the palmaris longus was higher in those participating in sustained grip sports (325/387, 84%) compared with sports that do not require a sustained grip (150/197, 76%; P=0.012). The palmaris longus may provide an advantage in certain types of sport that require hand grip, and for elite athletes participating in sports that require a dominant-handed or two-handed cylindrical hand grip. Orthopaedic specialists considering the use of the palmaris longus for a grafting procedure on an athlete should consider the level of participation and the type of hand grip required in the athlete's sport. Copyright © 2011 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining factors for the presence of impurities in selectively collected biowaste.

Science.gov (United States)

Puig-Ventosa, Ignasi; Freire-González, Jaume; Jofra-Sora, Marta

2013-05-01

The presence of impurities in biodegradable waste (biowaste) causes problems with the management of waste, among which are additional costs derived from the need to improve pre-treatment of biowaste, loss of treatment capacity and the difficulty selling treated biowaste as compost owing to its low quality. When treated biowaste is used for soil conditioning it can also cause soil pollution. Understanding the reasons why impurities are in biowaste and the factors affecting the percentage of impurities present can be used to determine ways to minimise these negative effects. This article attempts to identify the main causes for the presence of impurities in biowaste. In order to do so, it carries out an empirical analysis of the level of impurities in biowaste from municipal waste collection in two steps. First, a bivariate analysis focuses on significant correlations between the presence of impurities and several variables. Second, the construction of an explanatory model based on the significant relations obtained in the first step, and on literature research, are used to check the stated hypothesis. The estimates demonstrate that the collection system, the global levels of separate collection, the urban density of the municipality and the requirement to use compostable bags may be the main drivers of impurity levels in biowaste.

Accelerated corrosion of stainless steels with the presence of molten carbonates below 923 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ota, Ken-ichiro; Toda, Katsuya; Mitsushima, Shigenori; Kamiya, Nobuyuki

2002-01-01

The high-temperature corrosion of stainless steels (SUS316L and SUS310S) in the presence of lithium-potassium eutectic carbonate and lithium-sodium eutectic carbonate has been studied by thermogravimetry and the metal consumption method under a carbon dioxide-oxygen atmosphere in the temperature range of 773-1123 K. Although the corrosion of SUS310S obeyed the parabolic rate law for all reaction conditions, the corrosion of SUS316L significantly depended on the reaction conditions. At or above 923 K, the corrosion of SUS316L obeyed the parabolic rate law, even with a carbonate coating. The corrosion rates were accelerated during the initial period of corrosion tests below 923 K, especially around 823 K with a lithium-sodium carbonates coating. The initial accelerated corrosion was a local corrosion, which produced through holes in the metal specimens, and occurred more clearly at higher carbon dioxide partial pressures with the lithium-sodium carbonate coating than with the lithium-potassium carbonate coating. (author)

SHP-1 is directly activated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and regulates BCL-6 in the presence of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phadnis-Moghe, Ashwini S.; Li, Jinpeng [Genetics Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Crawford, Robert B. [Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Kaminski, Norbert E., E-mail: kamins11@msu.edu [Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)

2016-11-01

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is a strong AHR agonist, causes significant suppression of human B cell activation and differentiation. The current studies describe the identification of Src homology phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) encoded by the gene PTPN6 as a putative regulator of TCDD-mediated suppression of B cell activation. Shp-1 was initially identified through a genome-wide analysis of AHR binding in mouse B cells in the presence of TCDD. The binding of AHR to the PTPN6 promoter was further confirmed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays in which, specific binding of AHR was detected at four putative DRE sites within PTPN6 promoter. Time-course measurements performed in human B cells highlighted a significant increase in SHP-1 mRNA and protein levels in the presence of TCDD. The changes in the protein levels of SHP-1 were also observed in a TCDD concentration-dependent manner. The increase in SHP-1 levels was also seen to occur due to a change in early signaling events in the presence of TCDD. We have shown that BCL-6 regulates B cell activation by repressing activation marker CD80 in the presence of TCDD. TCDD-treatment led to a significant increase in the double positive (SHP-1{sup hi} BCL-6{sup hi}) population. Interestingly, treatment of naïve human B cells with SHP-1 inhibitor decreased BCL-6 protein levels suggesting possible regulation of BCL-6 by SHP-1 for the first time. Collectively, these results suggest that SHP-1 is regulated by AHR in the presence of TCDD and may, in part through BCL-6, regulate TCDD-mediated suppression of human B cell activation. - Highlights: • SHP-1 encoded by the gene PTPN6 is directly activated by the AHR. • AHR binds to dioxin response elements within the SHP-1 promoter in a TCDD-inducible manner. • TCDD-mediated increase in SHP-1 levels is observed in primary human B cells. • Higher SHP-1 levels help in maintaining high BCL-6 levels in the presence of TCDD. • In

Expression of Phospho-ELK1 and Its Prognostic Significance in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Upper Urinary Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Inoue

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Using preclinical models, we have recently found that ELK1, a transcriptional factor that activates downstream targets, including c-fos proto-oncogene, induces bladder cancer outgrowth. Here, we immunohistochemically determined the expression status of phospho-ELK1, an activated form of ELK1, in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC. Overall, phospho-ELK1 was positive in 47 (47.5%; 37 weak (1+ and 10 moderate (2+ of 99 UUTUCs, which was significantly (P = 0.002 higher than in benign urothelium (21 (25.3% of 83; 17 1+ and 4 2+ and was also associated with androgen receptor expression (P = 0.001. Thirteen (35.1% of 37 non-muscle-invasive versus 34 (54.8% of 62 muscle-invasive UUTUCs (P = 0.065 were immunoreactive for phospho-ELK1. Lymphovascular invasion was significantly (P = 0.014 more often seen in phospho-ELK1(2+ tumors (80.0% than in phospho-ELK1(0/1+ tumors (36.0%. There were no statistically significant associations between phospho-ELK1 expression and tumor grade, presence of concurrent carcinoma in situ or hydronephrosis, or pN status. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests revealed that patients with phospho-ELK1(2+ tumor had marginally and significantly higher risks of disease progression (P = 0.055 and cancer-specific mortality (P = 0.008, respectively, compared to those with phospho-ELK1(0/1+ tumor. The current results thus support our previous observations in bladder cancer and further suggest that phospho-ELK1 overexpression serves as a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with UUTUC.

RECOMBINATION OF ANTIBODY POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS IN THE PRESENCE OF ANTIGEN

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, Henry; Mannik, Mart

1964-01-01

Conditions were developed by which the separated H and L chains of gamma2 globulins recombined to form four-chained molecules in good yields. In the absence of antigen, anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl (anti-DNP) H chains randomly reassociated with a mixture of antibody and non-specific gamma2 globulin L chains. In the presence of a specific hapten, however, the antibody H chains preferentially interacted with the anti-DNP L chains. Antibody H chain-antibody L chain recombinants formed in the presence of hapten were more active than the corresponding recombinants formed in the absence of hapten. Speculations are made regarding the possible mechanisms and biological significance of these effects. PMID:14247718

Presence of specific IgG antibody to grain dust does not go with respiratory symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, H S; Suh, C H; Nahm, D H; Kim, H Y

1999-02-01

A high prevalence of work-related symptoms in relation to grain dust exposure has been reported in grain dust workers, but the role of the specific IgG antibody is unknown. To study the possible role of specific IgG (sIgG) and specific IgG4 (sIgG4) in the development of work-related symptoms, sIgG and sIgG4 subclass antibodies against grain dust antigens were determined by ELISA in sera from 43 workers and 27 non-exposed controls. They were compared with results of specific IgE antibodies, exposure intensity and the presence of respiratory symptoms. SIgG and sIgG4 antibodies were detectable in almost all sera of exposed workers, and the prevalence were significantly higher than those of controls (pgrain dust exposure and may unlikely play a role in the etiology of respiratory symptoms.

Presence and User Experience in a Virtual Environment under the Influence of Ethanol: An Explorative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenz, Mario; Brade, Jennifer; Diamond, Lisa; Sjölie, Daniel; Busch, Marc; Tscheligi, Manfred; Klimant, Philipp; Heyde, Christoph-E; Hammer, Niels

2018-04-23

Virtual Reality (VR) is used for a variety of applications ranging from entertainment to psychological medicine. VR has been demonstrated to influence higher order cognitive functions and cortical plasticity, with implications on phobia and stroke treatment. An integral part for successful VR is a high sense of presence - a feeling of 'being there' in the virtual scenario. The underlying cognitive and perceptive functions causing presence in VR scenarios are however not completely known. It is evident that the brain function is influenced by drugs, such as ethanol, potentially confounding cortical plasticity, also in VR. As ethanol is ubiquitous and forms part of daily life, understanding the effects of ethanol on presence and user experience, the attitudes and emotions about using VR applications, is important. This exploratory study aims at contributing towards an understanding of how low-dose ethanol intake influences presence, user experience and their relationship in a validated VR context. It was found that low-level ethanol consumption did influence presence and user experience, but on a minimal level. In contrast, correlations between presence and user experience were strongly influenced by low-dose ethanol. Ethanol consumption may consequently alter cognitive and perceptive functions related to the connections between presence and user experience.

Delivery route determines the presence of immune complexes on umbilical cord erythrocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

de Lima, Andrés; Franco, Luis C; Sarmiento, Andrés; González, John M

2017-11-01

Umbilical cord blood offers a unique opportunity to study the basal level of immunoglobulin complexes. This study aims to determine the presence of immune complexes and complement deposition on erythrocytes from umbilical cord blood from normal, full-term pregnancies. In vitro pre-formed IgA, IgG, and IgM complexes were used as positive control for flow cytometry detection, and for C3d deposition. Blood samples (34) of umbilical cord blood taken from vaginal and cesarean deliveries were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin complexes. Fourteen samples from vaginal deliveries and 20 samples from cesarean deliveries were assessed. IgG and IgM complexes were detected on erythrocytes, whereas no IgA complexes or complement deposition was observed. Interestingly, the percentage of IgG complexes was higher on erythrocytes from vaginal delivery samples compared to those from cesarean deliveries. No other associations between immune complexes and other maternal or newborn variables were found. IgG and IgM complexes seem to be normally present on umbilical cord erythrocytes. Erythrocytes from vaginal deliveries have a higher percentage of IgG complexes present compared to that from cesarean deliveries. Since no C3d activity was detected, these complexes are non-pathological and should be part of the newborn's initial innate immune response.

Modulational instability and nano-scale energy localization in ferromagnetic spin chain with higher order dispersive interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavitha, L.; Mohamadou, A.; Parasuraman, E.; Gopi, D.; Akila, N.; Prabhu, A.

2016-01-01

The nonlinear localization phenomena in ferromagnetic spin lattices have attracted a steadily growing interest and their existence has been predicted in a wide range of physical settings. We investigate the onset of modulational instability of a plane wave in a discrete ferromagnetic spin chain with physically significant higher order dispersive octupole–dipole and dipole–dipole interactions. We derive the discrete nonlinear equation of motion with the aid of Holstein–Primakoff (H–P) transformation combined with Glauber's coherent state representation. We show that the discrete ferromagnetic spin dynamics is governed by an entirely new discrete NLS model with complex coefficients not reported so far. We report the study of modulational instability (MI) of the ferromagnetic chain with long range dispersive interactions both analytically in the frame work of linear stability analysis and numerically by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our numerical simulations explore that the analytical predictions correctly describe the onset of instability. It is found that the presence of the various exchange and dispersive higher order interactions systematically favors the local gathering of excitations and thus supports the growth of high amplitude, long-lived discrete breather (DB) excitations. We analytically compute the strongly localized odd and even modes. Further, we employ the Jacobi elliptic function method to solve the nonlinear evolution equation and an exact propagating bubble-soliton solution is explored. - Highlights: • Higher order dispersive interactions plays significant role in ferromagnetic spin chain. • The energy localization is studied both analytically and numerically. • The existence of DBs are studied under the effect of higher order dispersive interaction.

Higher Fe{sup 2+}/total Fe ratio in iron doped phosphate glass melted by microwave heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandal, Ashis K., E-mail: ashis@cgcri.res.in [CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032 (India); Sinha, Prasanta K. [CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032 (India); Das, Dipankar [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Kolkata 700098 (India); Guha, Chandan [Department of Chemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032 (India); Sen, Ranjan [CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032 (India)

2015-03-15

Highlights: • Iron doped phosphate glasses prepared using microwave heating and conventional heating under air and reducing atmosphere. • Presence of iron predominantly in the ferrous oxidation state in all the glasses. • Significant concentrations of iron in the ferrous oxidation state on both octahedral and tetrahedral sites in all the glasses. • Ratio of Fe{sup 2+} with total iron is found higher in microwave prepared glasses in comparison to conventional prepared glasses. - Abstract: Iron doped phosphate glasses containing P{sub 2}O{sub 5}–MgO–ZnO–B{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were melted using conventional resistance heating and microwave heating in air and under reducing atmosphere. All the glasses were characterised by UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and wet colorimetry analysis. Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed presence of iron predominantly in the ferrous oxidation state on two different sites in all the glasses. The intensity of the ferrous absorption peaks in UV–Vis–NIR spectrum was found to be more in glasses prepared using microwave radiation compared to the glasses prepared in a resistance heating furnace. Thermogravimetric analysis showed increasing weight gain on heating under oxygen atmosphere for glass corroborating higher ratio of FeO/(FeO + Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) in glass melted by direct microwave heating. Wet chemical analysis also substantiated the finding of higher ratio Fe{sup +2}/ΣFe in microwave melted glasses. It was found that iron redox ratio was highest in the glasses prepared in a microwave furnace under reducing atmosphere.

Significant Pairwise Co-occurrence Patterns Are Not the Rule in the Majority of Biotic Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spyros Sfenthourakis

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Our aim was to investigate species co-occurrence patterns in a large number of published biotic communities, in order to document to what extent species associations can be found in presence-absence matrices. We also aim to compare and evaluate two metrics that focus on species pairs (the ‘natural’ and the ‘checkerboard’ metric using also artificial matrices. We applied the two metrics to many data sets from a huge variety of insular systems around the world. Both metrics reliably recover deviating species pairs and provide similar, albeit not identical, results. Nevertheless, only a few matrices exhibit significant deviations from random patterns, mostly vertebrates and higher plants. The benchmark cases cited in literature in favor of such assembly rules are indeed included in these exceptional cases. In conclusion, competitive or cooperative species interactions shaping communities cannot be inferred from patterns exhibited by presence-absence matrices. When such an analysis is attempted though, both the ‘natural’ and the ‘checkerboard’ metric should be set in a proper framework in order to provide useful insights regarding species associations. A large part of the discussion on species co-occurrence had originally been based on a few exceptional data sets that are not indicative of general patterns.

Isolation and significance of Salmonella sp. from some beaches of Kerala

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gore, P.S.; Iyer, T.S.G.; Raveendran, O.; Unnithan, R.V.

to be some relation between the coliforms, E. coli counts and the presence of Salmonella. The occurrence and significance of Salmonella in bathing beaches in relation to public health hazard have been highlighted...

Significance of Lead Residues in Mallard Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Longcore, J.R.; Locke, L.N.; Bagley, George E.; Andrews, R.

1974-01-01

Tissues of adult, lead-dosed mallards that either died or were sacrificed were analyzed for lead. Lead levels in brains, tibiae, and breast muscle of ducks that died and in tibiae of ducks that were sacrificed increased significantly from dosage until death. Lead in the heart, lung, and blood from sacrificed ducks decreased significantly from dosage until death. Lead concentrations in tissues from ducks in the two groups were not significantly different except for the liver, kidney, and lung. Average lead levels in the livers and kidneys of ducks that died were significantly higher than those in ducks that were sacrificed. The mean concentration of lead in the lungs of the ducks sacrificed was significantly higher than the mean level in the lungs of ducks that died. Measurements of the lead concentrations in this study, when compared with lead levels reported in the literature for avian and non-avian species, showed that arbitrary diagnostic levels indicating lead poisoning could be set. In mallard ducks, lead levels exceeding 3 ppm in the brain, 6 to 20 ppm in the kidney or liver, or 10 ppm in clotted blood from the heart indicated acute exposure to lead.

Presence : concept, determinants and measurement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

IJsselsteijn, W.A.; Ridder, de H.; Freeman, J.; Avons, S.E.; Rogowitz, B.E.; Pappas, T.N.

2000-01-01

The concept of presence, i.e. the sensation of 'being there' in a mediated environment, has received substantial attention from the virtual reality community, and is becaming increasingly relevant both to broadcasters and display developers. Although research into presence is still at an early stage

A Low-Cost Tele-Presence Wheelchair System

OpenAIRE

Shen, Jiajun; Xu, Bin; Pei, Mingtao; Jia, Yunde

2016-01-01

This paper presents the architecture and implementation of a tele-presence wheelchair system based on tele-presence robot, intelligent wheelchair, and touch screen technologies. The tele-presence wheelchair system consists of a commercial electric wheelchair, an add-on tele-presence interaction module, and a touchable live video image based user interface (called TIUI). The tele-presence interaction module is used to provide video-chatting for an elderly or disabled person with the family mem...

Does the presence of hydronephrosis have effects on micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy?

Science.gov (United States)

Karatag, Tuna; Buldu, Ibrahim; Kaynar, Mehmet; Inan, Ramazan; Istanbulluoglu, Mustafa Okan

2015-03-01

To evaluate the effects of presence of hydronephrosis on micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy (micro-PNL) surgery. A retrospective analysis of 112 patients who underwent microperc surgery between December 2012 and April 2014 was performed. Patients were evaluated in two groups according to whether the presence of hydronephrosis. Stone size and location, fluoroscopy and operation time, stone-free rates and patient-related parameters were prospectively recorded into a centralized computer-generated system. A total of 58 patients in Group 1 with hydronephrosis and 54 patients in Group 2 with no hydronephrosis were analyzed. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of stone sizes and body mass indexes (BMI) in comparison of groups (155.2 ± 93.06 vs. 143.70 ± 70.77 mm(2), p = 0.856 and 27.6 ± 4.2 vs. 26.7 ± 3.2 kg/m(2), p = 0.625). The success rates were similar (91.3 vs. 92.5%, p = 0.341). While the mean operation time and fluoroscopy time in Group 1 were 44.2 ± 23.62 min and 105.3 ± 47 s, it was 38.8 ± 26.4 min and 112.53 ± 68.3 s in Group 2, but there was no statistical difference in comparison of both groups. The mean attempts of percutan puncture were 1.35 ± 0.47 in Group 1 and 1.76 ± 0.31 in Group 2 (p = 0.185). We also found no statistical differences regarding mean hemoglobin change and hospitalization time, respectively (p = 0.685 and p = 0753). In comparison of grades of hydronephrosis, there was no statistically significant difference in subgroups analysis. The presence of hydronephrosis does not affect success rates and operative time in micro-PNL procedures significantly. Micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy is technically feasible and efficacious both in hydronephrotic and non-hydronephrotic kidneys.

Ex vivo expansion of CD3depleted cord blood-MNCs in the presence of bone marrow stromal cells; an appropriate strategy to provide functional NK cells applicable for cellular therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ehteramolsadat Hosseini

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Considering umbilical cord blood (UCB as a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, we introduced a cost-effective approach to expand CD3depleted UCB-MNCs into functional NK cells. CD3depleted UCB-MNCs were expanded in the presence or absence of a feeder [bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs or osteoblasts], with or without cytokines and their differentiation into NK cells was determined by flow cytometry. NK cell function was quantified by LAMP-1/CD107a expression, TNF-α/IFN-γ release, and LDH release/PI staining in targets. Higher expansion of NK cells was observed after two weeks in the presence of BMSCs and cytokines (104 ± 15 compared to osteoblasts and cytokines (84 ± 29, p < 0.05. On day 14, CD3depleted UCB-MNCs in the presence of BMSCs and cytokines showed lower expression of CD3, CD19, CD14, CD15 and CD69 as well as higher expression of CD2 and CD7, which were suggestive of cell differentiation into mature NK cell lineage. Strong cytotoxicity of expanded cells was also identified with higher LDH release and PI% in targets. Significant upregulation of LAMP-1 with decreased release of IFN-γ and TNF-α from effectors were observed. We demonstrate an effective expansion of UCB-NK cells that maintained their functional capabilities applicable for cellular therapies.

Adsorption of copper(II) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the absence and presence of humic or fulvic acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng Guodong; Li Jiaxing; Shao Dadong; Hu Jun; Chen Changlun; Chen Yixue; Wang Xiangke

2010-01-01

The adsorption of Cu(II) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a function of pH and ionic strength in the absence and presence of humic acid (HA) or fulvic acid (FA) was studied using batch technique. The results indicated that the adsorption is strongly dependent on pH but independent of ionic strength. A positive effect of HA/FA on Cu(II) adsorption was found at pH 7.5. The adsorption isotherms can be described better by the Freundlich model than by the Langmuir model in the absence and presence of HA/FA. Adsorption isotherms of Cu(II) at higher initial HA/FA concentrations are higher than those of Cu(II) at lower FA/HA concentrations. The thermodynamic data calculated from temperature-dependent adsorption isotherms suggested that the adsorption was spontaneous and enhanced at higher temperature. Results of this work suggest that MWCNTs may be a promising candidate for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.

Modality effects in Second Life: the mediating role of social presence and the moderating role of product involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Seung-A Annie

2009-12-01

The rapid growth of virtual worlds is one of the most recent Internet trends. Some distinguishing features of virtual environments include the employment of avatars and multimodal communication among avatars. This study examined the effects of the modality (text vs. audio) of message presentation on people's evaluation of spokes-avatar credibility and the informational value of promotional messages in avatar-based advertising inside 3D virtual environments. An experiment was conducted in the virtual Apple retail store inside Second Life, the most popular and fastest growing virtual world. The author designed a two-group (textual advertisement vs. auditory advertisement) comparison experiment by manipulating the modality of conveying advertisement messages. The author also created a spokes-avatar that represents a real-life organization (Apple) and presents promotional messages about its innovative product, the iPhone. Data analyses showed that (a) textual modality (vs. auditory modality) resulted in greater source expertise, informational value of the advertisement message, and social presence; and that (b) high product involvement (vs. low product involvement) resulted in a more positive attitude toward the product, higher buying intention, and a higher level of perceived interactivity. In addition to the main effects of product involvement and modality, results showed significant interaction between involvement and modality. Modality effects were stronger for people with low product involvement than for those with high product involvement, thus confirming the moderating effects of product involvement. Results of a path analysis also showed that social presence mediated the effects of modality on the perceived informational value of the advertisement message.

Volumetric evaluation of dual-energy perfusion CT by the presence of intrapulmonary clots using a 64-slice dual-source CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Munemasa; Nakashima, Yoshiteru; Kunihiro, Yoshie; Nakao, Sei; Matsunaga, Naofumi; Morikage, Noriyasu; Sano, Yuichi; Suga, Kazuyoshi

2013-01-01

Background: Dual-energy perfusion CT (DE p CT) directly represents the iodine distribution in lung parenchyma and low perfusion areas caused by intrapulmonary clots (IPCs) are visualized as low attenuation areas. Purpose: To evaluate if volumetric evaluation of DE p CT can be used as a predictor of right heart strain by the presence of IPCs. Material and Methods: One hundred and ninety-six patients suspected of having acute pulmonary embolism (PE) underwent DE p CT using a 64-slice dual-source CT. DE p CT images were three-dimensionally reconstructed with four threshold ranges: 1-120 HU (V 120 ), 1-15 HU (V 15 ), 1-10 HU (V 10 ), and 1-5 HU (V 5 ). Each relative ratio per V 120 was expressed as the %V 15 , %V 10 , and %V 5 . Volumetric data-sets were compared with D-dimer, pulmonary arterial (PA) pressure, right ventricular (RV) diameter, RV/left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratio, PA diameter, and PA/aorta (PA/Ao) diameter ratio. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were examined for their relationship to the presence of IPCs. This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Results: PA pressure and D-dimer were significantly higher in the patients who had IPCs. In the patients with IPCs, V 15 , V 10 , V 5 , %V 15 , %V 10 , and %V 5 were also significantly higher than those without IPC (P = 0.001). %V 5 had a better correlation with D-dimer (r = 0.30, P p CT had a correlation with D-dimer and RV/LV diameter ratio, and the relative ratio of volumetric CT measurements with a lower attenuation threshold might be recommended for the analysis of acute PE

Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF II) in human brain: regional distribution of IGF II and of higher molecular mass forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haselbacher, G.K.; Schwab, M.E.; Pasi, A.; Humbel, R.E.

1985-01-01

Twenty-four distinct areas of human brain were analyzed for the presence of insulin-like growth factor (IGF). As reported for cerebrospinal fluid, only IGF II-like immunoreactivity, but no significant amounts of IGF I-like immunoreactivity, could be found. Upon gel permeation chromatography, two to five distinct size classes were separated on the basis of their immunoreactivity. Radioimmunoassays and a bioassay also gave results indistinguishable from those of serum IGF II. The highest amounts of IGF II-like immunoreactivity occur in the anterior pituitary. This is up to 100 times more than in most other brain regions analyzed. The higher molecular mass immunoreactive species were partially characterized. After immunoaffinity purification, the 38- and 26-kDa species are active in a bioassay. Specific IGF-binding protein activity could be shown after purification of the 38- and 26-kDa species on an IGF-affinity column. The 13-kDa species released significant amounts of 7.5-kDa material. The results are interpreted as evidence for the presence of IGF II synthesized locally in human brain

Parents' experiences of their children's presence in discussions with physicians about Leukemia.

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Young, Bridget; Ward, Joanne; Salmon, Peter; Gravenhorst, Katja; Hill, Jonathan; Eden, Tim

2011-05-01

We aimed to examine parents' views regarding their preadolescent child's presence during discussions about serious illnesses. In-depth qualitative interviews with parents of children receiving treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia were conducted. Parents were sampled from 6 UK treatment centers. Analysis was informed by the constant comparative method and content analysis. We report on interviews with 53 parents (33 mothers, 20 fathers). Parents acknowledged the benefits of communicating openly with children, but few thought that their child's presence in discussions was straightforwardly desirable. They described how their child's presence restricted their own communication with physicians, made concentrating difficult, and interfered with their efforts to care for their child emotionally. Children's presence was particularly difficult when significant issues were being discussed, including prognoses, adverse results, and certain medical procedures. Parents felt that such discussions posed a potential threat to their child, particularly when they had not first had an opportunity to discuss information with the physician separately from the child. In contrast, separate meetings enabled parents to absorb information and to convey it to their child at an appropriate time and in a reassuring way. Some parents experienced difficulties in accessing separate meetings with physicians. The difficulties parents described could potentially be addressed by extending, beyond the diagnosis period, the practice of sequencing significant information so that it is communicated to parents in separate meetings before being communicated to the child and by periodically exploring with parents what information would be in each child's interests.

Mediated Windows: The Use of Framing and Transparency in Designing for Presence

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Charlie Gullström

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the fusion of architecture and media technology that facilitates collaborative practices across spatial extensions: video-mediated spaces. The example presented is a mediated extension of the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm to a neighbouring park area and archaeological excavation site in 2008, referred to as a mediated window, or a glass-door. The concepts framing and transparency are used to outline the significance of windows and glazing in architecture and art. The author then considers the potential contribution of architecture in representing the passage from indoors to outdoors and designing for presence. Presence design assumes a contribution from architects to presence research, a currently diversified field, spanning media-space research, cognitive science, interaction design, ubiquitous computing, second-order cybernetics, and computer-supported collaborative work, but in which architecture and artistic practices are less represented.The paper thereby addresses the potential of an extended architectural practice, which incorporates the design of mediated spaces, and outlines presence design as a transdisciplinary practice in which presence research meets architectural design, and spatial and aesthetic conceptual tools, derived from related visual practices, may be productively applied.

The presence of non-organ-specific autoantibodies is associated with a negative response to combination therapy with interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C

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Matern Siegfried

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-organ-specific autoantibodies are found in a considerable number of anti-HCV positive patients. Previous studies investigated the clinical relevance of these antibodies in patients treated with interferon monotherapy, but not combination therapies. Methods Anti-nuclear, anti-smooth muscle, anti-mitochondrial, anti-neutrophil-cytoplasmatic and anti-liver/kidney microsomal antibodies were determined in 78 consecutive anti-HCV positive patients by indirect immunofluorescence. The presence of these antibodies was related to demographic variables and to the outcome of antiviral combination therapy with interferon-α and ribavirin in 65 patients. Results In our study, positivity for autoantibodies was associated with higher alanine aminotransferase levels and higher mean values for HCV-RNA (p Conclusions The absence of non-organ-specific autoantibodies might indicate a significantly higher chance for viral clearance in response to combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection. Therefore, despite of an overall higher treatment response, the addition of the immunomodulatory drug ribavirin could accentuate immunological differences that affect treatment outcome and might have been less obvious in earlier studies analysing interferon monotherapy.

Is the presence of mammographic comedo calcification really a prognostic factor for small screen-detected invasive breast cancers?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, J.J.; Evans, A.J.; Pinder, S.E.; Macmillan, R.D.; Wilson, A.R.M.; Ellis, I.O.

2003-01-01

AIM: It has been suggested that the use of traditional prognostic factors such as histological grade and lymph node stage are not reliable predictors of outcome for small ( 2 = 9.68,P = 0.008). No significant association was demonstrated between the presence of comedo calcification and survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed lymph node stage as the only independent prognostic factor for these small screen-detected breast cancers (χ 2 = 7.18,P = 0.007). There were significant associations between the presence of comedo calcification on the screening mammogram and high histological grade and small tumour size. CONCLUSION: Although the overall outcome for small screen-detected breast cancers (<15 mm diameter) is excellent, the presence of lymph node metastases is associated with a significant reduction in long-term survival. The presence of mammographic comedo calcification is not an independent prognostic factor, but is closely related to histological grade. James, J. J. et al. (2003). Clinical Radiology, 58, 54-62

Capturing Online Presence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Bakker, Frank; Hellsten, Lina

2013-01-01

The rise of Internet-mediated communication poses possibilities and challenges for organisation studies, also in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business and society interactions. Although social media are attracting more and more attention in this domain, websites also remain...... an important channel for CSR debate. In this paper, we present an explorative study of activist groups’ online presence via their websites and propose a combination of methods to study both the structural positioning of websites (hyperlink network analysis) and the meanings in these websites (semantic co...... activist networks’ online presence can provide insights into the tactics these networks apply to achieve institutional change on CSR issues. Meanwhile, we identify some notable differences between styles and word use in the two organisations’ websites. We conclude with a set of suggestions for future...

Expansion in the presence of FGF-2 enhances the functional development of cartilaginous tissues engineered using infrapatellar fat pad derived MSCs.

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Buckley, C T; Kelly, D J

2012-07-01

MSCs from non-cartilaginous knee joint tissues such as the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) and synovium possess significant chondrogenic potential and provide a readily available and clinically feasible source of chondroprogenitor cells. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) has been shown to be a potent mitotic stimulator during ex vivo expansion of MSCs, as well as regulating their subsequent differentiation potential. The objective of this study was to investigate the longer term effects of FGF-2 expansion on the functional development of cartilaginous tissues engineered using MSCs derived from the IFP. IFP MSCs were isolated and expanded to passage 2 in a standard media formulation with or without FGF-2 (5 ng/ml) supplementation. Expanded cells were encapsulated in agarose hydrogels, maintained in chondrogenic media for 42 days and analysed to determine their mechanical properties and biochemical composition. Culture media, collected at each feed, was also analysed for biochemical constituents. MSCs expanded in the presence of FGF-2 proliferated more rapidly, with higher cell yields and lower population doubling times. FGF-2 expanded MSCs generated the most mechanically functional tissue. Matrix accumulation was dramatically higher after 21 days for FGF-2 expanded MSCs, but decreased between day 21 and 42. By day 42, FGF-2 expanded MSCs had still accumulated ∼1.4 fold higher sGAG and ∼1.7 fold higher collagen compared to control groups. The total amount of sGAG synthesised (retained in hydrogels and released into the media) was ∼2.4 fold higher for FGF-2 expanded MSCs, with only ∼25% of the total amount generated being retained within the constructs. Further studies are required to investigate whether IFP derived MSCs have a diminished capacity to synthesise other matrix components important in the aggregation, assembly and retention of proteoglycans. In conclusion, expanding MSCs in the presence of FGF-2 rapidly accelerates chondrogenesis in 3D agarose

Factors influencing presence in virtual worlds.

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Chow, Meyrick C M

2012-01-01

Virtual worlds are showing potential as an effective platform for a variety of activities, including learning. The concept of presence (the sensation of "being there" in a mediated environment) has received substantial attention from the virtual reality community, and the effectiveness of virtual worlds has often been linked to the feelings of presence reported by their users. The present study examined the effects of attitude and perceived ease of use on sense of presence in Second Life, which is one of the most known and used virtual worlds. Based on data from a survey of 206 nursing students, hypotheses are empirically tested. Findings suggest that users' attitude toward using Second Life and their perceived ease of use of it have a positive effect on their sense of presence in the virtual environment. This study advances our understanding of factors influencing presence in virtual worlds.

Predictive factors for the presence of tumor cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood in breast cancer patients.

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Cabinakova, M; Mikulova, V; Malickova, K; Vrana, D; Pavlista, D; Petruzelka, L; Zima, T; Tesarova, P

2015-01-01

Simultaneous detection of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) was shown to be associated with an especially poor prognosis and increased incidence of disease-related deaths in non-metastatic breast cancer patients. We analyzed the occurance of DTCs and CTCs in patients with primary breast cancer and evaluated the correlation of their presence with other prognostic markers and investigated the changes in DTCs/CTCs number at different time points during treatment.Blood of 50 patients with primary breast cancer were used for immunomagnetic separation and detection of circulating tumor cells using the commercial available system the AdnaTest Breast Cancer™ (AdnaGen GmbH, Langenhagen, Germany). Bone marrow aspirates from 50 patients were analyzed for DTCs by immunocytochemistry using the pan-cytokeratin antibody conjugated with FITC (Monoclonal Anti-Cytokeratin antibody F3418, Sigma Aldrich).DTCs were identified in 30% (15/50) and CTCs in 22% (11/50) of patients. We found that DTC positivity could point to a significantly high risk of larger primary tumor size (p-value 0.011) and significantly higher risk of lymph node involvement (p-value 0.002). For CTC positivity, no such relationship was proven. DTCs have shown significantly higher prevalence in ER/PR-negative females and in HER2-positive cases. CTCs were equally prevalent in patients with the presence and absence of standard prognostic and predictive markers such as ER, PR and HER2. We found no correlation between CTCs and DTCs findings (r = -0.097, p = 0.504). We used DTCs/CTCs analysis for therapy monitoring in a small group of 29 patients, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). We find out no significant correlation between DTCs/CTCs detection and the primary tumor response to NACT. A pathologic complete response (pCR) was achieved by 31% (9/29) of the patients in our study, however, no association was observed between pCR and the detection of DTCs after NACT

Food choices in the presence of 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' eating partners.

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Robinson, Eric; Higgs, Suzanne

2013-02-28

Eating with others has been shown to influence the amount of food eaten in a meal or snack. We examined whether choosing food in the presence of another person who is choosing either predominantly low-energy-dense or high-energy-dense foods affects food choices. A between-subjects laboratory-based study was used. A group of 100 young females selected a lunch-time meal from a buffet consisting of a range of high-energy-dense and low-energy-dense foods, in the presence of an 'unhealthy' eating partner (who chose predominantly high-energy-dense foods) or a 'healthy' eating partner (who chose predominantly low-energy-dense foods) or when alone. Participants in the 'unhealthy' eating partner condition were significantly less likely to choose and consume a low-energy-dense food item (carrots), than when choosing alone or in the presence of a 'healthy' eater. Choice of high-energy-dense food did not differ across the conditions, nor did the total energy consumed. These data suggest that social influences on food choice are limited in this context but the presence of an 'unhealthy' eating partner may undermine intentions to consume low-energy-dense foods.

Influence of light presence and biomass concentration on nutrient kinetic removal from urban wastewater by Scenedesmus obliquus.

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Ruiz, J; Arbib, Z; Alvarez-Díaz, P D; Garrido-Pérez, C; Barragán, J; Perales, J A

2014-05-20

This work was aimed at studying the effect of light-darkness and high-low biomass concentrations in the feasibility of removing nitrogen and phosphorus from urban treated wastewater by the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus. Laboratory experiments were conducted in batch, where microalgae were cultured under different initial biomass concentrations (150 and 1500mgSSl(-1)) and light conditions (dark or illuminated). Nutrient uptake was more dependent on internal nutrient content of the biomass than on light presence or biomass concentration. When a maximum nitrogen or phosphorus content in the biomass was reached (around 8% and 2%, respectively), the removal of that nutrient was almost stopped. Biomass concentration affected more than light presence on the nutrient removal rate, increasing significantly with its increase. Light was only required to remove nutrients when the maximum nutrient storage capacity of the cells was reached and further growth was therefore needed. Residence times to maintain a stable biomass concentration, avoiding the washout of the reactor, were much higher than those needed to remove the nutrients from the wastewater. This ability to remove nutrients in the absence of light could lead to new configurations of reactors aimed to wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on oxidative radiolysis of ibuprofen in presence of potassium persulfate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, Jhimli; Naik, D.B.; Bhardwaj, Y.K.; Varshney, Lalit

2014-01-01

The radiolysis of ibuprofen (IBP), a model pharmaceutical compound, was studied by gamma irradiation in an aqueous solution in the presence and absence of potassium persulfate (K 2 S 2 O 8 ). The extent of mineralization was investigated by measuring the UV–visible spectra, decrease in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the total organic carbon (TOC) content of aqueous IBP solution at different doses. The gamma radiolysis, in the presence of K 2 S 2 O 8 , required much lesser dose compared to in the absence of K 2 S 2 O 8 for the same extent of mineralization of aqueous IBP solution. The pulse radiolysis of IBP was carried out under different radiolytic conditions to understand the mechanism of efficient mineralization of IBP during gamma radiolysis in the presence of K 2 S 2 O 8 . It was found that unlike · OH radical, SO 4 ·− radical preferentially produces benzyl type of radicals via the formation of the benzene radical cation. The results concluded that the gamma radiolysis in presence of K 2 S 2 O 8 could be one of the efficient advanced oxidation processes for degradation of pharmaceutical compounds present in the aqueous solution. - Highlights: • The radiolysis of aqueous solution of Ibuprofen (IBP) was investigated. • The COD and TOC content decreased significantly in presence of K 2 S 2 O 8 . • Pulse radiolysis studies revealed the mechanism of mineralization of IBP. • The presence of K 2 S 2 O 8 increased the efficiency of gamma radiolysis

Towards a Framework of Interactions in a Blended Synchronous Learning Environment: What Effects Are There on Students' Social Presence Experience?

Science.gov (United States)

Szeto, Elson; Cheng, Annie Y. N.

2016-01-01

A synchronous blend of online learning and "face-to-face" teaching is becoming a feasible instructional approach in higher education with the advent of technology. Although this learning mode is not new in higher education, little research has been done to contextualise social presence experiences in which effects of interactions were…

Modeling hydrate formation conditions in the presence of electrolytes and polar inhibitor solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osfouri, Shahriar; Azin, Reza; Gholami, Reza; Izadpanah, Amir Abbas

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A new predictive model is proposed for prediction of hydrate formation pressures. • A new local composition model was used to evaluate water activity in the presence of electrolyte. • MEG, DEG and TEG were used to test ability of the proposed model in the presence of polar inhibitors. • Cage occupancies by methane for the small cage were higher than carbon dioxide for gas mixtures. • The proposed model gives better match with experimental data in mixed electrolyte solutions. - Abstract: In this paper, a new predictive model is proposed for prediction of gas hydrate formation conditions in the presence of single and mixed electrolytes and solutions containing both electrolyte and a polar inhibitor such as monoethylene glycol (MEG), diethylene glycol (DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG). The proposed model is based on the γ–φ approach, which uses modified Patel–Teja equation of state (VPT EOS) for characterizing the vapor phase, the solid solution theory by van der Waals and Platteeuw for modeling the hydrate phase, the non-electrolyte NRTL-NRF local composition model and Pitzer–Debye–Huckel equation as short-range and long-range contributions to calculate water activity in single electrolyte solutions. Also, the Margules equation was used to determine the activity of water in solutions containing polar inhibitor (glycols). The model predictions are in acceptable agreement with experimental data. For single electrolyte solutions, the model predictions are similar to available models, while for mixtures of electrolytes and mixtures of electrolytes and inhibitors, the proposed model gives significantly better predictions. In addition, the absolute average deviation of hydrate formation pressures (AADP) for 144 experimental data in solutions containing single electrolyte is 5.86% and for 190 experimental data in mixed electrolytes solutions is 5.23%. Furthermore, the proposed model has an AADP of 14.13%, 5.82% and 5.28% in solutions

Predicting medical professionals' intention to allow family presence during resuscitation: A cross sectional survey.

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Lai, Meng-Kuan; Aritejo, Bayu Aji; Tang, Jing-Shia; Chen, Chien-Liang; Chuang, Chia-Chang

2017-05-01

regarding family presence during resuscitation as they are a significant predictor of the intention to allow family presence during resuscitation. In addition, written policies and protocols for family presence during resuscitation are also needed to increase support from subjective norms regarding family presence during resuscitation practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human papillomavirus-16 presence and physical status in lung carcinomas from Asia

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Morewaya Jacob

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although human papillomavirus (HPV genome has been detected in lung cancer, its prevalence is highly variable around the world. Higher frequencies have been reported in far-east Asian countries, when compared with European countries. The present study analysed the HPV-16 presence in 60 lung carcinomas from the Asian countries China, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea. Results HPV-16 was present in 8/59 (13% samples. According to histological type, HPV-16 was detected in 8/18 (44% squamous cell carcinomas (SQCs, which were mainly from Pakistan; 0/38 (0% adenocarcinomas (ACs, which were mainly from China; and in 0/4 (0% small cell carcinomas (SCLCs. The observed histological difference was statistically significant (p Conclusion These results support the notion that HPV-16 infection is highly associated with SQCs in Pakistan. Our results show a frequent HPV-16 integration in SQCs, although the low viral load casts doubt respect a direct etiological role of HPV in lung carcinomas from Asia. Additional HPV-16 characterization is necessary to establish a direct or indirect etiological role of HPV in this malignancy.

Prognostic significance of silent myocardial ischemia on a thallium stress test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, L.I.; Tresgallo, M.; Sciacca, R.R.; Blood, D.K.; Seldin, D.W.; Johnson, L.L.

1990-01-01

The clinical significance of silent ischemia is not fully known. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence or absence of angina during a thallium stress test positive for ischemia was independently predictive of an adverse outcome. Two hundred thirty-four consecutive patients with ischemia on a thallium stress test were identified. Ischemia was defined as the presence of defect(s) on the immediate postexercise scans not in the distribution of prior infarctions that redistributed on 4-hour scans. During the test 129 patients had angina, defined as characteristic neck, jaw, arm, back or chest discomfort, while the remaining 105 patients had no angina. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 8.2 years (mean 5.2 +/- 2.1) and was successfully obtained in 156 patients. Eighty-two of the 156 patients had angina (group A) and 74 had silent ischemia (group S). Group A patients were significantly older (62 +/- 8 vs 59 +/- 8 years, p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of sex, history of prior infarction or presence of left main/3-vessel disease. A larger percentage of patients in group A were receiving beta blockers (60 vs 41%, p less than 0.05) and nitrates (52 vs 36%, 0.05 less than p less than 0.10). There was a large number of cardiac events (myocardial infarction, revascularization and death) in both groups (37 of 82 [45%] in group A; 28 of 72 [38%] in group S) but no statistically significant difference between the groups. Similarly, life-table analysis revealed no difference in mortality between the 2 groups

Presence and enactment as a vehicle of psychotherapeutic change.

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Viederman, M

1999-01-01

This article addresses an aspect of psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic process that leads to change. Focusing on an aspect of the patient-therapist interaction that the author calls "presence" of the therapist, it demonstrates how the experience of this may lead the patient to unconscious enactment of early wishful fantasies concerning the good parent. The gratification of these wishes implicit in the interaction influences the therapist-patient relationship and plays a significant role in change.

Change and clinical significance of serum PG in patients with chronic gastritis

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Wei-Hua Huan

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To observe the change and clinical significance of serum PG in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG. Methods: ELISA was used to detect the peripheral blood PG level in patients confirmed with CAG, gastric polyps, and gastric cancer who were admitted in our hospital from January, 2015 to January, 2016. The normal individuals who came for physical examinations were served as the control group. The peripheral blood PG level in patients with various gastric diseases was observed. Results: The serum PG Ⅰ expression and PG I/PG Ⅱ in the gastritis group were significantly lower than those in the gastric polyps group and control group, but were significantly higher than those in the gastric cancer group; while PG Ⅱ expression was significantly higher than that in the gastric polyps group and control group, but was significantly lower than those in the gastric cancer group. PG Ⅰ expression and PG I/ PG Ⅱ in the gastric polyps group were significantly higher than those in the gastritis group and gastric cancer group, while PG Ⅱ expression was significantly lower than that in the gastritis group and gastric cancer group. PG Ⅰ expression and PG I/ PG Ⅱ in the gastric cancer group were significantly lower than those in the other three groups, while PG Ⅱ expression was significantly higher than that in the other three groups. The serum PG Ⅰ expression in patients with positive HP infection in the gastritis group and gastric cancer group was significantly higher than that in patients with negative HP infection, but the comparison of PG I/ PG Ⅱ was not statistically significant. The serum PG Ⅰ expression and PG I/ PG Ⅱ in patients with negative and positive HP infection in the gastritis group were significantly higher than those in patients with negative and positive HP infection in the gastric cancer group; while PG Ⅱ expression was significantly was significantly lower than that in the gastric cancer group

Clinical Significance of Colonoscopy in Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Polyps and Neoplasms: A Meta-Analysis

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Wu, Zhen-Jie; Lin, Yuan; Xiao, Jun; Wu, Liu-Cheng; Liu, Jun-Gang

2014-01-01

Background Some authors have studied the relationship between the presence of polyps, adenomas and cancers of upper gastrointestinal tract (stomach and duodenum) and risk of colorectal polyps and neoplasms; however, the results are controversial, which may be due to study sample size, populations, design, clinical features, and so on. No meta-analysis, which can be generalized to a larger population and could provide a quantitative pooled risk estimate of the relationship, of this issue existed so far. Methods We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate risk of colorectal polyps or neoplasms in patients with polyps, adenomas or cancers in upper gastrointestinal tract comparing with controls. A search was conducted through PubMed, EMBASE, reference lists of potentially relevant papers, and practice guidelines up to 27 November 2013 without languages restriction. Odd ratios (ORs) were pooled using random-effects models. Results The search yielded 3 prospective and 21 retrospective case-control studies (n = 37152 participants). The principal findings included: (1) OR for colorectal polyps was 1.15 (95% CI, 1.04–1.26) in the gastric polyps group comparing with control groups; (2) Patients with gastric polyps and neoplasms have higher risk (OR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.06–1.62], and 1.72 [95% CI, 1.42–2.09], respectively) of colorectal neoplasms comparing with their controls; and (3) Positive association was found between the presence of colorectal neoplasms and sporadic duodenal neoplasms (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.64–4.11). Conclusions Findings from present meta-analysis of 24 case-control studies suggest that the prevalence of colorectal polyps was higher in patients with gastric polyps than in those without gastric polyps, and the risk of colorectal neoplasms increases significantly in patients with gastric polyps, neoplasms, and duodenal neoplasms. Therefore, screening colonoscopy should be considered for patients with upper gastrointestinal polyps and neoplasms. PMID

CO_2 capture from flue gas using clathrate formation in the presence of thermodynamic promoters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Soyoung; Choi, Sung-Deuk; Seo, Yongwon

2017-01-01

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a water-soluble sII clathrate former, cyclopentane (CP) as a water-insoluble sII clathrate former, and tetra n-butyl ammonium chloride (TBAC) as a water-soluble semiclathrate former were used to investigate their thermodynamic promotion effects on clathrate-based CO_2 capture from simulated flue gas. The phase equilibria of CO_2 (20%) + N_2 (80%) + promoter clathrates at different promoter concentrations revealed that the presence of THF, CP, and TBAC could significantly reduce the clathrate formation pressure. THF solutions provided the highest gas uptake and steepest CO_2 concentration changes in the vapor phase, whereas TBAC solutions showed the highest CO_2 selectivity (∼61%) in the clathrate phase. CP solutions exhibited a slower formation rate, but their final gas uptake and CO_2 selectivity in the clathrate phase were comparable to the THF solutions. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the enclathration of both CO_2 and N_2 in the clathrate cages and a structural transition due to the inclusion of promoters in the clathrate phase. The overall experimental results indicate that TBAC is a viable thermodynamic promoter for clathrate-based CO_2 capture from simulated flue gas, considering the lower pressure requirement for clathrate formation, higher CO_2 enrichment in the clathrate phase, non-toxicity, and non-volatility. - Highlights: • Clathrate-based CO_2 capture was investigated in the presence of thermodynamic promoters. • THF, CP, and TBAC demonstrated a significant thermodynamic promotion for CO_2 (20%) + N_2 (80%) clathrates. • The highest gas uptake was observed for the THF (5.6 mol%) solution. • TBAC solutions showed the highest CO_2 selectivity in the clathrate phase (∼61%). • Raman spectroscopy confirmed the guest gas enclathration and clathrate structure.

Bacterial Vaginosis Presence in Sexually Active Women in Tuzla Canton Area

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Fatima Numanović

2008-11-01

Full Text Available The goal of our research was to determine the presence of bacterial vaginosis in sexually active women in Tuzla Canton area. Diagnosis determination for bacterial vaginosis was conducted on the basis of three out of four internationally accepted criteria according to Amsel and isolation and identification of Gard- nerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis by standard microbiological procedures. Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed in 20,5 % (41/200 women who asked for gynaecologist’s help due to their personal discomfort, since significantly higher percentage of diagnosed bacterial vaginosis of 48,80% (41/84 was determined in women with personal discomfort typical for this disease. All relevant factors, according to available literature, for genesis of bacterial vaginosis were processed in this research. In respect to the obtained outputs, bacterial vaginosis is significantly more frequent occurrence in women who are not married, since the number of sexual partners, the time of the first sexual intercourse, the use of intrauterine contraceptive device and smoking do not cause the genesis of bacterial vaginosis. According to Nugent, an increased vaginal discharge with unpleasant odour after sexual discourse, its pH>4,5, a positive amino odour test, an occurrence of clue cells in a direct microscopic concoction of vaginal discharge and assessment of the state of vaginal flora for bacterial vaginosis are significantly more frequent occurrences in women with individual discomforts. It was proved that G. vaginalisis a dominant micro organism in 95% of women with clinical signs of vaginosis although it was isolated from vaginal discharge in 40 to 50% of healthy women. In our research, G. vaginalis was isolated in 63,41% of examined women with all signs of bacterial vaginosis, in 36,59% of examined women with one or more clinical signs of bacterial vaginosis and in 2,58% of examined women of control group without clinical signs.

Significance of beach geomorphology on fecal indicator bacteria levels.

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Donahue, Allison; Feng, Zhixuan; Kelly, Elizabeth; Reniers, Ad; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M

2017-08-15

Large databases of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) measurements are available for coastal waters. With the assistance of satellite imagery, we illustrated the power of assessing data for many sites by evaluating beach features such as geomorphology, distance from rivers and canals, presence of piers and causeways, and degree of urbanization coupled with the enterococci FIB database for the state of Florida. We found that beach geomorphology was the primary characteristic associated with enterococci levels that exceeded regulatory guidelines. Beaches in close proximity to marshes or within bays had higher enterococci exceedances in comparison to open coast beaches. For open coast beaches, greater enterococci exceedances were associated with nearby rivers and higher levels of urbanization. Piers and causeways had a minimal contribution, as their effect was often overwhelmed by beach geomorphology. Results can be used to understand the potential causes of elevated enterococci levels and to promote public health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Public Good, the Market, and Academic Capitalism: U.S. Cross-Border Higher Education in Panama

Science.gov (United States)

Montoto, Lisette

2013-01-01

In recent years, U.S. colleges and universities have begun to extend their international presence through different models of cross-border higher education. This research explores three models of U.S. higher education in Panama City, Panama: a branch campus, a franchise model and merger/acquisition models. Using a qualitative approach, this study…

Non-spectral interferences due to the presence of sulfuric acid in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

García-Poyo, M. Carmen; Grindlay, Guillermo; Gras, Luis [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99, 03080 – Alicante (Spain); Loos-Vollebregt, Margaretha T.C. de, E-mail: margaretha.deloos@ugent.be [Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Analytical Biotechnology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC Delft (Netherlands); Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Krijgslaan 281 - S12, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Mora, Juan, E-mail: juan.mora@ua.es [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99, 03080 – Alicante (Spain)

2015-03-01

Results of a systematic study concerning non-spectral interferences from sulfuric acid containing matrices on a large number of elements in inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are presented in this work. The signals obtained with sulfuric acid solutions of different concentrations (up to 5% w w{sup −1}) have been compared with the corresponding signals for a 1% w w{sup −1−} nitric acid solution at different experimental conditions (i.e., sample uptake rates, nebulizer gas flows and r.f. powers). The signals observed for {sup 128}Te{sup +}, {sup 78}Se{sup +} and {sup 75}As{sup +} were significantly higher when using sulfuric acid matrices (up to 2.2-fold for {sup 128}Te{sup +} and {sup 78}Se{sup +} and 1.8-fold for {sup 75}As{sup +} in the presence of 5 w w{sup -1} sulfuric acid) for the whole range of experimental conditions tested. This is in agreement with previously reported observations. The signal for {sup 31}P{sup +} is also higher (1.1-fold) in the presence of sulfuric acid. The signal enhancements for {sup 128}Te{sup +}, {sup 78}Se{sup +}, {sup 75}As{sup +} and {sup 31}P{sup +} are explained in relation to an increase in the analyte ion population as a result of charge transfer reactions involving S{sup +} species in the plasma. Theoretical data suggest that Os, Sb, Pt, Ir, Zn and Hg could also be involved in sulfur-based charge transfer reactions, but no experimental evidence has been found. The presence of sulfuric acid gives rise to lower ion signals (about 10–20% lower) for the other nuclides tested, thus indicating the negative matrix effect caused by changes in the amount of analyte loading of the plasma. The elemental composition of a certified low-density polyethylene sample (ERM-EC681K) was determined by ICP-MS after two different sample digestion procedures, one of them including sulfuric acid. Element concentrations were in agreement with the certified values, irrespective of the acids used for the digestion. These

Characteristics associated with presence of depressive symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterling, Lindsey; Dawson, Geraldine; Estes, Annette; Greenson, Jessica

2008-07-01

Evidence suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often exhibit associated psychiatric symptoms, particularly related to depression. The current study investigated whether individual characteristics, specifically, severity of ASD symptoms, level of cognitive ability, and/or presence of other psychiatric disorders, are associated with occurrence of depressive symptoms in adults with ASD. Forty-six adults with ASD were administered a standardized psychiatric history interview. Twenty participants (43%) endorsed depressive symptoms. It was found that individuals with less social impairment, higher cognitive ability, and higher rates of other psychiatric symptoms, were more likely to report depressive symptoms. These characteristics may be vulnerability factors for the development of depression, and should be considered when screening and treating adults with ASD.

PRESENCE OF RESPIRATORY VIRUSES IN EQUINES IN BRAZIL

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Dalva Assunção Portari Mancini

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Equines are susceptible to respiratory viruses such as influenza and parainfluenza. Respiratory diseases have adversely impacted economies all over the world. This study was intended to determine the presence of influenza and parainfluenza viruses in unvaccinated horses from some regions of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Blood serum collected from 72 equines of different towns in this state was tested by hemagglutination inhibition test to detect antibodies for both viruses using the corresponding antigens. About 98.6% (71 and 97.2% (70 of the equines responded with antibody protective titers (≥ 80 HIU/25µL H7N7 and H3N8 subtypes of influenza A viruses, respectively. All horses (72 also responded with protective titers (≥ 80 HIU/25µL against the parainfluenza virus. The difference between mean antibody titers to H7N7 and H3N8 subtypes of influenza A viruses was not statistically significant (p > 0.05. The mean titers for influenza and parainfluenza viruses, on the other hand, showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001. These results indicate a better antibody response from equines to parainfluenza 3 virus than to the equine influenza viruses. No statistically significant differences in the responses against H7N7 and H3N8 subtypes of influenza A and parainfluenza 3 viruses were observed according to the gender (female, male or the age (≤ 2 to 20 years-old groups. This study provides evidence of the concomitant presence of two subtypes of the equine influenza A (H7N7 and H3N8 viruses and the parainfluenza 3 virus in equines in Brazil. Thus, it is advisable to vaccinate equines against these respiratory viruses.

Equation of state in the presence of gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyeong-Chan; Kang, Gungwon

2016-11-01

We investigate how an equation of state for matter is affected when a gravity is present. For this purpose, we consider a box of ideal gas in the presence of Newtonian gravity. In addition to the ordinary thermodynamic quantities, a characteristic variable that represents a weight per unit area relative to the average pressure is required in order to describe a macroscopic state of the gas. Although the density and the pressure are not uniform due to the presence of gravity, the ideal gas law itself is satisfied for the thermodynamic quantities when averaged over the system. Assuming that the system follows an adiabatic process further, we obtain a new relation between the averaged pressure and density, which differs from the conventional equation of state for the ideal gas in the absence of gravity. Applying our results to a small volume in a Newtonian star, however, we find that the conventional one is reliable for most astrophysical situations when the characteristic scale is small. On the other hand, gravity effects become significant near the surface of a Newtonian star.

An Analytical Comparison of the Opinions of Physicians Working in Emergency and Trauma Surgery Departments at Tabriz and Vienna Medical Universities Regarding Family Presence during Resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Soleimanpour, Hassan; Behringer, Wilhelm; Tabrizi, Jafar Sadegh; Sarahrudi, Kambiz; Golzari, Samad E J; Hajdu, Stefan; Rasouli, Maryam; Nikakhtar, Mehdi; Mehdizadeh Esfanjani, Robab

2015-01-01

The present study evaluated the opinions of physicians working in the emergency and trauma surgery departments of Vienna Medical University, in Austria, and Tabriz Medical University, in Iran, regarding the presence of patients' relatives during resuscitation. In a descriptive-analytical study, the data obtained from questionnaires that had been distributed randomly to 40 specialists and residents at each of the participating universities were analyzed. The questionnaire consisted of two sections aimed at capturing the participants' demographic data, the participants' opinions regarding their support for the family's presence during resuscitation, and the multiple potential factors affecting the participants' attitudes, including health beliefs, triggers that could facilitate the procedure, self-efficacy, intellectual norms, and perceived behavioral control. The questionnaire also included a direct question (Question 16) on whether the participants approved of family presence. Each question could be answered using a Likert-type scale. The results showed that the mean scores for Question 16 were 4.31 ± 0.64 and 3.57 ± 1.31 for participants at Vienna and Tabriz universities, respectively. Moreover, physicians at Vienna University disapproved of the presence of patients' families during resuscitation to a higher extent than did those at Tabriz University (P = 0.018). Of the studied prognostic factors affecting the perspectives of Vienna Medical University's physicians, health beliefs (P = 0.000; B = 1.146), triggers (P = 0.000; B = 1.050), and norms (P = 0.000; B = 0.714) were found to be significant. Moreover, of the studied prognostic factors affecting the perspectives of Tabriz Medical University's physicians, health beliefs (P = 0.000; B = 0.875), triggers (P = 0.000; B = 1.11), self-efficacy (P = 0.001; B = 0.5), and perceived behavioral control (P = 0.03; B = 0.713) were significant. Most physicians at Vienna and Tabriz Medical universities were not open

Examining the Impact of Video Feedback on Instructor Social Presence in Blended Courses

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Jered Borup

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This mixed method research examined instructors’ use of video feedback and its impact on instructor social presence in 12 blended sections of three preservice educational technology courses. An independent samples t-test was conducted and found no significant difference in perceptions of instructor social presence between students who received video feedback (M = 5.77, SD = 0.85 and those who received text (M = 5.62, SD = 0.75; t(178 = 1.23, p = 0.22. The analysis of 22 student and nine teacher interviews found that participants generally viewed video feedback to be more effective at establishing instructor social presence because instructors could better speak with emotions, talk in a conversational manner, and create a sense of closeness with students. Students also explained that the blended learning format lessened the impact of video feedback on instructor social presence, which may help to explain why statistical differences were not found.

CaO as Drop-In Colloidal Catalysts for the Synthesis of Higher Polyglycerols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kirby, Fiona; Nieuwelink, Anne Eva; Kuipers, Bonny W M; Kaiser, Anton; Bruijnincx, Pieter C A; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

2015-01-01

Glycerol is an attractive renewable building block for the synthesis of polyglycerols, which find application in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The selective etherification of glycerol to higher oligomers was studied in the presence of CaO colloids and the data are compared with those

Association of TNF-α but not IL-1β levels with the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection increased the risk of peptic ulcer development.

Science.gov (United States)

Tourani, Mehdi; Habibzadeh, Maryam; Karkhah, Ahmad; Shokri-Shirvani, Javad; Barari, Ladan; Nouri, Hamid Reza

2018-02-15

Peptic ulcer is a lesion in the mucosa of the digestive tract affecting many people all around the world. Recent investigations have indicated that produced inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β in response to gastric infection by Helicobacter pylori play an important role in the development of peptic ulcer. With regard to the significance of these cytokines in peptic ulcer development and the high prevalence of this disease in the developing countries, this study aimed to investigate the association of TNF-α and IL-1β with peptic ulcer in the presence of H. pylori. This case-control study enrolled 61 patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) as cases and 59 people without peptic ulcer (NPUD) as controls. Blood samples and endoscopic biopsies were collected. H. pylori infection was confirmed by using rapid urease test (RUT), specific IgG measurement and histopathological examination. Then, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were evaluated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The seropositivity of H. pylori was 62.5% in the studied population, while by considering RUT and histopathological examination along with specific-IgG antibody, H. pylori infection decreased to 56.7%. In addition, H. pylori infection was significantly (OR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.17-0.82; P = .02) associated with peptic ulcer development. The TNF-α level in PUD and infected H. pylori subjects was significantly higher than that of control and un-infected H. pylori individuals. However, no significant difference of IL1β level was observed between PUD and control groups as well as between H. pylori infected and un-infected individuals. Interestingly, IL-1β level in PUD patients without H. pylori infection was significantly higher than infected ones. Moreover, a significant correlation between specific-IgG antibody with TNF-α level was observed. Taken together, our results showed that increased level of TNF-α could probably play pivotal role in pathogenesis of peptic ulcer

The risk of being depressed is significantly higher in cancer patients than in the general population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartung, T J; Brähler, E; Faller, H

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common co-morbidity of cancer that has a detrimental effect on quality of life, treatment adherence and potentially survival. We conducted an epidemiological multi-center study including a population-based random comparison sample and estimated the prevalence...... of depressive symptoms by cancer site, thereby identifying cancer patients with the highest prevalence of depression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 4020 adult cancer inpatients and outpatients from five distinct regions across Germany in a proportional stratified random sample based on the nationwide cancer......% participated (51% women, mean age = 58 years). We estimated that one in four cancer patients (24%) is depressed (PHQ-9 ≥ 10). The odds of being depressed among cancer patients were more than five times higher than in the general population (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 4.6-6.2). Patients with pancreatic (M = 8.0, SD = 5...

A Team of Instructors' Use of Social Presence, Teaching Presence, and Attitudinal Dissonance Strategies: An Animal Behaviour and Welfare MOOC

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Sunnie Lee; Watson, William R.; Janakiraman, Shamila; Richardson, Jennifer

2017-01-01

This case study examined a team of instructors' use of social presence, teaching presence, and attitudinal dissonance in a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on Animal Behaviour and Welfare (ABW), designed to facilitate attitudinal learning. The study reviewed a team of six instructors' use of social presence and teaching presence by applying the…

Body: presence and transience

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Marcelo Andrés Comandú

2012-11-01

Full Text Available We conceive presence as an event that takes place in the body and among the bodies. In the work of making themselves present, the performer creates a territory-body of habitability/inter-penetration of states, actions, thoughts, voices, sonorities; a body-space with multiple trajectories, withdrawn and projected from its own existence/subjectivity, extended in other matters and exposed to other odies/subjects/objects. We regard the performer’s body as an intense, outstretched, and expanded body. We deal with these categories from the standpoint of various practices and conceptualizations of body and event, in order to reflect on the constitution/construction of presence in performance.

Email and Epistolary technologies: Presence, Intimacy, Disembodiment

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Esther Milne

2003-01-01

Full Text Available A key problem for critical media practice is how to assess accurately the technological impact, historical significance and cultural consequences of a particular change in a communications system. Contemporary theorising about the impact of electronic, digitally networked culture is often articulated within an eschatological narrative of apocalypse and last things. The old is cast as naive and redundant while the new appears triumphant, conquering and redemptive. Washing away the sins of the old, the new technology arrives, it seems, out of nowhere. In response to such socio-technological representations, this paper argues that the dialectic between old and new communication systems is more complex than has been assumed by contemporary media theory. Rather than a narrative of radical changes, decisive shifts and abrupt breaks, the relation between epistolary and email technology reveals certain continuities. Specifically, tropes of presence and intimacy are traced through three media sites: a "virtual community" of British nineteenth-century letter writers, the postcard correspondence of an Australian First World War soldier and a twenty first century email discussion list. Mapping these sites reveals a central paradox of technological and discursive cultural practice, namely, that material signifiers can be used to produce incorporeal presence.

Sorption and reduction of selenite on chlorite surfaces in the presence of Fe(II) ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Baik, Min Hoon; Lee, Seung Yeop; Jeong, Jongtae

2013-12-01

The sorption and reduction of selenite on chlorite surfaces in the presence of Fe(II) ions were investigated as a function of pH, Se(IV) concentration, and Fe(II) concentration under an anoxic condition. The sorption of Se(IV) onto chlorite surfaces followed the Langmuir isotherm regardless of the presence of Fe(II) ions in the solution. The Se(IV) sorption was observed to be very low at all pH values when the solution was Fe(II)-free or the concentration of Fe(II) ions was as low as 0.5 mg/L. However, the Se(IV) sorption was enhanced at a pH > 6.5 when the Fe(II) concentration was higher than 5 mg/L because of the increased sorption of Fe(II) onto the chlorite surfaces. XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) spectra of the Se K-edge showed that most of the sorbed Se(IV) was reduced to Se(0) by Fe(II) sorbed onto the chlorite surfaces, especially at pH > 9. The combined results of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) also showed that elemental selenium and goethite were formed and precipitated on the chlorite surfaces during the sorption of selenite. Consequently it can be concluded that Se(IV) can be reduced to Se(0) in the presence of Fe(II) ions by the surface catalytic oxidation of Fe(II) into Fe(III) and the formation of goethite at neutral and particularly alkaline conditions. Thus the mobility of selenite in groundwater is expected to be reduced by the presence of a relatively higher concentration of Fe(II) in subsurface environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of the presence of core debris on the behavior of sodium-concrete reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, D.H.; Muhlestein, L.D.

1984-01-01

Calculations using the SOCON model indicated the following: the temperature was increased throughout the concrete and the reaction product layer. Temperature could be raised to above sodium bp. Rate of release and accumulation of water and CO 2 gas were increased. The sodium mass transport to the reaction surface was also increased. As a consequence, more hydrogen and chemical heat were produced. The probability of concrete mechanical failure was higher. Sodium boiling inside the reaction product layer would not significantly alter the course of the reaction, unless it could reduce the rate of sodium transport. Although the chemical heat dominated during the early period, the decay heat could become the main source later. The reactions were driven by three main heat sources: the chemical heat, core debris heat and conduction heat from the hot sodium pool. The latter could become a heat sink. Even with the presence of core debris, the chemical reaction penetration was self-limiting and eventually, the reaction penetration rate decreased to a small value

[Smoking in the presence of infants; a survey among parents attending well-baby clinics].

Science.gov (United States)

Hirasing, R A; Gena, S A; Simon, J G; Kossen-Boot, H; Meulmeester, J F; van den Oudenrijn, C

1994-07-09

To determine the exposure to cigarette smoke of infants aged 0-14 months. Cross-sectional. The area of Westfriesland, the Netherlands. All parents of infants 8 days, 3, 5, 9, and 14 months old who visited the infant welfare centre in 1992 were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire was filled in by 75% of the parents. Smoking before pregnancy was reported by 38% of the mothers, 25% smoked for more than 12 weeks during pregnancy. Almost 50% of all infants were exposed to cigarette smoke at home: 31% of the fathers, 27% of the mothers and 21% others smoked at home. The number of parents who smoked > or = 16 cigarettes a day at home was significantly higher in the weekend than on working days. Nobody smoked in the bedroom of the infant, 42% smoked in the living room, 21% smoked during nursing the infant and 11% smoked in the car in the presence of the infant. Infants are often exposed to cigarette smoke at home, during nursing and in the car.

INTERNATIONALIZATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

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Catalina Crisan-Mitra

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Internationalization of higher education is one of the key trends of development. There are several approaches on how to achieve competitiveness and performance in higher education and international academic mobility; students’ exchange programs, partnerships are some of the aspects that can play a significant role in this process. This paper wants to point out the student’s perception regarding two main directions: one about the master students’ expectation regarding how an internationalized master should be organized and should function, and second the degree of satisfaction of the beneficiaries of internationalized master programs from Babe-Bolyai University. This article is based on an empirical qualitative research that was implemented to students of an internationalized master from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. This research can be considered a useful example for those preoccupied to increase the quality of higher education and conclusions drawn have relevance both theoretically and especially practically.

Electro-osmosis over inhomogeneously charged surfaces in presence of non-electrostatic ion-ion interactions

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Ghosh, Uddipta; Chakraborty, Suman

2016-06-01

In this study, we attempt to bring out a generalized formulation for electro-osmotic flows over inhomogeneously charged surfaces in presence of non-electrostatic ion-ion interactions. To this end, we start with modified electro-chemical potential of the individual species and subsequently use it to derive modified Nernst-Planck equation accounting for the ionic fluxes generated because of the presence of non-electrostatic potential. We establish what we refer to as the Poisson-Helmholtz-Nernst-Planck equations, coupled with the Navier-Stokes equations, to describe the complete transport process. Our analysis shows that the presence of non-electrostatic interactions between the ions results in an excess body force on the fluid, and modifies the osmotic pressure as well, which has hitherto remained unexplored. We further apply our analysis to a simple geometry, in an effort to work out the Smoluchowski slip velocity for thin electrical double layer limits. To this end, we employ singular perturbation and develop a general framework for the asymptotic analysis. Our calculations reveal that the final expression for slip velocity remains the same as that without accounting for non-electrostatic interactions. However, the presence of non-electrostatic interactions along with ion specificity can significantly change the quantitative behavior of Smoluchowski slip velocity. We subsequently demonstrate that the presence of non-electrostatic interactions may significantly alter the effective interfacial potential, also termed as the "Zeta potential." Our analysis can potentially act as a guide towards the prediction and possibly quantitative determination of the implications associated with the existence of non-electrostatic potential, in an electrokinetic transport process.

Exploring the Effect of Au/Pt Ratio on Glycerol Oxidation in Presence and Absence of a Base

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Alberto Villa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Bimetallic AuPt nanoparticles with different Au:Pt ratios (molar ratio: 9-1, 8-2, 6-4, 2-8, 1-9 and the corresponding Au and Pt monometallic ones were prepared by sol immobilization and immobilized on commercial TiO2 (P25. The catalytic activity was evaluated in the liquid phase glycerol oxidation in presence and absence of a base (NaOH. It was found that the Au:Pt molar ratio and reaction conditions strongly influence the catalytic performance. In the presence of NaOH, Au-rich catalysts were more active than Pt-rich ones, with the highest activity observed for Au9Pt1/TiO2 (6575 h−1. In absence of a base, a higher content of Pt is needed to produce the most active catalyst (Au6Pt4/TiO2, 301 h−1. In terms of selectivity, in presence of NaOH, Au-rich catalysts showed a high selectivity to C3 products (63–72% whereas Pt-rich catalysts promote the formation of formic and glycolic acids. The opposite trend was observed in absence of a base with Pt-rich catalysts showing higher selectivity to C3 products (83–88%.

Radiosensitivity of higher plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Zhijie

1992-11-01

The general views on radiosensitivity of higher plants have been introduced from published references. The radiosensitivity varies with species, varieties and organs or tissues. The main factors of determining the radiosensitivity in different species are nucleus volume, chromosome volume, DNA content and endogenous compounds. The self-repair ability of DNA damage and chemical group of biological molecules, such as -SH thiohydroxy of proteins, are main factors to determine the radiosensitivity in different varieties. The moisture, oxygen, temperature radiosensitizer and protector are important external factors for radiosensitivity. Both the multiple target model and Chadwick-Leenhouts model are ideal mathematical models for describing the radiosensitivity of higher plants and the latter has more clear significance in biology

Day-by-Day: Higher Education in Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Roof, David J.

2015-01-01

This paper examines higher education in Afghanistan. Based on qualitative research, including interviews with key policymakers and stakeholders, the paper examines the primary issues, challenges, progress, and future vision for higher education in the country. The research reveals that one of the most significant issues in the country in the…

Moral significance of phenomenal consciousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Neil; Savulescu, Julian

2009-01-01

Recent work in neuroimaging suggests that some patients diagnosed as being in the persistent vegetative state are actually conscious. In this paper, we critically examine this new evidence. We argue that though it remains open to alternative interpretations, it strongly suggests the presence of consciousness in some patients. However, we argue that its ethical significance is less than many people seem to think. There are several different kinds of consciousness, and though all kinds of consciousness have some ethical significance, different kinds underwrite different kinds of moral value. Demonstrating that patients have phenomenal consciousness--conscious states with some kind of qualitative feel to them--shows that they are moral patients, whose welfare must be taken into consideration. But only if they are subjects of a sophisticated kind of access consciousness--where access consciousness entails global availability of information to cognitive systems--are they persons, in the technical sense of the word employed by philosophers. In this sense, being a person is having the full moral status of ordinary human beings. We call for further research which might settle whether patients who manifest signs of consciousness possess the sophisticated kind of access consciousness required for personhood.

Relations between the tendency to invest in virtual presence, actual virtual presence and learning outcomes in educational computer games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrader, Claudia; Bastiaens, Theo

2018-01-01

The study examines whether the effect of virtual presence on learning is influenced by learner characteristics. More specifically, the focus is on how the variation in the actual experience of virtual presence and learning is related to learners' individual tendency to invest in virtual presence for

Gluten-free dough-making of specialty breads: Significance of blended starches, flours and additives on dough behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Collar, Concha; Conte, Paola; Fadda, Costantino; Piga, Antonio

2015-10-01

The capability of different gluten-free (GF) basic formulations made of flour (rice, amaranth and chickpea) and starch (corn and cassava) blends, to make machinable and viscoelastic GF-doughs in absence/presence of single hydrocolloids (guar gum, locust bean and psyllium fibre), proteins (milk and egg white) and surfactants (neutral, anionic and vegetable oil) have been investigated. Macroscopic (high deformation) and macromolecular (small deformation) mechanical, viscometric (gelatinization, pasting, gelling) and thermal (gelatinization, melting, retrogradation) approaches were performed on the different matrices in order to (a) identify similarities and differences in GF-doughs in terms of a small number of rheological and thermal analytical parameters according to the formulations and (b) to assess single and interactive effects of basic ingredients and additives on GF-dough performance to achieve GF-flat breads. Larger values for the static and dynamic mechanical characteristics and higher viscometric profiles during both cooking and cooling corresponded to doughs formulated with guar gum and Psyllium fibre added to rice flour/starch and rice flour/corn starch/chickpea flour, while surfactant- and protein-formulated GF-doughs added to rice flour/starch/amaranth flour based GF-doughs exhibited intermediate and lower values for the mechanical parameters and poorer viscometric profiles. In addition, additive-free formulations exhibited higher values for the temperature of both gelatinization and retrogradation and lower enthalpies for the thermal transitions. Single addition of 10% of either chickpea flour or amaranth flour to rice flour/starch blends provided a large GF-dough hardening effect in presence of corn starch and an intermediate effect in presence of cassava starch (chickpea), and an intermediate reinforcement of GF-dough regardless the source of starch (amaranth). At macromolecular level, both chickpea and amaranth flours, singly added, determined

Community of inquiry: Social presence revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kreijns, Karel; Van Acker, Frederik; Vermeulen, Marjan; Van Buuren, Hans

2018-01-01

Social presence is a construct that has attracted the attention of many educational scholars involved in online collaborative learning settings wherein all the dialogue is happening through text-based asynchronous and synchronous communication channels. The social presence of the learning group

The Relation between Virtual Presence and Learning Outcomes in Serious Games – The Mediating Effect of Motivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Schrader

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Does the immersive design of a serious game affect learners’ virtual presence? Does virtual presence improve learning? By identifying virtual presence as a variable that may determine learning outcomes, it is argued that computer gaming environments present a new challenge for researchers to investigate. Particularly, the effect of games on virtual presence might help designers to predict which instructional configurations will maximize learning performance. Results indicate that the serious game used as an example in this study leads to a strong form of virtual presence. Virtual presence enhanced retention and comprehension but not transfer. It also significantly increased learners’ motivation. Mediation analyses report that the positive relation between virtual presence, retention and comprehension is mediated through increased motivation. These findings suggest that the relation between all variables should be considered an important factor in the design of virtual worlds for learning.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues inhibit leiomyoma extracellular matrix despite presence of gonadal hormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Minnie; Britten, Joy; Cox, Jeris; Patel, Amrita; Catherino, William H

2016-01-01

To determine the effect of GnRH analogues (GnRH-a) leuprolide acetate (LA) and cetrorelix acetate on gonadal hormone-regulated expression of extracellular matrix in uterine leiomyoma three-dimensional (3D) cultures. Laboratory study. University research laboratory. Women undergoing hysterectomy for symptomatic leiomyomas. The 3D cell cultures, protein analysis, Western blot, immunohistochemistry. Expression of extracellular matrix proteins, collagen 1, fibronectin, and versican in leiomyoma cells 3D cultures exposed to E2, P, LA, cetrorelix acetate, and combinations for 24- and 72-hour time points. The 3D leiomyoma cultures exposed to E2 for 24 hours demonstrated an increased expression of collagen-1 and fibronectin, which was maintained for up to 72 hours, a time point at which versican was up-regulated significantly. Although P up-regulated collagen-1 protein (1.29 ± 0.04) within 24 hours of exposure, significant increase in all extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was observed when the gonadal hormones were used concomitantly. Significant decrease in the amount of ECM proteins was observed on use of GnRH-a, LA and cetrorelix, with 24-hour exposure. Both the compounds also significantly decreased ECM protein concentration despite the presence of E2 or both gonadal hormones. This study demonstrates that GnRH-a directly affect the gonadal hormone-regulated collagen-1, fibronectin, and versican production in their presence. These findings suggest that localized therapy with GnRH-a may inhibit leiomyoma growth even in the presence of endogenous gonadal hormone exposure, thereby providing a mechanism to eliminate the hypoestrogenic side effects associated with GnRH-a therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Presence and HRCT quantification of bronchiectasis in coal workers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Altin, R.; Savranlar, A.; Kart, L.; Mahmutyazicioglu, K.; Ozdemir, H.; Akdag, B.; Gundogdu, S. [Zonguldak Karalmas University, Zonguldak (Turkey). Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine

2004-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of bronchiectasis in coal workers with or without coal worker pneumoconiosis (CWT) and to assess the extent of bronchiectasis, severity of bronchial wall dilatation and thickening by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The patient group consisted of 78 patients (43 CWP; 35 non-CWP). Pneumoconiosis profusions of CWP workers were between p0/1 and p2/2 according to ILO 1980 chest X-ray classification. HRCT examinations of all subjects were evaluated for the presence, extent, dilatation and thickness of bronchiectasis. The diagnosis of bronchiectasis was put on 19 of 43 CWP (44.1 %) and 7 of 35 non-CWP workers (20.0 %). There were statistically significant differences between bronchiectasis positive and negative coal workers with CWP concerning age and exposure duration (P = 0.012 and 0.009, respectively). Then, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to define exact risk factors. Exposure duration was only found to be related with presence of bronchiectasis ((odds ratio) OR = 1.494, 95 % confidence interval 1.168-1.912). The data from the present study shows that bronchiectasis is frequent and severe in CWP workers than without. Bronchiectasis is influenced by coal dust exposure. Thus, coal dust protection measures must be controlled efficiently to prevent bronchiectasis in coal workers.

Resistance to change in Greek higher education

OpenAIRE

Kremmyda, Stamatia

2015-01-01

This thesis is a study of resistance to the changes in Greek higher education that were implemented within the framework of the 1999 Bologna Agreement of the European Union in the period 2007-2008. The changes that occurred were of great significance for Greece’s education system as they introduced important changes in the structure and function of Greek higher education. This thesis argues that the organisational culture that had been created throughout the history of Greek higher education ...

The use of sulphite solutions for studying the effects of SO2 on higher plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garsed, S.G.

1981-01-01

The effects of sulphite concentration and pH on 14 CO 2 fixation or the uptake of 35 S by needle segments of Pinus sylvestris were studied in factorial experiments. In addition, changes in the chemical composition of the sulphite solutions during the experiment were measured. Uptake of 14 CO 2 was increased and standard errors decreased by incorporating 1.0 to 10 ppm of Tween 80 into the solutions used. Inhibition of 14 CO 2 fixation by sulphite was significantly greater at low pH and high sulphite concentration, with a significant interaction. Uptake of Na 2 35 SO 3 was greater at low pH and was linear with respect to the concentration of Na 2 SO 3 carrier added between 10 -3 and 10 -4 M. In the absence of carrier, recovery of 35 S at the end of the experiment was reduced. Oxidation of the sulphite solutions was rapid at high pH and low concentration, with a significant interaction. It was also accelerated by the presence of plant material. The use of sulphite solutions to predict responses of higher plants to SO 2 is discussed. (author)

Air in vagina: significance in the staging of uterine cervical carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung Hyup; Choi, Byung Ihn; Kang, Soon Beom; Lee, Hyo Pyo; Han, Man Chung

1994-01-01

To evaluate the significance of vaginal air seen on CT scan in preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma. A comparison was made between CT findings of vaginal fir and true vaginal involvement status in 85 patients with uterine cervical carcinoma. CT findings were analyzed in terms of the presence or absence of vaginal air, number of CT slices in which vaginal air was seen, shape of vaginal air, and relation of vaginal air to cervical mass. Vaginal air was present in 35 patients and was absent in 50. Although the mere presence of vaginal air or multiplicity of CT slices showing vaginal air did not signify the presence of vaginal involvement, vaginal air with irregular margin or vaginal air adjacent to uterine cervical mass was suggestive of vaginal involvement. These observation of vaginal air in interpreting CT may be helpful in the preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma

Presence within a mixed reality environment.

Science.gov (United States)

van Schaik, Paul; Turnbull, Triece; van Wersch, Anna; Drummond, Sarah

2004-10-01

Mixed reality environments represent a new approach to creating technology-mediated experiences. However, there is a lack of empirical research investigating users' actual experience. The aim of the current exploratory, non-experimental study was to establish levels of and identify factors associated with presence, within the framework of Schubert et al.'s model of presence. Using questionnaire and interview methods, the experience of the final performance of the Desert Rain mixed reality environment was investigated. Levels of general and spatial presence were relatively high, but levels of involvement and realness were not. Overall, intrinsic motivation, confidence and intention to re-visit Desert Rain were high. However, age was negatively associated with both spatial presence and confidence to play. Furthermore, various problems in navigating the environment were identified. Results are discussed in terms of Schubert's model and other theoretical perspectives. Implications for system design are presented.

Accreditation and Its Significance for Programs of Higher Education in Criminology and Criminal Justice: A Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Antony E.

The development of minimum standards in higher education through the evolution of accreditation in specialized disciplines, and standard setting in criminology and criminal justice education are examined. The very different experiences with the concept of accreditation encountered in the fields of public administration and law are considered. Law…

Emissions characteristics of higher alcohol/gasoline blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautam, M.; Martin, D.W.; Carder, D.

2000-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the emissions characteristics of higher alcohols and gasoline (UTG96) blends. While lower alcohols (methanol and ethanol) have been used in blends with gasoline, very little work has been done or reported on higher alcohols (propanol, butanol and pentanol). Comparisons of emissions and fuel characteristics between higher alcohol/gasoline blends and neat gasoline were made to determine the advantages and disadvantages of blending higher alcohols with gasoline. All tests were conducted on a single-cylinder Waukesha Cooperative Fuel Research engine operating at steady state conditions and stoichiometric air-fuel (A/F) ratio. Emissions test were conducted at the optimum spark timing-knock limiting compression ratio combination for the particular blend being tested. The cycle emission [mass per unit time (g/h)] of CO, CO 2 and organic matter hydrocarbon equivalent (OMHCE) from the higher alcohol/gasoline blends were very similar to those from neat gasoline. Cycle emissions of NO x from the blends were higher than those from neat gasoline. However, for all the emissions species considered, the brake specific emissions (g/kW h) were significantly lower for the higher alcohol/gasoline blends than for neat gasoline. This was because the blends had greater resistance to knock and allowed higher compression ratios, which increased engine power output. The contribution of alcohols and aldehydes to the overall OMHCE emissions was found to be minimal. Cycle fuel consumption (g/h) of higher alcohol/gasoline blends was slightly higher than with neat gasoline due to the lower stoichiometric A/F ratios required by the blends. However, the brake specific fuel consumption (g/kW h) for the blends was significantly lower than that for neat gasoline. (Author)

The significance of classical structures in quantum theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowe, M.J.

1978-09-01

The implications for the quantum theory of the presence of non-linear classical solutions of the equations of motion are investigated in various model systems under the headings: (1) Canonical quantisation of the soliton in lambdaphi 4 theory in two dimensions. (2) Bound for soliton masses in two dimensional field theories. (3) The canonical quantisation of a soliton like solution in the non-linear schrodinger equation. (4) The significance of the instanton classical solution in a quantum mechanical system. (U.K.)

Sorption of Eu(III) on Pseudomonas fluorescens in the presence of citric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Yoshinori; Tsushima, Satoru; Yamamoto, Ichiro; Nankawa, Takuya; Yoshida, Takahiro; Ozaki, Takuo; Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Francis, Arokiasamy J.; Enokida, Youichi

2005-01-01

We studied the sorption of Eu(III) on Pseudomonas fluorescens in the absence and presence of citric acid by a batch method. The cells were placed in a solution containing 2 μM of Eu(III) and 0, 100, or 1000 μM of citric acid at pH 3 9 for 5 hours. In the absence of citric acid, almost 100% of Eu(III) was sorbed on P. fluorescens at pHs below 7; above 7, sorption decreased with an increase in pH. The time course of Eu(III) sorption on P. fluorescens showed that a fraction of it was desorbed into the solution at alkaline pHs, suggesting that the bacterium may release some exudates. With citric acid present, we found that at higher concentrations there was lower sorption of Eu(III), reflecting the formation of Eu(III)-citrate complexes with the Eu(III)-cell-surface complexes. This decrease in Eu(III) sorption was significant in alkaline pHs. These findings suggest that citric acid which is ubiquitously found in the environment enhances migration of trivalent actinides in the alkaline environment. (author)

Time-dependent Enhanced Corrosion of Ti6Al4V in the Presence of H2O2 and Albumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Addison, Owen; Yu, Fei; Troconis, Brendy C Rincon; Scully, John R; Davenport, Alison J

2018-02-16

There is increasing concern regarding the biological consequences of metal release from implants. However, the mechanisms underpinning implant surface degradation, especially in the absence of wear, are often poorly understood. Here the synergistic effect of albumin and H 2 O 2 on corrosion of Ti6Al4V in physiological saline is studied with electrochemical methods. It is found that albumin induces a time-dependent dissolution of Ti6Al4V in the presence of H 2 O 2 in physiology saline. Potentiostatic polarisation measurements show that albumin supresses dissolution in the presence of H 2 O 2 at short times (<24 h) but over longer time periods (120 h) it significantly accelerates corrosion, which is attributed to albumin-catalysed dissolution of the corrosion product layer resulting in formation of a thinner oxide film. Dissolution of Ti6Al4V in the presence of albumin and H 2 O 2 in physiological saline is also found to be dependent on potential: the titanium ion release rate is found to be higher (0.57 µg/cm 2 ) at a lower potential (90 mV), where the oxide capacitance and resistance inferred from Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy also suggests a less resistant oxide film. The study highlights the importance of using more realistic solutions, and considering behaviour over longer time periods when testing corrosion resistance of metallic biomaterials.

A functionally significant polymorphism in ID3 is associated with human coronary pathology.

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Ani Manichaikul

Full Text Available We previously identified association between the ID3 SNP rs11574 and carotid intima-media thickness in the Diabetes Heart Study, a predominantly White diabetic population. The nonsynonymous SNP rs11574 results in an amino acid substitution in the C-terminal region of ID3, attenuating the dominant negative function of ID3 as an inhibitor of basic HLH factor E12-mediated transcription. In the current investigation, we characterize the association between the functionally significant polymorphism in ID3, rs11574, with human coronary pathology.The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA is a longitudinal study of subclinical cardiovascular disease, including non-Hispanic White (n = 2,588, African American (n = 2,560 and Hispanic (n = 2,130 participants with data on coronary artery calcium (CAC. The Coronary Assessment in Virginia cohort (CAVA included 71 patients aged 30-80 years, undergoing a medically necessary cardiac catheterization and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS at the University of Virginia. ID3 SNP rs11574 risk allele was associated with the presence of CAC in MESA Whites (P = 0.017. In addition, the risk allele was associated with greater atheroma burden and stenosis in the CAVA cohort (P = 0.003, P = 0.04 respectively. The risk allele remained predictive of atheroma burden in multivariate analysis (Model 1: covariates age, gender, and LDL, regression coefficient = 9.578, SE = 3.657, p = 0.0110; Model 2: covariates Model 1, presence of hypertension, presence of diabetes, regression coefficient = 8.389, SE = 4.788, p = 0.0163.We present additional cohorts that demonstrate association of ID3 SNP rs11574 directly with human coronary artery pathology as measured by CAC and IVUS: one a multiethnic, relatively healthy population with low levels of diabetes and the second a predominantly White population with a higher incidence of T2DM referred for cardiac catheterization.

Presence of intratumoral neutrophils is an independent prognostic factor in localized renal cell carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hanne Krogh; Donskov, Frede; Marcussen, Niels

2009-01-01

: The intratumoral neutrophils ranged from zero to 289 cells/mm(2) tumor tissue. The presence of intratumoral neutrophils was statistically significantly associated with increasing tumor size, low hemoglobin, high creatinine, and CA IX

Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates: An Analysis of the Outcomes of Significant Increases in Supply and Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Stephen

2010-01-01

During the last decade, several countries across the Middle and Far East have established higher education hubs, some of which have grown rapidly by attracting foreign universities to set up international branch campuses. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is by far the largest host of international branch campuses globally, having over 40 providers…

Presence and Distribution of Tobacco Viruses in Montenegro

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Jelena Zindović

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Seven important tobacco viruses were investigated in Montenegro in 2005: Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV, Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV, Potato Virus Y (PVY, Alfalfa Mosaic Virus (AMV, Tobacco Ring Spot Virus (TRSV and Potato Virus X(PVX. This investigation included sample collection from four tobacco growing regions in Montenegro and their serological testing by DAS-ELISA test. Presence of different strains of PVY was investigated as well using DAS ELISA test with specific monoclonal antibodies.Serological results proved the presence of four tobacco viruses (TMV, CMV, PVY and AMV, while TSWV, TRSV and PVX were not found in the tested samples of tobacco crops in Montenegro. The results also showed that TMV and CMV were the most frequent (44.6% and 41.5% of tested samples, respectively followed by PVY (15.4% and the least frequent AMV (3.1%. Most samples were infected with one of the examined viruses. In the PVY population found in Montenegro, its necrotic strain (PVYN was absolutely predominant.The results indicated the significance of TMV and CMV concerning tobacco viral infections in Montenegro, as well as a necessity of their detailed characterization at biological and molecular level.

Clinical significance of dental root canal microflora.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, B P; Lilley, J D; Drucker, D B

1996-01-01

Previous work by this group has shown that a significant association exists between pain and the presence of either Prevotella or Peptostreptococcus spp. in dental root canals. The aim of this study was to examine a more extensive series of canals microbiologically, to determine whether any other particular endodontic symptoms or clinical signs showed specific associations with individual bacterial species. Seventy root canals were examined microbiologically and clinical data collected to investigate in detail such associations. Of the canals studied, 37 were associated with pain, 49 with tenderness to percussion, 23 with swelling, six with purulent exudate and 57 presented with wet root canals. Anaerobes were isolated from 70.3% of painful canals and from 29.7% of pain-free canals. Significant associations were found between (a) pain and either Prevotella spp. or peptostreptococci, both with P spp. (P Eubacterium spp. (P spp. or Pstr. micros, both with P spp. (each P Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Prevotella or Propionibacterium (each P < 0.05). It was concluded that several different endodontic clinical signs and symptoms are significantly associated with specific bacterial species.

The Effect of Family Presence on Rounding Duration in the PICU.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Priya R; Perkins, R Serene; Hascall, Rebecca L; Shelak, Carolyn F; Demirel, Shaban; Buchholz, Mark T

2017-02-01

The incorporation of family-centered rounds has become standard in PICUs across the United States. We compared rounding times in our institution, with and without family members present, to determine the effect on total rounding time and work flow. This observational study of a convenience sample was conducted over a 17-month period (May 2014-October 2015), accounting for typical seasonal variation in the PICU. The individual patient rounding times for 2657 encounters were recorded. The presence of family members, intubation status, physician assistant participation, interruptions during rounds, attending physician's full- or part-time status, and patient census were documented. The effect of family presence on per-patient rounding time was analyzed, while controlling for influential variables. Family members were present during 1743 of 2657 (66%) rounding encounters. The average per-patient rounding time with and without family members present was 8.6 minutes and 7.3 minutes, respectively, a difference of 1.3 minutes per patient. In statistical models that accounted for other influential variables, the presence of family members was associated with a highly significant (20.4%, P family members increases per-patient rounding times in the PICU. Family presence on rounds may have benefits that outweigh the additional time required to complete each patient interaction. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Risk assessment of the presence of lead in hunted wild boar meat

OpenAIRE

National Committee for Food Safety

2017-01-01

Italian National Committee for Food Safety (CNSA) opinion No. 18 of 8 marzo 2017 on the Risk assessment of the presence of lead in hunted wild boar meat Wild game meat may have a higher content in lead than farmed animal meat, both due to the living and dietary habits of such animals and, especially, to the use of lead-based ammunition. The impact of wild game meat on the overall exposure of general consumers is negligible. However, the category of hunters eating meat of wild game sho...

Jean’s instability in a complex plasma in presence of secondary electrons and nonthermal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, Susmita; Maity Saumyen

2013-01-01

In this paper we have investigated the effect of secondary electron emission and nonthermality of ion velocity distribution simultaneously on Jean’s instability in a complex plasma in presence of negatively charged dust grains. Primary and secondary electron temperatures are assumed to be equal. Thus plasma under consideration consists of Boltzmann distributed electrons, nonthermal ions and negatively charged dust grains. The dust grain component is modeled by continuity and momentum equations. From the linear dispersion relation we have calculated the real frequency and growth rate of the Jean’s mode. Numerically it is found that for lower values of the nonthermal parameter Jean’s instability is higher for higher secondary electron emission whereas the effect of secondary electron emission on Jean’s instability becomes insignificant for higher values of the nonthermal parameter. (author)

Valid Competency Assessment in Higher Education

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Olga Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the 15 collaborative projects conducted during the new funding phase of the German research program Modeling and Measuring Competencies in Higher Education—Validation and Methodological Innovations (KoKoHs is to make a significant contribution to advancing the field of modeling and valid measurement of competencies acquired in higher education. The KoKoHs research teams assess generic competencies and domain-specific competencies in teacher education, social and economic sciences, and medicine based on findings from and using competency models and assessment instruments developed during the first KoKoHs funding phase. Further, they enhance, validate, and test measurement approaches for use in higher education in Germany. Results and findings are transferred at various levels to national and international research, higher education practice, and education policy.

Significance of serum endostatin levels in patients with primary lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Qunxin; Ling Chunhua; Ji Cheng

2005-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the serum level of endostatin and the clinical pathophysiological characteristics in patients with primary lung cancer. Methods: The serum levels of endostatin were detected in 48 patients with primary lung cancer and 50 patients with benign pulmonary diseases by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: Serum endostatin level in patients with primary lung cancer was significantly higher than it in patients with benign pulmonary diseases (P<0.01). It was higher in adenocarcinoma group than that in squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma group (P<0.05). The level of serum endostatin in lung cancer with TNM stage III + IV was higher than that in patients in stage I + II (P<0.01). And it was also higher in patients suffering from lung cancer with metastasis than that in patients with no metastasis (P<0.05). However, there was not a significant relation between serum endostatin level the location of the tumor and lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Serum endostatin level in expressed higher in patients with primary lung cancer. There is significant relationship between serum endostatin level, histological classification, TNM stage and metastasis of lung cancer. (authors)

Significance of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance on ThinPrep papanicolaou smears.

Science.gov (United States)

Eltabbakh, G H; Lipman, J N; Mount, S L; Morgan, A

2000-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors predictive of dysplasia among women seen in a gynecologic oncology service with the cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) on Papanicolaou smears obtained by the ThinPrep method. Patients with ASCUS ThinPrep Papanicolaou smears seen at the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Vermont, between 1997 and 1999 were identified. The cytologic smears were reviewed and subtyped into reactive or suggestive of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). The charts of these patients were reviewed and the following information was abstracted: age, gravidity, parity, menopausal status, use of hormonal replacement therapy, smoking, history of pelvic cancer, history of radiation therapy, history of abnormal Papanicolaou smear and its treatment, history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and follow-up information including results of repeat Papanicolaou smears, colposcopy, and biopsies. The prevalence of dysplasia was calculated. The demographic features of women with ASCUS, reactive, were compared with those with ASCUS, SIL, using a two-sample t test, chi(2), and Fisher's exact test. Risk factors predictive of dysplasia were calculated using the odds ratio and the 95% confidence interval. P ASCUS on ThinPrep Papanicolaou smear were identified; 63 patients had ASCUS, reactive, and 63 patients had ASCUS, SIL. The demographic features of both groups were similar. The overall prevalence of dysplasia was 15.9% and was significantly higher among women with ASCUS, SIL, than among women with ASCUS, reactive (25.4% versus 6.4%, P = 0.003). The type of ASCUS cytology (reactive versus SIL), smoking, and history of HPV were significant risk factors for dysplasia (P = 0.003, 0.037, and 0. 042, respectively). The prevalence of dysplasia among women seen in a gynecologic oncology service with ASCUS cytology on ThinPrep Papanicolaou smears is 15.9%. Women with ASCUS favor

Feeling objects in Virtual Environments: Presence and Pseudo-Haptics in a Bowling Game

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daniliauskaite, Kristina; Magnusdottir, Agusta; Bjørkå, Henrik Birke

2007-01-01

, by relying on visual cues, taking therefore advantage of sensory substitution (no haptic feedback device is actually present). The interdependency between presence and a pseudo-haptic feedback is investigated by building avirtual bowling game. Results indicate that there is a significant correlation between...

Phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone resistance and the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes in the culturable soil resistome.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagaling, Eulyn; Gatica, Joao; Yang, Kun; Cytryn, Eddie; Yan, Tao

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone resistance and the presence of known extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in culturable soil resistomes. Libraries of soil bacterial isolates resistant to ceftriaxone were established from six physicochemically diverse soils collected in Hawaii (USA) and Israel. The phylogenetic affiliation, ceftriaxone and multidrug resistance levels, and presence of known ESBL genes of the isolates were determined. The soil bacterial isolates were phylogenetically grouped with the Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Ceftriaxone minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) largely followed the phylogeny structure and higher levels of ceftriaxone resistance corresponded to higher multidrug resistance. Three distinct blaTEM variants were detected in soil bacterial isolates belonging to nine different genera. In conclusion, the culturable soil resistomes for ceftriaxone exhibited high phylogenetic diversity and multidrug resistance. blaTEM was the only known ESBL detected in the soil resistomes, and its distribution in different phylogenetic groups suggests its ubiquitous presence and/or possible horizontal gene transfer within the soil microbiomes. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling data for pancreatitis in presence of a duodenal diverticula using logistic regression

Science.gov (United States)

Dineva, S.; Prodanova, K.; Mlachkova, D.

2013-12-01

The presence of a periampullary duodenal diverticulum (PDD) is often observed during upper digestive tract barium meal studies and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A few papers reported that the diverticulum had something to do with the incidence of pancreatitis. The aim of this study is to investigate if the presence of duodenal diverticula predisposes to the development of a pancreatic disease. A total 3966 patients who had undergone ERCP were studied retrospectively. They were divided into 2 groups-with and without PDD. Patients with a duodenal diverticula had a higher rate of acute pancreatitis. The duodenal diverticula is a risk factor for acute idiopathic pancreatitis. A multiple logistic regression to obtain adjusted estimate of odds and to identify if a PDD is a predictor of acute or chronic pancreatitis was performed. The software package STATISTICA 10.0 was used for analyzing the real data.

Sonographic Evaluation of Clinically Significant Perigraft Hematomas in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Fananapazir, Ghaneh; Rao, Rajiv; Corwin, Michael T; Naderi, Sima; Santhanakrishnan, Chandrasekar; Troppmann, Christoph

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity of ultrasound in evaluating peritransplant hematomas that require surgical evacuation in recipients of kidney transplants. Thirty-four patients who underwent 37 hematoma evacuations underwent ultrasound examinations in the 24 hours before surgical evacuation. The operative reports were evaluated for presence and size of collection, presence of active bleeding at operation, and composition of the hematoma. The clinical findings leading to the ultrasound examination were recorded. Ultrasound examinations were evaluated in consensus by two board-certified and fellowship-trained abdominal radiologists for the presence, size, and echogenicity of the collection; subjective perfusion visualized with color and power Doppler ultrasound; velocities of the renal arteries; and arcuate artery resistive indexes. Ten of the 37 imaged hematomas (27%) had either no or small (hematomas. Our results suggest that gray-scale sonography alone appears to have limited sensitivity in detecting clinically significant peritransplant hematomas and that its use may result in overall underestimates of hematomas.

A Kinetic Model to Explain the Maximum in alpha-Amylase Activity Measurements in the Presence of Small Carbohydrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baks, T.; Janssen, A.E.M.; Boom, R.M.

2006-01-01

The effect of the presence of several small carbohydrates on the measurement of the -amylase activity was determined over a broad concentration range. At low carbohydrate concentrations, a distinct maximum in the -amylase activity versus concentration curves was observed in several cases. At higher

Presence of the Cyanotoxin Microcystin in Arctic Lakes of Southwestern Greenland

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Jessica V. Trout-Haney

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Cyanobacteria and their toxins have received significant attention in eutrophic temperate and tropical systems where conspicuous blooms of certain planktonic taxa release toxins into fresh water, threatening its potability and safe use for recreation. Although toxigenic cyanobacteria are not confined to high nutrient environments, bloom-forming species, or planktonic taxa, these other situations are studied les often studied. For example, toxin production in picoplankton and benthic cyanobacteria—the predominant photoautotrophs found in polar lakes—is poorly understood. We quantified the occurrence of microcystin (MC, a hepatotoxic cyanotoxin across 18 Arctic lakes in southwestern Greenland. All of the focal lakes contained detectable levels of MC, with concentrations ranging from 5 ng·L−1 to >400 ng·L−1 during summer, 2013–2015. These concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than many eutrophic systems, yet the median lake MC concentration in Greenland (57 ng·L−1 was still 6.5 times higher than the median summer MC toxicity observed across 50 New Hampshire lakes between 1998 and 2008 (8.7 ng·L−1. The presence of cyanotoxins in these Greenlandic lakes demonstrates that high latitude lakes can support toxigenic cyanobacteria, and suggests that we may be underestimating the potential for these systems to develop high levels of cyanotoxins in the future.

On induced action for conformal higher spins in curved background

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beccaria, Matteo, E-mail: matteo.beccaria@le.infn.it [Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica Ennio De Giorgi, Università del Salento & INFN, Via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Tseytlin, Arkady A., E-mail: tseytlin@imperial.ac.uk [The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2017-06-15

We continue the investigation of the structure of the action for a tower of conformal higher spin fields in non-trivial 4d background metric recently discussed in Grigoriev and Tseytlin (2016). The action is defined as an induced one from path integral of a conformal scalar field in curved background coupled to higher spin fields. We analyze in detail the dependence of the quadratic part of the induced action on the spin 1 and spin 3 fields, determining the presence of a curvature-dependent mixed spin 1–3 term. One consequence is that the pure spin 3 kinetic term cannot be gauge-invariant on its own beyond the leading term in small curvature expansion. We also compute the non-zero contribution of the 1–3 mixing term to the conformal anomaly c-coefficient. One is thus to determine all such mixing terms before addressing the question of possible vanishing of the total c-coefficient in the conformal higher spin theory.

On induced action for conformal higher spins in curved background

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Beccaria

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We continue the investigation of the structure of the action for a tower of conformal higher spin fields in non-trivial 4d background metric recently discussed in Grigoriev and Tseytlin (2016 [15]. The action is defined as an induced one from path integral of a conformal scalar field in curved background coupled to higher spin fields. We analyze in detail the dependence of the quadratic part of the induced action on the spin 1 and spin 3 fields, determining the presence of a curvature-dependent mixed spin 1–3 term. One consequence is that the pure spin 3 kinetic term cannot be gauge-invariant on its own beyond the leading term in small curvature expansion. We also compute the non-zero contribution of the 1–3 mixing term to the conformal anomaly c-coefficient. One is thus to determine all such mixing terms before addressing the question of possible vanishing of the total c-coefficient in the conformal higher spin theory.

Presence of anatomical variations of the circle of Willis in patients undergoing surgical treatment for ruptured intracranial aneurysms

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Stojanović Nebojša

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. The presence of aneurysmal changes on the brain blood vessels has been subject to numerous research. This study investigated the relation between ruptured aneurysms and anatomical configuration of the Circle of Willis, with the purpose to obtain an insight into their mutual connection. Methods. The analysis included 114 patients suffering from ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Preoperative cerebral angiography was performed and compared with the intraoperative findings in order to attain a precise insight into morphological changes occurring on the circle of Willis. Results. The prevalence of asymmetrical Willis in the whole group of patients was 64%. Within the group of patients suffering from multiple aneurysms, the presence of asymmetrical Willis' circle was 75.7%. The highest incidence of the asymmetrical Circle of Willis was found among patients with aneurysmal rupture detected at the anterior comunicative artery (ACoA site (72.7% among cases with solitary and 100% among those with multiple aneurysms. Morphological changes on the A1 segment of ACoA were observed in 50 (44% cases, with higher incidence found on the right side (60%. When comparing location of ruptured aneurysms between genders, a statistically significant prevalence of the ruptured aneurisms on ACoA was present in men, whereas women showed higher incidence of ruptured aneurysms on interior cartid artery (ICA site (p < 0.01. The linkage between aneurysms with hypoplasia of the A1 segment of ACA and decreasing of the angle at which segments A1 and A2 join suggests the relationship between their onset, corresponding configuration type of Willis and subsequent hemodynamic changes. Conclusion. High incidence of asymmetry of Willis circle in the group of patients with ruptured aneurysms imply association of asymmetrical configuration and disorder in haemodynamic relations with forming and rupture of intracranial aneurysms.

Heating produced by therapeutic ultrasound in the presence of a metal plate in the femur of canine cadavers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.O. Andrades

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to assess the heat generated by a therapeutic ultrasound (TUS in a metal bone plate and adjacent structures after fixation to the femur of canine cadavers. Ten pairs of hind limbs were used, and they were equally distributed between groups that were subjected to 1- and 3-MHz frequencies, with each frequency testing 1- and 2-W/cm² intensities. The right hind limb was defined as the control group (absence of the metal plate, and the left hind limb was the test group (presence of the metal plate. Therefore, the control groups (CG were denominated CGI, using TUS with 1-MHz frequency and 1-W/cm² intensity; CGII, using 1-MHz frequency and 2-W/cm² intensity; CGIII, using 3-MHz frequency and 1-W/cm² intensity; and CGIV, using 3-MHz frequency and 2-W/cm² intensity. For each control group, its respective test group (TG was denominated TGI, TGII, TGIII and TGIV. The TUS was applied to the lateral aspect of the thigh using the continuous mode and a 3.5-cm² transducer in a 6.25-cm² area for 2 minutes. Sensors were coupled to digital thermometers that measured the temperature in different sites before (t0 and after (t1 of the TUS application. The temperatures in t1 were higher in all tested groups. The intramuscular temperature was significantly higher (P<0.05 in the groups used to test the 3-MHz frequency in the presence of the metal plate. The therapeutic ultrasound in the continuous mode using frequencies of 1 and 3 MHz and intensities of 1 and 2 W/cm2 for 2 minutes caused heating of the metal plate and adjacent structures after fixation to the femur of canine cadavers.

The Association between Serum Resistin Level and Presence or Severity of Coronary Heart Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roozbeh Mortazavi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Obesity is a well-known principal risk factor for metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Resistin is one of adipocyte-derived molecules, which plays important roles in inflammation as well as in endocrine and cardiovascular systems. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the association between serum resistin level and presence/severity of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 155 individuals referred for coronary angiography. Information about the patients’ age, gender, and cardiovascular risk factors was recorded. Their weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences were measured, as well. Each coronary angiogram was reported for two scoring methods (number of vessel diseases (usual method and Gensini scoring system by one cardiologist who was not aware of the participants’ serum resistin levels. Then, the relationship between serum resistin level and presence/severity of CHD was evaluated. Results: The results revealed no significant associations between the mean serum resistin level and the presence of CHD by both methods of evaluation of the coronary angiograms after adjustment for all conventional risk factors for CHD. In addition, no significant association was detected between serum resistin level and the severity of CHD based on the usual method of reporting the coronary angiograms (number of vessel diseases (P = 0.332. Yet, serum resistin level was positively correlated to body mass index and waist and hip circumferences and negatively related to height and fasting blood sugar level. Moreover, no linear correlation was found between serum resistin level and Gensini score (P = 0.35. Finally, hip circumference (P = 0.002 and height (P = 0.018 were determined as the predictors of serum resistin level. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study showed no significant associations between serum resistin level and presence/severity of CHD.

Topography of Spoil Heaps and Its Role in Plant Succession and Soil Fauna Presence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walmsley A.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The spoil heaps from brown coal mining without technical reclamation are interesting specific sites for ecological relationships observation. This research was aimed at investigating whether topographic features, which determine soil nutrient and moisture distribution, in combination with soil fauna (wireworm and earthworm presence, affect plant community composition at a spontaneously revegetated post mining area with an undulating surface. Two sites of different age with three types of topographic features were selected, soil moisture and nutrient contents were measured, and plant community composition and soil macrofauna community were sampled at each position. Wireworms were present at all positions and were most abundant at the bottoms of waves at the younger site; their presence was correlated with the presence of several plant species with high palatability for wireworms, but the direction of the interaction is not clear. Earthworms were only present at the older site and had the highest abundance at flat sections. Earthworm presence affected the amount of nitrogen in soil - the highest nitrogen content was at the site with the highest earthworm density and was followed by a higher diversity of plant community. The plant community composition was generally correlated with plant available nutrient content - especially P and N. We infer that topographic features affect nutrient and soil fauna distribution, which consequently influences the plant community composition.

creating social presence in large classes

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Social presence refers to the ability of students to project themselves as 'real people' in an online learning community. While it is difficult to create social presence in large classes, educational technologies can enhance the social dimension of online learning if educators relinquish the use of technology as an instrument of ...

[Auxin synthesis by the higher fungus Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing in the presence of low concentrations of indole compounds].

Science.gov (United States)

Tsivileva, O M; Loshchinina, E A; Makarov, O E; Nikitina, V E

2012-01-01

The auxin formation in a submerged culture of the xylotrophic basidiomycete Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler) (shiitake) is studied. Biologically active substances of an indole nature are identified, "the effect of small doses" of which lies in not only the stimulation of growth of the mycelium (indole-3-acetic acid, 2 x 10(-7)-2 x 10(-4) g/l), but also in the induction of tryptophan-independent paths of auxin biosynthesis. The above-mentioned path is realized in the presence of exogenous indole (1 x 10(-3)-1 x 10(-4) g/l), as well as while inducing the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid by its microadditives (1 x 10(-5)-1 x 10(-8) g/l), and is accompanied by the formation of anthranilic acid (up to 1.5 mg/l). Induction of the generative development stage ofshiitake by indole derivatives is revealed. It was found that among the studied compounds only indoleacetamide at a concentration of an order of x 10(-4) g/l in the culture fluid of L. edodes had a pronounced stimulatory effect on the formation of shiitake's brown mycelial film.

Occult pneumomediastinum in blunt chest trauma: clinical significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezende-Neto, J B; Hoffmann, J; Al Mahroos, M; Tien, H; Hsee, L C; Spencer Netto, F; Speers, V; Rizoli, S B

2010-01-01

Thoracic injuries are potentially responsible for 25% of all trauma deaths. Chest X-ray is commonly used to screen patients with chest injury. However, the use of computed tomography (CT) scan for primary screening is increasing, particularly for blunt trauma. CT scans are more sensitive than chest X-ray in detecting intra-thoracic abnormalities such as pneumothoraces and pneumomediastinums. Pneumomediastinum detected by chest X-ray or "overt pneumomediastinum", raises the concern of possible aerodigestive tract injuries. In contrast, there is scarce information on the clinical significance of pneumomediastinum diagnosed by CT scan only or "occult pneumomediastinum". Therefore we investigated the clinical consequences of occult pneumomediastinum in our blunt trauma population. A 2-year retrospective chart review of all blunt chest trauma patients with initial chest CT scan admitted to a level I trauma centre. Data extracted from the medical records include; demographics, occult, overt, or no pneumomediastinum, the presence of intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries (trachea, bronchus, and/or esophagus), mechanism and severity of injury, endotracheal intubation, chest thoracostomy, operations and radiological reports by an attending radiologist. All patients with intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries from 1994 to 2004 were also investigated. Of 897 patients who met the inclusion criteria 839 (93.5%) had no pneumomediastinum. Five patients (0.6%) had overt pneumomediastinum and 53 patients (5.9%) had occult pneumomediastinum. Patients with occult pneumomediastinum had significantly higher ISS and AIS chest (pchest thoracostomy tube was more common (ppneumothorax. None of the patients with occult pneumomediastinum had aerodigestive tract injuries (95%CI 0-0.06). Follow up CT scan of patients with occult pneumomediastinum showed complete resolution in all cases, in average 3 h after the initial exam. Occult pneumomediastinum occurred in approximately 6% of

The path to presence in performance through movement, physiological response, and mood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artemis Preeshl

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Presence may occur when actors are alert and relaxed in performance. A positive mood is associated with physical activity, but little is known about how movement qualities affect mood and vital signs of actors. This study examined the effects of vibratory, pendular, abrupt, and sustained movement qualities on the Brief Mood Introspection Scale, and physiology. Undergraduate theatre (n = 25 and non-theatre majors (n = 24 engaged in protocols of four movement qualities: vibratory, pendular, abrupt and sustained. Mood and heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, and temperature were measured before and after four different movement protocols. The hypothesis that the sequence of vibratory, pendular, sustained, and abrupt increased the alert, relaxed state of Presence and Arousal was rejected. It was found that systolic blood pressure increased in men across protocols. A significant interaction was found between the participants’ major and “Tired.” Because Tired and Arousal indicate mental and/or physical energy, a relationship between MAJOR and “Tired,” combined with significant correlation between subjects and major, suggests that the protocols resulted in fatigue. Half of the mood variance is explained by the factor “major.” These two significant findings suggest a relationship between mood and major as well as blood pressure and gender.

Higher-order techniques in computational electromagnetics

CERN Document Server

Graglia, Roberto D

2016-01-01

Higher-Order Techniques in Computational Electromagnetics explains 'high-order' techniques that can significantly improve the accuracy, computational cost, and reliability of computational techniques for high-frequency electromagnetics, such as antennas, microwave devices and radar scattering applications.

Assessment of parental presence during bedside pediatric intensive care unit rounds: effect on duration, teaching, and privacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Phipps, Lorri M; Bartke, Cheryl N; Spear, Debra A; Jones, Linda F; Foerster, Carolyn P; Killian, Marie E; Hughes, Jennifer R; Hess, Joseph C; Johnson, David R; Thomas, Neal J

2007-05-01

There is a paucity of literature evaluating the effects of family member presence during bedside medical rounds in the pediatric intensive care unit. We hypothesized that, when compared with rounds without family members, parental presence during morning medical rounds would increase time spent on rounds, decrease medical team teaching/education, increase staff dissatisfaction, create more stress in family members, and violate patient privacy in our open unit. Prospective, blinded, observational study. Academic pediatric intensive care unit with 12 beds. A total of 105 admissions were studied, 81 family members completed a survey, and 187 medical team staff surveys were completed. Investigators documented parental presence and time allocated for presentation, teaching, and answering questions. Surveys related to perception of goals, teaching, and privacy of rounds were distributed to participants. Time spent on rounds, time spent teaching on rounds, and medical staff and family perception of the effects of parental presence on rounds. There was no significant difference between time spent on rounds in the presence or absence of family members (p = NS). There is no significant difference between the time spent teaching by the attending physician in the presence or absence of family members (p = NS). Overall, parents reported that the medical team spent an appropriate amount of time discussing their child and were not upset by this discussion. Parents did not perceive that their own or their child's privacy was violated during rounds. The majority of medical team members reported that the presence of family on rounds was beneficial. Parental presence on rounds does not seem to interfere with the educational and communication process. Parents report satisfaction with participation in rounds, and privacy violations do not seem to be a concern from their perspective.

Presence in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Systems

OpenAIRE

Ling, Y.

2014-01-01

Experiencing anxiety is essential for virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to be effective in curing patients suffering from anxiety disorders. However, some patients drop out in VRET due to the lack of feeling anxiety. Presence - which refers to the feeling of being in the virtual environment - has been considered an important mechanism that leads to the experience of anxiety. Therefore, understanding the relationship between presence and anxiety and finding ways to improve presence in VR...

Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system and its association with the presence and intensity of chronic widespread pain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barakat, A.; Vogelzangs, N.; Licht, C.M.M.; Geenen, R.; Macfarlane, G.J.; de Geus, E.J.C.; Smit, J.H.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.; Dekker, J.

2012-01-01

Objective To test the hypotheses that dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is associated with the presence of chronic widespread pain (CWP), and that dysregulation of the ANS is associated with higher pain intensity in CWP. Methods Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1,574

Dysregulation of the Autonomic Nervous System and Its Association With the Presence and Intensity of Chronic Widespread Pain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barakat, Ansam; Vogelzangs, Nicole; Licht, Carmilla M. M.; Geenen, Rinie; Macfarlane, Gary J.; de Geus, Eco J. C.; Smit, Johannes H.; Penninx, Brenda W. J. H.; Dekker, Joost

Objective. To test the hypotheses that dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is associated with the presence of chronic widespread pain (CWP), and that dysregulation of the ANS is associated with higher pain intensity in CWP. Methods. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1,574

Measuring Co-Presence and Social Presence in Virtual Environments - Psychometric Construction of a German Scale for a Fear of Public Speaking Scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Poeschl, Sandra; Doering, Nicola

2015-01-01

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) applications use high levels of fidelity in order to produce high levels of presence and thereby elicit an emotional response for the user (like fear for phobia treatment). State of research shows mixed results for the correlation between anxiety and presence in virtual reality exposure, with differing results depending on specific anxiety disorders. A positive correlation for anxiety and presence for social anxiety disorder is not proven up to now. One reason might be that plausibility of the simulation, namely including key triggers for social anxiety (for example verbal and non-verbal behavior of virtual agents that reflects potentially negative human evaluation) might not be acknowledged in current presence questionnaires. A German scale for measuring co-presence and social presence for virtual reality (VR) fear of public speaking scenarios was developed based on a translation and adaption of existing co-presence and social presence questionnaires. A sample of N = 151 students rated co-presence and social presence after using a fear of public speaking application. Four correlated factors were derived by item- and principle axis factor analysis (Promax rotation), representing the presenter's reaction to virtual agents, the reactions of the virtual agents as perceived by the presenter, impression of interaction possibilities, and (co-)presence of other people in the virtual environment. The scale developed can be used as a starting point for future research and test construction for VR applications with a social context.

Access to Higher Education in China: Differences in Opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Houxiong

2011-01-01

Access to higher education in China has opened up significantly in the move towards a mass higher education system. However, aggregate growth does not necessarily imply fair or reasonable distribution of opportunity. In fact, the expansion of higher education has a rather more complex influence on opportunity when admissions statistics are viewed…

The role of topographic structure and soil macrofauna presence at spoil heaps during spontaneous succession.

Science.gov (United States)

Walmsley, Alena; Vachová, Pavla; Vach, Marek

2016-04-01

This research was investigating whether topographic features, which determine soil nutrient and moisture distribution, in combination with soil fauna (wireworm and earthworm) presence, affect plant community composition at a spontaneously revegetated post mining area with an undulating surface. Two sites of different age with 3 types of topographic features were selected, soil moisture and nutrient content were measured, plant community composition and soil macrofauna community was sampled at each position. Wireworms were present at all positions and were most abundant at bottoms of waves at the younger site; their presence was correlated with several plant species, but the direction of the interaction isn't clear. Earthworms were only present at the older site and had highest abundance at flat sections. Earthworm presence affected the amount of nitrogen in soil - the most nitrogen content was at the site with highest earthworm density and was followed by higher diversity of plant community. The plant community composition was generally correlated with plant available nutrient content - especially P and N. We infer that topographic features affect nutrient and soil fauna distribution, which consequently influences plant community composition.

Decolonizing Higher Education: Black Feminism and the Intersectionality of Race and Gender

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Safia Mirza

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Drawing on black feminist theory, this paper examines the professional experiences of postcolonial diasporic black and ethnicized female academics in higher education. The paper explores the embodiment of gendered and racialized difference and reflects on the power of whiteness to shape everyday experiences in such places of privilege. The powerful yet hidden histories of women of color in higher education, such as the Indian women suffragettes and Cornelia Sorabji in late nineteenth century, are symbolic of the erasure of an ethnicized black feminist/womanist presence in mainstream (white educational establishments. The paper concludes that an understanding of black and ethnicized female agency and desire for education and learning is at the heart of a black feminist analysis that reclaims higher education as a radical site of resistance and refutation.

Games and simulation in higher education

OpenAIRE

Juan, Angel A.; Loch, Birgit; Daradoumis, Thanasis; Ventura, Sebastian

2017-01-01

The evolution of computer technologies, together with the increasing speed of Internet-based communications, has promoted the use of simulation software and serious games in higher education. These technological and methodological tools can significantly enrich the learning experience in almost any knowledge area. In particular, they will have a significant impact on how the learning process is performed in the so called Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. T...

The role of presence in virtual reality exposure therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Matthew; Anderson, Page

2007-01-01

A growing body of literature suggests that virtual reality is a successful tool for exposure therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Virtual reality (VR) researchers posit the construct of presence, defined as the interpretation of an artificial stimulus as if it were real, to be a presumed factor that enables anxiety to be felt during virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE). However, a handful of empirical studies on the relation between presence and anxiety in VRE have yielded mixed findings. The current study tested the following hypotheses about the relation between presence and anxiety in VRE with a clinical sample of fearful flyers: (1) presence is related to in-session anxiety; (2) presence mediates the extent that pre-existing (pre-treatment) anxiety is experienced during exposure with VR; (3) presence is positively related to the amount of phobic elements included within the virtual environment; (4) presence is related to treatment outcome. Results supported presence as a factor that contributes to the experience of anxiety in the virtual environment as well as a relation between presence and the phobic elements, but did not support a relation between presence and treatment outcome. The study suggests that presence may be a necessary but insufficient requirement for successful VRE.

Virtual Viewing Time: The Relationship between Presence and Sexual Interest in Androphilic and Gynephilic Men

Science.gov (United States)

Fromberger, Peter; Meyer, Sabrina; Kempf, Christina; Jordan, Kirsten; Müller, Jürgen L.

2015-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) has successfully been used in the research of human behavior for more than twenty years. The main advantage of VR is its capability to induce a high sense of presence. This results in emotions and behavior which are very close to those shown in real situations. In the context of sex research, only a few studies have used high-immersive VR so far. The ones that did can be found mostly in the field of forensic psychology. Nevertheless, the relationship between presence and sexual interest still remains unclear. The present study is the first to examine the advantages of high-immersive VR in comparison to a conventional standard desktop system regarding their capability to measure sexual interest. 25 gynephilic and 20 androphilic healthy men underwent three experimental conditions, which differed in their ability to induce a sense of presence. In each condition, participants were asked to rate ten male and ten female virtual human characters regarding their sexual attractiveness. Without their knowledge, the subjects’ viewing time was assessed throughout the rating. Subjects were then asked to rate the sense of presence they had experienced as well as their perceived realism of the characters. Results suggested that stereoscopic viewing can significantly enhance the subjective sexual attractiveness of sexually relevant characters. Furthermore, in all three conditions participants looked significantly longer at sexually relevant virtual characters than at sexually non-relevant ones. The high immersion condition provided the best discriminant validity. From a statistical point of view, however, the sense of presence had no significant influence on the discriminant validity of the viewing time task. The study showed that high-immersive virtual environments enhance realism ratings as well as ratings of sexual attractiveness of three-dimensional human stimuli in comparison to standard desktop systems. Results also show that viewing time seems to be

Virtual Viewing Time: The Relationship between Presence and Sexual Interest in Androphilic and Gynephilic Men.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Fromberger

Full Text Available Virtual Reality (VR has successfully been used in the research of human behavior for more than twenty years. The main advantage of VR is its capability to induce a high sense of presence. This results in emotions and behavior which are very close to those shown in real situations. In the context of sex research, only a few studies have used high-immersive VR so far. The ones that did can be found mostly in the field of forensic psychology. Nevertheless, the relationship between presence and sexual interest still remains unclear. The present study is the first to examine the advantages of high-immersive VR in comparison to a conventional standard desktop system regarding their capability to measure sexual interest. 25 gynephilic and 20 androphilic healthy men underwent three experimental conditions, which differed in their ability to induce a sense of presence. In each condition, participants were asked to rate ten male and ten female virtual human characters regarding their sexual attractiveness. Without their knowledge, the subjects' viewing time was assessed throughout the rating. Subjects were then asked to rate the sense of presence they had experienced as well as their perceived realism of the characters. Results suggested that stereoscopic viewing can significantly enhance the subjective sexual attractiveness of sexually relevant characters. Furthermore, in all three conditions participants looked significantly longer at sexually relevant virtual characters than at sexually non-relevant ones. The high immersion condition provided the best discriminant validity. From a statistical point of view, however, the sense of presence had no significant influence on the discriminant validity of the viewing time task. The study showed that high-immersive virtual environments enhance realism ratings as well as ratings of sexual attractiveness of three-dimensional human stimuli in comparison to standard desktop systems. Results also show that viewing

Imagining a multilingual academy: rethinking language in higher ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Language affects all aspects of the academy as a platform for the cultivation of critical thinking. The extension of multilingualism (ie "more people using more languages in more registers and in more domains") in higher education would contribute significantly to "improving the quality of the higher education sector".

Vetiver grass is capable of removing TNT from soil in the presence of urea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Padmini [Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, One Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07104 (United States); Datta, Rupali [Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931 (United States); Makris, Konstantinos C., E-mail: konstantinos.makris@cut.ac.c [Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health in Association with Harvard School Of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol (Cyprus); Sarkar, Dibyendu [Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, One Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07104 (United States)

2010-05-15

The high affinity of vetiver grass for 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the catalytic effectiveness of urea in enhancing plant uptake of TNT in hydroponic media we earlier demonstrated were further illustrated in this soil-pot-experiment. Complete removal of TNT in urea-treated soil was accomplished by vetiver at the low initial soil-TNT concentration (40 mg kg{sup -1}), masking the effect of urea. Doubling the initial TNT concentration (80 mg kg{sup -1}) significantly (p < 0.002) increased TNT removal by vetiver, in the presence of urea. Without vetiver grass, no significant (p = 0.475) change in the soil-TNT concentrations was observed over a period of 48 days, suggesting that natural attenuation of soil TNT could not explain the documented TNT disappearance from soil. - Vetiver grass in the presence of urea effectively removes TNT from soil.

The presence of biofilm forming microorganisms on hydrotherapy equipment and facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarząb, Natalia; Walczak, Maciej

2017-10-01

Hydrotherapy equipment provides a perfect environment for the formation and growth of microbial biofilms. Biofilms may reduce the microbiological cleanliness of hydrotherapy equipment and harbour opportunistic pathogens and pathogenic bacteria. The aims of this study were to investigate the ability of microorganisms that colonize hydrotherapy equipment to form biofilms, and to assess the influence of temperature and nutrients on the rate of biofilm formation. Surface swab samples were collected from the whirlpool baths, inhalation equipment and submerged surfaces of a brine pool at the spa center in Ciechocinek, Poland. We isolated and identified microorganisms from the swab samples and measured their ability to form biofilms. Biofilm formation was observed at a range of temperatures, in both nutrient-deficient and nutrient-rich environments. We isolated and identified microorganisms which are known to form biofilms on medical devices (e.g. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia). All isolates were classified as opportunistic pathogens, which can cause infections in humans with weakened immunity systems. All isolates showed the ability to form biofilms in the laboratory conditions. The potential for biofilm formation was higher in the presence of added nutrients. In addition, the hydrolytic activity of the biofilm was connected with the presence of nutrients.

Self-Reported Presence and Experience of Pain in Adults with Down Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

de Knegt, Nanda C; Lobbezoo, Frank; Schuengel, Carlo; Evenhuis, Heleen M; Scherder, Erik J A

2017-07-01

The aim was to examine whether the presence of pain (based on physical conditions and participants' report) and self-reported pain experience in adults with Down syndrome (DS) differ from general population controls. Cross-sectional study of 224 adults with DS (mean age = 38.1 years, mild-severe intellectual disabilities) and 142 age-matched controls (median age = 40.5 years, mean estimated IQ = 105.7) in the Netherlands. File-based medical information was evaluated. Self-reported presence and experience of pain were assessed in rest and after movement during a test session (affect with facial affective scale (FAS: 0.04-0.97), intensity assessed with numeric rating scale (NRS: 0-10). Compared with controls, more DS participants had physical conditions that may cause pain and/or discomfort ( p  = .004, 50% vs 35%), but fewer DS participants reported pain during the test session ( p  = .003, 58% vs 73%). Of the participants who indicated pain and comprehended self-reporting scales ( n  = 198 FAS, n  = 161 NRS), the DS group reported a higher pain affect and intensity than the controls ( p  painful/discomforting physical conditions reported pain. Those who did indicated a higher pain experience than adults from the general population. Research into spontaneous self-report of pain, repeated pain assessment, and acute pain is needed in people with DS for more insight into pain experience and mismatches between self-report and medical information. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Human isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium from Taiwan displayed significantly higher levels of antimicrobial resistance than those from Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Torpdahl, Mia; Lauderdale, Tsai-Ling; Liang, Shiu-Yun; Li, Ishien; Wei, Sung-Hsi; Chiou, Chien-Shun

2013-02-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a major zoonotic pathogen with a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. This pathogen can disseminate across borders and spread far distances via the food trade and international travel. In this study, we compared the genotypes and antimicrobial resistance of 378 S. Typhimurium isolates collected in Taiwan and Denmark between 2009 and 2010. Genotyping revealed that many S. Typhimurium strains were concurrently circulating in Taiwan, Denmark and other countries in 2009 and 2010. When compared to the isolates collected from Denmark, the isolates from Taiwan displayed a significantly higher level of resistance to 11 of the 12 tested antimicrobials. Seven genetic clusters (A-G) were designated for the isolates. A high percentage of the isolates in genetic clusters C, F and G were multidrug-resistant. Of the isolates in cluster C, 79.2% were ASSuT-resistant, characterized by resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline. In cluster F, 84.1% of the isolates were ACSSuT-resistant (resistant to ASSuT and chloramphenicol). Cluster G was unique to Taiwan and characterized in most isolates by the absence of three VNTRs (ST20, ST30 and STTR6) as well as a variety of multidrug resistance profiles. This cluster exhibited very high to extremely high levels of resistance to several first-line drugs, and among the seven clusters, it displayed the highest levels of resistance to cefotaxime and ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. The high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in S. Typhimurium from Taiwan highlights the necessity to strictly regulate the use of antimicrobials in the agriculture and human health care sectors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel endophytic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain PTD3 II: production of xylitol and ethanol in the presence of inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Vajzovic, Azra; Bura, Renata; Kohlmeier, Kevin; Doty, Sharon L

2012-10-01

A systematic study was conducted characterizing the effect of furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), and acetic acid concentration on the production of xylitol and ethanol by a novel endophytic yeast, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain PTD3. The influence of different inhibitor concentrations on the growth and fermentation abilities of PTD3 cultivated in synthetic nutrient media containing 30 g/l xylose or glucose were measured during liquid batch cultures. Concentrations of up to 5 g/l of furfural stimulated production of xylitol to 77 % of theoretical yield (10 % higher compared to the control) by PTD3. Xylitol yields produced by this yeast were not affected in the presence of 5-HMF at concentrations of up to 3 g/l. At higher concentrations of furfural and 5-HMF, xylitol and ethanol yields were negatively affected. The higher the concentration of acetic acid present in a media, the higher the ethanol yield approaching 99 % of theoretical yield (15 % higher compared to the control) was produced by the yeast. At all concentrations of acetic acid tested, xylitol yield was lowered. PTD3 was capable of metabolizing concentrations of 5, 15, and 5 g/l of furfural, 5-HMF, and acetic acid, respectively. This yeast would be a potent candidate for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars to biochemicals given that in the presence of low concentrations of inhibitors, its xylitol and ethanol yields are stimulated, and it is capable of metabolizing pretreatment degradation products.

Effect of the presence of initial ethanol on ethanol production in sugar cane juice fermented by Zymomonas mobilis

OpenAIRE

Tano,Marcia Sadae; Buzato,João Batista

2003-01-01

Ethanol production in sugar cane juice in high initial sugar concentration, fermented by Z. mobilis in the presence and absence of ethanol, was evaluated. Ethanol production was low in both media. The presence of initial ethanol in the sugar cane juice reduced ethanol production by 48.8%, biomass production by 25.0% and the total sugar consumption by 28.3%. The presence of initial ethanol in the medium did not affect significantly levan production and biomass yield coefficient (g biomass/g su...

An Evaluation of Ad Hoc Presence-Only Data in Explaining Patterns of Distribution: Cetacean Sightings from Whale-Watching Vessels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louisa K. Higby

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The analysis of presence-only data is a problem in determining species distributions and accurately determining population sizes. The collection of such data is common from unequal or nonrandomised effort surveys, such as those surveys conducted by citizen scientists. However, causative regression-based methods have been less well examined using presence-only data. In this study, we examine a range of predictive factors which might influence Cetacean sightings (specifically minke whale sightings from whale-watching vessels in Faxaflói Bay in Iceland. In this case, environmental variables were collected regularly regardless of whether sightings were recorded. Including absences as well as presence in the analysis resulted in a multiple-generalised linear regression model with significantly more explanatory power than when data were presence only. However, by including extra information on the sightings of the whales, in this case, their observed behaviour when the sighting occurred resulted in a significantly improved model over the presence-only data model. While there are limitations of conducting nonrandomised surveys for the use of predictive models such as regression, presence-only data should not be considered as worthless, and the scope of collection of these data by citizen scientists using modern technology should not be underestimated.

Corrosion resistance improvement of nitinol by anodisation in the presence of molybdate ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saugo, M. [Instituto de Ingeniería Electroquímica y Corrosión (INIEC), Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253, 8000 Bahía Blanca (Argentina); Flamini, D.O., E-mail: dflamini@uns.edu.ar [Instituto de Ingeniería Electroquímica y Corrosión (INIEC), Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253, 8000 Bahía Blanca (Argentina); Zampieri, G. [Centro Atómico Bariloche, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Saidman, S.B. [Instituto de Ingeniería Electroquímica y Corrosión (INIEC), Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253, 8000 Bahía Blanca (Argentina)

2017-04-01

The corrosion behaviour of Nitinol (NiTi) alloy was studied in Ringer solution. In order to improve its corrosion resistance, protective films were formed on the NiTi surface by means of anodisation under potentiostatic or galvanostatic control in the presence of the corrosion inhibitor molybdate in alkaline and acidic solutions. The anodisation process reduces considerably the Ni content and increases the Ti content in the oxide film, indicating that the Ti/Ni stoichiometry in the outermost surface is much higher than in pure NiTi. The titanium enrichment on the outermost surface as TiO{sub 2} enhanced its anticorrosion performance, as was suggested by the decrease in the amount of Ni and Ti released in Ringer solution under open circuit potential (OCP) condition and under potentials where the bare substrate suffers pitting attack. The best anodised film in terms of corrosion protection was obtained under potentiostatic condition in alkaline solution. The presence of oxidised molybdenum species in the oxide potentiostatically grown in alkaline solution, generates a corrosion protective film with a smoother and denser surface than other oxides formed in acidic solutions, without any defects like micro-cracks or pores. - Highlights: • NiTi alloy was anodised applying a low voltage in the presence of a MoO{sub 4}{sup −2} solution. • The formed oxides provided good corrosion protection to the substrate. • The presence of Mo in the oxide film was confirmed by different techniques. • The increase of the Ti/Ni ratio in the oxidised sample was key to protection.

Wormholes in higher dimensions with non-linear curvature terms from quantum gravity corrections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Nabulsi, Ahmad Rami [Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan (China)

2011-11-15

In this work, we discuss a 7-dimensional universe in the presence of a static traversable wormhole and a decaying cosmological constant and dominated by higher-order curvature effects expected from quantum gravity corrections. We confirmed the existence of wormhole solutions in the form of the Lovelock gravity. Many interesting and attractive features are discussed in some detail.

Phenobarbital at Low Dose in the presence of Curcumin Decreases Progress of Cancer in Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazen, G.M.A.

2011-01-01

This current investigation was conducted on male albino rats to elucidate the effects of curcumin alone or in the presence of phenobarbital at low dose to decrease the progress of hepato-gastrointestinal carcinogenesis induced by N-diethylnitrosoamine (DEN) in rats. As a result of cancer induction, the levels of serum tumour markers [carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and cancer antigen (CA19.9)] were significantly elevated. On the other hand, glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were decreased significantly in blood, liver, stomach and intestine whereas the levels of malondialdehyde (MAD) in liver, stomach and intestine were significantly elevated in the cancer group of rats in comparison to their corresponding control group. The administration of curcumin alone or together with phenobarbital ameliorated all these alterations depending on the time of administration. The data of this study suggested that low dose of phenobarbital in the presence of curcumin may inhibit the development of hepato-gastrointestinal carcinogenesis initiated with DEN.

Presence and the utility of audio spatialization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bormann, Karsten

2005-01-01

The primary concern of this paper is whether the utility of audio spatialization, as opposed to the fidelity of audio spatialization, impacts presence. An experiment is reported that investigates the presence-performance relationship by decoupling spatial audio fidelity (realism) from task...... performance by varying the spatial fidelity of the audio independently of its relevance to performance on the search task that subjects were to perform. This was achieved by having conditions in which subjects searched for a music-playing radio (an active sound source) and having conditions in which...... supplied only nonattenuated audio was detrimental to performance. Even so, this group of subjects consistently had the largest increase in presence scores over the baseline experiment. Further, the Witmer and Singer (1998) presence questionnaire was more sensitive to whether the audio source was active...

The Role of Urinary Biomarker Levels in Assessing the Presence and Severity of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abbas Alipour

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Context Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO is the most common obstructive disease of the urinary tract in infancy and childhood with a prevalence of 15% - 45% in neonates with antenatal hydronephrosis. The diagnosis of UPJO should be confirmed by imaging studies - most of which have a propensity to radiation exposure. Objectives The current study aimed to present a review protocol to assess the role of measuring urinary biomarkers to distinguish severe UPJO from milder forms of the disease. Data Sources The database of UPJO studies was searched and studies that compared the levels of urinary biomarkers with the gold standard (i e, dynamic renal scans for UPJO diagnosis were selected. Severity assessment was done quantitatively. Study Selection Three hundred fifty-eight articles were identified across the electronic databases. Twenty-seven articles were selected for the final analyses. Data Extraction Data were extracted independently by three reviewers and analyzed using STATA software version 12. Results Meta-analysis of studies showed that patients with severe UPJO had significantly higher biomarker levels than those with mild to moderate obstruction, with a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD of 0.5 (confidence interval (CI 95%, 0.34 - 0.67; P < 0.001; and significantly higher biomarker standardized to urinary creatinine levels than those with mild to moderate obstruction, with a pooled SMD of 1.02 (95% CI, 0.88 - 1.16; P < 0.001. Meta-analysis showed that patients with severe UPJO had significantly higher biomarker levels than healthy children, with a pooled SMD of 1.27 (CI 95%, 1.16 - 1.39; P < 0.001; and significantly higher biomarker standardized to urinary creatinine levels than healthy children, with a pooled SMD of 1.14 (CI 95%, 0.95 - 1.32; P < 0.001. Conclusions The assessment of urinary biomarkers is a helpful tool to assess the presence and severity of UPJO, but there is little published data on each of the studied

Behaviour of fluoropolymers in presence of tritiated water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bubueanu, Gh.; Postolache, C.; Tuta, C.

2011-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. One of the most used methods for tritium recovery from tritiated water relies on combined electrolysis with catalytic isotope exchange techniques. The electrolytic cell converts the tritiated water or tritiated heavy water into a hydrogen, deuterium and tritium mixture. The mixture is purified and then tritium is recovered by catalytic isotopic separation techniques. Tritium presence in the system induces an intense radiation field especially at aqueous solution interface. This can generate significant structural modifications with potentially negative effects. In this paper work it is followed the study of radiolytic phenomena in Pt/C/PTFE isotopic exchange catalyst, NAFION membranes and VITON fluoroelastomer in presence of tritiated water with high radioactive concentration. Radiolytical processes were analyzed by: Exposure of fluoropolymers samples immersed in H 2 O at gamma radiation field (60-Co source) in vacuum, at liq. Nitrogen temperature and at ambient temperature respectively; Immersing of NAFION, Pt/C/PTFE catalyst and VITON samples in tritiated water with high activity (3.7 and 37 TBq/L) for different time period. In both cases the samples were characterized by FT IR ATR, and fluoride ions emission from polymeric matrix. Experimental results were correlated with quantum-chemical simulations.

Towards higher intensities

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2010-01-01

Over the past 2 weeks, commissioning of the machine protection system has advanced significantly, opening up the possibility of higher intensity collisions at 3.5 TeV. The intensity has been increased from 2 bunches of 1010 protons to 6 bunches of 2x1010 protons. Luminosities of 6x1028 cm-2s-1 have been achieved at the start of fills, a factor of 60 higher than those provided for the first collisions on 30 March.   The recent increase in LHC luminosity as recorded by the experiments. (Graph courtesy of the experiments and M. Ferro-Luzzi) To increase the luminosity further, the commissioning crews are now trying to push up the intensity of the individual proton bunches. After the successful injection of nominal intensity bunches containing 1.1x1011 protons, collisions were subsequently achieved at 450 GeV with these intensities. However, half-way through the first ramping of these nominal intensity bunches to 3.5 TeV on 15 May, a beam instability was observed, leading to partial beam loss...

Core Processes Roadmap to Deploy the Higher Education Institution's Internationalization Strategy

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Elena FLEACĂ

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Technological development, competition and globalisation are radically changing the landscape of higher education which maintains its crucial role in individual and societal advancement. Many higher education institutions are competing on increasing their attractiveness by providing innovative curricula, excellence in teaching and research opportunities. The paper attempts to tackle the push for stronger international presence which brings favourable conditions for internationalisation strategy at institutional level. Based on useful methods from quality management and business process reengineering, the author proposed a coherent organizational model for a higher education institution strategy, mainstreaming key areas as international mobility for students and staff, internationalization and improvement of curricula and new e-learning methods, and strategic cooperation, partnerships and capacity building with international stakeholders. The findings stress the benefits of a holistic approach in assuring the governance of internationalization strategy composed of three core processes groups - academic, research, and wider business relationships – so as to provide that process architecture is able to deliver a value added internationalised higher education offer.

Impact of Interactive Video Communication Versus Text-Based Feedback on Teaching, Social, and Cognitive Presence in Online Learning Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Seckman, Charlotte

A key element to online learning is the ability to create a sense of presence to improve learning outcomes. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of interactive video communication versus text-based feedback and found a significant difference between the 2 groups related to teaching, social, and cognitive presence. Recommendations to enhance presence should focus on providing timely feedback, interactive learning experiences, and opportunities for students to establish relationships with peers and faculty.

Three-dimensional tokamak equilibria in the presence of resonant field errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, A.; Monticello, D.

1992-01-01

Numerical solutions are described for three-dimensional MHD equilibria in the presence of resonant magnetic field perturbations. The effects of a realistic spectrum of resonant field errors are calculated for a range of current profiles. It is found that field errors of the magnitude existing in present day devices, and contemplated for future devices, can produce a set of magnetic islands occupying a significant fraction of the plasma cross-section

What Role for Private Higher Education in Europe?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teixeira, Pedro N.; Biscaia, Ricardo; Rocha, Vera

2016-01-01

In recent decades, we have seen the emergence of private higher education in many European countries. This has been associated with the waves of significant expansion of the higher education system and with changes in regulation patterns, which have promoted a growing private-like behavior...... of public higher education institutions and the development of private provision in several European countries. The aim of this text is to discuss the relevance of the various dimensions of privatization in European higher education and to explore the relationship between public and private sectors...... in several European countries. This analysis points out some major patterns of the private higher education sector in Europe and reflects about the major issues faced by those systems regarding the potential contribution of private higher education....

Growth of Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120∆C biofilms in the presence of n-butanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Halan, Babu; Vassilev, Igor; Lang, Karsten; Schmid, Andreas; Buehler, Katja

2017-07-01

Biocatalytic processes often encounter problems due to toxic reactants and products, which reduce biocatalyst viability. Thus, robust organisms capable of tolerating or adapting towards such compounds are of high importance. This study systematically investigated the physiological response of Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120∆C biofilms when exposed to n-butanol, one of the potential next generation biofuels as well as a toxic substance using microscopic and biochemical methods. Initially P. taiwanensis VLB120∆C biofilms did not show any observable growth in the presence of 3% butanol. Prolonged cultivation of 10 days led to biofilm adaptation, glucose and oxygen uptake doubled and consequently it was possible to quantify biomass. Complementing the medium with yeast extract and presumably reducing the metabolic burden caused by butanol exposure further increased the biomass yield. In course of cultivation cells reduced their size in the presence of n-butanol which results in an enlarged surface-to-volume ratio and thus increased nutrient uptake. Finally, biofilm enhanced its extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production when exposed to n-butanol. The predominant response of these biofilms under n-butanol stress are higher energy demand, increased biomass yield upon medium complements, larger surface-to-volume ratio and enhanced EPS production. Although we observed a distinct increase in biomass in the presence of 3% butanol it was not possible to cultivate P. taiwanensis VLB120∆C biofilms at higher n-butanol concentrations. Thereby this study shows that biofilms are not per se tolerant against solvents, and need to adapt to toxic n-butanol concentrations. © 2016 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Epidemiological characterization and risk evaluation associated with the presence of Megninia spp. in posture farms

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Tiago Mendonça de Oliveira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: This study was accomplished with the aim to evaluate and to characterize the risks for the presence of Megninia spp. in poultry farms from Minas Gerais, using for that Correspondence Analysis (CA. A secondary database was used and adapted for this study, with information from 402 chicken houses of 42 laying hens commercial properties. Variables used to compose the correspondence model were selected through tests of Qui-square being considered the significant result of P≤0,05. A risk index was built to the presence of Megninia spp. starting from variables considered as risk factors for the presence of those ectoparasites. The CA graph produced for the epidemiological characterization of the presence of Megninia spp. presented an accumulated qui-square value of 58,55%. There was an association of the risk index with the age ranges of the poultry, among the presence Megninia spp. and the use of mineral oil and acaricide in the ration and; finally, an association between the ruddy ground-dove (Columbina talpacoti presence and the absence of mites of the Megninia genus. The results supply knowledge on the epidemiology of Megninia spp. In addition, these information can contribute in the decision, reducing the risks of possible infestations in poultry farms and the negative effects of that parasitism.

Development of PdM (M = Ni, Cu, Ag) electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium in the absence and presence of alcohol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isidoro, Roberta Alvarenga

2015-01-01

Pd/C, Pd Cu/C, Pd Ni/C and Pd Ag/C electrocatalysts were produced by microwave method to be used as cathode in alkaline fuel cell in the absence and presence of alcohol. This method showed to be effective for the materials production, the particles exhibited good dispersion in carbon support and it produced electrocatalysts with a particle size of about 3.5 nm, according to XRD and TEM analysis. In cyclic voltammetry is observed that Pd Cu/C and Pd Ni/C electrocatalysts has higher active area with higher amount of Cu and Ni, respectively. Rotating ring disk analysis in the electrocatalysts showed that the amount of peroxide produced was at most 4%. This data is similar to Koutecky-Levich analysis, once for both the ORR occurs via 4 electrons. Materials stability analysis showed that they kept or improve performance in ORR, comparing the data before and after 1000 voltammetric cycles. Tolerance tests in methanol and ethanol were performed in a half cell in all electrocatalysts compositions. In presence of methanol and ethanol the compositions 50:50, to all materials studied, showed less influence in the presence of alcohol in ORR linear scan. In alkaline fuel cell Pd Ag/C 70:30 showed better performance for ORR in presence of methanol and Pd Ni/C 70:30 showed better performance for ORR in ethanol presence. (author)

Mastitis Modifies the Biogenic Amines Profile in Human Milk, with Significant Changes in the Presence of Histamine, Putrescine and Spermine.

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Marta Perez

Full Text Available Biogenic amines (BAs are low molecular weight nitrogenous organic compounds with different biological activities. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine are essential for the development of the gut and immune system of newborns, and are all found in human milk. Little is known, however, about the role of histamine, tyramine or cadaverine in breast milk. Nor is it known whether mastitis alters the BA composition of milk. The BA profile of human milk, and the influence of mastitis on BA concentrations, were therefore investigated. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were the main BAs detected. In mastitis-affected milk, the concentrations of putrescine, spermine and histamine were higher.

Differences found in the macroinvertebrate community composition in the presence or absence of the invasive alien crayfish, Orconectes hylas

Science.gov (United States)

Freeland-Riggert, Brandye T.; Cairns, Stefan H.; Poulton, Barry C.; Riggert, Chris M.

2016-01-01

Introductions of alien species into aquatic ecosystems have been well documented, including invasions of crayfish species; however, little is known about the effects of these introductions on macroinvertebrate communities. The woodland crayfish (Orconectes hylas (Faxon)) has been introduced into the St. Francis River watershed in southeast Missouri and has displaced populations of native crayfish. The effects of O. hylas on macroinvertebrate community composition were investigated in a fourth-order Ozark stream at two locations, one with the presence of O. hylas and one without. Significant differences between sites and across four sampling periods and two habitats were found in five categories of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics: species richness, percent/composition, dominance/diversity, functional feeding groups, and biotic indices. In most seasons and habitat combinations, the invaded site had significantly higher relative abundance of riffle beetles (Coleoptera: Elmidae), and significantly lower Missouri biotic index values, total taxa richness, and both richness and relative abundance of midges (Diptera: Chironomidae). Overall study results indicate that some macroinvertebrate community differences due to the O. hylas invasion were not consistent between seasons and habitats, suggesting that further research on spatial and temporal habitat use and feeding ecology of Ozark crayfish species is needed to improve our understanding of the effects of these invasions on aquatic communities.

Genetic susceptibility to and presence of endogenous avian leukosis viruses impose no significant impact on survival days of chickens challenged with very virulent plus Marek's disease virus

Science.gov (United States)

Chicks of distinct genotypes at the tumor virus B locus (TVB) in combination with presence or absence of endogenous avian leukosis virus ev21 gene in their genomes were examined for survival day patterns after challenge with very virulent plus Marek’s disease virus (vv+MDV) in three consecutive tria...

Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase is lower and copper chaperone CCS is higher in erythrocytes of copper-deficient rats and mice.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Elizabeth C; Prohaska, Joseph R

2004-09-01

Discovery of a sensitive blood biochemical marker of copper status would be valuable for assessing marginal copper intakes. Rodent models were used to investigate whether erythrocyte concentrations of copper,zinc-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the copper metallochaperone for SOD (CCS) were sensitive to dietary copper changes. Several models of copper deficiency were studied in postweanling male Holtzman rats, male Swiss Webster mice offspring, and both rat and mouse dams. Treatment resulted in variable but significantly altered copper status as evaluated by the presence of anemia, and lower liver copper and higher liver iron concentrations in copper-deficient compared with copper-adequate animals. Associated with this copper deficiency were consistent reductions in immunoreactive SOD and robust enhancements in CCS. In most cases, the ratio of CCS:SOD was several-fold higher in red blood cell extracts from copper-deficient compared with copper-adequate rodents. Determination of red cell CCS:SOD may be useful for assessing copper status of humans.

Retention Esophagitis as a Significant Clinical Predictor of Progression to Esophageal Cancer in Achalasia

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Haewon Kim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims Chronic liquid and/or food stasis caused by retention esophagitis (RE in achalasia is a notable endoscopic finding because of the presence of a thickened or whitish esophageal mucosa and histologically altered squamous hyperplasia. We aimed to identify the clinical features of RE associated with achalasia and to clarify the clinical definition of RE in achalasia as a precancerous lesion identified by analyzing biomarker expressions. Methods From 2006 to 2015, we retrospectively reviewed 37 patients with achalasia without previous treatment. Among them, 21 patients had diagnostic findings of RE (RE+ and 16 patients had no diagnostic findings of RE (RE–. Immunohistochemical staining of p53, p16, and Ki-67 was performed on the endoscopic biopsy tissues from the patients with achalasia and 10 control patients with non-obstructive dysphagia. Results The symptom duration and transit delay were significantly longer in the RE+ group than in the RE– group. We found particularly high p53 positivity rates in the RE+ group (p<0.001. The rate of p16 expression was also significantly higher in the RE+ group than in the other two groups (p=0.003. Conclusions A high p53 expression rate was more frequently found in the RE+ group than in the other two groups. RE could be a meaningful clinical feature of achalasia for predicting esophageal carcinogenesis.

Observables and microscopic entropy of higher spin black holes

Science.gov (United States)

Compère, Geoffrey; Jottar, Juan I.; Song, Wei

2013-11-01

In the context of recently proposed holographic dualities between higher spin theories in AdS3 and (1 + 1)-dimensional CFTs with symmetry algebras, we revisit the definition of higher spin black hole thermodynamics and the dictionary between bulk fields and dual CFT operators. We build a canonical formalism based on three ingredients: a gauge-invariant definition of conserved charges and chemical potentials in the presence of higher spin black holes, a canonical definition of entropy in the bulk, and a bulk-to-boundary dictionary aligned with the asymptotic symmetry algebra. We show that our canonical formalism shares the same formal structure as the so-called holomorphic formalism, but differs in the definition of charges and chemical potentials and in the bulk-to-boundary dictionary. Most importantly, we show that it admits a consistent CFT interpretation. We discuss the spin-2 and spin-3 cases in detail and generalize our construction to theories based on the hs[ λ] algebra, and on the sl( N,[InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]) algebra for any choice of sl(2 ,[InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]) embedding.

A higher chest compression rate may be necessary for metronome-guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Tae Nyoung; Kim, Sun Wook; You, Je Sung; Cho, Young Soon; Chung, Sung Phil; Park, Incheol

2012-01-01

Metronome guidance is a simple and economical feedback system for guiding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, a recent study showed that metronome guidance reduced the depth of chest compression. The results of previous studies suggest that a higher chest compression rate is associated with a better CPR outcome as compared with a lower chest compression rate, irrespective of metronome use. Based on this finding, we hypothesized that a lower chest compression rate promotes a reduction in chest compression depth in the recent study rather than metronome use itself. One minute of chest compression-only CPR was performed following the metronome sound played at 1 of 4 different rates: 80, 100, 120, and 140 ticks/min. Average compression depths (ACDs) and duty cycles were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance, and the values in the absence and presence of metronome guidance were compared. Both the ACD and duty cycle increased when the metronome rate increased (P = .017, metronome rates of 80 and 100 ticks/min were significantly lower than those for the procedures without metronome guidance. The ACD and duty cyle for chest compression increase as the metronome rate increases during metronome-guided CPR. A higher rate of chest compression is necessary for metronome-guided CPR to prevent suboptimal quality of chest compression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Helicobacter pylori Infection is a Significant Factor Risk for Hyperhomocysteinemia in the Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

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Soudabeh Fallah

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This work aimed to determine whether seropositivity to Helicobacter pylori infection was an independent risk factor for hyperhomocysteinemia patients with cardiovascular disease. The H. pylori IgG, IgA and homocystein levels in 96 patients with cardiovascular disease and 64 participants free of cardiovascular disease as control subjects were determined by ELISA assay. The results showed that seropositivity to H. pylori IgG and IgA levels of coronary artery disease (CADpatients was significantly higher than the controls and CAD patients with H. pylori IgG and IgA negative antibodies. A significant correlation was found between the seropositivity to H. pylori IgG and homocysteine levels of CAD patients in comparison with the controls and CAD patients with seronegativity to H. pylori IgG and IgA (r=0.233, P= 0.019 . The involvement of H. pylori infection in atherosclerosis process was based on the chronic inflammation, which might facilitate the CAD-related pathologies. The effect of the presence of H. pylori infection on homocysteine levels elevation in the CAD patients (as a risk factor independent of other traditional factors was remarkable.

Towards a resolution of the cosmological singularity in non-local higher derivative theories of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biswas, Tirthabir; Koivisto, Tomi; Mazumdar, Anupam

2010-01-01

One of the greatest problems of standard cosmology is the Big Bang singularity. Previously it has been shown that non-local ghostfree higher-derivative modifications of Einstein gravity in the ultra-violet regime can admit non-singular bouncing solutions. In this paper we study in more details the dynamical properties of the equations of motion for these theories of gravity in presence of positive and negative cosmological constants and radiation. We find stable inflationary attractor solutions in the presence of a positive cosmological constant which renders inflation geodesically complete, while in the presence of a negative cosmological constant a cyclic universe emerges. We also provide an algorithm for tracking the super-Hubble perturbations during the bounce and show that the bouncing solutions are free from any perturbative instability

A higher prevalence of endometriosis among Asian women does not contribute to poorer IVF outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Ayae; Johnstone, Erica B; Bloom, Michael S; Huddleston, Heather G; Fujimoto, Victor Y

2017-06-01

The purpose of the study was to determine whether diagnosis of endometriosis or endometriosis with endometrioma influences in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in an ethnically diverse population. Women undergoing a first IVF cycle (n = 717) between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009, at a university-affiliated infertility clinic, were retrospectively assessed for an endometriosis diagnosis. Differences in prevalence of endometriosis by ethnicity were determined, as well as differences in IVF success by ethnicity, with a focus on country of origin for Asian women. A multivariate model was generated to assess the relative contributions of country of origin and endometriosis to chance of clinical pregnancy with IVF. Endometriosis was diagnosed in 9.5% of participants; 3.5% also received a diagnosis of endometrioma. Endometriosis prevalence in Asian women was significantly greater than in Caucasians (15.7 vs. 5.8%, p Women of Filipino (p women, although there was no difference in endometrioma presence by race/ethnicity. Oocyte quantity, embryo quality, and fertilization rates did not relate to endometriosis. Clinical pregnancy rates were significantly lower for Asian women, specifically in Indian (p women, compared to Caucasian women, even after controlling for endometriosis status. The prevalence of endometriosis appears to be higher in Filipino, Indian, Japanese, and Korean women presenting for IVF treatment than for Caucasian women; however, the discrepancy in IVF outcomes was conditionally independent of the presence of endometriosis. Future research should focus on improving pregnancy outcomes for Asian populations whether or not they are affected by endometriosis, specifically in the form of longitudinal studies where exposures can be captured prior to endometriosis diagnoses and infertility treatment.

Species Distribution Modelling: Contrasting presence-only models with plot abundance data.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Vitor H F; IJff, Stéphanie D; Raes, Niels; Amaral, Iêda Leão; Salomão, Rafael P; de Souza Coelho, Luiz; de Almeida Matos, Francisca Dionízia; Castilho, Carolina V; de Andrade Lima Filho, Diogenes; López, Dairon Cárdenas; Guevara, Juan Ernesto; Magnusson, William E; Phillips, Oliver L; Wittmann, Florian; de Jesus Veiga Carim, Marcelo; Martins, Maria Pires; Irume, Mariana Victória; Sabatier, Daniel; Molino, Jean-François; Bánki, Olaf S; da Silva Guimarães, José Renan; Pitman, Nigel C A; Piedade, Maria Teresa Fernandez; Mendoza, Abel Monteagudo; Luize, Bruno Garcia; Venticinque, Eduardo Martins; de Leão Novo, Evlyn Márcia Moraes; Vargas, Percy Núñez; Silva, Thiago Sanna Freire; Manzatto, Angelo Gilberto; Terborgh, John; Reis, Neidiane Farias Costa; Montero, Juan Carlos; Casula, Katia Regina; Marimon, Beatriz S; Marimon, Ben-Hur; Coronado, Euridice N Honorio; Feldpausch, Ted R; Duque, Alvaro; Zartman, Charles Eugene; Arboleda, Nicolás Castaño; Killeen, Timothy J; Mostacedo, Bonifacio; Vasquez, Rodolfo; Schöngart, Jochen; Assis, Rafael L; Medeiros, Marcelo Brilhante; Simon, Marcelo Fragomeni; Andrade, Ana; Laurance, William F; Camargo, José Luís; Demarchi, Layon O; Laurance, Susan G W; de Sousa Farias, Emanuelle; Nascimento, Henrique Eduardo Mendonça; Revilla, Juan David Cardenas; Quaresma, Adriano; Costa, Flavia R C; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Cintra, Bruno Barçante Ladvocat; Castellanos, Hernán; Brienen, Roel; Stevenson, Pablo R; Feitosa, Yuri; Duivenvoorden, Joost F; Aymard C, Gerardo A; Mogollón, Hugo F; Targhetta, Natalia; Comiskey, James A; Vicentini, Alberto; Lopes, Aline; Damasco, Gabriel; Dávila, Nállarett; García-Villacorta, Roosevelt; Levis, Carolina; Schietti, Juliana; Souza, Priscila; Emilio, Thaise; Alonso, Alfonso; Neill, David; Dallmeier, Francisco; Ferreira, Leandro Valle; Araujo-Murakami, Alejandro; Praia, Daniel; do Amaral, Dário Dantas; Carvalho, Fernanda Antunes; de Souza, Fernanda Coelho; Feeley, Kenneth; Arroyo, Luzmila; Pansonato, Marcelo Petratti; Gribel, Rogerio; Villa, Boris; Licona, Juan Carlos; Fine, Paul V A; Cerón, Carlos; Baraloto, Chris; Jimenez, Eliana M; Stropp, Juliana; Engel, Julien; Silveira, Marcos; Mora, Maria Cristina Peñuela; Petronelli, Pascal; Maas, Paul; Thomas-Caesar, Raquel; Henkel, Terry W; Daly, Doug; Paredes, Marcos Ríos; Baker, Tim R; Fuentes, Alfredo; Peres, Carlos A; Chave, Jerome; Pena, Jose Luis Marcelo; Dexter, Kyle G; Silman, Miles R; Jørgensen, Peter Møller; Pennington, Toby; Di Fiore, Anthony; Valverde, Fernando Cornejo; Phillips, Juan Fernando; Rivas-Torres, Gonzalo; von Hildebrand, Patricio; van Andel, Tinde R; Ruschel, Ademir R; Prieto, Adriana; Rudas, Agustín; Hoffman, Bruce; Vela, César I A; Barbosa, Edelcilio Marques; Zent, Egleé L; Gonzales, George Pepe Gallardo; Doza, Hilda Paulette Dávila; de Andrade Miranda, Ires Paula; Guillaumet, Jean-Louis; Pinto, Linder Felipe Mozombite; de Matos Bonates, Luiz Carlos; Silva, Natalino; Gómez, Ricardo Zárate; Zent, Stanford; Gonzales, Therany; Vos, Vincent A; Malhi, Yadvinder; Oliveira, Alexandre A; Cano, Angela; Albuquerque, Bianca Weiss; Vriesendorp, Corine; Correa, Diego Felipe; Torre, Emilio Vilanova; van der Heijden, Geertje; Ramirez-Angulo, Hirma; Ramos, José Ferreira; Young, Kenneth R; Rocha, Maira; Nascimento, Marcelo Trindade; Medina, Maria Natalia Umaña; Tirado, Milton; Wang, Ophelia; Sierra, Rodrigo; Torres-Lezama, Armando; Mendoza, Casimiro; Ferreira, Cid; Baider, Cláudia; Villarroel, Daniel; Balslev, Henrik; Mesones, Italo; Giraldo, Ligia Estela Urrego; Casas, Luisa Fernanda; Reategui, Manuel Augusto Ahuite; Linares-Palomino, Reynaldo; Zagt, Roderick; Cárdenas, Sasha; Farfan-Rios, William; Sampaio, Adeilza Felipe; Pauletto, Daniela; Sandoval, Elvis H Valderrama; Arevalo, Freddy Ramirez; Huamantupa-Chuquimaco, Isau; Garcia-Cabrera, Karina; Hernandez, Lionel; Gamarra, Luis Valenzuela; Alexiades, Miguel N; Pansini, Susamar; Cuenca, Walter Palacios; Milliken, William; Ricardo, Joana; Lopez-Gonzalez, Gabriela; Pos, Edwin; Ter Steege, Hans

2018-01-17

Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used in ecology and conservation. Presence-only SDMs such as MaxEnt frequently use natural history collections (NHCs) as occurrence data, given their huge numbers and accessibility. NHCs are often spatially biased which may generate inaccuracies in SDMs. Here, we test how the distribution of NHCs and MaxEnt predictions relates to a spatial abundance model, based on a large plot dataset for Amazonian tree species, using inverse distance weighting (IDW). We also propose a new pipeline to deal with inconsistencies in NHCs and to limit the area of occupancy of the species. We found a significant but weak positive relationship between the distribution of NHCs and IDW for 66% of the species. The relationship between SDMs and IDW was also significant but weakly positive for 95% of the species, and sensitivity for both analyses was high. Furthermore, the pipeline removed half of the NHCs records. Presence-only SDM applications should consider this limitation, especially for large biodiversity assessments projects, when they are automatically generated without subsequent checking. Our pipeline provides a conservative estimate of a species' area of occupancy, within an area slightly larger than its extent of occurrence, compatible to e.g. IUCN red list assessments.

Breathing life into social presence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cowley, Stephen; Fester, Marie-Theres

2018-01-01

Whilst many studies focus on human-to-media interactions, this paper turns to how a multimodal medium influences human-to-human contact. By bringing together both radical embodied cognitive science (Chemero 2009) and dialogism (Linell 2009), the paper develops an anti-representationalist approach...... to the concept of social presence. We use an exploratory study of close friendships that maintain their interaction through the use of the mobile instant messaging service WhatsApp. In so doing, we describe texting as language-activity where people engage with each other by using resources from body, environment...... attention to this kind of heightened social presence that we choose to call “co-imagining”....

Assessment of hemodynamic significance of isolated stenoses of the left anterior descending coronary artery using thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalff, V.; Kelly, M.J.; Soward, A.; Harper, R.W.; Currie, P.J.; Lim, Y.L.; Pitt, A.

1985-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that the results of stress thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scans (TI-201) are related to the mean transstenotic pressure gradient of coronary stenoses independent of the percent luminal diameter narrowing seen at angiography. The 22 study patients (20 men, 2 women, mean age 47 years, range 30 to 62) had no previous myocardial infarction. Each underwent a symptom-limited, erect bicycle TI-201 test off antianginal therapy, shortly before percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for isolated left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis. The percent narrowing, mean gradient at percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and presence of a visually apparent TI-201 defect were independently evaluated and results compared. All 4 patients with 90% or greater diameter narrowing had positive TI-201 responses, and the mean gradient was 72 +/- 11 mm Hg. Among the 18 patients with less than 90% diameter narrowing, the mean gradient was higher (p less than 0.001) in the 11 with a positive TI-201 (63 +/- 15 mm Hg) than in the 7 with a negative TI-201 (33 +/- 20 mm Hg), but their percent narrowing did not differ significantly (72 +/- 14% vs 66 +/- 19%). Multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of a TI-201 defect was a strong (p . 0.003) and percent narrowing (p . 0.048) a weak independent predictor for gradient. When the mean gradient was normalized for the prestenotic pressure, both percent narrowing (p . 0.003) and TI-201 defects (p . 0.006) were significant independent predictors

Chlorination of bromide-containing waters: Enhanced bromate formation in the presence ofsynthetic metal oxides and deposits formed indrinking water distribution systems

KAUST Repository

Liu, Chao; von Gunten, Urs; Croue, Jean-Philippe

2013-01-01

Bromate formation from the reaction between chlorine and bromide in homogeneous solution is a slow process. The present study investigated metal oxides enhanced bromate formation during chlorination of bromide-containing waters. Selected metal oxides enhanced the decay of hypobromous acid (HOBr), a requisite intermediate during the oxidation of bromide to bromate, via (i) disproportionation to bromate in the presence of nickel oxide (NiO) and cupric oxide (CuO), (ii) oxidation of a metal to a higher valence state in the presence of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) and (iii) oxygen formation by NiO and CuO. Goethite (α-FeOOH) did not enhance either of these pathways. Non-charged species of metal oxides seem to be responsible for the catalytic disproportionation which shows its highest rate in the pH range near the pKa of HOBr. Due to the ability to catalyze HOBr disproportionation, bromate was formed during chlorination of bromide-containing waters in the presence of CuO and NiO, whereas no bromate was detected in the presence of Cu2O and α-FeOOH for analogous conditions. The inhibition ability of coexisting anions on bromate formation at pH 8.6 follows the sequence of phosphate>>sulfate>bicarbonate/carbonate. A black deposit in a water pipe harvested from a drinking water distribution system exerted significant residual oxidant decay and bromate formation during chlorination of bromide-containing waters. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses showed that the black deposit contained copper (14%, atomic percentage) and nickel (1.8%, atomic percentage). Cupric oxide was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). These results indicate that bromate formation may be of concern during chlorination of bromide-containing waters in distribution systems containing CuO and/or NiO. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Chlorination of bromide-containing waters: Enhanced bromate formation in the presence ofsynthetic metal oxides and deposits formed indrinking water distribution systems

KAUST Repository

Liu, Chao

2013-09-01

Bromate formation from the reaction between chlorine and bromide in homogeneous solution is a slow process. The present study investigated metal oxides enhanced bromate formation during chlorination of bromide-containing waters. Selected metal oxides enhanced the decay of hypobromous acid (HOBr), a requisite intermediate during the oxidation of bromide to bromate, via (i) disproportionation to bromate in the presence of nickel oxide (NiO) and cupric oxide (CuO), (ii) oxidation of a metal to a higher valence state in the presence of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) and (iii) oxygen formation by NiO and CuO. Goethite (α-FeOOH) did not enhance either of these pathways. Non-charged species of metal oxides seem to be responsible for the catalytic disproportionation which shows its highest rate in the pH range near the pKa of HOBr. Due to the ability to catalyze HOBr disproportionation, bromate was formed during chlorination of bromide-containing waters in the presence of CuO and NiO, whereas no bromate was detected in the presence of Cu2O and α-FeOOH for analogous conditions. The inhibition ability of coexisting anions on bromate formation at pH 8.6 follows the sequence of phosphate>>sulfate>bicarbonate/carbonate. A black deposit in a water pipe harvested from a drinking water distribution system exerted significant residual oxidant decay and bromate formation during chlorination of bromide-containing waters. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses showed that the black deposit contained copper (14%, atomic percentage) and nickel (1.8%, atomic percentage). Cupric oxide was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). These results indicate that bromate formation may be of concern during chlorination of bromide-containing waters in distribution systems containing CuO and/or NiO. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

PRESENCE OF CITRININ IN GRAINS AND ITS POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Čulig, Borna; Bevardi, Martina; Bošnir, Jasna; Serdar, Sonja; Lasić, Dario; Racz, Aleksandar; Galić, Antonija; Kuharić, Željka

2017-01-01

Citrinin is a mycotoxin produced by several species of the genera Aspergillus , Penicillium and Monascus and it occurs mainly in stored grain. Citrinin is generally formed after harvest and occurs mainly in stored grains, it also occurs in other plant products. Often, the co-occurrence with other mycotoxins is observed, especially ochratoxin A, which is usually associated with endemic nephropathy. At the European Union level, systematic monitoring of Citrinin in grains began with the aim of determining its highest permissible amount in food. Thus, far the systematic monitoring of the above mentioned mycotoxin in Croatia is yet to begin. The main goal of this study was to determine the presence of Citrinin in grains sampled in the area of Međimurje, Osijek-Baranja, Vukovar-Srijem and Brod-Posavina County. For the purpose of identification and quantification of citrinin, high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) with fluorescence was used (Calibration curve k > 0.999; Intra assay CV = 2.1%; Inter assay CV = 4.3%; LOQ possibly indicating a significant intake of citrinin in humans. It must be stated that grains and grain-based products are the basis of everyday diet of all age groups, especially small children, where higher intake of citrinin can occur. Consequently, we emphasize the need for systematic analysis of larger amount of samples, from both large grains and small grains, especially in the area of Brod-Posavina County, in order to obtain more realistic notion of citrinin contamination of grains and to asses the health risk in humans.

Associations between health and combinations of sickness presence and absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Gustafsson, K; Marklund, S

2014-01-01

The association between sickness presence (SP), sickness absence (SA) and health is not well known although research on these phenomena has grown in recent years. To identify the health outcomes of different combinations of self-reported SP and SA while controlling for background and work-related factors. The study group was a representative three-wave sample of 1886 employed individuals from the Swedish Working Life Cohort, gathered in 2004-2006. Block-wise multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted for combinations of self-reported SP and SA, using controls for background, work-related and previous health factors. The crude odds ratios showed that health and mental well-being were most negatively affected in the group with high SP and SA in the preceding year. When differences in individual background, health and work-related factors were controlled for, distinct significant odds ratios remained. The odds ratios for negative health outcomes were between 1.49 (95% CI: 1.02-2.18) and 2.64 (95% CI: 1.81-3.85) higher among those with both high SP and high SA than those with both low SP and low SA. However, the study also indicated that individuals with high SP and low SA showed the highest odds ratios for poor mental well-being. The results showed that combinations of frequent self-rated SP and SA are related to negative values in the four measured aspects of self-reported health 1 year later. Occupational medicine practitioners should therefore be concerned particularly with employees who report frequently occurring SP and SA.

Increased osteoblast density in the presence of novel calcium phosphate coated magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareta, Rajesh A; Webster, Thomas J; Taylor, Erik

2008-01-01

Bone diseases (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and bone cancer) are of great concern to the medical world. Drugs are available to treat such diseases, but often these drugs are not specifically targeted to the site of the disease and, thus, lack an immediate directed therapeutic effect. The optimal drug delivery system should enhance healthy bone growth with high specificity to the site of bone disease. It has been previously shown that magnetic nanoparticles can be directed in the presence of a magnetic field to any part of the body, allowing for site-specific drug delivery and possibly an immediate increase in bone density. The objective of the present study was to build off of this evidence and determine the density of osteoblasts (bone forming cells) in the presence of various uncoated and coated magnetic nanoparticles that could eventually be used in drug delivery applications. Results showed that some magnetic nanoparticles (specifically, γ-Fe 2 O 3 ) significantly promoted osteoblast density (that is, cells per well) after 5 and 8 days of culture compared to controls (no particles). These magnetic nanoparticles were further coated with calcium phosphate (CaP; the main inorganic component of bone) to tailor them for treating various bone diseases. The coatings were conducted in the presence of either bovine serum albumin (BSA) or citric acid (CA) to reduce magnetic nanoparticle agglomeration, a common problem resulting from the use of nanoparticles which decreases their effectiveness. Results with these coatings showed that magnetic nanoparticles, specifically (γ-Fe 2 O 3 ), coated in the presence of BSA significantly increased osteoblast density compared to controls after 1 day. In this manner, this study provided unexpected evidence that CaP-coated γ-Fe 2 O 3 magnetic nanoparticles increased osteoblast density (compared to no particles) and, thus, should be further studied to treat numerous bone diseases

Serological study on WNV presence in horses in Vojvodina after the human outbreak in Serbia in 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrović T.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available To establish the presence of West Nile virus (WNV infection in the animal population in Serbia after the human WNV outbreak, the presence of anti-WNV IgG antibodies was examined by commercial ELISA of blood sera samples of 130 horses collected in 2012 from 6 stables and 1 settlement in Vojvodina Province, northern Serbia. During the blood sampling, hibernating mosquitoes in the vicinity of the sampled horses were collected (31 pools from 4 locations and tested for WNV presence by real-time RT-PCR. The presence of anti-WNV antibodies was observed in 49.23% (64/130 horses. Per stable, the percent of seropositive animals ranged from 35% to 64%. All 31 analyzed pools of hibernating mosquitoes tested negative for WNV RNA. The WNV-antibody prevalence of 49.23% obtained in horses during 2012 was much higher than the prevalence (12% found in horses during 2009/2010. These results, including the confirmed seroconversion in eight horses that tested negative in 2010, indicated an intensive WNV circulation during 2012 in Serbia, and the necessity of implementing surveillance programs. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31084 and III43007

Significance assessment of the external control effects of lecturers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurbatova Margarita, V.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The state policy regarding higher education has changed in the last decade. These changes were part of the efficiency programs of the public sector. Governments of different countries ruined previously existing system of higher education state regulation and attempted to build the quasi-market structure in the higher education industry. Such transformations served as timely and progressive reforms in the recent studies of the economics of education. Substitution of bureaucratic management mechanisms and modern competition managerial tools are articulated. Economic and institutional and sociological studies on the effects of the introduction of quasi-markets and managerial tools in higher education governance oppose to orthodox market approach. They drew attention to the fact that evaluation methods and improve the effectiveness of organizations and employees that are typical of the private sector often produce results that differ from those in the public sector. To assess the consequences of the introduction of managerial tools of external control activities of university lecturers used a methodology based on the allocation of the individual structural components (effects and building on their basis of a multi-level hierarchical model in the research. Each component of the model (single effect is characterized by a degree of significance (importance and the degree of severity. The results of the systematization and assessment of the significance of the effects of external control activity of lecturers of Russian universities implemented in conditions of quasi-market mechanisms of the higher education system are highlighted in the paper.

Relationship between higher cortical dysfunction and the findings of magnetic resonance imaging in systemic lupus erythematosus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeshima, Etsuko; Maeshima, Shinichiro; Yamada, Yoichi; Yukawa, Susumu [Wakayama Medical Coll. (Japan)

1996-04-01

The relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and organic lesions was investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to clarify the etiology of higher cortical dysfunction in SLE. The subjects were 10 patients with SLE, and higher cortical dysfunction was observed in 8 (80%) of the 10 patients. Five (82.5%) of the 8 patients showed abnormal MRI findings. The findings of higher cortical dysfunction were consistent with the MRI findings in 1 of the 5 patients, but not in the remaining four. MRI revealed no lesion despite the presence of higher cortical dysfunction in three patients. These results suggest that the association of organic changes and functional changes in cerebral nerve cells is important for etiology of higher cortical dysfunction in SLE. (author).

Relationship between higher cortical dysfunction and the findings of magnetic resonance imaging in systemic lupus erythematosus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeshima, Etsuko; Maeshima, Shinichiro; Yamada, Yoichi; Yukawa, Susumu

1996-01-01

The relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and organic lesions was investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to clarify the etiology of higher cortical dysfunction in SLE. The subjects were 10 patients with SLE, and higher cortical dysfunction was observed in 8 (80%) of the 10 patients. Five (82.5%) of the 8 patients showed abnormal MRI findings. The findings of higher cortical dysfunction were consistent with the MRI findings in 1 of the 5 patients, but not in the remaining four. MRI revealed no lesion despite the presence of higher cortical dysfunction in three patients. These results suggest that the association of organic changes and functional changes in cerebral nerve cells is important for etiology of higher cortical dysfunction in SLE. (author)

Competition and Performance in European Higher Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teixeira, Pedro; Biscaia, Ricardo; Rocha, Vera

2014-01-01

Higher education institutions face today a demanding and complex context in which they are asked to fulfill multiple roles. Many of these challenges have to be faced in a complex financial context in which traditional modes of funding have been transformed and public sources are not as generous...... as they often were in the past.Like in many other public services, in recent years it became a rather common statement that higher education institutions should be more efficient in the use of taxpayers’ resources, which had a clear impact in visible changes in the funding of public higher education in Europe....... In this paper we will analyse the major trends in higher education funding in Europe and underline to what extent the current debates about higher education and its funding have been significantly influenced by economic considerations. We will identify some of the main issues that dominate the current debate...

Pyrolysis of coal in the presence of nitric oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berkowitz, N; Dammeyer, W

1956-01-01

Examination of tars obtained by low-temperature carbonization of a subbituminous coal in the presence of NO suggests that NO will both retard thermal decomposition and inhibit secondary polymerization in the tar phase. But both reactions are subject to the condition that NO is present at the start of incipient pyrolysis (they do not occur if NO is admitted to the retorts at a point above the decomposition temperature of the coal), and their extent depends sharply upon the concentration of NO. At comparatively low partial pressure of NO, the dominant reaction is retardation of decomposition; significant modification of the tar, leading to a greater proportion of low-boiling material, is confined to high-partial pressure of NO. Conclusions, after analyzing tar yields and infrared spectra of tar fractions, are that the inhibition of secondary polymerization in the tar phase involves the transient attachment of NO to primary tar molecules, and that the inhibitory effect of NO is essentially temporary. Tars modified by NO do not appear to be more stable than normal tars in the presence of light, and their composition, as determined by infrared spectroscopy, is not perceptibly different.

Connected media and presence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kort, J.; Nefs, H.T.; Gullström, C.; Greef, T.J. de; Parnes, P.

2013-01-01

Effective design of shared mediated spaces, information and connectedness requires theory and practice from a range of disciplines such as found in European projects like Together Anywhere, Together Anytime (TA2) and the EIT ICT Labs Mediating Presence activity. Building on this work we continue to

Cambodian higher education in transition : an institutional governance perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sam, Chanphirun

2017-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to ascertain the governance arrangements of higher education providers in Cambodia and to seek insights into institutional governance while its higher education sector is in a significant transition towards the market model. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical research

Transitions in U.S. Higher Education: Implications for Geography Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Nellis, M. Duane

2017-01-01

In the United States, higher education institutions and structures governing higher education are going through dramatic change. The implications of new technology and changing modes of course structure, and evolving federal and state policies have the potential for significant impact on higher education. The historic federal mandates regarding…

Biological significance of sperm whale responses to sonar: Comparison with anti-predator responses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Curé, C.; Isojunno, S.; Visser, F.; Wensveen, P.J.; Sivle, L.D.; Kvadsheim, P.H.; Lam, F.A.; Miller, P.J.O.

2016-01-01

A key issue when investigating effects of anthropogenic noise on cetacean behavior is to identify the biological significance of the responses. Predator presence can be considered a natural high-level disturbance stimulus to which prey animals have evolved adaptive response strategies to reduce

Growth of Biomphalaria glabrata populations in the presence of the ampullariid snails Pila ovata, Lanistes carinatus and Marisa cornuarietis.

Science.gov (United States)

Stryker, G A; Koech, D K; Loker, E S

1991-06-01

Adults of three ampullariid species were examined for their ability to affect the population growth of Biomphalaria glabrata (M line strain) under laboratory conditions in which food (lettuce) was supplied ad libitum over an eleven week interval. Lanistes carinatus and Pila ovata were obtained from Kenya, and Marisa cornuarietis originated from the Dominican Republic. The presence of either 3 or 9 L. carinatus or 3 M. cornuarietis per 40 l aquarium did not reduce the population size of B. glabrata below levels attained in control aquaria lacking ampullariids. The presence of 9 M. cornuarietis adults significantly reduced B. glabrata populations by week 10 of the experiment. Presence of 3 or 9 P. ovata per aquarium significantly reduced B. glabrata numbers below control levels starting at week four of the experiment. Aquaria with 9 P. ovata were observed to have fewer B. glabrata egg masses than control aquaria, but the number of egg masses observed was not significantly reduced in aquaria with 3 P. ovata or with 3 or 9 L. carinatus or M. cornuarietis. However, the presence of 3 or 9 adults of each ampullariid species resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of such egg masses that disappeared prior to expected hatching date and that were presumed to have been consumed. The results of his laboratory study suggest that further investigation of the role of ampullariids as biological control agents for pulmonate snails in sub-Saharan Africa should focus on P. ovata.

Investigation of significantly high barrier height in Cu/GaN Schottky diode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manjari Garg

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Current-voltage (I-V measurements combined with analytical calculations have been used to explain mechanisms for forward-bias current flow in Copper (Cu Schottky diodes fabricated on Gallium Nitride (GaN epitaxial films. An ideality factor of 1.7 was found at room temperature (RT, which indicated deviation from thermionic emission (TE mechanism for current flow in the Schottky diode. Instead the current transport was better explained using the thermionic field-emission (TFE mechanism. A high barrier height of 1.19 eV was obtained at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS was used to investigate the plausible reason for observing Schottky barrier height (SBH that is significantly higher than as predicted by the Schottky-Mott model for Cu/GaN diodes. XPS measurements revealed the presence of an ultrathin cuprous oxide (Cu2O layer at the interface between Cu and GaN. With Cu2O acting as a degenerate p-type semiconductor with high work function of 5.36 eV, a high barrier height of 1.19 eV is obtained for the Cu/Cu2O/GaN Schottky diode. Moreover, the ideality factor and barrier height were found to be temperature dependent, implying spatial inhomogeneity of barrier height at the metal semiconductor interface.

Dysprosium (holmium) determination in the presence of erbium and dysprosium (holmium, erbium) determination in the presence of cerium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolubara, A.I.; Kochubej, A.I.; Usatenko, Yu.I.

1978-01-01

Effect of salicylic acid upon complex formation in the systems REE - boronsulfoalizarinate, REE - oxine and REE - boronsulfoalizarinate - oxine is investigated. Comparison of optical characteristics of the above systems in the absence and in the presence of salicylic acid is carried out. It is established that in all the cases the effect of salicylic acid depends both on the nature of REE and the ratio of all the components of the system. Under certain conditions the given dependence is observed only for erbium complexes. Extraction-photometric methods of dysprosium and holmium determination in the presence of equal erbium amounts, as well as holmium and erbium determination in the presence of cerium equal amounts is developed

Dysprosium (holmium) determination in the presence of erbium and dysprosium (holmium, erbium) determination in the presence of cerium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolubara, A I; Kochubei, A I; Usatenko, Yu I

1978-01-01

Effect of salicylic acid upon complex formation in the systems REE - boronsulfoalizarinate, REE - oxine and REE - boronsulfoalizarinate - oxine is investigated. Comparison of optical characteristics of the above systems in the absence and in the presence of salicylic acid is carried out. It is established that in all the cases the effect of salicylic acid depends both on the nature of REE and the ratio of all the components of the system. Under certain conditions the given dependence is observed only for erbium complexes. Extraction-photometric methods of dysprosium and holmium determination in the presence of equal erbium amounts, as well as holmium and erbium determination in the presence of cerium equal amounts is developed.

Candiduria: A review of clinical significance and management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukhary, Z.A.

2008-01-01

Candiduria is a common nosocomial infection afflicting the urinary tract. This review is aimed at providing an updated summary of the problem in hospitalized adult patients. A review of English Medline literature published between January 1970 until June 2007 was performed. Reviews, clinical trials and case-controlled studies in adult patients were included. Risk factors for candiduria included urinary indwelling catheters, use of antibiotics, elderly age, underlying genitourinary tract abnormality, previous surgery and presence of diabetes mellitus. Presence of candiduria may represent only colonization and there are no consistent diagnostic criteria to define significant infection. Candiduria may not be associated with candidemia and most cases are asymptomatic. Asymptomatic canididuria is usually benign, and does not require local or systemic antifungal therapy. Physicians need to confirm the infection by a second sterile urine sample, adopt non-pharmacologic interventions and modify risk factors. Mortality rate can be high particularly in debilitated patients and awareness to validate candiduria is necessary to stratify treatment according to patient status. Appropriate use of antifungal drugs, when indicated, should not replace correction of the underlying risk factors. Treatment of symptomatic candiduria is less controversial and easier. (author)

Relationships of organizational social capital with the presence of "gossip and slander," "quarrels and conflicts," sick leave, and poor work ability in nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, Philippe; De Meester, Marc; Kristensen, Tage S; Braeckman, Lutgart

2014-11-01

This study aimed to explore the associations of organizational social capital (OSC) with the presence of "gossip and slander," the presence of "conflicts and quarrels," sick leave prevalence, and prevalence of poor work ability in frontline working personnel of nursing homes. A total of 239 subjects (81 % participation), working in 11 different nursing homes, took part in a cross-sectional questionnaire study. Following end points were considered, they are as follows: prevalence of "gossip and slander," "conflicts and quarrels," sick leave, and poor work ability. Associations with OSC were explored at individual level (binomial log-linear regression analysis) and on group level (Kendall's tau correlation coefficients). Significant associations were found between OSC and "gossip and slander," sick leave, and poor work ability, both in the individual- and group-level analyses. The associations showed a higher significance level in the group-level analyses, with the strongest association found between mean OSC of the workplace and the prevalence of poor work ability at the workplace (τ = -0.722; p = 0.002). This study demonstrated significant associations of OSC with three end points that are relevant within the framework of well-being at work in nursing homes. The results are suggestive that OSC should be treated as a characteristic of the entire workplace, rather than as an individually experienced characteristic. The strikingly strong association between OSC and prevalence of poor work ability is suggestive for an important role of OSC within the context of maintaining work ability.

Evaluation of the Presence and Levels of Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfaquinoxaline and Oxytetracycline in Broiler Chickens after Drug Administration.

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de Assis, Débora Cristina Sampaio; da Silva, Guilherme Resende; Lanza, Isabela Pereira; Ribeiro, Ana Cláudia Dos Santos Rossi; Lana, Ângela Maria Quintão; Lara, Leonardo José Camargos; de Figueiredo, Tadeu Chaves; Cançado, Silvana de Vasconcelos

2016-01-01

The depletion times of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin as well as sulfaquinoxaline and oxytetracycline were evaluated in broiler chickens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment. The presence and residue levels of these drugs in muscle tissue were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method that was validated in this work. The results showed the presence of all antimicrobial residues; however, the presence of residues at concentrations higher than the drugs' maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg kg-1 was found only during the treatment period for oxytetracycline and until two days after discontinuation of the medication for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulfaquinoxaline. It was concluded that the residues of all antimicrobials were rapidly metabolized from the broiler muscles; after four days of withdrawal, the levels were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for the studied analytes.

Spatially resolved flux measurements of NOx from London suggest significantly higher emissions than predicted by inventories.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughan, Adam R; Lee, James D; Misztal, Pawel K; Metzger, Stefan; Shaw, Marvin D; Lewis, Alastair C; Purvis, Ruth M; Carslaw, David C; Goldstein, Allen H; Hewitt, C Nicholas; Davison, Brian; Beevers, Sean D; Karl, Thomas G

2016-07-18

To date, direct validation of city-wide emissions inventories for air pollutants has been difficult or impossible. However, recent technological innovations now allow direct measurement of pollutant fluxes from cities, for comparison with emissions inventories, which are themselves commonly used for prediction of current and future air quality and to help guide abatement strategies. Fluxes of NOx were measured using the eddy-covariance technique from an aircraft flying at low altitude over London. The highest fluxes were observed over central London, with lower fluxes measured in suburban areas. A footprint model was used to estimate the spatial area from which the measured emissions occurred. This allowed comparison of the flux measurements to the UK's National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) for NOx, with scaling factors used to account for the actual time of day, day of week and month of year of the measurement. The comparison suggests significant underestimation of NOx emissions in London by the NAEI, mainly due to its under-representation of real world road traffic emissions. A comparison was also carried out with an enhanced version of the inventory using real world driving emission factors and road measurement data taken from the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI). The measurement to inventory agreement was substantially improved using the enhanced version, showing the importance of fully accounting for road traffic, which is the dominant NOx emission source in London. In central London there was still an underestimation by the inventory of 30-40% compared with flux measurements, suggesting significant improvements are still required in the NOx emissions inventory.

Mechanisms of male sterility in higher plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohta, Yasuo [Tsukuba Univ., Sakura, Ibaraki (Japan)

1982-03-01

The mechanisms causing male sterility in higher plants were classified into two major categories: genetic and non-genetic. The former was further divided into six classes: 1) Anomality in spindle mechanism during meiosis, 2) chromosomal anomality such as haploidy, polyploidy, aneuploidy, chromosome some deficiency, inversion and reciprocal translocation, 3) presence of male sterile genes, 4) cytoplasmic abnormality, 5) the combination of some specific cytoplasm with particular genes, and 6) infections of microorganisms or viruses. Each mechanism was briefly explained, and the methods for the maintenance of parent lines for heterosis breeding and hybrid seed production were described. The non-genetic male sterility was classified into four types, which are caused by 1) low or high temperature, 2) water deficiency, 3) application of chemicals, and 4) radiation, with a brief explanation given for each of them.

A comparative evaluation of working length with digital radiography and third generation apex locator (ProPex in the presence of various intracanal irrigants: An in vivo/ex vivo study

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Irfana Khursheed

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Accurate working length determination is a pre-requisite for a successful endodontic treatment. Even with improved systems of working length measurement, different readings may be recorded in different electrolytes present in the canal. The purpose of this in vivo/ex vivo comparative study was to determine the accuracy in measuring the working length of root canal using Direct Digital Radiographic Method (Radiovisiography or RVG and ProPex electronic apex locator in the presence of three different irrigating solutions: 0.9% normal saline, 2% chlorhexidine, 3% NaOCl solutions. Materials and Methods: Forty single-rooted human teeth scheduled for extraction with mature apices were selected for this study. Measurements were performed by using RVG and ProPex in the presence of irrigating solutions. After extraction of the teeth, light microscope was used to confirm visually the relationship of the tip of the endodontic file to the apical foramen, and actual lengths were determined by reducing 0.5 mm from this length. The statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA test and Tukey-HSD post hoc procedure. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: No significant difference was found between overall mean electronic working length and digital radiographic length; however, prediction error (P < 0.05 was significant with respect to different irrigants. Among the irrigating solutions, chlorhexidine gluconate had the smallest distance to the actual lengths, whereas NaOCl had the greatest. Conclusion: Electronic apex locator ProPex yielded best result in the presence of chlorhexidine, whereas the largest error was demonstrated with NaOCl indicating that higher electroconductive irrigating solutions affect the precision of multi-frequency apex locators.

The Relationship between Teaching Presence and Student Course Outcomes in an Online International Population

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Wendt, Jillian; Courduff, Jennifer

2018-01-01

A causal comparative research design was utilized in this study to examine the relationship between international students' perceptions of teacher presence in the online learning environment and students' achievement as measured by end of course grades. Spearman's analysis indicated no statistically significant correlation between the composite…

Model-based control of observer bias for the analysis of presence-only data in ecology.

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David I Warton

Full Text Available Presence-only data, where information is available concerning species presence but not species absence, are subject to bias due to observers being more likely to visit and record sightings at some locations than others (hereafter "observer bias". In this paper, we describe and evaluate a model-based approach to accounting for observer bias directly--by modelling presence locations as a function of known observer bias variables (such as accessibility variables in addition to environmental variables, then conditioning on a common level of bias to make predictions of species occurrence free of such observer bias. We implement this idea using point process models with a LASSO penalty, a new presence-only method related to maximum entropy modelling, that implicitly addresses the "pseudo-absence problem" of where to locate pseudo-absences (and how many. The proposed method of bias-correction is evaluated using systematically collected presence/absence data for 62 plant species endemic to the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia. It is shown that modelling and controlling for observer bias significantly improves the accuracy of predictions made using presence-only data, and usually improves predictions as compared to pseudo-absence or "inventory" methods of bias correction based on absences from non-target species. Future research will consider the potential for improving the proposed bias-correction approach by estimating the observer bias simultaneously across multiple species.

Dual cusped protostylid: Case report and clinical significance

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Preeti Bhattacharya

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Protostylids are superstructures on maxillary or mandibular molars, which have rarely been reported in literature, and the significance of their presence has also been underestimated. The dental practitioners may easily misdiagnose a tooth, with such conical tubercles as malformed tooth. Interestingly, this is neither a malformation nor an anomaly but rather an important morphological trait of an individual. Once in a while, one may come across such a distinct morphological trait without being able to diagnose. To the authors' best knowledge, only one similar case has been reported previously, and the second such case internationally. Bearing all such facts in mind, the authors attempt to educate the readers towards the existence of such a trait so that it can be identified and studied in larger numbers. Hence, it is the authors' endeavor to report an unusual case of dual cusped maxillary protostylid along with its clinical significance.

Presence of trypanosome species and anemic status of dogs in Zuru, Nigeria

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Rafi Rabecca Tono

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to study the presence and prevalence of trypanosome species in local dogs between January and July, 2010 in the Zuru area of Kebbi State, Nigeria.Standard trypanosome detection methods comprising of wet blood films, thin films and microhaematocrit centrifugation technique were used to detect trypanosomes; while the degree of anemia was determined through the use of FAMACHA® eye colour chart and packed cell volume values. A total of 567 dogs were enumerated in fourteen locations within the study area out of which 192 (33.7% were randomly examined and 4 (2.08% were positive for the presence of trypanosomes. All positive samples morphologically belong to the Trypanosoma brucei group. The obtained PCV values showed that 50 (26.04% dogs were anemic, while the FAMACHA® detected anemia status of varying degrees in 104 (77% sampled dogs.These findings are significant as this is the first time that the trypanosome infection will be reported in dogs from the study area. This study establishes the presence of Trypanosoma brucei group in the study area, which is of zoonotic and economic importance.

Clinical significance of determination of changes of serum CA153, CA125 and TSGF levels after operation in patients with breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jun; Wang Zhaoxin; Wang Yan; Wang Rui

2007-01-01

Objective: To study the clinical significance of changes serum CA153, CA125 and TSGF levels after operation in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Serum CA153, CA125 and TSGF (with RIA) and serum TSGF levels (with biochemistry method) were measured in 36 patients with breast cancer both before and after operation as well as in 35 controls. Results: Before operation, serum levels of serum CA153, CA125 and TSGF in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (P < 0.01 ). One month after operation, all the levels were approaching normal. Six months later, the levels in the patients without recurrence remained normal, however, the levels in the 4 patients with recurrence returned to those before operation again. Conclusion: Changes of serum CA153, CA125 and TSGF levels are closely related to the tumor burden and if levels were high after operation, may indicate the presence of recurrence. (authors)

Clinical significance of anaplasia in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidhom, I.; El Nadi, E.; Taha, H.; Elkinaai, N.; Zaghloul, M.S.; Younes, A.; Labib, R.; Sabry, M.

2015-01-01

Background: The presence of anaplastic features has been known to correlate with poor clinical outcome in various pediatric malignancies, including Wilms tumor and medulloblastoma but not in rhabdomyosarcoma. Aim: Aim was to study the frequency of anaplasia at presentation in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma and its relationship to clinical and pathological characteristics as well as to outcome. Patients and Methods: Anaplasia was retrospectively assessed in 105 consecutive pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma patients who were registered at the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Egypt (CCHE) during the period from July 2007 till the end of May 2010. Results: Anaplasia was diagnosed in 18 patients (17.1%), focal in 10 (9.5%) and diffuse in 8 (7.6%). The distribution of anaplasia was found to be more common in older patients having age P 10 years. Also it was more likely to occur in the high risk group and in tumors with unfavorable histology (alveolar subtype), and stage IV. The 3-year failure free survival rates for patients with and without anaplasia were 27.8 ± 10.6% and 53.4 ± 5.8%, respectively (p = 0.014) and the 3-year overall survival rates were 35.3 ± 11.6% and 61 ± 6%, respectively (p = 0.019). Conclusions: The frequency of anaplasia in pediatric patients with rhabdomyosarcoma in our study was 17.1%. The presence of anaplasia had statistically significant worse clinical outcome

Presence and HRCT quantification of bronchiectasis in coal workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altin, Remzi; Savranlar, Ahmet; Kart, Levent; Mahmutyazicioglu, Kamran; Ozdemir, Huseyin; Akdag, Beyza; Gundogdu, Sadi

2004-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of bronchiectasis in coal workers with or without coal worker pneumoconiosis (CWP) and to assess the extent of bronchiectasis, severity of bronchial wall dilatation and thickening by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Materials and methods: The retrospective study consisted of HRCT archives of 93 coal workers. The coal workers with previous diagnosis of COPD (six), asthma (one) and tuberculosis (three) were excluded. Five coal workers with progressive massive fibrosis were not included into the study. The resulting patient group consisted of 78 patients (43 CWP; 35 non-CWP). Pneumoconiosis profusions of CWP workers were between p0/1 and p2/2 according to ILO 1980 chest X-ray classification. HRCT examinations of all subjects were evaluated for the presence, extent, dilatation and thickness of bronchiectasis. Analysis of extent, dilatation and thickness were performed according to established criteria. Results: The diagnosis of bronchiectasis was put on 19 of 43 CWP (44.1%) and 7 of 35 non-CWP workers (20.0%). There were statistically significant differences between bronchiectasis positive and negative coal workers with CWP concerning age and exposure duration (P = 0.012 and 0.009, respectively). Then, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to define exact risk factors. Exposure duration was only found to be related with presence of bronchiectasis [(odds ratio) OR = 1.494, 95% confidence interval 1.168-1.912]. Conclusions: The data from the present study shows that bronchiectasis is frequent and severe in CWP workers than without. Bronchiectasis is influenced by coal dust exposure. Thus, coal dust protection measures must be controlled efficiently to prevent bronchiectasis in coal workers

Effect of Brain Tumor Presence During Radiation on Tissue Toxicity: Transcriptomic and Metabolic Changes.

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Zawaski, Janice A; Sabek, Omaima M; Voicu, Horatiu; Eastwood Leung, Hon-Chiu; Gaber, M Waleed

2017-11-15

Radiation therapy (RT) causes functional and transcriptomic changes in the brain; however, most studies have been carried out in normal rodent brains. Here, the long-term effect of irradiation and tumor presence during radiation was investigated. Male Wistar rats ∼7 weeks old were divided into 3 groups: sham implant, RT+sham implant, and RT+tumor implant (C6 glioma). Hypofractionated irradiation (8 or 6 Gy/day for 5 days) was localized to a 1-cm strip of cranium starting 5 days after implantation, resulting in complete tumor regression and prolonged survival. Biopsy of tissue was performed in the implant area 65 days after implantation. RNA was hybridized to GeneChip Rat Exon 1.0 ST array. Data were analyzed using significant analysis of microarrays and ingenuity pathway analysis. 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS) imaging was performed in the implantation site 65 to 70 days after implantation using a 9.4 T Biospec magnetic resonance imaging scanner with a quadrature rat brain array. Immunohistochemical staining for astrogliosis, HMG-CoA synthase 2, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and taurine was performed at ∼65 days after implantation. Eighty-four genes had a false discovery rate <3.5%. We compared RT+tumor implant with RT+sham implant animals. The tumor presence affected networks associated with cancer/cell morphology/tissue morphology. 1 H-MRS showed significant reduction in taurine levels (P<.04) at the implantation site in both groups. However, the RT+tumor group also showed significant increase in levels of neurotransmitter GABA (P=.02). Hippocampal taurine levels were only significantly reduced in the RT+tumor group (P=.03). HMG-CoA synthase 2, GABA and taurine levels were confirmed using staining. Glial fibrillary acidic protein staining demonstrated a significant increase in inflammation that was heightened in the RT+tumor group. Our data indicate that tumor presence during radiation significantly affects long-term functional

Futures for Higher Education: Analysing Trends. Higher Education: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century

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Universities UK, 2012

2012-01-01

Higher education in the United Kingdom is undergoing a period of significant change. This is being driven by a number of factors: political, cultural, economic, and technological. The trends are global in their scope, and far reaching in their impact. They affect every aspect of university provision, the environment in which universities operate,…

Transgenic Anopheles gambiae expressing an antimalarial peptide suffer no significant fitness cost.

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Clare C McArthur

Full Text Available Mosquito-borne diseases present some of the greatest health challenges faced by the world today. In many cases, existing control measures are compromised by insecticide resistance, pathogen tolerance to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines. In light of these difficulties, new genetic tools for disease control programmes, based on the deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes, are seen as having great promise. Transgenic strains may be used to control disease transmission either by suppressing vector populations or by replacing susceptible with refractory genotypes. In practice, the fitness of the transgenic strain relative to natural mosquitoes will be a critical determinant of success. We previously described a transgenic strain of Anopheles gambiae expressing the Vida3 peptide into the female midgut following a blood-meal, which exhibited significant protection against malaria parasites. Here, we investigated the fitness of this strain relative to non-transgenic controls through comparisons of various life history traits. Experiments were designed, as far as possible, to equalize genetic backgrounds and heterogeneity such that fitness comparisons focussed on the presence and expression of the transgene cassette. We also employed reciprocal crosses to identify any fitness disturbance associated with inheritance of the transgene from either the male or female parent. We found no evidence that the presence or expression of the effector transgene or associated fluorescence markers caused any significant fitness cost in relation to larval mortality, pupal sex ratio, fecundity, hatch rate or longevity of blood-fed females. In fact, fecundity was increased in transgenic strains. We did, however, observe some fitness disturbances associated with the route of inheritance of the transgene. Maternal inheritance delayed male pupation whilst paternal inheritance increased adult longevity for both males and unfed females. Overall, in comparison to

Water in the presence of inert Lennard-Jones obstacles

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Kurtjak, Mario; Urbic, Tomaz

2014-04-01

Water confined by the presence of a 'sea' of inert obstacles was examined. In the article, freely mobile two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz (MB) water put to a disordered, but fixed, matrix of Lennard-Jones disks was studied by the Monte Carlo computer simulations. For the MB water molecules in the matrix of Lennard-Jones disks, we explored the structures, hydrogen-bond-network formation and thermodynamics as a function of temperature and size and density of matrix particles. We found that the structure of model water is perturbed by the presence of the obstacles. Density of confined water, which was in equilibrium with the bulk water, was smaller than the density of the bulk water and the temperature dependence of the density of absorbed water did not show the density anomaly in the studied temperature range. The behaviour observed as a consequence of confinement is similar to that of increasing temperature, which can for a matrix lead to a process similar to capillary evaporation. At the same occupancy of space, smaller matrix molecules cause higher destruction effect on the absorbed water molecules than the bigger ones. We have also tested the hypothesis that at low matrix densities the obstacles induce an increased ordering and 'hydrogen bonding' of the MB model molecules, relative to pure fluid, while at high densities the obstacles reduce MB water structuring, as they prevent the fluid to form good 'hydrogen-bonding' networks. However, for the size of matrix molecules similar to that of water, we did not observe this effect.

Expression and clinical significance of connective tissue growth factor in thyroid carcinomas.

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Wang, Guimin; Zhang, Wei; Meng, Wei; Liu, Jia; Wang, Peisong; Lin, Shan; Xu, Liyan; Li, Enmin; Chen, Guang

2013-08-01

To examine expression of the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) gene in human thyroid cancer and establish whether a correlation exists between the presence of CTGF protein and clinicopathological parameters of the disease. CTGF protein expression was investigated retrospectively by immunohistochemical analysis of CTGF protein levels in thyroid tumour tissue. Associations between immunohistochemical score and several clinicopathological parameters were examined. In total, 131 thyroid tissue specimens were included. High levels of CTGF protein were observed in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissue; benign thyroid tumour tissue scored negatively for CTGF protein. In papillary thyroid carcinoma, there was a significant relationship between high CTGF protein levels and Union for International Cancer Control disease stage III-IV, and presence of lymph node metastasis. In papillary thyroid carcinomas, CTGF protein levels were not significantly associated with sex or age. These findings suggest that the CTGF protein level is increased in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells compared with benign thyroid tumours. CTGF expression might play a role in the development of malignant tumours in the thyroid.

Eosinophilic pleural effusion: incidence, etiology and prognostic significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreiro, Lucía; San José, Esther; González-Barcala, Francisco Javier; Alvarez-Dobaño, José Manuel; Golpe, Antonio; Gude, Francisco; Anchorena, Christian; Pereyra, Marco F; Zamarrón, Carlos; Valdés, Luis

2011-10-01

Eosinophilic pleural effusion (EPE) has been associated with less risk for malignancy with a potential causal relationship with the presence of air and/or blood in the pleural space. However, these theories have fallen by the wayside in the light of recent publications. To determine the incidence and etiology of EPE and to observe whether the eosinophils in the pleural liquid (PL) increase in successive thoracocenteses. We analyzed 730 PL samples from 605 patients hospitalized between January 2004 and December 2010. We identified 55 samples with EPE from 50 patients (8.3%). The most frequent etiologies of EPE were: unknown (36%) and neoplasm (30%). There were no significant differences in the incidence of neoplasms between the non-eosinophilic pleural effusions (non-EPE) (25.9%) and the EPE (30%) (p=0.533). One hundred patients (16.5%) underwent a second thoracocentesis. Out of the 9 who had EPE in the first, 6 maintained EPE in the second. Out of the 91 with non-EPE in the first thoracocentesis, 8 (8.8%) had EPE in the repeat thoracocentesis. The percentage of eosinophils did not increase in the successive thoracocenteses (p=0.427). In the EPE, a significant correlation was found between the number of hematites and eosinophils in the PL (r=0.563; p=0.000). An EPE cannot be considered an indicator of benignancy, therefore it should be studied as any other pleural effusion. The number of eosinophils does not seem to increase with the of repetition of thoracocentesis and, lastly, the presence of blood in the PL could explain the existence of EPE. Copyright © 2011 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Information Society

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Cai, Yuzhuo; Guo, Wenge

2006-01-01

Compared to the advanced industrial countries, the use of information technology in Chinese higher education came relatively late. Nevertheless, recent Chinese practices have achieved significant progress in the country's efforts to bridge the digital divide. This article focuses special attention on the responses of Chinese higher education to…

Determining sociability, social space, and social presence in (a)synchronous collaborative groups.

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Kreijns, Karel; Kirschner, Paul A; Jochems, Wim; Van Buuren, Hans

2004-04-01

The effectiveness of group learning in asynchronous distributed learning groups depends on the social interaction that takes place. This social interaction affects both cognitive and socioemotional processes that take place during learning, group forming, establishment of group structures, and group dynamics. Though now known to be important, this aspect is often ignored, denied or forgotten by educators and researchers who tend to concentrate on cognitive processes and on-task contexts. This "one-sided" educational focus largely determines the set of requirements in the design of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments resulting in functional CSCL environments. In contrast, our research is aimed at the design and implementation of sociable CSCL environments which may increase the likelihood that a sound social space will emerge. We use a theoretical framework that is based upon an ecological approach to social interaction, centering on the concept of social affordances, the concept of the sociability of CSCL environments, and social presence theory. The hypothesis is that the higher the sociability, the more likely that social interaction will take place or will increase, and the more likely that this will result in an emerging sound social space. In the present research, the variables of interest are sociability, social space, and social presence. This study deals with the construction and validation of three instruments to determine sociability, social space, and social presence in (a)synchronous collaborating groups. The findings suggest that the instruments have potential to be useful as measures for the respective variables. However, it must be realized that these measures are "first steps."

Effect of flow rate on the enhancement of particulate fouling in the presence of a developing biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burton, G.R.; Blimkie, M.E.; McGarvey, G.B.; Turner, C.W.

2001-03-01

The rate of magnetite deposition on a heated test section was investigated using radiotracing methods as a function of flow rate in the absence and presence of a growing biofilm of Pseudomonas fluorescens. The flow rate was adjusted to span Reynolds numbers from 2200 to 9600. For all flow rates, there was an increase in the rate of magnetite deposition in the presence of the growing biofilm. In addition, the rate of deposition was 10 times greater for a Reynolds number of 6400 than that observed at lower and higher flow rates with Reynolds numbers of 2200 and 9600, respectively. The results are discussed in relation to the shear stress on the biofilm and to the rate of transport of nutrients. (author)

Philanthropic Commitment Traits for Waqf in Higher Education

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Siti Khadijah, A. M.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Philanthropic commitment in the form of waqf is important particularly among younger working adults in ensuring sustainable flow of funds for charitable purposes. One of the vital usages of such funds is funding for higher education. A question is raised on the commitment of younger adults in such giving. This study examines waqf commitment traits among waqif (waqf contributors for higher education funding. The specific objective of this study is to measure the factors that influence the waqif to contribute their property or income into waqf for higher education fund. For the purpose of this study, 400 questionnaires have been distributed to working young adult respondents in the Klang Valley area. Waqf commitment attributes comprising of Religiosity, Trust, Altruism, Personal Characteristics, SelfImage, Psychological Benefits, Social Norms and Personal Satisfaction are examined. The findings reveal that Religiosity, Altruism, Personal Satisfaction and Commitment are significant attributes in explaining waqf commitment. However, Trust and Social Norm are not significant.

The effect of parental presence on the child's perception and co-operation during dental treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasiliki, B; Konstantinos, A; Vassilis, K; Nikolaos, K; van Loveren, C; Jaap, V

2016-10-01

This was to study the influence of parental presence during dental treatment on children's behaviour and perception. Parents of 100 patients (mean age 7 ± 2.2 years) who visited the Postgraduate Paediatric Dental Clinic were randomly divided into two equal groups during one familiarisation and two treatment sessions: (1) parent present in the surgery/operatory and (2) parent absent (with their child observed through a window). Both an independent paediatric dentist and the parent rated the child's behaviour using the Venham scale. The child's perception was measured using the Wong-Baker Faces Rating Scale (FPRS) at the end of every session. Statistical analysis was performed with the IBM Statistics SPSS 22.0 (p children's behaviour was worse when the parent was absent, with a significant difference only for the second restorative treatment session (p = 0.011). There was no difference on parents' rating child behaviour scores between the two groups. There was no difference of children's own perception between the two groups, except for any increased discomfort found at the second treatment (p = 0.021) when the parent was present. In both groups, the dentist rated lower Venham scores (better child behaviour), than parents did (presence: p = 0.001, absence: p = 0.038). Children recorded worse scores than both parents and the paediatric dentist. The only significant finding lay in the antithesis of how children perceived their last treatment session and how the dentist rated children's behaviour regarding parental presence. Parents' scores of their child's behaviour were unrelated to parental presence.

Teaching and Learning Immersion and Presence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herbelin, Bruno; Ciger, Jan

2008-01-01

It is known since Socrates that people learn better by experiencing a problem by themselves and by finding a (the) solution(s) by their own. It is however not always possible to offer such freedom to students when teaching the concepts of immersion and presence in virtual environments due......-presence, and observe the inherent problems liked to  communication, field of view, or latency issues. The test performed shows that such experimentation have positive pedagogical impacts, both from the learning and students motivation perspectives....

Influence of higher order modes on angled-facet amplifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Z.; Mikkelsen, B.; Stubkjær, Kristian

1991-01-01

The influence of the first-order mode on the residual reflectivity of angled-facet amplifiers is analyzed. For a 7 degrees angled-facet ridge waveguide amplifier with a single-layer antireflective (AR) coating, a gain ripple lower than 1-dB at 25-dB gain can be obtained independent...... of the polarization, even in the presence of a first-order mode with a 15-dB gain. The tolerances for the thickness and refractive index of the AR coating are reduced by a factor of three compared to operation in the fundamental mode only. The influence of the higher order mode can virtually be suppressed...

Caring presence in practice: facilitating an appreciative discourse in nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

du Plessis, E

2016-09-01

To report on an appreciation of caring presence practised by nurses in South Africa in order to facilitate an appreciative discourse in nursing and a return to caring values and attitudes. Appreciative reports on caring presence are often overlooked. Media may provide a platform for facilitating appreciation for caring presence practised by nurses. Such an appreciation may foster further practice of caring presence and re-ignite a caring ethos in nursing. This article provides an appreciative discourse on caring presence in nursing in the form of examples of caring presence practised by nurses. An anecdotal approach was followed. Social media, namely narratives on caring presence shared by nurses on a Facebook page, and formal media, namely news reports in which nurses are appreciated for their efforts, were used. Deductive content analysis was applied to analyse the narratives and news reports in relation to a definition of caring presence and types of caring presence. The analysis of the narratives and news reports resulted in an appreciative discourse in which examples of nurses practising caring presence could be provided. Examples of nurses practising caring presence could be found, and an appreciative discourse could be initiated. Appreciation ignites positive action and ownership of high-quality health care. Leadership should thus cultivate a culture of appreciating nurses, through using media, and encourage nurses to share how caring presence impact on quality in health care. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Short repeats in the heme oxygenase 1 gene promoter is associated with increased levels of inflammation, ferritin and higher risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Mónica; Leiva, Elba; Arredondo-Olguín, Miguel

2016-09-01

We evaluated the relationship between the HO1 genotype, ferritin levels and the risk of type-2 diabetes and inflammation. Eight hundred thirty-five individuals were evaluated and classified according to their nutritional status and the presence of type-2 diabetes: 153 overweight (OW); 62 obese (OB); 55 type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM); 202 OWDM; 239 OBDM and 124 controls (C). We studied biochemical (glycemia, insulin, lipid profile, liver enzyme, creatinine, hsCRP), hematological (hemoglobin, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, transferrin receptor and serum Fe and ferritin) and oxidative stress (SOD, GHS and TBARS) parameters. We determined heme oxygenase activity and the (GT)n polymorphism in its gene promoter. Individuals with diabetes, independent of nutritional status, showed high levels of ferritin and HO activity compared to control subjects. Allelic frequency was not different between the groups (Chi(2), NS) however, genotypes were different (Chi(2), P1). The SS (short-short) genotype was higher in all DM individuals compared to controls and MM was higher in controls. SM (short-medium) genotype was an independent risk factor for DM in logistic regression analysis. We observed high risk for type-2 diabetes mellitus in the presence of SM genotype and high levels of ferritin (OR adjusted: 2.7; 1.9-3.6; p1; compared to control group). It was also significantly related to inflammation. The SM genotype in HO1 gene promoter and ferritin levels were associated with higher risk for type-2 diabetes and for having a higher marker of inflammation, which is the main risk factor for the development of chronic diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Study on Learning Motivation of Higher Vocational Colleges Students in Tianjin

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HAO Dong-ze

2015-01-01

Learning motivation occupies an important position in non-intelligence factors,as it plays a pivotal role in university students’ successful completion of their studies and strengthening of professional knowledge base.However,the present university students generally lack motivation in higher education.This research used questionnaire method,which is a questionnaire random sample in 500 students of learning motivation from four comprehensive higher vocational colleges of Tianjin,and explores the sta⁃tus quo of learning motivation in higher vocational students of Tianjin.The result shows:The learning motivation level of higher vocational colleges students is above middle level;Male on the learning motivation total level is significantly higher than female;Rural students in the learning motivation on the aggregate level is significantly higher than that of urban students;Look from the different grades,sophomore students have lowest level of learning motivation;Freshmen learning motivation is at highest level.

Immigration and Higher Education: The Crisis and the Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, David W.

1991-01-01

Changes in immigration patterns bring problems and opportunities to higher education. New federal law significantly changes the ethnic and skills mix of the immigrant pool. Issues emerging include potential brain drain; pressure for curriculum change; language as a barrier to access; and the rights of illegal immigrants to higher education. (MSE)

Differential scanning calorimetric study of HTPB based composite propellants in presence of nano ferric oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patil, Prajakta R.; Krishnamurthy, V.N.; Joshi, Satyawati S. [Department of Chemistry, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India)

2006-12-15

A comparative study of the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP)/hydroxy terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) based composite propellants has been carried out in presence and absence of nano iron oxide at different heating rates in a dynamic nitrogen atmosphere using differential scanning calorimetry. The pronounced effect was a lowering of the high temperature decomposition by 49 C. A higher heat release up to 40% was observed in presence of nano ferric oxide (3.5 nm). The kinetic parameters were evaluated using the Kissinger method. The increase of the rate constant in the catalyzed propellant confirmed the enhancement of the catalytic activity of ammonium perchlorate. The scanning electron micrographs of nano Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} incorporated in HTPB revealed a well-separated characteristic necklace-like structure of {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles at high magnification. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The prognostic significance and relationship with body composition of CCR7-positive cells in colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Malietzis, George; Lee, Gui Han; Bernardo, David; Blakemore, Alexandra I F; Knight, Stella C; Moorghen, Morgan; Al-Hassi, Hafid O; Jenkins, John T

2015-07-01

The host local immune response (LIR) to cancer is a determinant of cancer outcome. Regulation of this local response is largely achieved through chemokine synthesis from the tumor microenvironment such as C-Chemokine-Receptor-7 (CCR7). We examined the LIR measured as CCR7 expression, in colorectal cancers (CRC) and explored relationships with body composition (BC) and survival. A study of paraffin-embedded tissue specimens was carried out in 116 patients with non-metastatic CRC. CCR7 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Analysis of computer tomography scans was used to calculate BC parameters. Survival analyses and multivariate regression models were used. High CCR7(+) cell density within the tumor stroma and at the margin was significantly associated with increased age, the presence of lymphovascular invasion, higher tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, high Klintrup-Makinen immune score, and myosteatosis. High CCR7(+) cell density in the tumor margin was significantly associated with shorter disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001). This was also significantly associated with shorter survival in multivariate analysis (HR = 8.87; 95%CI [2.51-31.3]; P < 0.01 for OS and HR = 4.72; 95%CI (1.24-12.9); P = 0.02 for DFS). Our results suggest that a specific immune microenvironment may be associated with altered host's BC and tumor behavior, and that CCR7 may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of the Presence and Levels of Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfaquinoxaline and Oxytetracycline in Broiler Chickens after Drug Administration

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da Silva, Guilherme Resende; Lanza, Isabela Pereira; Ribeiro, Ana Cláudia dos Santos Rossi; Lana, Ângela Maria Quintão; Lara, Leonardo José Camargos

2016-01-01

The depletion times of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin as well as sulfaquinoxaline and oxytetracycline were evaluated in broiler chickens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment. The presence and residue levels of these drugs in muscle tissue were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method that was validated in this work. The results showed the presence of all antimicrobial residues; however, the presence of residues at concentrations higher than the drugs’ maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg kg-1 was found only during the treatment period for oxytetracycline and until two days after discontinuation of the medication for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulfaquinoxaline. It was concluded that the residues of all antimicrobials were rapidly metabolized from the broiler muscles; after four days of withdrawal, the levels were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for the studied analytes. PMID:27846314

Perspective and agency during video gaming influences spatial presence experience and brain activation patterns

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Havranek Michael

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The experience of spatial presence (SP, i.e., the sense of being present in a virtual environment, emerges if an individual perceives himself as 1 if he were actually located (self-location and 2 able to act in the virtual environment (possible actions. In this study, two main media factors (perspective and agency were investigated while participants played a commercially available video game. Methods The differences in SP experience and associated brain activation were compared between the conditions of game play in first person perspective (1PP and third person perspective (3PP as well as between agency, i.e., active navigation of the video game character (active, and non-agency, i.e., mere passive observation (passive. SP was assessed using standard questionnaires, and brain activation was measured using electroencephalography (EEG and sLORETA source localisation (standard low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Results Higher SP ratings were obtained in the 1PP compared with the 3PP condition and in the active compared with the passive condition. On a neural level, we observed in the 1PP compared with the 3PP condition significantly less alpha band power in the parietal, the occipital and the limbic cortex. In the active compared with the passive condition, we uncovered significantly more theta band power in frontal brain regions. Conclusion We propose that manipulating the factors perspective and agency influences SP formation by either directly or indirectly modulating the ego-centric visual processing in a fronto-parietal network. The neuroscientific results are discussed in terms of the theoretical concepts of SP.

The Social and Spatial Ecology of Dengue Presence and Burden during an Outbreak in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 2012

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Catherine A. Lippi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne arbovirus, is a major public health concern in Ecuador. In this study, we aimed to describe the spatial distribution of dengue risk and identify local social-ecological factors associated with an outbreak of dengue fever in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. We examined georeferenced dengue cases (n = 4248 and block-level census data variables to identify social-ecological risk factors associated with the presence/absence and burden of dengue in Guayaquil in 2012. Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA, specifically Anselin’s Local Moran’s I, and Moran’s I tests were used to locate hotspots of dengue transmission, and multimodel selection was used to identify covariates associated with dengue presence and burden at the census block level. We identified significant dengue transmission hotspots near the North Central and Southern portions of Guayaquil. Significant risk factors for presence of dengue included poor housing conditions, access to paved roads, and receipt of remittances. Counterintuitive positive correlations with dengue presence were observed with several municipal services such as garbage collection and access to piped water. Risk factors for increased burden of dengue included poor housing conditions, garbage collection, receipt of remittances, and sharing a property with more than one household. Social factors such as education and household demographics were negatively correlated with increased dengue burden. These findings elucidate underlying differences with dengue presence versus burden, and suggest that vulnerability and risk maps could be developed to inform dengue prevention and control; this is information that is also relevant for emerging epidemics of chikungunya and Zika viruses.

Immunization with LJM11 salivary protein protects against infection with Leishmania braziliensis in the presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva.

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Cunha, Jurema M; Abbehusen, Melissa; Suarez, Martha; Valenzuela, Jesus; Teixeira, Clarissa R; Brodskyn, Cláudia I

2018-01-01

Leishmania is transmitted in the presence of sand fly saliva. Protective immunity generated by saliva has encouraged identification of a vector salivary-based vaccine. Previous studies have shown that immunization with LJM11, a salivary protein from Lutzomyia longipalpis, is able to induce a Th1 immune response and protect mice against bites of Leishmania major-infected Lutzomyia longipalpis. Here, we further investigate if immunization with LJM11 recombinant protein is able to confer cross-protection against infection with Leishmania braziliensis associated with salivary gland sonicate (SGS) from Lutzomyia intermedia or Lu. longipalpis. Mice immunized with LJM11 protein exhibited an increased production of anti-LJM11 IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a and a DTH response characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate with the presence of CD4 + IFN-γ + T cells. LJM11-immunized mice were intradermally infected in the ear with L. braziliensis in the presence of Lu. longipalpis or Lu. intermedia SGS. A significant reduction of parasite numbers in the ear and lymph node in the group challenged with L. braziliensis plus Lu. longipalpis SGS was observed, but not when the challenge was performed with L. braziliensis plus Lu. intermedia SGS. A higher specific production of IFN-γ and absence of IL-10 by lymph node cells were only observed in LJM11 immunized mice after infection. After two weeks, a similar frequency of CD4 + IFN-γ + T cells was detected in LJM11 and BSA groups challenged with L. braziliensis plus Lu. longipalpis SGS, suggesting that early events possibly triggered by immunization are essential for protection against Leishmania infection. Our findings support the specificity of saliva-mediated immune responses and reinforce the importance of identifying cross-protective salivary antigens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hyperthermia effects in the presence of gold nanoparticles together with chemotherapy on Saos-2 cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sazgarnia, A.; Bahreyni Toosi, M. H.; Haji Ghahremani, F.; Rajabi, O.; Aledavood, A.; Esmaily, H.

2011-01-01

Hyperthermia created by microwave, infrared, ultrasound and other methods, is often utilized as an adjuvant to sensitize cancer cells to the effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. We investigated the efficacy of hyperthermia using microwave in synergy with chemotherapy in the presence and absence and gold nanoparticles. Material and Methods: After culturing and proliferation of the Saos-2 cell line derived from human osteogenic sarcoma, the cells were incubated at two concentrations of gold nanoparticles in two diameters of 20 and 40 nm and in the absence and presence of doxorubicin in different groups. Forty eight hours after irradiating the cells with microwave up to a temperature of 42 d egree C , cell survival rate was determined using the MTT method, in order to study the effectiveness of the therapeutic parameters. Results: Cell survival in the presence of gold nanoparticles was greater than 95%. After chemotherapy by doxorubicin with and without 40 nm gold nanoparticles, cell survival rates were determined as 62.8% and 37.1 %, declining down to 17% and 4.1% respectively following the combined treatment with microwave and chemotherapy in the presence of 20 and 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Discussion and Conclusions: Gold nanoparticles did not induce any cytotoxicity by themselves; their presence along with microwave provided a reduction in survival rate that was comparable in severity with the lethal effects of doxorubicin. microwave hyperthermia with gold nanoparticles produced a higher treatment efficiency in comparison to similar groups in which gold nanoparticles were absent. The synergism observed between hyperthermia and chemotherapy was dependent in gold nanoparticles' size and concentration. This finding could be caused by increased uptake of doxorubicin by the cells in the presence of gold nanoparticles.

Resistin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and human semen parameters in the presence of leukocytospermia, smoking habit, and varicocele.

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Moretti, Elena; Collodel, Giulia; Mazzi, Lucia; Campagna, MariaStella; Iacoponi, Francesca; Figura, Natale

2014-08-01

To explore the relationships between resistin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and semen parameters, sperm apoptosis, and necrosis in infertile patients and in control subjects with unknown reproductive potential with/without smoking habits, leukocytospermia, and varicocele. Prospective study. Sperm laboratory. A total of 110 selected men. Family history, clinical/physical examination, ELISA determination (resistin, IL-6, TNF-α), semen analysis, annexin V/propidium iodide assay. Relationships among resistin, IL-6, and TNF-α and semen parameters in the presence of smoking habits, varicocele, leukocytospermia, and in infertile subjects. Resistin level was higher in semen than in serum. Resistin semen levels showed negative correlations with sperm motility and positive correlations with apoptotic, necrotic sperm and TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were higher in smokers compared with nonsmokers and in cases with leukocytospermia, in which an increase in necrotic sperm and a decrease in the number of sperm with normal morphology and motility were observed. Cytokine levels were significantly higher in infertile patients compared with control subjects with unknown reproductive potential. A total of 74.5% of infertile patients showed leukocytospermia. Semen resistin correlated with IL-6, TNF-α, and sperm quality; in cases of leukocytospermia and smoking habits, resistin concentrations were increased, suggesting that resistin may play a regulatory role in inflammation of the male reproductive system. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of trichloroethylene adsorption onto waste biocover soil in the presence of landfill gas.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ruo; Su, Yao; Kong, Jiaoyan

2015-09-15

Waste biocover soils (WBS) have been demonstrated to have great potential in mitigating trichloroethylene (TCE) emission from landfills, due to the relatively high TCE-degrading capacity. In this study, the characteristics of TCE adsorption on WBS in the presence of the major landfill gas components (i.e., CH4 and CO2) were investigated in soil microcosms. The adsorption isotherm of TCE onto WBS was fitted well with linear model within the TCE concentrations of 7000 ppmv. The adsorption capacity of TCE onto WBS was affected by temperature, soil moisture content and particle size, of which, temperature was the dominant factor. The adsorption capacity of TCE onto the experimental materials increased with the increasing organic matter content. A significantly positive correlation was observed between the adsorption capacity of TCE and the organic matter content of experimental materials that had relatively higher organic content (r = 0.988, P = 0.044). To better understand WBS application in practice, response surface methodology was developed to predict TCE adsorption capacity and emissions through WBS in different landfills in China. These results indicated that WBS had high adsorption capacity of TCE in LFG and temperature should be paid more attention to manipulate WBS to reduce TCE emissions from landfills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are significantly shorter than those with Becker muscular dystrophy, with the higher incidence of short stature in Dp71 mutated subgroup.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Masaaki; Awano, Hiroyuki; Lee, Tomoko; Takeshima, Yasuhiro; Matsuo, Masafumi; Iijima, Kazumoto

2017-11-01

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) are caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and are characterized by severe and mild progressive muscle wasting, respectively. Short stature has been reported as a feature of DMD in the Western hemisphere, but not yet confirmed in Orientals. Height of young BMD has not been fully characterized. Here, height of ambulant and steroid naive Japanese 179 DMD and 42 BMD patients between 4 and 10 years of age was retrospectively examined using height standard deviation score (SDS). The mean height SDS of DMD was -1.08 SD that was significantly smaller than normal (p < 0.001), indicating short stature of Japanese DMD. Furthermore, the mean height SDS of BMD was -0.27 SD, suggesting shorter stature than normal. Remarkably, the mean height SDS of DMD was significantly smaller than that of BMD (p < 0.0001). In DMD higher incidence of short stature (height SDS < -2.5 SD) was observed in Dp71 subgroup having mutations in dystrophin exons 63-79 than others having mutations in exons 1-62 (27.8% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.017). These suggested that height is influenced by dystrophin in not only DMD but also BMD and that dystrophin Dp71 has a role in height regulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE PRICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND INDIVIDUAL DEMAND

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Filiz Golpek

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The rise in the living standards in most of the world, the rise in population and schooling rates have increased the demand for higher education. The attribution of semi public property becomes determinant to decide whom will provide the supply and the production in semi public properties is realized by means of a supply and demand mechanism. The supply of higher education is mostly secured in accordance with the public demand as well as the resources available.  In addition, the fact that higher education services have produced significant benefits has led to over demand. This situation relates to a simple economic rule that a commodity or service which costs almost nothing or little will increase until the mariginal benefit of its demand equals to 0 or almost 0. However, the educational supply and demand is difficult to identify in accordance to the supply and demand and balance of price as observed in the economic theory. The high profits that would be attracted in the future are significant factors influencing individual’s decisions for investment. The decision for investment depends on the possible return in the future, the cost of investment, and the current interest rates. Higher education with investment purposes is influenced by these three factors and higher education is demanded more and more by individuals on the expectation that they will gain high profits In theory, it is accepted that the basic factors identifying the demand for higher education are in harmony with empirical research results in several countries including Turkey.

Solvent-Free Polymerization of L-Aspartic Acid in the Presence of D-Sorbitol to Obtain Water Soluble or Network Copolymers

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L-aspartic acid was thermally polymerized in the presence of D-sorbitol with the goal of synthesizing new, higher molecular weight water soluble and absorbent copolymers. No reaction occurred when aspartic acid alone was heated at 170 or 200 degrees C. In contrast, heating sorbitol and aspartic ac...

Ciemat Relational Capital: Institutional Presence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaquero Ortiz, E. M.; González Pineda, L. M.; Cascante Díaz, E.

2015-01-01

The resources in any organization for its activity development can be divided into two main groups: tangible assets and intangible assets. In recent decades there has been a recognition of the importance of the intangible assets as value generators for the development and growth of organizations. And the so called Relational Capital is among them Relational Capital arises from the relationship processes that an organization maintains with external agents. Thus, in the case of a public research institution, such as CIEMAT, it includes the relations with projects financing organizations, with partners and with customers (both public and private entities which are serviced), as well as the institutional presence understood as the participation in discussion and coordination forums (foundations, associations, committees…). This report presents a study of CIEMAT institutional presence in the year 2015.

Mechanisms of male sterility in higher plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, Yasuo

1982-01-01

The mechanisms causing male sterility in higher plants were classified into two major categories: genetic and non-genetic. The former was further divided into six classes: 1) Anomality in spindle mechanism during meiosis, 2) chromosomal anomality such as haploidy, polyploidy, aneuploidy, chromosome some deficiency, inversion and reciprocal translocation, 3) presence of male sterile genes, 4) cytoplasmic abnormality, 5) the combination of some specific cytoplasm with particular genes, and 6) infections of microorganisms or viruses. Each mechanism was briefly explained, and the methods for the maintenance of parent lines for heterosis breeding and hybrid seed production were described. The non-genetic male sterility was classified into four types, which are caused by 1) low or high temperature, 2) water deficiency, 3) application of chemicals, and 4) radiation, with a brief explanation given for each of them. (Kaihara, S.)

Towards Structural Analysis of Audio Recordings in the Presence of Musical Variations

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Müller Meinard

2007-01-01

Full Text Available One major goal of structural analysis of an audio recording is to automatically extract the repetitive structure or, more generally, the musical form of the underlying piece of music. Recent approaches to this problem work well for music, where the repetitions largely agree with respect to instrumentation and tempo, as is typically the case for popular music. For other classes of music such as Western classical music, however, musically similar audio segments may exhibit significant variations in parameters such as dynamics, timbre, execution of note groups, modulation, articulation, and tempo progression. In this paper, we propose a robust and efficient algorithm for audio structure analysis, which allows to identify musically similar segments even in the presence of large variations in these parameters. To account for such variations, our main idea is to incorporate invariance at various levels simultaneously: we design a new type of statistical features to absorb microvariations, introduce an enhanced local distance measure to account for local variations, and describe a new strategy for structure extraction that can cope with the global variations. Our experimental results with classical and popular music show that our algorithm performs successfully even in the presence of significant musical variations.

Flameless atomic absorption determination of beryllium in the presence of various anions and cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurlbut, J.A.; Bokowski, D.L.

1976-01-01

A method for determining trace amounts of beryllium in the presence of various anions and cations is described. The method involves use of a Perkin-Elmer Model 503 spectrophotometer equipped with an HGA-2100 graphite furnace. The absorption signal from 20 ng/ml of beryllium varies significantly from acid to acid, and both 5 percent (V/V) nitric acid and 5 percent (V/V) sulfuric acid were studied as possible analysis solvents. Absorption signal enhancement and suppression caused by the presence of other chemicals appears similar in either solvent. Concentrations of more than 0.1M hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acid suppress the signal in both solvents. Group II cations, lanthanum, cerium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, aluminum, and silicon, when present in concentrations of 100 μg/ml, enhance the beryllium signal. The addition of 100 μg/ml of lanthanum increases the signal over two fold and masks the signal enhancement caused by the other listed elements; however, hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids still interfere. The recovery of 20 ng/ml of beryllium in the presence of 100 μg/ml of lanthanum and in the presence of 100 μg/ml each of thirty elements tested is 20 μg/ml with a relative standard deviation of 4 percent and a range of 19 to 22 ng/ml. The presence of lanthanum permits direct detection of less than 1 ng/ml of beryllium in urine

The sorption behavior of DDT onto sediment in the presence of surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Xiaoyan; Han Huayu; Yang Guipeng; Gong Xiaofei; Jing Jianning

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The sorption behavior of a complex system consists of DDT and CTAB onto marine sediment was studied. → Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetics and thermodynamics. → The presence of CTAB could remarkably accelerate and enhance the sorption of DDT. → The sorption of DDT had relatively more negative ΔG 0 and ΔH 0 in the presence of CTAB. - Abstract: The sorption behavior of p,p'- and o,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the presence of a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on sediment was studied. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetics and thermodynamics of the process. The kinetic behavior of these three chemicals on sediment was described by pseudo-second-order kinetic equations, and the isotherms followed the Freundlich model well. The presence of CTAB was able to remarkably accelerate and enhance the sorption of DDT, whereas DDT showed no effect on the sorption of CTAB in our considered concentration ranges. The thermodynamic parameters, such as standard enthalpy change (ΔH 0 ), standard entropy change (ΔS 0 ) and standard Gibbs free energy change (ΔG 0 ) showed that the sorption process of p,p'- and o,p'-DDT was physical, spontaneous and exothermic, and the randomness at the solid-liquid interface increased during the process. In the presence of CTAB, the sorption of DDT showed significantly negative ΔG 0 and ΔH 0 values.

Modern environmental health hazards: a public health issue of increasing significance in Africa.

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Nweke, Onyemaechi C; Sanders, William H

2009-06-01

Traditional hazards such as poor sanitation currently account for most of Africa's environmentally related disease burden. However, with rapid development absent appropriate safeguards for environment and health, modern environmental health hazards (MEHHs) may emerge as critical contributors to the continent's disease burden. We review recent evidence of human exposure to and health effects from MEHHs, and their occurrence in environmental media and consumer products. Our purpose is to highlight the growing significance of these hazards as African countries experience urbanization, industrial growth, and development. We reviewed published epidemiologic, exposure, and environmental studies of chemical agents such as heavy metals and pesticides. The body of evidence demonstrates ongoing environmental releases of MEHHs and human exposures sometimes at toxicologically relevant levels. Several sources of MEHHs in environmental media have been identified, including natural resource mining and processing and automobile exhaust. Biomonitoring studies provided direct evidence of human exposure to metals such as mercury and lead and pesticides such as p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and organophosphates. Land and water resource pollution and industrial air toxics are areas of significant data gaps, notwithstanding the presence of several emitting sources. Unmitigated MEHH releases and human exposure have implications for Africa's disease burden. For Africans encumbered by conditions such as malnutrition that impair resilience to toxicologic challenges, the burden may be higher. A shift in public health policy toward accommodating the emerging diversity in Africa's environmental health issues is necessary to successfully alleviate the burden of avoidable ill health and premature death for all its communities now and in the future.

Higher Education Globalization in the Context of American Guidelines

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Bidyuk, Natalya

2016-01-01

The article deals with the problem of globalization impact on higher education system in the United Stated of America. It has been concluded that globalization as a phenomenon has been acquiring much significance in all the spheres, especially in higher education. Different views on the essence of globalization, especially in the context of higher…

Concurrent Preoperative Presence of Hydronephrosis and Flank Pain Independently Predicts Worse Outcome of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hsin-Chih; Jan, Hau-Chern; Wu, Wen-Jeng; Li, Ching-Chia; Li, Wei-Ming; Ke, Hung-Lung; Huang, Shu-Pin; Liu, Chia-Chu; Lee, Yung-Chin; Yang, Sheau-Fang; Liang, Peir-In; Huang, Chun-Nung

2015-01-01

To investigate the impact of preoperative hydronephrosis and flank pain on prognosis of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. In total, 472 patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma managed by radical nephroureterectomy were included from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Healthcare System. Clinicopathological data were collected retrospectively for analysis. The significance of hydronephrosis, especially when combined with flank pain, and other relevant factors on overall and cancer-specific survival were evaluated. Of the 472 patients, 292 (62%) had preoperative hydronephrosis and 121 (26%) presented with flank pain. Preoperative hydronephrosis was significantly associated with age, hematuria, flank pain, tumor location, and pathological tumor stage. Concurrent presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain was a significant predictor of non-organ-confined disease (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio = 2.10, P = 0.025). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly poorer overall and cancer-specific survival in patients with preoperative hydronephrosis (P = 0.005 and P = 0.026, respectively) and in patients with flank pain (P hydronephrosis and flank pain independently predicted adverse outcome (hazard ratio = 1.98, P = 0.016 for overall survival and hazard ratio = 1.87, P = 0.036 for and cancer-specific survival, respectively) in multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. In addition, concurrent presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain was also significantly predictive of worse survival in patient with high grade or muscle-invasive disease. Notably, there was no difference in survival between patients with hydronephrosis but devoid of flank pain and those without hydronephrosis. Concurrent preoperative presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain predicted non-organ-confined status of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. When accompanied with flank pain, hydronephrosis represented an independent predictor for worse outcome in patients with upper tract

Clinical significance of NGAL and KIM-1 for acute kidney injury in patients with scrub typhus.

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In O Sun

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1 for acute kidney injury (AKI in patients with scrub typhus.From 2014 to 2015, 145 patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus. Of these, we enrolled 138 patients who were followed up until renal recovery or for at least 3 months. We measured serum and urine NGAL and KIM-1 levels and evaluated prognostic factors affecting scrub typhus-associated AKI.Of the 138 patients, 25 had scrub typhus-associated AKI. The incidence of AKI was 18.1%; of which 11.6%, 4.3%, and 2.2% were classified as risk, injury, and failure, respectively, according to RIFLE criteria. Compared with patients in the non-AKI group, patients in the AKI group were older and showed higher total leukocyte counts and hypoalbuminemia or one or more comorbidities such as hypertension (72% vs 33%, p<0.01, diabetes (40% vs 14%, p<0.01, or chronic kidney disease (32% vs 1%, p<0.01. In addition, serum NGAL values (404± 269 vs 116± 78 ng/mL, P<0.001, KIM-1 values (0.80± 0.52 vs 0.33± 0.68 ng/mL, P<0.001, urine NGAL/creatinine values (371± 672 vs 27± 39 ng/mg, P<0.001 and urine KIM-1/creatinine values (4.04± 2.43 vs 2.38± 1.89 ng/mg, P<0.001 were higher in the AKI group than in the non-AKI group. By multivariate logistic regression, serum NGAL and the presence of chronic kidney disease were significant predictors of AKI.Serum NGAL might be an additive predictor for scrub typhus-associated AKI.

The use of concept maps as an indicator of significant learning in Calculus

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Naíma Soltau Ferrão

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper contains reflections and results of a research that aimed to apply and analyze the use of concept maps in Higher Education as an indicator of significant learning concerning derivative as mathematical object with students that finished Differential and Integral Calculus. This is a qualitative approach, situated in the area of mathematics education, based on Ausubel's Theory of Meaningful Learning and on technique of Novak's Concept Mapping. As data acquisition instruments, use of classroom observations, questionnaire, brainstorming and digital conceptual mapping, made by an undergraduate physics course. To analyze we defined four aspects to be observed in the maps constructed by students: (i validity of propositions formed with concepts, (ii hierarchization, (iii cross-links between the propositions, and (vi the presence of applications. The identification of these elements, taken as reference to analyze the maps, allowed the collection of information about how each student has structured and correlated the set of concepts learned on the derivative of a function along their course. Based on the results, we have identified in the digital conceptual maps effective tools to evaluate the students in terms of meaningful learning about specific contents of Differential and Integral Calculus by the hierarchy of concepts, progressive differentiation and integrative reconciliation as defined in the Theory of Meaningful Learning.

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