Cardiovascular and fluid volume control in humans in space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norsk, Peter

2005-01-01

on this complex interaction, because it is the only way to completely abolish the effects of gravity over longer periods. Results from space have been unexpected, because astronauts exhibit a fluid and sodium retaining state with activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which subjects during simulations...... by head-down bed rest do not. Therefore, the concept as to how weightlessness affects the cardiovascular system and modulates regulation of body fluids should be revised and new simulation models developed. Knowledge as to how gravity and weightlessness modulate integrated fluid volume control...

42 CFR 493.861 - Standard; Unexpected antibody detection.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard; Unexpected antibody detection. 493.861 Section 493.861 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN..., Or Any Combination of These Tests § 493.861 Standard; Unexpected antibody detection. (a) Failure to...

Training to handle unexpected events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamlin, K.W.

1987-01-01

The importance of conducting hands-on training to deal with complex situations is well recognized. Since most utilities now own or have ordered their own control room simulators, access to simulator training facilities has improved greatly. Most utilities now have a control room shift rotation that includes a dedicated training shift. The opportunities for practicing operational control over unexpected and off-normal events are just beginning to be recognized. Areas that are being enhanced include teamwork training, diagnostics training, expanded simulator training programs, improvements in simulator instructor training, emergency procedures training, and training on the use of probabilistic risk assessment studies. All these efforts are aimed at the goal of improving the plant staff's ability to cope with unexpected and off-normal events

Unexpected observations of muons from Cygnus X-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elbert, J.W.

1986-01-01

One surface experiment (Kiel) and two underground experiments (Soudan and Mt. Blanc) have detected unexpectedly large fluxes of cosmic ray muons from the approximate direction of Cygnus X-3, with signals showing the precise period of the system. The muon signals cannot be produced by any known type of elementary particle unless unexpected processes are involved

Partial volume effect in MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Munehiro; Yoshiya, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Eiji

1989-01-01

According to the direction and the thickness of the imaging slice in tomography, the border between the tissues becomes unclear (partial volume effect). In the present MRI experiment, we examined border area between fat and water components using phantom in order to investigate the partial volume effect in MRI. In spin echo sequences, the intensity of the border area showed a linear relationship with composition of fat and water. Whereas, in inversion recovery and field echo sequences, we found the parameters to produce an extremely low intensity area at the border region between fat and water. This low intensity area was explained by cancellation of NMR signals from fat and water due to the difference in the direction of magnetic vectors. Clinically, partial volume effect can cause of mis-evaluation of walls, small nodules, tumor capsules and the tumor invasion in the use of inversion recovery and field echo sequences. (author)

Cognitive Readiness: Preparing for the Unexpected

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Fletcher, J. D

2004-01-01

.... Anticipated operational requirements can be decomposed into specific tasks, conditions, and standards, but how should individuals, teams, and units prepare for the unexpected, which, by definition...

Unexpected results in Chernozem soil respiration while measuring the effect of a bio-fertilizer on soil microbial activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Gabriela; Mátyás, Bence; Carpio, Isabel; Vilches, Richard; Pazmino, Karina

2017-01-01

The number of studies investigating the effect of bio-fertilizers is increasing because of their importance in sustainable agriculture and environmental quality. In our experiments, we measured the effect of different fertilizers on soil respiration. In the present study, we were looking for the cause of unexpected changes in CO2 values while examining Chernozem soil samples. We concluded that CO2 oxidizing microbes or methanotrophs may be present in the soil that periodically consume CO2 . This is unusual for a sample taken from the upper layer of well-ventilated Chernozem soil with optimal moisture content.

77 FR 21389 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-10

... April 3, 2012 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the... 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as amended, (22 U.S.C... United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, for the purpose of meeting unexpected and...

Lower incidence of unexpected in-hospital death after interprofessional implementation of a bedside track-and-trigger system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bunkenborg, Gitte; Samuelson, Karin Samuelsonkarin; Poulsen, Ingrid

2014-01-01

In-hospital patients may suffer unexpected death because of suboptimal monitoring. Early recognition of deviating physiological parameters may enable staff to prevent unexpected in-hospital death. The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term effects of systematic interprofessional u...... of early warning scoring, structured observation charts, and clinical algorithms for bedside action....

Unexpected East-West effect in mesopause region SABER temperatures over El Leoncito

Science.gov (United States)

Reisin, Esteban R.; Scheer, Jürgen

2017-05-01

We find that mesopause region temperatures determined by the SABER instrument on the TIMED satellite during nocturnal overpasses at El Leoncito (31.8°S, 69.3°W) are several kelvins higher when SABER observes from the East than when it observes from the West. We distinguish between altitudes corresponding to the nominal emission heights of the OH and O2 airglow layers. The East-West temperature differences of 4.5 K obtained for OH-equivalent height, and of 3.5 K for O2-equivalent height are surprising, because an effect of the South Atlantic Anomaly on SABER temperature is unexpected. However, the ground-based data obtained with our airglow spectrometer at El Leoncito show that such a SABER artifact can be ruled out. Rather, the phenomenon is explained as a consequence of the temporal sampling of the nocturnal variation, which is mostly due to the semidiurnal tide. The monthly mean tide is strongest from April to September with a mean amplitude of 6.9 K for OH, and of 10.5 K for O2 rotational temperature, but the contribution to the East-West effect varies strongly from month to month because of differences in the temporal sampling. This mechanism should be active at other sites, as well.

Adaptation to sudden unexpected loading of the low back - the effects of repeated trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skotte, J.H.; Fallentin, N.; Pedersen, Mogens Theisen

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate short-term changes in reactions to sudden unexpected loading of the low back. The study utilized a set-up where a horizontal force of 58 N pointing forward suddenly was applied to the upper part of the subject's trunk. EMG activity from the erector...

Unexpected marked seizure improvement in paediatric epilepsy surgery candidates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoei-Hansen, Christina E; Mathiasen, René; Uldall, Peter

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: Epilepsy surgery is performed based on the assumption that medical refractory epilepsy will continue. Rarely seizure freedom occurs before surgery is performed, while the patient is being evaluated as an epilepsy surgery candidate. The aim of this study was to describe the number...... of children withdrawn from an epilepsy surgery programme due to unexpected seizure improvement. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 173 children under 18 years with medical refractory epilepsy referred for epilepsy surgery between 1996 and 2010. Medical records were reviewed in 2012 and 2015. RESULTS......: At the first evaluation point in 2012, 13 patients were withdrawn from the epilepsy surgery programme due to unexpected marked improvement. In 2015, 6 of them were still seizure free. They had unexpected seizure freedom due to change in AED treatment (n=3) or after a febrile episode (n=3). The mean number...

Physiological Modeling of Responses to Upper vs Lower Lobe Lung Volume Reduction in Homogeneous Emphysema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arschang eValipour

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Rationale: In clinical trials, homogeneous emphysema patients have responded well to upper lobe volume reduction but not lower lobe volume reduction. Materials/Methods: To understand the physiological basis for this observation, a computer model was developed to simulate the effects of upper and lower lobe lung volume reduction on RV/TLC and lung recoil in homogeneous emphysema.Results: Patients with homogeneous emphysema received either upper or lower lobe volume reduction therapy based on findings of radionucleotide scintigraphy scanning. CT analysis of lobar volumes showed that patients undergoing upper (n=18; -265 mL/site and lower lobe treatment (n=11; -217 mL/site experienced similar reductions in lung volume. However, only upper lobe treatment improved FEV1 (+11.1±14.7% vs -4.4±15.8% and RV/TLC (-5.4± 8.1% vs -2.4±8.6%. Model simulations provided an unexpected explanation for this response. Increases in transpulmonary pressure subsequent to volume reduction increased RV/TLC in upper lobe alveoli, while caudal shifts in airway closure decreased RV/TLC in lower lobe alveoli. Upper lobe treatment, which eliminates apical alveoli with high RV/TLC values, lowers the average RV/TLC of the lung. Conversely, lower lobe treatment, which eliminates caudal alveoli with low RV/TLC values, has less effect. Conclusions: Lower lobe treatment in homogeneous emphysema is uniformly less effective than upper lobe treatment.

Unexpected Translations in Urban Policy Mobility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zapata, Patrik; Zapata Campos, Maria José

2015-01-01

such as prototypes in order to travel. It was made mobile via relational sites or situations providing safe and accessible connections with Chureca residents. Paradoxically, these places also allowed extraordinary connections between actors located in different scales and spaces, facilitating unexpected local...

Unexpected Translations in Urban Policy Mobility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zapata, Patrik; Zapata Campos, Maria José

such as prototypes in order to travel. It was made mobile via relational sites or situations providing safe and accessible connections with Chureca residents. Paradoxically, these places also allowed extraordinary connections between actors located in different scales and spaces, facilitating unexpected local...

Unexpected Expectations The Curiosities of a Mathematical Crystal Ball

CERN Document Server

Wapner, Leonard M

2012-01-01

Unexpected Expectations: The Curiosities of a Mathematical Crystal Ball explores how paradoxical challenges involving mathematical expectation often necessitate a reexamination of basic premises. The author takes you through mathematical paradoxes associated with seemingly straightforward applications of mathematical expectation and shows how these unexpected contradictions may push you to reconsider the legitimacy of the applications. The book requires only an understanding of basic algebraic operations and includes supplemental mathematical background in chapter appendices. After a history o

Sigmoid Colon is an Unexpected Organ at Risk in Brachytherapy for Cervix Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ffrrcsi, H.F.; Mrcpfrcr, I.B.; Appleby, H.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To identify organs at risk (OAR) and analyze the dose volume histograms (DVHs) for intracavitary brachytherapy in cancer of the cervix. Late toxicities are our concern in treatment of cancer cervix especially as it is presenting in younger age population. Material and Methods: Patients with cancer of the cervix were treated using CT and MRI compatible, high dose rate, (HDR) applicators. CT images were acquired with the intra-uterine tube and colpostats in place and subsequently imported into Varian Brachyvision planning software. We identified the gross tumour volume (GTV) and organs at risk (OARs) and analyzed the dose distribution using dose volume histograms (DVHs). Doses were calculated according to ICRU 38. Critical tissue DVHs were analysed following the American Brachytherapy Society rules. Dose points are recorded as the dose encompassed by the greatest contiguous I cm3, 2 cm3, and 5 cm3 volumes in the plan. Results: We found the sigmoid colon to be a relatively immobile structure that repeatedly received doses in excess of 70% of the intended point A dose. The only solution in order to bring sigmoid DVHs within 5% toxicity limits was to reduce the dose to point A. Planning images and DVHs for the OARs are shown as an example of our work. Conclusion: The recto-sigmoid colon is identified as an unexpected OAR in a majority of cervix brachytherapy plans. A new consensus on the DVH limit of this structure will be needed in the era of CT planned brachytherapy, if arbitrary dose reductions to point A are to be the solution to the problem of sigmoid DVHs that exceed conventional tolerance limits

Effects of methamphetamine dependence and HIV infection on cerebral morphology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jernigan, Terry Lynne; Gamst, Abthony C; Archibald, Sarah L.

2005-01-01

increases, and in one of these structures-the nucleus accumbens-there appeared to be a larger effect in younger methamphetamine abusers. Neurocognitive impairment was associated with decreased cortical volumes in HIV-positive participants but with increased cortical volumes in methamphetamine...... the results of the present study provide little information about the specific mechanisms leading to the unexpected methamphetamine effects, they may be related to glial activation or neuritic growth, both of which have been associated with methamphetamine exposure in animal studies. These results have...

Effects of uncertainty in model predictions of individual tree volume on large area volume estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald E. McRoberts; James A. Westfall

2014-01-01

Forest inventory estimates of tree volume for large areas are typically calculated by adding model predictions of volumes for individual trees. However, the uncertainty in the model predictions is generally ignored with the result that the precision of the large area volume estimates is overestimated. The primary study objective was to estimate the effects of model...

An investigation into the causes of unexpected intra-operative transoesophageal echocardiography findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, H J; Mahmoud, A; Uddin, A; Mathew, T

2012-04-01

There is uncertainty regarding echocardiography before cardiac surgery, especially with regard to timing and disease progression as well as potential errors. We investigated the causes of unexpected intra-operative transoesophageal echocardiography findings by performing a 33-month audit. We found that there were 50/797 (6%) unexpected findings that led to an alteration in surgical strategy in 34 (4%) patients. Of the unexpected findings, 25 (50%) were unrelated to pre-operative pathology. After reviewing pre-operative studies and reports, unexpected findings were found to be due to: reporting errors in 20 patients (44%); limitations in transthoracic compared to transoesophageal echocardiography in 14 patients (30%); disease progression in 10 patients (22%); and inter-observer variability in two patients (4%). We identified six reports out of 797 (0.8%) that contained potentially serious errors. Surgical management changed in 18/20 (90%) patients in whom the unexpected change was due to reporting error, compared to 16/30 (53%) patients whose pre-operative echocardiogram was correctly reported (p = 0.006). Our study suggests that pre-operative echocardiography reporting errors are common and important. Anaesthesia © 2012 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Effect of volume expansion on systemic hemodynamics and central and arterial blood volume in cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, S; Bendtsen, F; Henriksen, Jens Henrik Sahl

1995-01-01

, and arterial pressure were determined before and during a volume expansion induced by infusion of a hyperosmotic galactose solution. RESULTS: During volume expansion, the central and arterial blood volume increased significantly in patients with class A and controls, whereas no significant change was found...... in patients with either class B or class C. Conversely, the noncentral blood volume increased in patients with class B and C. In both patients and controls, the cardiac output increased and the systemic vascular resistance decreased, whereas the mean arterial blood pressure did not change significantly......BACKGROUND & AIMS: Systemic vasodilatation in cirrhosis may lead to hemodynamic alterations with reduced effective blood volume and decreased arterial blood pressure. This study investigates the response of acute volume expansion on hemodynamics and regional blood volumes in patients with cirrhosis...

Unexpected Coexisting Myocardial Infarction Detected by Delayed Enhancement MRI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edouard Gerbaud

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We report a case of an unexpected coexisting anterior myocardial infarction detected by delayed enhancement MRI in a 41-year-old man following a presentation with a first episode of chest pain during inferior acute myocardial infarction. This second necrotic area was not initially suspected because there were no ECG changes in the anterior leads and the left descending coronary artery did not present any significant stenoses on emergency coronary angiography. Unrecognised myocardial infarction may carry important prognostic implications. CMR is currently the best imaging technique to detect unexpected infarcts.

The accrual anomaly - focus on changes in specific unexpected accruals results in new evidence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schøler, Finn

are specifically analyzed, namely the unexpected inventory accrual component and the unexpected accounts receivable accrual component, i.e. changes in accruals not motivated by corresponding changes in company activity-level. Additionally and for comparison, the accounting accruals are split into expected...... and unexpected accruals, estimated by the extended Jones model like in both some US-analyses and some international studies of the accrual anomaly phenomenon. It is found that the persistence of earnings is decreasing in the magnitude of the unexpected accrual components of earnings and that the persistence...... of current earnings performance is particularly decreasing in the magnitude of unexpected changes in inventory. The special accrual parts are related to the perceptions of earnings persistence implicit in the market prices, and it is found that the differences in earnings persistence are not rationally...

Unexpected MRI findings in clinically suspected Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lobert, Philip F.; Dillman, Jonathan R.; Strouse, Peter J.; Hernandez, Ramiro J. [University of Michigan Health System, Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, C.S. Mott Children' s Hospital/F3503, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2011-03-15

In the setting of clinically suspected Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease and negative/equivocal radiographs, contrast-enhanced MRI can be performed to confirm the diagnosis. To determine the frequency of unexpected causes of hip pain as identified by MRI in children with clinically suspected LCP disease and negative/equivocal radiographs. All pediatric contrast-enhanced MRI examinations of the pelvis and hips performed between January 2000 and February 2009 to evaluate for possible LCP disease in the setting of negative/equivocal radiographs were identified. MRI examinations performed to evaluate for secondary avascular necrosis were excluded. Imaging reports were retrospectively reviewed for unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain. Thirty-six pediatric patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI examinations for clinically suspected LCP disease in the setting of negative/equivocal radiographs. Twenty-two (61%) imaging studies were normal, while four (11%) imaging studies demonstrated findings consistent with LCP disease. Ten (28%) imaging studies revealed unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain, including nonspecific unilateral joint effusion and synovitis (n = 7, juvenile chronic arthritis was eventually diagnosed in 3 patients), sacral fracture (n = 1), apophyseal injury (n = 1), and femoral head subluxation (n = 1). MRI frequently reveals unexpected clinically important causes of hip pain in children with suspected LCP disease and negative/equivocal radiographs. (orig.)

Complexity in an Unexpected Place: Quantities in Selected Acquisition Reports

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

by the Army Acquisition Executive contains the following language . As a recently delegated Acquisition Category IC program, the AH-64E Apache...Complexity in an Unexpected Place: Quantities in Selected Acquisition Reports Gregory A. Davis, Project Leader Margaret L. Giles David M. Tate I...F E N S E A N A L Y S E S IDA Paper P-8490 Complexity in an Unexpected Place: Quantities in Selected Acquisition Reports Gregory A. Davis

Unexpected nonlinear effects and critical coupling in NbN superconducting microwave resonators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdo, B.; Buks, E.

2004-01-01

Full Text:In this work, we have designed and fabricated several NbN superconducting stripline microwave resonators sputtered on sapphire substrates. The low temperature response exhibits strong and unexpected nonlinear effects, including sharp jumps as the frequency or poser are varied, frequency hysteresis loops changing direction as the input power is varied, and others. Contrary to some other superconducting resonators, a simple model of a one-dimensional Duffing resonator cannot account for the experimental results. Whereas the physical origin of the unusual nonlinear response of our samples remains an open question, our intensive experimental study of these effects under varying conditions provides some important insight. We consider a hypothesis according to which Josephson junctions forming weak links between the grains of the NbN are responsible for the observed behavior. We show that most of the experimental results are qualitatively consistent with such hypothesis. While revealing the underlying physics remains an outstanding challenge for future research, the utilization of the unusual nonlinear response for some novel applications is already demonstrated in the present work. In particular an operate the resonator as an inter modulation amplifier and find that the gain can be as high as 15 dB. To the best of our knowledge, inter modulation gain greater than unity has not been reported before in the scientific literature. In another application we demonstrate for the first time that the coupling between the resonator and its feed line can be made amplitude dependent. This novel mechanism allows us to tune the resonator into critical coupling conditions

The own and social effects of an unexpected income shock: Evidence from the Dutch Postcode Lottery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuhn, P.J.; Kooreman, P.; Soetevent, A.R.; Kapteyn, A.

2008-01-01

In the Dutch Postcode Lottery a postal code (19 households on average) is randomly selected weekly, and prizes - consisting of cash and a new BMW - are awarded to lottery participants living in that postal code. On average, this generates a temporary, unexpected income shock equal to about eight

Unexpected Effects of a System-Distributed Mobile Application in Maternity Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledford, Christy J W; Womack, Jasmyne J; Rider, Heather A; Seehusen, Angela B; Conner, Stephen J; Lauters, Rebecca A; Hodge, Joshua A

2018-06-01

As pregnant mothers increasingly engage in shared decision making regarding prenatal decisions, such as induction of labor, the patient's level of activation may influence pregnancy outcomes. One potential tool to increase patient activation in the clinical setting is mobile applications. However, research is limited in comparing mobile apps with other modalities of patient education and engagement tools. This study was designed to test the effectiveness of a mobile app as a replacement for a spiral notebook guide as a patient education and engagement tool in the prenatal clinical setting. This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Women's Health Clinic and Family Health Clinic of three hospitals. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was used to test intervention effects in the study sample of 205 patients. Mothers used a mobile app interface to more frequently record information about their pregnancy; however, across time, mothers using a mobile app reported a significant decrease in patient activation. The unexpected negative effects in the group of patients randomized to the mobile app prompt these authors to recommend that health systems pause before distributing their own version of mobile apps that may decrease patient activation. Mobile apps can be inherently empowering and engaging, but how a system encourages their use may ultimately determine their adoption and success.

Generalized effective mode volume for leaky optical cavities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Philip Trøst; Van Vlack, C.; Hughes, S.

2012-01-01

We show explicitly how the commonly adopted prescription for calculating effective mode volumes is wrong and leads to uncontrolled errors. Instead, we introduce a generalized mode volume that can be easily evaluated based on the mode calculation methods typically applied in the literature, and wh......, and which allows one to compute the Purcell effect and other interesting optical phenomena in a rigorous and unambiguous way....

Liquidity Effects on the Simultaneity of Trading Volume and Order Imbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erman Denny Arfianto

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to analyze the simultaneity between trading volume and order imbalance, the influence of past performance, market risk, market capitalization, tick size to the trading volume and the influence of tick size, depth and bid-ask spread to the order imbalance of companies that were listed on LQ 45 index. The samples in this research were selected by using the purposive sampling method with some selected criteria. Fifty-five companies listed on 2014’s LQ 45 index were chosen as the sample. The results showed that the trading volume is simultaneously related to the order imbalance; past performance, market risk, and market capitalization have the positive and significant effect to the trading volume; tick size has the negative and significant effect to the trading volume; the order imbalance has the negative and insignificant effect to the trading volume; tick size, depth, bid-ask spread, and trading volume have no significant effect to the order imbalance.

Nationwide survey of rotavirus-associated encephalopathy and sudden unexpected death in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamura, Yoshiki; Ohashi, Masahiro; Ihira, Masaru; Hashimoto, Shuji; Taniguchi, Koki; Yoshikawa, Tetsushi

2014-08-01

Rotavirus can cause severe complications such as encephalopathy/encephalitis and sudden unexpected death. The incidence of rotavirus-associated encephalopathy/encephalitis or sudden unexpected death remains unknown. To clarify the clinical features of rotavirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy and sudden unexpected death, we conducted a nationwide survey in Japan. A two-part questionnaire was designed to determine the number of the cases and the clinical features of severe cases of rotavirus infection, including encephalitis/encephalopathy and sudden unexpected death, between 2009 and 2011. Of the 1365 questionnaires sent to hospitals, 963 (70.5%) were returned and eligible for analysis. We determined 58 cases of rotavirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy and 7 cases of sudden unexpected death. These patients were diagnosed with rotavirus infection by immunochromatography. Although 36/58 (62.1%) encephalitis/encephalopathy patients had no sequelae, 15/58 (25.9%) patients had neurological sequelae, and 7/58 (12.1%) patients had fatal outcomes. Pleocytosis was observed in 9/40 (22.5%) patients and cerebrospinal fluid protein levels were elevated in only 4/40 (10%) patients. Elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (>500 IU/L) or acidemia (pHdeath were 44.0 and 4.9 cases in Japan, respectively. Elevated LDH (>500 IU/L) or acidemia (pH<7.15) were related to a poor prognosis of the encephalitis/encephalopathy. Copyright © 2013 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Unexpected complications of bonded mandibular lingual retainers.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Katsaros, C.; Livas, C.; Renkema, A.M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The flexible spiral wire (FSW) retainer is the most frequently used type of fixed retainer bonded on all 6 anterior teeth. Our aim in this article was to demonstrate unexpected posttreatment changes in the labiolingual position of the mandibular anterior teeth associated with the use

Effect of large volume paracentesis on plasma volume--a cause of hypovolemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, H.W.; Rakov, N.E.; Savage, E.; Reynolds, T.B.

1985-01-01

Large volume paracentesis, while effectively relieving symptoms in patients with tense ascites, has been generally avoided due to reports of complications attributed to an acute reduction in intravascular volume. Measurements of plasma volume in these subjects have been by indirect methods and have not uniformly confirmed hypovolemia. We have prospectively evaluated 18 patients (20 paracenteses) with tense ascites and peripheral edema due to chronic liver disease undergoing 5 liter paracentesis for relief of symptoms. Plasma volume pre- and postparacentesis was assessed by a 125 I-labeled human serum albumin dilution technique as well as by the change in hematocrit and postural blood pressure difference. No significant change in serum sodium, urea nitrogen, hematocrit or postural systolic blood pressure difference was noted at 24 or 48 hr after paracentesis. Serum creatinine at 24 hr after paracentesis was unchanged but a small but statistically significant increase in serum creatinine was noted at 48 hr postparacentesis. Plasma volume changed -2.7% (n = 6, not statistically significant) during the first 24 hr and -2.8% (n = 12, not statistically significant) during the 0- to 48-hr period. No complications from paracentesis were noted. These results suggest that 5 liter paracentesis for relief of symptoms is safe in patients with tense ascites and peripheral edema from chronic liver disease

Sudden unexpected death under acute influence of cannabis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartung, Benno; Kauferstein, Silke; Ritz-Timme, Stefanie; Daldrup, Thomas

2014-04-01

The acute toxicity of cannabinoids is said to be low and there is little public awareness of the potentially hazardous cardiovascular effects of cannabis, e.g. marked increase in heart rate or supine blood pressure. We describe the cases of two young, putative healthy men who died unexpectedly under the acute influence of cannabinoids. To our knowledge, these are the first cases of suspected fatal cannabis intoxications where full postmortem investigations, including autopsy, toxicological, histological, immunohistochemical and genetical examinations, were carried out. The results of these examinations are presented. After exclusion of other causes of death we assume that the young men experienced fatal cardiovascular complications evoked by smoking cannabis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

ERP correlates of unexpected word forms in a picture–word study of infants and adults

Science.gov (United States)

Duta, M.D.; Styles, S.J.; Plunkett, K.

2012-01-01

We tested 14-month-olds and adults in an event-related potentials (ERPs) study in which pictures of familiar objects generated expectations about upcoming word forms. Expected word forms labelled the picture (word condition), while unexpected word forms mismatched by either a small deviation in word medial vowel height (mispronunciation condition) or a large deviation from the onset of the first speech segment (pseudoword condition). Both infants and adults showed sensitivity to both types of unexpected word form. Adults showed a chain of discrete effects: positivity over the N1 wave, negativity over the P2 wave (PMN effect) and negativity over the N2 wave (N400 effect). Infants showed a similar pattern, including a robust effect similar to the adult P2 effect. These observations were underpinned by a novel visualisation method which shows the dynamics of the ERP within bands of the scalp over time. The results demonstrate shared processing mechanisms across development, as even subtle deviations from expected word forms were indexed in both age groups by a reduction in the amplitude of characteristic waves in the early auditory evoked potential. PMID:22483072

77 FR 42947 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population...

Excluded Volume Effects in Gene Stretching

OpenAIRE

Lam, Pui-Man

2002-01-01

We investigate the effects excluded volume on the stretching of a single DNA in solution. We find that for small force F, the extension h is not linear in F but proportion to F^{\\chi}, with \\chi=(1-\

Volume conduction effects on wavelet cross-bicoherence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Memon, I.A.; Channa, C.

2013-01-01

Cross-bicoherence analysis is one of the important nonlinear signal processing tools which is used to measure quadratic phase coupling between frequencies of two different time series. It is frequently used in the diagnosis of various cognitive and neurological disorders in EEG (Electroencephalography) analysis. Volume conduction effects of various uncorrelated sources present in the brain can produce biased estimates into the estimated values of cross-bicoherence function. Previous studies have discussed volume conduction effects on coherence function which is used to measure linear relationship between EEG signals in terms of their phase and amplitude. However, volume conduction effect on cross-bicoherence analysis which is quite a different technique has not been investigated up to now to the best of our knowledge. This study is divided into two major parts, the first part deals with the investigation of VCUS (Volume Conduction effects due to Uncorrelated Sources) characteristics on EEG-cross-bicoherence analysis. The simulated EEG data due to uncorrelated sources present in the brain was used in this part of study. The next part of study is based upon investigating the effects of VCUS on the statistical analysis of results of EEG-based cross-bicoherence analysis. The study provides an important clinical application because most of studies based on EEG cross-bicoherence analysis have avoided the issue of VCUS. The cross-bicoherence analysis was performed by detecting the change in MSCB (Magnitude Square Cross-Bicoherence Function) between EEG activities of change detection and no-change detection trials. The real EEG signals were used. (author)

Complementary effect of patient volume and quality of care on hospital cost efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jeong Hoon; Park, Imsu; Jung, Ilyoung; Dey, Asoke

2017-06-01

This study explores the direct effect of an increase in patient volume in a hospital and the complementary effect of quality of care on the cost efficiency of U.S. hospitals in terms of patient volume. The simultaneous equation model with three-stage least squares is used to measure the direct effect of patient volume and the complementary effect of quality of care and volume. Cost efficiency is measured with a data envelopment analysis method. Patient volume has a U-shaped relationship with hospital cost efficiency and an inverted U-shaped relationship with quality of care. Quality of care functions as a moderator for the relationship between patient volume and efficiency. This paper addresses the economically important question of the relationship of volume with quality of care and hospital cost efficiency. The three-stage least square simultaneous equation model captures the simultaneous effects of patient volume on hospital quality of care and cost efficiency.

Unexpected results in Chernozem soil respiration while measuring the effect of a bio-fertilizer on soil microbial activity [version 2; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Bautista

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The number of studies investigating the effect of bio-fertilizers is increasing because of their importance in sustainable agriculture and environmental quality. In our experiments, we measured the effect of different fertilizers on soil respiration. In the present study, we were looking for the cause of unexpected changes in CO2 values while examining Chernozem soil samples. We concluded that CO2 oxidizing microbes or methanotrophs may be present in the soil that periodically consume CO2 . This is unusual for a sample taken from the upper layer of well-ventilated Chernozem soil with optimal moisture content.

Frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food: a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Versluis, A; Knulst, A C; Kruizinga, A G; Michelsen, A; Houben, G F; Baumert, J L; van Os-Medendorp, H

2015-02-01

Food allergic patients have to deal with an avoidance diet. Confusing labelling terms or precautionary labels can result in misinterpretation and risk-taking behaviour. Even those patients that strictly adhere to their diet experience (sometimes severe) unexpected allergic reactions to food. The frequency, severity and causes of such reactions are unknown. The objective of this review was to describe the frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food in food allergic patients aged > 12 years, in order to develop improved strategies to deal with their allergy. A systematic review was carried out by two researchers, in six electronic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Medline, Psychinfo and Scopus). The search was performed with keywords relating to the frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food. This resulted in 24 studies which met the inclusion criteria; 18 observational and six qualitative studies. This review shows that knowledge about the frequency of unexpected reactions is limited. Peanut, nuts, egg, fruit/vegetables and milk are the main causal foods. Severe reactions and even fatalities occur. Most reactions take place at home, but a significant number also take place when eating at friends' houses or in restaurants. Labelling issues, but also attitude and risky behaviour of patients can attribute to unexpected reactions. We conclude that prospective studies are needed to get more insight in the frequency, severity, quantity of unintended allergen ingested and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food, to be able to optimize strategies to support patients in dealing with their food allergy. Although the exact frequency is not known, unexpected reactions to food occur in a significant number of patients and can be severe. For clinical practice, this means that patient education and dietary instructions are necessary. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Unexpected secoiridoid glucosides from Manulea corymbosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Gousiadou, Chrysoula; Kokubun, Tetsuo; Gotfredsen, Charlotte H; Jensen, Søren R

2014-03-28

From an extract of Manulea corymbosa were isolated four known secoiridoid glucosides (1-4), 10 new monoterpenoid esters of secologanol, namely, manuleosides A-I (5-11, 13, and 14) and dimethyl rhodanthoside A (12), and four new phenylpropanoid esters of carbocyclic iridoid glucosides, manucorymbosides I-IV (15-18). Also, the caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycoside verbascoside was isolated. The presence of secoiridoids apparently derived from loganic acid in the family Scrophulariaceae is unprecedented and greatly unexpected.

Preserved scleral patch graft for unexpected extreme scleral thinning found at the scleral buckling procedure: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spela Stunf

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Pre-existing scleral pathology is an important risk factor for globe rupture during scleral buckling procedures. We report here, the surgical management of an unexpected scleral pathology found at the scleral buckling procedure in a retinal detachment patient. A 77-year-old white female with retinal detachment underwent a scleral buckling procedure. The surgery was converted into a scleral graft procedure, as extreme scleral thinning was found intraoperatively. An alcohol-preserved donor sclera graft was used. The second surgery for definitive retinal alignment was performed two weeks later. The presented case of an unexpected scleral pathology in a retinal detachment patient was managed with a combination of scleral grafting and pars plana vitrectomy, without any major complications. The anatomical outcome was excellent and the scleral rupture was prevented; the visual outcome was satisfactory. A conversion of the scleral buckling procedure into a scleral graft procedure has proved to be safe and effective for unexpected scleral pathology.

Hunting for unexpected post-translational modifications by spectral library searching with tier-wise scoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Chun Wai Manson; Lam, Henry

2014-05-02

Discovering novel post-translational modifications (PTMs) to proteins and detecting specific modification sites on proteins is one of the last frontiers of proteomics. At present, hunting for post-translational modifications remains challenging in widely practiced shotgun proteomics workflows due to the typically low abundance of modified peptides and the greatly inflated search space as more potential mass shifts are considered by the search engines. Moreover, most popular search methods require that the user specifies the modification(s) for which to search; therefore, unexpected and novel PTMs will not be detected. Here a new algorithm is proposed to apply spectral library searching to the problem of open modification searches, namely, hunting for PTMs without prior knowledge of what PTMs are in the sample. The proposed tier-wise scoring method intelligently looks for unexpected PTMs by allowing mass-shifted peak matches but only when the number of matches found is deemed statistically significant. This allows the search engine to search for unexpected modifications while maintaining its ability to identify unmodified peptides effectively at the same time. The utility of the method is demonstrated using three different data sets, in which the numbers of spectrum identifications to both unmodified and modified peptides were substantially increased relative to a regular spectral library search as well as to another open modification spectral search method, pMatch.

Unexpected Secoiridoid Glucosides from Manulea corymbosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gousiadou, Chrysoula; Kokubun, Tetsuo; Gotfredsen, Charlotte Held

2014-01-01

From an extract of Manulea corymbosa were isolated four known secoiridoid glucosides (1–4), 10 new monoterpenoid esters of secologanol, namely, manuleosides A–I (5–11, 13, and 14) and dimethyl rhodanthoside A (12), and four new phenylpropanoid esters of carbocyclic iridoid glucosides, manucorymbo......, manucorymbosides I–IV (15–18). Also, the caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycoside verbascoside was isolated. The presence of secoiridoids apparently derived from loganic acid in the family Scrophulariaceae is unprecedented and greatly unexpected....

New product trial, use of edibles, and unexpected highs among marijuana and hashish users in Colorado.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jane A; Davis, Kevin C; Duke, Jennifer C; Nonnemaker, James M; Bradfield, Brian R; Farrelly, Matthew C

2017-07-01

This study examines the relationships between trial of new marijuana or hashish products and unexpected highs, and use of edible products and unexpected highs. We conducted an online survey of 634 adult, past-year marijuana users in Colorado. We used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between new product trial or edible use and unexpected highs. In the first year that recreational marijuana was legal in Colorado, 71.4% of respondents tried a new marijuana or hashish product, and 53.6% used an edible product. Trial of new products was associated with greater odds of experiencing an unexpected high after controlling for age, gender, education, mental health status, current marijuana or hashish use, and mean amount of marijuana or hashish consumed in the past month (OR=2.13, pmarijuana or hashish products, or use edible marijuana or hashish products, are at greater risk for an unexpected high. It is possible that some negative outcomes associated with marijuana use and unexpected highs may be averted through a better understanding of how to use product packaging to communicate with consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of high-volume systematic local infiltration analgesia in Caesarean section

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Klaus Richter; Kristensen, B B; Rasmussen, M A

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Pain after Caesarean section is often treated with opioids with a risk of side effects. Wound infiltration with local anaesthetics is effective and has few side effects, but volume vs. dose concentration has not been examined. METHODS: Ninety patients scheduled for elective Caesarean...... found concerning time spent in the PACU, to first mobilisation or in number of women with nausea/vomiting (P ≥ 0.05). No complications related to ropivacaine were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic infiltration with a high concentration, low volume compared with low concentration, high volume showed...

Volume effect on the radiation injury of rat kidney

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, Y.-C.; Kutcher, Gerald J.; Ling, Clifton C.

1996-01-01

Purpose: To minimize the likelihood of radiation-induced kidney injury in treating tumors, the relationship of tolerance dose and irradiated volume of kidney should be known. We have used a rat model to determine the dose-response relationship when various volumes of the kidney are irradiated. Methods and Materials: Anesthetized adult male rats (CD, 10-12 week old) were irradiated with 250 KV x-rays. The kidney was exteriorized and placed in a jig designed to shield all other tissues. Graded single doses were delivered to each of four volumes: 1/4V (half of one kidney), 1/2V (one whole kidney, or half of each kidney), 3/4V (one and a half kidneys) and 1V, where V is the volume of both kidneys. In addition, to compare radiation injury and surgery, partial nephrectomy was performed for 1/4V, 1/2V and 3/4V. Four to sixteen rats were used for each dose-volume point. The rats have been followed up for 540 days. The endpoints for the damage were: lethality, anemia, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal flow, and histology. Results: We found that: (1) There was a threshold volume for radiation damage; injury did not occur if the volume irradiated was ≤ 1/2V, depending on the endpoints. (2) Median survival times did not depend on the dose when a small volume (i.e., 1/4V or 1/2V) was irradiated. (3) The LD 50 (and the 95% confidence limits) at 450 days were 11.35 (8.08 to 12.13) Gy for 1V, 12.38 (11.08 to 13.40) Gy for 3/4V, 21.16 (17.21 to 26.56) Gy for 1/2V, and 28.80 (21.11 to 65.00) Gy for 1/4V. (4) The ED 50 for animals with hematocrit level ≤0.36 at 365 days was 10.98 (4.96 to 13.67) Gy for 1.0V, and 13.82 (6.16 to 17.97) Gy for 3/4V. For 1/2V, only the 80% confidence limits could be derived, giving ED 50 +40.14 (27.98 to ∞) Gy. (5) The results for all other endpoints were similar to those for hematocrit. (6) The dose response was the same whether to half of each kidney or one whole kidney was irradiated. (7) While the threshold volume for radiation injury

Structure-volume relationships: singular volume effects produced by cupric ion-globular protein interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, S; Shinaberry, G; Heck, E L; Squire, W

1980-08-05

The nature of the volume isotherms produced by the coordination of Cu(II) with ovalbumin and bovine serum albumin differs substantially from the adsorption isotherms produced by these systems. Whereas there was increased binding of Cu(II) associated with a pH increase from pH 5.3 to pH 7.4, the volume isotherms for these systems did not exhibit this type of pH dependence. The volume changes were determined at 30.0 +/- 0.001 degrees C with microdilatometers which could be read to 0.01 muL. The binding isotherms for ovalbumin at pH 5.3 and 7.4 and for bovine serum albumin at pH 5.3 was resolved by a Scatchard plot to yield the appropriate thermodynamic parameters. An algorithm was derived to calculate the distribution of the individual PMi complexes, i.e., PMi-1 + M in equilibrium (Ki) PMi where i equals 1, 2, 3, ..., n moles of cation, M, bound per mole of protein, P, for the above systems. The volume isotherms were then resolved in terms of the constituent delta Vi terms, i.e., the volume change produced by the formation of the individual PMi complexes. These values were verified by an independent graphical differentiation procedure. The coordination of Cu(II) to BSA at pH 7.4 produced a cooperative adsorption isotherm which was not amenable to a Scatchard analysis. The resultant anomalous volume isotherm was resolved into a component related to Cu(II)-site interaction and a negative volume effect attributable to a conformational change induced by complex formation. This structural transition which occurs at physiological pH may constitute a control mechanism for regulating the serum level of Cu(II) and possibly other divalent ions.

Ambient Occlusion Effects for Combined Volumes and Tubular Geometry

KAUST Repository

Schott, M.; Martin, T.; Grosset, A. V. P.; Smith, S. T.; Hansen, C. D.

2013-01-01

This paper details a method for interactive direct volume rendering that computes ambient occlusion effects for visualizations that combine both volumetric and geometric primitives, specifically tube-shaped geometric objects representing streamlines, magnetic field lines or DTI fiber tracts. The algorithm extends the recently presented the directional occlusion shading model to allow the rendering of those geometric shapes in combination with a context providing 3D volume, considering mutual occlusion between structures represented by a volume or geometry. Stream tube geometries are computed using an effective spline-based interpolation and approximation scheme that avoids self-intersection and maintains coherent orientation of the stream tube segments to avoid surface deforming twists. Furthermore, strategies to reduce the geometric and specular aliasing of the stream tubes are discussed.

Ambient Occlusion Effects for Combined Volumes and Tubular Geometry

KAUST Repository

Schott, M.

2013-06-01

This paper details a method for interactive direct volume rendering that computes ambient occlusion effects for visualizations that combine both volumetric and geometric primitives, specifically tube-shaped geometric objects representing streamlines, magnetic field lines or DTI fiber tracts. The algorithm extends the recently presented the directional occlusion shading model to allow the rendering of those geometric shapes in combination with a context providing 3D volume, considering mutual occlusion between structures represented by a volume or geometry. Stream tube geometries are computed using an effective spline-based interpolation and approximation scheme that avoids self-intersection and maintains coherent orientation of the stream tube segments to avoid surface deforming twists. Furthermore, strategies to reduce the geometric and specular aliasing of the stream tubes are discussed.

The effect of hospital volume on patient outcomes in severe acute pancreatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shen Hsiu-Nien

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We investigated the relation between hospital volume and outcome in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP. The determination is important because patient outcome may be improved through volume-based selective referral. Methods In this cohort study, we analyzed 22,551 SAP patients in 2,208 hospital-years (between 2000 and 2009 from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Primary outcome was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay and charges. Hospital SAP volume was measured both as categorical and as continuous variables (per one case increase each hospital-year. The effect was assessed using multivariable logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations accounting for hospital clustering effect. Adjusted covariates included patient and hospital characteristics (model 1, and additional treatment variables (model 2. Results Irrespective of the measurements, increasing hospital volume was associated with reduced risk of hospital mortality after adjusting the patient and hospital characteristics (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.995, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.993-0.998 for per one case increase. The patients treated in the highest volume quartile (≥14 cases per hospital-year had 42% lower risk of hospital mortality than those in the lowest volume quartile (1 case per hospital-year after adjusting the patient and hospital characteristics (adjusted OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.83. However, an inverse relation between volume and hospital stay or hospital charges was observed only when the volume was analyzed as a categorical variable. After adjusting the treatment covariates, the volume effect on hospital mortality disappeared regardless of the volume measures. Conclusions These findings support the use of volume-based selective referral for patients with SAP and suggest that differences in levels or processes of care among hospitals may have contributed to the volume

Finite volume effects on the electric polarizability of neutral hadrons in lattice QCD

Science.gov (United States)

Lujan, M.; Alexandru, A.; Freeman, W.; Lee, F. X.

2016-10-01

We study the finite volume effects on the electric polarizability for the neutron, neutral pion, and neutral kaon using eight dynamically generated two-flavor nHYP-clover ensembles at two different pion masses: 306(1) and 227(2) MeV. An infinite volume extrapolation is performed for each hadron at both pion masses. For the neutral kaon, finite volume effects are relatively mild. The dependence on the quark mass is also mild, and a reliable chiral extrapolation can be performed along with the infinite volume extrapolation. Our result is αK0 phys=0.356 (74 )(46 )×10-4 fm3 . In contrast, for neutron, the electric polarizability depends strongly on the volume. After removing the finite volume corrections, our neutron polarizability results are in good agreement with chiral perturbation theory. For the connected part of the neutral pion polarizability, the negative trend persists, and it is not due to finite volume effects but likely sea quark charging effects.

Optimal transformation for correcting partial volume averaging effects in magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soltanian-Zadeh, H.; Windham, J.P.; Yagle, A.E.

1993-01-01

Segmentation of a feature of interest while correcting for partial volume averaging effects is a major tool for identification of hidden abnormalities, fast and accurate volume calculation, and three-dimensional visualization in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The authors present the optimal transformation for simultaneous segmentation of a desired feature and correction of partial volume averaging effects, while maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the desired feature. It is proved that correction of partial volume averaging effects requires the removal of the interfering features from the scene. It is also proved that correction of partial volume averaging effects can be achieved merely by a linear transformation. It is finally shown that the optimal transformation matrix is easily obtained using the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure, which is numerically stable. Applications of the technique to MRI simulation, phantom, and brain images are shown. They show that in all cases the desired feature is segmented from the interfering features and partial volume information is visualized in the resulting transformed images

Excluded-volume effects in the diffusion of hard spheres

KAUST Repository

Bruna, Maria

2012-01-03

Excluded-volume effects can play an important role in determining transport properties in diffusion of particles. Here, the diffusion of finite-sized hard-core interacting particles in two or three dimensions is considered systematically using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The result is a nonlinear diffusion equation for the one-particle distribution function, with excluded-volume effects enhancing the overall collective diffusion rate. An expression for the effective (collective) diffusion coefficient is obtained. Stochastic simulations of the full particle system are shown to compare well with the solution of this equation for two examples. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Working memory representations persist in the face of unexpected task alterations.

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, Garrett; Wyble, Brad; Chen, Hui

2017-07-01

It is well known that information can be held in memory while performing other tasks concurrently, such as remembering a color or number during a separate visual search task. However, it is not clear what happens to stored information in the face of unexpected tasks, such as the surprise questions that are often used in experiments related to inattentional and change blindness. Does the unpredicted shift in task context cause memory representations to be cleared in anticipation of new information? To answer this question, we ran two experiments where the task unexpectedly switched partway through the experiment with a surprise question. Half of the participants were asked to report the same attribute (Exp. 1 = Identity, Exp. 2 = Color) of a target stimulus in both presurprise and postsurprise trials, while for the other half, the reported attribute switched from identity to color (Exp. 1) or vice versa (Exp. 2). Importantly, all participants had to read an unexpected set of instructions and respond differently on the surprise trial. Accuracy on the surprise trial was higher for the same-attribute groups than the different-attribute groups. Furthermore, there was no difference in reaction time on the surprise trial between the two groups. These results suggest that information participants expected to report can survive an encounter with an unexpected task. The implication is that failures to report information on a surprise trial in many experiments reflect genuine differences in memory encoding, rather than forgetting or overwriting induced by the surprise question.

Investigating Initial Disclosures and Reactions to Unexpected, Positive HPV Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Rachel A; Hernandez, Rachael; Catona, Danielle

2014-07-01

Initial disclosures of health conditions are critical communication moments. Existing research focuses on disclosers; integrating confidants into studies of initial disclosures is needed. Guided by the disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM; Greene, 2009), this study examined what diagnosed persons and confidants may say when faced with unexpected test results and unexpected disclosures, respectively. Participants ( N = 151) recorded an audio-visual message for another person, after imagining that they or the other person had just received unexpected, positive HPV test results. The qualitative analysis revealed four themes: (1) impression management and social distance, (2) invisible symptoms and advice regarding future disclosures, (3) expressing and acknowledging emotional reactions, and (4) misunderstandings and lacking knowledge about HPV. These findings suggested that DD-MM may be a relevant framework for understanding not only when disclosers share, but what disclosers and confidants say in early conversations about new diagnoses. While disclosers' and confidants' messages showed marked similarities, important differences appeared. For example, confidants focused on assuaging disclosers' fear about the consequences, whereas disclosers expressed distress related to their uncertainty about the prognosis of an HPV infection and how to prepare for next steps. The discussion highlighted implications for the DD-MM, HPV disclosures, and future interventions.

Mathematics Placement Test: Typical Results with Unexpected Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Ingalls, Victoria

2011-01-01

Based on the results of a prior case-study analysis of mathematics placement at one university, the mathematics department developed and piloted a mathematics placement test. This article describes the implementation process for a mathematics placement test and further analyzes the test results for the pilot group. As an unexpected result, the…

Effective orbital volume and eyeball position: an MRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Detorakis, Efstathios T; Drakonaki, Eleni; Papadaki, Efrosini; Pallikaris, Ioannis G; Tsilimbaris, Miltiadis K

2010-10-01

Previous studies have examined factors affecting the position of the eyeball to the orbit. This study examined the role of effective orbital volume (EOV), defined as the difference between orbital and eyeball volume, as a determinant of eyeball position, using MRI scans. Forty-six patients were recruited from the Department of Ophthalmology of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete Greece. Patients with a history of orbital disease were excluded. Distances between eyeball poles and orbital landmarks were measured in T1 weighted transverse, sagittal and coronal orbital images. The protrusion of the eyeball in the sagittal and transverse planes was recorded. The volume of the eyeball and bony orbit, the EOV, the volume of the extraocular muscles as well as clinical information (age, gender, Hertel exophthalmometry) were also recorded. EOV was significantly associated with orbital volume but not with eyeball volume. EOV was also significantly associated with transverse and sagittal globe protrusions. Females displayed significantly lower orbital and eyeball volumes as well as EOV than males but higher transverse globe protrusion than males. Variations in EOV are associated with orbital volume rather than with eyeball volume. EOV is associated with globe protrusion and may be taken into account in the planning of various procedures, including orbital decompression, treatment of enophthalmos or the size of orbital implants following enucleation.

Finite-volume effects due to spatially non-local operators arXiv

CERN Document Server

Briceño, Raúl A.; Hansen, Maxwell T.; Monahan, Christopher J.

Spatially non-local matrix elements are useful lattice-QCD observables in a variety of contexts, for example in determining hadron structure. To quote credible estimates of the systematic uncertainties in these calculations, one must understand, among other things, the size of the finite-volume effects when such matrix elements are extracted from numerical lattice calculations. In this work, we estimate finite-volume effects for matrix elements of non-local operators, composed of two currents displaced in a spatial direction by a distance $\\xi$. We find that the finite-volume corrections depend on the details of the matrix element. If the external state is the lightest degree of freedom in the theory, e.g.~the pion in QCD, then the volume corrections scale as $ e^{-m_\\pi (L- \\xi)} $, where $m_\\pi$ is the mass of the light state. For heavier external states the usual $e^{- m_\\pi L}$ form is recovered, but with a polynomial prefactor of the form $L^m/|L - \\xi|^n$ that can lead to enhanced volume effects. These ...

2016 Billion-Ton Report: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1 (Volume 2)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Efroymson, R. A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Langholtz, M. H. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Johnson, K. E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Stokes, B. J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-01-13

On behalf of all the authors and contributors, it is a great privilege to present the 2016 Billion-Ton Report (BT16), volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from volume 1. This report represents the culmination of several years of collaborative effort among national laboratories, government agencies, academic institutions, and industry. BT16 was developed to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts towards national goals of energy security and associated quality of life.

Effective moduli of high volume fraction particulate composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, P.; Dharan, C.K.H.

1995-01-01

Predictions using current micromechanics theories for the effective moduli of particulate-reinforced composites tend to break down at high volume fractions of the reinforcing phase. The predictions are usually well below experimentally measured values of the Young's modulus for volume fractions exceeding about 0.6. In this paper, the concept of contiguity, which is a measure of phase continuity, is applied to Mori-Tanaka micromechanics theory. It is shown that contiguity of the second phase increases with volume fraction, leading eventually to a reversal in the roles of the inclusion and matrix. In powder metallurgy practice, it is well known that at high volume fractions, sintering and consolidation of the reinforcement make it increasingly continuous and more like the matrix phase, while the former matrix tends to become more like the inclusion phase. The concept of contiguity applied to micromechanics theory results in very good agreement between the predicted Young's modulus and experimental data on tungsten carbide particulate-reinforced cobalt

Unexpected perturbations training improves balance control and voluntary stepping times in older adults - a double blind randomized control trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, Ilan; Gimmon, Yoav; Shapiro, Amir; Debi, Ronen; Snir, Yoram; Melzer, Itshak

2016-03-04

Falls are common among elderly, most of them occur while slipping or tripping during walking. We aimed to explore whether a training program that incorporates unexpected loss of balance during walking able to improve risk factors for falls. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial 53 community dwelling older adults (age 80.1±5.6 years), were recruited and randomly allocated to an intervention group (n = 27) or a control group (n = 26). The intervention group received 24 training sessions over 3 months that included unexpected perturbation of balance exercises during treadmill walking. The control group performed treadmill walking with no perturbations. The primary outcome measures were the voluntary step execution times, traditional postural sway parameters and Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis. The secondary outcome measures were the fall efficacy Scale (FES), self-reported late life function (LLFDI), and Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA). Compared to control, participation in intervention program that includes unexpected loss of balance during walking led to faster Voluntary Step Execution Times under single (p = 0.002; effect size [ES] =0.75) and dual task (p = 0.003; [ES] = 0.89) conditions; intervention group subjects showed improvement in Short-term Effective diffusion coefficients in the mediolateral direction of the Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis under eyes closed conditions (p = 0.012, [ES] = 0.92). Compared to control there were no significant changes in FES, LLFDI, and POMA. An intervention program that includes unexpected loss of balance during walking can improve voluntary stepping times and balance control, both previously reported as risk factors for falls. This however, did not transferred to a change self-reported function and FES. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01439451 .

The processing of unexpected positive response outcomes in the mediofrontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferdinand, Nicola K; Mecklinger, Axel; Kray, Jutta; Gehring, William J

2012-08-29

The human mediofrontal cortex, especially the anterior cingulate cortex, is commonly assumed to contribute to higher cognitive functions like performance monitoring. How exactly this is achieved is currently the subject of lively debate but there is evidence that an event's valence and its expectancy play important roles. One prominent theory, the reinforcement learning theory by Holroyd and colleagues (2002, 2008), assigns a special role to feedback valence, while the prediction of response-outcome (PRO) model by Alexander and Brown (2010, 2011) claims that the mediofrontal cortex is sensitive to unexpected events regardless of their valence. However, paradigms examining this issue have included confounds that fail to separate valence and expectancy. In the present study, we tested the two competing theories of performance monitoring by using an experimental task that separates valence and unexpectedness of performance feedback. The feedback-related negativity of the event-related potential, which is commonly assumed to be a reflection of mediofrontal cortex activity, was elicited not only by unexpected negative feedback, but also by unexpected positive feedback. This implies that the mediofrontal cortex is sensitive to the unexpectedness of events in general rather than their valence and by this supports the PRO model.

Bah humbug: Unexpected Christmas cards and the reciprocity norm.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Brian P

2016-01-01

The reciprocity norm refers to the expectation that people will help those who helped them. A well-known study revealed that the norm is strong with Christmas cards, with 20% of people reciprocating a Christmas card received from a stranger. I attempted to conceptually replicate and extend this effect. In Study 1, 755 participants received a Christmas card supposedly from a more- versus less-similar stranger. The reciprocation rate was unexpectedly low (2%), which did not allow for a test of a similarity effect. Two potential reasons for this low rate were examined in Study 2 in which 494 participants reported their likelihood of reciprocating a Christmas card from a stranger as well as their felt suspicions/threat about the card and their frequency of e-mail use. Reciprocation likelihood was negatively correlated with perceived threat/suspicion and e-mail use. It appears that reciprocating a gift from a stranger in offline settings may be less likely than expected.

Unexpected pathological findings in skills training and assessing skills

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boendermaker, PM; Pols, J; Scherpbier, AJJA

This article draws attention to unexpected pathological findings encountered by students and teachers when examining one another and/or simulated patients in skips training and assessment sessions. Although no literature on the subject was found it appears to be not uncommon far students and

World-volume effective action of exotic five-brane in M-theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Tetsuji; Sasaki, Shin; Yata, Masaya

2016-01-01

We study the world-volume effective action of an exotic five-brane, known as the M-theory 5"3-brane (M5"3-brane) in eleven dimensions. The supermultiplet of the world-volume theory is the N=(2,0) tensor multiplet in six dimensions. The world-volume action contains three Killing vectors k̂_I_̂"M (Î=1,2,3) associated with the U(1)"3 isometry. We find the effective T-duality rule for the eleven-dimensional backgrounds that transforms the M5-brane effective action to that of the M5"3-brane. We also show that our action provides the source term for the M5"3-brane geometry in eleven-dimensional supergravity.

Unexpected strong attraction in the presence of continuum bound state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delfino, A.; Frederico, T.

1992-06-01

The result of few-particle ground-state calculation employing a two-particle non-local potential supporting a continuum bound state in addition to a negative-energy bound state has occasionally revealed unexpected large attraction in producing a very strongly bound ground state. In the presence of the continuum bound state the difference of phase shift between zero and infinite energies has an extra jump of φ as in the presence of an additional bound state. The wave function of the continuum bound state is identical with that of a strongly bound negative-energy state, which leads us to postulate a pseudo bound state in the two-particle system in order to explain the unexpected attraction. The role of the Pauli forbidden states is expected to be similar to these pseudo states. (author)

Unexpected findings at imaging: Predicting frequency in various types of studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lumbreras, Blanca; Gonzalez-Alvarez, Isabel; Lorente, Ma Fernanda; Calbo, Jorge; Aranaz, Jesus; Hernandez-Aguado, Ildefonso

2010-01-01

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the prevalence and associated variables of unsuspected findings from imaging tests in clinical practice. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study of patients referred for an imaging test in 2006. Two independent radiologists classified the imaging tests according to the presence or absence of an unexpected finding in relation with the causes that prompted the test (kappa = 0.95). A thorough chart review of these patients was carried out as a quality control. Results: Out of 3259 patients in the study, 488 revealed unsuspected findings (15.0%). The prevalence of abnormal findings varied according to age: from 20.4% (150/734) in the over 74-group to 9.0% (76/847) in the under 43-group. The largest prevalence was in the category of infectious diseases (14/49, 28.6%) and in CT (260/901, 28.9%) and ultrasound (138/668, 20.7%). Studies showing moderate clinical information on the referral form were less likely to show unexpected findings than those with null or minor information (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.36-0.73). Conclusion: Clinicians should expect the frequency of diseases detectable by imaging to increase in the future. Further research with follow-up of these findings is needed to estimate the effect of imaging technologies on final health outcomes.

Unexpected findings at imaging: Predicting frequency in various types of studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lumbreras, Blanca [Public Health Department, Miguel Hernandez University (Spain); CIBER en Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (Spain)], E-mail: blumbreras@umh.es; Gonzalez-Alvarez, Isabel [Radiodiagnostic Department, San Juan Hospital, 03550 Alicante (Spain)], E-mail: gonzalez_isa@gva.es; Lorente, Ma Fernanda [Radiodiagnostic Department, San Juan Hospital, 03550 Alicante (Spain)], E-mail: MARFERLORENTE@telefonica.net; Calbo, Jorge [Radiodiagnostic Department, San Juan Hospital, 03550 Alicante (Spain)], E-mail: jocalma@hotmail.com; Aranaz, Jesus [Preventive Medicine Department, San Juan Hospital, 03550 Alicante (Spain)], E-mail: aranaz_jes@gva.es; Hernandez-Aguado, Ildefonso [Public Health Department, Miguel Hernandez University (Spain); CIBER en Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (Spain)], E-mail: ihernandez@umh.es

2010-04-15

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the prevalence and associated variables of unsuspected findings from imaging tests in clinical practice. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study of patients referred for an imaging test in 2006. Two independent radiologists classified the imaging tests according to the presence or absence of an unexpected finding in relation with the causes that prompted the test (kappa = 0.95). A thorough chart review of these patients was carried out as a quality control. Results: Out of 3259 patients in the study, 488 revealed unsuspected findings (15.0%). The prevalence of abnormal findings varied according to age: from 20.4% (150/734) in the over 74-group to 9.0% (76/847) in the under 43-group. The largest prevalence was in the category of infectious diseases (14/49, 28.6%) and in CT (260/901, 28.9%) and ultrasound (138/668, 20.7%). Studies showing moderate clinical information on the referral form were less likely to show unexpected findings than those with null or minor information (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.36-0.73). Conclusion: Clinicians should expect the frequency of diseases detectable by imaging to increase in the future. Further research with follow-up of these findings is needed to estimate the effect of imaging technologies on final health outcomes.

Retrospective evaluation of unexpected events during collection of blood donations performed with and without sedation in cats (2010-2013).

Science.gov (United States)

Doolin, Kerry S; Chan, Daniel L; Adamantos, Sophie; Humm, Karen

2017-09-01

Describe unexpected events (UEs) that occurred during blood donation in cats with and without sedation. Retrospective observational study (2010-2013). University teaching hospital. Client-owned healthy cats enrolled in a blood donation program. None. Blood collection for transfusion was performed 115 times from 32 cats. Seventy donation events were in unsedated cats and 45 in sedated cats. For each collection, the anticipated blood volume to be collected, actual blood volume collected, sedation protocol, and any UE in the peridonation period were recorded. There were 6 categories of UEs: movement during donation, donor anxiety, inadequate collected blood volume, jugular vessel related UEs, additional sedation requirement, and cardiorespiratory distress. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the frequency of UEs between sedated and unsedated cats. UEs were recorded in 54 of 115 collections. In the donor population, movement was reported as an UE in 0 cats that donated under sedation and 24/70 (34.3%) cats that donated without sedation (P donated under sedation and 14/70 (20.0%) cats that donated unsedated (P = 0.014). Unsedated donation did not increase the likelihood of inadequate donation volume, jugular vessel related UEs, or cardiorespiratory distress. Eight of 45 (17.8%) sedated donations required additional sedation. Movement during donation and signs of donor anxiety were more frequent in unsedated cats. These were considered minor issues, expected in unsedated cats being gently restrained. Blood collection from unsedated feline donors is a viable alternative to sedated donation. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2017.

An Unexpected Case of Lyme Disease in a Soldier Serving in Northern Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

MILITARY MEDICINE, 175,5:367,2010 An Unexpected Case of Lyme Disease in a Soldier Serving in Northern Iraq CPT Jeremy B. Fisher, SP USA *; CPT...Christopher E. Curtis, MC USAt 188143 ABSTRACT Lyme disease is a tick-transmitted disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Cases have been...Turkey.3-S We report an unexpected case of Lyme disease from Iraq. CASE REPORT A 28-year-old active duty Army male, on a deployment to northern Iraq

The Investigation of Unexpected Arsenic Compounds Observed in Routine Biological Monitoring Urinary Speciation Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Leese

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the identity of two unexpected arsenic species found separately in a number of urine samples sent to the Health and Safety Executive’s Health and Safety Laboratory for arsenic speciation (arsenobetaine, AB; arsenite, As3+; arsenate, As5+; monomethylarsonic acid, MMA5+; and dimethylarsinic acid, DMA5+. Micro liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (µLC-ICP-MS and electrospray time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS were used to identify the two arsenic peaks by comparison to several characterized arsenicals: arsenocholine, AC; trimethyl arsine oxide, TMAO; dimethylarsenoacetate, DMAA; dimethylarsenoethanol, DMAE; thio-dimethylarsinate, thio-DMA; thio-dimethylarsenoacetate, thio-DMAA and thio-dimethylarsenoethanol, thio-DMAE. The results from both the ICP-MS and ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS investigations indicate that the unexpected arsenic species termed peak 1 was thio-DMA. While the unexpected arsenic species termed peak 2 has yet to be identified, this investigation shows that it was not AC, TMAO, DMAA, DMAE, thio-DMA, thio-DMAA or thio-DMAE. This study demonstrates the incidence of unexpected arsenic species in both routine and non-routine urine samples from both workers and hospital patients.

Process improvement methodologies uncover unexpected gaps in stroke care.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuner, Anthony D; Schemmel, Andrew J; Pooler, B Dustin; Yu, John-Paul J

2018-01-01

Background The diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke requires timed and coordinated effort across multiple clinical teams. Purpose To analyze the frequency and temporal distribution of emergent stroke evaluations (ESEs) to identify potential contributory workflow factors that may delay the initiation and subsequent evaluation of emergency department stroke patients. Material and Methods A total of 719 sentinel ESEs with concurrent neuroimaging were identified over a 22-month retrospective time period. Frequency data were tabulated and odds ratios calculated. Results Of all ESEs, 5% occur between 01:00 and 07:00. ESEs were most frequent during the late morning and early afternoon hours (10:00-14:00). Unexpectedly, there was a statistically significant decline in the frequency of ESEs that occur at the 14:00 time point. Conclusion Temporal analysis of ESEs in the emergency department allowed us to identify an unexpected decrease in ESEs and through process improvement methodologies (Lean and Six Sigma) and identify potential workflow elements contributing to this observation.

Water in stars: expected and unexpected

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuji, T.; Aoki, W.; Ohnaka, K.

1999-03-01

We have confirmed the presence of water in the early M giant α Cet (M1.5III) and supergiant KK Per (M2Iab) by the highest resolution grating mode of SWS, but this result is quite unexpected from present model atmospheres. In late M giant and supergiant stars, water observed originates partly in the photosphere as expected by the model atmospheres, but ISO SWS has revealed that the 2.7 mic\\ absorption bands appear to be somewhat stronger than predicted while 6.5 mic\\ bands weaker, indicating the contamination by an emission component. In the mid-infrared region extending to 45 mic, pure rotation lines of hho\\ appear as distinct emission on the high resolution SWS spectra of 30g Her (M7III) and S Per (M4-7Ia), along with the dust emission at 10, 13, 20 mic\\ and a new unidentified feature at 30 mic. Thus, together with the dust, water contributes to the thermal balance of the outer atmosphere already in the mid-infrared. The excitation temperature of hho\\ gas is estimated to be 500 - 1000 K. In view of this result for late M (super)giants, unexpected water observed in early M (super)giants should also be of non-photospheric in origin. Thus, ISO has finally established the presence of a new component of the outer atmosphere - a warm molecular envelope - in red giant and supergiant stars from early to late types. Such a rather warm molecular envelope will be a site of various activities such as chemical reactions, dust formation, mass-outflow etc.

Marijuana smoking: effects of varying puff volume and breathhold duration.

Science.gov (United States)

Azorlosa, J L; Greenwald, M K; Stitzer, M L

1995-02-01

Two studies were conducted to quantify biological and behavioral effects resulting from exposure to controlled doses of marijuana smoke. In one study, puff volume (30, 60 and 90 ml) and in a second study, breathhold duration (0, 10 and 20 sec) were systematically varied while holding constant other smoking topography parameters (number of puffs = 10, interpuff interval = 60 sec and inhalation volume = 25% of vital capacity). Each study also varied levels of delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol marijuana cigarette content (1.75% and 3.55%). Regular marijuana users served as subjects (n = 7 in each experiment). Subjects smoked 10 puffs in each of six sessions; a seventh, nonsmoking session (all measures recorded at the same times as in active smoking sessions) served as a control. Variations in puff volume produced significant dose-related changes in postsmoking plasma delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol levels, carbon monoxide boost and subjective effects (e.g., "high"). In contrast, breathholding for 10 or 20 sec versus 0 sec increased plasma delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol levels but not CO boost or subjective effects. Task performance measures were not reliably influenced by marijuana smoke exposure within the dosing ranges examined. These findings confirm the utility of the controlled smoking technology, support the notion that cumulative puff volume systematically influences biological exposure and subjective effects, but cast doubt on the common belief that prolonged breathholding of marijuana smoke enhances classical subjective effects associated with its reinforcing value in humans.

World-volume effective action of exotic five-brane in M-theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Tetsuji [Research and Education Center for Natural Sciences, Keio University, Hiyoshi 4-1-1, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8521 (Japan); Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology,Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Sasaki, Shin [Department of Physics, Kitasato University,Sagamihara 252-0373 (Japan); Yata, Masaya [Department of Physics, National University of Singapore,2, Science Drive 3, Singapore 117542 (Singapore)

2016-02-25

We study the world-volume effective action of an exotic five-brane, known as the M-theory 5{sup 3}-brane (M5{sup 3}-brane) in eleven dimensions. The supermultiplet of the world-volume theory is the N=(2,0) tensor multiplet in six dimensions. The world-volume action contains three Killing vectors k̂{sub Î}{sup M} (Î=1,2,3) associated with the U(1){sup 3} isometry. We find the effective T-duality rule for the eleven-dimensional backgrounds that transforms the M5-brane effective action to that of the M5{sup 3}-brane. We also show that our action provides the source term for the M5{sup 3}-brane geometry in eleven-dimensional supergravity.

Dealing with unexpected events : efficient and safe solutions to emergent repair on NPP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liekens Massazza, I.

2015-07-01

Nuclear Facilities are constantly challenged with unexpected events occurring on Primary Circuit components. A solution must be deployed quickly to minimize impact on the scheduled outage duration while guaranteeing safety, quality and ALARA standards. AREVA NP has demonstrated worldwide recognized capabilities and expertise through efficient management of various unexpected forced events through the time. Turnkey packaged solutions which are proposed are based on proven technics which can be quickly adapted and qualified to the specific problem, resulting in customers’ full satisfaction. (Author)

Gastric Adenomyoma: The Unexpected Mimicker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Adriana Duran Álvarez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Gastric adenomyoma is a rare benign tumor composed of epithelial structures and smooth muscle stroma. Here, we report an unusual case of gastric adenomyoma mostly composed of smooth muscle that was incidentally found during a laparoscopic intervention. On radiology, it mimicked an acquired hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in an adult patient, and pathologically it resembled a pure smooth muscle hamartoma. Complete submission of the lesion for histology was necessary to find the epithelial component and make the right diagnosis. As a mimicker of benign and malignant entities, gastric adenomyoma is usually an unexpected finding after surgery. The aim of this report is to analyze this adenomyoma variant in the setting of an unexplained thickening of the gastric wall, with explanations concerning histogenesis and biological potential.

The Effect of Stock Return Sequences on Trading Volumes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey Kudryavtsev

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The present study explores the effect of the gambler’s fallacy on stock trading volumes. I hypothesize that if a stock’s price rises (falls during a number of consecutive trading days, then the gambler’s fallacy may cause at least some of the investors to expect that the stock’s price “has” to subsequently fall (rise, and thus, to increase their willingness to sell (buy the stock, resulting in a stronger degree of disagreement between the investors and a higher-than-usual stock trading volume on the first day when the stock’s price indeed falls (rises. Employing a large sample of daily price and trading volume data, I document that following relatively long sequences of the same-sign stock returns, on the days when the sign is reversed, the trading activity in the respective stocks is abnormally high. Moreover, average abnormal trading volumes gradually and significantly increase with the length of the preceding return sequence. The effect is slightly more pronounced following the sequences of negative stock returns, and remains significant after controlling for other potentially influential factors, including contemporaneous and lagged actual and absolute stock returns, historical stock returns and volatilities, and company-specific events, such as earnings announcements and dividend payments.

Communication of Unexpected and Significant Findings on Chest Radiographs With an Automated PACS Alert System.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hayes, Sara A

2014-08-01

An integral part of realizing the enormous potential of imaging in patient care is close communication between radiologists and referring physicians. One key element of this process is the communication of unexpected significant findings. The authors examined the performance of a PACS-based alert system in the appropriate communication of reports containing unexpected significant findings to referring physicians.

Method of phase-Doppler anemometry free from the measurement-volume effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, H; Hsu, C T

1999-05-01

A novel method is developed to improve the accuracy of particle sizing in laser phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA). In this method the vector sum of refractive and reflective rays is taken into consideration in describing a dual-mechanism-scattering model caused by a nonuniformly illuminated PDA measurement volume. The constraint of the single-mechanism-scattering model in the conventional PDA is removed. As a result the error caused by the measurement-volume effect, which consists of a Gaussian-beam defect and a slit effect, can be eliminated. This new method can be easily implemented with minimal modification of the conventional PDA system. The results of simulation based on the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory show that the new method can provide a PDA system free from the measurement-volume effect.

Effect of hydration status on atrial and ventricular volumes and function in healthy adult volunteers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schantz, Daryl I. [The Hospital for Sick Children, The Labatt Family Heart Centre in the Department of Paediatrics, Toronto, ON (Canada); University of Manitoba, Variety Children' s Heart Centre, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Dragulescu, Andreea [The Hospital for Sick Children, The Labatt Family Heart Centre in the Department of Paediatrics, Toronto, ON (Canada); Memauri, Brett [University of Manitoba, Department of Radiology, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Grotenhuis, Heynric B. [The Hospital for Sick Children, The Labatt Family Heart Centre in the Department of Paediatrics, Toronto, ON (Canada); Wilhelmina Children' s Hospital, Utrecht (Netherlands); Seed, Mike; Grosse-Wortmann, Lars [The Hospital for Sick Children, The Labatt Family Heart Centre in the Department of Paediatrics, Toronto, ON (Canada); The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2016-10-15

Assessment of cardiac chamber volumes is a fundamental part of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. While the effects of inter- and intraobserver variability have been studied and have a recognized effect on the comparability of serial cardiac MR imaging studies, the effect of differences in hydration status has not been evaluated. To evaluate the effects of volume administration on cardiac chamber volumes. Thirteen healthy adults underwent a baseline cardiac MR to evaluate cardiac chamber volumes after an overnight fast. They were then given two saline boluses of 10 ml/kg of body weight and the cardiac MR was repeated immediately after each bolus. From the baseline scan to the final scan there was a significant increase in all four cardiac chamber end-diastolic volumes. Right atrial volumes increased 8.0%, from 61.1 to 66.0 ml/m2 (P<0.001), and left atrial volumes increased 10.0%, from 50.0 to 55.0 ml/m2 (P<0.001). Right ventricular volumes increased 6.0%, from 91.1 to 96.5 ml/m2 (P<0.001), and left ventricular volumes increased 3.2%, from 87.0 to 89.8 ml/m2 (P<0.001). Hydration status has a significant effect on the end-diastolic volumes of all cardiac chambers assessed by cardiac MR. Thus, hydration represents a ''variable'' that should be taken into account when assessing cardiac chamber volumes, especially when performing serial imaging studies in a patient. (orig.)

Effect of hydration status on atrial and ventricular volumes and function in healthy adult volunteers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schantz, Daryl I.; Dragulescu, Andreea; Memauri, Brett; Grotenhuis, Heynric B.; Seed, Mike; Grosse-Wortmann, Lars

2016-01-01

Assessment of cardiac chamber volumes is a fundamental part of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. While the effects of inter- and intraobserver variability have been studied and have a recognized effect on the comparability of serial cardiac MR imaging studies, the effect of differences in hydration status has not been evaluated. To evaluate the effects of volume administration on cardiac chamber volumes. Thirteen healthy adults underwent a baseline cardiac MR to evaluate cardiac chamber volumes after an overnight fast. They were then given two saline boluses of 10 ml/kg of body weight and the cardiac MR was repeated immediately after each bolus. From the baseline scan to the final scan there was a significant increase in all four cardiac chamber end-diastolic volumes. Right atrial volumes increased 8.0%, from 61.1 to 66.0 ml/m2 (P<0.001), and left atrial volumes increased 10.0%, from 50.0 to 55.0 ml/m2 (P<0.001). Right ventricular volumes increased 6.0%, from 91.1 to 96.5 ml/m2 (P<0.001), and left ventricular volumes increased 3.2%, from 87.0 to 89.8 ml/m2 (P<0.001). Hydration status has a significant effect on the end-diastolic volumes of all cardiac chambers assessed by cardiac MR. Thus, hydration represents a ''variable'' that should be taken into account when assessing cardiac chamber volumes, especially when performing serial imaging studies in a patient. (orig.)

Autistic Traits Affect P300 Response to Unexpected Events, regardless of Mental State Inferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitsuhiko Ishikawa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Limited use of contextual information has been suggested as a way of understanding cognition in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD. However, it has also been argued that individuals with ASD may have difficulties inferring others’ mental states. Here, we examined how individuals with different levels of autistic traits respond to contextual deviations by measuring event-related potentials that reflect context usage. The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ was used to quantify autistic-like traits in 28 university students, and 19 participants were defined as Low or High AQ groups. To additionally examine inferences about mental state, two belief conditions (with or without false belief were included. Participants read short stories in which the final sentence included either an expected or an unexpected word and rated the word’s degree of deviation from expectation. P300 waveform analysis revealed that unexpected words were associated with larger P300 waveforms for the Low AQ group, but smaller P300 responses in the High AQ group. Additionally, AQ social skill subscores were positively correlated with evaluation times in the Unexpected condition, whether a character’s belief was false or not. This suggests that autistic traits can affect responses to unexpected events, possibly because of decreased availability of context information.

Path integral for stochastic inflation: Nonperturbative volume weighting, complex histories, initial conditions, and the end of inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Gratton, Steven

2011-09-01

In this paper we present a path integral formulation of stochastic inflation. Volume weighting can be naturally implemented from this new perspective in a very straightforward way when compared to conventional Langevin approaches. With an in-depth study of inflation in a quartic potential, we investigate how the inflaton evolves and how inflation typically ends both with and without volume weighting. The calculation can be carried to times beyond those accessible to conventional Fokker-Planck approaches. Perhaps unexpectedly, complex histories sometimes emerge with volume weighting. The reward for this excursion into the complex plane is an insight into how volume-weighted inflation both loses memory of initial conditions and ends via slow roll. The slow-roll end of inflation mitigates certain “Youngness Paradox”-type criticisms of the volume-weighted paradigm. Thus it is perhaps time to rehabilitate proper-time volume weighting as a viable measure for answering at least some interesting cosmological questions.

Path integral for stochastic inflation: Nonperturbative volume weighting, complex histories, initial conditions, and the end of inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratton, Steven

2011-01-01

In this paper we present a path integral formulation of stochastic inflation. Volume weighting can be naturally implemented from this new perspective in a very straightforward way when compared to conventional Langevin approaches. With an in-depth study of inflation in a quartic potential, we investigate how the inflaton evolves and how inflation typically ends both with and without volume weighting. The calculation can be carried to times beyond those accessible to conventional Fokker-Planck approaches. Perhaps unexpectedly, complex histories sometimes emerge with volume weighting. The reward for this excursion into the complex plane is an insight into how volume-weighted inflation both loses memory of initial conditions and ends via slow roll. The slow-roll end of inflation mitigates certain ''Youngness Paradox''-type criticisms of the volume-weighted paradigm. Thus it is perhaps time to rehabilitate proper-time volume weighting as a viable measure for answering at least some interesting cosmological questions.

Effect of hydration status on atrial and ventricular volumes and function in healthy adult volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schantz, Daryl I; Dragulescu, Andreea; Memauri, Brett; Grotenhuis, Heynric B; Seed, Mike; Grosse-Wortmann, Lars

2016-10-01

Assessment of cardiac chamber volumes is a fundamental part of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. While the effects of inter- and intraobserver variability have been studied and have a recognized effect on the comparability of serial cardiac MR imaging studies, the effect of differences in hydration status has not been evaluated. To evaluate the effects of volume administration on cardiac chamber volumes. Thirteen healthy adults underwent a baseline cardiac MR to evaluate cardiac chamber volumes after an overnight fast. They were then given two saline boluses of 10 ml/kg of body weight and the cardiac MR was repeated immediately after each bolus. From the baseline scan to the final scan there was a significant increase in all four cardiac chamber end-diastolic volumes. Right atrial volumes increased 8.0%, from 61.1 to 66.0 ml/m2 (PHydration status has a significant effect on the end-diastolic volumes of all cardiac chambers assessed by cardiac MR. Thus, hydration represents a "variable" that should be taken into account when assessing cardiac chamber volumes, especially when performing serial imaging studies in a patient.

Many unexpected abdominal findings on staging computed tomography in patients with colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holmsted, Kim; Nørring, Keld; Laustrup, Lene Collatz

2011-01-01

; an issue that was previously studied in relation to CT colonography, but not in relation to staging CT with intravenous contrast in CRC patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the number and significance of such unexpected findings on staging CTs in CRC patients.......Computed tomography (CT) was proven to be superior to preoperative abdominal ultrasound in the preoperative setting for detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). The higher sensitivity of CT has resulted in a number of unexpected abdominal findings of varying importance...

Unexpected nitrile formation in bio-based mesoporous materials (Starbons®).

Science.gov (United States)

Attard, Jennifer; Milescu, Roxana; Budarin, Vitaliy; Matharu, Avtar S; Clark, James H

2018-01-16

The bio-based mesoporous materials made from polysaccharides, Starbons® can be modified by two different routes to give high levels of N-content, unexpectedly including significant quantities of nitrile groups which can improve the materials performance in applications including metal capture.

Confining dyon gas with finite-volume effects under control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruckmann, Falk [Regensburg Univ. (Germany). Institut fuer Theoretische Physik; Dinter, Simon [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Zeuthen (Germany). John von Neumann-Inst. fuer Computing NIC; Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Ilgenfritz, Ernst-Michael [Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, VBLHEP, Dubna (Russian Federation); Maier, Benjamin; Mueller-Preussker, Michael [Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Wagner, Marc [Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Frankfurt Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik

2011-11-15

As an approach to describe the long-range properties of non-Abelian gauge theories at non-zero temperature Tvolume effects. Therefore, we demonstrate the application of Ewald's summation method to this system. Finite-volume effects are shown to be under control, which is a crucial requirement for numerical studies of interacting dyon ensembles. (orig.)

Confining dyon gas with finite-volume effects under control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruckmann, Falk; Maier, Benjamin; Mueller-Preussker, Michael; Wagner, Marc; Frankfurt Univ.

2011-11-01

As an approach to describe the long-range properties of non-Abelian gauge theories at non-zero temperature T c , we consider a non-interacting ensemble of dyons (magnetic monopoles) with non-trivial holonomy. We show analytically, that the quark-antiquark free energy from the Polyakov loop correlator grows linearly with the distance, and how the string tension scales with the dyon density. In numerical treatments, the long-range tails of the dyon fields cause severe finite-volume effects. Therefore, we demonstrate the application of Ewald's summation method to this system. Finite-volume effects are shown to be under control, which is a crucial requirement for numerical studies of interacting dyon ensembles. (orig.)

Effect of volume and surface charges on discharge structure of glow dielectric barrier discharge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Shao-Wei; He, Feng; Wang, Yu; Li, Lulu; Ouyang, Ji-Ting [School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China)

2013-08-15

The effect of volume and surface charges on the structure of glow dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been investigated numerically by using two-dimensional (2D) fluid modeling. The local increase of volume or surface charges induces a kind of activation-inhibition effect, which enhances the local volume discharge and inhibits the discharge in neighborhoods, resulting in non-uniform discharge. The activation-inhibition effect due to the non-uniform volume and/or surface charges depends on the non-uniformity itself and the applied voltage. The activation-inhibition of non-uniform charges has different effects on the volume charges and the accumulated surface charges. The distribution of remaining free charges (seed electrons) in volume at the beginning of voltage pulse plays a key role for the glow DBD structure, resulting in a patterned DBD, when the seed electrons are non-uniform at higher frequency and moderate voltage or uniform DBD, when the seed electrons are uniform at lower frequency or high voltage. The distribution of surface charges is not the determining factor but a result of the formed DBD structure.

Lattice study of finite volume effect in HVP for muon g-2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izubuchi Taku

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We study the finite volume effect of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to muon g-2, aμhvp,in lattice QCD by comparison with two different volumes, L4 = (5.44 and (8.14 fm4, at physical pion. We perform the lattice computation of highly precise vector-vector current correlator with optimized AMA technique on Nf = 2 + 1 PACS gauge configurations in Wilson-clover fermion and stout smeared gluon action at one lattice cut-off, a−1 = 2.33 GeV. We compare two integrals of aμhvp, momentum integral and time-slice summation, on the lattice and numerically show that the different size of finite volume effect appears between two methods. We also discuss the effect of backward-state propagation into the result of aμhvp with the different boundary condition. Our model-independent study suggest that the lattice computation at physical pion is important for correct estimate of finite volume and other lattice systematics in aμhvp.

Lattice study of finite volume effect in HVP for muon g-2

Science.gov (United States)

Izubuchi, Taku; Kuramashi, Yoshinobu; Lehner, Christoph; Shintani, Eigo

2018-03-01

We study the finite volume effect of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to muon g-2, aμhvp, in lattice QCD by comparison with two different volumes, L4 = (5.4)4 and (8.1)4 fm4, at physical pion. We perform the lattice computation of highly precise vector-vector current correlator with optimized AMA technique on Nf = 2 + 1 PACS gauge configurations in Wilson-clover fermion and stout smeared gluon action at one lattice cut-off, a-1 = 2.33 GeV. We compare two integrals of aμhvp, momentum integral and time-slice summation, on the lattice and numerically show that the different size of finite volume effect appears between two methods. We also discuss the effect of backward-state propagation into the result of aμhvp with the different boundary condition. Our model-independent study suggest that the lattice computation at physical pion is important for correct estimate of finite volume and other lattice systematics in aμhvp.

The volume-expanding effects of autologous liquid stored plasma following hemorrhage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzer, Peter; Thomas, Owain D; Westborg, Johan

2012-01-01

of plasma transfusion on plasma volume. We report a prospective interventional study in which the plasma volume-expanding effect of autologous plasma was investigated after a controlled hemorrhage. Methods. Plasma obtained by plasmapheresis from nine healthy regular blood donors was stored at 2-6°C. Five...

Unexpected sneezing after a peribulbar injection in a patient for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... anaesthetic in awake patients. We present a case report of an awake elderly male who experienced unexpected continuous sneezing immediately after the removal of the needle used for the peribulbar block, which was subsequently relieved with pheniramine maleate. Keywords: peribulbar block, pheniramine maleate, ...

Cross-correlations in volume space: Differences between buy and sell volumes

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sun Young; Hwang, Dong Il; Kim, Min Jae; Koh, In Gyu; Kim, Soo Yong

2011-03-01

We study the cross-correlations of buy and sell volumes on the Korean stock market in high frequency. We observe that the pulling effects of volumes are as small as that of returns. The properties of the correlations of buy and sell volumes differ. They are explained by the degree of synchronization of stock volumes. Further, the pulling effects on the minimal spanning tree are studied. In minimal spanning trees with directed links, the large pulling effects are clustered at the center, not uniformly distributed. The Epps effect of buy and sell volumes are observed. The reversal of the cross-correlations of buy and sell volumes is also detected.

NMR Insights into the Unexpected Interaction of SnCl₄ with D-Glucosamine and Its Effect on 5-HMF Preparation in ZnCl₂ Molten Salt Hydrate Medium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Chunyan; Ge, Wenzhi; Jia, Lingyu

2016-01-01

SnCl4, a versatile Lewis acid catalyst in the biomass conversion, plays a positive role for the cellulose biomass conversion but negative for chitin biomass conversion as realized in our previous research. In this report, the unexpected effects of SnCl4 on the conversion of d-glucosamine (GlcNH2)...

Effect of increases in lung volume on clearance of aerosolized solute from human lungs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marks, J.D.; Luce, J.M.; Lazar, N.M.; Wu, J.N.; Lipavsky, A.; Murray, J.F.

1985-10-01

To study the effect of increases in lung volume on solute uptake, we measured clearance of /sup 99m/Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-DTPA) at different lung volumes in 19 healthy humans. Seven subjects inhaled aerosols (1 micron activity median aerodynamic diam) at ambient pressure; clearance and functional residual capacity (FRC) were measured at ambient pressure (control) and at increased lung volume produced by positive pressure (12 cmH2O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)) or negative pressure (voluntary breathing). Six different subjects inhaled aerosol at ambient pressure; clearance and FRC were measured at ambient pressure and CPAP of 6, 12, and 18 cmH2O pressure. Six additional subjects inhaled aerosol at ambient pressure or at CPAP of 12 cmH2O; clearance and FRC were determined at CPAP of 12 cmH2O. According to the results, Tc-DTPA clearance from human lungs is accelerated exponentially by increases in lung volume, this effect occurs whether lung volume is increased by positive or negative pressure breathing, and the effect is the same whether lung volume is increased during or after aerosol administration. The effect of lung volume must be recognized when interpreting the results of this method.

Effect of increases in lung volume on clearance of aerosolized solute from human lungs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marks, J.D.; Luce, J.M.; Lazar, N.M.; Wu, J.N.; Lipavsky, A.; Murray, J.F.

1985-01-01

To study the effect of increases in lung volume on solute uptake, we measured clearance of /sup 99m/Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-DTPA) at different lung volumes in 19 healthy humans. Seven subjects inhaled aerosols (1 micron activity median aerodynamic diam) at ambient pressure; clearance and functional residual capacity (FRC) were measured at ambient pressure (control) and at increased lung volume produced by positive pressure [12 cmH 2 O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)] or negative pressure (voluntary breathing). Six different subjects inhaled aerosol at ambient pressure; clearance and FRC were measured at ambient pressure and CPAP of 6, 12, and 18 cmH 2 O pressure. Six additional subjects inhaled aerosol at ambient pressure or at CPAP of 12 cmH 2 O; clearance and FRC were determined at CPAP of 12 cmH 2 O. According to the results, Tc-DTPA clearance from human lungs is accelerated exponentially by increases in lung volume, this effect occurs whether lung volume is increased by positive or negative pressure breathing, and the effect is the same whether lung volume is increased during or after aerosol administration. The effect of lung volume must be recognized when interpreting the results of this method

Efeito do exercício físico sobre o volume nasal Effects of physical exercise in nasal volume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marconi Teixeira Fonseca

2006-04-01

Full Text Available A variação da permeabilidade nasal tem sido demonstrada usando-se várias técnicas de exame. As estruturas nasais geram uma resistência que representa cerca de 50% da resistência respiratória total. O exercício físico é um dos fatores que pode causar um efeito vasoconstritor sobre a mucosa nasal. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o grau de mudança do volume nasal após exercício físico e o tempo de retorno aos níveis basais. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Dezenove indivíduos foram submetidos à realização de teste físico em bicicleta ergométrica. O volume nasal foi obtido através da rinometria acústica, realizada em repouso, após o fim do exercício físico, e nos minutos décimo e vigésimo de seu final. RESULTADOS: Os resultados rinométricos mostram um aumento estatisticamente significativo do volume nasal (p The nasal permeability has been demonstrated using several exams. Nasal structures produces a resistance to the nasal air flux that represents over 50% of the total respiratory resistance. Physical exercises is a factor that brings a vasoconstrictor effect over nasal mucosa. AINS: Evaluate the improvement degree of nasal volume after aerobic physical exercises and time to return to previous levels. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Nineteen heathly subjects were submitted to aerobic exercise in ergometric bike. The nasal volume was obtained by Acoustic Rhinometry perfomed in rest, after aerobic exercise, 10o and 20o minutes after the aerobic exercise. RESULTS: Rhynometrics results shows a statically and significant increase of nasal volume (p<0,001. The nasal volume, in twenty minutes, returns nearby the rest levels. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic exercises, generally, increases the nasal volume. However, the increase of nasal volume was transitory, and occurs a major reduction of increase in the first ten minutes after the exercises ends, and perform a greater vasoconstrictor effect over nasal mucosa, Twenty minutes after the physical

Lack of gender effects on gray matter volumes in adolescent generalized anxiety disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Mei; Yang, Fan; Zhang, Yan; He, Zhong; Su, Linyan; Li, Lingjiang

2014-02-01

Previous epidemiological and clinical studies have reported gender differences in prevalence and clinical features of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Such gender differences in clinical phenomenology suggest that the underlying neural circuitry of GAD could also be different in males and females. This study aimed to explore the possible gender effect on gray matter volumes in adolescents with GAD. Twenty-six adolescent GAD patients and 25 healthy controls participated and underwent high-resolution structural magnetic resonance scans. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to investigate gray matter alterations. Our study revealed a significant diagnosis main effect in the right putamen, with larger gray matter volumes in GAD patients compared to healthy controls, and a significant gender main effect in the left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, with larger gray matter volumes in males compared to females. No gender-by-diagnosis interaction effect was found in this study. The relatively small sample size in this study might result in a lack of power to demonstrate gender effects on brain structure in GAD. The results suggested that there are differences in gray matter volumes between males and females, but gray matter volumes in GAD are not influenced by gender. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dual effect of insulin on plasma volume and transcapillary albumin transport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilsted, J; Christensen, N J

1992-01-01

vascular dilatation and increased muscle sympathetic nerve activity during a euglycaemic glucose clamp. During similar conditions insulin increased the transcapillary escape rate of albumin and reduced plasma volume. Insulin has also an indirect effect on vascular permeability during hypoglycaemia, which...... is mediated by the increase in plasma adrenaline. Adrenaline infusion increased haematocrit and decreased plasma volume and intravascular albumin mass. In contrast to insulin adrenaline did not increase the transcapillary escape rate of albumin. Total autonomic blockade during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia...... abolished the increase in haematocrit, but did not influence the decrease in plasma volume and the increase in the transcapillary escape rate of albumin. Insulin administration may also increase urinary albumin excretion, and this effect was observed during a euglycaemic clamp. The mechanism of the increase...

Sequence tagging reveals unexpected modifications in toxicoproteomics

Science.gov (United States)

Dasari, Surendra; Chambers, Matthew C.; Codreanu, Simona G.; Liebler, Daniel C.; Collins, Ben C.; Pennington, Stephen R.; Gallagher, William M.; Tabb, David L.

2010-01-01

Toxicoproteomic samples are rich in posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of proteins. Identifying these modifications via standard database searching can incur significant performance penalties. Here we describe the latest developments in TagRecon, an algorithm that leverages inferred sequence tags to identify modified peptides in toxicoproteomic data sets. TagRecon identifies known modifications more effectively than the MyriMatch database search engine. TagRecon outperformed state of the art software in recognizing unanticipated modifications from LTQ, Orbitrap, and QTOF data sets. We developed user-friendly software for detecting persistent mass shifts from samples. We follow a three-step strategy for detecting unanticipated PTMs in samples. First, we identify the proteins present in the sample with a standard database search. Next, identified proteins are interrogated for unexpected PTMs with a sequence tag-based search. Finally, additional evidence is gathered for the detected mass shifts with a refinement search. Application of this technology on toxicoproteomic data sets revealed unintended cross-reactions between proteins and sample processing reagents. Twenty five proteins in rat liver showed signs of oxidative stress when exposed to potentially toxic drugs. These results demonstrate the value of mining toxicoproteomic data sets for modifications. PMID:21214251

Effect of catecholamines and insulin on plasma volume and intravascular mass of albumin in man

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilsted, J; Christensen, N J; Larsen, S

1989-01-01

1. The effect of intravenous catecholamine infusions and of intravenous insulin on plasma volume and intravascular mass of albumin was investigated in healthy males. 2. Physiological doses of adrenaline (0.5 microgram/min and 3 microgram/min) increased peripheral venous packed cell volume...... significantly; intravenous noradrenaline at 0.5 microgram/min had no effect on packed cell volume, whereas packed cell volume increased significantly at 3 micrograms of noradrenaline/min. No significant change in packed cell volume was found during saline infusion. 3. During adrenaline infusion at 6 micrograms...... in packed cell volume, plasma volume, intravascular mass of albumin and transcapillary escape rate of albumin during hypoglycaemia may be explained by the combined actions of adrenaline and insulin....

A new unexpected feature of superdeformed nuclei: strange degeneracies and their origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudek, J.

1990-01-01

Unexpected similarities between the superdeformed bands found recently in many nuclei of the mass A ∼ 150 and A ∼ 190 regions and the physical sense of this discovery are discussed. These similarities manifest themselves through the existence of nearly identical sequences of transitions belonging to two neighboring nuclei, and by now numerous nuclear pairs manifesting this feature have been found. The underlying microscopic mechanism is traced back to two independent effects: a readjustment of nuclear deformation diminishing the role of alignment of the least bound nucleus, and, the pseudospin symmetry, responsible for an approximate decoupling of the orbital and the intrinsic (pseudo) spin-degrees of freedom. 9 figs

Unexpected finite size effects in interfacial systems: Why bigger is not always better—Increase in uncertainty of surface tension with bulk phase width

Science.gov (United States)

Longford, Francis G. J.; Essex, Jonathan W.; Skylaris, Chris-Kriton; Frey, Jeremy G.

2018-06-01

We present an unexpected finite size effect affecting interfacial molecular simulations that is proportional to the width-to-surface-area ratio of the bulk phase Ll/A. This finite size effect has a significant impact on the variance of surface tension values calculated using the virial summation method. A theoretical derivation of the origin of the effect is proposed, giving a new insight into the importance of optimising system dimensions in interfacial simulations. We demonstrate the consequences of this finite size effect via a new way to estimate the surface energetic and entropic properties of simulated air-liquid interfaces. Our method is based on macroscopic thermodynamic theory and involves comparing the internal energies of systems with varying dimensions. We present the testing of these methods using simulations of the TIP4P/2005 water forcefield and a Lennard-Jones fluid model of argon. Finally, we provide suggestions of additional situations, in which this finite size effect is expected to be significant, as well as possible ways to avoid its impact.

Finite Volume Effect of Baryons in Strange Hadronic Matter

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SUN Bao-Xi; LI Lei; NING Ping-Zhi; ZHAO En-Guang

2001-01-01

The finite volume effect of baryons in strange hadronic matter (SHM) is studied within the framework of relativistic mean-field theory. As this effect is concerned, the saturation density of SHM turns lower, and the binding energy per baryon decreases. Its influence to the compression modulus of SHM is also discussed.

Unexpected antitumorigenic effect of fenbendazole when combined with supplementary vitamins.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ping; Dang, Chi V; Watson, Julie

2008-11-01

Diet containing the anthelminthic fenbendazole is used often to treat rodent pinworm infections because it is easy to use and has few reported adverse effects on research. However, during fenbendazole treatment at our institution, an established human lymphoma xenograft model in C.B-17/Icr-prkdcscid/Crl (SCID) mice failed to grow. Further investigation revealed that the fenbendazole had been incorporated into a sterilizable diet supplemented with additional vitamins to compensate for loss during autoclaving, but the diet had not been autoclaved. To assess the role of fenbendazole and supplementary vitamins on tumor suppression, 20 vendor-supplied 4-wk-old SCID mice were assigned to 4 treatment groups: standard diet, diet plus fenbendazole, diet plus vitamins, and diet plus both vitamins and fenbendazole. Diet treatment was initiated 2 wk before subcutaneous flank implantation with 3 x 107 lymphoma cells. Tumor size was measured by caliper at 4-d intervals until the largest tumors reached a calculated volume of 1500 mm3. Neither diet supplemented with vitamins alone nor fenbendazole alone caused altered tumor growth as compared with that of controls. However, the group supplemented with both vitamins and fenbendazole exhibited significant inhibition of tumor growth. The mechanism for this synergy is unknown and deserves further investigation. Fenbendazole should be used with caution during tumor studies because it may interact with other treatments and confound research results.

The effect of chronic erythrocytic polycythemia and high altitude upon plasma and blood volumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, R. R.; Smith, A. H.

1972-01-01

Comparison of two kinds of physiological chronic erythrocytic polycythemias in order to differentiate the specific effect of erythrocytic polycythemia from the general effects of high altitude upon the plasma volume. The two kinds were produced hormonally in female chickens, at sea level, or by protracted high-altitude exposures. It appears that the vascular system of the body may account for an increase in red blood cell mass either by reduction in plasma volume, or by no change in plasma volume, resulting in differential changes in total blood volumes.

Quantification of brain tissue through incorporation of partial volume effects

Science.gov (United States)

Gage, Howard D.; Santago, Peter, II; Snyder, Wesley E.

1992-06-01

This research addresses the problem of automatically quantifying the various types of brain tissue, CSF, white matter, and gray matter, using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. The method employs a statistical model of the noise and partial volume effect and fits the derived probability density function to that of the data. Following this fit, the optimal decision points can be found for the materials and thus they can be quantified. Emphasis is placed on repeatable results for which a confidence in the solution might be measured. Results are presented assuming a single Gaussian noise source and a uniform distribution of partial volume pixels for both simulated and actual data. Thus far results have been mixed, with no clear advantage being shown in taking into account partial volume effects. Due to the fitting problem being ill-conditioned, it is not yet clear whether these results are due to problems with the model or the method of solution.

When an Object Appears Unexpectedly: Object Circumvention in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilmut, Kate; Du, Wenchong; Barnett, Anna L

2017-01-01

Obstacles often appear unexpectedly in our pathway and these require us to make immediate adjustments. Despite how regularly we encounter such situations only few studies have considered how we adjust to unexpected obstacles in the pathway that require us to walk around them. The authors considered how adults adjust to the possibility of an obstacle appearing and then also how foot placement is adjusted to circumvent an obstacle. Fifteen healthy adults walked down an 11-m walkway, initially they were told this was a clear pathway and nothing in the environment would change (no gate), they then performed a series of trials in which a gate may (gate close) or may not (gate open) partially obstruct their pathway. The authors found that mediolateral trunk velocity and acceleration was significantly increased when there was the possibility of an obstacle but before the obstacle appeared. This demonstrates an adaptive walking strategy that seems to enable healthy young adults to successfully circumvent obstacles. The authors also categorized foot placement adjustments and found that adults favored making shorter and wider steps away from the obstacle. They suggest this combination of adjustments allows participants to maintain stability while successfully circumventing the obstacle.

Frequentie en oorzaak van onverwachte allergische reacties op voedsel [Frequency and cause of unexpected allergic reactions to food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michelsen-Huisman, A.D.; Os-Medendorp, H. van; Versluis, A.; Kruizinga, A.G.; Castenmiller, J.J.M.; Noteborn, H.P.J.M.; Houben, G.F.; Knulst, A.C.

2014-01-01

Unexpected reactions occur in patients with food allergy, but frequency data are scare. This prospective study investigates the frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food in adults with a doctor's diagnosed food allergy. Participants complete an online questionnaire

Unexpected effects of low doses of a neonicotinoid insecticide on behavioral responses to sex pheromone in a pest insect.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaouther K Rabhi

Full Text Available In moths, which include many agricultural pest species, males are attracted by female-emitted sex pheromones. Although integrated pest management strategies are increasingly developed, most insect pest treatments rely on widespread use of neurotoxic chemicals, including neonicotinoid insecticides. Residual accumulation of low concentrations of these insecticides in the environment is known to be harmful to beneficial insects such as honey bees. This environmental stress probably acts as an "info-disruptor" by modifying the chemical communication system, and therefore decreases chances of reproduction in target insects that largely rely on olfactory communication. However, low doses of pollutants could on the contrary induce adaptive processes in the olfactory pathway, thus enhancing reproduction. Here we tested the effects of acute oral treatments with different low doses of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on the behavioral responses to sex pheromone in the moth Agrotis ipsilon using wind tunnel experiments. We show that low doses of clothianidin induce a biphasic effect on pheromone-guided behavior. Surprisingly, we found a hormetic-like effect, improving orientation behavior at the LD20 dose corresponding to 10 ng clothianidin. On the contrary, a negative effect, disturbing orientation behavior, was elicited by a treatment with a dose below the LD0 dose corresponding to 0.25 ng clothianidin. No clothianidin effect was observed on behavioral responses to plant odor. Our results indicate that risk assessment has to include unexpected effects of residues on the life history traits of pest insects, which could then lead to their adaptation to environmental stress.

Unexpected Effects of Low Doses of a Neonicotinoid Insecticide on Behavioral Responses to Sex Pheromone in a Pest Insect

Science.gov (United States)

Rabhi, Kaouther K.; Esancy, Kali; Voisin, Anouk; Crespin, Lucille; Le Corre, Julie; Tricoire-Leignel, Hélène; Anton, Sylvia; Gadenne, Christophe

2014-01-01

In moths, which include many agricultural pest species, males are attracted by female-emitted sex pheromones. Although integrated pest management strategies are increasingly developed, most insect pest treatments rely on widespread use of neurotoxic chemicals, including neonicotinoid insecticides. Residual accumulation of low concentrations of these insecticides in the environment is known to be harmful to beneficial insects such as honey bees. This environmental stress probably acts as an “info-disruptor” by modifying the chemical communication system, and therefore decreases chances of reproduction in target insects that largely rely on olfactory communication. However, low doses of pollutants could on the contrary induce adaptive processes in the olfactory pathway, thus enhancing reproduction. Here we tested the effects of acute oral treatments with different low doses of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on the behavioral responses to sex pheromone in the moth Agrotis ipsilon using wind tunnel experiments. We show that low doses of clothianidin induce a biphasic effect on pheromone-guided behavior. Surprisingly, we found a hormetic-like effect, improving orientation behavior at the LD20 dose corresponding to 10 ng clothianidin. On the contrary, a negative effect, disturbing orientation behavior, was elicited by a treatment with a dose below the LD0 dose corresponding to 0.25 ng clothianidin. No clothianidin effect was observed on behavioral responses to plant odor. Our results indicate that risk assessment has to include unexpected effects of residues on the life history traits of pest insects, which could then lead to their adaptation to environmental stress. PMID:25517118

Excluded-volume effects in the diffusion of hard spheres

KAUST Repository

Bruna, Maria; Chapman, S. Jonathan

2012-01-01

Excluded-volume effects can play an important role in determining transport properties in diffusion of particles. Here, the diffusion of finite-sized hard-core interacting particles in two or three dimensions is considered systematically using

Tumor Volume Estimation and Quasi-Continuous Administration for Most Effective Bevacizumab Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sápi, Johanna; Kovács, Levente; Drexler, Dániel András; Kocsis, Pál; Gajári, Dávid; Sápi, Zoltán

2015-01-01

Bevacizumab is an exogenous inhibitor which inhibits the biological activity of human VEGF. Several studies have investigated the effectiveness of bevacizumab therapy according to different cancer types but these days there is an intense debate on its utility. We have investigated different methods to find the best tumor volume estimation since it creates the possibility for precise and effective drug administration with a much lower dose than in the protocol. We have examined C38 mouse colon adenocarcinoma and HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma. In both cases, three groups were compared in the experiments. The first group did not receive therapy, the second group received one 200 μg bevacizumab dose for a treatment period (protocol-based therapy), and the third group received 1.1 μg bevacizumab every day (quasi-continuous therapy). Tumor volume measurement was performed by digital caliper and small animal MRI. The mathematical relationship between MRI-measured tumor volume and mass was investigated to estimate accurate tumor volume using caliper-measured data. A two-dimensional mathematical model was applied for tumor volume evaluation, and tumor- and therapy-specific constants were calculated for the three different groups. The effectiveness of bevacizumab administration was examined by statistical analysis. In the case of C38 adenocarcinoma, protocol-based treatment did not result in significantly smaller tumor volume compared to the no treatment group; however, there was a significant difference between untreated mice and mice who received quasi-continuous therapy (p = 0.002). In the case of HT-29 adenocarcinoma, the daily treatment with one-twelfth total dose resulted in significantly smaller tumors than the protocol-based treatment (p = 0.038). When the tumor has a symmetrical, solid closed shape (typically without treatment), volume can be evaluated accurately from caliper-measured data with the applied two-dimensional mathematical model. Our results

Unexpected Molecular Sieving Properties of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Chen; Lively, Ryan P.; Zhang, Ke; Johnson, Justin R.; Karvan, Oguz; Koros, William J.

2012-01-01

We studied molecular sieving properties of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) by estimating the thermodynamically corrected diffusivities of probe molecules at 35 °C. From helium (2.6 Å) to iso-C 4H 10 (5.0 Å), the corrected diffusivity drops 14 orders of magnitude. Our results further suggest that the effective aperture size of ZIF-8 for molecular sieving is in the range of 4.0 to 4.2 Å, which is significantly larger than the XRD-derived value (3.4 Å) and between the well-known aperture size of zeolite 4A (3.8 Å) and 5A (4.3 Å). Interestingly, because of aperture flexibility, the studied C 4 hydrocarbon molecules that are larger than this effective aperture size still adsorb in the micropores of ZIF-8 with kinetic selectivities for iso-C 4H 8/iso-C 4H 10 of 180 and n-C 4H 10/iso-C 4H 10 of 2.5 × 10 6. These unexpected molecular sieving properties open up new opportunities for ZIF materials for separations that cannot be economically achieved by traditional microporous adsorbents such as synthetic zeolites. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Unexpected Molecular Sieving Properties of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Chen

2012-08-16

We studied molecular sieving properties of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) by estimating the thermodynamically corrected diffusivities of probe molecules at 35 °C. From helium (2.6 Å) to iso-C 4H 10 (5.0 Å), the corrected diffusivity drops 14 orders of magnitude. Our results further suggest that the effective aperture size of ZIF-8 for molecular sieving is in the range of 4.0 to 4.2 Å, which is significantly larger than the XRD-derived value (3.4 Å) and between the well-known aperture size of zeolite 4A (3.8 Å) and 5A (4.3 Å). Interestingly, because of aperture flexibility, the studied C 4 hydrocarbon molecules that are larger than this effective aperture size still adsorb in the micropores of ZIF-8 with kinetic selectivities for iso-C 4H 8/iso-C 4H 10 of 180 and n-C 4H 10/iso-C 4H 10 of 2.5 × 10 6. These unexpected molecular sieving properties open up new opportunities for ZIF materials for separations that cannot be economically achieved by traditional microporous adsorbents such as synthetic zeolites. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

The effects of intracranial volume adjustment approaches on multiple regional MRI volumes in healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga eVoevodskaya

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In neurodegeneration research, normalization of regional volumes by intracranial volume (ICV is important to estimate the extent of disease-driven atrophy. There is little agreement as to whether raw volumes, volume-to-ICV fractions or regional volumes from which the ICV factor has been regressed out should be used for volumetric brain imaging studies. Using multiple regional cortical and subcortical volumetric measures generated by Freesurfer (51 in total, the main aim of this study was to elucidate the implications of these adjustment approaches. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI data were analyzed from two large cohorts, the population-based PIVUS cohort (N=406, all subjects age 75 and the Alzheimer disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI cohort (N=724. Further, we studied whether the chosen ICV normalization approach influenced the relationship between hippocampus and cognition in the three diagnostic groups of the ADNI cohort (Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment and healthy individuals. The ability of raw vs adjusted hippocampal volumes to predict diagnostic status was also assessed. In both cohorts raw volumes correlate positively with ICV, but do not scale directly proportionally with it. The correlation direction is reversed for all volume-to-ICV fractions, except the lateral and third ventricles. Most grey matter fractions are larger in females, while lateral ventricle fractions are greater in males. Residual correction effectively eliminated the correlation between the regional volumes and ICV and removed gender differences. The association between hippocampal volumes and cognition was not altered by ICV normalization. Comparing prediction of diagnostic status using the different approaches, small but significant differences were found. The choice of normalization approach should be carefully considered when designing a volumetric brain imaging study.

Effects of the volume and shape of voxels on the measurement of phantom volume using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Koichi; Tonami, Syuichi; Nakamura, Mamoru; Kuranishi, Makoto; Hagino, Hirofumi; Saitou, Osamu; Yotsutsuji, Takashi

2002-01-01

Recently, an increasing number of volumetric studies of the human brain have been reported, using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI). To our knowledge, however, there are few investigations on the relation of the volume and shape of voxels which constitute and MR image to the accuracy in volume measurement of an imaged object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a different shape of voxel, that is, isotropic or anisotropic, as well as the volume of a voxel on the volume measurement based on the original image data and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) data, respectively. In the experiment, we repeatedly acquired contiguous sagittal images of a single globe phantom with a known volume under the condition in which the volume and shape of voxels varied, on a 1.5 T MR scanner. We used a gradient echo sequence (3D FLASH). The volume of the globe phantom from both original images and MPR ones was measured on workstations employing a semi-automated local thresholding technique. As a result, the smaller volume of voxels tended to give us the more correct measurement, and an isotropic voxel reduced measurement errors as compared to an anisotropic one. Therefore, it is concluded that the setting of voxel with both an isotropic shape and small volume, e.g., a voxel of 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm at present, is recommended in order to get a precise volume measurement using 3D-MRI. (author)

[Effects of the volume and shape of voxels on the measurement of phantom volume using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging].

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Koichi; Hagino, Hirofumi; Saitou, Osamu; Yotsutsuji, Takashi; Tonami, Syuichi; Nakamura, Mamoru; Kuranishi, Makoto

2002-01-01

Recently, an increasing number of volumetric studies of the human brain have been reported, using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI). To our knowledge, however, there are few investigations on the relation of the volume and shape of voxels which constitute an MR image to the accuracy in volume measurement of an imaged object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a different shape of voxel, that is, isotropic or anisotropic, as well as the volume of a voxel on the volume measurement based on the original image data and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) data, respectively. In the experiment, we repeatedly acquired contiguous sagittal images of a single globe phantom with a known volume under the condition in which the volume and shape of voxels varied, on a 1.5T MR scanner. We used a gradient echo sequence (3D FLASH). The volume of the globe phantom from both original images and MPR ones was measured on workstations employing a semi-automated local thresholding technique. As a result, the smaller volume of voxels tended to give us the more correct measurement, and an isotropic voxel reduced measurement errors as compared to an anisotropic one. Therefore, it is concluded that the setting of voxel with both an isotropic shape and small volume, e.g., a voxel of 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm at present, is recommended in order to get a precise volume measurement using 3D-MRI.

Responding In-the-Moment: Learning to Prepare for the Unexpected

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, John

2015-01-01

Becoming aware of something unexpected can be a form of awakening: sharpening attention, enriching noticing, opening up fresh possibilities of action, and educating awareness so as to enable a sensitive response to similar situations in the future. However it can also trigger tunnel vision (few if any actions available) or freezing (no actions…

Unexpected brain finding in pre-autopsy postmortem CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatzaraki, Vasiliki; Bolliger, Stephan A; Thali, Michael J; Eggert, Sebastian; Ruder, Thomas D

2017-09-01

A case is presented in which pre-autopsy postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) revealed an unexpected brain abscess with a related frontal sinusitis and an erosion of the posterior wall of the frontal sinus. PMCT findings enabled the forensic pathologists to adapt protective measures during autopsy and protect their health from infection. Pre-autopsy PMCT has been also useful in the early differential diagnosis procedure. The complementary use of postmortem imaging and autopsy can improve the quality of forensic death investigations.

Depth of Field Effects for Interactive Direct Volume Rendering

KAUST Repository

Schott, Mathias; Pascal Grosset, A.V.; Martin, Tobias; Pegoraro, Vincent; Smith, Sean T.; Hansen, Charles D.

2011-01-01

In this paper, a method for interactive direct volume rendering is proposed for computing depth of field effects, which previously were shown to aid observers in depth and size perception of synthetically generated images. The presented technique extends those benefits to volume rendering visualizations of 3D scalar fields from CT/MRI scanners or numerical simulations. It is based on incremental filtering and as such does not depend on any precomputation, thus allowing interactive explorations of volumetric data sets via on-the-fly editing of the shading model parameters or (multi-dimensional) transfer functions. © 2011 The Author(s).

Depth of Field Effects for Interactive Direct Volume Rendering

KAUST Repository

Schott, Mathias

2011-06-01

In this paper, a method for interactive direct volume rendering is proposed for computing depth of field effects, which previously were shown to aid observers in depth and size perception of synthetically generated images. The presented technique extends those benefits to volume rendering visualizations of 3D scalar fields from CT/MRI scanners or numerical simulations. It is based on incremental filtering and as such does not depend on any precomputation, thus allowing interactive explorations of volumetric data sets via on-the-fly editing of the shading model parameters or (multi-dimensional) transfer functions. © 2011 The Author(s).

Effects of Contrast Agent and Outer Volume Saturation Bands on Water Suppression and Shimming of Hepatic Single-Volume Proton MR Spectroscopy at 3.0T

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Xu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To determine whether administration of gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA and whether placement of the outer volume saturation bands significantly affect shimming and water suppression on hepatic MR spectroscopic prescanning. Method. Region of interest (ROI of 2 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm was carefully positioned in the region of the middle portion of the right hepatic lobe. 32 patients were examined before and after administration of Gd-DTPA with and without outer-volume saturation bands. Linewidths (Full-Width Half-Maximum (FWHM and water suppression were obtained. A paired t-test for comparison of means was used. Results. (1 The group with the outer volume saturation bands demonstrated slightly better water suppression effect than the group without outer volume saturation bands before administration. (2 The group with the outer volume saturation bands demonstrated better water suppression effect than the group without outer volume saturation bands after administration. (3 Both shimming and water suppression effectswere decreased on enhanced MR spectroscopic prescanning (all P<0.05. Conclusions. Placement of the outer volume saturation bands is helpful to improve water suppression both before and after contrast agent administration. Gd-DTPA exerts a slightly adverse effect (a statistically significant but clinically unimportant on magnetic resonance spectroscopic prescanning at 3T.

Evaluation of the Factors Concerning the Unexpected Pregnancy of Women who Applied to the Mother and Child Care and Family Planning Center of Van Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebahat Gucuk

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the experiences of unexpected pregnancy and the related factors of the women who have applied to our center. Material and Method: The study was planned as a descriptive study which enrolled women in the age range of 15-49 on the basis of volunteerism who have applied to the Mother and Child Care and Family Planning Center of Van Province. The participants were administered a survey in which certain situations were questioned, such as age, educational background, age at first labor, income status, number of living children, miscarriage status, unexpected pregnancy status, the presence of trying to undergo an abortion with alternative methods, and the state of receiving consultancy service on pre- and post-pregnancy family planning. Results: The more increased the educational level of 399 women enrolled in the study, the more significant reduction in unexpected pregnancies was detected (P=0.001. When the educational background and the use of alternative methods to have an abortion were compared, the illiterate women were found to use alternative methods (37.6% at a significantly high ratio (p=0.0001. The average of children number of women with at least one unexpected pregnancy was significantly high (p=0.0001. While the ratio of receiving consultancy on post-pregnancy family planning from health care personnel of the women with unexpected pregnancy was 79.5%, a ratio of 97.9% was detected for the women with planned pregnancy which was significantly different (p=0.0001. Conclusion: The health care personnel may reduce the unexpected pregnancies by training women on family planning in a simple, understandable way and by trying to increase health literacy by taking the dominant social rules in our region into consideration. We consider that the primary healthcare will be more effective and result oriented through newly applied Family Practice in our region. Key Words: Unexpected pregnancy

Unexpected Decrease in Milk Production after Fenbendazole Treatment of Dairy Cows during Early Grazing Season.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravinet, Nadine; Chartier, Christophe; Bareille, Nathalie; Lehebel, Anne; Ponnau, Adeline; Brisseau, Nadine; Chauvin, Alain

2016-01-01

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) infection can impair milk production (MP) in dairy cows. To investigate whether MP would be optimized by spring targeted-selective anthelmintic treatment in grazing cows, we assessed (1) the effect on MP of an anthelmintic treatment applied 1.5 to 2 months after turn-out, and (2) herd and individual indicators associated with the post-treatment MP response. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 13 dairy farms (578 cows) in western France in spring 2012. In each herd, lactating cows of the treatment group received fenbendazole orally, control cows remained untreated. Daily cow MP was recorded from 2 weeks before until 15 weeks after treatment. Individual serum pepsinogen and anti-Ostertagia antibody levels (expressed as ODR), faecal egg count and bulk tank milk (BTM) Ostertagia ODR were measured at treatment time. Anthelmintic treatment applied during the previous housing period was recorded for each cow. In each herd, information regarding heifers' grazing and anthelmintic treatment history was collected to assess the Time of Effective Contact (TEC, in months) with GIN infective larvae before the first calving. The effect of treatment on weekly MP averages and its relationships with herd and individual indicators were studied using linear mixed models with two nested random effects (cow within herd). Unexpectedly, spring treatment had a significant detrimental effect on MP (-0.92 kg/cow/day on average). This negative MP response was particularly marked in high producing cows, in cows not treated during the previous housing period or with high pepsinogen levels, and in cows from herds with a high TEC or a high BTM ODR. This post-treatment decrease in MP may be associated with immuno-inflammatory mechanisms. Until further studies can assess whether this unexpected result can be generalized, non-persistent treatment of immunized adult dairy cows against GIN should not be recommended in early grazing season.

Unexpected Decrease in Milk Production after Fenbendazole Treatment of Dairy Cows during Early Grazing Season

Science.gov (United States)

Ravinet, Nadine; Chartier, Christophe; Bareille, Nathalie; Lehebel, Anne; Ponnau, Adeline; Brisseau, Nadine; Chauvin, Alain

2016-01-01

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) infection can impair milk production (MP) in dairy cows. To investigate whether MP would be optimized by spring targeted-selective anthelmintic treatment in grazing cows, we assessed (1) the effect on MP of an anthelmintic treatment applied 1.5 to 2 months after turn-out, and (2) herd and individual indicators associated with the post-treatment MP response. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 13 dairy farms (578 cows) in western France in spring 2012. In each herd, lactating cows of the treatment group received fenbendazole orally, control cows remained untreated. Daily cow MP was recorded from 2 weeks before until 15 weeks after treatment. Individual serum pepsinogen and anti-Ostertagia antibody levels (expressed as ODR), faecal egg count and bulk tank milk (BTM) Ostertagia ODR were measured at treatment time. Anthelmintic treatment applied during the previous housing period was recorded for each cow. In each herd, information regarding heifers’ grazing and anthelmintic treatment history was collected to assess the Time of Effective Contact (TEC, in months) with GIN infective larvae before the first calving. The effect of treatment on weekly MP averages and its relationships with herd and individual indicators were studied using linear mixed models with two nested random effects (cow within herd). Unexpectedly, spring treatment had a significant detrimental effect on MP (-0.92 kg/cow/day on average). This negative MP response was particularly marked in high producing cows, in cows not treated during the previous housing period or with high pepsinogen levels, and in cows from herds with a high TEC or a high BTM ODR. This post-treatment decrease in MP may be associated with immuno-inflammatory mechanisms. Until further studies can assess whether this unexpected result can be generalized, non-persistent treatment of immunized adult dairy cows against GIN should not be recommended in early grazing season. PMID

Volume ignition of laser driven fusion pellets and double layer effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicchitelli, L.; Eliezer, S.; Goldsworthy, M.P.; Green, F.; Hora, H.; Ray, P.S.; Stening, R.J.; Szichman, H.

1988-01-01

The realization of an ideal volume compression of laser-irradiated fusion pellets opens the possibility for an alternative to spark ignition proposed for many years for inertial confinement fusion. A re-evaluation of the difficulties of the central spark ignition of laser driven pellets is given. The alternative volume compression theory, together with volume burn and volume ignition, have received less attention and are re-evaluated in view of the experimental verification generalized fusion gain formulas, and the variation of optimum temperatures derived at self-ignition. Reactor-level DT fusion with MJ-laser pulses and volume compression to 50 times the solid-state density are estimated. Dynamic electric fields and double layers at the surface and in the interior of plasmas result in new phenomena for the acceleration of thermal electrons to suprathermal electrons. Double layers also cause a surface tension which stabilizes against surface wave effects and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. (author)

Tools for the analysis of dose optimization: I. Effect-volume histogram

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alber, M.; Nuesslin, F.

2002-01-01

With the advent of dose optimization algorithms, predominantly for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), computer software has progressed beyond the point of being merely a tool at the hands of an expert and has become an active, independent mediator of the dosimetric conflicts between treatment goals and risks. To understand and control the internal decision finding as well as to provide means to influence it, a tool for the analysis of the dose distribution is presented which reveals the decision-making process performed by the algorithm. The internal trade-offs between partial volumes receiving high or low doses are driven by functions which attribute a weight to each volume element. The statistics of the distribution of these weights is cast into an effect-volume histogram (EVH) in analogy to dose-volume histograms. The analysis of the EVH reveals which traits of the optimum dose distribution result from the defined objectives, and which are a random consequence of under- or misspecification of treatment goals. The EVH can further assist in the process of finding suitable objectives and balancing conflicting objectives. If biologically inspired objectives are used, the EVH shows the distribution of local dose effect relative to the prescribed level. (author)

Volumizing effects of a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid volumizing filler: prospective European study

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Hoffmann Klaus

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Facial volume loss contributes significantly to facial aging. The 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid (HA formulation used in this study is a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, fully reversible, volumizing filler indicated to restore facial volume. This first prospective study evaluated use in current aesthetic clinical practice. Methods A pan-European evaluation conducted under guidelines of the World Association of Opinion and Marketing Research, the trial comprised a baseline visit (visit 1 and a follow-up (visit 2 at 14 ± 7 days posttreatment. Physicians photographed patients at each visit. Each patient was treated with the 20-mg/mL HA volumizing filler as supplied in standard packaging. Procedural details, aesthetic outcomes, safety, and physician and patient ratings of their experience were recorded. Results Fifteen physicians and 70 patients (91% female; mean age: 50 years participated. Mean volume loss at baseline was 3.7 (moderate on the Facial Volume Loss Scale. Local anesthesia was used in 64.3% of cases. Most injections (85% were administered with needles rather than cannulas. Of the 208 injections, 59% were in the malar region, primarily above the periosteum. Subcutaneous injections were most common for other sites. The mean total injection volume per patient was 4.6 mL. The mean volume loss score declined significantly (P Conclusion The 20-mg/mL smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, volumizing HA filler was effective, well tolerated, and easy to use in current clinical practice. Participants were very likely to recommend this product to colleagues and friends, and patients would be very or quite likely to request this product for future treatments.

Fournier gangrene and unexpected death.

Science.gov (United States)

Bury, Danielle; Byard, Roger W

2012-11-01

Fournier gangrene represents a rare but progressive perineal infection that may result in rapid death. A 70-year-old man with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and alcohol abuse is reported who was found unexpectedly dead. He had last been contacted the night before his death. At autopsy, the most striking finding was deep necrotic ulceration of the scrotum with exposure of underlying deep muscles and testicles, with blood cultures positive for Escherichia coli. Death was, therefore, attributed to necrotic ulceration/gangrene of the perineum (Fournier gangrene) that was due to E. coli sepsis with underlying contributing factors of diabetes mellitus and alcoholism. In addition there was morbid obesity (body mass index 46.9), cirrhosis of the liver, and marked focal coronary artery atherosclerosis with significant cardiomegaly. Fournier gangrene may be an extremely aggressive condition that can result in rapid death, as was demonstrated by the rapid progression in the reported case. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Diffusion of multiple species with excluded-volume effects

KAUST Repository

Bruna, Maria; Chapman, S. Jonathan

2012-01-01

Stochastic models of diffusion with excluded-volume effects are used to model many biological and physical systems at a discrete level. The average properties of the population may be described by a continuum model based on partial differential equations. In this paper we consider multiple interacting subpopulations/species and study how the inter-species competition emerges at the population level. Each individual is described as a finite-size hard core interacting particle undergoing Brownian motion. The link between the discrete stochastic equations of motion and the continuum model is considered systematically using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The system for two species leads to a nonlinear cross-diffusion system for each subpopulation, which captures the enhancement of the effective diffusion rate due to excluded-volume interactions between particles of the same species, and the diminishment due to particles of the other species. This model can explain two alternative notions of the diffusion coefficient that are often confounded, namely collective diffusion and self-diffusion. Simulations of the discrete system show good agreement with the analytic results. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Next of kin’s experiences of sudden and unexpected death from stroke - a study of narratives

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Death always evokes feelings in those close to the afflicted person. When death comes suddenly the time for preparation is minimal and the next of kin have to cope with the situation despite their own sorrow. The suddenness is found to be stressful for the next of kin and communication both with healthcare professionals and information about what has happened has been found helpful. The aim of this study was to illuminate the experiences of next of kin from the sudden and unexpected death of a relative from acute stroke. Methods Data was collected over a 12-month period in 2009–2010. Twelve next of kin of patients cared for in stroke units who died suddenly and unexpectedly from stroke were interviewed using a narrative method. The narratives were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis. Results Three themes emerged showing facets of next of kin’s experiences of a relative’s sudden and unexpected death from stroke: Divided feelings about the sudden and unexpected death; Perception of time and directed attention when keeping vigil; Contradictions and arbitrary memories when searching for understanding. Conclusions To have to live in the aftermath of severe stroke is absolute horror in people’s imagination and death is seen as the lesser of two evils. The sudden and unexpected death totally pervades the next of kin’s life, directs their attention to the dying person and even causes them to forget themselves and their own needs, and leads to difficulties in information intake. It is a challenge for the healthcare professionals to be able to identify the individual needs of the next of kin in this situation. PMID:23590246

Complex and unexpected dynamics in simple genetic regulatory networks

Science.gov (United States)

Borg, Yanika; Ullner, Ekkehard; Alagha, Afnan; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Nesbeth, Darren; Zaikin, Alexey

2014-03-01

One aim of synthetic biology is to construct increasingly complex genetic networks from interconnected simpler ones to address challenges in medicine and biotechnology. However, as systems increase in size and complexity, emergent properties lead to unexpected and complex dynamics due to nonlinear and nonequilibrium properties from component interactions. We focus on four different studies of biological systems which exhibit complex and unexpected dynamics. Using simple synthetic genetic networks, small and large populations of phase-coupled quorum sensing repressilators, Goodwin oscillators, and bistable switches, we review how coupled and stochastic components can result in clustering, chaos, noise-induced coherence and speed-dependent decision making. A system of repressilators exhibits oscillations, limit cycles, steady states or chaos depending on the nature and strength of the coupling mechanism. In large repressilator networks, rich dynamics can also be exhibited, such as clustering and chaos. In populations of Goodwin oscillators, noise can induce coherent oscillations. In bistable systems, the speed with which incoming external signals reach steady state can bias the network towards particular attractors. These studies showcase the range of dynamical behavior that simple synthetic genetic networks can exhibit. In addition, they demonstrate the ability of mathematical modeling to analyze nonlinearity and inhomogeneity within these systems.

Unexpected flood loss correlations across Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Booth, Naomi; Boyd, Jessica

2017-04-01

Floods don't observe country borders, as highlighted by major events across Europe that resulted in heavy economic and insured losses in 1999, 2002, 2009 and 2013. Flood loss correlations between some countries occur along multi-country river systems or between neighbouring nations affected by the same weather systems. However, correlations are not so obvious and whilst flooding in multiple locations across Europe may appear independent, for a re/insurer providing cover across the continent, these unexpected correlations can lead to high loss accumulations. A consistent, continental-scale method that allows quantification and comparison of losses, and identifies correlations in loss between European countries is therefore essential. A probabilistic model for European river flooding was developed that allows estimation of potential losses to pan-European property portfolios. By combining flood hazard and exposure information in a catastrophe modelling platform, we can consider correlations between river basins across Europe rather than being restricted to country boundaries. A key feature of the model is its statistical event set based on extreme value theory. Using historical river flow data, the event set captures spatial and temporal patterns of flooding across Europe and simulates thousands of events representing a full range of possible scenarios. Some known correlations were identified, such as between neighbouring Belgium and Luxembourg where 28% of events that affect either country produce a loss in both. However, our model identified some unexpected correlations including between Austria and Poland, and Poland and France, which are geographically distant. These correlations in flood loss may be missed by traditional methods and are key for re/insurers with risks in multiple countries. The model also identified that 46% of European river flood events affect more than one country. For more extreme events with a return period higher than 200 years, all events

Dissociation of the effects of preload volume and energy content on subjective appetite and food intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Richard; French, Stephen; Robinson, Tristan; Yeomans, Martin

2002-05-01

Previous research suggests that enhancing the volume of a food preload without altering energy content can result in reduced appetite, although the limited evidence means that the conditions under which this effect will occur are not yet clear. In the present study, we used a Universal Eating Monitor (UEM) to record test meal intake constantly, in parallel with appetite ratings, following soup-based preloads that varied both in volume (150 vs. 450 ml) and energy density (1.4 vs. 4.2 kJ/ml). Healthy young men (n=20) received four different preload conditions (repeated measures) followed by unlimited hot pasta test meals (interval 30 min). They completed appetite ratings during and after each laboratory session, and food diaries for the afternoon and evening following each session. Subjective appetite after the preloads was reduced by the high-volume preloads relative to low-volume preloads, with no difference between the two at each volume level. This indicates an effect of volume, but no effect of energy. Test meal intake in the high-volume, high-energy-density condition was reduced relative to the other conditions, which did not differ from one another. This indicates an effect of total energy, but no effect of volume. The dissociation between these different measures of appetite might be explained in terms of largely cognitive influences on subjective appetite between preload and test meal, contrasted with stronger physiological influences on actual intake during the test meal. With regard to previous studies, it is argued that food volume is more influential under circumstances where gastric volume is closer to its normal limits.

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, Florens N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, Nico A.; Delhaas, Tammo; Helbing, Wim A.; Lam, Jan; Sobotka-Plojhar, Marta A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, Narayanswani

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, F.N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, N.A.; Delhaas, T.; Helbing, W.A.; Lam, J.; Sobotka-Plojhar, M.A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, N.

2004-01-01

Background: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Pupil dilation during recognition memory: Isolating unexpected recognition from judgment uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Mill, Ravi D; O'Connor, Akira R; Dobbins, Ian G

2016-09-01

Optimally discriminating familiar from novel stimuli demands a decision-making process informed by prior expectations. Here we demonstrate that pupillary dilation (PD) responses during recognition memory decisions are modulated by expectations, and more specifically, that pupil dilation increases for unexpected compared to expected recognition. Furthermore, multi-level modeling demonstrated that the time course of the dilation during each individual trial contains separable early and late dilation components, with the early amplitude capturing unexpected recognition, and the later trailing slope reflecting general judgment uncertainty or effort. This is the first demonstration that the early dilation response during recognition is dependent upon observer expectations and that separate recognition expectation and judgment uncertainty components are present in the dilation time course of every trial. The findings provide novel insights into adaptive memory-linked orienting mechanisms as well as the general cognitive underpinnings of the pupillary index of autonomic nervous system activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Thyroid Hormone on Left Ventricular Volume and Function in Hyperthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Myung Chul; Koh, Chang Soon

1983-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of thyroid hormone on the left ventricular (LV) volume and function in man with untreated hyperthyroidism and to determine the effects of successful therapy for thyrotoxicosis on the ventricular pathophysiology. In the present study, equilibrium ralhianuclide cardiac angiography was performed and LV volume index, ejection phase indexes of LV performance, serum thyroid hormone levels and other hemodynamic parameters were measured in 28 normal subjects and 39 patients with hyperthyroidism before treatment and again every 4 weeks for the first 2 months after the initiation of effective therapy. The result obtained were as follows; 1) In the untreated hyperthyroid state heart rate, blood volume, cardiac index and stroke volume index (97±14 beats/min, 73.5±11.8 ml/kg, 6.9±1.4 l/min/m2 and 77.6±13.8 ml/m2, respectively) were increased significantly compared to those in normal control (74±12 beats/min, 65.6±14.8 ml/kg, 3.8±1.2 l/min/m2 and 56.6±13.2 ml/m2 respectively). (Mean±SD). 2) There was a significant increase in LV end-diastolic volume index in patients with hyperthyroidism (30.5±7.5 for hyperthyroid group compared to a normal control of 22.2±6.5; P<0.001), whereas end-systolic volume index remained unchanged 9.6±3.6 and 8.8±3.3 respectively. 3) In patients with hyperthyroidism, LV ejection fraction was 70.0±5.6%, fractional shortening 32.9±5.1%, mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mean Vcf) 1.34±0.31 circ/sec and maximum ejection rate 3.47±0.80. All the ejection phase indexes were significantly greater than those in normal control (65.2±5.7%, 28.8±3.2%, 0.88±0.37 circ/sec and 2.27±0.50, respectively; p<0.001). 4) Effective therapy produced significant decrease in all the values of serum thyroid hormone concenrations (p<0.001), hemodynamic parameters (p<0.001), end-diastolic volume index (p<0.01) and ejection phase indexes of LV contractility in patients with hyperthyroidism

Developmentally Sensitive Interaction Effects of Genes and the Social Environment on Total and Subcortical Brain Volumes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer S Richards

Full Text Available Smaller total brain and subcortical volumes have been linked to psychopathology including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. Identifying mechanisms underlying these alterations, therefore, is of great importance. We investigated the role of gene-environment interactions (GxE in interindividual variability of total gray matter (GM, caudate, and putamen volumes. Brain volumes were derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging scans in participants with (N = 312 and without ADHD (N = 437 from N = 402 families (age M = 17.00, SD = 3.60. GxE effects between DAT1, 5-HTT, and DRD4 and social environments (maternal expressed warmth and criticism; positive and deviant peer affiliation as well as the possible moderating effect of age were examined using linear mixed modeling. We also tested whether findings depended on ADHD severity. Deviant peer affiliation was associated with lower caudate volume. Participants with low deviant peer affiliations had larger total GM volumes with increasing age. Likewise, developmentally sensitive GxE effects were found on total GM and putamen volume. For total GM, differential age effects were found for DAT1 9-repeat and HTTLPR L/L genotypes, depending on the amount of positive peer affiliation. For putamen volume, DRD4 7-repeat carriers and DAT1 10/10 homozygotes showed opposite age relations depending on positive peer affiliation and maternal criticism, respectively. All results were independent of ADHD severity. The presence of differential age-dependent GxE effects might explain the diverse and sometimes opposing results of environmental and genetic effects on brain volumes observed so far.

Developmentally Sensitive Interaction Effects of Genes and the Social Environment on Total and Subcortical Brain Volumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Jennifer S; Arias Vásquez, Alejandro; Franke, Barbara; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Heslenfeld, Dirk J; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Faraone, Stephen V; Buitelaar, Jan K; Hartman, Catharina A

2016-01-01

Smaller total brain and subcortical volumes have been linked to psychopathology including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Identifying mechanisms underlying these alterations, therefore, is of great importance. We investigated the role of gene-environment interactions (GxE) in interindividual variability of total gray matter (GM), caudate, and putamen volumes. Brain volumes were derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging scans in participants with (N = 312) and without ADHD (N = 437) from N = 402 families (age M = 17.00, SD = 3.60). GxE effects between DAT1, 5-HTT, and DRD4 and social environments (maternal expressed warmth and criticism; positive and deviant peer affiliation) as well as the possible moderating effect of age were examined using linear mixed modeling. We also tested whether findings depended on ADHD severity. Deviant peer affiliation was associated with lower caudate volume. Participants with low deviant peer affiliations had larger total GM volumes with increasing age. Likewise, developmentally sensitive GxE effects were found on total GM and putamen volume. For total GM, differential age effects were found for DAT1 9-repeat and HTTLPR L/L genotypes, depending on the amount of positive peer affiliation. For putamen volume, DRD4 7-repeat carriers and DAT1 10/10 homozygotes showed opposite age relations depending on positive peer affiliation and maternal criticism, respectively. All results were independent of ADHD severity. The presence of differential age-dependent GxE effects might explain the diverse and sometimes opposing results of environmental and genetic effects on brain volumes observed so far.

Audit of radiology communication systems for critical, urgent, and unexpected significant findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, K A; Drinkwater, K J; Dugar, N; Howlett, D C

2016-03-01

To determine the compliance of UK radiology departments and trusts/healthcare organisations with National Patient Safety Agency and Royal College of Radiologist's published guidance on the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. A questionnaire was sent to all UK radiology department audit leads asking for details of their current departmental policy regarding the issuing of alerts; use of automated electronic alert systems; methods of notification of clinicians of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings; monitoring of results receipt; and examples of the more common types of serious pathologies for which alerts were issued. One hundred and fifty-four of 229 departments (67%) responded. Eighty-eight percent indicated that they had a policy in place for the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Only 34% had an automated electronic alert system in place and only 17% had a facility for service-wide electronic tracking of radiology reports. In only 11 departments with an electronic acknowledgement system was someone regularly monitoring the read rate. There is wide variation in practice across the UK with regard to the communication and monitoring of reports with many departments/trusts not fully compliant with published UK guidance. Despite the widespread use of electronic systems, only a minority of departments/trusts have and use electronic tracking to ensure reports have been read and acted upon. Copyright © 2015 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thallium-201 accumulation in cerebral candidiasis: Unexpected finding on SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonami, N.; Matsuda, H.; Ooba, H.; Yokoyama, K.; Hisada, K.; Ikeda, K.; Yamashita, J.

1990-01-01

The authors present an unexpected finding of Tl-201 uptake in the intracerebral lesions due to candidiasis. SPECT demonstrated the extent of the lesions and a high target-to-background ratio. The regions where abnormal Tl-201 accumulation was seen were nearly consistent with CT scans of those enhanced by a contrast agent. After treatment, most of the abnormal Tl-201 accumulation disappeared

Thallium-201 accumulation in cerebral candidiasis: Unexpected finding on SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tonami, N.; Matsuda, H.; Ooba, H.; Yokoyama, K.; Hisada, K.; Ikeda, K.; Yamashita, J. (Kanazawa Univ. (Japan))

1990-06-01

The authors present an unexpected finding of Tl-201 uptake in the intracerebral lesions due to candidiasis. SPECT demonstrated the extent of the lesions and a high target-to-background ratio. The regions where abnormal Tl-201 accumulation was seen were nearly consistent with CT scans of those enhanced by a contrast agent. After treatment, most of the abnormal Tl-201 accumulation disappeared.

Late rectal toxicity: dose-volume effects of conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Eugene H.; Pollack, Alan; Levy, Larry; Starkschall, George; Lei Dong; Rosen, Isaac; Kuban, Deborah A.

2002-01-01

Purpose: To identify dosimetric, anatomic, and clinical factors that correlate with late rectal toxicity after three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed the dose-volume histograms and clinical records of 163 Stage T1b-T3c prostate cancer patients treated between 1992 and 1999 with 3D-CRT, to a total isocenter dose of 74-78 Gy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The median follow-up was 62 months (range 24-102). All late rectal complications were scored using modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and Late Effects Normal Tissue Task Force criteria. The 6-year toxicity rate was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. A univariate proportional hazards regression model was used to test the correlation between Grade 2 or higher toxicity and the dosimetric, anatomic, and clinical factors. In a multivariate regression model, clinical factors were added to the dosimetric and anatomic variables to determine whether they significantly altered the risk of developing late toxicity. Results: At 6 years, the rate of developing Grade 2 or higher late rectal toxicity was 25%. A significant volume effect was observed at rectal doses of 60, 70, 75.6, and 78 Gy, and the risk of developing rectal complications increased exponentially as greater volumes were irradiated. Although the percentage of rectal volume treated correlated significantly with the incidence of rectal complications at all dose levels (p 3 of the rectum. Of the clinical variables tested, only a history of hemorrhoids correlated with rectal toxicity (p=0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that the addition of hemorrhoids increased the risk of toxicity for each dosimetric variable found to be significant on univariate analysis (p<0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion: Dose-volume histogram analyses clearly indicated a volume effect on the probability of developing late rectal complications

[Effectiveness of the GlideScope video laryngoscope in a case of unexpected difficult airway due to lingual tonsil hypertrophy].

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, P; Alarcón, L; Del Castillo, T; Cabrerizo, P; Díaz, S

2015-05-01

Lingual tonsil hypertrophy can cause varying degrees of airway obstruction and is considered a risk factor for difficult mask ventilation and tracheal intubation. We report a case of unexpected difficult airway in a patient with unknown lingual tonsil hypertrophy that was solved with the use of the GlideScope video laryngoscope. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Decreasing Irradiated Rat Lung Volume Changes Dose-Limiting Toxicity From Early to Late Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veen, Sonja J. van der; Faber, Hette; Ghobadi, Ghazaleh [Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Brandenburg, Sytze [KVI Center for Advanced Radiation Research, University of Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Langendijk, Johannes A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Coppes, Robert P. [Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Luijk, Peter van, E-mail: p.van.luijk@umcg.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands)

2016-01-01

Purpose: Technological developments in radiation therapy result in smaller irradiated volumes of normal tissue. Because the risk of radiation therapy-induced toxicity generally depends on irradiated volume, changing volume could change the dose-limiting toxicity of a treatment. Recently, in our rat model, we found that early radiation-induced lung dysfunction (RILD) was closely related to irradiated volume dependent vascular remodeling besides inflammation. The exact relationship between early and late RILD is still unknown. Therefore, in this preclinical study we investigated the dose-volume relationship of late RILD, assessed its dependence on early and late pathologies and studied if decreasing irradiated volume changed the dose-limiting toxicity. Methods and Materials: A volume of 25%, 32%, 50%, 63%, 88%, or 100% of the rat lung was irradiated using protons. Until 26 weeks after irradiation, respiratory rates were measured. Macrovascular remodeling, pulmonary inflammation, and fibrosis were assessed at 26 weeks after irradiation. For all endpoints dose-volume response curves were made. These results were compared to our previously published early lung effects. Results: Early vascular remodeling and inflammation correlated significantly with early RILD. Late RILD correlated with inflammation and fibrosis, but not with vascular remodeling. In contrast to the early effects, late vascular remodeling, inflammation and fibrosis showed a primarily dose but not volume dependence. Comparison of respiratory rate increases early and late after irradiation for the different dose-distributions indicated that with decreasing irradiated volumes, the dose-limiting toxicity changed from early to late RILD. Conclusions: In our rat model, different pathologies underlie early and late RILD with different dose-volume dependencies. Consequently, the dose-limiting toxicity changed from early to late dysfunction when the irradiated volume was reduced. In patients, early and late

Four unexpected lanthanide coordination polymers involving in situ reaction of solvent N, N-Dimethylformamide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Jun-Cheng; Tong, Wen-Quan; Fu, Ai-Yun; Xie, Cheng-Gen; Chang, Wen-Gui; Wu, Ju; Xu, Guang-Nian; Zhang, Ya-Nan; Li, Jun; Li, Yong; Yang, Peng-Qi

2015-01-01

Four unexpected 2D lanthanide coordination polymers have been synthesized through in situ reactions of DMF solvent under solvothermal conditions. The isostructural complexes 1–3 contain four types of 2 1 helical chains. While the Nd(III) ions are bridged through μ 2 -HIDC 2− and oxalate to form a 2D sheet along the bc plane without helical character in 4. Therefore, complex 1 exhibits bright red solid-state phosphorescence upon exposure to UV radiation at room temperature. - Graphical abstract: Four unexpected 2D lanthanide coordination polymers have been synthesized through in situ reactions of solvent DMF to formate acid or oxalic acid under solvothermal conditions. The isostructural complexes 1–3 contain four types of different 2 1 helical chains in the 2D layer and 1 exhibits bright red solid-state phosphorescence upon UV radiation. - Highlights: • Four unexpected 2D lanthanide coordination compounds have been synthesized through in situ reactions under solvothermal conditions. • The complexes 1–3 contain four types of 2 1 helical chains in the layer. • Complex 1 exhibits bright red solid-state phosphorescence upon exposure to UV radiation at room temperature

Openness to the unexpected: Our Pathways to Careers in a Federal Research Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Kurt R.; Bunnell, David B.; Hondorp, Darryl W.; Taylor, William W.; Lynch, Abigail J.; Léonard, Nancy J.

2014-01-01

Many fisheries professionals may not be in the job they originally envisioned for themselves when they began their undergraduate studies. Rather, their current positions could be the result of unexpected, opportunistic, or perhaps even “lucky” open doors that led them down an unexpected path. In many cases, a mentor helped facilitate the unforeseen trajectory. We offer three unique stories about joining a federal fisheries research laboratory, from the perspective of a scientist, a joint manager-scientist, and a manager. We also use our various experiences to form recommendations that should help the next generation of fisheries professionals succeed in any stop along their journey, including being open to opportunities, setting high expectations, and finding a strong and supportive team environment to work in.

Effects of alkylresorcinols on volume and structure of yeast-leavened bread.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Annica Am; Landberg, Rikard; Söderman, Thomas; Hedkvist, Sofie; Katina, Kati; Juvonen, Riikka; Holopainen, Ulla; Lehtinen, Pekka; Aman, Per

2011-01-30

Alkylresorcinols (AR) are amphiphilic phenolic compounds found in high amounts in wheat, durum wheat and rye, with different homologue composition for each cereal. The effect of different amounts of added AR from these cereals on bread volume, height, porosity and microstructure was studied. Breads with added rye bran (with high levels of AR) or acetone-extracted rye bran (with low levels of AR) were also baked, as well as breads with finely milled forms of each of these brans. Breads with high amounts of added AR, irrespective of AR homologue composition, had a lower volume, a more compact structure and an adverse microstructure compared with breads with no or low levels of added AR. AR were also shown to inhibit the activity of baker's yeast. There was no difference in bread volume and porosity between bread baked with rye bran and acetone-extracted rye bran or with brans of different particle size. Irrespective of homologue composition, AR had a negative effect on wheat bread properties when added in high amounts as purified extracts from wheat, durum wheat and rye. Natural levels of AR in rye bran, however, did not affect the volume and porosity of yeast-leavened wheat breads. 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Quark-nuclear hybrid star equation of state with excluded volume effects

Science.gov (United States)

Kaltenborn, Mark Alexander Randolph; Bastian, Niels-Uwe Friedrich; Blaschke, David Bernhard

2017-09-01

A two-phase description of the quark-nuclear matter hybrid equation of state that takes into account the effect of excluded volume in both the hadronic and the quark-matter phases is introduced. The nuclear phase manifests a reduction of the available volume as density increases, leading to a stiffening of the matter. The quark-matter phase displays a reduction of the effective string tension in the confining density functional from available volume contributions. The nuclear equation of state is based upon the relativistic density-functional model DD2 with excluded volume. The quark-matter equation of state is based upon a quasiparticle model derived from a relativistic density-functional approach and will be discussed in greater detail. The interactions are decomposed into mean scalar and vector components. The scalar interaction is motivated by a string potential between quarks, whereas the vector interaction potential is motivated by higher-order interactions of quarks leading to an increased stiffening at high densities. As an application, we consider matter under compact star constraints of electric neutrality and β equilibrium. We obtain mass-radius relations for hybrid stars that form a third family, disconnected from the purely hadronic star branch, and fulfill the 2 M⊙ constraint.

Principles and techniques of radiation hardening. Volume 2. Transient radiation effects in electronics (TREE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudie, N.J.

1976-01-01

The three-volume book is intended to serve as a review of the effects of thermonuclear explosion induced radiation (x-rays, gamma rays, and beta particles) and the resulting electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Volume 2 deals with the following topics: radiation effects on quartz crystals, tantalum capacitors, bipolar semiconductor devices and integrated circuits, field effect transistors, and miscellaneous electronic devices; hardening electronic systems to photon and neutron radiation; nuclear radiation source and/or effects simulation techniques; and radiation dosimetry

A newly developed snack effective for enhancing bone volume

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Hayashi Hidetaka

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The incidence of primary osteoporosis is higher in Japan than in USA and European countries. Recently, the importance of preventive medicine has been gradually recognized in the field of orthopaedic surgery with a concept that peak bone mass should be increased in childhood as much as possible for the prevention of osteoporosis. Under such background, we have developed a new bean snack with an aim to improve bone volume loss. In this study, we examined the effects of a newly developed snack on bone volume and density in osteoporosis model mice. Methods Orchiectomy (ORX and ovariectomy (OVX were performed for C57BL/6J mice of twelve-week-old (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbar, ME, USA were used in this experiment. We prepared and given three types of powder diet e.g.: normal calcium diet (NCD, Ca: 0.9%, Clea Japan Co., Tokyo, Japan, low calcium diet (LCD, Ca: 0.63%, Clea Japan Co., and special diet (SCD, Ca: 0.9%. Eighteen weeks after surgery, all the animals were sacrified and prepared for histomorphometric analysis to quantify bone density and bone mineral content. Results As a result of histomorphometric examination, SCD was revealed to enhance bone volume irrespective of age and sex. The bone density was increased significantly in osteoporosis model mice fed the newly developmental snack as compared with the control mice. The bone mineral content was also enhanced significantly. These phenomena were revealed in both sexes. Conclusion It is shown that the newly developed bean snack is highly effective for the improvement of bone volume loss irrespective of sex. We demonstrated that newly developmental snack supplements may be a useful preventive measure for Japanese whose bone mineral density values are less than the ideal condition.

Unpredictable Root Canal Morphology: Expect the Unexpected

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Sohez J Makani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: A maxillary first molar with more than four canals is an interesting example of anatomic variations, especially when two of these canals are detected, with separate apical foramen in the distal root. The inability to locate the unexpected canals of various anatomical configuration and subsequently treat them , may lead to therapeutic failures. Endodontic retreatment is usually the modality of choice in such cases. This report describes a case of a maxillary first molar with five canals (two mesial canals in mesial root, two distal canals in two distal roots and a palatal canal in palatal root. Additionally it shows a rare anatomic configuration and emphasizes the importance of identifying additional canals.

A propensity score analysis of the impact of surgical intervention on unexpected 30-day readmission following admission for subdural hematoma.

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Franko, Lynze R; Sheehan, Kyle M; Roark, Christopher D; Joseph, Jacob R; Burke, James F; Rajajee, Venkatakrishna; Williamson, Craig A

2017-12-22

OBJECTIVE Subdural hematoma (SDH) is a common disease that is increasingly being managed nonoperatively. The all-cause readmission rate for SDH has not previously been described. This study seeks to describe the incidence of unexpected 30-day readmission in a cohort of patients admitted to an academic neurosurgical center. Additionally, the relationship between operative management, clinical outcome, and unexpected readmission is explored. METHODS This is an observational study of 200 consecutive adult patients with SDH admitted to the neurosurgical ICU of an academic medical center. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies were compared between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients. Multivariable logistic regression, weighted by the inverse probability of receiving surgery using propensity scores, was used to evaluate the association between operative management and unexpected readmission. RESULTS Of 200 total patients, 18 (9%) died during hospitalization and were not included in the analysis. Overall, 48 patients (26%) were unexpectedly readmitted within 30 days. Sixteen patients (33.3%) underwent SDH evacuation during their readmission. Factors significantly associated with unexpected readmission were nonoperative management (72.9% vs 54.5%, p = 0.03) and female sex (50.0% vs 32.1%, p = 0.03). In logistic regression analysis weighted by the inverse probability of treatment and including likely confounders, surgical management was not associated with likelihood of a good outcome at hospital discharge, but was associated with significantly reduced odds of unexpected readmission (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08-0.49). CONCLUSIONS Over 25% of SDH patients admitted to an academic neurosurgical ICU were unexpectedly readmitted within 30 days. Nonoperative management does not affect outcome at hospital discharge but is significantly associated with readmission, even when accounting for the probability of treatment by propensity score weighted

World-volume effective theory for higher-dimensional black holes.

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Emparan, Roberto; Harmark, Troels; Niarchos, Vasilis; Obers, Niels A

2009-05-15

We argue that the main feature behind novel properties of higher-dimensional black holes, compared to four-dimensional ones, is that their horizons can have two characteristic lengths of very different size. We develop a long-distance world-volume effective theory that captures the black hole dynamics at scales much larger than the short scale. In this limit the black hole is regarded as a blackfold: a black brane (possibly boosted locally) whose world volume spans a curved submanifold of the spacetime. This approach reveals black objects with novel horizon geometries and topologies more complex than the black ring, but more generally it provides a new organizing framework for the dynamics of higher-dimensional black holes.

Effects of horizontal plyometric training volume on soccer players' performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanci, Javier; Los Arcos, Asier; Camara, Jesús; Castillo, Daniel; García, Alberto; Castagna, Carlo

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the dose response effect of strength and conditioning programmes, involving horizontally oriented plyometric exercises, on relevant soccer performance variables. Sixteen soccer players were randomly allocated to two 6-week plyometric training groups (G1 and G2) differing by imposed (twice a week) training volume. Post-training G1 (4.13%; d = 0.43) and G2 (2.45%; d = 0.53) moderately improved their horizontal countermovement jump performance. Significant between-group differences (p  0.05, d = trivial or small) post-training improvements in sprint, change of direction ability (CODA) and horizontal arm swing countermovement jump were reported in either group. Horizontal plyometric training was effective in promoting improvement in injury prevention variables. Doubling the volume of a horizontal plyometric training protocol was shown to have no additional effect over functional aspects of soccer players' performance.

Effect of reinforcement volume fraction on the density & elastic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of reinforcement volume fraction on the density & elastic parameters of BMG's matrix composites. Wahiba Metiri 1, Fatiha Hadjoub1, 2 and Leila Touati Tliba 1. 1 Laboratoire des Semi-Conducteurs, Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences, Université Badji-. Mokhtar, BP 12, Annaba -23000, Algeria.

Anatomically guided voxel-based partial volume effect correction in brain PET : Impact of MRI segmentation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gutierrez, Daniel; Montandon, Marie-Louise; Assal, Frederic; Allaoua, Mohamed; Ratib, Osman; Loevblad, Karl-Olof; Zaidi, Habib

2012-01-01

Partial volume effect is still considered one of the main limitations in brain PET imaging given the limited spatial resolution of current generation PET scanners. The accuracy of anatomically guided partial volume effect correction (PVC) algorithms in brain PET is largely dependent on the

Robust isotropic super-resolution by maximizing a Laplace posterior for MRI volumes

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xian-Hua; Iwamoto, Yutaro; Shiino, Akihiko; Chen, Yen-Wei

2014-03-01

Magnetic resonance imaging can only acquire volume data with finite resolution due to various factors. In particular, the resolution in one direction (such as the slice direction) is much lower than others (such as the in-plane direction), yielding un-realistic visualizations. This study explores to reconstruct MRI isotropic resolution volumes from three orthogonal scans. This proposed super- resolution reconstruction is formulated as a maximum a posterior (MAP) problem, which relies on the generation model of the acquired scans from the unknown high-resolution volumes. Generally, the deviation ensemble of the reconstructed high-resolution (HR) volume from the available LR ones in the MAP is represented as a Gaussian distribution, which usually results in some noise and artifacts in the reconstructed HR volume. Therefore, this paper investigates a robust super-resolution by formulating the deviation set as a Laplace distribution, which assumes sparsity in the deviation ensemble based on the possible insight of the appeared large values only around some unexpected regions. In addition, in order to achieve reliable HR MRI volume, we integrates the priors such as bilateral total variation (BTV) and non-local mean (NLM) into the proposed MAP framework for suppressing artifacts and enriching visual detail. We validate the proposed robust SR strategy using MRI mouse data with high-definition resolution in two direction and low-resolution in one direction, which are imaged in three orthogonal scans: axial, coronal and sagittal planes. Experiments verifies that the proposed strategy can achieve much better HR MRI volumes than the conventional MAP method even with very high-magnification factor: 10.

The effect of γ radiation on a change in the volume of Protozoa cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalinowska, A.

1977-01-01

An investigation was carried out on the effect of various doses of γ radiation on changes in the volume of Spirostomum ambiguum and on the time of return of the volume of this protozoan to the initial state. It was found that γ rays brought about a decrease in the volume of the animal, depending in a linear relation on the dose, while the return of the volume to the initial state is negatively correlated with the received dose. (author)

Combined effects of marijuana and nicotine on memory performance and hippocampal volume.

Science.gov (United States)

Filbey, Francesca M; McQueeny, Tim; Kadamangudi, Shrinath; Bice, Collette; Ketcherside, Ariel

2015-10-15

Combined use of marijuana (MJ) and tobacco is highly prevalent in today's population. Individual use of either substance is linked to structural brain changes and altered cognitive function, especially with consistent reports of hippocampal volume deficits and poorer memory performance. However, the combined effects of MJ and tobacco on hippocampal structure and on learning and memory processes remain unknown. In this study, we examined both the individual and combined effects of MJ and tobacco on hippocampal volumes and memory performance in four groups of adults taken from two larger studies: MJ-only users (n=36), nicotine-only (Nic-only, n=19), combined marijuana and nicotine users (MJ+Nic, n=19) and non-using healthy controls (n=16). Total bilateral hippocampal volumes and memory performance (WMS-III logical memory) were compared across groups controlling for total brain size and recent alcohol use. Results found MJ and MJ+Nic groups had smaller total hippocampal volumes compared to Nic-only and controls. No significant difference between groups was found between immediate and delayed story recall. However, the controls showed a trend for larger hippocampal volumes being associated with better memory scores, while MJ+Nic users showed a unique inversion, whereby smaller hippocampal volume was associated with better memory. Overall, results suggest abnormalities in the brain-behavior relationships underlying memory processes with combined use of marijuana and nicotine use. Further research will need to address these complex interactions between MJ and nicotine. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Anti-VEGF on Predicted Antibody Biodistribution: Roles of Vascular Volume, Interstitial Volume, and Blood Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Boswell, C. Andrew; Ferl, Gregory Z.; Mundo, Eduardo E.; Bumbaca, Daniela; Schweiger, Michelle G.; Theil, Frank-Peter; Fielder, Paul J.; Khawli, Leslie A.

2011-01-01

Background The identification of clinically meaningful and predictive models of disposition kinetics for cancer therapeutics is an ongoing pursuit in drug development. In particular, the growing interest in preclinical evaluation of anti-angiogenic agents alone or in combination with other drugs requires a complete understanding of the associated physiological consequences. Methodology/Principal Findings Technescan™ PYP™, a clinically utilized radiopharmaceutical, was used to measure tissue vascular volumes in beige nude mice that were naïve or administered a single intravenous bolus dose of a murine anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibody (10 mg/kg) 24 h prior to assay. Anti-VEGF had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the fractional vascular volumes of any tissues studied; these findings were further supported by single photon emission computed tomographic imaging. In addition, apart from a borderline significant increase (p = 0.048) in mean hepatic blood flow, no significant anti-VEGF-induced differences were observed (p>0.05) in two additional physiological parameters, interstitial fluid volume and the organ blood flow rate, measured using indium-111-pentetate and rubidium-86 chloride, respectively. Areas under the concentration-time curves generated by a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model changed substantially (>25%) in several tissues when model parameters describing compartmental volumes and blood flow rates were switched from literature to our experimentally derived values. However, negligible changes in predicted tissue exposure were observed when comparing simulations based on parameters measured in naïve versus anti-VEGF-administered mice. Conclusions/Significance These observations may foster an enhanced understanding of anti-VEGF effects in murine tissues and, in particular, may be useful in modeling antibody uptake alone or in combination with anti-VEGF. PMID:21436893

Unexpected Anal Squamous Cells Carcinoma after Open Hemorrhoidectomy

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Navarra Luca

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We report a case of unexpected anal squamous cells carcinoma found in hemorrhoidectomy specimen. The patient had a 3-year history of prolapsing hemorrhoids. A prolapsing hemorrhoid was present at eleven o’clock in lithotomy. Milligan-Morgan was performed and gross examination of the specimen was unremarkable. Histopathologic evaluation showed noninvasive squamous cells carcinoma. The present case report evidences the opportunity of routine histopathologic analysis of hemorrhoidal specimens particularly in case of long-standing prolapse. Questions arise in the option of those techniques where no specimens are collected or tissue is excised far from deceased area.

Unexpected death holograms: Animitas urban appeal in Chile

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Lautaro Ojeda Ledesma

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims at performing an integral analysis of the relation between popular religiousness and urban space in Chilean animitas [little shrines] practices. In order to do this, we propose a multipurpose analysis scheme, holding the concept of "unexpected death hologram". This scheme puts forward three supplementary classifications: animita as a holographic subject, as a holographic object and as a holographic place. Finally, these three classifications supplemented by interviews and topologic analyses show almost all the sociospatial factors present in this practice, accounting for the urban importance that this type of popular practice has

Alopecia associated with unexpected leakage from electron cone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, B.C.; Pennington, E.C.; Hussey, D.H.; Jani, S.K.

1989-06-01

Excessive irradiation due to unexpected leakage was found on a patient receiving electron beam therapy. The cause of this leakage was analyzed and the amount of leakage was measured for different electron beam energies. The highest leakage occurred with a 6 x 6 cm cone using a 12 MeV electron beam. The leakage dose measured along the side of the cone could be as great as 40%. Until the cones are modified or redesigned, it is advised that all patient setups be carefully reviewed to assure that no significant patient areas are in the side scatter region.

Precision grip responses to unexpected rotational perturbations scale with axis of rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

De Gregorio, Michael; Santos, Veronica J

2013-04-05

It has been established that rapid, pulse-like increases in precision grip forces ("catch-up responses") are elicited by unexpected translational perturbations and that response latency and strength scale according to the direction of linear slip relative to the hand as well as gravity. To determine if catch-up responses are elicited by unexpected rotational perturbations and are strength-, axis-, and/or direction-dependent, we imposed step torque loads about each of two axes which were defined relative to the subject's hand: the distal-proximal axis away from and towards the subject's palm, and the grip axis which connects the two fingertips. Precision grip responses were dominated initially by passive mechanics and then by active, unimodal catch-up responses. First dorsal interosseous activity, marking the start of the catch-up response, began 71-89 ms after the onset of perturbation. The onset latency, shape, and duration (217-231 ms) of the catch-up response were not affected by the axis, direction, or magnitude of the rotational perturbation, while strength was scaled by axis of rotation and slip conditions. Rotations about the grip axis that tilted the object away from the palm and induced rotational slip elicited stronger catch-up responses than rotations about the distal-proximal axis that twisted the object between the digits. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate grip responses to unexpected torque loads and to show characteristic, yet axis-dependent, catch-up responses for conditions other than pure linear slip. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability of vertical posture explored with unexpected mechanical perturbations: synergy indices and motor equivalence.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamagata, Momoko; Falaki, Ali; Latash, Mark L

2018-03-21

We explored the relations between indices of mechanical stability of vertical posture and synergy indices under unexpected perturbations. The main hypotheses predicted higher posture-stabilizing synergy indices and higher mechanical indices of center of pressure stability during perturbations perceived by subjects as less challenging. Healthy subjects stood on a force platform and held in fully extended arms a bar attached to two loads acting downward and upward. One of the loads was unexpectedly released by the experimenter causing a postural perturbations. In different series, subjects either knew or did not know which of the two loads would be released. Forward perturbations were perceived as more challenging and accompanied by co-activation patterns among the main agonist-antagonist pairs. Backward perturbation led to reciprocal muscle activation patterns and was accompanied by indices of mechanical stability and of posture-stabilizing synergy which indicated higher stability. Changes in synergy indices were observed as early as 50-100 ms following the perturbation reflecting involuntary mechanisms. In contrast, predictability of perturbation direction had weak or no effect on mechanical and synergy indices of stability. These observations are interpreted within a hierarchical scheme of synergic control of motor tasks and a hypothesis on the control of movements with shifts of referent coordinates. The findings show direct correspondence between stability indices based on mechanics and on the analysis of multi-muscle synergies. They suggest that involuntary posture-stabilizing mechanisms show synergic organization. They also show that predictability of perturbation direction has strong effects on anticipatory postural adjustment but not corrective adjustments. We offer an interpretation of co-activation patterns that questions their contribution to postural stability.

Immediate effect of suryanadi pranayama on pulmonary function (ventilatory volumes and capacities in healthy volunteers

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Shravya Keerthi G, Hari Krishna Bandi, Suresh M, Mallikarjuna Reddy N

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: we found only effects of at least a short term practice extended over a period of a few days to weeks of pranayama (alternate nostril breathing rather than acute effects of unilateral right nostril breathing (suryanadi pranayama. Keeping this in mind the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that 10 min. of right nostril breathing have any immediate effect on ventilatory volumes and capacities in healthy volunteers. Methodology: Forced vital capacity (FVC, Forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1, Forced expiratory volume percent (FEV1/FVC%, Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR, Forced expiratory flow25-75% (FEF25-75%, Maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV, Slow vital capacity (SVC, Expiratory reserve volume (ERV, Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV and Tidal volume (TV were recorded before and after Surya Nadi Pranayama. Results & Conclusion: There was a significant increase in FVC (p<0.0001, FEV1 (p<0.0007, PEFR (p<0.0001, FEF25-75% (p<0.0001, MVV (p<0.0001, SVC (p<0.0001, ERV (0.0006, IRV (p<0.0001 and TV (0.0055 after suryanadi pranayama. The immediate effect of suryanadi pranayama practice showed alleviation of ventilatory capacities and volumes. Any practice that increases PEFR and FEF25–75% is expected to retard the development of COPD’s. The increase in PEFR, vital capacities and flow rates by suryanadi pranayama practice obviously offers an increment in respiratory efficiency and it can be advocated to the patients of early bronchitis and as a preventive measure for COPD.

Minimum Effective Volume of Lidocaine for Ultrasound-Guided Costoclavicular Block.

Science.gov (United States)

Sotthisopha, Thitipan; Elgueta, Maria Francisca; Samerchua, Artid; Leurcharusmee, Prangmalee; Tiyaprasertkul, Worakamol; Gordon, Aida; Finlayson, Roderick J; Tran, De Q

This dose-finding study aimed to determine the minimum effective volume in 90% of patients (MEV90) of lidocaine 1.5% with epinephrine 5 μg/mL for ultrasound-guided costoclavicular block. Using an in-plane technique and a lateral-to-medial direction, the block needle was positioned in the middle of the 3 cords of the brachial plexus in the costoclavicular space. The entire volume of lidocaine was deposited in this location. Dose assignment was carried out using a biased-coin-design up-and-down sequential method, where the total volume of local anesthetic administered to each patient depended on the response of the previous one. In case of failure, the next subject received a higher volume (defined as the previous volume with an increment of 2.5 mL). If the previous patient had a successful block, the next subject was randomized to a lower volume (defined as the previous volume with a decrement of 2.5 mL), with a probability of b = 0.11, or the same volume, with a probability of 1 - b = 0.89. Success was defined, at 30 minutes, as a minimal score of 14 of 16 points using a sensorimotor composite scale. Patients undergoing surgery of the elbow, forearm, wrist, or hand were prospectively enrolled until 45 successful blocks were obtained. This clinical trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT02932670). Fifty-seven patients were included in the study. Using isotonic regression and bootstrap confidence interval, the MEV90 for ultrasound-guided costoclavicular block was estimated to be 34.0 mL (95% confidence interval, 33.4-34.4 mL). All patients with a minimal composite score of 14 points at 30 minutes achieved surgical anesthesia intraoperatively. For ultrasound-guided costoclavicular block, the MEV90 of lidocaine 1.5% with epinephrine 5 μg/mL is 34 mL. Further dose-finding studies are required for other concentrations of lidocaine, other local anesthetic agents, and multiple-injection techniques.

Geostatistical approach for assessing soil volumes requiring remediation: validation using lead-polluted soils underlying a former smelting works.

Science.gov (United States)

Demougeot-Renard, Helene; De Fouquet, Chantal

2004-10-01

Assessing the volume of soil requiring remediation and the accuracy of this assessment constitutes an essential step in polluted site management. If this remediation volume is not properly assessed, misclassification may lead both to environmental risks (polluted soils may not be remediated) and financial risks (unexpected discovery of polluted soils may generate additional remediation costs). To minimize such risks, this paper proposes a geostatistical methodology based on stochastic simulations that allows the remediation volume and the uncertainty to be assessed using investigation data. The methodology thoroughly reproduces the conditions in which the soils are classified and extracted at the remediation stage. The validity of the approach is tested by applying it on the data collected during the investigation phase of a former lead smelting works and by comparing the results with the volume that has actually been remediated. This real remediated volume was composed of all the remediation units that were classified as polluted after systematic sampling and analysis during clean-up stage. The volume estimated from the 75 samples collected during site investigation slightly overestimates (5.3% relative error) the remediated volume deduced from 212 remediation units. Furthermore, the real volume falls within the range of uncertainty predicted using the proposed methodology.

Effect of Pb-acetate on Testicle Weight and Volume of Mice

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Israhnanto Isradji

2011-12-01

Design and Method: Eighty male mice placed in individual cages according to the group. Food and drink provided ad libitum. The treatment of male mice given for 6 weeks. Treatment with 0.2 ml distilled water to PI, P II were given a solution of 400 ppm Pb acetate total of 0.2 ml, P III was given a solution of 1000 ppm Pb acetate as many as 0.2 ml, and P IV were given a solution of 2000 ppm Pb acetate total of 0,2 ml by using a gastric sonde, every morning once a day for 42 days. At week 7, mice were surgery to take the testis. Testicular volume was measured and weighed. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, hypothesis is accepted when p 0.05, testis weight obtained by ANOVA test probability of 0.216 (> 0.05, mean Pb -acetate had no effect on testis weight and volume. Conclusion: Pb-acetate had no effect on testis weight and volume (Sains Medika, 3(2:150-156.

External Volume Expansion in Irradiated Tissue: Effects on the Recipient Site.

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Michael S; Lujan-Hernandez, Jorge; Babchenko, Oksana; Bannon, Elizabeth; Perry, Dylan J; Chappell, Ava G; Lo, Yuan-Chyuan; Fitzgerald, Thomas J; Lalikos, Janice F

2016-05-01

External volume expansion prepares recipient sites to improve outcomes of fat grafting. For patients receiving radiotherapy after mastectomy, results with external volume expansion vary, and the relationship between radiotherapy and expansion remains unexplored. Thus, the authors developed a new translational model to investigate the effects in chronic skin fibrosis after radiation exposure. Twenty-four SKH1-E mice received 50 Gy of β-radiation to each flank and were monitored until fibrosis developed (8 weeks). External volume expansion was then applied at -25 mmHg to one side for 6 hours for 5 days. The opposite side served as the control. Perfusion changes were assessed with hyperspectral imaging. Mice were euthanized at 5 (n = 12) and 15 days (n = 12) after the last expansion application. Tissue samples were analyzed with immunohistochemistry for CD31 and Ki67, Masson trichrome for skin thickness, and picrosirius red to analyze collagen composition. All animals developed skin fibrosis 8 weeks after radiotherapy and became hypoperfused based on hyperspectral imaging. Expansion induced edema on treated sides after stimulation. Perfusion was decreased by 13 percent on the expansion side (p External volume expansion temporarily reduces perfusion, likely because of transient ischemia or edema. Together with mechanotransduction, these effects encourage a proangiogenic and proliferative environment in fibrotic tissue after radiotherapy in the authors' mouse model. Further studies are needed to assess these changes in fat graft retention.

Effects of plyometric training volume and training surface on explosive strength.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Andrade, David C; Izquierdo, Mikel

2013-10-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different volume and training surfaces during a short-term plyometric training program on neuromuscular performance. Twenty-nine subjects were randomly assigned to 4 groups: control group (CG, n = 5), moderate volume group (MVG, n = 9, 780 jumps), moderate volume hard surface group (MVGHS, n = 8, 780 jumps), and high volume group (HVG, n = 7, 1,560 jumps). A series of tests were performed by the subjects before and after 7 weeks of plyometric training. These tests were measurement of maximum strength (5 maximum repetitions [5RMs]), drop jumps (DJs) of varying heights (20, 40, and 60 cm), squat and countermovement jumps (SJ and CMJ, respectively), timed 20-m sprint, agility, body weight, and height. The results of the present study suggest that high training volume leads to a significant increase in explosive performance that requires fast stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) actions (such as DJ and sprint) in comparison to what is observed after a moderate training volume regimen. Second, when plyometric training is performed on a hard training surface (high-impact reaction force), a moderate training volume induces optimal stimulus to increase explosive performance requiring fast SSC actions (e.g., DJ), maximal dynamic strength enhancement, and higher training efficiency. Thus, a finding of interest in the study was that after 7 weeks of plyometric training, performance enhancement in maximal strength and in actions requiring fast SSC (such as DJ and sprint) were dependent on the volume of training and the surface on which it was performed. This must be taken into account when using plyometric training on different surfaces.

Internal photoemission from plasmonic nanoparticles: comparison between surface and volume photoelectric effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uskov, Alexander; Protsenko, Igor E.; Ikhsanov, Renat S.

2014-01-01

in the surface mechanism, which leads to a substantial (by similar to 5 times) increase of the internal photoelectron emission rate from a nanoparticle compared to the case when such a discontinuity is absent. For a plasmonic nanoparticle, a comparison of the two photoeffect mechanisms was undertaken...... for the first time which showed that the surface photoeffect can in the general case be larger than the volume one, which agrees with the results obtained for a flat metal surface first formulated by Tamm and Schubin in their pioneering development of a quantum-mechanical theory of photoeffect in 1931....... In accordance with our calculations, this possible predominance of the surface effect is based on two factors: (i) effective cooling of hot carriers during their propagation from the volume of the nanoparticle to its surface in the scenario of the volume mechanism and (ii) strengthening of the surface mechanism...

Teach Students to Dig for Understanding Using an Unexpected Technological Shovel

Science.gov (United States)

Lake, Susan E. L.

2004-01-01

Online genealogy tools is an unexpected resource as these tools not only serve valuable for genealogy research, but also can be used by students to learn about their country's past and learn to use primary materials to draw conclusions. Some of these Online sources like the 1880 census available at www.ancestry.com, www.thepastwhispers.com, which…

All Intimate Grammars Leak: Reflections on "Indian Languages in Unexpected Places"

Science.gov (United States)

Kroskrity, Paul V.

2011-01-01

In this discussion of a set of studies that fits the trope of "Indian Languages in Unexpected Places," I explore the obvious necessity of developing a relevant notion of linguistic "leakage" following a famous image from the writings of the linguistic anthropologist Edward Sapir. Though in its original use, the concept applied more to the order of…

Unexpected ferromagnetic ordering enhancement with crystallite size growth observed in La{sub 0.5}Ca{sub 0.5}MnO₃ nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iniama, G.; Ita, B. I. [Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar (Nigeria); Presa, P. de la, E-mail: pmpresa@ucm.es; Hernando, A. [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, UCM-ADIF-CSIC, 28230 Las Rozas (Spain); Fac. CC Físicas, Dpto. Física de Materiales, Univ. Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Alonso, J. M. [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, UCM-ADIF-CSIC, 28230 Las Rozas (Spain); Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales, CSIC, 28049-Madrid (Spain); Multigner, M. [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, UCM-ADIF-CSIC, 28230 Las Rozas (Spain); Cortés-Gil, R.; Ruiz-González, M. L. [Fac. CC Químicas, Dpto. Química Inorgánica, Univ. Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Gonzalez-Calbet, J. M. [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, UCM-ADIF-CSIC, 28230 Las Rozas (Spain); Fac. CC Químicas, Dpto. Química Inorgánica, Univ. Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2014-09-21

In this paper, the physical properties of half-doped manganite La{sub 0.5}Ca{sub 0.5}MnO₃ with crystallite sizes ranging from 15 to 40 nm are investigated. As expected, ferromagnetic order strengthens at expense of antiferromagnetic one as crystallite size is reduced to 15 nm. However, contrary to previously reported works, an enhancement of saturation magnetization is observed as crystallite size increases from 15 to 22 nm. This unexpected behavior is accompanied by an unusual cell volume variation that seems to induce ferromagnetic-like behavior at expense of antiferromagnetic one. Besides, field cooled hysteresis loops show exchange bias field and coercivity enhancement for increasing cooling fields, which suggest a kind of core-shell structure with AFM-FM coupling for crystallite sizes as small as 15 nm. It is expected that inner core orders antiferromagnetically, whereas uncompensated surface spins behave as spin glass with ferromagnetic-like ordering.

Unexpected Decrease in Milk Production after Fenbendazole Treatment of Dairy Cows during Early Grazing Season.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadine Ravinet

Full Text Available Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN infection can impair milk production (MP in dairy cows. To investigate whether MP would be optimized by spring targeted-selective anthelmintic treatment in grazing cows, we assessed (1 the effect on MP of an anthelmintic treatment applied 1.5 to 2 months after turn-out, and (2 herd and individual indicators associated with the post-treatment MP response. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 13 dairy farms (578 cows in western France in spring 2012. In each herd, lactating cows of the treatment group received fenbendazole orally, control cows remained untreated. Daily cow MP was recorded from 2 weeks before until 15 weeks after treatment. Individual serum pepsinogen and anti-Ostertagia antibody levels (expressed as ODR, faecal egg count and bulk tank milk (BTM Ostertagia ODR were measured at treatment time. Anthelmintic treatment applied during the previous housing period was recorded for each cow. In each herd, information regarding heifers' grazing and anthelmintic treatment history was collected to assess the Time of Effective Contact (TEC, in months with GIN infective larvae before the first calving. The effect of treatment on weekly MP averages and its relationships with herd and individual indicators were studied using linear mixed models with two nested random effects (cow within herd. Unexpectedly, spring treatment had a significant detrimental effect on MP (-0.92 kg/cow/day on average. This negative MP response was particularly marked in high producing cows, in cows not treated during the previous housing period or with high pepsinogen levels, and in cows from herds with a high TEC or a high BTM ODR. This post-treatment decrease in MP may be associated with immuno-inflammatory mechanisms. Until further studies can assess whether this unexpected result can be generalized, non-persistent treatment of immunized adult dairy cows against GIN should not be recommended in early grazing season.

Unexpected ferromagnetic ordering enhancement with crystallite size growth observed in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iniama, G.; Ita, B. I.; Presa, P. de la; Hernando, A.; Alonso, J. M.; Multigner, M.; Cortés-Gil, R.; Ruiz-González, M. L.; Gonzalez-Calbet, J. M.

2014-01-01

In this paper, the physical properties of half-doped manganite La 0.5 Ca 0.5 MnO 3 with crystallite sizes ranging from 15 to 40 nm are investigated. As expected, ferromagnetic order strengthens at expense of antiferromagnetic one as crystallite size is reduced to 15 nm. However, contrary to previously reported works, an enhancement of saturation magnetization is observed as crystallite size increases from 15 to 22 nm. This unexpected behavior is accompanied by an unusual cell volume variation that seems to induce ferromagnetic-like behavior at expense of antiferromagnetic one. Besides, field cooled hysteresis loops show exchange bias field and coercivity enhancement for increasing cooling fields, which suggest a kind of core-shell structure with AFM-FM coupling for crystallite sizes as small as 15 nm. It is expected that inner core orders antiferromagnetically, whereas uncompensated surface spins behave as spin glass with ferromagnetic-like ordering.

75 FR 67015 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee And Migration Needs Resulting From Flooding InPakistan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... September 3, 2010 Unexpected Urgent Refugee And Migration Needs Resulting From Flooding InPakistan... humanitarian needs resulting from recent devastating flooding in Pakistan. You are authorized and directed to...

Simultaneous repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm and resection of unexpected, associated abdominal malignancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Illuminati, Giulio; Calio', Francesco G; D'Urso, Antonio; Lorusso, Riccardo; Ceccanei, Gianluca; Vietri, Francesco

2004-12-15

The management of unexpected intra-abdominal malignancy, discovered at laparotomy for elective treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), is controversial. It is still unclear whether both conditions should be treated simultaneously or a staged approach is to be preferred. To contribute in improving treatment guidelines, we retrospectively reviewed the records of patients undergoing laparotomy for elective AAA repair. From January 1994 to March 2003, 253 patients underwent elective, trans-peritoneal repair of an AAA. In four patients (1.6%), an associated, unexpected neoplasm was detected at abdominal exploration, consisting of one renal, one gastric, one ileal carcinoid, and one ascending colon tumor. All of them were treated at the same operation, after aortic repair and careful isolation of the prosthetic graft. The whole series' operative mortality was 3.6%. None of the patients simultaneously treated for AAA and tumor resection died in the postoperative period. No graft-related infections were observed. Simultaneous treatment of AAA and tumor did not prolong significantly the mean length of stay in the hospital, compared to standard treatment of AAA alone. Except for malignancies of organs requiring major surgical resections, simultaneous AAA repair and resection of an associated, unexpected abdominal neoplasm can be safely performed, in most of the patients, sparing the need for a second procedure. Endovascular grafting of the AAA can be a valuable tool in simplifying simultaneous treatment, or in staging the procedures with a very short delay.

Incidentally found and unexpected tumors discovered by MRI examination for temporomandibular joint arthrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagi, Yoshinobu; Asaumi, Jun-ichi; Maki, Yuu; Murakami, Jun; Hisatomi, Miki; Matsuzaki, Hidenobu; Konouchi, Hironobu; Honda, Yosutoshi; Kishi, Kanji

2003-01-01

We examined the frequency of incidentally found or unexpected tumors discovered at the time of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region for patients with suspicion of TMJ arthrosis. Five MR images (T1-weighted transverse scout image and proton density and T2-weighted oblique sagittal images at the open and closed mouth) were acquired. In 2776 MRI examinations of TMJ arthrosis, two tumors were discovered. They consisted of an adenoid cystic carcinoma in the deep portion of the parotid gland, and a malignant tumor extending from the infratemporal fossa to the parapharyngeal space. The rate of incidentally founded or unexpected tumors in TMJ examinations was low (0.072%), but the two tumors found were malignant tumors, and therefore, scout image should be carefully examined, not only used for positing the slice

Incidentally found and unexpected tumors discovered by MRI examination for temporomandibular joint arthrosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagi, Yoshinobu; Asaumi, Jun-ichi E-mail: asaumi@md.okayama-u.ac.jp; Maki, Yuu; Murakami, Jun; Hisatomi, Miki; Matsuzaki, Hidenobu; Konouchi, Hironobu; Honda, Yosutoshi; Kishi, Kanji

2003-07-01

We examined the frequency of incidentally found or unexpected tumors discovered at the time of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region for patients with suspicion of TMJ arthrosis. Five MR images (T1-weighted transverse scout image and proton density and T2-weighted oblique sagittal images at the open and closed mouth) were acquired. In 2776 MRI examinations of TMJ arthrosis, two tumors were discovered. They consisted of an adenoid cystic carcinoma in the deep portion of the parotid gland, and a malignant tumor extending from the infratemporal fossa to the parapharyngeal space. The rate of incidentally founded or unexpected tumors in TMJ examinations was low (0.072%), but the two tumors found were malignant tumors, and therefore, scout image should be carefully examined, not only used for positing the slice.

76 FR 14271 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-16

... March 7, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya Memorandum for the... States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as... million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, for the purpose of meeting...

Effects of passive heating on central blood volume and ventricular dimensions in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crandall, C.G.; Wilson, T.E.; Marving, J.

2008-01-01

Mixed findings regarding the effects of whole-body heat stress on central blood volume have been reported. This study evaluated the hypothesis that heat stress reduces central blood volume and alters blood volume distribution. Ten healthy experimental and seven healthy time control (i.e. non-heat...... stressed) subjects participated in this protocol. Changes in regional blood volume during heat stress and time control were estimated using technetium-99m labelled autologous red blood cells and gamma camera imaging. Whole-body heating increased internal temperature (> 1.0 degrees C), cutaneous vascular...... conductance (approximately fivefold), and heart rate (52 +/- 2 to 93 +/- 4 beats min(-1)), while reducing central venous pressure (5.5 +/- 07 to 0.2 +/- 0.6 mmHg) accompanied by minor decreases in mean arterial pressure (all P heat stress reduced the blood volume of the heart (18 +/- 2%), heart...

Audit of radiology communication systems for critical, urgent, and unexpected significant findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncan, K.A.; Drinkwater, K.J.; Dugar, N.; Howlett, D.C.

2016-01-01

Aim: To determine the compliance of UK radiology departments and trusts/healthcare organisations with National Patient Safety Agency and Royal College of Radiologist's published guidance on the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was sent to all UK radiology department audit leads asking for details of their current departmental policy regarding the issuing of alerts; use of automated electronic alert systems; methods of notification of clinicians of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings; monitoring of results receipt; and examples of the more common types of serious pathologies for which alerts were issued. Results: One hundred and fifty-four of 229 departments (67%) responded. Eighty-eight percent indicated that they had a policy in place for the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Only 34% had an automated electronic alert system in place and only 17% had a facility for service-wide electronic tracking of radiology reports. In only 11 departments with an electronic acknowledgement system was someone regularly monitoring the read rate. Conclusion: There is wide variation in practice across the UK with regard to the communication and monitoring of reports with many departments/trusts not fully compliant with published UK guidance. Despite the widespread use of electronic systems, only a minority of departments/trusts have and use electronic tracking to ensure reports have been read and acted upon. - Highlights: • UK wide audit of communication of significant radiology results. • 88% of departments have a communication policy in place. • 34% of departments have an automated electronic alert system. • 17% of Trusts have facility for service wide electronic tracking of radiology reports.

The Effect of Structured Exercise Intervention on Intensity and Volume of Total Physical Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niko Wasenius

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week structured exercise intervention on total physical activity and its subcategories. Twenty-three overweight or obese middle aged men with impaired glucose regulation were randomized into a 12-week Nordic walking group, a power-type resistance training group, and a non-exercise control group. Physical activity was measured with questionnaires before the intervention (1–4 weeks and during the intervention (1–12 weeks and was expressed in metabolic equivalents of task. No significant change in the volume of total physical activity between or within the groups was observed (p > 0.050. The volume of total leisure-time physical activity (structured exercises + non-structured leisure-time physical activity increased significantly in the Nordic walking group (p 0.050 compared to the control group. In both exercise groups increase in the weekly volume of total leisure-time physical activity was inversely associated with the volume of non-leisure-time physical activities. In conclusion, structured exercise intervention did not increase the volume of total physical activity. Albeit, endurance training can increase the volume of high intensity physical activities, however it is associated with compensatory decrease in lower intensity physical activities. To achieve effective personalized exercise program, individuality in compensatory behavior should be recognised.

The effect of intraocular gas and fluid volumes on intraocular pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Simone, J N; Whitacre, M M

1990-02-01

Large increases in the intraocular pressure (IOP) of postoperative gas-containing eyes may require the removal of gas or fluid to reduce the IOP to the normal range. Application of the ideal gas law to Friedenwald's equation provides a mathematical model of the relationship between IOP, intraocular gas and fluid volumes, and the coefficient of scleral rigidity. This mathematic model shows that removal of a given volume of gas or fluid produces an identical decrease in IOP and that the more gas an eye contains, the greater the volume reduction necessary to reduce the pressure. Application of the model shows that the effective coefficient of scleral rigidity is low (mean K, 0.0021) in eyes with elevated IOP that have undergone vitrectomy and retinal cryopexy and very low (mean K, 0.0013) in eyes with elevated IOP that have undergone placement of a scleral buckle and band. By using the appropriate mean coefficient of rigidity, the volume of material to be aspirated to produce a given decrease in IOP can be predicted with clinically useful accuracy.

Hydration and blood volume effects on human thermoregulation in the heat: Space applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sawka, Michael N.; Gonzalez, Richard R.; Pandolf, Kent B.

1994-01-01

Astronauts exposed to prolonged weightlessness will experience deconditioning, dehydration, and hypovolemia which all adversely affect thermoregulation. These thermoregulatory problems can be minimized by several countermeasures that manipulate body water and vascular volumes. USARIEM scientists have extensively studied dehydration effects and several possible countermeasures including hyperhydration, plasma and erythrocyte volume expansion. This paper reviews USARIEM research into these areas.

Effect of high and low ultrafiltration volume during hemodialysis on relative blood volume

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dasselaar, JJ; de Jong, PE; Huisman, RM; Franssen, CFM

2006-01-01

Achieving an optimal posthemodialysis hydration status may be difficult because objective criteria for dry weight are lacking. Both relative blood volume changes (Delta RBV) at the end of hemodialysis and Delta RBV normalized for ultrafiltration volume (Delta RBV/UF ratio) have been reported to

Investigating Teachers' Appraisal of Unexpected Moments and Underlying Values: An Exploratory Case in the Context of Changing Mathematics Classroom Discourse

Science.gov (United States)

Cavanna, Jillian M.; Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth; Seah, Wee Tiong

2015-01-01

This article provides an exploratory case study that examines what one teacher indicated as unexpected as she worked to become more purposeful about her classroom discourse practices. We found that she highlighted three areas as being unexpected: (1) aspects of lesson enactment; (2) characteristics of student learning and (3) her own…

Volume of the effect compartment in simulations of neuromuscular block

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nigrovic, Vladimir; Proost, Johannes H.; Amann, Anton; Bhatt, Shashi B.

2005-01-01

Background: The study examines the role of the volume of the effect compartment in simulations of neuromuscular block (NMB) produced by nondepolarizing muscle relaxants. Methods: The molar amount of the postsynaptic receptors at the motor end plates in muscle was assumed constant; the apparent

The effect of duty hour regulation on resident surgical case volume in otolaryngology.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Stuart H; Miller, Robert H; Weng, Cindy; Gurgel, Richard K

2014-10-01

Evaluate the effect of duty hour regulation on graduating otolaryngology resident surgical case volume and analyze trends in surgical case volume for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) key indicator cases from 1996 to 2011. Time-trend analysis of surgical case volume. Nationwide sample of otolaryngology residency programs. Operative logs from the American Board of Otolaryngology and ACGME for otolaryngology residents graduating in the years 1996 to 2011. Key indicator volumes and grouped domain volumes before and after resident duty hour regulations (2003) were calculated and compared. Independent t test was performed to evaluate overall difference in operative volume. Wilcoxon rank sum test evaluated differences between procedures per time period. Linear regression evaluated trend. The average total number of key indicator cases per graduating resident was 440.8 in 1996-2003 compared to 500.4 cases in 2004-2011, and overall average per number of key indicators was 31.5 and 36.2, respectively (P = .067). Four key indicator cases showed statistically significant (P otolaryngology residents. The overall trend in operative volume is increasing for several specific key indicators. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Probabilistic Characterization of Partial Volume Effects in Imaging of Rectangular Objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulaevskaya, V. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-05-06

In imaging, a partial volume effect refers to the problem that arises when the system resolution is low relative to the size of the object being imaged [1, 2]. In this setting, it is likely that most voxels occupied by the object are only partially covered, and that the fraction covered in each voxel is low. This makes the problem of object detection and image segmentation very difficult because the algorithms designed for these purposes rely on pixel summary statistics. If the area covered by the object is very low in relatively many of the total number of the voxels the object occupies, these summary statistics may not reach the thresholds required to detect this object. It is thus important to understand the extent of partial volume effect for a given object size and resolution. This technical report focuses on rectangular objects and derives the probability distributions for three quantities for such objects: 1) the number of fully covered voxels, 2) the number of partially covered voxels, and 3) the fractions of the total volume covered in the partially covered voxels. The derivations are first shown for 2-D settings and are then extended to 3-D settings.

Self-weight effect in the measurement of the volume of silicon spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Mari, D.; Massa, E.; Kuramoto, N.; Mana, G.

2018-04-01

The volume of 28Si spheres about 94 mm in diameter is an input datum for the determination of the Avogadro constant. We report a finite element analysis of the self-weight effect on the volume determination via optical interferometric measurements of the sphere diameters. The self-weight expansion or shrinkage of the equatorial diameters, which ranges from  -31 pm to  +180 pm, depends on the southern latitude of the supports.

Unexpected properties of Radim-type radon monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plch, J.; Burian, I.; Jilek, K.; Vosahlik, J.

2004-01-01

The results of numerous experiments carried out using Radim-type monitors are summarized. The monitor, which is based on collection of ions on the surface of a semiconductor detector in an electric field, exhibits enormous efficiency in collecting ions, which attains a value of 70% in the optimum case. The collection efficiency exhibits low dependence on the humidity: the efficiency decreases by 7.4% when the humidity changes from 50 to 90%. The dependence on the humidity is linear to 10% - in contradiction with the published results. The work gives the experimentally determined decreases in the presence of smoke and VOCs, which are acceptable even when the smoke and VOC concentrations are enormous. The results are analyzed and an attempt was made to theoretically explain these unexpected results. (author)

Unexpected Far-Ultraviolet Photometric Characteristics On Mimas

Science.gov (United States)

Royer, E. M.; Hendrix, A. R.

2013-12-01

While infrared and visible are the most common wavelength domains used to investigate planetary surfaces, ultraviolet (UV) data are significant and useful. Here, we present the first far-UV phase curves of Mimas, thus displaying another piece of the Saturnian System puzzle. Our preliminary results shows that, one more time, Mimas surface properties are far from what we was expected. Namely, we observe a leading hemisphere brighter than the trailing hemisphere at some far-UV wavelengths. We used the far-UV channel of the Cassini/UVIS instrument, ranging from 118 to 190 nm. Disk-integrated phase curves for the leading hemisphere and the trailing hemisphere, at 180nm, have been produced. Data points span from 0.5 to 163.5 degrees in phase angle. Mimas displays a leading hemisphere brighter than its trailing hemisphere, when theory and previous Voyager observations at longer wavelengths attest of a brighter trailing hemisphere due to the impact of the E-ring grains on this face of the satellite. Surprisingly, UVIS data show a very bright opposition effect on Mimas leading hemisphere, greater than what is observed on Tethys or Dione leading hemisphere at the same wavelength of 180 nm. Preliminary results of photometric properties modeling seem to indicate an important contribution of the coherent-backscattering process in the opposition surge. Exogenic processes such as bombardment by energetic electrons and/or E-ring grains are discussed to explain this unexpected surface property of Mimas.

Patterns of unexpected in-hospital deaths: a root cause analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Curry J Paul

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Respiratory alarm monitoring and rapid response team alerts on hospital general floors are based on detection of simple numeric threshold breaches. Although some uncontrolled observation trials in select patient populations have been encouraging, randomized controlled trials suggest that this simplistic approach may not reduce the unexpected death rate in this complex environment. The purpose of this review is to examine the history and scientific basis for threshold alarms and to compare thresholds with the actual pathophysiologic patterns of evolving death which must be timely detected. Methods The Pubmed database was searched for articles relating to methods for triggering rapid response teams and respiratory alarms and these were contrasted with the fundamental timed pathophysiologic patterns of death which evolve due to sepsis, congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism, hypoventilation, narcotic overdose, and sleep apnea. Results In contrast to the simplicity of the numeric threshold breach method of generating alerts, the actual patterns of evolving death are complex and do not share common features until near death. On hospital general floors, unexpected clinical instability leading to death often progresses along three distinct patterns which can be designated as Types I, II and III. Type I is a pattern comprised of hyperventilation compensated respiratory failure typical of congestive heart failure and sepsis. Here, early hyperventilation and respiratory alkalosis can conceal the onset of instability. Type II is the pattern of classic CO2 narcosis. Type III occurs only during sleep and is a pattern of ventilation and SPO2 cycling caused by instability of ventilation and/or upper airway control followed by precipitous and fatal oxygen desaturation if arousal failure is induced by narcotics and/or sedation. Conclusion The traditional threshold breach method of detecting instability on hospital wards was not

Critical Neural Substrates for Correcting Unexpected Trajectory Errors and Learning from Them

Science.gov (United States)

Mutha, Pratik K.; Sainburg, Robert L.; Haaland, Kathleen Y.

2011-01-01

Our proficiency at any skill is critically dependent on the ability to monitor our performance, correct errors and adapt subsequent movements so that errors are avoided in the future. In this study, we aimed to dissociate the neural substrates critical for correcting unexpected trajectory errors and learning to adapt future movements based on…

Language and music: differential hemispheric dominance in detecting unexpected errors in the lyrics and melody of memorized songs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasui, Takuya; Kaga, Kimitaka; Sakai, Kuniyoshi L

2009-02-01

Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we report here the hemispheric dominance of the auditory cortex that is selectively modulated by unexpected errors in the lyrics and melody of songs (lyrics and melody deviants), thereby elucidating under which conditions the lateralization of auditory processing changes. In experiment 1 using familiar songs, we found that the dipole strength of responses to the lyrics deviants was left-dominant at 140 ms (M140), whereas that of responses to the melody deviants was right-dominant at 130 ms (M130). In experiment 2 using familiar songs with a constant syllable or pitch, the dipole strength of frequency mismatch negativity elicited by oddballs was left-dominant. There were significant main effects of experiment (1 and 2) for the peak latencies and for the coordinates of the dipoles, indicating that the M140 and M130 were not the frequency mismatch negativity. In experiment 3 using newly memorized songs, the right-dominant M130 was observed only when the presented note was unexpected one, independent of perceiving unnatural pitch transitions (i.e., perceptual saliency) and of selective attention to the melody of songs. The consistent right-dominance of the M130 between experiments 1 and 3 suggests that the M130 in experiment 1 is due to unexpected notes deviating from well-memorized songs. On the other hand, the left-dominant M140 was elicited by lyrics deviants, suggesting the influence of top-down linguistic information and the memory of the familiar songs. We thus conclude that the left- lateralized M140 and right-lateralized M130 reflect the expectation based on top-down information of language and music, respectively.

Effect of electron-irradiation on the free volume of PEEK studied by positron annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Y.; Haraya, K.; Hattori, S.; Sasuga, T.

1994-01-01

A good linear correlation was found between the size of a cavity where ortho-positronium (o-Ps) annihilates by the pick-off mechanism and the total free volume of molecular liquids and polymers. Based on the correlation, the free volume of poly(aryl ether-ether ketone) (PEEK) was evaluated as a function of electron irradiation dose and the result was compared with that obtained from gas diffusivity measurements. It was found that the effect of irradiation on the free volume of PEEK was rather small; the free volume was decreased only by a few percent (relative value) when the samples were irradiated with a dose of 50 MGy in air. ((orig.))

Numerical investigation of finite-volume effects for the HVP

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Peter; Gülpers, Vera; Harrison, James; Jüttner, Andreas; Portelli, Antonin; Sachrajda, Christopher

2018-03-01

It is important to correct for finite-volume (FV) effects in the presence of QED, since these effects are typically large due to the long range of the electromagnetic interaction. We recently made the first lattice calculation of electromagnetic corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarisation (HVP). For the HVP, an analytical derivation of FV corrections involves a two-loop calculation which has not yet been carried out. We instead calculate the universal FV corrections numerically, using lattice scalar QED as an effective theory. We show that this method gives agreement with known analytical results for scalar mass FV effects, before applying it to calculate FV corrections for the HVP. This method for numerical calculation of FV effects is also widely applicable to quantities beyond the HVP.

Effects of gauge volume on pseudo-strain induced in strain measurement using time-of-flight neutron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Hiroshi; Harjo, Stefanus; Abe, Jun; Xu, Pingguang; Aizawa, Kazuya; Akita, Koichi

2013-01-01

Spurious or pseudo-strains observed in time-of-flight (TOF) neutron diffraction due to neutron attenuation, surface-effects and a strain distribution within the gauge volume were investigated. Experiments were carried out on annealed and bent ferritic steel bars to test these effects. The most representative position in the gauge volume corresponds to the neutron-weighted center of gravity (ncog), which takes into account variations in intensity within the gauge volume due to neutron attenuation and/or absence of material in the gauge volume. The average strain in the gauge volume was observed to be weighted towards the ncog position but following an increase in the size of the gauge volume the weighted average strain was changed because of the change in the ncog position when a strain gradient appeared within the gauge volume. On the other hand, typical pseudo-strains, which are well known, did appear in through-surface strain measurements when the gauge volume was incompletely filled by the sample. Tensile pseudo-strains due to the surface-effect increased near the sample surface and exhibited a similar trend regardless of the size of the gauge volume, while the pseudo-strains increased faster for the smaller gauge volume. Furthermore, a pseudo-strain due to a change in the ncog position was observed even when the gauge volume was perfectly filled in the sample, and it increased with an increase in the size of the gauge volume. These pseudo-strains measured were much larger than those simulated by the conventional modeling, whereas they were simulated by taking into account an incident neutron beam divergence additionally in the model. Therefore, the incident divergence of the incident neutron beam must be carefully designed to avoid pseudo-strains in time-of-flight neutron diffractometry

Effect of fill volume on solidification characteristics of DI (deionized) water in a spherical capsule – An experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandrasekaran, P.; Cheralathan, M.; Velraj, R.

2015-01-01

The present study aims to investigate the solidification characteristics of water, as the PCM (phase change material), due to the effect of fill volume of PCM in a spherical capsule. The experiments were conducted with the spherical capsule, filling it with water of 80, 85, 90, 92 and 95 percentage of its full volume and immersing it in a constant temperature bath maintained at various temperatures. It was observed that the increase in fill volume had a significant influence in reducing the degree of supercooling and it was eliminated with 95% fill volume. Further, the increase in fill volume had a considerable effect in advancing the commencement of solidification. Increasing the temperature potential enhanced the heat flux during the solidification of first 50% of PCM mass and its effect was more pronounced at higher fill volumes. The heat flux was increased several fold particularly at 95% fill volume making it highly suitable for applications that demand large cooling load in a short duration. Hence the proper selection of fill volume and temperature driving potential is essential to achieve overall energy efficiency while designing the CTES (cool thermal energy storage) system. - Highlights: • Supercooling was eliminated with 95% fill volume at all surrounding bath temperature. • The effect of higher fill volume is more pronounced with higher temperature potential. • 50% mass is solidified in 10% of solidification duration with 95% fill volume at −12 °C. • Several fold increase in heat flux is achieved with 95% fill volume at −12 °C. • Combination of fill volume and temperature potential is essential for good design.

PRIMA-1 and PRIMA-1Met (APR-246: From Mutant/Wild Type p53 Reactivation to Unexpected Mechanisms Underlying Their Potent Anti-Tumor Effect in Combinatorial Therapies

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Anne Perdrix

2017-12-01

Full Text Available p53 protects cells from genetic assaults by triggering cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Inactivation of p53 pathway is found in the vast majority of human cancers often due to somatic missense mutations in TP53 or to an excessive degradation of the protein. Accordingly, reactivation of p53 appears as a quite promising pharmacological approach and, effectively, several attempts have been made in that sense. The most widely investigated compounds for this purpose are PRIMA-1 (p53 reactivation and induction of massive apoptosis and PRIMA-1Met (APR-246, that are at an advanced stage of development, with several clinical trials in progress. Based on publications referenced in PubMed since 2002, here we review the reported effects of these compounds on cancer cells, with a specific focus on their ability of p53 reactivation, an overview of their unexpected anti-cancer effects, and a presentation of the investigated drug combinations.

Effects of buffer ionization in protein transition volumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Soyoung; Heerklotz, Heiko; Chalikian, Tigran V

2010-05-01

Protein denaturation events are generally associated with a change in the state of ionization of abnormally titrating groups and, therefore, are coupled with changes in buffer ionization/neutralization equilibria. Consequently, buffer ionization should influence the measured change in volume accompanying protein denaturation. Changes in volume accompanying protein denaturation reflect the differential packing and hydration of polypeptide chains in their native and denatured conformations while also describing the pressure stability of proteins. A characteristic feature of conformational transitions of globular proteins is a near zero change in volume that is comparable in magnitude with the volume of ionization of biologically relevant buffers. Thus, the impact of buffer ionization on the volume of protein denaturation could be very significant with the potential to affect not only its magnitude but also its sign. To investigate this point quantitatively, we performed pressure perturbation calorimetric (PPC) studies of lysozyme and ribonuclease A at pH 3.0 in four buffers differing in their ionization volumes. Our results identify buffer ionization as an important determinant of protein transition volume that needs to be carefully taken into account. We emphasize that the importance of our results is not limited to PPC measurements but is more general and applies to all volumetric investigations, in particular, extending to the derivation of the pressure-temperature phase diagram of protein stability.

Laser scabbling for nuclear decommissioning: Effect of concrete composition on volume removal efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peach, B.; Petkovski, M.; Blackburn, J.; Engelberg, D.L.

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of concrete composition and moisture content on volume removal with the overarching goal to identify mechanism(s) responsible for laser scabbling. Tests under application of fixed laser parameters showed that concrete composition had a significant effect on material removal but the investigation into moisture content was inconclusive. The mechanical properties and size of coarse aggregates seemed to affect scabbling efficiency, rather than their chemical properties. The presence of pulverized fuel ash as a cement replacement material indicated to be a major factor that determines material removal volumes. (authors)

Weibull statistics effective area and volume in the ball-on-ring testing method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Henrik Lund

2014-01-01

The ball-on-ring method is together with other biaxial bending methods often used for measuring the strength of plates of brittle materials, because machining defects are remote from the high stresses causing the failure of the specimens. In order to scale the measured Weibull strength...... to geometries relevant for the application of the material, the effective area or volume for the test specimen must be evaluated. In this work analytical expressions for the effective area and volume of the ball-on-ring test specimen is derived. In the derivation the multiaxial stress field has been accounted...

Unexpected findings after surgery for suspected appendicitis rarely change treatment in pediatric patients; Results from a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorter, Ramon R; van Amstel, Paul; van der Lee, Johanna H; van der Voorn, Patick; Bakx, Roel; Heij, Hugo A

2017-08-01

To determine if non-operative treatment is safe in children with acute appendicitis, we evaluated the incidence of unexpected findings after an appendectomy in children, and the influence they have on subsequent treatment. A historical cohort study (January 2004-December 2014) was performed including children, aged 0-17 years, who underwent an appendectomy for the suspicion of acute appendicitis. Patients were divided based upon histopathological examination. Unexpected findings were reviewed, as well as the subsequent treatment plan. In total 484 patients were included in this study. In the overall group, unexpected findings were noted in 10 (2.1%) patients of which two patients intra-operatively with a non-inflamed appendix (Ileitis terminalis N=1 and ovarian torsion N=1) and in 8 patients on histopathological examination. The latter group consisted of 4 patients with concomitant simple appendicitis (parasitic infection N=3 and Walthard cell rest N=1), two with concomitant complex appendicitis (carcinoid N=1 and parasitic infection N=1) and two patients with a non-inflamed appendix (endometriosis N=1 and parasitic infection N=1). Treatment was changed in 4 patients (appendicitis, as the occurrence of unexpected findings was low, with extremely few necessary changes of the treatment plan because of serious findings. Prognosis study. Level 2 (retrospective cohort study). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ice Ih anomalies: Thermal contraction, anomalous volume isotope effect, and pressure-induced amorphization

Science.gov (United States)

Salim, Michael A.; Willow, Soohaeng Yoo; Hirata, So

2016-05-01

Ice Ih displays several anomalous thermodynamic properties such as thermal contraction at low temperatures, an anomalous volume isotope effect (VIE) rendering the volume of D2O ice greater than that of H2O ice, and a pressure-induced transition to the high-density amorphous (HDA) phase. Furthermore, the anomalous VIE increases with temperature, despite its quantum-mechanical origin. Here, embedded-fragment ab initio second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) theory in the quasiharmonic approximation (QHA) is applied to the Gibbs energy of an infinite, proton-disordered crystal of ice Ih at wide ranges of temperatures and pressures. The quantum effect of nuclei moving in anharmonic potentials is taken into account from first principles without any empirical or nonsystematic approximation to either the electronic or vibrational Hamiltonian. MP2 predicts quantitatively correctly the thermal contraction at low temperatures, which is confirmed to originate from the volume-contracting hydrogen-bond bending modes (acoustic phonons). It qualitatively reproduces (but underestimates) the thermal expansion at higher temperatures, caused by the volume-expanding hydrogen-bond stretching (and to a lesser extent librational) modes. The anomalous VIE is found to be the result of subtle cancellations among closely competing isotope effects on volume from all modes. Consequently, even ab initio MP2 with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets has difficulty reproducing this anomaly, yielding qualitatively varied predictions of the sign of the VIE depending on such computational details as the choice of the embedding field. However, the temperature growth of the anomalous VIE is reproduced robustly and is ascribed to the librational modes. These solid-state MP2 calculations, as well as MP2 Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, find a volume collapse and a loss of symmetry and long-range order in ice Ih upon pressure loading of 2.35 GPa or higher. Concomitantly, rapid softening of

Ice Ih anomalies: Thermal contraction, anomalous volume isotope effect, and pressure-induced amorphization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salim, Michael A.; Willow, Soohaeng Yoo; Hirata, So, E-mail: sohirata@illinois.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2016-05-28

Ice Ih displays several anomalous thermodynamic properties such as thermal contraction at low temperatures, an anomalous volume isotope effect (VIE) rendering the volume of D{sub 2}O ice greater than that of H{sub 2}O ice, and a pressure-induced transition to the high-density amorphous (HDA) phase. Furthermore, the anomalous VIE increases with temperature, despite its quantum-mechanical origin. Here, embedded-fragment ab initio second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) theory in the quasiharmonic approximation (QHA) is applied to the Gibbs energy of an infinite, proton-disordered crystal of ice Ih at wide ranges of temperatures and pressures. The quantum effect of nuclei moving in anharmonic potentials is taken into account from first principles without any empirical or nonsystematic approximation to either the electronic or vibrational Hamiltonian. MP2 predicts quantitatively correctly the thermal contraction at low temperatures, which is confirmed to originate from the volume-contracting hydrogen-bond bending modes (acoustic phonons). It qualitatively reproduces (but underestimates) the thermal expansion at higher temperatures, caused by the volume-expanding hydrogen-bond stretching (and to a lesser extent librational) modes. The anomalous VIE is found to be the result of subtle cancellations among closely competing isotope effects on volume from all modes. Consequently, even ab initio MP2 with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets has difficulty reproducing this anomaly, yielding qualitatively varied predictions of the sign of the VIE depending on such computational details as the choice of the embedding field. However, the temperature growth of the anomalous VIE is reproduced robustly and is ascribed to the librational modes. These solid-state MP2 calculations, as well as MP2 Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, find a volume collapse and a loss of symmetry and long-range order in ice Ih upon pressure loading of 2.35 GPa or higher. Concomitantly, rapid

Effects of Physician Volume on Readmission and Mortality in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure: Nationwide Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joo Eun; Park, Eun Cheol; Jang, Suk Yong; Lee, Sang Ah; Choy, Yoon Soo; Kim, Tae Hyun

2018-03-01

Readmission and mortality rates of patients with heart failure are good indicators of care quality. To determine whether hospital resources are associated with care quality for cardiac patients, we analyzed the effect of number of physicians and the combined effects of number of physicians and beds on 30-day readmission and 1-year mortality. We used national cohort sample data of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims in 2002-2013. Subjects comprised 2345 inpatients (age: >65 years) admitted to acute-care hospitals for heart failure. A multivariate Cox regression was used. Of the 2345 patients hospitalized with heart failure, 812 inpatients (34.6%) were readmitted within 30 days and 190 (8.1%) had died within a year. Heart-failure patients treated at hospitals with low physician volumes had higher readmission and mortality rates than high physician volumes [30-day readmission: hazard ratio (HR)=1.291, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.020-1.633; 1-year mortality: HR=2.168, 95% CI=1.415-3.321]. Patients admitted to hospitals with low or middle bed and physician volume had higher 30-day readmission and 1-year mortality rates than those admitted to hospitals with high volume (30-day readmission: HR=2.812, 95% CI=1.561-5.066 for middle-volume beds & low-volume physicians, 1-year mortality: HR=8.638, 95% CI=2.072-36.02 for middle-volume beds & low-volume physicians). Physician volume is related to lower readmission and mortality for heart failure. Of interest, 30-day readmission and 1-year mortality were significantly associated with the combined effects of physician and institution bed volume. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018

Vine vigor, yield and grape quality assessment by airborne remote sensing over three years: Analysis of unexpected relationships in cv. Tempranillo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonilla, I.; Martinez de Toda, F.; Martínez-Casasnovas, J.A.

2015-07-01

The prediction of grape composition is becoming more important due to the need of reducing the current levels of alcohol and pH of the wines, a problem that is exacerbated by climate change. This work presents a 3-year study of the spatial variability of grape composition in a rainfed Tempranillo vineyard located in Rioja (Spain). It is based on the acquisition of multispectral imagery at véraison (start of the ripening process); and zoning based on NDVI, to assess its performance for zonal management. The results reveal a high spatial variability within the plot, with a stable pattern over the years, even with very different climate conditions. NDVI was a good predictor of vegetative growth variables. However, the prediction of grape composition was more complex. Unexpectedly, anthocyanins were found to be higher in the highest vigor zone, which is probably related to the effects of climate change. This unexpected relationship is particularly discussed in the article. (Author)

Volume-dependent hemodynamic effects of blood collection in canine donors - evaluation of 13% and 15% of total blood volume depletion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RUI R.F. FERREIRA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: There is no consensus regarding the blood volume that could be safely donated by dogs, ranging from 11 to 25% of its total blood volume (TBV. No previous studies evaluated sedated donors.Aim: To evaluate the hemodynamic effects of blood collection from sedated and non-sedated dogs and to understand if such effects were volume-dependent.Materials and Methods: Fifty three donations of 13% of TBV and 20 donations of 15% TBV were performed in dogs sedated with diazepam and ketamine. Additionally, a total of 30 collections of 13% TBV and 20 collections of 15% TBV were performed in non-sedated dogs. Non-invasive arterial blood pressures and pulse rates were registered before and 15 min after donation. Results: Post-donation pulse rates increased significantly in both sedated groups, with higher differences in the 15% TBV collections. Systolic arterial pressures decreased significantly in these groups, while diastolic pressures increased significantly in 13% TBV donations. Non-sedated groups revealed a slight, but significant, SBP decrease. No clinical signs related to donations were registered.Conclusion: These results suggest that the collection of 15% TBV in sedated donors induces hemodynamic variations that may compromise the harmlessness of the procedure, while it seems to be a safe procedure in non-sedated dogs.

Numerical investigation of finite-volume effects for the HVP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyle Peter

2018-01-01

Full Text Available It is important to correct for finite-volume (FV effects in the presence of QED, since these effects are typically large due to the long range of the electromagnetic interaction. We recently made the first lattice calculation of electromagnetic corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarisation (HVP. For the HVP, an analytical derivation of FV corrections involves a two-loop calculation which has not yet been carried out. We instead calculate the universal FV corrections numerically, using lattice scalar QED as an effective theory. We show that this method gives agreement with known analytical results for scalar mass FV effects, before applying it to calculate FV corrections for the HVP. This method for numerical calculation of FV effects is also widely applicable to quantities beyond the HVP.

Macroscopic investigation of water volume effects on interfacial dynamic behaviors between clathrate hydrate and water.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Minjun; Couzis, Alexander; Lee, Jae W

2013-05-14

This study investigated the effects of the water volume on the interfacial dynamics between cyclopentane (CP) hydrate and water droplet in a CP/n-decane oil mixture. The adhesion force between CP hydrate and various water droplets was determined using the z-directional microbalance. Through repetition of precise measurements over several cycles from contact to detachment, we observed abnormal wetting behaviors in the capillary bridge during the retraction process when the water drop volume is larger than 100 μL. With the increase in water droplet volumes, the contact force between CP hydrate and water also increases up to 300 μL. However, there is a dramatic reduction of increasing rate in the contact forces over 300 μL of water droplet. With the addition of the surfactants of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) to the water droplet, the contact force between CP hydrate and solution droplet exhibits a lower value and a transition volume of the contact force comes with a smaller solution volume of 200 μL. The water volume effects on the liquid wetting of the probe and the size of capillary bridges provide important insight into hydrate growth and aggregation/agglomeration in the presence of free water phase inside gas/oil pipelines.

The effect of hospital volume on mortality in patients admitted with severe sepsis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sajid Shahul

Full Text Available IMPORTANCE: The association between hospital volume and inpatient mortality for severe sepsis is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of severe sepsis case volume and inpatient mortality. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort study from 646,988 patient discharges with severe sepsis from 3,487 hospitals in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2011. EXPOSURES: The exposure of interest was the mean yearly sepsis case volume per hospital divided into tertiles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Inpatient mortality. RESULTS: Compared with the highest tertile of severe sepsis volume (>60 cases per year, the odds ratio for inpatient mortality among persons admitted to hospitals in the lowest tertile (≤10 severe sepsis cases per year was 1.188 (95% CI: 1.074-1.315, while the odds ratio was 1.090 (95% CI: 1.031-1.152 for patients admitted to hospitals in the middle tertile. Similarly, improved survival was seen across the tertiles with an adjusted inpatient mortality incidence of 35.81 (95% CI: 33.64-38.03 for hospitals with the lowest volume of severe sepsis cases and a drop to 32.07 (95% CI: 31.51-32.64 for hospitals with the highest volume. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: We demonstrate an association between a higher severe sepsis case volume and decreased mortality. The need for a systems-based approach for improved outcomes may require a high volume of severely septic patients.

Tourism Stocks in Times of Crises: An Econometric Investigation of Unexpected Non-macroeconomic Factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Zopiatis (Anastasios); C.S. Savva (Christos); N. Lambertides (Neophytos); M.J. McAleer (Michael)

2017-01-01

textabstractFollowing the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, the European media emphatically pronounced that billions of Euros were wiped from tourism related stocks. The theoretical relationship of the industry with such unexpected non-macro incidents received moderate academic coverage.

The effect of water volume and mixing time on physical properties of bread made from modified cassava starch-wheat composite flour

Science.gov (United States)

Srirejeki, S.; Manuhara, G. J.; Amanto, B. S.; Atmaka, W.; Laksono, P. W.

2018-03-01

Modification of cassava starch with soaking in the whey (by product on cheese production) resulted in changes of the flour characteristics. Adjustments of processing condition are important to be studied in the making of bread from modified cassava starch and wheat composite flour (30:70). This research aims to determine the effect of water volume and mixing time on the physical properties of the bread. The experimental design of this research was Completely Randomized Factorial Design (CRFD) with two factors which were water volume and mixing time. The variation of water volume significantly affected on bread height, dough volume, dough specific volume, and crust thickness. The variation of mixing time had a significant effect on the increase of dough volume and dough specific volume. The combination of water volume and mixing time had a significant effect on dough height, bread volume, bread specific volume, baking expansion, and weight loss.

Effect of natural ageing on volume stability of MSW and wood waste incineration residues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gori, Manuela; Bergfeldt, Britta; Reichelt, Jürgen; Sirini, Piero

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Natural weathering on BA from MSW and wood waste incineration was evaluated. ► Type of mineral phases, pH and volume stability were considered. ► Weathering reactions effect in improved stability of the materials. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of a study on the effect of natural weathering on volume stability of bottom ash (BA) from municipal solid waste (MSW) and wood waste incineration. BA samples were taken at different steps of treatment (fresh, 4 weeks and 12 weeks aged) and then characterised for their chemical and mineralogical composition and for volume stability by means of the mineralogical test method (M HMVA-StB), which is part of the German quality control system for using aggregates in road construction (TL Gestein-StB 04). Changes of mineralogical composition with the proceeding of the weathering treatment were also monitored by leaching tests. At the end of the 12 weeks of treatment, almost all the considered samples resulted to be usable without restrictions in road construction with reference to the test parameter volume stability

Predicting Nonauditory Adverse Radiation Effects Following Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma: A Volume and Dosimetric Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayhurst, Caroline; Monsalves, Eric; Bernstein, Mark; Gentili, Fred; Heydarian, Mostafa; Tsao, May; Schwartz, Michael; Prooijen, Monique van; Millar, Barbara-Ann; Ménard, Cynthia; Kulkarni, Abhaya V.; Laperriere, Norm; Zadeh, Gelareh

2012-01-01

Purpose: To define clinical and dosimetric predictors of nonauditory adverse radiation effects after radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma treated with a 12 Gy prescription dose. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our experience of vestibular schwannoma patients treated between September 2005 and December 2009. Two hundred patients were treated at a 12 Gy prescription dose; 80 had complete clinical and radiological follow-up for at least 24 months (median, 28.5 months). All treatment plans were reviewed for target volume and dosimetry characteristics; gradient index; homogeneity index, defined as the maximum dose in the treatment volume divided by the prescription dose; conformity index; brainstem; and trigeminal nerve dose. All adverse radiation effects (ARE) were recorded. Because the intent of our study was to focus on the nonauditory adverse effects, hearing outcome was not evaluated in this study. Results: Twenty-seven (33.8%) patients developed ARE, 5 (6%) developed hydrocephalus, 10 (12.5%) reported new ataxia, 17 (21%) developed trigeminal dysfunction, 3 (3.75%) had facial weakness, and 1 patient developed hemifacial spasm. The development of edema within the pons was significantly associated with ARE (p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only target volume is a significant predictor of ARE (p = 0.001). There is a target volume threshold of 5 cm3, above which ARE are more likely. The treatment plan dosimetric characteristics are not associated with ARE, although the maximum dose to the 5th nerve is a significant predictor of trigeminal dysfunction, with a threshold of 9 Gy. The overall 2-year tumor control rate was 96%. Conclusions: Target volume is the most important predictor of adverse radiation effects, and we identified the significant treatment volume threshold to be 5 cm3. We also established through our series that the maximum tolerable dose to the 5th nerve is 9 Gy.

Predicting Nonauditory Adverse Radiation Effects Following Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma: A Volume and Dosimetric Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayhurst, Caroline; Monsalves, Eric; Bernstein, Mark; Gentili, Fred [Gamma Knife Unit, Division of Neurosurgery, University Health Network, Toronto (Canada); Heydarian, Mostafa; Tsao, May [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Schwartz, Michael [Radiation Oncology Program and Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Prooijen, Monique van [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Millar, Barbara-Ann; Menard, Cynthia [Radiation Oncology Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Kulkarni, Abhaya V. [Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto (Canada); Laperriere, Norm [Radiation Oncology Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Zadeh, Gelareh, E-mail: Gelareh.Zadeh@uhn.on.ca [Gamma Knife Unit, Division of Neurosurgery, University Health Network, Toronto (Canada)

2012-04-01

Purpose: To define clinical and dosimetric predictors of nonauditory adverse radiation effects after radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma treated with a 12 Gy prescription dose. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our experience of vestibular schwannoma patients treated between September 2005 and December 2009. Two hundred patients were treated at a 12 Gy prescription dose; 80 had complete clinical and radiological follow-up for at least 24 months (median, 28.5 months). All treatment plans were reviewed for target volume and dosimetry characteristics; gradient index; homogeneity index, defined as the maximum dose in the treatment volume divided by the prescription dose; conformity index; brainstem; and trigeminal nerve dose. All adverse radiation effects (ARE) were recorded. Because the intent of our study was to focus on the nonauditory adverse effects, hearing outcome was not evaluated in this study. Results: Twenty-seven (33.8%) patients developed ARE, 5 (6%) developed hydrocephalus, 10 (12.5%) reported new ataxia, 17 (21%) developed trigeminal dysfunction, 3 (3.75%) had facial weakness, and 1 patient developed hemifacial spasm. The development of edema within the pons was significantly associated with ARE (p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only target volume is a significant predictor of ARE (p = 0.001). There is a target volume threshold of 5 cm3, above which ARE are more likely. The treatment plan dosimetric characteristics are not associated with ARE, although the maximum dose to the 5th nerve is a significant predictor of trigeminal dysfunction, with a threshold of 9 Gy. The overall 2-year tumor control rate was 96%. Conclusions: Target volume is the most important predictor of adverse radiation effects, and we identified the significant treatment volume threshold to be 5 cm3. We also established through our series that the maximum tolerable dose to the 5th nerve is 9 Gy.

Incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in community-based cohort in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Yan; Ding, Ding; Zhang, Qing; Yang, Bin; Wang, Taiping; Li, Beixu; Wang, Jie; Luo, Jianfeng; Kwan, Patrick; Wang, Wenzhi; Hong, Zhen; Sander, Josemir W

2017-11-01

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is associated with the high premature mortality observed among people with epilepsy. It is, however, considered a rare event in China, probably because of lack of awareness and limitation of studies in the country. We aimed to provide some initial estimation of the burden of SUDEP in China. We established a large Chinese community-based cohort of people with epilepsy between January 2010 and December 2011. For any participant who died during follow-up, detailed information on cause of death was obtained using a specifically designed Verbal Autopsy Questionnaire. All cases were reviewed by a multidisciplinary expert panel and reinvestigated if necessary. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy incidence rates were estimated and case details provided. The cohort consisted of 1562 people and during a median 5years follow-up, 72 deaths were reported. The all-causes death incidence was 11.23 (95% CI 8.86-14.07) per 1000 person-years. Fifteen died suddenly and unexpectedly in a reasonable state of health in the week preceding death. We recorded detailed information of these 15 deaths. Thirteen were considered to be probable SUDEP and two possible SUDEP. The incidence of probable SUDEP was 2.03 (95% CI 1.13-3.38) per 1000 person-years, and the incidence of all suspected (probable and possible) SUDEP was 2.34 (95% CI 1.36-3.77) per 1000 person-years. The incidence of SUDEP was relatively high among Chinese people with epilepsy when compared with that in previous community-based studies from high-income countries. The burden of SUDEP in China requires further assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on blood volume distribution in patients with cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Busk, Troels M; Bendtsen, Flemming; Henriksen, Jens H

2017-01-01

increased (+22%, prestores central hypovolaemia......BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis is accompanied by portal hypertension with splanchnic and systemic arterial vasodilation, and central hypovolaemia. A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) alleviates portal hypertension, but also causes major haemodynamic changes. AIMS: To investigate effects...... catheterization. Central and arterial blood volume (CBV) and cardiac output (CO) were determined with indicator dilution technique. RESULTS: After TIPS, the thoracic blood volume increased (+10.4% of total blood volume (TBV), p

Frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food: A systematic literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Versluis, A.; Knulst, A.C.; Kruizinga, A.G.; Michelsen, A.; Houben, G.F.; Baumert, J.L.; Os-Medendorp, H. van

2015-01-01

Summary: Food allergic patients have to deal with an avoidance diet. Confusing labelling terms or precautionary labels can result in misinterpretation and risk-taking behaviour. Even those patients that strictly adhere to their diet experience (sometimes severe) unexpected allergic reactions to

Frequency, severity and causes of unexpected allergic reactions to food : A systematic literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Versluis, A.; Knulst, A. C.; Kruizinga, A. G.; Michelsen, A.; Houben, G. F.; Baumert, J. L.; van Os-Medendorp, H.

2015-01-01

Summary: Food allergic patients have to deal with an avoidance diet. Confusing labelling terms or precautionary labels can result in misinterpretation and risk-taking behaviour. Even those patients that strictly adhere to their diet experience (sometimes severe) unexpected allergic reactions to

Effect of Bcl-2 rs956572 polymorphism on age-related gray matter volume changes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu-En Liu

Full Text Available The anti-apoptotic protein B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2 gene is a major regulator of neural plasticity and cellular resilience. Recently, the Bcl-2 rs956572 single nucleotide polymorphism was proposed to be a functional allelic variant that modulates cellular vulnerability to apoptosis. Our cross-sectional study investigated the genetic effect of this Bcl-2 polymorphism on age-related decreases in gray matter (GM volume across the adult lifespan. Our sample comprised 330 healthy volunteers (191 male, 139 female with a mean age of 56.2±22.0 years (range: 21-92. Magnetic resonance imaging and genotyping of the Bcl-2 rs956572 were performed for each participant. The differences in regional GM volumes between G homozygotes and A-allele carriers were tested using optimized voxel-based morphometry. The association between the Bcl-2 rs956572 polymorphism and age was a predictor of regional GM volumes in the right cerebellum, bilateral lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus. We found that the volume of these five regions decreased with increasing age (all P<.001. Moreover, the downward slope was steeper among the Bcl-2 rs956572 A-allele carriers than in the G-homozygous participants. Our data provide convergent evidence for the genetic effect of the Bcl-2 functional allelic variant in brain aging. The rs956572 G-allele, which is associated with significantly higher Bcl-2 protein expression and diminished cellular sensitivity to stress-induced apoptosis, conferred a protective effect against age-related changes in brain GM volume, particularly in the cerebellum.

Test-potentiated learning: three independent replications, a disconfirmed hypothesis, and an unexpected boundary condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wissman, Kathryn T; Rawson, Katherine A

2018-04-01

Arnold and McDermott [(2013). Test-potentiated learning: Distinguishing between direct and indirect effects of testing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39, 940-945] isolated the indirect effects of testing and concluded that encoding is enhanced to a greater extent following more versus fewer practice tests, referred to as test-potentiated learning. The current research provided further evidence for test-potentiated learning and evaluated the covert retrieval hypothesis as an alternative explanation for the observed effect. Learners initially studied foreign language word pairs and then completed either one or five practice tests before restudy occurred. Results of greatest interest concern performance on test trials following restudy for items that were not correctly recalled on the test trials that preceded restudy. Results replicate Arnold and McDermott (2013) by demonstrating that more versus fewer tests potentiate learning when trial time is limited. Results also provide strong evidence against the covert retrieval hypothesis concerning why the effect occurs (i.e., it does not reflect differential covert retrieval during pre-restudy trials). In addition, outcomes indicate that the magnitude of the test-potentiated learning effect decreases as trial length increases, revealing an unexpected boundary condition to test-potentiated learning.

Volume and hormonal effects for acute side effects of rectum and bladder during conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peeters, Stephanie T.H.; Hoogeman, Mischa S.; Heemsbergen, Wilma D.; Slot, Annerie; Tabak, Hans; Koper, Peter C.M.; Lebesque, Joos V.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To identify dosimetric variables predictive of acute gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity and to determine whether hormonal therapy (HT) is independently associated with acute GI and GU toxicity in prostate cancer patients treated with conformal radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: This analysis was performed on 336 patients participating in a multicenter (four hospitals) randomized trial comparing 68 Gy and 78 Gy. The clinical target volume consisted of the prostate with or without the seminal vesicles, depending on the risk of seminal vesicle involvement. The margin from the clinical target volume to the planning target volume was 1 cm. For these patients, the treatment plan for a total dose of 68 Gy was used, because nearly all toxicity appeared before the onset of the 10-Gy boost. Acute toxicity ( 3 months before RT). Results: Acute GI toxicity Grade 2 or worse was seen in 46% of the patients. Patients with long-term neoadjuvant HT experienced less Grade 2 or worse toxicity (27%) compared with those receiving short-term neoadjuvant HT (50%) and no HT (50%). The volumes of the prostate and seminal vesicles were significantly smaller in both groups receiving neoadjuvant HT compared with those receiving no HT. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, including the two statistically significant clinical variables neoadjuvant HT and hospital, a volume effect was found for the relative, as well as absolute, rectal wall volumes exposed to intermediate and high doses. Of all the length parameters, the relative rectal length irradiated to doses of ≥5 Gy and ≥30 Gy and absolute lengths receiving ≥5-15 and 30 Gy were significant. Acute GU toxicity Grade 2 or worse was reported in 56% of cases. For patients with pretreatment GU symptoms, the rate was 93%. The use of short-term and long-term neoadjuvant HT resulted in more GU toxicity (73% and 71%) compared with no HT (50%). In multivariate analysis, containing the variables

Effect of spray volume on the deposition, viability and infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes in a foliar spray on vegetables.

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Brusselman, Eva; Beck, Bert; Pollet, Sabien; Temmerman, Femke; Spanoghe, Pieter; Moens, Maurice; Nuyttens, David

2012-10-01

Spray volume can influence the amount of free water on the leaf surface and subsequently the ability of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) to move. In this study, an investigation was made of the effect of spray volume (548, 730 and 1095 L ha(-1) ) on the deposition, viability and infectivity of EPNs against Galleria mellonella on savoy cabbage, cauliflower and leek. Increasing spray volume decreased nematode deposition on 7.1 cm2 leek leaf discs at a 15° angle with the spray nozzle. Although the number of living nematodes observed on leek after 240 min of exposure was not significantly different between the low-volume application (548 L ha(-1) ) and the high-volume application (1095 L ha(-1) ), a greater infectivity was obtained in the latter application. The higher number of droplets deposited on the leek discs in the high-volume application may have stimulated nematode movement. No significant effect of spray volume was observed on the relative deposition of Steinernema carpocapsae on the bottom side of cauliflower and savoy cabbage leaf discs. In spite of the low S. carpocapsae deposition on the bottom side of the savoy cabbage discs, high infectivity was obtained against G. mellonella. Using the lowest spray volume on savoy cabbage, infectivity decreased with increasing exposure time, while infectivity was not affected by exposure time when a spray volume of 730 L ha(-1) or more was used. Spray volume is an important application parameter, as it affects nematode infectivity. Future research should investigate the effect of spray volume in the field and its influence on the effect of adjuvants. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sudden and unexpected childhood deaths investigated at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa, 2007 - 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Deventer, B S; Rossouw, S H; Du Toit-Prinsloo, L

2016-09-06

 Sudden and unexpected death is well known to occur in infants, and although sudden deaths are less frequent after the first birthday, they still account for a significant proportion of childhood deaths. In 2009, 1.9% of the total deaths in the USA were childhood deaths. In South Africa (SA) this proportion was much higher at 11.85%. According to the law, sudden and unexpected deaths are generally investigated as unnatural deaths. Establishing an exact underlying anatomical cause of death will depend on available resources and can be difficult in a substantial proportion of cases.  A retrospective descriptive case audit was conducted at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory (PMLL), SA, from 1 January 2007 through to 31 December 2011. All children aged 1 - 18 years who died suddenly and unexpectedly were included.  Ninety-eight cases were identified, which constituted nearly 1% of total admissions to the PMLL. The majority of the deaths were of children aged 1 - 5 years, and the male/female ratio was 1.04:1. In the largest proportion of cases (n=28, 28.6%), the medicolegal investigation, including autopsy and ancillary investigations, did not establish an underlying anatomical cause of death. In the cases where a cause of death was established, pneumonia was the most common diagnosis (n=22, 22.4%).  The fact that the cause of the largest proportion of deaths could not be ascertained emphasises the need for consideration of additional investigative techniques, such as molecular/genetic screening, which have provided an underlying cause of death in a significant number of cases in other countries. There is a lack of published research on the causes and incidence of sudden unexpected deaths in children in SA, and further research in this area is needed.

Sudden unexpected death in infancy in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winkel, Bo Gregers; Holst, Anders Gaarsdal; Theilade, Juliane

2011-01-01

Abstract Background. Incidence of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) differs among studies and non-autopsied cases are difficult to assess. Objectives. To investigate causes of sudden death in infancy in a nationwide setting. Validate the use...... of the ICD-10 code for SIDS (R95) in the Danish Cause of Death registry. Design. A retrospective analysis of all infant deaths (death certificates and autopsy reports were read. Results. We identified 192 SUDI cases (10% of total deaths, 0.42 per 1000 births......) with autopsy performed in 87% of cases. In total, 49% of autopsied SUDI cases were defined as SIDS (5% of all deaths, 0.22 per 1000 births); Cardiac cause of death was denoted in 24% of cases. The Danish Cause of Death Registry misclassified 30% of SIDS cases. Conclusions. A large proportion of infant deaths...

Elastic stockings effect on leg volume variability in healthy workers under prolonged gravitational gradient exposure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirko Tessari

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the elastic stockings effect on healthy workers (HW who are exposed to a prolonged hydrostatic pressure overload for professional reasons. The cohort was composed by 20 HW who voluntarily underwent a water plethysmography test before and after eight hour of standing up in an operating room, wearing elastic stockings. After 8 h of gravity exposure, we demonstrated the absence of leg volume increase in case of elastic stockings use. In the morning measurement we found that the lower limb volume was 1967.5 mL±224, while in the evening it was 1962.5 mL±227 (P<0.0828. The decreased volume is significantly correlated with the time that was spent under gravity forces for working purpose wearing elastic stockings (R2=0.99, P<0.0001. Our experiment demonstrates that elastic stockings may effectively counteract the increased leg volume over time in workers who are exposed to prolonged gravitational gradient. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine if the above effect could correct one of the major risk factors for the development of chronic venous insufficiency.

The creative use of unexpected responses in the hypnotherapy of patients with conversion disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moene, F.C.; Hoogduin, C.A.L.

1999-01-01

In a previously completed empirical study examining the use of hypnosis in a comprehensive treatment program with 85 patients who suffered motor conversion symptoms, 16 patients were reported by their therapists to have had unusual and unexpected responses during hypnosis. This article summarizes

Unexpected Symmetry in the Nodal Structure of the He Atom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bressanini, Dario; Reynolds, Peter J.

2005-01-01

The nodes of even simple wave functions are largely unexplored. Motivated by their importance to quantum simulations of fermionic systems, we have found unexpected symmetries in the nodes of several atoms and molecules. Here, we report on helium. We find that in both ground and excited states the nodes have simple forms. In particular, they have higher symmetry than the wave functions they come from. It is of great interest to understand the source of these new symmetries. For the quantum simulations that motivated the study, these symmetries may help circumvent the fermion sign problem

Manganese-Catalyzed C−H Functionalizations: Hydroarylations and Alkenylations Involving an Unexpected Heteroaryl Shift

KAUST Repository

Wang, Chengming

2017-06-24

A manganese-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective hydroarylation of allenes is reported. The C−H functionalization method provides access to various alkenylated indoles in excellent yields. Moreover, a hydroarylation/cyclization cascade involving an unexpected C−N bond cleavage and aryl shift has been developed, which provides a new synthetic approach to substituted pyrroloindolones.

Manganese-Catalyzed C−H Functionalizations: Hydroarylations and Alkenylations Involving an Unexpected Heteroaryl Shift

KAUST Repository

Wang, Chengming; Wang, Ai; Rueping, Magnus

2017-01-01

A manganese-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective hydroarylation of allenes is reported. The C−H functionalization method provides access to various alkenylated indoles in excellent yields. Moreover, a hydroarylation/cyclization cascade involving an unexpected C−N bond cleavage and aryl shift has been developed, which provides a new synthetic approach to substituted pyrroloindolones.

Effects of a Structured Discharge Planning Program on Perceived Functional Status, Cardiac Self-efficacy, Patient Satisfaction, and Unexpected Hospital Revisits Among Filipino Cardiac Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cajanding, Ruff Joseph

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Filipinos and are responsible for a very large number of hospital readmissions. Comprehensive discharge planning programs have demonstrated positive benefits among various populations of patients with cardiovascular disease, but the clinical and psychosocial effects of such intervention among Filipino patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have not been studied. In this study we aimed to determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led structured discharge planning program on perceived functional status, cardiac self-efficacy, patient satisfaction, and unexpected hospital revisits among Filipino patients with AMI. A true experimental (randomized control) 2-group design with repeated measures and data collected before and after intervention and at 1-month follow-up was used in this study. Participants were assigned to either the control (n = 68) or the intervention group (n = 75). Intervention participants underwent a 3-day structured discharge planning program implemented by a cardiovascular nurse practitioner, which is comprised of a series of individualized lecture-discussion, provision of feedback, integrative problem solving, goal setting, and action planning. Control participants received standard routine care. Measures of functional status, cardiac self-efficacy, and patient satisfaction were measured at baseline; cardiac self-efficacy and patient satisfaction scores were measured prior to discharge, and perceived functional status and number of revisits were measured 1 month after discharge. Participants in the intervention group had significant improvement in functional status, cardiac self-efficacy, and patient satisfaction scores at baseline and at follow-up compared with the control participants. Furthermore, participants in the intervention group had significantly fewer hospital revisits compared with those who received only standard care. The results demonstrate that a

Effects of DARPP-32 Genetic Variation on Prefrontal Cortex Volume and Episodic Memory Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ninni Persson

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Despite evidence of a fundamental role of DARPP-32 in integrating dopamine and glutamate signaling, studies examining gene coding for DARPP-32 in relation to neural and behavioral correlates in humans are scarce. Post mortem findings suggest genotype specific expressions of DARPP-32 in the dorsal frontal lobes. Therefore, we investigated the effects of genomic variation in DARPP-32 coding on frontal lobe volumes and episodic memory. Volumetric data from the dorsolateral (DLPFC, and visual cortices (VC were obtained from 61 younger and older adults (♀54%. The major homozygote G, T, or A genotypes in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs: rs879606; rs907094; rs3764352, the two latter in complete linkage disequilibrium, at the DARPP-32 regulating PPP1R1B gene, influenced frontal gray matter volume and episodic memory (EM. Homozygous carriers of allelic variants with lower DARPP-32 expression had an overall larger prefrontal volume in addition to greater EM recall accuracy after accounting for the influence of age. The SNPs did not influence VC volume. The genetic effects on DLPFC were greater in young adults and selective to this group for EM. Our findings suggest that genomic variation maps onto individual differences in frontal brain volumes and cognitive functions. Larger DLPFC volumes were also related to better EM performance, suggesting that gene-related differences in frontal gray matter may contribute to individual differences in EM. These results need further replication from experimental and longitudinal reports to determine directions of causality.

The effect of economic downturn on the volume of surgical procedures: A systematic review.

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Fujihara, Nasa; Lark, Meghan E; Fujihara, Yuki; Chung, Kevin C

2017-08-01

Economic downturn can have a wide range of effects on medicine at both individual and national levels. We aim to describe these effects in relation to surgical volume to guide future planning for physician specialization, patient expectations in the face of economic crises, or estimating healthcare expenditure. We hypothesized that because of high out-of-pocket costs, cosmetic procedure volumes would be most affected by economic decline. A systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and ABI/INFORMS. The main search terms were "economic recession" and "surgical procedures, operative". Studies were included if surgical volumes were measured and economic indicators were used as predictors of economic conditions. Twelve studies were included, and the most common subject was cosmetic (n = 5), followed by orthopedic (n = 2) and cardiac surgeries (n = 2). The majority of studies found that in periods of economic downturn, surgical volume decreased. Among the eight studies using Pearson's correlation analysis, there were no significant differences between cosmetic procedures and other elective procedures, indicating that cosmetic procedures may display trends similar to those of non-cosmetic elective procedures in periods of economic downturn. Surgical volume generally decreased when economic indicators declined, observed for both elective and non-elective surgery fields. However, a few specific procedure volumes such as vasectomy and caesarean section for male babies increased during the economic downturn. Knowledge of these trends can be useful for future surgical planning and distribution of healthcare resources. Copyright © 2017 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FCT (functional computed tomography) evaluation of the lung volumes at different PEEP (positive-end expiratory pressure) ventilation pattern, in mechanical ventilated patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papi, M.G.; Di Segni, R.; Mazzetti, G.; Staffa, F.; Conforto, F.; Calimici, R.; Salvi, A.; Matteucci, G.

2007-01-01

Purpose To evaluate with FCT (functional computed tomography) total lung volume and fractional lung volumes at different PEEP (positive end expiratory pressure) values in acute mechanically ventilated patients. Methods Nine ICU (intensive care unity) patients (1 lung pneumonia, 2 polytrauma, 2 sepsis, 3 brain surgery, 1 pulmonary embolism); mean age 48 ± 15 years, 6 male, 3 female; GE 16 MDCT scan was performed with acquisition from apex to diaphragma in seven seca at different PEEP values. Raw CT data were analysed by an advantage workstation to obtain volume density masks and histograms of both lungs and each lung and these density ranges were applied: - 1000 - 950 hyper-ventilated lung, -900 - 650 well aerated lung, -950 - 500 all aerated lung, -500 + 200 lung tissue. Total and fractional lung volumes, Hounsfield unit (HU) were calculated and compared at different PEEP values (0, 5, 10, 15 cm H 2 O). In four patients lung volumes were compared between the more and the less involved lung at increased PEEP. Statistic analysis: comparison means-medians tests. Results Data calculated at five PEEP showed unexpected decrease of total lung volume and increase of lung density (HU); proportionally no significant improvement of oxigenation. (orig.)

FCT (functional computed tomography) evaluation of the lung volumes at different PEEP (positive-end expiratory pressure) ventilation pattern, in mechanical ventilated patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papi, M.G.; Di Segni, R.; Mazzetti, G.; Staffa, F. [Dept. of Radiology, S. Giovanni HS, Rome (Italy); Conforto, F.; Calimici, R.; Salvi, A. [Dept. of Anesthesiology, S. Giovanni HS, Rome (Italy); Matteucci, G. [Dept. of Pneumology, S. Giovanni HS, Rome (Italy)

2007-06-15

Purpose To evaluate with FCT (functional computed tomography) total lung volume and fractional lung volumes at different PEEP (positive end expiratory pressure) values in acute mechanically ventilated patients. Methods Nine ICU (intensive care unity) patients (1 lung pneumonia, 2 polytrauma, 2 sepsis, 3 brain surgery, 1 pulmonary embolism); mean age 48 {+-} 15 years, 6 male, 3 female; GE 16 MDCT scan was performed with acquisition from apex to diaphragma in seven seca at different PEEP values. Raw CT data were analysed by an advantage workstation to obtain volume density masks and histograms of both lungs and each lung and these density ranges were applied: - 1000 - 950 = hyper-ventilated lung, -900 - 650 well aerated lung, -950 - 500 all aerated lung, -500 + 200 lung tissue. Total and fractional lung volumes, Hounsfield unit (HU) were calculated and compared at different PEEP values (0, 5, 10, 15 cm H{sub 2}O). In four patients lung volumes were compared between the more and the less involved lung at increased PEEP. Statistic analysis: comparison means-medians tests. Results Data calculated at five PEEP showed unexpected decrease of total lung volume and increase of lung density (HU); proportionally no significant improvement of oxigenation. (orig.)

The unfolding effects on the protein hydration shell and partial molar volume: a computational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Galdo, Sara; Amadei, Andrea

2016-10-12

In this paper we apply the computational analysis recently proposed by our group to characterize the solvation properties of a native protein in aqueous solution, and to four model aqueous solutions of globular proteins in their unfolded states thus characterizing the protein unfolded state hydration shell and quantitatively evaluating the protein unfolded state partial molar volumes. Moreover, by using both the native and unfolded protein partial molar volumes, we obtain the corresponding variations (unfolding partial molar volumes) to be compared with the available experimental estimates. We also reconstruct the temperature and pressure dependence of the unfolding partial molar volume of Myoglobin dissecting the structural and hydration effects involved in the process.

The unexpected product of Diels-Alder reaction between "indanocyclon" and maleimide

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrowolski, Michał A.; Roszkowski, Piotr; Struga, Marta; Szulczyk, Daniel

2017-02-01

A heterocyclic compound commonly known as "indanocyclon" undergoes an unexpected Diels-Alder addition with maleimide. The resulting product has been isolated and characterized in order to get an information about its structure and possible mechanism of the reaction. Extensive comparison of single crystal properties of 3-(2,8-dioxo-1,3-diphenyl-2,8-dihydrocyclopenta[a]inden-8a(1H)-yl)pyrrolidine-2,5-dione and favorable product of the reaction has been also performed.

Unexpectedly slow decrease of Chernobyl-derived radiocesium in air and deposition in Bavaria/Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunzl, K.; Hoetzl, H.; Rosner, G.; Winkler, R.

1995-01-01

In this paper we analyze the corresponding data observed after the termination of the fresh fallout of Chernobyl-derived 137 Cs, and discuss possible reasons for the unexpectedly slow decrease of radiocesium in the air and in the total deposition to the ground. (SR)

Unexpectedly slow decrease of Chernobyl-derived radiocesium in air and deposition in Bavaria/Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bunzl, K. [GSF-Forschungszentrum fuer Umwelt und Gesundheit, Neuherberg (Germany); Hoetzl, H. [GSF-Forschungszentrum fuer Umwelt und Gesundheit, Neuherberg (Germany); Rosner, G. [Inst. fuer Strahlenschutz, Oberschleissheim (Germany); Winkler, R. [Inst. fuer Strahlenschutz, Oberschleissheim (Germany)

1995-09-01

In this paper we analyze the corresponding data observed after the termination of the fresh fallout of Chernobyl-derived {sup 137}Cs, and discuss possible reasons for the unexpectedly slow decrease of radiocesium in the air and in the total deposition to the ground. (SR)

Willingness and ability to pay for unexpected dental expenses by Finnish adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widström Eeva

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Since 2002, adults have been able to choose oral health care services in the public sector or in the private sector in Finland. Though various subsidies for care exist in both sectors, the Public Dental Service (PDS is a cheaper option for the patient but, on the other hand, there are no waiting lists for private care. The aim of this study was to assess middle-aged adults' use of dental services, willingness to pay (WTP and ability to pay (ATP for unexpected, urgent dental treatment. Methods Postal questionnaires on use of dental services were sent to a random sample of 1500 47-59 year old adults living in three large municipalities in the Helsinki region. The initial response rate was 65.8%. Two hypothetical scenarios were presented: "What would be the highest price you would be prepared to pay to have a lost filling replaced immediately, or, at the latest, the day after losing the filling?" and " How much could you pay for unexpected dental expenses at two weeks notice, if you suddenly needed more comprehensive treatment?" Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse factors related to WTP and ATP. Results Most respondents (89.6% had visited a dentist recently and a majority (76.1% had used private services. For immediate replacement of a lost filling, almost all respondents (93.2% were willing to pay the lower price charged in the PDS and 46.2% were willing to pay the private fee. High income and no subjective need for dental treatment were positively associated with the probability of paying a higher price. Most respondents (93.0% were able to pay a low fee, EUR 50 and almost half (41.6% at least EUR 300 for unexpected treatment at short notice. High income and male sex were associated with high ATP. Conclusion There was a strong and statistically significant relationship between income and WTP and ATP for urgent dental care, indicating that access to publicly provided services improved equity for persons with low

Reductions in Corpus Callosum Volume Partially Mediate Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on IQ

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Stevie C. Biffen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Disproportionate volume reductions in the basal ganglia, corpus callosum (CC and hippocampus have been reported in children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE. However, few studies have investigated these reductions in high prevalence communities, such as the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and only one study made use of manual tracing, the gold standard of volumetric analysis. The present study examined the effects of PAE on subcortical neuroanatomy using manual tracing and the relation of volumetric reductions in these regions to IQ and performance on the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C, a list learning task sensitive to PAE. High-resolution T1-weighted images were acquired, using a sequence optimized for morphometric neuroanatomical analysis, on a Siemens 3T Allegra MRI scanner from 71 right-handed, 9- to 11-year-old children [9 fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS, 19 partial FAS (PFAS, 24 non-syndromal heavily exposed (HE and 19 non-exposed controls]. Frequency of maternal drinking was ascertained prospectively during pregnancy using timeline follow-back interviews. PAE was examined in relation to volumes of the CC and left and right caudate nuclei, nucleus accumbens and hippocampi. All structures were manually traced using Multitracer. Higher levels of PAE were associated with reductions in CC volume after adjustment for TIV. Although the effect of PAE on CC was confounded with smoking and lead exposure, additional analyses showed that it was not accounted for by these exposures. Amongst dysmorphic children, smaller CC was associated with poorer IQ and CVLT-C scores and statistically mediated the effect of PAE on IQ. In addition, higher levels of PAE were associated with bilateral volume reductions in caudate nuclei and hippocampi, effects that remained significant after control for TIV, child sex and age, socioeconomic status, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and childhood lead exposure. These data confirm

Bare-Hand Volume Cracker for Raw Volume Data Analysis

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Bireswar Laha

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Analysis of raw volume data generated from different scanning technologies faces a variety of challenges, related to search, pattern recognition, spatial understanding, quantitative estimation, and shape description. In a previous study, we found that the Volume Cracker (VC 3D interaction (3DI technique mitigated some of these problems, but this result was from a tethered glove-based system with users analyzing simulated data. Here, we redesigned the VC by using untethered bare-hand interaction with real volume datasets, with a broader aim of adoption of this technique in research labs. We developed symmetric and asymmetric interfaces for the Bare-Hand Volume Cracker (BHVC through design iterations with a biomechanics scientist. We evaluated our asymmetric BHVC technique against standard 2D and widely used 3D interaction techniques with experts analyzing scanned beetle datasets. We found that our BHVC design significantly outperformed the other two techniques. This study contributes a practical 3DI design for scientists, documents lessons learned while redesigning for bare-hand trackers, and provides evidence suggesting that 3D interaction could improve volume data analysis for a variety of visual analysis tasks. Our contribution is in the realm of 3D user interfaces tightly integrated with visualization, for improving the effectiveness of visual analysis of volume datasets. Based on our experience, we also provide some insights into hardware-agnostic principles for design of effective interaction techniques.

The Effect of Volume of Transaction On The Intention Towards Tax E-filing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aziz Saliza Abdul

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Volume of transaction is specifically referring to number of clients or return forms dealing by tax agents/preparers. This variable does play role even though there is less empirical evidence on this matter. This paper is basically to explore the effect of volume of transaction that could possibly influence the acceptance of tax e-filing system as it did in other areas of transaction i.e. court cases. Undoubtedly, it is proved to be significantly influenced the behavioural intention towards tax e-filing acceptability in Malaysia. The tax agents/preparers are randomly selected in this study from the list provided in the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM website. The responds are analysed via Partial Least Square (PLS method which produce the significant results among the low and high volume of transaction of tax e-filing which support the fact that volume does matter in the decision of acceptability of tax e-filing system in Malaysia.

Sample to moderator volume ratio effects in neutron yield from a PGNAA setup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naqvi, A.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM Box 1815, Dhahran-31261 (Saudi Arabia)]. E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa; Fazal-ur-Rehman [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM Box 1815, Dhahran-31261 (Saudi Arabia); Nagadi, M.M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM Box 1815, Dhahran-31261 (Saudi Arabia); Khateeb-ur-Rehman [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM Box 1815, Dhahran-31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2007-02-15

Performance of a prompt gamma ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) setup depends upon thermal neutron yield at the PGNAA sample location. For a moderator, which encloses a sample, thermal neutron intensity depends upon the effective moderator volume excluding the void volume due to sample volume. A rectangular moderator assembly has been designed for the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) PGNAA setup. The thermal and fast neutron yield has been measured inside the sample cavity as a function of its front moderator thickness using alpha particle tracks density and recoil proton track density inside the CR-39 nuclear track detectors (NTDs). The thermal/fast neutron yield ratio, obtained from the alpha particle tracks density to proton tracks density ratio in the NTDs, shows an inverse correlation with sample to moderator volume ratio. Comparison of the present results with the previously published results of smaller moderators of the KFUPM PGNAA setup confirms the observation.

The effect of varying plyometric volume on stretch-shortening cycle capability in collegiate male rugby players.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffreys, Mark; De Ste Croix, Mark; Lloyd, Rhodri S; Oliver, Jon L; Hughes, Jonathan

2017-03-25

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of low and high volume plyometric loads on developing stretch shortening cycle capability in collegiate rugby players. A between- group repeated measures design was used. Thirty six subjects (age 20.3 ±1.6 yrs, mass 91.63 ±10.36kg, stature 182.03 ±5.24cm) were randomly assigned to one of three groups, a control group (CG), a low volume plyometric group (LPG) or a high volume plyometric group (HPG). Data were collected from a force plate, and measures of reactive strength index (RSI) and leg stiffness were calculated from jump height, contact time and flight time. A significant between group × time (F = 4.01, P plyometric program. The low volume program elicited the same performance improvement in RSI as a high volume program whilst undertaking a lower dose. This suggests that strength and conditioning coaches may be able to benefit from the ability to develop more time efficient and effective plyometric programs.

Unexpected radionuclide uptake due to calcification in muscles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khier, A.

1999-01-01

Full text: A male patient aged 27 years was injected with 1000 MBq of 99 Tc m -MDP. The patient was an active man indulging in contact sport. He presented with lower back and pelvic pain. Spot pictures were made of the pelvis, lumbar spine and femurs. Unexpected active radionuclide uptake in the muscles was seen. In the delayed static images, there was focal accumulation of tracer uptake in the muscles overlying the mid-shaft of the left femur consistent with myositis ossificans. Myositis ossificans is a benign ossifying process that is generally solitary and well circumscribed. It is most commonly found in the muscles but it may occur in other connective tissues, especially tendons and subcutaneous fat. This was presumably associated with chronic muscular injuries contracted during sports activity

The Effect of Local Anesthetic Volume Within the Adductor Canal on Quadriceps Femoris Function Evaluated by Electromyography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grevstad, Ulrik; Jæger, Pia; Kløvgaard, Johan

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Single-injection adductor canal block (ACB) provides analgesia after knee surgery. Which nerves that are blocked by an ACB and what influence-if any-local anesthetic volume has on the effects remain undetermined. We hypothesized that effects on the nerve to the vastus medialis muscle......, they received a femoral nerve block and a placebo ACB. The effect on the vastus medialis (primary endpoint) and the vastus lateralis was evaluated using noninvasive electromyography (EMG). Quadriceps femoris muscle strength was evaluated using a dynamometer. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant......L was used (P = 0.0001). No statistically significant differences were found between volume and effect on the vastus lateralis (P = 0.81) or in muscle strength (P = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: For ACB, there is a positive correlation between local anesthetic volume and effect on the vastus medialis muscle. Despite...

EFFECT OF SITTING POSTURE ON THORACIC CONFIGURATION AND CHANGES IN VOLUME OF HEMITHORACES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shōbo A

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Poor posture is detrimental to breathing. Our purpose was to investigate the effect of upright and hunchbacked sitting on thoracic configuration and changes in the volume of the thorax during quiet and volitional deep breathing. Methods: The participants were 11 healthy men with a mean age of 21.6 years, mean body mass of 59.8 kg, mean height of 169.7 cm and a body mass index of 20.7 kg/m2. Eighty-four reflective markers were placed on the trunk. Three-dimensional motion analysis measured the volume within the hemithoraces. To calculate upper and lower thoracic volumes, six imaginary hexahedra were visualized using four reflective markers for each on both aspects of the thorax. Each hexahedron was divided into three imaginary triangular pyramids to calculate positional vectors. Finally, the volume for the hexahedra and triangular pyramids was calculated. Upper thoracic volume encompassed a space from the sternal notch to a midpoint on the ventral aspect of the third rib and the lower thoracic volume from the xiphoid process to the midpoint on tenth rib’s dorsal aspect. Results: In hunchbacked sitting during quiet breathing the left lower hemithorax yielded a significantly larger volume (p=0.003, and both breathing patterns during inspiration and expiration yielded a significantly greater change in thoracic configuration (p=0.01, p=0.016. Conclusion: Findings suggested that, in a hunchbacked sitting, there was decreased thoracic asymmetry with re-establishment of thoracic vertebral alignment, consequently stabilizing the sitting position, but breathing was suppressed and tidal volume decreased. Physiotherapy should aim at ensuring correction of hunchbacked posture and maintenance of thoracic symmetry.

Finite-volume and partial quenching effects in the magnetic polarizability of the neutron

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, J. M. M.; Leinweber, D. B.; Young, R. D.

2014-03-01

There has been much progress in the experimental measurement of the electric and magnetic polarizabilities of the nucleon. Similarly, lattice QCD simulations have recently produced dynamical QCD results for the magnetic polarizability of the neutron approaching the chiral regime. In order to compare the lattice simulations with experiment, calculation of partial quenching and finite-volume effects is required prior to an extrapolation in quark mass to the physical point. These dependencies are described using chiral effective field theory. Corrections to the partial quenching effects associated with the sea-quark-loop electric charges are estimated by modeling corrections to the pion cloud. These are compared to the uncorrected lattice results. In addition, the behavior of the finite-volume corrections as a function of pion mass is explored. Box sizes of approximately 7 fm are required to achieve a result within 5% of the infinite-volume result at the physical pion mass. A variety of extrapolations are shown at different box sizes, providing a benchmark to guide future lattice QCD calculations of the magnetic polarizabilities. A relatively precise value for the physical magnetic polarizability of the neutron is presented, βn=1.93(11)stat(11)sys×10-4 fm3, which is in agreement with current experimental results.

Ombud's Corner: unexpected turn in the conversation?

CERN Multimedia

Sudeshna Datta-Cockerill

2014-01-01

Regular informal conversations with colleagues play a very important part in weaving the fabric of team spirit. They allow us to build the working relationships that are vital to the success of our projects and to create an environment of good will that is instrumental in averting potential conflict or crises. However, sometimes they can come with unexpected surprises…   Eric and his colleagues always meet on Monday mornings to have coffee together, before starting the working week. This is a very privileged moment for the team when there are no formal barriers or professional concerns: Mary may talk about a film that she saw at the weekend, Eric often goes hiking in the Jura with his friend Stefan, Hans has always got a story about his son’s prowess on the school football team and occasionally there is a bit of special news such as Louisa’s recent marriage, Pierre’s baby’s christening or Claude’s daughter’s graduation&...

Estimating traffic volume on Wyoming low volume roads using linear and logistic regression methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dick Apronti

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Traffic volume is an important parameter in most transportation planning applications. Low volume roads make up about 69% of road miles in the United States. Estimating traffic on the low volume roads is a cost-effective alternative to taking traffic counts. This is because traditional traffic counts are expensive and impractical for low priority roads. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of two alternative means of cost-effectively estimating traffic volumes for low volume roads in Wyoming and to make recommendations for their implementation. The study methodology involves reviewing existing studies, identifying data sources, and carrying out the model development. The utility of the models developed were then verified by comparing actual traffic volumes to those predicted by the model. The study resulted in two regression models that are inexpensive and easy to implement. The first regression model was a linear regression model that utilized pavement type, access to highways, predominant land use types, and population to estimate traffic volume. In verifying the model, an R2 value of 0.64 and a root mean square error of 73.4% were obtained. The second model was a logistic regression model that identified the level of traffic on roads using five thresholds or levels. The logistic regression model was verified by estimating traffic volume thresholds and determining the percentage of roads that were accurately classified as belonging to the given thresholds. For the five thresholds, the percentage of roads classified correctly ranged from 79% to 88%. In conclusion, the verification of the models indicated both model types to be useful for accurate and cost-effective estimation of traffic volumes for low volume Wyoming roads. The models developed were recommended for use in traffic volume estimations for low volume roads in pavement management and environmental impact assessment studies.

Rural families' interpretations of experiencing unexpected transition in the wake of a natural disaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Gisele Cristina Manfrini; Boehs, Astrid Eggert; Denham, Sharon A; Nitschke, Rosane Gonçalves; Martini, Jussara Gue

2017-02-13

Natural disasters affect populations in various parts of the world. The impacts of disasters can cause many problems to the health of people and disruption to family life, potentially leading to an unexpected transition. The objective of this paper is to present the unexpected transitional experiences of rural families following a natural disaster. A multiple case study of six families was conducted with children and adolescents in a rural area affected by a 2008 disaster in southern Brazil. For data collection, we used participant observation, narrative interviews, genograms, ecomaps and an instrument called calendar routine. The analysis of the data resulted in different family interpretations about the changes resulting from the storm and compared life before and after the disaster. The loss of homes and loved ones, migration, unemployment, and losses from the farm were the main changes associated with new development tasks. The experiences of family transition after the disaster revealed that losses influenced social lives, daily routines and the preservation of cultural values.

Preferential effects of low volume versus high volume replacement with crystalloid fluid in a hemorrhagic shock model in pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponschab, Martin; Schöchl, Herbert; Keibl, Claudia; Fischer, Henrik; Redl, Heinz; Schlimp, Christoph J

2015-10-06

Fluid resuscitation is a core stone of hemorrhagic shock therapy, and crystalloid fluids seem to be associated with lower mortality compared to colloids. However, as redistribution starts within minutes, it has been suggested to replace blood loss with a minimum of a three-fold amount of crystalloids. The hypothesis was that in comparison to high volume (HV), a lower crystalloid volume (LV) achieves a favorable coagulation profile and exerts sufficient haemodynamics in the acute phase of resuscitation. In 24 anaesthetized pigs, controlled arterial blood loss of 50 % of the estimated blood volume was either (n = 12) replaced with a LV (one-fold) or a HV (three-fold) volume of a balanced, acetated crystalloid solution at room temperature. Hemodynamic parameters, dilution effects and coagulation profile by standard coagulation tests and thromboelastometry at baseline and after resuscitation were determined in both groups. LV resuscitation increased MAP significantly less compared to the HV, 61 ± 7 vs. 82 ± 14 mmHg (p controlled blood loss, a one fold LV crystalloid replacement strategy is sufficient to adequately raise blood pressure up to a mean arterial pressure >50 mm Hg. The concept of damage control resuscitation (DCR) with permissive hypotension may be better met by using LV as compared to a three fold HV resuscitation strategy. High volume administration of an acetated balanced crystalloid does not lead to hyperchloraemic acidosis, but may negatively influence clinical parameters, such as higher blood pressure, lower body temperature and impaired coagulation parameters, which could potentially increase bleeding after trauma. Replacement of acute blood loss with just an equal amount of an acetated balanced crystalloid appears to be the preferential treatment strategy in the acute phase after controlled bleeding.

The Effect of Volume of Transaction On The Intention Towards Tax E-filing

OpenAIRE

Aziz Saliza Abdul; Idris Kamil Md

2017-01-01

Volume of transaction is specifically referring to number of clients or return forms dealing by tax agents/preparers. This variable does play role even though there is less empirical evidence on this matter. This paper is basically to explore the effect of volume of transaction that could possibly influence the acceptance of tax e-filing system as it did in other areas of transaction i.e. court cases. Undoubtedly, it is proved to be significantly influenced the behavioural intention towards t...

Effect of topical ophthalmic epinastine and olopatadine on tear volume in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Villareal, Arturo L; Farley, William; Pflugfelder, Stephen C

2006-12-01

To investigate the effects of topical epinastine and olopatadine on tear volume by using a mouse model. Eighty-five C57BL6 mice (170 eyes) were treated twice daily with topical ophthalmic epinastine 0.05%, olopatadine 0.1%, or atropine 1% or served as untreated controls. A thread-wetting assay was used to measure tear volume at baseline and 15, 45, 90, 120, and 240 minutes after the last instillation of the drug on days 2 and 4 of treatment. After 2 days of treatment, epinastine-treated mice showed greater mean tear volumes than olopatadine-treated mice did at 15, 45, 90, and 240 minutes, with statistical significance at 15 and 45 minutes (Placrimal functional unit, epinastine may be an especially good choice for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in patients with dry eye disease or in those who are at risk for developing dry eye.

An unexpected cause of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in a kidney transplant patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlageter, Manuel; Jahn, Kathleen D; Tzankov, Alexandar; Wiese, Mark; Bubendorf, Lukas; Tamm, Michael; Savic, Spasenija

2014-01-01

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a life-threatening condition requiring urgent treatment. There are many different treatment-relevant causes of DAH, making the diagnostic approach to these patients complex and necessitating a multidisciplinary team. We report the case of a kidney transplant recipient in whom all diagnostic efforts did not reveal the cause of DAH, and only autopsy was able to establish an unexpected diagnosis. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Measurement of hepatic volume and effective blood flow with radioactive colloids: Evaluation of development in liver diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, M.; Uchino, H.; Kyoto Univ.

1982-01-01

Changes in hepatic volume and the blood flow effectively perfusing the liver parenchyma were studied as an assessment of the severity of liver diseases. Hepatic effective blood flow was estimated as the hepatic fractional clearance of radioactive colloids, obtained from the disappearance rate multiplied by the fraction of injected dose taken up by the liver. The hepatic fractional clearance was normal or not markedly decreased in patients with acute hepatitis which had developed favorably, but was severely decreased in patients with fulminant hepatitis. In liver diseases, the ratio of hepatic volume to fractional clearance was found to increase as the clearance decreased. In subjects with normal clearance, hepatic fractional clearance was correlated significantly with liver volume, indicating that hepatic effective blood flow is proportional to parenchymal volume in an unanesthetized, resting state. In biopsied cases changes in volume and blood flow accorded well with changes indicated by morphological criteria. In chronic persistent hepatitis, effective hepatic blood flow is not diminished. However, hepatic blood flow were observed between the cirrhosis or chronic aggressive hepatitis, and normal control groups. Extension of chronic inflammatory infiltration into the parenchyma distinguishes chronic aggressive hepatitis from chronic persistent hepatitis. Architecture is often disturbed in the former. These changes should be accompanied by disturbance of microcirculation. The present study indicates that the decrease in effective hepatic blood flow in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis has two aspects: one is a summation of microcirculatory disturbances, and the other is a decrease in liver cell mass. (orig.)

Orbitofrontal cortex volumes in medication naïve children with major depressive disorder: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hua-Hsuan; Rosenberg, David R; MacMaster, Frank P; Easter, Philip C; Caetano, Sheila C; Nicoletti, Mark; Hatch, John P; Nery, Fabiano G; Soares, Jair C

2008-12-01

Adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) are reported to have reduced orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) volumes, which could be related to decreased neuronal density. We conducted a study on medication naïve children with MDD to determine whether abnormalities of OFC are present early in the illness course. Twenty seven medication naïve pediatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4(th) edition (DSM-IV) MDD patients (mean age +/- SD = 14.4 +/- 2.2 years; 10 males) and 26 healthy controls (mean age +/- SD = 14.4 +/- 2.4 years; 12 males) underwent a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 3D spoiled gradient recalled acquisition. The OFC volumes were compared using analysis of covariance with age, gender, and total brain volume as covariates. There was no significant difference in either total OFC volume or total gray matter OFC volume between MDD patients and healthy controls. Exploratory analysis revealed that patients had unexpectedly larger total right lateral (F = 4.2, df = 1, 48, p = 0.05) and right lateral gray matter (F = 4.6, df = 1, 48, p = 0.04) OFC volumes compared to healthy controls, but this finding was not significant following statistical correction for multiple comparisons. No other OFC subregions showed a significant difference. The lack of OFC volume abnormalities in pediatric MDD patients suggests the abnormalities previously reported for adults may develop later in life as a result of neural cell loss.

Socioeconomic effects of the DOE Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant. Volume 2: appendices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

Volume 2 contains 18 appendices: schools; fire protection; law enforcement; water and sewer systems; solid waste; health care; transportation; recreation; labor force; economic effects; finance; school finance; bibliography; contacts; project methodology; service impacts; reference tables; and response to comments

75 FR 67013 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Resulting from Violence in Kyrgyzstan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... August 26, 2010 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Resulting from Violence in Kyrgyzstan... laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of... amount not to exceed $9.5 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund...

Differences in investigations of sudden unexpected deaths in young people in a nationwide setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winkel, Bo Gregers; Holst, Anders Gaarsdal; Theilade, Juliane

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Inherited disease may be causative in many young sudden unexpected death cases. Autopsy is essential in the counselling of the bereaved, as the family of the victim may be at risk too. In a nationwide setting operating under the same set of laws, we hypothesized that regional differen...

Volume Attenuation and High Frequency Loss as Auditory Depth Cues in Stereoscopic 3D Cinema

Science.gov (United States)

Manolas, Christos; Pauletto, Sandra

2014-09-01

Assisted by the technological advances of the past decades, stereoscopic 3D (S3D) cinema is currently in the process of being established as a mainstream form of entertainment. The main focus of this collaborative effort is placed on the creation of immersive S3D visuals. However, with few exceptions, little attention has been given so far to the potential effect of the soundtrack on such environments. The potential of sound both as a means to enhance the impact of the S3D visual information and to expand the S3D cinematic world beyond the boundaries of the visuals is large. This article reports on our research into the possibilities of using auditory depth cues within the soundtrack as a means of affecting the perception of depth within cinematic S3D scenes. We study two main distance-related auditory cues: high-end frequency loss and overall volume attenuation. A series of experiments explored the effectiveness of these auditory cues. Results, although not conclusive, indicate that the studied auditory cues can influence the audience judgement of depth in cinematic 3D scenes, sometimes in unexpected ways. We conclude that 3D filmmaking can benefit from further studies on the effectiveness of specific sound design techniques to enhance S3D cinema.

75 FR 34617 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Somalia and Food Pipeline Breaks for...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-18

... unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population...

On the volume of cremated remains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harvig, Lise Lock; Lynnerup, Niels

2013-01-01

Harvig, L., Lynnerup, N. 2013. On the effective volume of prehistoric cremains - a comparative study of cremated bone volume measured manually and assessed by Computed Tomography. Journal of Archaeological Science 40, p. 2713–2722.......Harvig, L., Lynnerup, N. 2013. On the effective volume of prehistoric cremains - a comparative study of cremated bone volume measured manually and assessed by Computed Tomography. Journal of Archaeological Science 40, p. 2713–2722....

Effect of Vitamin C on the packed cell volume of trypanosome ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This research was interested in using nutrient in the amelioration of trypanosomiasis which is one of the most endemic diseases of livestock. The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Vitamin C on the Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of Trypanosoma brucei infected rats. Twenty albino rats (Rattus novegicus) were used.

Sudden Unexpected Death During Sleep in Familial Dysautonomia: A Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Palma, Jose-Alberto; Norcliffe-Kaufmann, Lucy; Perez, Miguel A; Spalink, Christy L; Kaufmann, Horacio

2017-08-01

Sudden unexpected death during sleep (SUDS) is the most common cause of death in patients with familial dysautonomia (FD), an autosomal recessive disease characterized by sensory and autonomic dysfunction. It remains unknown what causes SUDS in these patients and who is at highest risk. We tested the hypothesis that SUDS in FD is linked to sleep-disordered breathing. We retrospectively identified patients with FD who died suddenly and unexpectedly during sleep and had undergone polysomnography within the 18-month period before death. For each case, we sampled one age-matched surviving subject with FD that had also undergone polysomnography within the 18-month period before study. Data on polysomnography, EKG, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, arterial blood gases, blood count, and metabolic panel were analyzed. Thirty-two deceased cases and 31 surviving controls were included. Autopsy was available in six cases. Compared with controls, participants with SUDS were more likely to be receiving treatment with fludrocortisone (odds ratio [OR]; 95% confidence interval) (OR 29.7; 4.1-213.4), have untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OR 17.4; 1.5-193), and plasma potassium levels Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Risk adjustment for case mix and the effect of surgeon volume on morbidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Maas, Matthew B; Jaff, Michael R; Rordorf, Guy A

2013-06-01

Retrospective studies of large administrative databases have shown higher mortality for procedures performed by low-volume surgeons, but the adequacy of risk adjustment in those studies is in doubt. To determine whether the relationship between surgeon volume and outcomes is an artifact of case mix using a prospective sample of carotid endarterectomy cases. Observational cohort study from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010, with preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 30-day postoperative assessments acquired by independent monitors. Urban, tertiary academic medical center. All 841 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy performed by a vascular surgeon or cerebrovascular neurosurgeon at the institution. Carotid endarterectomy without another concurrent surgery. Stroke, death, and other surgical complications occurring within 30 days of surgery along with other case data. A low-volume surgeon performed 40 or fewer cases per year. Variables used in a comparison administrative database study, as well as variables identified by our univariate analysis, were used for adjusted analyses to assess for an association between low-volume surgeons and the rate of stroke and death as well as other complications. RESULTS The rate of stroke and death was 6.9% for low-volume surgeons and 2.0% for high-volume surgeons (P = .001). Complications were similarly higher (13.4% vs 7.2%, P = .008). Low-volume surgeons performed more nonelective cases. Low-volume surgeons were significantly associated with stroke and death in the unadjusted analysis as well as after adjustment with variables used in the administrative database study (odds ratio, 3.61; 95% CI, 1.70-7.67, and odds ratio, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.72-7.89, respectively). However, adjusting for the significant disparity of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification in case mix eliminated the effect of surgeon volume on the rate of stroke and death (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.59-4.64) and other

Analysis of Partial Volume Effects on Arterial Input Functions Using Gradient Echo: A Simulation Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjølby, Birgitte Fuglsang; Mikkelsen, Irene Klærke; Pedersen, Michael

2009-01-01

of an AIF voxel including the relaxation properties of blood and tissue. Artery orientations parallel and perpendicular to the main magnetic field were investigated and AIF voxels were modeled to either include or be situated close to a large artery. The impact of partial volume effects on quantitative...... perfusion metrics was investigated for the gradient echo pulse sequence at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. It is shown that the tissue contribution broadens and introduces fluctuations in the AIF. Furthermore, partial volume effects bias perfusion metrics in a nonlinear fashion, compromising quantitative perfusion...

Nuclear fission - the unexpected discovery seventy years ago

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weis, Michael

2008-01-01

Seventy years ago, on December 17, 1938, Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassmann discovered nuclear fission. It was a serendipitous discovery resulting from the consistent pursuit, for many years, of occasionally unexpected radiochemical experimental findings. Hardly any other scientific discovery has had such direct bearing on our life, changing our view of the world. It over-threw the tenet of physics, believed to be incontestable, that the atom was indivisible. The use of nuclear power it has made possible has given rise to immense benefits, but it has also allowed mankind's most dreadful weapon so far to be developed. All this is ample reason seventy years later to recall the discovery, the discoverers and their times. It will also be shown what later generations have made of this discovery, and what economic and ecological prospects it continues to hold. (orig.)

Subclinical hyperthyroidism and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Scorza, Fulvio A; Arida, Ricardo M; Cysneiros, Roberta M; Terra, Vera C; de Albuquerque, Marly; Machado, Hélio R; Cavalheiro, Esper A

2010-04-01

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most important direct epilepsy-related cause of death. Information concerning risk factors for SUDEP is conflicting, but high seizure frequency is a potential risk factor. Additionally, potential pathomechanisms for SUDEP are unknown, but it is very probable that cardiac arrhythmias during and between seizures or transmission of epileptic activity to the heart via the autonomic nervous system potentially play a role. In parallel, several studies have shown a link between hormones and epilepsy. However, exact knowledge regarding the association of thyroid hormones and epilepsy is lacking. As subclinical hyperthyroidism has been linked with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, we propose in this paper that SUDEP, at least in some cases, could be related with subclinical thyroid dysfunction. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structures of Rotavirus Reassortants Demonstrate Correlation of Altered Conformation of the VP4 Spike and Expression of Unexpected VP4-Associated Phenotypes

Science.gov (United States)

Pesavento, Joseph B.; Billingsley, Angela M.; Roberts, Ed J.; Ramig, Robert F.; Prasad, B. V. Venkataram

2003-01-01

Numerous prior studies have indicated that viable rotavirus reassortants containing structural proteins of heterologous parental origin may express unexpected phenotypes, such as changes in infectivity and immunogenicity. To provide a structural basis for alterations in phenotypic expression, a three-dimensional structural analysis of these reassortants was conducted. The structures of the reassortants show that while VP4 generally maintains the parental structure when moved to a heterologous protein background, in certain reassortants, there are subtle alterations in the conformation of VP4. The alterations in VP4 conformation correlated with expression of unexpected VP4-associated phenotypes. Interactions between heterologous VP4 and VP7 in reassortants expressing unexpected phenotypes appeared to induce the conformational alterations seen in VP4. PMID:12584352

Multi-Periodic Photonic Hyper-Crystals: Volume Plasmon Polaritons and the Purcell Effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Babicheva, Viktoriia; Iorsh, I. V.; Orlov, A. A.

2014-01-01

We theoretically demonstrate superior degree of control over volume plasmon polariton propagation and the Purcell effect in multi-period (4-layer unit cell) plasmonic multilayers, which can be viewed as multiscale hyperbolic metamaterials or multi-periodic photonic hyper-crystals. © 2014 OSA....

Sunburn as a Cause of Unexpected Neutrophilia in a Healthy Pregnant Woman

OpenAIRE

Harper, Robert

2018-01-01

Background. Neutrophilia has a broad differential diagnosis and represents a systemic response to an infection or other inflammatory pathologies. Case. A 31-year-old woman, Gravida 3, Para 2 at 28 weeks of gestation, presented to the day assessment unit following routine blood tests that showed an unexpected marked neutrophilia. The underlying cause of the neutrophilia was sunburn. The sunburn recovered and her neutrophil count spontaneously normalised. Conclusion. Clinicians can add sunburn ...

Dynamic Asset Allocation Strategies Based on Volatility, Unexpected Volatility and Financial Turbulence

OpenAIRE

Grimsrud, David Borkner

2015-01-01

Masteroppgave økonomi og administrasjon- Universitetet i Agder, 2015 This master thesis looks at unexpected volatility- and financial turbulence’s predictive ability, and exploit these measures of financial risk, together with volatility, to create three dynamic asset allocation strategies, and test if they can outperform a passive and naively diversified buy-and-hold strategy. The idea with the dynamic strategies is to increase the portfolio return by keeping the portfolio risk at a low a...

Epilepsy and risk of death and sudden unexpected death in the young

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst, Anders Gaarsdal; Winkel, Bo Gregers; Risgaard, Bjarke

2013-01-01

Patients with epilepsy are at increased risk of premature death from all causes and likely also from sudden unexplained death (SUD). Many patients with epilepsy have significant comorbidity, and it is unclear how much of the increased risk can be explained by epilepsy itself. We aimed to chart...... the incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and estimate the risk of death from all causes and SUD conferred by epilepsy independently....

Just Roll with It? Rolling Volumes vs. Discrete Issues in Open Access Library and Information Science Journals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill Cirasella

2013-08-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION Articles in open access (OA journals can be published on a rolling basis, as they become ready, or in complete, discrete issues. This study examines the prevalence of and reasons for rolling volumes vs. discrete issues among scholarly OA library and information science (LIS journals based in the United States. METHODS A survey was distributed to journal editors, asking them about their publication model and their reasons for and satisfaction with that model. RESULTS Of the 21 responding journals, 12 publish in discrete issues, eight publish in rolling volumes, and one publishes in rolling volumes with an occasional special issue. Almost all editors, regardless of model, cited ease of workflow as a justification for their chosen publication model, suggesting that there is no single best workflow for all journals. However, while all rolling-volume editors reported being satisfied with their model, satisfaction was less universal among discrete-issue editors. DISCUSSION The unexpectedly high number of rolling-volume journals suggests that LIS journal editors are making forward-looking choices about publication models even though the topic has not been much addressed in the library literature. Further research is warranted; possibilities include expanding the study’s geographic scope, broadening the study to other disciplines, and investigating publication model trends across the entire scholarly OA universe. CONCLUSION Both because satisfaction is high among editors of rolling-volume journals and because readers and authors appreciate quick publication times, the rolling-volume model will likely become even more prevalent in coming years.

Unexpected persistence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the faecal microbiota of hospitalised patients treated with imipenem.

Science.gov (United States)

Grall, N; Lazarevic, V; Gaïa, N; Couffignal, C; Laouénan, C; Ilic-Habensus, E; Wieder, I; Plesiat, P; Angebault, C; Bougnoux, M E; Armand-Lefevre, L; Andremont, A; Duval, X; Schrenzel, J

2017-07-01

Imipenem is active against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) but favours the intestinal emergence of resistance. The effects of imipenem on intestinal microbiota have been studied using culture-based techniques. In this study, the effects were investigated in patients using culture and metagenomic techniques. Seventeen hospitalised adults receiving imipenem were included in a multicentre study (NCT01703299, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov). Most patients had a history of antibiotic use and/or hospitalisation. Stools were collected before, during and after imipenem treatment. Bacterial and fungal colonisation was assessed by culture, and microbiota changes were assessed using metagenomics. Unexpectedly, high colonisation rates by imipenem-susceptible ESBL-E before treatment (70.6%) remained stable over time, suggesting that imipenem intestinal concentrations were very low. Carriage rates of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (0-25.0%) were also stable over time, whereas those of yeasts (64.7% before treatment) peaked at 76.5% during treatment and decreased thereafter. However, these trends were not statistically significant. Yeasts included highly diverse colonising Candida spp. Metagenomics showed no global effect of imipenem on the bacterial taxonomic profiles at the sequencing depth used but demonstrated specific changes in the microbiota not detected with culture, attributed to factors other than imipenem, including sampling site or treatment with other antibiotics. In conclusion, culture and metagenomics were highly complementary in characterising the faecal microbiota of patients. The changes observed during imipenem treatment were unexpectedly limited, possibly because the microbiota was already disturbed by previous antibiotic exposure or hospitalisation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of incidental or unexpected findings on low-dose CT performed during routine SPECT/CT nuclear medicine studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yap, Kelvin Kwok-Ho; Sutherland, Tom; Shafik-Eid, Raymond; Taubman, Kim; Schlicht, Stephen; Ramaseshan, Ganeshan

2015-01-01

In nuclear medicine, single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) is often combined with ‘simultaneous’ low-dose CT (LDCT) to provide complementary anatomical and functional correlation. As a consequence, numerous incidental and unexpected findings may be detected on LDCT. Recognition of these findings and appropriate determination of their relevance can add to the utility of SPECT/CT. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and categorise the relevance of incidental and unexpected findings on LDCT scans performed as part of routine SPECT/CT studies. All available LDCT scans performed as part of SPECT/CT studies at St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in the year 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Two qualified radiologists independently reviewed the studies and any previous available imaging and categorised any detected incidental findings. A total of 2447 LDCT studies were reviewed. The relevance of the findings was classified according to a modified version of a scale used in the Colonography Reporting and Data System: E1 = normal or normal variant (28.0%); E2 = clinically unimportant (63.5%); E3 = likely unimportant or incompletely characterised (6.2%); E4 = potentially important (2.5%). Imaging specialists need to be cognisant of incidental and unexpected findings present on LDCT studies performed as part of SPECT/CT. Appropriate categorisation of findings and communication of potentially important findings to referring clinicians should form part of routine practice. The overall prevalence of potentially significant incidental and unexpected findings in our series was 8.7% (E3, 6.2%; E4, 2.5%) and was comparable to rates in other published imaging series.

Potential problems of removing one invasive species at a time: a meta-analysis of the interactions between invasive vertebrates and unexpected effects of removal programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastián A. Ballari

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Although the co-occurrence of nonnative vertebrates is a ubiquitous global phenomenon, the study of interactions between invaders is poorly represented in the literature. Limited understanding of the interactions between co-occurring vertebrates can be problematic for predicting how the removal of only one invasive—a common management scenario—will affect native communities. We suggest a trophic food web framework for predicting the effects of single-species management on native biodiversity. We used a literature search and meta-analysis to assess current understanding of how the removal of one invasive vertebrate affects native biodiversity relative to when two invasives are present. The majority of studies focused on the removal of carnivores, mainly within aquatic systems, which highlights a critical knowledge gap in our understanding of co-occurring invasive vertebrates. We found that removal of one invasive vertebrate caused a significant negative effect on native species compared to when two invasive vertebrates were present. These unexpected results could arise because of the positioning and hierarchy of the co-occurring invasives in the food web (e.g., carnivore–carnivore or carnivore–herbivore. We consider that there are important knowledge gaps to determinate the effects of multiple co-existing invaders on native ecosystems, and this information could be precious for management.

Potential problems of removing one invasive species at a time: a meta-analysis of the interactions between invasive vertebrates and unexpected effects of removal programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballari, Sebastián A; Kuebbing, Sara E; Nuñez, Martin A

2016-01-01

Although the co-occurrence of nonnative vertebrates is a ubiquitous global phenomenon, the study of interactions between invaders is poorly represented in the literature. Limited understanding of the interactions between co-occurring vertebrates can be problematic for predicting how the removal of only one invasive-a common management scenario-will affect native communities. We suggest a trophic food web framework for predicting the effects of single-species management on native biodiversity. We used a literature search and meta-analysis to assess current understanding of how the removal of one invasive vertebrate affects native biodiversity relative to when two invasives are present. The majority of studies focused on the removal of carnivores, mainly within aquatic systems, which highlights a critical knowledge gap in our understanding of co-occurring invasive vertebrates. We found that removal of one invasive vertebrate caused a significant negative effect on native species compared to when two invasive vertebrates were present. These unexpected results could arise because of the positioning and hierarchy of the co-occurring invasives in the food web (e.g., carnivore-carnivore or carnivore-herbivore). We consider that there are important knowledge gaps to determinate the effects of multiple co-existing invaders on native ecosystems, and this information could be precious for management.

Isotropic non-white matter partial volume effects in constrained spherical deconvolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timo eRoine

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Diffusion-weighted (DW magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is a noninvasive imaging method, which can be used to investigate neural tracts in the white matter (WM of the brain. Significant partial volume effects (PVE are present in the DW signal due to relatively large voxel sizes. These PVEs can be caused by both non-WM tissue, such as gray matter (GM and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, and by multiple nonparallel WM fiber populations. High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI methods have been developed to correctly characterize complex WM fiber configurations, but to date, many of the HARDI methods do not account for non-WM PVEs. In this work, we investigated the isotropic PVEs caused by non-WM tissue in WM voxels on fiber orientations extracted with constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD. Experiments were performed on simulated and real DW-MRI data. In particular, simulations were performed to demonstrate the effects of varying the diffusion weightings, signal-to-noise ratios (SNR, fiber configurations, and tissue fractions.Our results show that the presence of non-WM tissue signal causes a decrease in the precision of the detected fiber orientations and an increase in the detection of false peaks in CSD. We estimated 35-50 % of WM voxels to be affected by non-WM PVEs. For HARDI sequences, which typically have a relatively high degree of diffusion weighting, these adverse effects are most pronounced in voxels with GM PVEs. The non-WM PVEs become severe with 50 % GM volume for maximum spherical harmonics orders of 8 and below, and already with 25 % GM volume for higher orders. In addition, a low diffusion weighting or SNR increases the effects. The non-WM PVEs may cause problems in connectomics, where reliable fiber tracking at the WM-GM interface is especially important. We suggest acquiring data with high diffusion-weighting 2500-3000 s/mm2, reasonable SNR (~30 and using lower SH orders in GM contaminated regions to minimize the non-WM PVEs

Isotropic non-white matter partial volume effects in constrained spherical deconvolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Roine, Timo; Jeurissen, Ben; Perrone, Daniele; Aelterman, Jan; Leemans, Alexander; Philips, Wilfried; Sijbers, Jan

2014-01-01

Diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging method, which can be used to investigate neural tracts in the white matter (WM) of the brain. Significant partial volume effects (PVEs) are present in the DW signal due to relatively large voxel sizes. These PVEs can be caused by both non-WM tissue, such as gray matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and by multiple non-parallel WM fiber populations. High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) methods have been developed to correctly characterize complex WM fiber configurations, but to date, many of the HARDI methods do not account for non-WM PVEs. In this work, we investigated the isotropic PVEs caused by non-WM tissue in WM voxels on fiber orientations extracted with constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD). Experiments were performed on simulated and real DW-MRI data. In particular, simulations were performed to demonstrate the effects of varying the diffusion weightings, signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), fiber configurations, and tissue fractions. Our results show that the presence of non-WM tissue signal causes a decrease in the precision of the detected fiber orientations and an increase in the detection of false peaks in CSD. We estimated 35-50% of WM voxels to be affected by non-WM PVEs. For HARDI sequences, which typically have a relatively high degree of diffusion weighting, these adverse effects are most pronounced in voxels with GM PVEs. The non-WM PVEs become severe with 50% GM volume for maximum spherical harmonics orders of 8 and below, and already with 25% GM volume for higher orders. In addition, a low diffusion weighting or SNR increases the effects. The non-WM PVEs may cause problems in connectomics, where reliable fiber tracking at the WM-GM interface is especially important. We suggest acquiring data with high diffusion-weighting 2500-3000 s/mm(2), reasonable SNR (~30) and using lower SH orders in GM contaminated regions to minimize the non-WM PVEs in CSD.

Effect of routine preoperative fasting on residual gastric volume and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-02-10

Feb 10, 2016 ... Key words: Fasting, myomectomy, pH, residual gastric volume. Date of Acceptance: ... gastric volume and acid in patients undergoing myomectomy. Niger J Clin ..... of gastric residual volume: A simulated, controlled study.

Unexpected storm-time nightside plasmaspheric density enhancement at low L shell

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, X.; Bortnik, J.; Denton, R. E.; Yue, C.

2017-12-01

We have developed a three-dimensional dynamic electron density (DEN3D) model in the inner magnetosphere using a neural network approach. The DEN3D model can provide spatiotemporal distribution of the electron density at any location and time that spacecraft observations are not available. Given DEN3D's good performance in predicting the structure and dynamic evolution of the plasma density, the salient features of the DEN3D model can be used to gain further insight into the physics. For instance, the DEN3D models can be used to find unusual phenomena that are difficult to detect in observations or simulations. We report, for the first time, an unexpected plasmaspheric density increase at low L shell regions on the nightside during the main phase of a moderate storm during 12-16 October 2004, as opposed to the expected density decrease due to storm-time plasmaspheric erosion. The unexpected density increase is first discovered in the modeled electron density distribution using the DEN3D model, and then validated using in-situ density measurements obtained from the IMAGE satellite. The density increase was likely caused by increased earthward transverse field plasma transport due to enhanced nightside ExB drift, which coincided with enhanced solar wind electric field and substorm activity. This is consistent with the results of physics-based simulation SAMI3 model which show earthward enhanced plasma transport and electron density increase at low L shells during storm main phase.

The longitudinal effect of ejaculation on seminal vesicle fluid volume and whole-prostate ADC as measured on prostate MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrett, Tristan; Gallagher, Ferdia A. [Addenbrooke' s Hospital and University of Cambridge, Department of Radiology, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Addenbrooke' s Hospital and University of Cambridge, CamPARI Clinic, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Tanner, James; Gill, Andrew B.; Slough, Rhys A. [Addenbrooke' s Hospital and University of Cambridge, Department of Radiology, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Wason, James [University of Cambridge, MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge (United Kingdom)

2017-12-15

To prospectively investigate the longitudinal effect of ejaculatory abstinence on MRI-measured seminal vesicle (SV) volume and whole-prostate ADC over consecutive days. 15 healthy male volunteers (mean 35.9 years, range 27-53) underwent 3-T MRI at baseline and 1, 2 and 3 days post-ejaculation. Prostate and SV volumes were derived by volume segmentation and whole-gland apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values calculated. A mixed-effects linear regression compared ADC values and prostate/seminal vesicle volumes in each volunteer between studies in a pairwise manner. All subjects completed the four MRIs. Mean prostate volume was 22.45 cm{sup 3} (range 13.04-31.21 cm{sup 3}), with no change between the four studies (p = 0.89-0.99). 13/15 subjects showed SV volume reduction from baseline to day 1, with group-mean decreasing from 6.45 to 4.80 cm{sup 3} (-25.6%, p < 0.001), and a significant reduction from baseline to day 2 (-18.1%, p = 0.002). There was a significant volume increase from both day 1 (+21.3%, p = 0.006) and day 2 (+10.2%, p = 0.022) to day 3 post-ejaculation. There was a significant reduction in ADC from 1.105 at baseline to 1.056 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s at day 1 (mean -4.3%, p = 0.009). The longitudinal effect of ejaculation on SV volume was demonstrated. Significant reductions in SV volume and whole-gland ADC were observed post-ejaculation, supporting a 3-day period of abstinence before prostate MRI. (orig.)

The unexpected in primary care: a multicenter study on the emergence of unvoiced patient agenda.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peltenburg, M.; Fischer, J.E.; Bahrs, O.; Dulmen, S. van; Brink-Muinen, A. van den

2004-01-01

PURPOSE: Within the time constraints of a typical physician-patient encounter, the full patient agenda will rarely be voiced. Unexpectedly revealed issues that were neither on the patient's list of items for discussion nor anticipated by the physician constitute an emerging agenda. We aimed to

A case-crossover analyses of fine particulate matter and out-of-hospital sudden unexpected death

Science.gov (United States)

Out-of-hospital sudden unexpected deaths (OHSUD) are natural deaths that occur without obvious underlying causes and account for nearly 1 in 6 deaths in the United States. Ambient air pollution is known to be causally related to overall mortality, therefore, we hypothesized that ...

3 CFR - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents... to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested...

Unexpected Relationships and Inbreeding in HapMap Phase III Populations

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Eric L.; Baugher, Joseph D.; Shirley, Matthew D.; Frelin, Laurence P.; Pevsner, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Correct annotation of the genetic relationships between samples is essential for population genomic studies, which could be biased by errors or omissions. To this end, we used identity-by-state (IBS) and identity-by-descent (IBD) methods to assess genetic relatedness of individuals within HapMap phase III data. We analyzed data from 1,397 individuals across 11 ethnic populations. Our results support previous studies (Pemberton et al., 2010; Kyriazopoulou-Panagiotopoulou et al., 2011) assessing unknown relatedness present within this population. Additionally, we present evidence for 1,657 novel pairwise relationships across 9 populations. Surprisingly, significant Cotterman's coefficients of relatedness K1 (IBD1) values were detected between pairs of known parents. Furthermore, significant K2 (IBD2) values were detected in 32 previously annotated parent-child relationships. Consistent with a hypothesis of inbreeding, regions of homozygosity (ROH) were identified in the offspring of related parents, of which a subset overlapped those reported in previous studies (Gibson et al. 2010; Johnson et al. 2011). In total, we inferred 28 inbred individuals with ROH that overlapped areas of relatedness between the parents and/or IBD2 sharing at a different genomic locus between a child and a parent. Finally, 8 previously annotated parent-child relationships had unexpected K0 (IBD0) values (resulting from a chromosomal abnormality or genotype error), and 10 previously annotated second-degree relationships along with 38 other novel pairwise relationships had unexpected IBD2 (indicating two separate paths of recent ancestry). These newly described types of relatedness may impact the outcome of previous studies and should inform the design of future studies relying on the HapMap Phase III resource. PMID:23185369

Unexpected findings of a female team in Xochimilco, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Salgado, C

1999-01-01

This is a reflection about the methodological circumstances that led the author to certain unexpected information during the course of a qualitative approach to the perception of health problems of a group of poor families in the south of Mexico City. Special attention is paid to the influence of the research team composition (four women with different professional backgrounds, ages, marital statuses, and styles of personal interaction) and the psychoanalytic technique that influenced the study. The inclusion of people of different ages, professions, and personality traits proved extremely valuable both as a means of widening the possibilities for empathetic relations between the research group and the population studied and for increasing the shades of meaning that the team was able to capture.

Preferences of Patients for Discussing Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy

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Sūna Normunds

2017-08-01

Full Text Available People with epilepsy have increased mortality rates, which is partially attributed to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy syndrome (SUDEP. Poor seizure control appears to be the strongest SUDEP risk factor. Management of epilepsy and adherence to therapy is critical to seizure control. The belief by caregivers of negative influence caused by being informed about the syndrome is the main reason SUDEP is not disclosed. There are no clear recommendations when to disclose the risk of SUDEP and how much information should be provided. We addressed the preferences of Latvian epilepsy patients for discussing SUDEP as well as awareness of the syndrome. Our study involved 55 epilepsy patients. We found that, as in other studies, our patients were relatively well informed about SUDEP. We found that a considerable proportion of patients preferred to receive information about SUDEP from a general practitioner. We note the belief of patients that the disclosure of SUDEP would either improve or have no effect on the quality of life. We were able to identify groups of patients with a self-reported belief of more frequent expected anxiety and poor adherence to medical treatment. Our data improves the understanding of preferences of patient for discussing the negative aspects of epilepsy.

Effect, Feasibility, and Clinical Relevance of Cell Enrichment in Large Volume Fat Grafting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Bo Sonnich; Lykke Sørensen, Celine; Vester-Glowinski, Peter Viktor

2017-01-01

Large volume fat grafting is limited by unpredictable volume loss; therefore, methods of improving graft retention have been developed. Fat graft enrichment with either stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells or adipose tissue-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) has been investigated in several animal...... and human studies, and significantly improved graft retention has been reported. Improvement of graft retention and the feasibility of these techniques are equally important in evaluating the clinical relevance of cell enrichment. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed to identify studies on fat graft...... enrichment that used either SVF cells or ASCs, and only studies reporting volume assessment were included. A total of 38 articles (15 human and 23 animal) were included to investigate the effects of cell enrichment on graft retention as well as the feasibility and clinical relevance of cell-enriched fat...

Unexpected inhibition of CO₂ gas hydrate formation in dilute TBAB solutions and the critical role of interfacial water structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Ngoc N.; Nguyen, Anh V.; Nguyen, Khoi T.; Rintoul, Llew; Dang, Liem X.

2016-12-01

Gas hydrates formed under moderated conditions open up novel approaches to tackling issues related to energy supply, gas separation, and CO₂ sequestration. Several additives like tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) have been empirically developed and used to promote gas hydrate formation. Here we report unexpected experimental results which show that TBAB inhibits CO₂ gas hydrate formation when used at minuscule concentration. We also used spectroscopic techniques and molecular dynamics simulation to gain further insights and explain the experimental results. They have revealed the critical role of water alignment at the gas-water interface induced by surface adsorption of tetra-n-butylammonium cation (TBA⁺) which gives rise to the unexpected inhibition of dilute TBAB solution. The water perturbation by TBA⁺ in the bulk is attributed to the promotion effect of high TBAB concentration on gas hydrate formation. We explain our finding using the concept of activation energy of gas hydrate formation. Our results provide a step toward to mastering the control of gas hydrate formation.

The effect of atypical antipsychotics on pituitary gland volume in patients with first-episode psychosis: a longitudinal MRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolo, John-Paul; Berger, Gregor E; Garner, Belinda A; Velakoulis, Dennis; Markulev, Connie; Kerr, Melissa; McGorry, Patrick D; Proffitt, Tina-Marie; McConchie, Mirabel; Pantelis, Christos; Wood, Stephen J

2010-01-01

Pituitary volume is currently measured as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal hyperactivity in patients with psychosis despite suggestions of susceptibility to antipsychotics. Qualifying and quantifying the effect of atypical antipsychotics on the volume of the pituitary gland will determine whether this measure is valid as a future estimate of HPA-axis activation in psychotic populations. To determine the qualitative and quantitative effect of atypical antipsychotic medications on pituitary gland volume in a first-episode psychosis population. Pituitary volume was measured from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images in a group of 43 first-episode psychosis patients, the majority of whom were neuroleptic-naïve, at baseline and after 3months of treatment, to determine whether change in pituitary volume was correlated with cumulative dose of atypical antipsychotic medication. There was no significant baseline difference in pituitary volume between subjects and controls, or between neuroleptic-naïve and neuroleptic-treated subjects. Over the follow-up period there was a negative correlation between percentage change in pituitary volume and cumulative 3-month dose of atypical antipsychotic (r=-0.37), i.e. volume increases were associated with lower doses and volume decreases with higher doses. Atypical antipsychotic medications may reduce pituitary gland volume in a dose-dependent manner suggesting that atypical antipsychotic medication may support affected individuals to cope with stress associated with emerging psychotic disorders.

Rural families' interpretations of experiencing unexpected transition in the wake of a natural disaster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gisele Cristina Manfrini Fernandes

Full Text Available Abstract: Natural disasters affect populations in various parts of the world. The impacts of disasters can cause many problems to the health of people and disruption to family life, potentially leading to an unexpected transition. The objective of this paper is to present the unexpected transitional experiences of rural families following a natural disaster. A multiple case study of six families was conducted with children and adolescents in a rural area affected by a 2008 disaster in southern Brazil. For data collection, we used participant observation, narrative interviews, genograms, ecomaps and an instrument called calendar routine. The analysis of the data resulted in different family interpretations about the changes resulting from the storm and compared life before and after the disaster. The loss of homes and loved ones, migration, unemployment, and losses from the farm were the main changes associated with new development tasks. The experiences of family transition after the disaster revealed that losses influenced social lives, daily routines and the preservation of cultural values.

Natural look in volume restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Lupo, Mary P

2008-09-01

Filling and volumizing injection procedures are currently widely used for facial augmentation and re-establishing a youthful appearance. Aesthetic physicians have advanced from the practice of treating single lines and wrinkles towards filling large facial areas to globally restore natural facial contours and meet patient demand for nonsurgical rejuvenation. This review describes the different categories of fillers and volumizers based on their duration of action and ability to create a natural looking effect; they can be broadly classified as temporary or long-lasting biodegradable agents, or permanent nonbiodegradable agents. Temporary fillers are effective to correct lines and wrinkles, but may not adequately meet the need for global facial rejuvenation and volume replacement in a long-term, cost-efficient manner. Permanent fillers for global restoration pose the issue of long-term safety, and may not be compatible with changes in facial architecture with continued aging. Longer lasting volumizers provide patients with a durable, effective option for the restoration of facial volume and the re-establishment of youthful facial contours. Temporary fillers and volumizers may also be used in combination to provide a wide source of options for the global restoration and rejuvenation of the face.

Inconsistency effects in source memory and compensatory schema-consistent guessing.

Science.gov (United States)

Küppers, Viviane; Bayen, Ute J

2014-10-01

The attention-elaboration hypothesis of memory for schematically unexpected information predicts better source memory for unexpected than expected sources. In three source-monitoring experiments, the authors tested the occurrence of an inconsistency effect in source memory. Participants were presented with items that were schematically either very expected or very unexpected for their source. Multinomial processing tree models were used to separate source memory, item memory, and guessing bias. Results show an inconsistency effect in source memory accompanied by a compensatory schema-consistent guessing bias when expectancy strength is high, that is, when items are very expected or very unexpected for their source.

Evaluating the effects of increasing surgical volume on emergency department patient access.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, S; Dittus, R; Aronsky, D; Weinger, M; France, D

2011-02-01

To determine how increases in surgical patient volume will affect emergency department (ED) access to inpatient cardiac services. To compare how strategies to increase cardiology inpatient throughput can either accommodate increases in surgical volume or improve ED patient access. A stochastic discrete event simulation was created to model patient flow through a cardiology inpatient system within a US, urban, academic hospital. The simulation used survival analysis to examine the relationship between anticipated increases in surgical volume and ED patient boarding time (ie, time interval from cardiology admission request to inpatient bed placement). ED patients boarded for a telemetry and cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) bed had a mean boarding time of 5.3 (median 3.1, interquartile range 1.5-6.9) h and 2.7 (median 1.7, interquartile range 0.8-3.0) h, respectively. Each 10% incremental increase in surgical volume resulted in a 37 and 33 min increase in mean boarding time to the telemetry unit and CVICU, respectively. Strategies to increase cardiology inpatient throughput by increasing capacity and decreasing length of stay for specific inpatients was compared. Increasing cardiology capacity by one telemetry and CVICU bed or decreasing length of stay by 1 h resulted in a 7-9 min decrease in average boarding time or an 11-19% increase in surgical patient volume accommodation. Simulating competition dynamics for hospital admissions provides prospective planning (ie, decision making) information and demonstrates how interventions to increase inpatient throughput will have a much greater effect on higher priority surgical admissions compared with ED admissions.

Challenging Ideals of Reciprocity in Undergraduate Teaching: The Unexpected Benefits of Unpredictable Cross-Cultural Fieldwork

Science.gov (United States)

Hammersley, Laura A.; Bilous, Rebecca H.; James, Sarah W.; Trau, Adam M.; Suchet-Pearson, Sandie

2014-01-01

Geographers are increasingly grappling with the theoretical and practical implications of integrating an ethics of reciprocity into undergraduate learning and teaching. This paper draws on the unexpected experiences of a third-year human geography research methods fieldtrip to examine the process of balancing undergraduate student learning and…

Children and Trauma: Unexpected Resistance and Justice in Film and Drawings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheri M. Robinson

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This transnational study examines representations of and by children—whether literal wounds, psychological ones, or wounds transmitted through drawings—that manifest their capacity for unexpected resistance and justice. It considers the Mexican-American director Guillermo del Toro’s use of hauntings and wounds to explore violence during the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War in the film El espinazo del diablo [The Devil’s Backbone] (2001 and its intersections on strategic and theoretical levels with the traumatic in archival children’s drawings produced during the 1976–1983 Argentine military dictatorship. The drawings illustrate the violence perpetrated against the child artists’ families and were produced in exile for the human rights organization COSOFAM. Utilizing diverse theories from film and trauma studies, among others, this article analyzes key scenes in El espinazo exhibiting commonalities with representations of traumatic violence in the children’s drawings, revealing that, in fiction and in fact, a strategic “showing” of the traumatic wound is designed to remind others of the imperative to intervene in situations of extreme violence, to appeal to/for justice, and to effectively testify from the inside.

Modeling volume effects of experimental brachytherapy in the rat rectum: uncovering the limitations of a radiobiologic concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johannessen, Hans-Olaf; Dale, Einar; Hellebust, Taran P.; Olsen, Dag R.; Nesland, Jahn M.; Giercksky, Karl-Erik

2002-01-01

Purpose: To analyze the significance of volume effects in experimental brachytherapy, based on modeling normal tissue complication probability. Methods and Materials: Experimental brachytherapy in the rat rectum was based on an eight-step 2.5-mm step size source configuration for 192 Ir, afterloaded into an unshielded polystyrene applicator. Volume effects were studied using a half-circumferential lead-shielded applicator and a shorter (two-step) source configuration. The main end point was rectal stenosis. Results: Rectal stenosis was always caused by a radiation ulcer. With the shielded configuration, single-dose ED 50 (50% incidence of rectal stenosis) increased from 23 Gy to 36.5 Gy. Single-dose ED 50 for the short configuration was 77.9 Gy. The data showed a reasonable fit to a three-parameter version of the biophysical model described by Jackson et al. (1995). This model assumes that organs consist of a large number of radiobiologically independent subunits and that radiation causes a complication if the fraction of the organ damaged is greater than its functional reserve. The fraction of the organ damaged is calculated summing over fractions of the organ damaged at each dose level. The calculated mean functional reserve (ν 50 ) of the rat rectum, assuming a cumulative functional reserve distribution in the group of experimental rats, was 0.53. Conclusions: The volume effect observed within small brachytherapy volumes agreed well with clinical experience of large tolerance doses in contact X-ray therapy. However, the ν 50 value was comparable to the high functional reserve value reported for liver. Experimental volume effects probably reflect repair processes originating in the areas adjacent to small radiation fields of brachytherapy more than the radiobiologic characteristics of the cells in the irradiated volume

Effect of the spray volume adjustment model on the efficiency of fungicides and residues in processing tomato

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ratajkiewicz, H.; Kierzek, R.; Raczkowski, M.; Hołodyńska-Kulas, A.; Łacka, A.; Wójtowicz, A.; Wachowiak, M.

2016-11-01

This study compared the effects of a proportionate spray volume (PSV) adjustment model and a fixed model (300 L/ha) on the infestation of processing tomato with potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary) (PLB) and azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil residues in fruits in three consecutive seasons. The fungicides were applied in alternating system with or without two spreader adjuvants. The proportionate spray volume adjustment model was based on the number of leaves on plants and spray volume index. The modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method was optimized and validated for extraction of azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil residue. Gas chromatography with a nitrogen and phosphorus detector and an electron capture detector were used for the analysis of fungicides. The results showed that higher fungicidal residues were connected with lower infestation of tomato with PLB. PSV adjustment model resulted in lower infestation of tomato than the fixed model (300 L/ha) when fungicides were applied at half the dose without adjuvants. Higher expected spray interception into the tomato canopy with the PSV system was recognized as the reasons of better control of PLB. The spreader adjuvants did not have positive effect on the biological efficacy of spray volume application systems. The results suggest that PSV adjustment model can be used to determine the spray volume for fungicide application for processing tomato crop. (Author)

Effect of the spray volume adjustment model on the efficiency of fungicides and residues in processing tomato

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henryk Ratajkiewicz

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study compared the effects of a proportionate spray volume (PSV adjustment model and a fixed model (300 L/ha on the infestation of processing tomato with potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont. de Bary (PLB and azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil residues in fruits in three consecutive seasons. The fungicides were applied in alternating system with or without two spreader adjuvants. The proportionate spray volume adjustment model was based on the number of leaves on plants and spray volume index. The modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS method was optimized and validated for extraction of azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil residue. Gas chromatography with a nitrogen and phosphorus detector and an electron capture detector were used for the analysis of fungicides. The results showed that higher fungicidal residues were connected with lower infestation of tomato with PLB. PSV adjustment model resulted in lower infestation of tomato than the fixed model (300 L/ha when fungicides were applied at half the dose without adjuvants. Higher expected spray interception into the tomato canopy with the PSV system was recognized as the reasons of better control of PLB. The spreader adjuvants did not have positive effect on the biological efficacy of spray volume application systems. The results suggest that PSV adjustment model can be used to determine the spray volume for fungicide application for processing tomato crop.

Effect Of Sales Promotion On The Volume Of Sales Of Agroproduct ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of sales promotion on the volume of sales of Royco in Onitsha Urban city of Anambra State for the years 1998 and 1999. Data for the study was collected from 40 respondents (20 staff of UniLever Nig. Plc, producers of Royco and 20 Distributors of Royco) who were ...

Intranasal corticosteroids topical characteristics: side effects, formulation, and volume.

Science.gov (United States)

Petty, David A; Blaiss, Michael S

2013-01-01

Guidelines from throughout the world recommend intranasal corticosteroids (INSs) as first-line treatment for most patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis. In general, limited comparative studies between different INSs have not indicated that one particular steroid moiety is more effective than another in controlling symptoms of allergic rhinitis. However, there are numerous formulations available with different ingredients that may influence a patient's adherence to treatment. This article looks at topical features with these agents, specifically, formulations, vehicles (aqueous vs aerosol), and side effects such as epistaxis and nasal septal perforation. Topical side effects are minimal with INSs with the exception of epistaxis. There are major differences in formulations, volumes, and vehicles between INSs, which could affect adherence. Physicians need to be aware of the different INS attributes to try to match patients' preferences in order to achieve better adherence and improve outcomes in sufferers of allergic rhinitis.

Effect of Fiber Volume Fraction and Water Absorption toward Bending Strength of Coconut Filters/ Polyester Composite

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I Putu Lokantara

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The variation of fibre volume and the duration of water soaking take influence on the mechanical properties of composite. This research aim is to know the influence of fraction volume fibre and soaking duration on the mineral watertoward the tensile strength and flexural of polyester-coconut-tapis composite. This research used coconut-tapis fibre which is cut 1 cm in length with 0%, 5%, 7,5%, and 10% fiber volume fraction, unsaturated-polyester (UPRs matrix resin type Yucalac 157 BQTN-EX, and MEKPO hardener. The flexure specimen are made by press hand lay-up method and cut according ASTM D790-03 for the flexure test. The result of flexure test shows that the duration of soaking and the fiber volume fraction give a significant effect on the flexural strength of composite. The highest strength are reached by composite with 10% fibre volume on 48 hour soaking time equal to 41.994 MPa. The flexure modulus happenend shows increasing until 24 hour soaking time. The highest modulus are reached by composite with 10% fibre volume equal to 7.114 GPa while the lowest are reached by composite with 0% fibre volume equal to 3,023 GPa.

Sunburn as a Cause of Unexpected Neutrophilia in a Healthy Pregnant Woman

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Robert Harper

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Neutrophilia has a broad differential diagnosis and represents a systemic response to an infection or other inflammatory pathologies. Case. A 31-year-old woman, Gravida 3, Para 2 at 28 weeks of gestation, presented to the day assessment unit following routine blood tests that showed an unexpected marked neutrophilia. The underlying cause of the neutrophilia was sunburn. The sunburn recovered and her neutrophil count spontaneously normalised. Conclusion. Clinicians can add sunburn to the broad differential diagnosis of neutrophilia.

Effect of pulmonary hyperinflation on central blood volume

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mijacika, Tanja; Kyhl, Kasper; Frestad, Daria

2017-01-01

(11±7%) above the total lung capacity. All cardiac chambers decreased in volume and despite a heart rate increase of 24±29 bpm (39±50%), pulmonary blood flow decreased by 2783±1820mL (43±20%). The pulmonary transit time remained unchanged at 7.5±2.2s and pulmonary blood volume decreased by 354±176m...

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND AIRFLOW ON VOLUME DEVELOPMENT DURING BAKING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON QUALITY OF CAKE

OpenAIRE

NURUL ATIQAH SANI; FARAH SALEENA TAIP; SITI MAZLINA MUSTAPA KAMAL; NORASHIKIN AB. AZIZ

2014-01-01

Volume and texture of cake are among the important parameters in measuring the quality of cake. The processing conditions play important roles in producing cakes of good quality. Recent studies focused more on the formulation and the manipulation of baking temperature, humidity and time instead of airflow condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of baking temperature and airflow on the volume development of cake and final cake quality such as volume development, firm...

Effect of volume-oriented versus flow-oriented incentive spirometry on chest wall volumes, inspiratory muscle activity, and thoracoabdominal synchrony in the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunardi, Adriana C; Porras, Desiderio C; Barbosa, Renata Cc; Paisani, Denise M; Marques da Silva, Cibele C B; Tanaka, Clarice; Carvalho, Celso R F

2014-03-01

Aging causes physiological and functional changes that impair pulmonary function. Incentive spirometry is widely used for lung expansion, but the effects of volume-oriented incentive spirometry (VIS) versus flow-oriented incentive spirometry (FIS) on chest wall volumes, inspiratory muscle activity, and thoracoabdominal synchrony in the elderly are poorly understood. We compared VIS and FIS in elderly subjects and healthy adult subjects. Sixteen elderly subjects (9 women, mean ± SD age 70.6 ± 3.9 y, mean ± SD body mass index 23.8 ± 2.5 kg/m(2)) and 16 healthy adults (8 women, mean ± age 25.9 ± 4.3 y, mean ± body mass index 23.6 ± 2.4 kg/m(2)) performed quiet breathing, VIS, and FIS in randomized sequence. Chest wall kinematics (via optoelectronic plethysmography) and inspiratory muscle activity (via surface electromyography) were assessed simultaneously. Synchrony between the superior thorax and abdominal motion was calculated (phase angle). In the elderly subjects both types of incentive spirometry increased chest wall volumes similarly, whereas in the healthy adult subjects VIS increased the chest wall volume more than did FIS. FIS and VIS triggered similar lower thoracoabdominal synchrony in the elderly subjects, whereas in the healthy adults FIS induced lower synchrony than did VIS. FIS required more muscle activity in the elderly subjects to create an increase in chest wall volume. Incentive spirometry performance is influenced by age, and the differences between elderly and healthy adults response should be considered in clinical practice.

Risk, unexpected uncertainty, and estimation uncertainty: Bayesian learning in unstable settings.

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Elise Payzan-LeNestour

Full Text Available Recently, evidence has emerged that humans approach learning using Bayesian updating rather than (model-free reinforcement algorithms in a six-arm restless bandit problem. Here, we investigate what this implies for human appreciation of uncertainty. In our task, a Bayesian learner distinguishes three equally salient levels of uncertainty. First, the Bayesian perceives irreducible uncertainty or risk: even knowing the payoff probabilities of a given arm, the outcome remains uncertain. Second, there is (parameter estimation uncertainty or ambiguity: payoff probabilities are unknown and need to be estimated. Third, the outcome probabilities of the arms change: the sudden jumps are referred to as unexpected uncertainty. We document how the three levels of uncertainty evolved during the course of our experiment and how it affected the learning rate. We then zoom in on estimation uncertainty, which has been suggested to be a driving force in exploration, in spite of evidence of widespread aversion to ambiguity. Our data corroborate the latter. We discuss neural evidence that foreshadowed the ability of humans to distinguish between the three levels of uncertainty. Finally, we investigate the boundaries of human capacity to implement Bayesian learning. We repeat the experiment with different instructions, reflecting varying levels of structural uncertainty. Under this fourth notion of uncertainty, choices were no better explained by Bayesian updating than by (model-free reinforcement learning. Exit questionnaires revealed that participants remained unaware of the presence of unexpected uncertainty and failed to acquire the right model with which to implement Bayesian updating.

Unexpected Maternal Convulsion: An Idiopathic Case of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome after Delivery

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Jila Agah

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES is associated with various clinical manifestations such as headache, blurred vision, confusion and tonic-clonic convulsion. Some of the predisposing factors for PRES include hypertensive encephalopathy, preeclampsia and eclampsia, lupus erythematosus, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and long-term use of immunosuppressive drugs. This condition rarely occurs after normotensive and uneventful pregnancies. Several theories have been proposed on the etiology of PRES. For instance, endothelial injury and brain edema have been reported as possible causes of PRES. Although PRES is a temporary condition, proper and timely management of the disorder in the acute phase is critical for the prevention of permanent neurological complications. During pregnancy, PRES is normally accompanied with hypertension. In this paper, we present a rare case of PRES in a normotensive pregnancy in a 25-year-old parturient woman (Gravida 2, Ab 1. The patient unexpectedly manifested symptoms of tonic-clonic convulsion one hour after an uneventful vaginal delivery, which were successfully managed. According to our observations, PRES has various clinical manifestations with unexpected occurrence in some cases. Therefore, it is recommended that maternity centers be well-equipped with resuscitation tools, emergency drugs and expert staff so as to manage unforeseen PRES efficiently and prevent permanent maternal neurological complications and mortality.

Unexpected structure in the E2 quasicontinuum spectrum of 154Dy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holzmann, R.; Khoo, T.L.; Ma, W.C.

1988-01-01

The evolution of the γ quasicontinuum spectrum with neutron number has been investigated in the sequence of dysprosium isotopes /sup 152,154,156/Dy. The three nuclei display a pronounced collective E2 component. In 154 Dy this component shows an unexpected splitting into two distinct parts, signifying a structural change along the γ cascade. The E2 and statistical components can be reproduced in simple γ cascade calculations; in 152 Dy and 156 Dy only rotational bands were included, whereas in 154 Dy additional vibration-like transitions were required to reproduce the two E2 peaks. 11 refs., 2 figs

Effects of international football matches on ambulance call profiles and volumes during the 2006 World Cup.

Science.gov (United States)

Deakin, Charles D; Thompson, Fizz; Gibson, Caroline; Green, Mark

2007-06-01

Prompt ambulance attendance is aimed at improving patient care. With finite resources struggling to meet performance targets, unforeseen demand precludes the ability to tailor resources to cope with increased call volumes, and can have a marked detrimental effect on performance and hence patient care. The effects of the 2006 World Cup football matches on call volumes and profiles were analysed to understand how public events can influence demands on the ambulance service. All emergency calls to the Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (currently the Hampshire Division of South Central Ambulance Service, Winchester, UK) during the first weekend of the 2006 World Cup football matches were analysed by call volume and classification of call (call type). On the day of the first football match, call volume was over 50% higher than that on a typical Saturday, with distinct peaks before and after the inaugural match. Call profile analysis showed increases in alcohol-related emergencies, including collapse, unconsciousness, assault and road traffic accidents. The increase in assaults was particularly marked at the end of each match and increased again into the late evening. A detailed mapping of call volumes and profiles during the World Cup football shows a significant increase in overall emergency calls, mostly alcohol related. Mapping of limited resources to these patterns will allow improved responses to emergency calls.

Spatial variation in void volume during charged particle bombardment: the effects of injected interstitials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, E.H.; Mansur, L.K.; Yoo, M.H.

1979-01-01

Experimental observations of the void volume at several depths along the range of 4 MeV Ni ions in 316 stainless steel are reported. The specimens were first preconditioned by neutron irradiation at temperatures of 450 and 584 0 C to fluences of approximately 8 x 10 26 n/m -2 . The void volume after ion bombardment to 60 dpa at the peak damage depth is significantly lower at the peak damage depth than in the region between that and the free surface. The ratio of the step height to void volume at the depth of peak energy deposition between regions masked from and exposed to the beam is strongly dependent on bombardment temperature. The reduction of void volume near the peak damage depth is larger for the 584 0 C than for the 450 0 C preconditioned material. These observations are consistent with recent theoretical results which account for the injection of the bombarding ions as self-interstitials. The theory necessary to understand the effect is developed

Knee effusion-synovitis volume measurement and effects of vitamin D supplementation in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X; Cicuttini, F; Jin, X; Wluka, A E; Han, W; Zhu, Z; Blizzard, L; Antony, B; Winzenberg, T; Jones, G; Ding, C

2017-08-01

To develop a measure of knee joint effusion-synovitis volume and to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on effusion-synovitis in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and low vitamin D levels over 24 months. Symptomatic knee OA patients with low 25-(OH)D levels (12.5-60 nmol/l) were recruited for a multi-centre, randomised, placebo-controlled and double-blind trial. Participants (age 63 ± 7 years, 208 females) were allocated to either 50,000 IU monthly vitamin D 3 (n = 209) or placebo (n = 204) for 24 months. Knee effusion-synovitis volume in suprapatellar and other regions was measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using OsiriX software. The intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to test inter- and intra-rater reliabilities. The least significant change criterion was used to define the increase/decrease in effusion-synovitis volume. The reproducibilities of effusion-synovitis volume measurement were high with ICCs ranging from 0.93 to 0.99. Over 24 months, effusion-synovitis volume remained stable in the vitamin D group but increased in placebos with a significant between-group difference (-1.94 ml, 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.54, -0.33). This effect was evident in those with baseline effusion-synovitis and with suprapatellar effusion-synovitis. The proportion with an increase in effusion-synovitis volume was lower in the vitamin D group than placebo (risk ratio (RR): 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.97). This highly reproducible effusion-synovitis volume measurement could be a promising outcome measure in OA trials. Vitamin D supplementation could retard the progression of effusion-synovitis which can potentially benefit people with an inflammatory OA phenotype. Copyright © 2017 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 53295 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-25

...-12 of August 8, 2011--Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa... Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested... Department of State, related to the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa. You are authorized and...

Effects of Air Stacking Maneuver on Cough Peak Flow and Chest Wall Compartmental Volumes of Subjects With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarmento, Antonio; Resqueti, Vanessa; Dourado-Júnior, Mario; Saturnino, Lailane; Aliverti, Andrea; Fregonezi, Guilherme; de Andrade, Armele Dornelas

2017-11-01

To assess the acute effects of air stacking on cough peak flow (CPF) and chest wall compartmental volumes of persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) versus healthy subjects positioned at 45° body inclination. Cross-sectional study with a matched-pair design. University hospital. Persons (N=24) with ALS (n=12) and age-matched healthy subjects (n=12). CPF, chest wall compartmental inspiratory capacity, chest wall vital capacity, chest wall tidal volume and operational volumes, breathing pattern, and percentage of contribution of the compartments to the inspired volume were measured by optoelectronic plethysmography. Compared with healthy subjects, significantly lower CPF (P=.007), chest wall compartmental inspiratory capacity (Pprotocol in the healthy subjects, mainly because of end-inspiratory (P<.001) and abdominal volumes (P=.008). No significant differences were observed in percentage of contribution of the compartments to the inspired volume and end-expiratory volume of both groups. No significant differences were found in chest wall tidal volume, operational volume, and breathing pattern in persons with ALS. Air stacking is effective in increasing CPF, chest wall compartmental inspiratory capacity, and chest wall vital capacity of persons with ALS with no hyperinflation. Differences in compartmental volume contributions are probably because of lung and chest wall physiological changes. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of varicocelectomy on testis volume and semen parameters in adolescents: a meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tie Zhou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Varicocele repair in adolescent remains controversial. Our aim is to identify and combine clinical trials results published thus far to ascertain the efficacy of varicocelectomy in improving testis volume and semen parameters compared with nontreatment control. A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase and Web of Science, which included results obtained from meta-analysis, randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies. The study population was adolescents with clinically palpable varicocele with or without the testicular asymmetry or abnormal semen parameters. Cases were allocated to treatment and observation groups, and testis volume or semen parameters were adopted as outcome measures. As a result, seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs and nonrandomized controlled trials studying bilateral testis volume or semen parameters in both treatment and observation groups were identified. Using a random effect model, mean difference of testis volume between the treatment group and the observation group was 2.9 ml (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6, 5.2; P< 0.05 for the varicocele side and 1.5 ml (95% CI: 0.3, 2.7; P< 0.05 for the healthy side. The random effect model analysis demonstrated that the mean difference of semen concentration, total semen motility, and normal morphology between the two groups was 13.7 × 10 6 ml−1 (95% CI: −1.4, 28.8; P = 0.075, 2.5% (95% CI: −3.6, 8.6; P= 0.424, and 2.9% (95% CI: −3.0, 8.7; P= 0.336 respectively. In conclusion, although varicocelectomy significantly improved bilateral testis volume in adolescents with varicocele compared with observation cases, semen parameters did not have any statistically significant difference between two groups. Well-planned, properly conducted RCTs are needed in order to confirm the above-mentioned conclusion further and to explore whether varicocele repair in adolescents could improve subsequently spontaneous pregnancy rates.

Unexpectedly high catch-and-release rates in European marine recreational fisheries: implications for science and management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferter, Keno; Weltersbach, Marc Simon; Strehlow, Harry Vincent

2013-01-01

Unexpectedly high catch-and-release rates in European marine recreational fisheries: implications for science and management. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: .While catch-and-release (C&R) is a well-known practice in several European freshwater recreational fisheries, studies on the magnitu...

Analysis of Right Issue Announcement Effect toward Stock Price Movement and Stock Trading Volume within Issuer in Indonesia Stock Exchange

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Yaputra Yakup

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study were to identify and analyze the rights issue effect to the stock price, the effect of the rights issue on stock trading volume, the correlation between stock prices before and after the right issue, as well as the correlation between volume of trading activity before the right issue and after that event. The objects of the study are the companies listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange (JSX. The hypothesis stated that right issues have a significant effect on stock price on companies listed on the JSX, rights issues have a significant effect on the stock trading volume on companies listed on the JSX, there is a significant correlation between stock price before and after the rights issue on companies listed in JSX, there is a significant correlation between volume of the stock trading before the rights issue and after that event. Data analysis used were descriptive statistics, simple linear regression analysis and paired t-test. Hypothesis testing was performed by using the Pearson correlation test with significance level of 5%. The results show that the right issue has a positive effect but not significant toward stock prices of companies listed in JSX, right issue has a negative effect and not significant toward the trading volume activity (TVA on companies listed in JSX.

Volume I. Environmental effects on contents of Cs-137 and Sr-90 in milk. Volume II. Appendices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Milk, animal fodders, soils, humans, livestock, and wildlife on or near 55 dairy farms in Utah were assayed for radionuclide content. Effects of soil chemistry, water supply, plant type, farming practices, geographic location, altitude, rainfall, and other ecological differences were sought by intensive analysis. Although many analyses have not been completed, several cause-effect relationships have been defined. Wet-lands yield more 137 Cs, 131 I, or 90 Sr to milk under like conditions of fallout intensity than dry-lands. In most cases, the station with the highest yield is also practicing wet grazing. 90 Sr and 137 Cs content of milk is enhanced by sandy soils. Increased altitude and higher rainfall lead to higher yields of 90 Sr and 137 Cs in milk. Levels of 137 Cs in milk increase from south to north, and Utah can be divided into several regions, each having a characteristic level of 90 Sr and 137 Cs in milk, meat, and fodders. Poor pastures (over-grazed to the extent that stem bases are eaten and much soil is exposed) yield more 137 Cs and 90 Sr than improved pastures. Feeding green chop alfalfa or putting the animals on the meadows causes marked but temporary increases in the 90 Sr and 137 Cs content of the milk. However, the annual yield for two stations of similar ecology in the same geographic area is essentially the same. Experimental details are presented in Volume I. The appendices in Volume II are made up primarily of the data compiled at the 78 stations

Evaluation of the effect of prostate volume change on tumor control probability in LDR brachytherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Knaup, Courtney; Mavroidis, Panayiotis; Stathakis, Sotirios; Smith, Mark; Swanson, Gregory; Papanikolaou, Niko

2011-09-01

This study evaluates low dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR) prostate plans to determine the biological effect of dose degradation due to prostate volume changes. In this study, 39 patients were evaluated. Pre-implant prostate volume was determined using ultrasound. These images were used with the treatment planning system (Nucletron Spot Pro 3.1(®)) to create treatment plans using (103)Pd seeds. Following the implant, patients were imaged using CT for post-implant dosimetry. From the pre and post-implant DVHs, the biologically equivalent dose and the tumor control probability (TCP) were determined using the biologically effective uniform dose. The model used RBE = 1.75 and α/β = 2 Gy. The prostate volume changed between pre and post implant image sets ranged from -8% to 110%. TCP and the mean dose were reduced up to 21% and 56%, respectively. TCP is observed to decrease as the mean dose decreases to the prostate. The post-implant tumor dose was generally observed to decrease, compared to the planned dose. A critical uniform dose of 130 Gy was established. Below this dose, TCP begins to fall-off. It was also determined that patients with a small prostates were more likely to suffer TCP decrease. The biological effect of post operative prostate growth due to operative trauma in LDR was evaluated using the concept. The post-implant dose was lower than the planned dose due to an increase of prostate volume post-implant. A critical uniform dose of 130 Gy was determined, below which TCP begun to decline.

BEDVH--A method for evaluating biologically effective dose volume histograms: Application to eye plaque brachytherapy implants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagne, Nolan L.; Leonard, Kara L.; Huber, Kathryn E.; Mignano, John E.; Duker, Jay S.; Laver, Nora V.; Rivard, Mark J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: A method is introduced to examine the influence of implant duration T, radionuclide, and radiobiological parameters on the biologically effective dose (BED) throughout the entire volume of regions of interest for episcleral brachytherapy using available radionuclides. This method is employed to evaluate a particular eye plaque brachytherapy implant in a radiobiological context. Methods: A reference eye geometry and 16 mm COMS eye plaque loaded with 103 Pd, 125 I, or 131 Cs sources were examined with dose distributions accounting for plaque heterogeneities. For a standardized 7 day implant, doses to 90% of the tumor volume ( TUMOR D 90 ) and 10% of the organ at risk volumes ( OAR D 10 ) were calculated. The BED equation from Dale and Jones and published α/β and μ parameters were incorporated with dose volume histograms (DVHs) for various T values such as T = 7 days (i.e., TUMOR 7 BED 10 and OAR 7 BED 10 ). By calculating BED throughout the volumes, biologically effective dose volume histograms (BEDVHs) were developed for tumor and OARs. Influence of T, radionuclide choice, and radiobiological parameters on TUMOR BEDVH and OAR BEDVH were examined. The nominal dose was scaled for shorter implants to achieve biological equivalence. Results: TUMOR D 90 values were 102, 112, and 110 Gy for 103 Pd, 125 I, and 131 Cs, respectively. Corresponding TUMOR 7 BED 10 values were 124, 140, and 138 Gy, respectively. As T decreased from 7 to 0.01 days, the isobiologically effective prescription dose decreased by a factor of three. As expected, TUMOR 7 BEDVH did not significantly change as a function of radionuclide half-life but varied by 10% due to radionuclide dose distribution. Variations in reported radiobiological parameters caused TUMOR 7 BED 10 to deviate by up to 46%. Over the range of OAR α/β values, OAR 7 BED 10 varied by up to 41%, 3.1%, and 1.4% for the lens, optic nerve, and lacrimal gland, respectively. Conclusions: BEDVH permits evaluation of the

The effect of patient position and field configuration on lung volume in the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the breast or lung volumes in breast techniques - a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Floyd, J.L.

1989-01-01

The position of the patient together with the configuration of the treatment fields play an important role in the volume of lung irradiated in breast techniques. These factors are even more important when the staging of the disease is advanced. A comparison of lung volumes is made with the patient in three treatment positions, and the effect of beam angling is demonstrated. A method of calculating the approximated lung volume from port films is proposed, together with a comparative analysis of the data obtained. Clinical decisions affecting technical considerations are examined. 6 refs., 5 figs

Investigation of tDCS volume conduction effects in a highly realistic head model

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, S.; Rampersad, S. M.; Aydin, Ü.; Vorwerk, J.; Oostendorp, T. F.; Neuling, T.; Herrmann, C. S.; Stegeman, D. F.; Wolters, C. H.

2014-02-01

Objective. We investigate volume conduction effects in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and present a guideline for efficient and yet accurate volume conductor modeling in tDCS using our newly-developed finite element (FE) approach. Approach. We developed a new, accurate and fast isoparametric FE approach for high-resolution geometry-adapted hexahedral meshes and tissue anisotropy. To attain a deeper insight into tDCS, we performed computer simulations, starting with a homogenized three-compartment head model and extending this step by step to a six-compartment anisotropic model. Main results. We are able to demonstrate important tDCS effects. First, we find channeling effects of the skin, the skull spongiosa and the cerebrospinal fluid compartments. Second, current vectors tend to be oriented towards the closest higher conducting region. Third, anisotropic WM conductivity causes current flow in directions more parallel to the WM fiber tracts. Fourth, the highest cortical current magnitudes are not only found close to the stimulation sites. Fifth, the median brain current density decreases with increasing distance from the electrodes. Significance. Our results allow us to formulate a guideline for volume conductor modeling in tDCS. We recommend to accurately model the major tissues between the stimulating electrodes and the target areas, while for efficient yet accurate modeling, an exact representation of other tissues is less important. Because for the low-frequency regime in electrophysiology the quasi-static approach is justified, our results should also be valid for at least low-frequency (e.g., below 100 Hz) transcranial alternating current stimulation.

An estimation of the minimum effective anesthetic volume of 2% lidocaine in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donnell, Brian D

2009-07-01

Ultrasound guidance facilitates precise needle and injectate placement, increasing axillary block success rates, reducing onset times, and permitting local anesthetic dose reduction. The minimum effective volume of local anesthetic in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block is unknown. The authors performed a study to estimate the minimum effective anesthetic volume of 2% lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (2% LidoEpi) in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block.

Unexpected and just missed: the separate influence of the appraisals of expectancy and proximity on negative emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bossuyt, Evelien; Moors, Agnes; De Houwer, Jan

2014-04-01

Previous research has suggested that a goal-incongruent outcome leads to more intense negative emotions when it is unexpected and close to a goal-congruent outcome. Until now, however, no studies have disentangled the influence of the appraisals of expectancy and proximity on emotions. We experimentally manipulated each of these variables in 3 slot machine experiments and measured emotions via differences in motivation (i.e., the tendency to repair the goal incongruence) and feelings (i.e., disappointment, frustration, and anger). The experiments consisted of a series of trials that each started with the sequential presentation of 3 symbols. In case of a win trial, all symbols were equal (e.g., AAA) and the participant gained 10 cents; in case of a loss trial, one or more of the symbols differed and the participant gained 0 cents. Three different loss trials were compared: unexpected proximal ones (e.g., AAB), expected proximal ones (e.g., ABA), and expected distal ones (e.g., ABC). The tendency to repair was measured online via behavior as well as retrospectively via self-reports; feelings were measured retrospectively (Experiments 1 and 2) or online (Experiment 3). Unexpected losses seemed to increase the tendency to repair as well as feelings of disappointment (in all experiments) and feelings of frustration and anger (in Experiments 1 and 3). Proximal losses increased only the tendency to repair (in all experiments). This suggests that the appraisals of expectancy and proximity have a distinct influence on emotions.

he effect of exercise on hippocampal volume and neurotrophines in patients with major depression–A randomized clinical trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Jesper; Rostrup, Egill; Thomsen, Carsten

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The hippocampal volume is reduced in patients with major depression. Exercise leads to an increased hippocampal volume in schizophrenia and in healthy old adults. The effect of exercise on hippocampal volume is potentially mediated by brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular...... endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The aim of this trial was to assess the effect of an aerobic exercise intervention on hippocampal volume and serum BDNF, VEGF, and IGF-1 in patients with major depression. METHODS: Patients were randomized to an aerobic exercise...... intervention (n=41) or a control condition (n=38). Both interventions consisted of three supervised sessions per week during a three months period. RESULTS: Post-intervention the increase in maximal oxygen uptake was 3.90 ml/kg/min (SD 5.1) in the aerobic exercise group and 0.95 ml/kg/min (SD 6...

Absolute activity determinations on large volume geological samples independent of self-absorption effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, W.E.

1980-01-01

This paper describes a method for measuring the absolute activity of large volume samples by γ-spectroscopy independent of self-absorption effects using Ge detectors. The method yields accurate matrix independent results at the expense of replicative counting of the unknown sample. (orig./HP)

Age-related changes in posture response under a continuous and unexpected perturbation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yi-Ching; Hsieh, Lin-Fen; Yang, Saiwei

2014-01-22

Aging is a critical factor to influence the functional performance during daily life. Without an appropriate posture control response when experiencing an unexpected external perturbation, fall may occur. A novel six-degree-of freedom platform with motion control protocol was designed to provide a real-life simulation of unexpected disturbance in order to discriminate the age-related changes of the balance control and the recovery ability. Twenty older adults and 20 healthy young adults participated in the study. The subjects stood barefoot on the novel movable platform, data of the center of mass (COM) excursion, joint rotation angle and electromyography (EMG) were recorded and compared. The results showed that the older adults had similar patterns of joint movement and COM excursion as the young adults during the balance reactive-recovery. However, larger proximal joint rotation in elderly group induced larger COM sway envelop and therefore loss of the compensatory strategy of posture recovery. The old adults also presented a lower muscle power. In order to keep an adequate joint stability preventing from falling, the EMG activity was increased, but the asymmetric pattern might be the key reason of unstable postural response. This novel design of moveable platform and test protocol comprised the computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) demonstrate its value to assess the possible sensory, motor, and central adaptive impairments to balance control and could be the training tool for posture inability person. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Pro-Qura Case Volume on Post-Implant Prostate Dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrick, Gregory S.; Lief, Jonathan H.; Grimm, Peter; Sylvester, John; Butler, Wayne M.; Allen, Zachariah A.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of prostate brachytherapy case volume on postimplant dosimetric quality in Pro-Qura proctored programs. Methods and Materials: From August 1999 to December 2008, the computed tomography datasets for 6,600 prostate implants performed by 129 brachytherapists were submitted to Pro-Qura for dosimetric analysis. Brachytherapists were divided into three roughly equal-sized terciles based on total case volume. Postimplant computed tomography scans were obtained at a median of 30 days. Excellent target coverage was defined by a V100 ≥90% and D90 ≥100% minimum prescribed peripheral dose. To determine if the number of excellent implants improved with increasing case numbers, each brachytherapist’s series of implants was bisected into early and late experience by a moveable critical point. Results: For the entire cohort, the mean V100 and D90 were 89.2% and 102.8%, respectively, with 47.7% of the implants scored as excellent. Brachytherapists in the highest-case tercile had a significantly greater fraction of excellent target coverage (57.9%) than did those in the two lower terciles (39.5% and 45.7%, p = 0.015). Twenty-one (25.6%) of the 82 brachytherapists with sufficient case volume for dosimetric improvement analyses demonstrated quality improvement over time. Although there was no significant difference between prostate volume and seed strength, the number of seeds used was significantly greater in adequate implants. Conclusions: The highest-volume brachytherapists were most likely to obtain excellent target coverage. We are encouraged that in general practice, nearly 48% of all implants were scored excellent. It is conceivable that with greater expert third-party involvement, an even greater percentage of cases with excellent target coverage will become reality.

The Effect of Pro-Qura Case Volume on Post-Implant Prostate Dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merrick, Gregory S., E-mail: gmerrick@urologicresearchinstitute.org [Schiffler Cancer Center Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV (United States); Lief, Jonathan H. [Schiffler Cancer Center Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV (United States); Grimm, Peter [Prostate Cancer Treatment Center, Seattle, WA (United States); Sylvester, John [Lakewood Ranch Oncology, Bradenton, FL (United States); Butler, Wayne M.; Allen, Zachariah A. [Schiffler Cancer Center Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV (United States)

2011-12-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of prostate brachytherapy case volume on postimplant dosimetric quality in Pro-Qura proctored programs. Methods and Materials: From August 1999 to December 2008, the computed tomography datasets for 6,600 prostate implants performed by 129 brachytherapists were submitted to Pro-Qura for dosimetric analysis. Brachytherapists were divided into three roughly equal-sized terciles based on total case volume. Postimplant computed tomography scans were obtained at a median of 30 days. Excellent target coverage was defined by a V100 {>=}90% and D90 {>=}100% minimum prescribed peripheral dose. To determine if the number of excellent implants improved with increasing case numbers, each brachytherapist's series of implants was bisected into early and late experience by a moveable critical point. Results: For the entire cohort, the mean V100 and D90 were 89.2% and 102.8%, respectively, with 47.7% of the implants scored as excellent. Brachytherapists in the highest-case tercile had a significantly greater fraction of excellent target coverage (57.9%) than did those in the two lower terciles (39.5% and 45.7%, p = 0.015). Twenty-one (25.6%) of the 82 brachytherapists with sufficient case volume for dosimetric improvement analyses demonstrated quality improvement over time. Although there was no significant difference between prostate volume and seed strength, the number of seeds used was significantly greater in adequate implants. Conclusions: The highest-volume brachytherapists were most likely to obtain excellent target coverage. We are encouraged that in general practice, nearly 48% of all implants were scored excellent. It is conceivable that with greater expert third-party involvement, an even greater percentage of cases with excellent target coverage will become reality.

Unexpected optical limiting properties from MoS2 nanosheets modified by a semiconductive polymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Min; Chang, Meng-Jie; Wang, Qiang; Zhu, Zhen-Tong; Zhai, Xin-Ping; Zirak, Mohammad; Moshfegh, Alireza Z; Song, Ying-Lin; Zhang, Hao-Li

2015-08-07

Direct solvent exfoliation of bulk MoS2 with the assistance of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) produces a novel two-dimensional organic/inorganic semiconductor hetero-junction. The obtained P3HT-MoS2 nanohybrid exhibits unexpected optical limiting properties in contrast to the saturated absorption behavior of both P3HT and MoS2, showing potential in future photoelectric applications.

Cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation of esters to alcohols: unexpected reactivity trend indicates ester enolate intermediacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Srimani, Dipankar; Mukherjee, Arup; Goldberg, Alexander F G; Leitus, Gregory; Diskin-Posner, Yael; Shimon, Linda J W; Ben David, Yehoshoa; Milstein, David

2015-10-12

The atom-efficient and environmentally benign catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acid esters to alcohols has been accomplished in recent years mainly with precious-metal-based catalysts, with few exceptions. Presented here is the first cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation of esters to the corresponding alcohols. Unexpectedly, the evidence indicates the unprecedented involvement of ester enolate intermediates. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND AIRFLOW ON VOLUME DEVELOPMENT DURING BAKING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON QUALITY OF CAKE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NURUL ATIQAH SANI

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Volume and texture of cake are among the important parameters in measuring the quality of cake. The processing conditions play important roles in producing cakes of good quality. Recent studies focused more on the formulation and the manipulation of baking temperature, humidity and time instead of airflow condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of baking temperature and airflow on the volume development of cake and final cake quality such as volume development, firmness, springiness and moisture content. The cake was baked at three different temperatures (160oC, 170oC, and 180oC, and two different airflow conditions. Baking time, height changes of batter, texture and moisture content of cake were compared to identify the differences or similarities on the final product as the process conditions varied. Results showed that, airflow has more significant effects towards the product quality compared to baking temperature especially on baking time which was 25.58 - 45.16%, and the rate of height changes which was 0.7 mm/min. However, different baking temperatures had more significant effects towards volume expansion which was 2.86 – 8.37% and the springiness of cake which was 3.44% compared to airflow conditions.

Unexpected consequences of control: competitive vs. predator release in a four-species assemblage of invasive mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruscoe, Wendy A; Ramsey, David S L; Pech, Roger P; Sweetapple, Peter J; Yockney, Ivor; Barron, Mandy C; Perry, Mike; Nugent, Graham; Carran, Roger; Warne, Rodney; Brausch, Chris; Duncan, Richard P

2011-10-01

Invasive species are frequently the target of eradication or control programmes to mitigate their impacts. However, manipulating single species in isolation can lead to unexpected consequences for other species, with outcomes such as mesopredator release demonstrated both theoretically and empirically in vertebrate assemblages with at least two trophic levels. Less is known about the consequences of species removal in more complex assemblages where a greater number of interacting invaders increases the potential for selective species removal to result in unexpected changes in community structure. Using a replicated Before-After Control-Impact field experiment with a four-species assemblage of invasive mammals we show that species interactions in the community are dominated by competition rather than predation. There was no measurable response of two mesopredators (rats and mice) following control of the top predator (stoats), but there was competitive release of rats following removal of a herbivore (possums), and competitive release of mice following removal of rats. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Effects of a Single Bout of Resistance Exercise in Different Volumes on Endothelium Adaptations in Healthy Animals

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Marcelo Mendonça Mota

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Resistance exercise (RE has been recommended for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Recently, a few studies have demonstrated that the intensity of a single bout of RE has an effect on endothelial adaptations to exercise. However, there is no data about the effects of different volumes of RE on endothelium function. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different volumes of RE in a single bout on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and nitric oxide (NO synthesis in the mesenteric artery of healthy animals. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Control (Ct; low-volume RE (LV, 5 sets x 10 repetitions and high-volume RE (HV, 15 sets x 10 repetitions. The established intensity was 70% of the maximal repetition test. After the exercise protocol, rings of mesenteric artery were used for assessment of vascular reactivity, and other mesenteric arteries were prepared for detection of measure NO production by DAF-FM fluorescence. Insulin responsiveness on NO synthesis was evaluated by stimulating the vascular rings with insulin (10 nM. Results: The maximal relaxation response to insulin increased in the HV group only as compared with the Ct group. Moreover, the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis (L-NAME completely abolished the insulin-induced vasorelaxation in exercised rats. NO production showed a volume-dependent increase in the endothelial and smooth muscle layer. In endothelial layer, only Ct and LV groups showed a significant increase in NO synthesis when compared to their respective group under basal condition. On the other hand, in smooth muscle layer, NO fluorescence increased in all groups when compared to their respective group under basal condition. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a single bout of RE promotes vascular endothelium changes in a volume-dependent manner. The 15 sets x 10 repetitions exercise plan induced the greatest levels of NO synthesis.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Brain Volume, Socioeconomic Status and Family Stress on Child IQ

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus Jenkins, Jade V; Woolley, Donald P; Hooper, Stephen R; De Bellis, Michael D

2013-01-01

1.1. Background A large literature documents the detrimental effects of socioeconomic disparities on intelligence and neuropsychological development. Researchers typically measure environmental factors such as socioeconomic status (SES), using income, parent's occupation and education. However, SES is more complex, and this complexity may influence neuropsychological outcomes. 1.2. Methods This studyused principal components analysis to reduce 14 SES and 28 family stress indicators into their core dimensions (e.g. community and educational capital, financial resources, marital conflict). Core dimensions were used in path analyses to examine their relationships with parent IQ and cerebral volume (white matter, grey matter and total brain volume), to predict child IQ in a sample of typically developing children. 1.3. Results Parent IQ affected child IQ directly and indirectly through community and educational capital, demonstrating how environmental factors interact with familial factors in neuro-development. There were no intervening effects of cerebral white matter, grey matter, or total brain volume. 1.4. Conclusions Findings may suggest that improving community resources can foster the intellectual development of children. PMID:24533427

Fish consumption, contaminants and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: many more benefits than risks

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FA. Scorza

Full Text Available People with epilepsy have an increased risk of dying prematurely and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP. SUDEP is mainly a problem for patients with chronic uncontrolled epilepsy. The ultimate goal of research in SUDEP is to develop new methods to prevent it and actions other than medical and surgical therapies that could be very useful. Nutritional aspects, i.e., omega-3 fatty acids deficiency, could have an interesting role in this scenario. Some animal and clinical studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids could be useful in the prevention and treatment of epilepsy and hence SUDEP. It has been ascertained that the only foods that provide large amounts of omega-3 are seafood (fish and shellfish; however, some fish are contaminated with methylmercury, which may counteract the positive effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Our update review summarises the knowledge of the role of fish consumption on epilepsy research.

Effect of volume loading on the Frank-Starling relation during reductions in central blood volume in heat-stressed humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bundgaard-Nielsen, Morten; Wilson, T E; Seifert, Thomas

2010-01-01

During reductions in central blood volume while heat stressed, a greater decrease in stroke volume (SV) for a similar decrease in ventricular filling pressure, compared to normothermia, suggests that the heart is operating on a steeper portion of a Frank-Starling curve. If so, volume loading...... of heat-stressed individuals would shift the operating point to a flatter portion of the heat stress Frank-Starling curve thereby attenuating the reduction in SV during subsequent decreases in central blood volume. To investigate this hypothesis, right heart catheterization was performed in eight males...... from whom pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), central venous pressure and SV (via thermodilution) were obtained while central blood volume was reduced via lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) during normothermia, whole-body heating (increase in blood temperature 1 degrees C), and during whole...

Emphysema lung lobe volume reduction: effects on the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Matthew S.; Kim, Hyun J.; Abtin, Fereidoun G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, Maya; Pais, Richard; Da Costa, Irene G.; Ordookhani, Arash; Chong, Daniel; Ni, Chiayi; McNitt-Gray, Michael F.; Goldin, Jonathan G. [David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, Department of Radiological Sciences, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Strange, Charlie [Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Columbia, SC (United States); Tashkin, Donald P. [David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2012-07-15

To investigate volumetric and density changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes following volume reduction of an emphysematous target lobe. The study included 289 subjects with heterogeneous emphysema, who underwent bronchoscopic volume reduction of the most diseased lobe with endobronchial valves and 132 untreated controls. Lobar volume and low-attenuation relative area (RA) changes post-procedure were measured from computed tomography images. Regression analysis (Spearman's rho) was performed to test the association between change in the target lobe volume and changes in volume and density variables in the other lobes. The target lobe volume at full inspiration in the treatment group had a mean reduction of -0.45 L (SE = 0.034, P < 0.0001), and was associated with volume increases in the ipsilateral lobe (rho = -0.68, P < 0.0001) and contralateral lung (rho = -0.16, P = 0.006), and overall reductions in expiratory RA (rho = 0.31, P < 0.0001) and residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) (rho = 0.13, P = 0.03). When the volume of an emphysematous target lobe is reduced, the volume is redistributed primarily to the ipsilateral lobe, with an overall reduction. Image-based changes in lobar volumes and densities indicate that target lobe volume reduction is associated with statistically significant overall reductions in air trapping, consistent with expansion of the healthier lung. (orig.)

Emphysema lung lobe volume reduction: effects on the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Matthew S.; Kim, Hyun J.; Abtin, Fereidoun G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, Maya; Pais, Richard; Da Costa, Irene G.; Ordookhani, Arash; Chong, Daniel; Ni, Chiayi; McNitt-Gray, Michael F.; Goldin, Jonathan G.; Strange, Charlie; Tashkin, Donald P.

2012-01-01

To investigate volumetric and density changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes following volume reduction of an emphysematous target lobe. The study included 289 subjects with heterogeneous emphysema, who underwent bronchoscopic volume reduction of the most diseased lobe with endobronchial valves and 132 untreated controls. Lobar volume and low-attenuation relative area (RA) changes post-procedure were measured from computed tomography images. Regression analysis (Spearman's rho) was performed to test the association between change in the target lobe volume and changes in volume and density variables in the other lobes. The target lobe volume at full inspiration in the treatment group had a mean reduction of -0.45 L (SE = 0.034, P < 0.0001), and was associated with volume increases in the ipsilateral lobe (rho = -0.68, P < 0.0001) and contralateral lung (rho = -0.16, P = 0.006), and overall reductions in expiratory RA (rho = 0.31, P < 0.0001) and residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) (rho = 0.13, P = 0.03). When the volume of an emphysematous target lobe is reduced, the volume is redistributed primarily to the ipsilateral lobe, with an overall reduction. Image-based changes in lobar volumes and densities indicate that target lobe volume reduction is associated with statistically significant overall reductions in air trapping, consistent with expansion of the healthier lung. (orig.)

Transfusion rate and prevalence of unexpected red blood cell alloantibodies in women undergoing hysterectomy for benign disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoestesen, Lisbeth M; Rasmussen, Kjeld L; Lauszus, Finn F

2011-01-01

To determine transfusion rates, risk factors for transfusion and the prevalence of unexpected red blood cell alloantibodies in women undergoing hysterectomy for benign disease. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the necessity of the pretransfusion testing for red blood cell alloantibodies....

Effects of diluents on soot surface temperature and volume fraction in diluted ethylene diffusion flames at pressure

KAUST Repository

Kailasanathan, Ranjith Kumar Abhinavam

2014-05-20

Soot surface temperature and volume fraction are measured in ethylene/air coflowing laminar diffusion flames at high pressures, diluted with one of four diluents (argon, helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide) using a two-color technique. Both temperature and soot measurements presented are line-of-sight averages. The results aid in understanding the kinetic and thermodynamic behavior of the soot formation and oxidation chemistry with changes in diluents, ultimately leading to possible methods of reducing soot emission from practical combustion hardware. The diluted fuel and coflow exit velocities (top-hat profiles) were matched at all pressures to minimize shear effects. In addition to the velocity-matched flow rates, the mass fluxes were held constant for all pressures. Addition of a diluent has a pronounced effect on both the soot surface temperature and volume fraction, with the helium diluted flame yielding the maximum and carbon dioxide diluted flame yielding minimum soot surface temperature and volume fraction. At low pressures, peak soot volume fraction exists at the tip of the flame, and with an increase in pressure, the location shifts lower to the wings of the flame. Due to the very high diffusivity of helium, significantly higher temperature and volume fraction are measured and explained. Carbon dioxide has the most dramatic soot suppression effect. By comparing the soot yield with previously measured soot precursor concentrations in the same flame, it is clear that the lower soot yield is a result of enhanced oxidation rates rather than a reduction in precursor formation. Copyright © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Understanding unexpected courses of multiple sclerosis among patients using complementary and alternative medicine: A travel from recipient to explorer

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Anita Salamonsen

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM is frequently used by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS. Some MS patients experience unexpected improvements of symptoms, which they relate to their use of CAM. The aim of this study was to obtain knowledge and develop understandings of such self-defined unexpected improvement of MS symptoms. Two cases were constructed based on documents and 12 qualitative interviews. Our aim was not to make generalisations from the cases, but to transfer knowledge as working hypotheses. We identified four health-related change processes: the process of losing bodily competence; the process of developing responsibility; the process of taking control; and the process of choosing CAM. The patients explained unexpected improvements in their MS symptoms as results of their own efforts including their choice and use of CAM. In our theoretical interpretations, we found the patients’ redefinition of history, the concept of treatment and the importance of conventional health care to be essential, and leading to a change of patients’ position towards conventional health care from recipients to explorers. The explorers can be perceived as boundary walkers reflecting limitations within the conventional health care system and as initiators regarding what MS patients find useful in CAM.

Effects of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Volume of Diagnostic Material in CT-Guided Lung Biopsies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Philip E; Sales, Catherine M; Hodges, Dalton C; Sales, Elizabeth W

2015-01-01

Recent publications have emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary strategy for maximum conservation and utilization of lung biopsy material for advanced testing, which may determine therapy. This paper quantifies the effect of a multidisciplinary strategy implemented to optimize and increase tissue volume in CT-guided transthoracic needle core lung biopsies. The strategy was three-pronged: (1) once there was confidence diagnostic tissue had been obtained and if safe for the patient, additional biopsy passes were performed to further increase volume of biopsy material, (2) biopsy material was placed in multiple cassettes for processing, and (3) all tissue ribbons were conserved when cutting blocks in the histology laboratory. This study quantifies the effects of strategies #1 and #2. This retrospective analysis comparing CT-guided lung biopsies from 2007 and 2012 (before and after multidisciplinary approach implementation) was performed at a single institution. Patient medical records were reviewed and main variables analyzed include biopsy sample size, radiologist, number of blocks submitted, diagnosis, and complications. The biopsy sample size measured was considered to be directly proportional to tissue volume in the block. Biopsy sample size increased 2.5 fold with the average total biopsy sample size increasing from 1.0 cm (0.9-1.1 cm) in 2007 to 2.5 cm (2.3-2.8 cm) in 2012 (Pstrategy to CT-guided lung biopsies was effective in significantly increasing tissue volume and number of blocks available for advanced diagnostic testing.

Unexpected neuronal protection of SU5416 against 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced toxicity via inhibiting neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

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Wei Cui

Full Text Available SU5416 was originally designed as a potent and selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2 for cancer therapy. In this study, we have found for the first time that SU5416 unexpectedly prevented 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+-induced neuronal apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons, and decreased 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons and impairment of swimming behavior in zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner. However, VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor II, another specific VEGFR-2 inhibitor, failed to reverse neurotoxicity at the concentration exhibiting anti-angiogenic activity, strongly suggesting that the neuroprotective effect of SU5416 is independent from its anti-angiogenic action. SU5416 potently reversed MPP(+-increased intracellular nitric oxide level with an efficacy similar to 7-nitroindazole, a specific neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS inhibitor. Western blotting analysis showed that SU5416 reduced the elevation of nNOS protein expression induced by MPP(+. Furthermore, SU5416 directly inhibited the enzyme activity of rat cerebellum nNOS with an IC(50 value of 22.7 µM. In addition, knock-down of nNOS expression using short hairpin RNA (shRNA abolished the neuroprotective effects of SU5416 against MPP(+-induced neuronal loss. Our results strongly demonstrate that SU5416 might exert its unexpected neuroprotective effects by concurrently reducing nNOS protein expression and directly inhibiting nNOS enzyme activity. In view of the capability of SU5416 to cross the blood-brain barrier and the safety for human use, our findings further indicate that SU5416 might be a novel drug candidate for neurodegenerative disorders, particularly those associated with NO-mediated neurotoxicity.

Interlimb communication following unexpected changes in treadmill velocity during human walking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stevenson, Andrew James Thomas; Geertsen, Svend Sparre; Sinkjær, Thomas

2015-01-01

Interlimb reflexes play an important role in human walking, particularly when dynamic stability is threatened by external perturbations or changes in the walking surface. Interlimb reflexes have recently been demonstrated in the contralateral biceps femoris (cBF) following knee joint rotations...... applied to the ipsilateral leg (iKnee) during the late stance phase of human gait (Stevenson et al. 2013). This interlimb reflex likely acts to slow the forward progression of the body in order to maintain dynamic stability following the perturbations. We examined this hypothesis by unexpectedly...... to slow the forward progression of the body and maintaining dynamic stability during walking, thus signifying a functional role for interlimb reflexes....

Why don't you like me? Midfrontal theta power in response to unexpected peer rejection feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Molen, M J W; Dekkers, L M S; Westenberg, P M; van der Veen, F M; van der Molen, M W

2017-02-01

Social connectedness theory posits that the brain processes social rejection as a threat to survival. Recent electrophysiological evidence suggests that midfrontal theta (4-8Hz) oscillations in the EEG provide a window on the processing of social rejection. Here we examined midfrontal theta dynamics (power and inter-trial phase synchrony) during the processing of social evaluative feedback. We employed the Social Judgment paradigm in which 56 undergraduate women (mean age=19.67 years) were asked to communicate their expectancies about being liked vs. disliked by unknown peers. Expectancies were followed by feedback indicating social acceptance vs. rejection. Results revealed a significant increase in EEG theta power to unexpected social rejection feedback. This EEG theta response could be source-localized to brain regions typically reported during activation of the saliency network (i.e., dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula, inferior frontal gyrus, frontal pole, and the supplementary motor area). Theta phase dynamics mimicked the behavior of the time-domain averaged feedback-related negativity (FRN) by showing stronger phase synchrony for feedback that was unexpected vs. expected. Theta phase, however, differed from the FRN by also displaying stronger phase synchrony in response to rejection vs. acceptance feedback. Together, this study highlights distinct roles for midfrontal theta power and phase synchrony in response to social evaluative feedback. Our findings contribute to the literature by showing that midfrontal theta oscillatory power is sensitive to social rejection but only when peer rejection is unexpected, and this theta response is governed by a widely distributed neural network implicated in saliency detection and conflict monitoring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The low-energy effective theory of QCD at small quark masses in a finite volume

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lehner, Christoph

2010-01-15

At low energies the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) can be described effectively in terms of the lightest particles of the theory, the pions. This approximation is valid for temperatures well below the mass difference of the pions to the next heavier particles. We study the low-energy effective theory at very small quark masses in a finite volume V. The corresponding perturbative expansion in 1/{radical}(V) is called {epsilon} expansion. At each order of this expansion a finite number of low-energy constants completely determine the effective theory. These low-energy constants are of great phenomenological importance. In the leading order of the {epsilon} expansion, called {epsilon} regime, the theory becomes zero-dimensional and is therefore described by random matrix theory (RMT). The dimensionless quantities of RMT are mapped to dimensionful quantities of the low-energy effective theory using the leading-order lowenergy constants {sigma} and F. In this way {sigma} and F can be obtained from lattice QCD simulations in the '' regime by a fit to RMT predictions. For typical volumes of state-of-the-art lattice QCD simulations, finite-volume corrections to the RMT prediction cannot be neglected. These corrections can be calculated in higher orders of the {epsilon} expansion. We calculate the finite-volume corrections to {sigma} and F at next-to-next-to-leading order in the {epsilon} expansion. We also discuss non-universal modifications of the theory due to the finite volume. These results are then applied to lattice QCD simulations, and we extract {sigma} and F from eigenvalue correlation functions of the Dirac operator. As a side result, we provide a proof of equivalence between the parametrization of the partially quenched low-energy effective theory without singlet particle and that of the super-Riemannian manifold used earlier in the literature. Furthermore, we calculate a special version of the massless sunset diagram at finite volume without

Apparent CBF decrease with normal aging due to partial volume effects: MR-based partial volume correction on CBF SPECT.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Kentaro; Ito, Hiroshi; Goto, Ryoi; Nakagawa, Manabu; Kinomura, Shigeo; Sato, Tachio; Sato, Kazunori; Fukuda, Hiroshi

2005-06-01

Several studies using single photon emission tomography (SPECT) have shown changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) with age, which were associated with partial volume effects by some authors. Some studies have also demonstrated gender-related differences in CBF. The present study aimed to examine age and gender effects on CBF SPECT images obtained using the 99mTc-ethyl cysteinate dimer and a SPECT scanner, before and after partial volume correction (PVC) using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Forty-four healthy subjects (29 males and 15 females; age range, 27-64 y; mean age, 50.0 +/- 9.8 y) participated. Each MR image was segmented to yield grey and white matter images and coregistered to a corresponding SPECT image, followed by convolution to approximate the SPECT spatial resolution. PVC-SPECT images were produced using the convoluted grey matter MR (GM-MR) and white matter MR images. The age and gender effects were assessed using SPM99. Decreases with age were detected in the anterolateral prefrontal cortex and in areas along the lateral sulcus and the lateral ventricle, bilaterally, in the GM-MR images and the SPECT images. In the PVC-SPECT images, decreases in CBF in the lateral prefrontal cortex lost their statistical significance. Decreases in CBF with age found along the lateral sulcus and the lateral ventricle, on the other hand, remained statistically significant, but observation of the spatially normalized MR images suggests that these findings are associated with the dilatation of the lateral sulcus and lateral ventricle, which was not completely compensated for by the spatial normalization procedure. Our present study demonstrated that age effects on CBF in healthy subjects could reflect morphological differences with age in grey matter.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation on muscle volume in patients with septic shock

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Jesper Brøndum; Møller, Kirsten; Jensen, Claus V

2011-01-01

Objective: Intensive care unit admission is associated with muscle wasting and impaired physical function. We investigated the effect of early transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation on quadriceps muscle volume in patients with septic shock. Design: Randomized interventional study using...

Small-Volume Injections: Evaluation of Volume Administration Deviation From Intended Injection Volumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Muffly, Matthew K; Chen, Michael I; Claure, Rebecca E; Drover, David R; Efron, Bradley; Fitch, William L; Hammer, Gregory B

2017-10-01

In the perioperative period, anesthesiologists and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses routinely prepare and administer small-volume IV injections, yet the accuracy of delivered medication volumes in this setting has not been described. In this ex vivo study, we sought to characterize the degree to which small-volume injections (≤0.5 mL) deviated from the intended injection volumes among a group of pediatric anesthesiologists and pediatric postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses. We hypothesized that as the intended injection volumes decreased, the deviation from those intended injection volumes would increase. Ten attending pediatric anesthesiologists and 10 pediatric PACU nurses each performed a series of 10 injections into a simulated patient IV setup. Practitioners used separate 1-mL tuberculin syringes with removable 18-gauge needles (Becton-Dickinson & Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ) to aspirate 5 different volumes (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mL) of 0.25 mM Lucifer Yellow (LY) fluorescent dye constituted in saline (Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) from a rubber-stoppered vial. Each participant then injected the specified volume of LY fluorescent dye via a 3-way stopcock into IV tubing with free-flowing 0.9% sodium chloride (10 mL/min). The injected volume of LY fluorescent dye and 0.9% sodium chloride then drained into a collection vial for laboratory analysis. Microplate fluorescence wavelength detection (Infinite M1000; Tecan, Mannedorf, Switzerland) was used to measure the fluorescence of the collected fluid. Administered injection volumes were calculated based on the fluorescence of the collected fluid using a calibration curve of known LY volumes and associated fluorescence.To determine whether deviation of the administered volumes from the intended injection volumes increased at lower injection volumes, we compared the proportional injection volume error (loge [administered volume/intended volume]) for each of the 5 injection volumes using a linear

Test of Effective Solid Angle code for the efficiency calculation of volume source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, M. Y.; Kim, J. H.; Choi, H. D. [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Sun, G. M. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

It is hard to determine a full energy (FE) absorption peak efficiency curve for an arbitrary volume source by experiment. That's why the simulation and semi-empirical methods have been preferred so far, and many works have progressed in various ways. Moens et al. determined the concept of effective solid angle by considering an attenuation effect of γ-rays in source, media and detector. This concept is based on a semi-empirical method. An Effective Solid Angle code (ESA code) has been developed for years by the Applied Nuclear Physics Group in Seoul National University. ESA code converts an experimental FE efficiency curve determined by using a standard point source to that for a volume source. To test the performance of ESA Code, we measured the point standard sources and voluminous certified reference material (CRM) sources of γ-ray, and compared with efficiency curves obtained in this study. 200∼1500 KeV energy region is fitted well. NIST X-ray mass attenuation coefficient data is used currently to check for the effect of linear attenuation only. We will use the interaction cross-section data obtained from XCOM code to check the each contributing factor like photoelectric effect, incoherent scattering and coherent scattering in the future. In order to minimize the calculation time and code simplification, optimization of algorithm is needed.

Early changes in volume and non-enhanced volume of acoustic neurinoma after stereotactic gamma-radiosurgery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyama, Hirofumi; Kobayashi, Tatsuya; Kida, Yoshihisa; Tanaka, Takayuki; Mori, Yoshimasa; Iwakoshi, Takayasu; Niwa, Masahiro; Kai, Osamu; Hirose, Mitsuhiko [Komaki City Hospital, Aichi (Japan)

1994-09-01

The effectiveness of stereotactic gamma-radiosurgery for treating acoustic neurinoma was evaluated by measuring the volumes of the tumor, non-enhanced tumor, and cerebellar edema in 13 patients with acoustic neurinoma who were followed up for 9 to 15 months (median 12.7 mos) after treatment. The tumor volume and non-enhanced volume tended to reach a maximum after 6 months, and cerebellar edema volume after 9 months, then decreased gradually thereafter. Hearing loss tended to increase gradually, but involvement of the facial nerve was transient. (author).

Conductivity equations of protons transporting through 2D crystals obtained with the rate process theory and free volume concept

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Tian; Xu, Yuanze; Hao, Ting

2018-04-01

The Eyring's rate process theory and free volume concept are employed to treat protons (or other particles) transporting through a 2D (two dimensional) crystal like graphene and hexagonal boron nitride. The protons are assumed to be activated first in order to participate conduction and the conduction rate is dependent on how much free volume available in the system. The obtained proton conductivity equations show that only the number of conduction protons, proton size and packing structure, and the energy barrier associated with 2D crystals are critical; the quantization conductance is unexpectedly predicted with a simple Arrhenius type temperature dependence. The predictions agree well with experimental observations and clear out many puzzles like much smaller energy barrier determined from experiments than from the density function calculations and isotope separation rate independent of the energy barrier of 2D crystals, etc. Our work may deepen our understandings on how protons transport through a membrane and has direct implications on hydrogen related technology and proton involved bioprocesses.

Ionizing radiation: levels and effects. Volume I. Levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-01-01

This is the sixth substantive report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation to the General Assembly. It reviews the levels of radiation received from all sources to which man is exposed and, among the effects of ionizing radiation, it considers the genetic effects, the effects on the immune response and the induction of malignancies in animals and man. These are not the only effects of ionizing radiation. The acute consequences of massive amounts of radiation that may be received accidentally or during nuclear warfare are not reviewed here (the short discussion of this subject in the 1962 report is still largely valid, at least as an introduction), nor are the effects on the nervous system and the induction of chromosome anomalies in somatic cells, which were both considered by the Committee in its 1969 report. Unlike previous reports of the Committee, the present report is submitted to the General Assembly without the technical annexes in which the evidence considered by the Committee is discussed in detail and in which the bases for the Committee's conclusions, which are stated in the report, are fully documented. However, the annexes are being made available at the same time as the report in a separate publication, issued in two volumes and the Committee wishes to draw the attention of the General Assembly to the fact that the separation of the report from the annexes is for convenience only and that major importance attaches to the scientific evidence given in the annexes.

Cannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in unexpected ecological contexts

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, Kyle I.; Stockwell, Craig A.; Mushet, David M.

2016-01-01

Barred tiger salamanders [Ambystoma mavortium (Baird, 1850)] exhibit two trophic morphologies; a typical and a cannibalistic morph. Cannibalistic morphs, distinguished by enlarged vomerine teeth, wide heads, slender bodies, and cannibalistic tendencies, are often found where conspecifics occur at high density. During 2012 and 2013, 162 North Dakota wetlands and lakes were sampled for salamanders. Fifty-one contained A. mavortium populations; four of these contained cannibalistic morph individuals. Two populations with cannibalistic morphs occurred at sites with high abundances of conspecifics. However, the other two populations occurred at sites with unexpectedly low conspecific but high fathead minnow [Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque, 1820)] abundances. Further, no typical morphs were observed in either of these later two populations, contrasting with earlier research suggesting cannibalistic morphs only occur at low frequencies in salamander populations. Another anomaly of all four populations was the occurrence of cannibalistic morphs in permanent water sites, suggesting their presence was due to factors other than faster growth allowing them to occupy ephemeral habitats. Therefore, our findings suggest environmental factors inducing the cannibalistic morphism may be more complex than previously thought.

Spontaneous abortion and unexpected death: a critical discussion of Marquis on abortion.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Mary Clayton

2013-02-01

In his classic paper, 'Why abortion is immoral', Don Marquis argues that what makes killing an adult seriously immoral is that it deprives the victim of the valuable future he/she would have otherwise had. Moreover, Marquis contends, because abortion deprives a fetus of the very same thing, aborting a fetus is just as seriously wrong as killing an adult. Marquis' argument has received a great deal of critical attention in the two decades since its publication. Nonetheless, there is a potential challenge to it that seems to have gone unnoticed. A significant percentage of fetuses are lost to spontaneous abortion. Once we bring this fact to our attention, it becomes less clear whether Marquis can use his account of the wrongness of killing to show that abortion is the moral equivalent of murder. In this paper, I explore the relevance of the rate of spontaneous abortion to Marquis' classic anti-abortion argument. I introduce a case I call Unexpected Death in which someone is about to commit murder, but, just as the would-be murderer is about to strike, his would-be victim dies unexpectedly. I then ask: what does Marquis' account of killing imply about the moral status of what the would-be murderer was about to do? I consider four responses Marquis could give to this question, and I examine what implications these responses have for Marquis' strategy of using his account of the wrongness of killing an adult to show that abortion is in the same moral category.

Effect of Thyroid Remnant Volume on the Risk of Hypothyroidism After Hemithyroidectomy: A Prospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Brian Hung-Hin; Wong, Carlos K H; Wong, Kai Pun; Chu, Kelvin Ka-Wan; Shek, Tony W H

2017-06-01

Hypothyroidism is a common sequel after a hemithyroidectomy. Although various risk factors leading to hypothyroidism have been reported, the effect of the contralateral lobe's volume has been understudied. This study aimed to examine the association between the preoperative contralateral lobe's volume and the risk of postoperative hypothyroidism. During a 2-year period, 150 eligible patients undergoing a hemithyroidectomy were evaluated. The volume of the contralateral nonexcised lobe was estimated preoperatively by independent assessors on ultrasonography using the following formula: width (in cm) × depth (in cm) × length (in cm) × (π/6), adjusted for the body surface area (BSA). Postoperative hypothyroidism was defined as serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) exceeding 4.78 mIU/L. Any significant characteristics in the univariate analysis were entered into the multivariate analysis to determine independent factors. After a mean follow-up period of 53.5 ± 9.4 months, 44 patients (29.3 %) experienced postoperative hypothyroidism, and 10 of these patients required thyroxine replacement. Hypothyroidism was associated with a higher preoperative TSH level (p hypothyroidism. Patients with a BSA-adjusted volume smaller than 3.2 ml had a threefold greater hypothyroidism risk than those with a BSA-adjusted volume of 3.2 ml or more (p hypothyroidism risk was observed after hemithyroidectomy. Together with a higher preoperative TSH level and fewer ipsilateral nodules, a smaller BSA-adjusted volume measured by preoperative ultrasonography independently predicted hypothyroidism.

Right ventricular function during one-lung ventilation: effects of pressure-controlled and volume-controlled ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Shehri, Abdullah M; El-Tahan, Mohamed R; Al Metwally, Roshdi; Qutub, Hatem; El Ghoneimy, Yasser F; Regal, Mohamed A; Zien, Haytham

2014-08-01

To test the effects of pressure-controlled (PCV) and volume-controlled (VCV) ventilation during one-lung ventilation (OLV) for thoracic surgery on right ventricular (RV) function. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover study. A single university hospital. Fourteen pairs of consecutive patients scheduled for elective thoracotomy. Patients were assigned randomly to ventilate the dependent lung with PCV or VCV mode, each in a randomized crossover order using tidal volume of 6 mL/kg, I: E ratio 1: 2.5, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H2O and respiratory rate adjusted to maintain normocapnia. Intraoperative changes in RV function (systolic and early diastolic tricuspid annular velocity (TAV), end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and fractional area changes (FAC)), airway pressures, compliance and oxygenation index were recorded. The use of PCV during OLV resulted in faster systolic (10.1±2.39 vs. 5.8±1.67 cm/s, respectively), diastolic TAV (9.2±1.99 vs. 4.6±1.42 cm/s, respectively) (prights reserved.

[Target volume margins for lung cancer: internal target volume/clinical target volume].

Science.gov (United States)

Jouin, A; Pourel, N

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to carry out a review of margins that should be used for the delineation of target volumes in lung cancer, with a focus on margins from gross tumour volume (GTV) to clinical target volume (CTV) and internal target volume (ITV) delineation. Our review was based on a PubMed literature search with, as a cornerstone, the 2010 European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) recommandations by De Ruysscher et al. The keywords used for the search were: radiotherapy, lung cancer, clinical target volume, internal target volume. The relevant information was categorized under the following headings: gross tumour volume definition (GTV), CTV-GTV margin (first tumoural CTV then nodal CTV definition), in field versus elective nodal irradiation, metabolic imaging role through the input of the PET scanner for tumour target volume and limitations of PET-CT imaging for nodal target volume definition, postoperative radiotherapy target volume definition, delineation of target volumes after induction chemotherapy; then the internal target volume is specified as well as tumoural mobility for lung cancer and respiratory gating techniques. Finally, a chapter is dedicated to planning target volume definition and another to small cell lung cancer. For each heading, the most relevant and recent clinical trials and publications are mentioned. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier SAS.

A prospective evaluation of hippocampal radiation dose volume effects and memory deficits following cranial irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ting Martin; Grimm, Jimm; McIntyre, Riley; Anderson-Keightly, Heather; Kleinberg, Lawrence R; Hales, Russell K; Moore, Joseph; Vannorsdall, Tracy; Redmond, Kristin J

2017-11-01

To prospectively evaluate hippocampal radiation dose volume effects and memory decline following cranial irradiation. Effects of hippocampal radiation over a wide range of doses were investigated by combining data from three prospective studies. In one, adults with small cell lung cancer received hippocampal-avoidance prophylactic cranial irradiation. In the other two, adults with glioblastoma multiforme received neural progenitor cell sparing radiation or no sparing with extra dose delivered to subventricular zone. Memory was measured by the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised Delayed Recall (HVLT-R DR) at 6 months after radiation. Dose-volume histograms were generated and dose-response data were fitted to a nonlinear model. Of 60 patients enrolled, 30 were analyzable based on HVLT-R DR testing completion status, baseline HVLT-R DR and intracranial metastasis/recurrence or prior hippocampal resection status. We observed a dose-response of radiation to the hippocampus with regard to decline in HVLT-R DR. D50% of the bilateral hippocampi of 22.1 Gy is associated with 20% risk of decline. This prospective study demonstrates an association between hippocampal dose volume effects and memory decline measured by HVLT-R DR over a wide dose range. These data support a potential benefit of hippocampal sparing and encourage continued trial enrollment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of body position on respiratory system volumes in anesthetized red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) as measured via computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Malka, Shachar; Hawkins, Michelle G; Jones, James H; Pascoe, Peter J; Kass, Philip H; Wisner, Erik R

2009-09-01

To determine the effects of body position on lung and air-sac volumes in anesthetized and spontaneously breathing red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis). 6 adult red-tailed hawks (sex unknown). A crossover study design was used for quantitative estimation of lung and air-sac volumes in anesthetized hawks in 3 body positions: dorsal, right lateral, and sternal recumbency. Lung volume, lung density, and air-sac volume were calculated from helical computed tomographic (CT) images by use of software designed for volumetric analysis of CT data. Effects of body position were compared by use of repeated-measures ANOVA and a paired Student t test. Results for all pairs of body positions were significantly different from each other. Mean +/- SD lung density was lowest when hawks were in sternal recumbency (-677 +/- 28 CT units), followed by right lateral (-647 +/- 23 CT units) and dorsal (-630 +/- 19 CT units) recumbency. Mean lung volume was largest in sternal recumbency (28.6 +/- 1.5 mL), followed by right lateral (27.6 +/- 1.7 mL) and dorsal (27.0 +/- 1.5 mL) recumbency. Mean partial air-sac volume was largest in sternal recumbency (27.0 +/- 19.3 mL), followed by right lateral (21.9 +/- 16.1 mL) and dorsal (19.3 +/- 16.9 mL) recumbency. In anesthetized red-tailed hawks, positioning in sternal recumbency resulted in the greatest lung and air-sac volumes and lowest lung density, compared with positioning in right lateral and dorsal recumbency. Additional studies are necessary to determine the physiologic effects of body position on the avian respiratory system.

Dedicated Perioperative Hip Fracture Comanagement Programs are Cost-effective in High-volume Centers: An Economic Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Swart, Eric; Vasudeva, Eshan; Makhni, Eric C; Macaulay, William; Bozic, Kevin J

2016-01-01

Osteoporotic hip fractures are common injuries typically occurring in patients who are older and medically frail. Studies have suggested that creation of a multidisciplinary team including orthopaedic surgeons, internal medicine physicians, social workers, and specialized physical therapists, to comanage these patients can decrease complication rates, improve time to surgery, and reduce hospital length of stay; however, they have yet to achieve widespread implementation, partly owing to concerns regarding resource requirements necessary for a comanagement program. We performed an economic analysis to determine whether implementation of a comanagement model of care for geriatric patients with osteoporotic hip fractures would be a cost-effective intervention at hospitals with moderate volume. We also calculated what annual volume of cases would be needed for a comanagement program to "break even", and finally we evaluated whether universal or risk-stratified comanagement was more cost effective. Decision analysis techniques were used to model the effect of implementing a systems-based strategy to improve inpatient perioperative care. Costs were obtained from best-available literature and included salary to support personnel and resources to expedite time to the operating room. The major economic benefit was decreased initial hospital length of stay, which was determined via literature review and meta-analysis, and a health benefit was improvement in perioperative mortality owing to expedited preoperative evaluation based on previously conducted meta-analyses. A break-even analysis was conducted to determine the annual case volume necessary for comanagement to be either (1) cost effective (improve health-related quality of life enough to be worth additional expenses) or (2) result in cost savings (actually result in decreased total expenses). This calculation assumed the scenario in which a hospital could hire only one hospitalist (and therapist and social worker) on

Adaptive designs for dose-finding in non-cancer phase II trials: influence of early unexpected outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Resche-Rigon, Matthieu; Zohar, Sarah; Chevret, Sylvie

2008-01-01

In non-cancer phase II trials, dose-finding trials are usually carried out using fixed designs, in which several doses including a placebo are randomly distributed to patients. However, in certain vulnerable populations, such as neonates or infants, there is an heightened requirement for safety, precluding randomization. To estimate the minimum effective dose of a new drug from a non-cancer phase II trial, we propose the use of adaptive designs like the Continual Reassessment Method (CRM). This approach estimates the dose closest to some target response, and has been shown to be unbiased and efficient in cancer phase I trials. Based on a motivating example, we point out the individual influence of first outliers in this setting. A weighted version of the CRM is proposed as a theoretical benchmark to control for these outliers. Using simulations, we illustrate how this approach provides further insight into the behavior of the CRM. When dealing with low targets like a 10% failure rate, the CRM appears unable to rapidly overcome an early unexpected outcome. This behavior persisted despite changing the inference (Bayesian or likelihood), underlying dose-response model (though slightly improved using the power model), and the number of patients enrolled at each dose level. The choices for initial guesses of failure rates, the vague prior for the model parameter, and the log-log shape of weights can appear somewhat arbitrary. In phase II dose-finding studies in which failure targets are below 20%, the CRM appears quite sensitive to first unexpected outcomes. Using a power model for dose-response improves some behavior if the trial is started at the first dose level and includes at least three to five patients at the starting dose before applying the CRM allocation rule.

Gastrointestinal toxicity of vorinostat: reanalysis of phase 1 study results with emphasis on dose-volume effects of pelvic radiotherapy

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bratland, Ase

2011-04-08

Abstract Background In early-phase studies with targeted therapeutics and radiotherapy, it may be difficult to decide whether an adverse event should be considered a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of the investigational systemic agent, as acute normal tissue toxicity is frequently encountered with radiation alone. We have reanalyzed the toxicity data from a recently conducted phase 1 study on vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, in combination with pelvic palliative radiotherapy, with emphasis on the dose distribution within the irradiated bowel volume to the development of DLT. Findings Of 14 eligible patients, three individuals experienced Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events grade 3 gastrointestinal and related toxicities, representing a toxicity profile vorinostat has in common with radiotherapy to pelvic target volumes. For each study patient, the relative volumes of small bowel receiving radiation doses between 6 Gy and 30 Gy at 6-Gy intervals (V6-V30) were determined from the treatment-planning computed tomography scans. The single patient that experienced a DLT at the second highest dose level of vorinostat, which was determined as the maximum-tolerated dose, had V6-V30 dose-volume estimates that were considerably higher than any other study patient. This patient may have experienced an adverse radiation dose-volume effect rather than a toxic effect of the investigational drug. Conclusions When reporting early-phase trial results on the tolerability of a systemic targeted therapeutic used as potential radiosensitizing agent, radiation dose-volume effects should be quantified to enable full interpretation of the study toxicity profile. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00455351

Gastrointestinal toxicity of vorinostat: reanalysis of phase 1 study results with emphasis on dose-volume effects of pelvic radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bratland, Åse; Dueland, Svein; Hollywood, Donal; Flatmark, Kjersti; Ree, Anne H

2011-01-01

In early-phase studies with targeted therapeutics and radiotherapy, it may be difficult to decide whether an adverse event should be considered a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of the investigational systemic agent, as acute normal tissue toxicity is frequently encountered with radiation alone. We have reanalyzed the toxicity data from a recently conducted phase 1 study on vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, in combination with pelvic palliative radiotherapy, with emphasis on the dose distribution within the irradiated bowel volume to the development of DLT. Of 14 eligible patients, three individuals experienced Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events grade 3 gastrointestinal and related toxicities, representing a toxicity profile vorinostat has in common with radiotherapy to pelvic target volumes. For each study patient, the relative volumes of small bowel receiving radiation doses between 6 Gy and 30 Gy at 6-Gy intervals (V6-V30) were determined from the treatment-planning computed tomography scans. The single patient that experienced a DLT at the second highest dose level of vorinostat, which was determined as the maximum-tolerated dose, had V6-V30 dose-volume estimates that were considerably higher than any other study patient. This patient may have experienced an adverse radiation dose-volume effect rather than a toxic effect of the investigational drug. When reporting early-phase trial results on the tolerability of a systemic targeted therapeutic used as potential radiosensitizing agent, radiation dose-volume effects should be quantified to enable full interpretation of the study toxicity profile.

A novel reducing graphene/polyaniline/cuprous oxide composite hydrogel with unexpected photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Congo red

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, Jie; Xie, Anjian; Li, Shikuo; Huang, Fangzhi; Cao, Juan; Shen, Yuhua

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Excellent photocatalytic activity of the RGO/PANI/Cu_2O composite hydrogel for CR degradation under UV–vis light irradiation. - Highlights: • The RGO/PANI/Cu_2O composite hydrogel was first synthesized via a facile method. • Photocatalytic performance was studied under UV–vis light. • The ternary composite hydrogel shows unexpected photocatalytic activity. • A possible photocatalysis mechanism was illustrated. - Abstract: In this work, a novel reducing graphene/polyaniline/cuprous oxide (RGO/PANI/Cu_2O) composite hydrogel with a 3D porous network has been successfully prepared via a one-pot method in the presence of cubic Cu_2O nanoparticles. The as-synthesized ternary composites hydrogel shows unexpected photocatalytic activity such that Congo red (CR) degradation efficiency can reaches 97.91% in 20 min under UV–vis light irradiation, which is much higher than that of either the single component (Cu_2O nanoparticles), or two component systems (RGO/Cu_2O composite hydrogel and PANI/Cu_2O nanocomposites). Furthermore, the ternary composite hydrogel exhibits high stability and do not show any significant loss after five recycles. Such outstanding photocatalytic activity of the RGO/PANI/Cu_2O composite hydrogel was ascribed to the high absorption ability of the product for CR and the synergic effect among RGO, PANI and Cu_2O in photocatalytic process. The product of this work would provide a new sight for the construction of UV–vis light responsive photocatalyst with high performance.

Effect of water volume based on water absorption and mixing time on physical properties of tapioca starch – wheat composite bread

Science.gov (United States)

Prameswari, I. K.; Manuhara, G. J.; Amanto, B. S.; Atmaka, W.

2018-05-01

Tapioca starch application in bread processing change water absorption level by the dough, while sufficient mixing time makes the optimal water absorption. This research aims to determine the effect of variations in water volume and mixing time on physical properties of tapioca starch – wheat composite bread and the best method for the composite bread processing. This research used Complete Randomized Factorial Design (CRFD) with two factors: variations of water volume (111,8 ml, 117,4 ml, 123 ml) and mixing time (16 minutes, 17 minutes 36 seconds, 19 minutes 12 seconds). The result showed that water volume significantly affected on dough volume, bread volume and specific volume, baking expansion, and crust thickness. Mixing time significantly affected on dough volume and specific volume, bread volume and specific volume, baking expansion, bread height, and crust thickness. While the combination of water volume and mixing time significantly affected for all physical properties parameters except crust thickness.

Unexpected temporal evolution of atomic spectral lines of aluminum in a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saad, Rawad; L'Hermite, Daniel; Bousquet, Bruno

2014-01-01

The temporal evolution of the laser induced breakdown (LIBS) signal of a pure aluminum sample was studied under nitrogen and air atmospheres. In addition to the usual decrease of signal due to plasma cooling, unexpected temporal evolutions were observed for a spectral lines of aluminum, which revealed the existence of collisional energy transfer effects. Furthermore, molecular bands of AlN and AlO were observed in the LIBS spectra, indicating recombination of aluminum with the ambient gas. Within the experimental conditions reported in this study, both collisional energy transfer and recombination processes occurred around 1.5 μs after the laser shot. This highlights the possible influence of collisional and chemical effects inside the plasma that can play a role on LIBS signals. - Highlights: • Persistence of two Al I lines related to the 61,844 cm −1 energy level only under nitrogen atmosphere. • Collisional energy transfer effect exists between aluminum and nitrogen. • Observation of molecular band of AlN (under nitrogen) and AlO (under air) after a delay time of 1.5 µs. • 20% of oxygen in air is sufficient to annihilate both the collisional energy transfer effect and the AlN molecular formation

Effectiveness evaluation of two volumizing hyaluronic acid dermal fillers in a controlled, randomized, double-blind, split-face clinical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerscher M

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Martina Kerscher,1 Karla Agsten,2 Maria Kravtsov,3 Welf Prager4 1Department of Cosmetic Science, University of Hamburg, 2SCIderm GmbH, Hamburg, Germany; 3Anteis S.A., Geneva, Switzerland; 4Prager & Partner Dermatologische Praxis, Hamburg, Germany Background: Enhancement of the midface can be achieved with volumizing hyaluronic acid (HA fillers.Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the safety and effectiveness of Cohesive Polydensified Matrix® 26 mg/mL HA gel (CPM-26 and Vycross® 20 mg/ml HA gel (VYC-20 in a controlled, randomized, evaluator-blind, split-face clinical study.Patients and methods: Subjects with moderate-to-severe malar volume loss on the Merz Aesthetics Scale (MAS received CPM-26 on one side and VYC-20 on the contralateral side of the face. Effectiveness assessments were performed by blinded evaluators including photographic and live MAS ratings and live Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS ratings. Calculations of anatomical volume variations at month 3 (M3, month 6 (M6, month 12 (M12 and month 18 (M18 were also performed.Results: Non-inferiority of CPM-26 versus VYC-20 was demonstrated at M3 (primary end point based on MAS. GAIS rating showed that significantly more subjects had better improvement with CPM-26 than with VYC-20 at month 1, M3, M12 and M18 (p=0.0032, p=0.0074, p=0.0384 and p=0.0110, respectively. Standardized evaluation of volume variations from baseline to M3, M12 and M18 showed that CPM-26 created more volume augmentation at all time points, and the difference was significant at M3.Conclusion: CPM-26 was non-inferior to VYC-20 based on MAS ratings at M3 and demonstrated a favorable safety and effectiveness profile for midfacial volume enhancement with results lasting up to M18. Keywords: cohesive polydensified matrix, hyaluronic acid fillers, Belotero® Volume, Modélis® SHAPE, Juvéderm® VOLUMA®, volumizing

Diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism in HIV: an unexpected cause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Tavares Bello

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Central diabetes insipidus (DI is a rare clinical entity characterized by low circulating levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH presenting with polyuria and volume depletion. Pituitary surgery is the most common cause of central DI in adults. Pituitary and hypothalamic disease, particularly invasive neoplasms, rarely cause DI, being idiopathic cases responsible for the majority of non-surgical cases. HIV patients, especially those with poor virulogical control, are prone to the development of CNS neoplasms, particularly lymphomas. These neoplasms usually become manifest with mass effects and seizures. Central DI and hypopituitarism are uncommon initial manifestations of primary CNS lymphomas. The authors describe the case of 29-year-old female, HIV-positive patient whose CNS lymphoma presented with DI.

Effects of Time, Heat, and Oxygen on K Basin Sludge Agglomeration, Strength, and Solids Volume

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delegard, Calvin H.; Sinkov, Sergey I.; Schmidt, Andrew J.; Daniel, Richard C.; Burns, Carolyn A.

2011-01-04

Sludge disposition will be managed in two phases under the K Basin Sludge Treatment Project. The first phase is to retrieve the sludge that currently resides in engineered containers in the K West (KW) Basin pool at ~10 to 18°C. The second phase is to retrieve the sludge from interim storage in the sludge transport and storage containers (STSCs) and treat and package it in preparation for eventual shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The work described in this report was conducted to gain insight into how sludge may change during long-term containerized storage in the STSCs. To accelerate potential physical and chemical changes, the tests were performed at temperatures and oxygen partial pressures significantly greater than those expected in the T Plant canyon cells where the STSCs will be stored. Tests were conducted to determine the effects of 50°C oxygenated water exposure on settled quiescent uraninite (UO2) slurry and a full simulant of KW containerized sludge to determine the effects of oxygen and heat on the composition and mechanical properties of sludge. Shear-strength measurements by vane rheometry also were conducted for UO2 slurry, mixtures of UO2 and metaschoepite (UO3•2H2O), and for simulated KW containerized sludge. The results from these tests and related previous tests are compared to determine whether the settled solids in the K Basin sludge materials change in volume because of oxidation of UO2 by dissolved atmospheric oxygen to form metaschoepite. The test results also are compared to determine if heating or other factors alter sludge volumes and to determine the effects of sludge composition and settling times on sludge shear strength. It has been estimated that the sludge volume will increase with time because of a uranium metal → uraninite → metaschoepite oxidation sequence. This increase could increase the number of containers required for storage and increase overall costs of sludge management activities. However, the volume

Effects of Time, Heat, and Oxygen on K Basin Sludge Agglomeration, Strength, and Solids Volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delegard, Calvin H.; Sinkov, Sergey I.; Schmidt, Andrew J.; Daniel, Richard C.; Burns, Carolyn A.

2011-01-01

Sludge disposition will be managed in two phases under the K Basin Sludge Treatment Project. The first phase is to retrieve the sludge that currently resides in engineered containers in the K West (KW) Basin pool at ∼10 to 18 C. The second phase is to retrieve the sludge from interim storage in the sludge transport and storage containers (STSCs) and treat and package it in preparation for eventual shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The work described in this report was conducted to gain insight into how sludge may change during long-term containerized storage in the STSCs. To accelerate potential physical and chemical changes, the tests were performed at temperatures and oxygen partial pressures significantly greater than those expected in the T Plant canyon cells where the STSCs will be stored. Tests were conducted to determine the effects of 50 C oxygenated water exposure on settled quiescent uraninite (UO 2 ) slurry and a full simulant of KW containerized sludge to determine the effects of oxygen and heat on the composition and mechanical properties of sludge. Shear-strength measurements by vane rheometry also were conducted for UO 2 slurry, mixtures of UO2 and metaschoepite (UO 3 · 2H 2 O), and for simulated KW containerized sludge. The results from these tests and related previous tests are compared to determine whether the settled solids in the K Basin sludge materials change in volume because of oxidation of UO2 by dissolved atmospheric oxygen to form metaschoepite. The test results also are compared to determine if heating or other factors alter sludge volumes and to determine the effects of sludge composition and settling times on sludge shear strength. It has been estimated that the sludge volume will increase with time because of a uranium metal → uraninite → metaschoepite oxidation sequence. This increase could increase the number of containers required for storage and increase overall costs of sludge management activities. However, the

[Effect of different volumes of fluid resuscitation on hemorrhagic shock with pulmonary edema at high altitude in the unacclimated rat].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Liang-ming; Hu, De-yao; Liu, Jian-cang; Li, Ping; Liu, Hou-dong; Xiao, Nan; Zhou, Xue-wu; Tian, Kun-lun; Huo, Xiao-ping; Shi, Quan-gui; He, Yan-mei; Yin, Zuo-ming

2003-05-01

To study the effects of different volumes of fluid resuscitation on hemorrhagic shock with pulmonary edema at high altitude in the unacclimated rat. One hundred and twenty-six SD rats transported to Lasa, Tibet, 3 760 meters above the sea level, were anesthetized one week later with sodium pentobarbital (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Hemorrhagic shock with pulmonary edema model was induced by hemorrhage (50 mm Hg for 1 hour, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) plus intravenous injection of oleic acid (50 microl/kg). Experiments were then conducted in two parts. Sixty-three rats in part I were equally divided into nine groups (n=7): normal control, hemorrhagic shock control, hemorrhagic shock with pulmonary edema (HSPE) without fluid infusion, HSPE plus infusing lactated Ringer's solution (LR) with 0.5-, 1-, 1.5-, 2- or 3- fold volume shed blood, and 1 volume of LR plus mannitol (10 ml/kg). Hemodynamic parameters including mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), left intraventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and the maximal change rate of intraventricular pressure rise or decline (+/- dp/dt max) were observed at 15, 30, 60 and 120 minutes after infusion, blood gases were measured at 30 and 120 minutes after infusion and the water content of lung and brain was determined at 120 minutes after infusion. In part II, additional 63 rats were used to observe the effect of different volumes of fluid resuscitation on survival time of HSPE rats. 0.5 volume of LR infusion significantly improved MAP, LVSP and +/- dp/dt max, prolonged the survival time of HSPE animals (all P<0.01), while it did not increase the water content of lung and brain and had no marked influence on blood gases. One volume of LR infusion slightly improved hemodynamic parameters, prolonged the survival time and increased the water content of lung. More than 1 volume of LR infusion including 1.5-, 2- and 3- fold volume LR deteriorated the hemodynamic parameters and decreased the survival time of shocked animal, meanwhile they

Lighting design for globally illuminated volume rendering.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yubo; Ma, Kwan-Liu

2013-12-01

With the evolution of graphics hardware, high quality global illumination becomes available for real-time volume rendering. Compared to local illumination, global illumination can produce realistic shading effects which are closer to real world scenes, and has proven useful for enhancing volume data visualization to enable better depth and shape perception. However, setting up optimal lighting could be a nontrivial task for average users. There were lighting design works for volume visualization but they did not consider global light transportation. In this paper, we present a lighting design method for volume visualization employing global illumination. The resulting system takes into account view and transfer-function dependent content of the volume data to automatically generate an optimized three-point lighting environment. Our method fully exploits the back light which is not used by previous volume visualization systems. By also including global shadow and multiple scattering, our lighting system can effectively enhance the depth and shape perception of volumetric features of interest. In addition, we propose an automatic tone mapping operator which recovers visual details from overexposed areas while maintaining sufficient contrast in the dark areas. We show that our method is effective for visualizing volume datasets with complex structures. The structural information is more clearly and correctly presented under the automatically generated light sources.

Effects of verapamil on left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: pressure-volume analysis with a nonimaging scintillation probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonow, R O; Ostrow, H G; Rosing, D R; Cannon, R O; Lipson, L C; Maron, B J; Kent, K M; Bacharach, S L; Green, M V

1983-11-01

To investigate the effects of verapamil on left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, we studied 14 patients at catheterization with a nonimaging scintillation probe before and after serial intravenous infusions of low-, medium-, and high-dose verapamil (total dose 0.17 to 0.72 mg/kg). Percent change in radionuclide stroke counts after verapamil correlated well with percent change in thermodilution stroke volume (r = .87), and changes in diastolic and systolic counts were used to assess relative changes in left ventricular volumes after verapamil. Verapamil produced dose-related increases in end-diastolic counts (19 +/- 9% increase; p less than .001), end-systolic counts (91 +/- 54% increase; p less than .001), and stroke counts (7 +/- 10% increase; p less than .02). This was associated with a decrease in ejection fraction (83 +/- 8% control, 73 +/- 10% verapamil; p less than .001) and, in the 10 patients with left ventricular outflow tract gradients, a reduction in gradient (62 +/- 27 mm Hg control, 32 +/- 35 mm Hg verapamil; p less than .01). The end-systolic pressure-volume relation was shifted downward and rightward in all patients, suggesting a negative inotropic effect. In 10 patients, left ventricular pressure-volume loops were constructed with simultaneous micromanometer pressure recordings and the radionuclide time-activity curve. In five patients, verapamil shifted the diastolic pressure-volume curve downward and rightward, demonstrating improved pressure-volume relations despite the negative inotropic effect, and also increased the peak rate of rapid diastolic filling. In the other five patients, the diastolic pressure-volume relation was unaltered by verapamil, and increased end-diastolic volumes occurred at higher end-diastolic pressures; in these patients, the peak rate of left ventricular diastolic filling was not changed by verapamil. The negative inotropic effects of intravenous verapamil are

Unexpectedly large charge radii of neutron-rich calcium isotopes

CERN Document Server

Garcia Ruiz, R F; Blaum, K; Ekström, A; Frömmgen, N; Hagen, G; Hammen, M; Hebeler, K; Holt, J D; Jansen, G R; Kowalska, M; Kreim, K; Nazarewicz, W; Neugart, R; Neyens, G; Nörtershäuser, W; Papenbrock, T; Papuga, J; Schwenk, A; Simonis, J; Wendt, K A; Yordanov, D T

2016-01-01

Despite being a complex many-body system, the atomic nucleus exhibits simple structures for certain ‘magic’ numbers of protons and neutrons. The calcium chain in particular is both unique and puzzling: evidence of doubly magic features are known in 40,48Ca, and recently suggested in two radioactive isotopes, 52,54Ca. Although many properties of experimentally known calcium isotopes have been successfully described by nuclear theory, it is still a challenge to predict the evolution of their charge radii. Here we present the first measurements of the charge radii of 49,51,52Ca, obtained from laser spectroscopy experiments at ISOLDE, CERN. The experimental results are complemented by state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. The large and unexpected increase of the size of the neutron-rich calcium isotopes beyond N = 28 challenges the doubly magic nature of 52Ca and opens new intriguing questions on the evolution of nuclear sizes away from stability, which are of importance for our understanding of neutron-...

Unexpectedly high piezoelectricity of Sm-doped lead zirconate titanate in the Curie point region.

Science.gov (United States)

Seshadri, Shruti B; Nolan, Michelle M; Tutuncu, Goknur; Forrester, Jennifer S; Sapper, Eva; Esteves, Giovanni; Granzow, Torsten; Thomas, Pam A; Nino, Juan C; Rojac, Tadej; Jones, Jacob L

2018-03-07

Large piezoelectric coefficients in polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are traditionally achieved through compositional design using a combination of chemical substitution with a donor dopant and adjustment of the zirconium to titanium compositional ratio to meet the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). In this work, a different route to large piezoelectricity is demonstrated. Results reveal unexpectedly high piezoelectric coefficients at elevated temperatures and compositions far from the MPB. At temperatures near the Curie point, doping with 2 at% Sm results in exceptionally large piezoelectric coefficients of up to 915 pm/V. This value is approximately twice those of other donor dopants (e.g., 477 pm/V for Nb and 435 pm/V for La). Structural changes during the phase transitions of Sm-doped PZT show a pseudo-cubic phase forming ≈50 °C below the Curie temperature. Possible origins of these effects are discussed and the high piezoelectricity is posited to be due to extrinsic effects. The enhancement of the mechanism at elevated temperatures is attributed to the coexistence of tetragonal and pseudo-cubic phases, which enables strain accommodation during electromechanical deformation and interphase boundary motion. This work provides insight into possible routes for designing high performance piezoelectrics which are alternatives to traditional methods relying on MPB compositions.

The Effect of Fiber Strength Stochastics and Local Fiber Volume Fraction on Multiscale Progressive Failure of Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Ricks, Trenton M.; Lacy, Jr., Thomas E.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2013-01-01

Continuous fiber unidirectional polymer matrix composites (PMCs) can exhibit significant local variations in fiber volume fraction as a result of processing conditions that can lead to further local differences in material properties and failure behavior. In this work, the coupled effects of both local variations in fiber volume fraction and the empirically-based statistical distribution of fiber strengths on the predicted longitudinal modulus and local tensile strength of a unidirectional AS4 carbon fiber/ Hercules 3502 epoxy composite were investigated using the special purpose NASA Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC); local effective composite properties were obtained by homogenizing the material behavior over repeating units cells (RUCs). The predicted effective longitudinal modulus was relatively insensitive to small (8%) variations in local fiber volume fraction. The composite tensile strength, however, was highly dependent on the local distribution in fiber strengths. The RUC-averaged constitutive response can be used to characterize lower length scale material behavior within a multiscale analysis framework that couples the NASA code FEAMAC and the ABAQUS finite element solver. Such an approach can be effectively used to analyze the progressive failure of PMC structures whose failure initiates at the RUC level. Consideration of the effect of local variations in constituent properties and morphologies on progressive failure of PMCs is a central aspect of the application of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) principles for composite materials.

Investigation Of The Effects Of Reflow Profile Parameters On Lead-free Solder Bump Volumes And Joint Integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Amalu, E. H.; Lui, Y. T.; Ekere, N. N.; Bhatti, R. S.; Takyi, G.

2011-01-01

The electronics manufacturing industry was quick to adopt and use the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) assembly technique on realization of its huge potentials in achieving smaller, lighter and low cost product implementations. Increasing global customer demand for miniaturized electronic products is a key driver in the design, development and wide application of high-density area array package format. Electronic components and their associated solder joints have reduced in size as the miniaturization trend in packaging continues to be challenged by printing through very small stencil apertures required for fine pitch flip-chip applications. At very narrow aperture sizes, solder paste rheology becomes crucial for consistent paste withdrawal. The deposition of consistent volume of solder from pad-to-pad is fundamental to minimizing surface mount assembly defects. This study investigates the relationship between volume of solder paste deposit (VSPD) and the volume of solder bump formed (VSBF) after reflow, and the effect of reflow profile parameters on lead-free solder bump formation and the associated solder joint integrity. The study uses a fractional factorial design (FFD) of 24-1 Ramp-Soak-Spike reflow profile, with all main effects and two-way interactions estimable to determine the optimal factorial combination. The results from the study show that the percentage change in the VSPD depends on the combination of the process parameters and reliability issues could become critical as the size of solder joints soldered on the same board assembly vary greatly. Mathematical models describe the relationships among VSPD, VSBF and theoretical volume of solder paste. Some factors have main effects across the volumes and a number of interactions exist among them. These results would be useful for R&D personnel in designing and implementing newer applications with finer-pitch interconnect.

Falls-risk post-stroke: Examining contributions from paretic versus non paretic limbs to unexpected forward gait slips.

Science.gov (United States)

Kajrolkar, Tejal; Bhatt, Tanvi

2016-09-06

Community-dwelling stroke survivors show a high incidence of falls with unexpected external perturbations during dynamic activities like walking. Previous evidence has demonstrated the importance of compensatory stepping to restore dynamic stability in response to perturbations in hemiparetic stroke survivors. However, these studies were limited to either stance perturbations or perturbation induced under the unaffected limb. This study aimed to compare the differences, if any, between the non-paretic and paretic sides in dynamic stability and protective stepping strategies when exposed to unexpected external perturbation during walking. Twenty hemiparetic subjects experienced an unexpected forward slip during walking on the laboratory walkway either on the paretic (n=10) or the nonparetic limb (n=10). Both groups demonstrated a backward loss of balance with a compensatory stepping response, with the nonparetic-side slip group resorting mainly to an aborted step response (60%) and the paretic-side slip group mainly exhibiting a recovery step response (90%). Although both groups showed an equal incidence of falls, the nonparetic-side slip group demonstrated a higher stability at recovery step touchdown, resulting from lower perturbation magnitudes (slip displacement and velocity) compared to the paretic-side slip group. The results indicate that the paretic side had difficulty initiating and executing a successful stepping response (nonparetic-side slip) and also in reactive limb control while in stance (paretic-side slip). Based on these results it is suggested that intervention strategies for fall-prevention in chronic stroke survivors should focus on paretic limb training for both reactive stepping and weight bearing for improving balance control for recovery from unpredictable perturbations during dynamic activities such as walking. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effectiveness and efficacy of minimally invasive lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema.

Science.gov (United States)

Pertl, Daniela; Eisenmann, Alexander; Holzer, Ulrike; Renner, Anna-Theresa; Valipour, A

2014-01-01

Lung emphysema is a chronic, progressive and irreversible destruction of the lung tissue. Besides non-medical therapies and the well established medical treatment there are surgical and minimally invasive methods for lung volume reduction (LVR) to treat severe emphysema. This report deals with the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive methods compared to other treatments for LVR in patients with lung emphysema. Furthermore, legal and ethical aspects are discussed. No clear benefit of minimally invasive methods compared to surgical methods can be demonstrated based on the identified and included evidence. In order to assess the different methods for LVR regarding their relative effectiveness and safety in patients with lung emphysema direct comparative studies are necessary.

Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning Instructional Tools With Predict-Observe-Explain Strategy on the Topic of Cuboid and Cube Volume

Science.gov (United States)

Nurhuda; Lukito, A.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

This study aims to develop instructional tools and implement it to see the effectiveness. The method used in this research referred to Designing Effective Instruction. Experimental research with two-group pretest-posttest design method was conducted. The instructional tools have been developed is cooperative learning model with predict-observe-explain strategy on the topic of cuboid and cube volume which consist of lesson plans, POE tasks, and Tests. Instructional tools were of good quality by criteria of validity, practicality, and effectiveness. These instructional tools was very effective for teaching the volume of cuboid and cube. Cooperative instructional tool with predict-observe-explain (POE) strategy was good of quality because the teacher was easy to implement the steps of learning, students easy to understand the material and students’ learning outcomes completed classically. Learning by using this instructional tool was effective because learning activities were appropriate and students were very active. Students’ learning outcomes were completed classically and better than conventional learning. This study produced a good instructional tool and effectively used in learning. Therefore, these instructional tools can be used as an alternative to teach volume of cuboid and cube topics.

Glue embolization of the giant aneurysm by reducing thrombosis-induced volume expansion effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeom, Yoo Kyung; Suh, Dae Chul [Dept. of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-15

A giant aneurysm due to a large intra-aneurysmal volume can be complicated by a delayed massive volume expansion caused by thrombus formation. To prevent such a severe mass effect, we obliterated the aneurysmal lumen by gluing and prevented further development of thrombosis. A 52-year-old female with a giant aneurysm at the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery presented with tinnitus and intermittent diplopia. After confirming with a negative occlusion test, the right internal carotid artery was trapped by coiling and with further obliteration of the aneurysmal lumen by gluing. She developed a mild diplopia after the procedure and recovered without any deficit. The magnetic resonance angiography showed a stable occlusion of the aneurysm and good collateral filling of the cerebral vessel 15 months later.

Glue embolization of the giant aneurysm by reducing thrombosis-induced volume expansion effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeom, Yoo Kyung; Suh, Dae Chul

2015-01-01

A giant aneurysm due to a large intra-aneurysmal volume can be complicated by a delayed massive volume expansion caused by thrombus formation. To prevent such a severe mass effect, we obliterated the aneurysmal lumen by gluing and prevented further development of thrombosis. A 52-year-old female with a giant aneurysm at the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery presented with tinnitus and intermittent diplopia. After confirming with a negative occlusion test, the right internal carotid artery was trapped by coiling and with further obliteration of the aneurysmal lumen by gluing. She developed a mild diplopia after the procedure and recovered without any deficit. The magnetic resonance angiography showed a stable occlusion of the aneurysm and good collateral filling of the cerebral vessel 15 months later.

Very low tidal volume ventilation with associated hypercapnia--effects on lung injury in a model for acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans Fuchs

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ventilation using low tidal volumes with permission of hypercapnia is recommended to protect the lung in acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the most lung protective tidal volume in association with hypercapnia is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of different tidal volumes with associated hypercapnia on lung injury and gas exchange in a model for acute respiratory distress syndrome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this randomized controlled experiment sixty-four surfactant-depleted rabbits were exposed to 6 hours of mechanical ventilation with the following targets: Group 1: tidal volume = 8-10 ml/kg/PaCO(2 = 40 mm Hg; Group 2: tidal volume = 4-5 ml/kg/PaCO(2 = 80 mm Hg; Group 3: tidal volume = 3-4 ml/kg/PaCO(2 = 120 mm Hg; Group 4: tidal volume = 2-3 ml/kg/PaCO(2 = 160 mm Hg. Decreased wet-dry weight ratios of the lungs, lower histological lung injury scores and higher PaO(2 were found in all low tidal volume/hypercapnia groups (group 2, 3, 4 as compared to the group with conventional tidal volume/normocapnia (group 1. The reduction of the tidal volume below 4-5 ml/kg did not enhance lung protection. However, oxygenation and lung protection were maintained at extremely low tidal volumes in association with very severe hypercapnia and no adverse hemodynamic effects were observed with this strategy. CONCLUSION: Ventilation with low tidal volumes and associated hypercapnia was lung protective. A tidal volume below 4-5 ml/kg/PaCO(2 80 mm Hg with concomitant more severe hypercapnic acidosis did not increase lung protection in this surfactant deficiency model. However, even at extremely low tidal volumes in association with severe hypercapnia lung protection and oxygenation were maintained.

Cylindrical Field Effect Transistor: A Full Volume Inversion Device

KAUST Repository

Fahad, Hossain M.

2010-12-01

The increasing demand for high performance as well as low standby power devices has been the main reason for the aggressive scaling of conventional CMOS transistors. Current devices are at the 32nm technology node. However, due to physical limitations as well as increase in short-channel effects, leakage, power dissipation, this scaling trend cannot continue and will eventually hit a barrier. In order to overcome this, alternate device topologies have to be considered altogether. Extensive research on ultra thin body double gate FETs and gate all around nanowire FETs has shown a lot of promise. Under strong inversion, these devices have demonstrated increased performance over their bulk counterparts. This is mainly attributed to full carrier inversion in the body. However, these devices are still limited by lithographic and processing challenges making them unsuitable for commercial production. This thesis explores a unique device structure called the CFET (Cylindrical Field Effect Transistors) which also like the above, relies on complete inversion of carriers in the body/bulk. Using dual gates; an outer and an inner gate, full-volume inversion is possible with benefits such as enhanced drive currents, high Ion/Ioff ratios and reduced short channel effects.

A new electric method for non-invasive continuous monitoring of stroke volume and ventricular volume-time curves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konings Maurits K

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In this paper a new non-invasive, operator-free, continuous ventricular stroke volume monitoring device (Hemodynamic Cardiac Profiler, HCP is presented, that measures the average stroke volume (SV for each period of 20 seconds, as well as ventricular volume-time curves for each cardiac cycle, using a new electric method (Ventricular Field Recognition with six independent electrode pairs distributed over the frontal thoracic skin. In contrast to existing non-invasive electric methods, our method does not use the algorithms of impedance or bioreactance cardiography. Instead, our method is based on specific 2D spatial patterns on the thoracic skin, representing the distribution, over the thorax, of changes in the applied current field caused by cardiac volume changes during the cardiac cycle. Since total heart volume variation during the cardiac cycle is a poor indicator for ventricular stroke volume, our HCP separates atrial filling effects from ventricular filling effects, and retrieves the volume changes of only the ventricles. Methods ex-vivo experiments on a post-mortem human heart have been performed to measure the effects of increasing the blood volume inside the ventricles in isolation, leaving the atrial volume invariant (which can not be done in-vivo. These effects have been measured as a specific 2D pattern of voltage changes on the thoracic skin. Furthermore, a working prototype of the HCP has been developed that uses these ex-vivo results in an algorithm to decompose voltage changes, that were measured in-vivo by the HCP on the thoracic skin of a human volunteer, into an atrial component and a ventricular component, in almost real-time (with a delay of maximally 39 seconds. The HCP prototype has been tested in-vivo on 7 human volunteers, using G-suit inflation and deflation to provoke stroke volume changes, and LVot Doppler as a reference technique. Results The ex-vivo measurements showed that ventricular filling

Mixed metaphors: Electrophysiological brain responses to (un)expected concrete and abstract prepositional phrases.

Science.gov (United States)

Zane, Emily; Shafer, Valerie

2018-02-01

Languages around the world use spatial terminology, like prepositions, to describe non-spatial, abstract concepts, including time (e.g., in the moment). The Metaphoric Mapping Theory explains this pattern by positing that a universal human cognitive process underlies it, whereby abstract concepts are conceptualized via the application of concrete, three-dimensional space onto abstract domains. The alternative view is that the use of spatial propositions in abstract phrases is idiomatic, and thus does not trigger metaphoric mapping. In the current study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to examine the time-course of neural processing of concrete and abstract phrases consisting of the prepositions in or on followed by congruent and incongruent nouns (e.g., in the bowl/plate and in the moment/mend). ERPs were recorded from the onset of reference nouns in 28 adult participants using a 128-channel electrode net. Results show that congruency has differential effects on neural measures, depending on whether the noun is concrete or abstract. Incongruent reference nouns in concrete phrases (e.g., on the bowl) elicited a significant central negativity (an N400 effect), while incongruent reference nouns in abstract phrases (e.g., on the moment) did not. These results suggest that spatially incongruent concrete nouns are semantically unexpected (N400 effect). A P600 effect, which might indicate rechecking, reanalysis and/or reconstruction, was predicted for incongruent abstract nouns, but was not observed, possibly due to the variability in abstract stimuli. Findings cast doubt on accounts claiming that abstract uses of prepositions are cognitively and metaphorically linked to their spatial sense during natural, on-line processing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of volume and quenching on estimation of counting efficiencies in liquid scintillation counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knoche, H.W.; Parkhurst, A.M.; Tam, S.W.

1979-01-01

The effect of volume on the liquid scintillation counting performance of 14 C-samples has been investigated. A decrease in counting efficiency was observed for samples with volumes below about 6 ml and those above about 18 ml when unquenched samples were assayed. Two quench-correction methods, sample channels ratio and external standard channels ratio, and three different liquid scintillation counters, were used in an investigation to determine the magnitude of the error in predicting counting efficiencies when small volume samples (2 ml) with different levels of quenching were assayed. The 2 ml samples exhibited slightly greater standard deviations of the difference between predicted and determined counting efficiencies than did 15 ml samples. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the errors indicate that if the sample channels ratio method of quench correction is employed, 2 ml samples may be counted in conventional counting vials with little loss in counting precision. (author)

Excluded volume effects caused by high concentration addition of acid generators in chemically amplified resists used for extreme ultraviolet lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Kozawa, Takahiro; Watanabe, Kyoko; Matsuoka, Kyoko; Yamamoto, Hiroki; Komuro, Yoshitaka; Kawana, Daisuke; Yamazaki, Akiyoshi

2017-08-01

The resolution of lithography used for the high-volume production of semiconductor devices has been improved to meet the market demands for highly integrated circuits. With the reduction in feature size, the molecular size becomes non-negligible in the resist material design. In this study, the excluded volume effects caused by adding high-concentration acid generators were investigated for triphenylsulfonium nonaflate. The resist film density was measured by X-ray diffractometry. The dependences of absorption coefficient and protected unit concentration on acid generator weight ratio were calculated from the measured film density. Using these values, the effects on the decomposition yield of acid generators, the protected unit fluctuation, and the line edge roughness (LER) were evaluated by simulation on the basis of sensitization and reaction mechanisms of chemically amplified extreme ultraviolet resists. The positive effects of the increase in acid generator weight ratio on LER were predominant below the acid generator weight ratio of 0.3, while the negative effects became equivalent to the positive effects above the acid generator weight ratio of 0.3 owing to the excluded volume effects.

Guidance and Control Software Project Data - Volume 2: Development Documents

Science.gov (United States)

Hayhurst, Kelly J. (Editor)

2008-01-01

The Guidance and Control Software (GCS) project was the last in a series of software reliability studies conducted at Langley Research Center between 1977 and 1994. The technical results of the GCS project were recorded after the experiment was completed. Some of the support documentation produced as part of the experiment, however, is serving an unexpected role far beyond its original project context. Some of the software used as part of the GCS project was developed to conform to the RTCA/DO-178B software standard, "Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification," used in the civil aviation industry. That standard requires extensive documentation throughout the software development life cycle, including plans, software requirements, design and source code, verification cases and results, and configuration management and quality control data. The project documentation that includes this information is open for public scrutiny without the legal or safety implications associated with comparable data from an avionics manufacturer. This public availability has afforded an opportunity to use the GCS project documents for DO-178B training. This report provides a brief overview of the GCS project, describes the 4-volume set of documents and the role they are playing in training, and includes the development documents from the GCS project. Volume 2 contains three appendices: A. Guidance and Control Software Development Specification; B. Design Description for the Pluto Implementation of the Guidance and Control Software; and C. Source Code for the Pluto Implementation of the Guidance and Control Software

Cutoff effects in O(N) nonlinear sigma models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knechtli, Francesco; Leder, Bjoern; Wolff, Ulli

2005-01-01

In the nonlinear O(N) sigma model at N=3 unexpected cutoff effects have been found before with standard discretizations and lattice spacings. Here the situation is analyzed further employing additional data for the step scaling function of the finite volume mass gap at N=3,4,8 and a large N-study of the leading as well as next-to-leading terms in 1/N. The latter exact results are demonstrated to follow Symanzik's form of the asymptotic cutoff dependence. At the same time, when fuzzed with artificial statistical errors and then fitted like the Monte Carlo results, a picture similar to N=3 emerges. We hence cannot conclude a truly anomalous cutoff dependence but only relatively large cutoff effects, where the logarithmic component is important. Their size shrinks at larger N, but the structure remains similar. The large N results are particularly interesting as we here have exact nonperturbative control over an asymptotically free model both in the continuum limit and on the lattice

Cutoff effects in O(N) nonlinear sigma models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knechtli, F.; Wolff, U.; Leder, B.

2005-06-01

In the nonlinear O(N) sigma model at N=3 unexpected cutoff effects have been found before with standard discretizations and lattice spacings. Here the situation is analyzed further employing additional data for the step scaling function of the finite volume mass gap at N=3,4,8 and a large N-study of the leading as well as next-to-leading terms in 1/N. The latter exact results are demonstrated to follow Symanzik's form of the asymptotic cutoff dependence. At the same time, when fuzzed with artificial statistical errors and then fitted like the Monte Carlo results, a picture similar to N=3 emerges. We hence cannot conclude a truly anomalous cutoff dependence but only relatively large cutoff effects, where the logarithmic component is important. Their size shrinks at larger N, but the structure remains similar. The large N results are particularly interesting as we here have exact nonperturbative control over an asymptotically free model both in the continuum limit and on the lattice. (orig.)

Fractionation in normal tissues: the (α/β)eff concept can account for dose heterogeneity and volume effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Aswin L; Nahum, Alan E

2013-10-07

The simple Linear-Quadratic (LQ)-based Withers iso-effect formula (WIF) is widely used in external-beam radiotherapy to derive a new tumour dose prescription such that there is normal-tissue (NT) iso-effect when changing the fraction size and/or number. However, as conventionally applied, the WIF is invalid unless the normal-tissue response is solely determined by the tumour dose. We propose a generalized WIF (gWIF) which retains the tumour prescription dose, but replaces the intrinsic fractionation sensitivity measure (α/β) by a new concept, the normal-tissue effective fractionation sensitivity, [Formula: see text], which takes into account both the dose heterogeneity in, and the volume effect of, the late-responding normal-tissue in question. Closed-form analytical expressions for [Formula: see text] ensuring exact normal-tissue iso-effect are derived for: (i) uniform dose, and (ii) arbitrary dose distributions with volume-effect parameter n = 1 from the normal-tissue dose-volume histogram. For arbitrary dose distributions and arbitrary n, a numerical solution for [Formula: see text] exhibits a weak dependence on the number of fractions. As n is increased, [Formula: see text] increases from its intrinsic value at n = 0 (100% serial normal-tissue) to values close to or even exceeding the tumour (α/β) at n = 1 (100% parallel normal-tissue), with the highest values of [Formula: see text] corresponding to the most conformal dose distributions. Applications of this new concept to inverse planning and to highly conformal modalities are discussed, as is the effect of possible deviations from LQ behaviour at large fraction sizes.

The unexpected stability of multiwall nanotubes under high pressure and shear deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pashkin, E. Y.; Pankov, A. M.; Kulnitskiy, B. A.; Mordkovich, V. Z.; Perezhogin, I. A.; Karaeva, A. R.; Popov, M. Y.; Sorokin, P. B.; Blank, V. D.

2016-01-01

The behavior of multiwall carbon nanotubes under a high pressure (up to 55 GPa) combined with shear deformation was studied by experimental and theoretical methods. The unexpectedly high stability of the nanotubes' structure under high stresses was observed. After the pressure was released, we observed that the nanotubes had restored their shapes. Atomistic simulations show that the hydrostatic and shear stresses affect the nanotubes' structure in a different way. It was found that the shear stress load in the multiwall nanotubes' outer walls can induce their connection and formation of an amorphized sp"3-hybridized region but internal core keeps the tubular structure.

The unexpected stability of multiwall nanotubes under high pressure and shear deformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pashkin, E. Y.; Pankov, A. M.; Kulnitskiy, B. A.; Mordkovich, V. Z. [Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, 7a Centralnaya Street, Troitsk, Moscow 142190 (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutsky Lane, Dolgoprudny 141700 (Russian Federation); Perezhogin, I. A. [Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, 7a Centralnaya Street, Troitsk, Moscow 142190 (Russian Federation); Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Karaeva, A. R. [Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, 7a Centralnaya Street, Troitsk, Moscow 142190 (Russian Federation); Popov, M. Y.; Sorokin, P. B.; Blank, V. D. [Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, 7a Centralnaya Street, Troitsk, Moscow 142190 (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutsky Lane, Dolgoprudny 141700 (Russian Federation); National University of Science and Technology MISiS, 4 Leninskiy Prospekt, Moscow 119049 (Russian Federation)

2016-08-22

The behavior of multiwall carbon nanotubes under a high pressure (up to 55 GPa) combined with shear deformation was studied by experimental and theoretical methods. The unexpectedly high stability of the nanotubes' structure under high stresses was observed. After the pressure was released, we observed that the nanotubes had restored their shapes. Atomistic simulations show that the hydrostatic and shear stresses affect the nanotubes' structure in a different way. It was found that the shear stress load in the multiwall nanotubes' outer walls can induce their connection and formation of an amorphized sp{sup 3}-hybridized region but internal core keeps the tubular structure.

Electrocardiographic features of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chyou, Janice Y; Friedman, Daniel; Cerrone, Marina; Slater, William; Guo, Yu; Taupin, Daniel; O'Rourke, Sean; Priori, Silvia G; Devinsky, Orrin

2016-07-01

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common cause of epilepsy-related mortality. We hypothesized that electrocardiography (ECG) features may distinguish SUDEP cases from living subjects with epilepsy. Using a matched case-control design, we compared ECG studies of 12 consecutive cases of SUDEP over 10 years and 22 epilepsy controls matched for age, sex, epilepsy type (focal, generalized, or unknown/mixed type), concomitant antiepileptic, and psychotropic drug classes. Conduction intervals and prevalence of abnormal ventricular conduction diagnosis (QRS ≥110 msec), abnormal ventricular conduction pattern (QRS <110 msec, morphology of incomplete right or left bundle branch block or intraventricular conduction delay), early repolarization, and features of inherited cardiac channelopathies were assessed. Abnormal ventricular conduction diagnosis and pattern distinguished SUDEP cases from matched controls. Abnormal ventricular conduction diagnosis was present in two cases and no controls. Abnormal ventricular conduction pattern was more common in cases than controls (58% vs. 18%, p = 0.04). Early repolarization was similarly prevalent in cases and controls, but the overall prevalence exceeded that of published community-based cohorts. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

Distribution of volumes of individual glomeruli in kidneys at autopsy: association with age, nephron number, birth weight and body mass index.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoy, W E; Hughson, M D; Zimanyi, M; Samuel, T; Douglas-Denton, R; Holden, L; Mott, S; Bertram, J F

2010-11-01

Glomerular hypertrophy occurs in a number of normal and pathological states. Glomerular volume in kidneys at autopsy is usually indirectly derived from estimates of total glomerular mass and nephron number, and provides only a single value per kidney, with no indication of the range of volumes of glomeruli within the kidney of any given subject. We review findings of the distribution of volumes of different glomeruli within subjects without kidney disease, and their correlations with age, nephron number, birth weight and body mass index (BMI). The study describes findings from autopsy kidneys of selected adult white males from the Southeast USA who had unexpected deaths, and who did not have renal scarring or renal disease. Total glomerular (nephron) number and total glomerular volume were estimated using the disector/fractionator combination, and mean glomerular volume (Vglom) was derived. The volumes of 30 individual glomeruli (IGV) in each subject were determined using the disector/Cavalieri method. IGV values were compared by categories of age, nephron number, birth weight and BMI. There was substantial variation in IGV within subjects. Older age, lower nephron number, lower birth weight and gross obesity were associated with higher mean IGV and with greater IGV heterogeneity. High Vglom and high IGVs were associated with more glomerulosclerosis. However, amongst the generally modest numbers of sclerosed glomeruli, the pattern was uniformly of ischemic collapse of the glomerular tuft. There was no detectable focal segmental glomerular tuft injury. In this series of people without overt renal disease, greater age, nephron deficit, lower birth weight and obesity were marked by glomerular enlargement and greater glomerular volume heterogeneity within individuals.

Grading-System-Dependent Volume Effects for Late Radiation-Induced Rectal Toxicity After Curative Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laan, Hans Paul van der; Bergh, Alphons van den; Schilstra, Cornelis; Vlasman, Renske; Meertens, Harm; Langendijk, Johannes A.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To assess the association between the dose distributions in the rectum and late Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC), Late Effects of Normal Tissue SOMA, and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 3.0 graded rectal toxicity among patients with prostate cancer treated with RT. Methods and Materials: Included in the study were 124 patients who received three-dimensional conformal RT for prostate cancer to a total dose of 70 Gy in 2-Gy fractions. All patients completed questionnaires regarding rectum complaints before RT and during long-term follow-up. Late rectum Grade 2 or worse toxicity, according to RTOG/EORTC, LENT SOMA, and CTCAE v3.0 criteria, was analyzed in relation to rectal dose and volume parameters. Results: Dose-volume thresholds (V40 ≥65%, V50 ≥55%, V65 ≥45%, V70 ≥20%, and a rectum volume ≤140 cm 3 ), significantly discriminated patients with late Grade 0-1 and Grade 2 or worse rectal toxicity, particularly using the LENT SOMA and CTCAE v3.0 systems. The rectum volume receiving ≥70 Gy (V70) was most predictive for late Grade 2 or worse rectal toxicity with each of the grading systems. The associations were strongest, however, with use of the LENT SOMA system. Conclusions: Volume effects for late radiation-induced rectal toxicity are present, but their clinical significance depends on the grading system used. This should be taken into account in the interpretation of studies reporting on radiation-induced rectal toxicity

Additive effects of gastric volumes and macronutrient composition on the sensation of postprandial fullness in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Marciani, L; Cox, E F; Pritchard, S E; Major, G; Hoad, C L; Mellows, M; Hussein, M O; Costigan, C; Fox, M; Gowland, P A; Spiller, R C

2015-03-01

Intake of food or fluid distends the stomach and triggers mechanoreceptors and vagal afferents. Wall stretch and tension produces a feeling of fullness. Duodenal infusion studies assessing gastric sensitivity by barostat have shown that the products of fat digestion have a greater effect on the sensation of fullness and also dyspeptic symptoms than carbohydrates. We tested here the hypothesis that fat and carbohydrate have different effects on gastric sensation under physiological conditions using non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure gastric volumes. Thirteen healthy subjects received a rice pudding test meal with added fat or added carbohydrate on two separate occasions and underwent serial postprandial MRI scans for 4.5 h. Fullness was assessed on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Gastric half emptying time was significantly slower for the high-carbohydrate meal than for the high-fat meal, P=0.0327. Fullness significantly correlated with gastric volumes for both meals; however, the change from baseline in fullness scores was higher for the high-fat meal for any given change in stomach volume (P=0.0147), despite the lower energy content and faster gastric emptying of the high-fat meal. Total gastric volume correlates positively and linearly with postprandial fullness and ingestion of a high-fat meal increases this sensation compared with high-carbohydrate meal. These findings can be of clinical interest in patients presenting with postprandial dyspepsia whereby manipulating gastric sensitivity by dietary intervention may help to control digestive sensations.

Unexpected photoreactivation of Vibrio harveyi bacteria living in ionization environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alifano, P.; Tala, A.; Tredici, S. M.; Nassisi, V.; Siciliano, M. V.

2011-01-01

Bacteria undergoing environmental effects is extremely interesting for structural, mechanistic, and evolutionary implications. Luminescent bacteria that have evolved in a specific ambient have developed particular responses and their behavior can give us new suggestions on the task and production of luciferina proteins. To analyze the UV interaction under controlled laboratory conditions, we used photoluminescent bacterial strains belonging to a new species evolutionarily close to Vibrio harveyi sampled from a coastal cave with a high radon content that generates ionizing radiation. The survival of the bacterial strains was analyzed, in the light and in the dark, following a variety of genotoxic treatments including UV radiation exposure. The strains were irradiated by a germicide lamp. The results demonstrated that most of the strains exhibited a low rate of survival after the UV exposure. After irradiation by visible light following the UV exposure, all strains showed a high capability of photoreactivation when grown. This capability was quite unexpected because these bacteria were sampled from a dark ambient without UV radiation. This leads us to hypothesize that the photoreactivation in these bacteria might have been evolved to repair DNA lesions also induced by different radiation sources other than UV (e.g., x-ray) and that the luminescent bacteria might use their own light emission to carry out the photoreactivation. The high capability of photoreactivation of these bacteria was also justified by the results of deconvolution. The deconvolution was applied to the emission spectra and it was able to show evidence of different light peaks. The presence of the visible peak could control the photolysis enzyme.

A novel reducing graphene/polyaniline/cuprous oxide composite hydrogel with unexpected photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Congo red

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miao, Jie; Xie, Anjian; Li, Shikuo; Huang, Fangzhi; Cao, Juan; Shen, Yuhua, E-mail: yhshen@ahu.edu.cn

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Excellent photocatalytic activity of the RGO/PANI/Cu{sub 2}O composite hydrogel for CR degradation under UV–vis light irradiation. - Highlights: • The RGO/PANI/Cu{sub 2}O composite hydrogel was first synthesized via a facile method. • Photocatalytic performance was studied under UV–vis light. • The ternary composite hydrogel shows unexpected photocatalytic activity. • A possible photocatalysis mechanism was illustrated. - Abstract: In this work, a novel reducing graphene/polyaniline/cuprous oxide (RGO/PANI/Cu{sub 2}O) composite hydrogel with a 3D porous network has been successfully prepared via a one-pot method in the presence of cubic Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles. The as-synthesized ternary composites hydrogel shows unexpected photocatalytic activity such that Congo red (CR) degradation efficiency can reaches 97.91% in 20 min under UV–vis light irradiation, which is much higher than that of either the single component (Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles), or two component systems (RGO/Cu{sub 2}O composite hydrogel and PANI/Cu{sub 2}O nanocomposites). Furthermore, the ternary composite hydrogel exhibits high stability and do not show any significant loss after five recycles. Such outstanding photocatalytic activity of the RGO/PANI/Cu{sub 2}O composite hydrogel was ascribed to the high absorption ability of the product for CR and the synergic effect among RGO, PANI and Cu{sub 2}O in photocatalytic process. The product of this work would provide a new sight for the construction of UV–vis light responsive photocatalyst with high performance.

Effectiveness and efficacy of minimally invasive lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pertl, Daniela

2014-10-01

Full Text Available [english] Lung emphysema is a chronic, progressive and irreversible destruction of the lung tissue. Besides non-medical therapies and the well established medical treatment there are surgical and minimally invasive methods for lung volume reduction (LVR to treat severe emphysema. This report deals with the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive methods compared to other treatments for LVR in patients with lung emphysema. Furthermore, legal and ethical aspects are discussed. No clear benefit of minimally invasive methods compared to surgical methods can be demonstrated based on the identified and included evidence. In order to assess the different methods for LVR regarding their relative effectiveness and safety in patients with lung emphysema direct comparative studies are necessary.

White matter atlas of the human spinal cord with estimation of partial volume effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Lévy, S; Benhamou, M; Naaman, C; Rainville, P; Callot, V; Cohen-Adad, J

2015-10-01

Template-based analysis has proven to be an efficient, objective and reproducible way of extracting relevant information from multi-parametric MRI data. Using common atlases, it is possible to quantify MRI metrics within specific regions without the need for manual segmentation. This method is therefore free from user-bias and amenable to group studies. While template-based analysis is common procedure for the brain, there is currently no atlas of the white matter (WM) spinal pathways. The goals of this study were: (i) to create an atlas of the white matter tracts compatible with the MNI-Poly-AMU template and (ii) to propose methods to quantify metrics within the atlas that account for partial volume effect. The WM atlas was generated by: (i) digitalizing an existing WM atlas from a well-known source (Gray's Anatomy), (ii) registering this atlas to the MNI-Poly-AMU template at the corresponding slice (C4 vertebral level), (iii) propagating the atlas throughout all slices of the template (C1 to T6) using regularized diffeomorphic transformations and (iv) computing partial volume values for each voxel and each tract. Several approaches were implemented and validated to quantify metrics within the atlas, including weighted-average and Gaussian mixture models. Proof-of-concept application was done in five subjects for quantifying magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in each tract of the atlas. The resulting WM atlas showed consistent topological organization and smooth transitions along the rostro-caudal axis. The median MTR across tracts was 26.2. Significant differences were detected across tracts, vertebral levels and subjects, but not across laterality (right-left). Among the different tested approaches to extract metrics, the maximum a posteriori showed highest performance with respect to noise, inter-tract variability, tract size and partial volume effect. This new WM atlas of the human spinal cord overcomes the biases associated with manual delineation and partial

Quantitative analysis of CT brain images: a statistical model incorporating partial volume and beam hardening effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLoughlin, R.F.; Ryan, M.V.; Heuston, P.M.; McCoy, C.T.; Masterson, J.B.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this study was to construct and evaluate a statistical model for the quantitative analysis of computed tomographic brain images. Data were derived from standard sections in 34 normal studies. A model representing the intercranial pure tissue and partial volume areas, with allowance for beam hardening, was developed. The average percentage error in estimation of areas, derived from phantom tests using the model, was 28.47%. We conclude that our model is not sufficiently accurate to be of clinical use, even though allowance was made for partial volume and beam hardening effects. (author)

One component, volume heated, boiling pool thermohydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bede, M.; Perret, C.; Pretrel, H.; Seiler, J.M.

1993-01-01

Prior work on boiling pools provided heat exchange correlations valid for bubbly flow with laminar or turbulent boundary layers. New experiments performed with water (SEBULON) and UO 2 (SCARABEE BF2) in a churn-turbulent flow configuration show unexpected heat flux distributions for which the maximum heat flux may be situated well below the pool surface. The origin of this behaviour is attributed to condensation effects, very unstable boundary layer flow and surface oscillation. A calculation model is discussed which permits to approach the experimental heat flux distribution with reasonable accuracy. (authors). 7 figs., 2 appendix., 14 refs

Unexpected Diagnosis of Cerebral Toxoplasmosis by 16S and D2 Large-Subunit Ribosomal DNA PCR and Sequencing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse, Alexandra Yasmin Collin; Kvich, Lasse Andersson; Eickhardt-Dalbøge, Steffen Robert

2015-01-01

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes severe opportunistic infections. Here, we report an unexpected diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis. T. gondii was diagnosed by 16S and D2 large-subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing of a cerebral biopsy specimen and confirmed by T. gondii...

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Attentional Disengagement from Visually Unique and Unexpected Items at Fixation

Science.gov (United States)

Brockmole, James R.; Boot, Walter R.

2009-01-01

Distinctive aspects of a scene can capture attention even when they are irrelevant to one's goals. The authors address whether visually unique, unexpected, but task-irrelevant features also tend to hold attention. Observers searched through displays in which the color of each item was irrelevant. At the start of search, all objects changed color.…

Effect of dexamethasone in low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block: A double-blinded randomized clinical study

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Arun Kumar Alarasan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: With the use of ultrasound, a minimal effective volume of 20 ml has been described for supraclavicular brachial plexus block. However achieving a long duration of analgesia with this minimal volume remains a challenge. We aimed to determine the effect of dexamethasone on onset and duration of analgesia in low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Material and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30 each. Group C received saline (2 ml + 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine and Group D received dexamethasone (8 mg + 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Hemodynamic variables and visual analog scale (VAS score were noted at regular intervals until 450 min. The onset and duration of sensory and motor block were measured. The incidence of "Halo" around brachial plexus was observed. Student′s t-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The onset of sensory and motor block was significantly earlier in dexamethasone group (10.36 ± 1.99 and 12 ± 1.64 minutes compared to control group (12.9 ± 2.23 and 18.03 ± 2.41 minutes. The duration of sensory and motor block was significantly prolonged in dexamethasone group (366 ± 28.11 and 337.33 ± 28.75 minutes compared to control group (242.66 ± 26.38 and 213 ± 26.80 minutes. The VAS score was significantly lower in dexamethasone group after 210 min. "Halo" was present around the brachial plexus in all patients in both the groups. Conclusion: Dexamethasone addition significantly increases the duration of analgesia in patients receiving low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block. No significant side-effects were seen in patients receiving dexamethasone as an adjunct.

The simple beauty of the unexpected a natural philosopher's quest for trout and the meaning of everything

CERN Document Server

Gleiser, Marcelo

2016-01-01

Marcelo Gleiser has had a passion for science and fishing since he was a boy growing up on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Now a world-famous theoretical physicist with hundreds of scientific articles and several books of popular science to his credit, he felt it was time to connect with nature in less theoretical ways. After seeing a fly-fishing class on the Dartmouth College green, he decided to learn to fly-fish, a hobby, he says, that teaches humility. In The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected, Gleiser travels the world to scientific conferences, fishing wherever he goes. At each stop, he ponders how in the myriad ways physics informs the act of fishing; how, in its turn, fishing serves as a lens into nature s inner workings; and how science engages with questions of meaning and spirituality, inspiring a sense of mystery and awe of the not yet known. Personal and engaging, The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected is a scientist s tribute to nature, an affirmation of humanity s deep connection with and debt to Eart...

Survival in pediatric lung transplantation: The effect of center volume and expertise.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad S; Zhang, Wei; Taylor, Rachel A; Dean McKenzie, E; Mallory, George B; Schecter, Marc G; Morales, David L S; Heinle, Jeffrey S; Adachi, Iki

2015-08-01

Institutional operative volume has been shown to impact outcomes of various procedures including lung transplantation (LTx). We sought to determine whether this holds true with pediatric LTx by comparing outcomes of adult centers (with larger overall volume) to those of pediatric centers (with smaller volume but more pediatric-specific experience). A retrospective analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network data was performed. Centers were categorized as either adult (LTx volume predominantly in adult patients), high-volume pediatric (HVP, ≥4 LTxs/year), or low-volume pediatric (LVP, HVP 3 [5%], LVP 8 [13%]). Although adult centers had larger overall LTx volume, their pediatric experiences were severely limited (median 1/year). In younger children, HVP centers were significantly better than LVP centers for patient survival (half-life: 7.3 vs 2.9 years, p = 0.002). Similarly, in older children and adolescents, HVP centers were significantly better than adult centers for patient survival (half-life: 4.6 vs 2.5 years, p = 0.001). Of note, even LVP centers tended to have longer patient survival than adult centers (p = 0.064). Multivariable analysis identified adult centers as an independent risk factor for graft failure (hazard ratio: 1.5, p < 0.001) as with LVP (hazard ratio: 1.3, p = 0.0078). Despite larger overall clinical volume, outcomes among pediatric LTx recipients in adult centers are not superior to those of pediatric centers. Not only center volume but pediatric-specific experience has an impact on outcomes in pediatric LTx. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential implications of the bystander effect on TCP and EUD when considering target volume dose heterogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

Balderson, Michael J; Kirkby, Charles

2015-01-01

In light of in vitro evidence suggesting that radiation-induced bystander effects may enhance non-local cell killing, there is potential for impact on radiotherapy treatment planning paradigms such as the goal of delivering a uniform dose throughout the clinical target volume (CTV). This work applies a bystander effect model to calculate equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and tumor control probability (TCP) for external beam prostate treatment and compares the results with a more common model where local response is dictated exclusively by local absorbed dose. The broad assumptions applied in the bystander effect model are intended to place an upper limit on the extent of the results in a clinical context. EUD and TCP of a prostate cancer target volume under conditions of increasing dose heterogeneity were calculated using two models: One incorporating bystander effects derived from previously published in vitro bystander data ( McMahon et al. 2012 , 2013a); and one using a common linear-quadratic (LQ) response that relies exclusively on local absorbed dose. Dose through the CTV was modelled as a normal distribution, where the degree of heterogeneity was then dictated by changing the standard deviation (SD). Also, a representative clinical dose distribution was examined as cold (low dose) sub-volumes were systematically introduced. The bystander model suggests a moderate degree of dose heterogeneity throughout a target volume will yield as good or better outcome compared to a uniform dose in terms of EUD and TCP. For a typical intermediate risk prostate prescription of 78 Gy over 39 fractions maxima in EUD and TCP as a function of increasing SD occurred at SD ∼ 5 Gy. The plots only dropped below the uniform dose values for SD ∼ 10 Gy, almost 13% of the prescribed dose. Small, but potentially significant differences in the outcome metrics between the models were identified in the clinically-derived dose distribution as cold sub-volumes were introduced. In terms of

Immediate effect of suryanadi pranayama on pulmonary function (ventilatory volumes and capacities) in healthy volunteers

OpenAIRE

Shravya Keerthi G, Hari Krishna Bandi, Suresh M, Mallikarjuna Reddy N

2013-01-01

Objectives: we found only effects of at least a short term practice extended over a period of a few days to weeks of pranayama (alternate nostril breathing) rather than acute effects of unilateral right nostril breathing (suryanadi pranayama). Keeping this in mind the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that 10 min. of right nostril breathing have any immediate effect on ventilatory volumes and capacities in healthy volunteers. Methodology: Forced vital capacity (FVC), Forced ex...

Unexpected collateral effects of simulation-based medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Barsuk, Jeffrey H; Cohen, Elaine R; Feinglass, Joe; McGaghie, William C; Wayne, Diane B

2011-12-01

Internal medicine residents who complete simulation-based education (SBE) in central venous catheter (CVC) insertion acquire improved skills that yield better patient care outcomes. The collateral effects of SBE on the skills of residents who have not yet experienced SBE are unknown. In this retrospective, observational study, the authors used a checklist to test the internal jugular and subclavian CVC insertion skills of 102 Northwestern University second- and third-year internal medicine residents before they received simulation training. The authors compared, across consecutive academic years (2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010), mean pretraining scores and the percent of trainees who met or surpassed a minimum passing score (MPS). Mean internal jugular pretest scores improved from 46.7% (standard deviation = 20.8%) in 2007 to 55.7% (±22.5%) in 2008 and 70.8% (±22.4%) in 2009 (P < .001). Mean subclavian pretest scores changed from 48.3% (±25.5%) in 2007 to 45.6% (±31.0%) in 2008 and 63.6% (±27.3%) in 2009 (P = .04). The percentage of residents who met or surpassed the MPS before training for internal jugular insertion was 7% in 2007, 16% in 2008, and 38% in 2009 (P = .004); for subclavian insertion, the percentage was 11% in 2007, 19% in 2008, and 38% in 2009 (P = .028). SBE for senior residents had an effect on junior trainees, as evidenced by pretraining CVC insertion skill improvement across three consecutive years. SBE for a targeted group of residents has implications for skill acquisition among other trainees.

Plasma volume changes during hypoglycaemia: the effect of arterial blood sampling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilsted, J; Bendtsen, Flemming; Christensen, N J

1990-01-01

To investigate whether previously reported changes in venous blood volume and composition induced by acute hypoglycaemia in humans are representative for the entire body we measured erythrocyte 51Cr content, haematocrit, plasma volume, intravascular albumin content and transcapillary escape rate...... hypoglycaemia. The magnitude of the changes in arterial and venous blood were not significantly different. These results indicate that the above changes in blood volume and composition are whole-body phenomena: furthermore, the major part of the changes are likely to occur in tissues other than upper extremity...... of albumin in arterial and venous blood in seven healthy subjects before and during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. In both vascular sites blood 51Cr content and the haematocrit increased, plasma volume and intravascular albumin content decreased and the transcapillary escape rate of albumin increased during...

Effect of Hemodialysis on Left and Right Ventricular Volume and Function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Jin Suk; Koh, Chang Soon

1985-01-01

With the improvement of hemodialysis, the course of thc discase in patient with endstage renal disease has been clearly improved. Nevertheless, among several shortcomings to our present mode of renal replacement therapy, cardiovascular complications have been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Several factors such as anemia, arteriovenous shunting of blood, intermittent extracorporeal circulation and hypertension may be contributing. But little is known about the quantitative cardiac hemodynamic characteristics occurred during hemodialysis. The purpose of this study is to observe the sequential hemodynamic changes before, during and after the hemodialysis and to investigate: reliable parameters in the detection of ventricular dysfunction. In the present study, equilibrium radionuclide cardiac angiography was performed and left and right ventricular volume indices, ejection phase indices of both ventricular, performance were measured in the 16 stable patients with chronic renal failure treated with maintenance hemodialysis sequentially i.e. before, during (carly and late phase) and after the hemodialysis. The results obtained were as follows; 1) The indices of the left ventricular function were not changed during the hemodialysis but increased after the hemodialysis. 2) The indices of the right ventricular function(EF, SVI) were significantly decreased in the early phase (15, 30 minutes after starting extracorporeal circulation) but recovered after the hemodialysis, 3) The ratio of right ventricular to left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly decreased in the early phase and the lung volume indices were significantly increased at the same phase. As a conclusion, hemodialysis improves left ventricular function maybe du to increased contractility, and effects on the right ventricular function maybe due to the increased lung volume in the early phase of hemodialysis.

Effect of Hemodialysis on Left and Right Ventricular Volume and Function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jin Suk; Koh, Chang Soon [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1985-09-15

With the improvement of hemodialysis, the course of thc discase in patient with endstage renal disease has been clearly improved. Nevertheless, among several shortcomings to our present mode of renal replacement therapy, cardiovascular complications have been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Several factors such as anemia, arteriovenous shunting of blood, intermittent extracorporeal circulation and hypertension may be contributing. But little is known about the quantitative cardiac hemodynamic characteristics occurred during hemodialysis. The purpose of this study is to observe the sequential hemodynamic changes before, during and after the hemodialysis and to investigate: reliable parameters in the detection of ventricular dysfunction. In the present study, equilibrium radionuclide cardiac angiography was performed and left and right ventricular volume indices, ejection phase indices of both ventricular, performance were measured in the 16 stable patients with chronic renal failure treated with maintenance hemodialysis sequentially i.e. before, during (carly and late phase) and after the hemodialysis. The results obtained were as follows; 1) The indices of the left ventricular function were not changed during the hemodialysis but increased after the hemodialysis. 2) The indices of the right ventricular function(EF, SVI) were significantly decreased in the early phase (15, 30 minutes after starting extracorporeal circulation) but recovered after the hemodialysis, 3) The ratio of right ventricular to left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly decreased in the early phase and the lung volume indices were significantly increased at the same phase. As a conclusion, hemodialysis improves left ventricular function maybe du to increased contractility, and effects on the right ventricular function maybe due to the increased lung volume in the early phase of hemodialysis.

Dealing with the unexpected: consumer responses to direct-access BRCA mutation testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uta Francke