WorldWideScience

Sample records for untreated control thesis

  1. [Case control trial on putative factors antagonising the successful project course of MD thesis projects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scharfenberg, J; Schaper, K; Krummenauer, F

    2015-05-01

    Award of the degree MD has special relevance in Germany since the underlying research project can be started during the qualification for admission to doctoral training. This leads to a large number of thesis projects with a not always sufficiently pronounced enthusiasm and thus poor chances of success. Accordingly a case control study was undertaken in the Department of Human Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University to investigate reported drop-outs of thesis projects. In autumn 2012 all students in the clinical phases of human medicine education were surveyed using a self-conceived questionnaire on previously initiated or terminated thesis projects, "terminated" is defined as the unsuccessful ending of a project after working for at least 3 months. Individually reported thesis terminations were evaluated using defined items in a 4-stage Likert scale regarding thesis plan and project, subsequently, graduate students who successfully completed a project received the same questionnaire. The items possibly corresponding to process determinants were averaged to a total of 7 dimensions prior to the analysis; the resulting scores were normalised in value ranges 0.0 to 1.0 (1.0 = optimal project situation) whereby individual items could be included in several scores. By means of 5 items a primary endpoint from the faculty's perspective on "compliance with formal procedures" was aggregated; by means of a two-sided Wilcoxon test at the 5 % level students with unsuccessful and successful courses were compared along the corresponding scores. 181 of 276 students from 7 study semesters participated in the screening; details of 17 terminations and 23 currently successful courses could be evaluated in the case control study. For significant differences (p thesis projects to the responsible committees. A weakness is the low number of evaluable self-reported drop-outs as well as the overall moderate response rate. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  2. Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Ripple Effect of a Nationally Available Weight Management Program on Untreated Spouses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorin, Amy A; Lenz, Erin M; Cornelius, Talea; Huedo-Medina, Tania; Wojtanowski, Alexis C; Foster, Gary D

    2018-03-01

    For married couples, when one spouse participates in weight loss treatment, the untreated spouse can also experience weight loss. This study examined this ripple effect in a nationally available weight management program. One hundred thirty dyads were randomized to Weight Watchers (WW; n = 65) or to a self-guided control group (SG; n = 65) and assessed at 0, 3, and 6 months. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 25 years, BMI 27 to 40 kg/m 2 (≥ 25 kg/m 2 for untreated spouses), and no weight loss contraindications. WW participants received 6 months of free access to in-person meetings and online tools. SG participants received a weight loss handout. Spouses did not receive treatment. Untreated spouses lost weight at 3 months (WW = -1.5 ± 2.9 kg; SG = -1.1 ± 3.3 kg) and 6 months (WW = -2.2 ± 4.2 kg; SG = -1.9 ± 3.6 kg), but weight losses did not differ by condition. Overall, 32.0% of untreated spouses lost ≥ 3% of initial body weight by 6 months. Baseline weight was significantly correlated within couples (r = 0.26; P ripple effect was found in untreated spouses in both formal and self-guided weight management approaches. These data suggest that weight loss can spread within couples, and that widely available lifestyle programs have weight loss effects beyond the treated individual. © 2018 The Authors. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Obesity Society (TOS).

  3. [Untreated syphilis - from Oslo to Tuskegee].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandvik, Anniken; Lie, Anne Kveim

    2016-12-01

    In the period from 1891 - 1910, around 2000 patients with syphilis were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet. The head of the department, Cæsar Boeck (1845 - 1917), believed in allowing the disease to take its natural course and withheld treatment. He made detailed notes of the diagnosis and the clinical course of the disease for all his patients. Boeck's material is unique, and forms the basis for our current knowledge about the prognosis and course of syphilis infections. In 1928, the patients were scrutinised by Boeck's successor in the Department of Dermatology, Edvin Bruusgaard (1869 - 1934), and later by Trygve Gjestland (1911 - 1993). Gjestland's doctoral thesis from 1955 has remained as «The Oslo study of untreated syphilis.» This article presents a medical historical background for the study. Bruusgaard's and Gjestland's research was important for the Tuskegee Study in the USA, and the Oslo study gave implicit support to this research project, which posterity has emphatically condemned as ethically unacceptable.

  4. 33 CFR 159.307 - Untreated sewage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Untreated sewage. 159.307 Section 159.307 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED... Operations § 159.307 Untreated sewage. No person shall discharge any untreated sewage from a cruise vessel...

  5. Efficacy of emamectin benzoate against sea lice infestations of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.: evaluation in the absence of an untreated contemporary control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustafson, L; Ellis, S; Robinson, T; Marenghi, F; Endris, R

    2006-10-01

    The efficacy of emamectin benzoate (SLICE) against sea lice infestations of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., is typically assessed using untreated fish, or fish treated with alternative therapeutants, as controls. The State of Maine, USA, is currently under active management for the OIE-notifiable pathogen, infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV); consequently, neither control group is feasible in this region. Untreated salmon risk extensive damage from the ectoparasites, and threaten to increase vector-borne exposure or susceptibility of farms to ISAV; and the only treatment presently available in Maine is SLICE. However, because sea lice infestations are unlikely to resolve spontaneously, and response to treatment occurs within weeks, use of a pretreatment baseline is a reasonable alternative for confirmatory studies. We evaluated SLICE efficacy on Atlantic salmon farms in Cobscook Bay 2002-2005, in the absence of untreated controls, using pretreatment lice loads as a reference for calculation. Maximum efficacy ranged from 68% to 100% reduction from initial levels. Time-to-maximum efficacy ranged from 1 to 8 weeks after treatment initiation. Efficacy duration, measured between first reduction and first progressive rise in counts, ranged from 4 to 16 weeks.

  6. Teaching the Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Joyce Armstrong

    2012-01-01

    Writing a good thesis provides a successful foundation for composing an essay. Teaching how to do that, however, is quite another matter. Teachers often say to students, "Find a thesis," or "Get a thesis," or "Bring in a thesis statement tomorrow," as if students could order one like a pizza, command it like a pet pooch, or grasp one out of thin…

  7. Impairment of attention networks in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Lili; Tian, Yanghua; Zhang, Fangfang; Dai, Fang; Luo, Li; Fan, Jin; Wang, Kai

    2014-06-27

    Attention disorders are common symptoms in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether they represent a global attention deficit or selective impairment of attention networks. Thirty-seven patients with hyperthyroidism were recruited and underwent the Attention Network Test (ANT), which provided measures of three independent attention networks (alerting, orienting and executive control), before being treated with methimazole. This study demonstrated that patients with untreated hyperthyroidism had significant deficits in the alerting and executive control networks. Interestingly, a significant positive association was also found between T4 level and the value of the executive network in patients with hyperthyroidism. These results suggest that the patients with hyperthyroidism may not just exist a specific impairment of attention networks, and there was some relationship between the level of T4, not T3 or TSH, and the value of the executive control network in patients with hyperthyroidism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Diary Thesis

    OpenAIRE

    Harjamäki, Jonni

    2016-01-01

    This thesis is result of following my daily work. In this report I discuss my daily activities and try to give some grounds for some of the solutions I have made. During this process I worked on a single product. I am part of a development team that is working on the said product. When I started writing the thesis I had already worked for few months. This thesis is a look on my personal development as a developer. It will provide insight on how my skills have progressed. As a result ...

  9. Flexural properties of treated and untreated kenaf/epoxy composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yousif, B.F.; Shalwan, A.; Chin, C.W.; Ming, K.C.

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Untreated kenaf fibre/epoxy composites. Treated kenaf fibre/epoxy composites. Highlights: ► Treatment of kenaf fibres with 6% NaOH has improved the flexural properties of epoxy composites. ► Interfacial adhesion of the natural fibres is controlled by the microstructure of the fibres. ► Kenaf fibres have a potential to replace glass fibres for flexural applications. -- Abstract: In the current work, flexural properties of unidirectional long kenaf fibre reinforced epoxy (KFRE) composites are studied. The kenaf fibres were prepared into two types as untreated and treated (with 6% NaOH). The failure mechanism and damage features of the materials were categorized with the surface observation by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results revealed that reinforcement of epoxy with treated kenaf fibres increased the flexural strength of the composite by about 36%, while, untreated fibres introduced 20% improvement. This was mainly due to the high improvement of the chemical treatment (NaOH) on the interfacial adhesion of the fibres and the porosity of the composites which prevented the debonding, detachments or pull out of fibres. For untreated KFRE, the fracture mechanisms were debonding, tearing, detachments and pull out of fibres. The developed composite exhibited superior properties compared to the previous composites based on natural and synthetic fibres.

  10. The tractable cognition thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Rooij, Iris

    2008-09-01

    The recognition that human minds/brains are finite systems with limited resources for computation has led some researchers to advance the Tractable Cognition thesis: Human cognitive capacities are constrained by computational tractability. This thesis, if true, serves cognitive psychology by constraining the space of computational-level theories of cognition. To utilize this constraint, a precise and workable definition of "computational tractability" is needed. Following computer science tradition, many cognitive scientists and psychologists define computational tractability as polynomial-time computability, leading to the P-Cognition thesis. This article explains how and why the P-Cognition thesis may be overly restrictive, risking the exclusion of veridical computational-level theories from scientific investigation. An argument is made to replace the P-Cognition thesis by the FPT-Cognition thesis as an alternative formalization of the Tractable Cognition thesis (here, FPT stands for fixed-parameter tractable). Possible objections to the Tractable Cognition thesis, and its proposed formalization, are discussed, and existing misconceptions are clarified. 2008 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  11. CMS Thesis Award

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    The 2003 CMS thesis award was presented to Riccardo Ranieri on 15 March for his Ph.D. thesis "Trigger Selection of WH → μ ν b bbar with CMS" where 'WH → μ ν b bbar' represents the associated production of the W boson and the Higgs boson and their subsequent decays. Riccardo received his Ph.D. from the University of Florence and was supervised by Carlo Civinini. In total nine thesis were nominated for the award, which was judged on originality, impact within the field of high energy physics, impact within CMS and clarity of writing. Gregory Snow, secretary of the awarding committee, explains why Riccardo's thesis was chosen, ‘‘The search for the Higgs boson is one of the main physics goals of CMS. Riccardo's thesis helps the experiment to formulate the strategy which will be used in that search.'' Lorenzo Foà, Chairperson of the CMS Collaboration Board, presented Riccardo with an commemorative engraved plaque. He will also receive the opportunity to...

  12. Replacement Value of Untreated or Fungal Treated Carrot Leaves for Corn in Broiler Diet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Faramawy, A.A.

    2006-01-01

    Three hundred (21 days old) Arbor Acre chicks were used to evaluate the replacement value of untreated or Aspergillus niger treated carrot leaves for corn in broiler diets. Birds were fed a control diet or diets in which 10% untreated or treated carrot leaves was quantitatively substituted for corn in the control diet. Replacement of yellow corn with 10% untreated and treated carrot leaves caused insignificant (P 0.01) in both experimental groups compared to control. These results denoted that although there were negligible changes in body weight and mortality rate in broiler chicken fed untreated and treated carrot leaves the amino acid profile of carcasses lessen their nutritive value which is in consequence reflected negatively on human amino acids intake. Poultry production represents one of the quickest means of correcting the anomaly of protein inadequacy, yet the rising cost of feed which represents 70-80% of the cost of production among other costs, is a major setback (Opera. 1996). The price of most conventional feed ingredients such as yellow corn, soybean meal and fish meal is so high in recent time that it is becoming uneconomical to use them in poultry feeding (Esonu et al., 2001). Consequently poultry feed researchers have been forced to seek alternative and cheaper feed resources

  13. Predictors of untreated dental decay among 15-34-year-old Australians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamieson, Lisa M; Mejía, Gloria C; Slade, Gary D; Roberts-Thomson, Kaye F

    2009-02-01

    To determine predictors of untreated dental decay among 15-34-year-olds in Australia. Data were from Australia's National Survey of Adult Oral Health, a representative survey that utilized a three-stage, stratified clustered sampling design. Models representing demographic, socioeconomic, dental service utilization and oral health perception variables were tested using multivariable logistic regression to produce odds ratios. An estimated 25.8% (95% CI 22.4-29.5) of 15-34-year-old Australians had untreated dental decay. After controlling for other covariates, those who lived in a location other than a capital city had 2.0 times the odds of having untreated dental decay than their capital city-dwelling counterparts (95% CI 1.29-3.06). Similarly, those whose highest level of education was not a university degree had 2.1 times the odds of experiencing untreated dental decay (95% CI 1.35-3.31). Perceived need of extractions or restorations predicted untreated coronal decay, with 2.9 times the odds for those who perceived a treatment need over those with no such treatment need perception (95% CI 1.84-4.53). Participants who experienced dental fear had 2.2 times the odds of having untreated dental decay (95% CI 1.38-3.41), while those who reported experiencing toothache, orofacial pain or food avoidance in the last 12 months had 1.9 times the odds of having untreated dental decay than their counterparts with no such oral health-related quality-of-life impact (95% CI 1.20-2.92). The multivariate model achieved a 'useful' level of accuracy in predicting untreated decay (area under the ROC curve = 0.74; sensitivity = 0.63; specificity = 0.73). In the Australian young adult population, residential location, education level, perceived need for dental care, dental fear, toothache, orofacial pain or food avoidance together were predictors of untreated dental decay. The prediction model had acceptable specificity, indicating that it may be useful as part of a triage system for

  14. Subretinal lipid exudation associated with untreated choroidal melanoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C K Minija

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Subretinal lipid exudation in an untreated choroidal melanoma is very rare. It is seen following plaque radiotherapy in choroidal melanoma. There is only one case report of untreated choroidal melanoma with massive lipid exudation in a patient with metastatic hypernephroma. We report here a rare case of untreated choroidal melanoma with lipid exudation. Subretinal exudation that is rarely seen following plaque brachytherapy was noted at the borders of this untreated tumor. Lipid exudation partially resolved following brachytherapy.

  15. Fitness, daily activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vahlkvist, S; Pedersen, S

    2009-01-01

    Background: Information about how the asthma disease affects the life style and health in children is sparse. Aim: To measure fitness, daily physical activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and healthy controls, and to assess the association between...... the level of asthma control and these parameters. Methods: Daily physical activity measured using accelerometry, cardiovascular fitness and body composition (per cent fat, per cent lean tissue and bone mineral density) were measured in 57 children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and in 157 healthy...... fitness and daytime spent in intensive activity. Overweight children are physically less active than normal weight children....

  16. The Unobservability Thesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Overgaard, Søren

    2017-01-01

    The unobservability thesis (UT) states that the mental states of other people are unobservable. Both defenders and critics of UT seem to assume that UT has important implications for the mindreading debate. Roughly, the former argue that because UT is true, mindreaders need to infer the mental...... implications for the mindreading debate. On the other line of interpretation, UT may matter to the mindreading debate, in particular if we think of it as a thesis about the possible contents of perceptual experience. The upshot is that those who believe UT has implications for the mindreading debate need...... to be more specific about how they understand the thesis....

  17. The study of untreated syphilis in the Negro male

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brawley, Otis W.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: The participation of minorities in clinical studies is the subject of much discussion and has even become the subject of Federal law. The project known as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and officially titled 'The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male', is one of the great debacles of American medicine and a national shame. Despite the fact that its existence is well known, many do not know the historical facts of the study nor the context of the study. My purpose here is to recount the facts of the study and its historical context. Methods: The history recounted here is taken from documents gathered during a U.S. Senate investigation of the study, original papers located in National Library of Medicine, and books about the trial. Results: The trial began in 1931 as a survey of the natural history of untreated tertiary syphilis in Black men. This study enrolled 399 men with syphilis and 201 uninfected men to serve as controls. All were at least 25 years old at enrollment. The men were told they were in a study, but never educated about the implications. Later, men were not informed that there was a treatment for effective treatment for their disease - a treatment that was being withheld from them. This trial continued till 1972. Conclusion: Many of the issues that led to the study and caused it to continue for 40 years still exist. The lessons of the Public Health Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Untreated Negro include the dangers of paternalism, arrogance, blind loyalty, and misuse of science. 'Those who do not appreciate history are condemned to repeat it' (Alfred North Whitehead)

  18. An Examination of the Neural Unreliability Thesis of Autism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, John S; Molholm, Sophie; Andrade, Gizely N; Foxe, John J

    2017-01-01

    An emerging neuropathological theory of Autism, referred to here as "the neural unreliability thesis," proposes greater variability in moment-to-moment cortical representation of environmental events, such that the system shows general instability in its impulse response function. Leading evidence for this thesis derives from functional neuroimaging, a methodology ill-suited for detailed assessment of sensory transmission dynamics occurring at the millisecond scale. Electrophysiological assessments of this thesis, however, are sparse and unconvincing. We conducted detailed examination of visual and somatosensory evoked activity using high-density electrical mapping in individuals with autism (N = 20) and precisely matched neurotypical controls (N = 20), recording large numbers of trials that allowed for exhaustive time-frequency analyses at the single-trial level. Measures of intertrial coherence and event-related spectral perturbation revealed no convincing evidence for an unreliability account of sensory responsivity in autism. Indeed, results point to robust, highly reproducible response functions marked for their exceedingly close correspondence to those in neurotypical controls. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

  19. The Tractable Cognition thesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rooij, I.J.E.I. van

    2008-01-01

    The recognition that human minds/brains are finite systems with limited resources for computation has led some researchers to advance the Tractable Cognition thesis: Human cognitive capacities are constrained by computational tractability. This thesis, if true, serves cognitive psychology by

  20. Maternal and neonatal consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemier, Brenda M; Koningstein, Fiona N; Schneeberger, Caroline; Ott, Alewijn; Bossuyt, Patrick M; de Miranda, Esteriek; Vogelvang, Tatjana E; Verhoeven, Corine J M; Langenveld, Josje; Woiski, Mallory; Oudijk, Martijn A; van der Ven, Jeanine E M; Vlegels, Manita T W; Kuiper, Petra N; Feiertag, Nicolette; Pajkrt, Eva; de Groot, Christianne J M; Mol, Ben W J; Geerlings, Suzanne E

    2015-11-01

    Existing approaches for the screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy are based on trials that were done more than 30 years ago. In this study, we reassessed the consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. In this multicentre prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial, we screened women (aged ≥18 years) at eight hospitals and five ultrasound centres in the Netherlands with a singleton pregnancy between 16 and 22 weeks' gestation for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Screening was done with a single dipslide and two culture media. Dipslides were judged positive when the colony concentration was at least 1×10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) per mL of a single microorganism or when two different colony types were present but one had a concentration of at least 1×10(5) CFU per mL. Asymptomatic bacteriuria-positive women were eligible to participate in the randomised controlled trial comparing nitrofurantoin with placebo treatment. In this trial, participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either nitrofurantoin 100 mg or identical placebo tablets, and were instructed to self-administer these tablets twice daily for 5 consecutive days. Randomisation was done by a web-based application with a computer-generated list with random block sizes of two, four, or six participants rendered by an independent data manager. 1 week after the end of treatment, they provided us with a follow-up dipslide. Women, treating physicians, and researchers all remained unaware of the bacteriuria status and treatment allocation. Women who refused to participate in the randomised controlled trial did not receive any antibiotics, but their outcomes were collected for analysis in the cohort study. We compared untreated and placebo-treated asymptomatic bacteriuria-positive women with asymptomatic bacteriuria-negative women and nitrofurantoin-treated asymptomatic bacteriuria-positive women. The primary endpoint was a

  1. Health services determinants of the duration of untreated psychosis among African-American first-episode patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Compton, Michael T; Ramsay, Claire E; Shim, Ruth S; Goulding, Sandra M; Gordon, Tynessa L; Weiss, Paul S; Druss, Benjamin G

    2009-11-01

    The duration of untreated psychosis is associated with poor outcomes in multiple domains in the early course of nonaffective psychotic disorders, although relatively little is known about determinants of this critical period, particularly health services-level determinants. This study examined three hypothesized predictors of duration of untreated psychosis (lack of insurance, financial problems, and broader barriers) among urban, socioeconomically disadvantaged African Americans, while controlling for the effects of three patient-level predictors (mode of onset of psychosis, living with family versus alone or with others before hospitalization, and living above versus below the federally defined poverty level). Analyses included data from 42 patient-family member dyads from a larger sample of 109 patients with a first episode of nonaffective psychosis. The duration of untreated psychosis and all other variables were measured in a rigorous, standardized fashion in a study designed specifically to examine determinants of treatment delay. Survival analyses and Cox regression assessed the effects of the independent predictors on time from onset of psychosis to hospital admission for initial evaluation and treatment. The median duration of untreated psychosis was 24.5 weeks. When the analyses controlled for the three patient-level covariates, patients without health insurance, with financial problems, or with barriers to seeking help had a significantly longer duration of untreated psychosis. Health services-related factors, such as lack of insurance, are predictive of longer treatment delay. Efforts to eliminate uninsurance and underinsurance, as well as minimize barriers to treatment, would be beneficial for improving the prognosis of young patients with emerging nonaffective psychotic disorders.

  2. The Tractable Cognition Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Rooij, Iris

    2008-01-01

    The recognition that human minds/brains are finite systems with limited resources for computation has led some researchers to advance the "Tractable Cognition thesis": Human cognitive capacities are constrained by computational tractability. This thesis, if true, serves cognitive psychology by constraining the space of computational-level theories…

  3. Arbejdspapir til Thesis-seminar

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damkjaer, Maja Sonne

    2014-01-01

    Arbejdspapir til Thesis-seminar afholdt ved Forskningsseminar i Forskningsprogrammet: Medier, Kommunikation og Samfund, Institut for Æstetik og Kommunikation, Aarhus Universitet. Afhandlingens teoretiske afsnit.......Arbejdspapir til Thesis-seminar afholdt ved Forskningsseminar i Forskningsprogrammet: Medier, Kommunikation og Samfund, Institut for Æstetik og Kommunikation, Aarhus Universitet. Afhandlingens teoretiske afsnit....

  4. Untreated pain, narcotics regulation, and global health ideologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Nicholas B; Fraser, Veronique

    2013-01-01

    Pain management is marginalized or ignored, with millions of people worldwide unnecessarily living with untreated pain. Reducing global inequalities in untreated pain requires a concerted global effort, say Veronique Fraser and colleagues, which must attend to the complexity of pain and promote multimodal, multidisciplinary pain management.

  5. Causes of anorexia in untreated hyperthyroidism: a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, W X; Meng, X W

    2000-05-01

    Seventeen consecutive patients (mean (SD) 46 (11) years) with untreated hyperthyroidism and anorexia and 29 patients (35 (9) years) with untreated hyperthyroidism without anorexia were studied. The study was conducted at the thyroid clinic of the PUMC Hospital, Beijing, China from March to August 1997. The patients' ages, serum free calcium, liver function and emotional state, specifically the level of anxiety (using the self anxiety scale, Chinese version), were compared before and/or after antithyroid drug treatment in the two groups. This prospective study suggested that the causes of anorexia in untreated hyperthyroidism are complicated. Older age, abnormal liver function, and the level of anxiety are significantly related to anorexia in untreated hyperthyroidism, but hypercalcaemia was not confirmed to be related to anorexia in the study.

  6. Role of Purified Anthocyanins in Improving Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Chinese Men and Women with Prediabetes or Early Untreated Diabetes-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Liping; Ling, Wenhua; Yang, Yan; Chen, Yuming; Tian, Zezhong; Du, Zhicheng; Chen, Jianying; Xie, Yuanling; Liu, Zhaomin; Yang, Lili

    2017-10-10

    Objective: In vitro and animal studies suggest that purified anthocyanins have favorable effects on metabolic profiles, but clinical trials have reported inconsistent findings. Furthermore, no study has been specifically conducted among individuals with prediabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether purified anthocyanins could improve cardiometabolic risk factors in Chinese adults with early untreated hyperglycemia. Research Design and Methods: This was a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 160 participants aged 40-75 years with prediabetes or early untreated diabetes were randomly allocated to receive either purified anthocyanins (320 mg/day, n = 80) or placebo ( n = 80) of identical appearance. A three-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed, and cardiometabolic biomarkers (glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting and postprandial glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and lipids) were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Results: A total of 138 subjects completed the protocol. Compared with placebo, purified anthocyanins moderately reduced HbA1c (-0.14%, 95% CI: -0.23~-0.04%; p = 0.005), low-density lipoprotein-c (LDL-c) (-0.2 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.38~-0.01, p = 0.04), apolipoprotein A-1 (apo A1) (0.09 g/L, 95% CI: 0.02~0.17; p = 0.02), and apolipoprotein B (apo B) (-0.07 g/L, 95% CI: -0.13~-0.01; p = 0.01) according to intention-to-treat analysis. Subgroup analyses suggested that purified anthocyanins were more effective at improving glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and lipids among patients with elevated metabolic markers. Conclusions: The 12-week randomized controlled trials (RCT) in Chinese adults with prediabetes or early untreated diabetes indicated that purified anthocyanins favorably affected glycemic control and lipid profile. Future studies of a longer duration that explore the dose-response relationship among patients with cardiometabolic disorders are needed to confirm our findings.

  7. Guide for thesis and academic writing

    OpenAIRE

    2016-01-01

    The thesis indicates a student’s expertise in understanding, applying and producing professional results in their own field. At its best the thesis is a bridge between studies and working life. This guide gives information following the general principles for thesis written in national working groups in 2005-2006. The guide can be applied in all degree programmes in Centria University of Applied Sciences. In addition, each field also has their own practices that will be explained in thesi...

  8. Online thesis guidance management information system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasution, T. H.; Pratama, F.; Tanjung, K.; Siregar, I.; Amalia, A.

    2018-03-01

    The development of internet technology in education is still not maximized, especially in the process of thesis guidance between students and lecturers. Difficulties met the lecturers to help students during thesis guidance is the limited communication time and the compatibility of schedule between students and lecturer. To solve this problem, we designed an online thesis guidance management information system that helps students and lecturers to do thesis tutoring process anytime, anywhere. The system consists of a web-based admin app for usage management and an android-based app for students and lecturers.

  9. Comparison of untreated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with normal controls: a review and statistical analysis of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Paul R P; Grevitt, Michael P

    2013-04-20

    Review and statistical analysis of studies evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents with untreated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) outcomes. To apply normative values and minimum clinical important differences for the SRS-22r to the literature. Identify whether the HRQOL of adolescents with untreated AIS differs from unaffected peers and whether any differences are clinically relevant. The effect of untreated AIS on adolescent HRQOL is uncertain. The lack of published normative values and minimum clinical important difference for the SRS-22r has so far hindered our interpretation of previous studies. The publication of this background data allows these studies to be re-examined. Using suitable inclusion criteria, a literature search identified studies examining HRQOL in untreated adolescents with AIS. Each cohort was analyzed individually. Statistically significant differences were identified by using 95% confidence intervals for the difference in SRS-22r domain mean scores between the cohorts with AIS and the published data for unaffected adolescents. If the lower bound of the confidence interval was greater than the minimum clinical important difference, the difference was considered clinically significant. Of the 21 included patient cohorts, 81% reported statistically worse pain than those unaffected. Yet in only 5% of cohorts was this difference clinically important. Of the 11 cohorts included examining patient self-image, 91% reported statistically worse scores than those unaffected. In 73% of cohorts this difference was clinically significant. Affected cohorts tended to score well in function/activity and mental health domains and differences from those unaffected rarely reached clinically significant values. Pain and self-image tend to be statistically lower among cohorts with AIS than those unaffected. The literature to date suggests that it is only self-image which consistently differs

  10. The Histological, Histomorphometrical and Histochemical Changes of Testicular Tissue in the Metformin Treated and Untreated Streptozotocin-Induced Adult Diabetic Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davoud Kianifard

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available In this investigation, diabetes was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ at 45 mg kg-1 of body weight. A group comprised of 8 diabetic rats was treated with metformin at 100 mg kg-1 of body weight for reducing the elevated blood glucose level. The results revealed that, in the untreated diabetic rats, the body and testicular weight reduced in comparison with the control rats (P < 0.05 , the metformin treated diabetic rats showed body weight loss in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05. In the untreated diabetic rats, the blood glucose level significantly increased in comparison with control and metformin treated diabetic rats. Histomorphological examinations revealed a reduction in testicular capsule diameter, seminiferous tubules (STs and germinal epithelium height, increase of amorphous material of interstitial tissue, germ cell depletion, decrease in cellular population and activity and disruption of spermatogenesis in the untreated diabetic rats in comparison with control group. In metformin treated diabetic rats, the histomorphological alterations were seen in lesser part in comparison with untreated diabetic group. The results from this study proved that, there was a direct relationship between increased levels of blood glucose as a result of STZ-induced diabetes and the histomorphological changes of testicular tissue.

  11. Reducing the duration of untreated first-episode psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Melle, Ingrid; Larsen, Tor K; Haahr, Ulrik

    2004-01-01

    Most studies on first-episode psychosis show an association between a long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and poorer short-term outcome, but the mechanisms of this relationship are poorly understood.......Most studies on first-episode psychosis show an association between a long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and poorer short-term outcome, but the mechanisms of this relationship are poorly understood....

  12. Low cortical bone density measured by computed tomography in children and adolescents with untreated hyperthyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Numbenjapon, Nawaporn; Costin, Gertrude; Gilsanz, Vicente; Pitukcheewanont, Pisit

    2007-05-01

    To determine whether increased thyroid hormones levels have an effect on various bone components (cortical vs cancellous bone). The anthropometric and 3-dimensional quantitative computed tomography (CT) bone measurements, including bone density (BD), cross-sectional area (CSA) of the lumbar spine and femur, and cortical bone area (CBA) of the femur, of 18 children and adolescents with untreated hyperthyroidism were reviewed and compared with those of age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched historical controls. No significant differences in height, weight, body mass index (BMI), or pubertal staging between patients and controls were found. Cortical BD was significantly lower (P hyperthyroidism compared with historical controls. After adjusting for weight and height, no difference in femur CSA between hyperthyroid children and historical controls was evident. No significant correlations among thyroid hormone levels, antithyroid antibody levels, and cortical BD values were found. As determined by CT, cortical bone is the preferential site of bone loss in children and adolescents with untreated hyperthyroidism.

  13. Data Mining Thesis Topics in Finland

    OpenAIRE

    Bajo Rouvinen, Ari

    2017-01-01

    The Theseus open repository contains metadata about more than 100,000 thesis publications from the different universities of applied sciences in Finland. Different data mining techniques were applied to the Theseus dataset to build a web application to explore thesis topics and degree programmes using different libraries in Python and JavaScript. Thesis topics were extracted from manually annotated keywords by the authors and curated subjects by the librarians. During the project, the quality...

  14. Thesis Proposal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sloth, Erik

    2010-01-01

    Strukturen i Thesis proposal er følgende: Først præsenteres mine konkrete empiriske forskningsprojekter som skal munde ud i afhandlingens artikler. Jeg præsenterer herefter de teoretiske overvejelser omkring oplevelsesbegrebet og forbrugerkulturteori som danner baggrund for at jeg er nået frem til...

  15. Effectiveness of school dental screening on dental visits and untreated caries among primary schoolchildren: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alayadi, Haya; Sabbah, Wael; Bernabé, Eduardo

    2018-04-13

    Dental caries is one of the most common diseases affecting children in Saudi Arabia despite the availability of free dental services. School-based dental screening could be a potential intervention that impacts uptake of dental services, and subsequently, dental caries' levels. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two alternative approaches for school-based dental screening in promoting dental attendance and reducing untreated dental caries among primary schoolchildren. This is a cluster randomised controlled trial comparing referral of screened-positive children to a specific treatment facility (King Saud University Dental College) against conventional referral (information letter advising parents to take their child to a dentist). A thousand and ten children in 16 schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be recruited for the trial. Schools (clusters) will be randomly selected and allocated to either group. Clinical assessment for dental caries will be conducted at baseline and after 12 months by dentists using the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria. Data on sociodemographic, behavioural factors and children's dental visits will be collected through structured questionnaires at baseline and follow-up. The primary outcome is the change in number of teeth with untreated dental caries 12 months after referral. Secondary outcomes are the changes in the proportions of children having untreated caries and of those who visited the dentist over the trial period. This project should provide high level of evidence on the clinical benefits of school dental screening. The findings should potentially inform policies related to the continuation/implementation of school-based dental screening in Saudi Arabia. ClinicalTrials.gov , ID: NCT03345680 . Registered on 17 November 2017.

  16. Growth of Chironomus dilutus larvae exposed to ozone-treated and untreated oil sands process water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.; Wiseman, S.; Franz, E.; Jones, P.; Liber, K.; Giesy, J.; Gamal El-Din, M.; Marin, J.

    2010-01-01

    Oil sand processing operations require large quantities of freshwater and produce large volumes of oil sands process water (OSPW) which must be stored on-site. This presentation reviewed various treatment methods for remediating OSPW in order to eliminate downstream toxicity. Naphthenic acids are the most important target fractions for treatment because they are primarily responsible for the acute toxicity of OSPW. Although ozonation has shown promise for reducing OSPW toxicity, the effects of ozonation on aquatic invertebrates remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of exposure to untreated and ozonated OSPW in Chironomus dilutus larvae. OSPW was treated with either a 50 or 80 mg O 3 /L dose of ozonation. The effects of ozonation levels on C. dilutus survival and growth were examined. The study showed that after a 10-day exposure, there were pronounced effects on survival of larvae exposed to ozone-treated or untreated OSPW. Larvae exposed to OSPW were 64-77 percent smaller than their respective controls, but the mean wet mass of organisms exposed to 50 mg O 3 /L ozonated OSPW was not much different from that of the controls. Larvae exposed to 80 mg O 3 /L ozone-treated OSPW were 40 percent smaller than the freshwater controls, and the mean wet mass was also much larger than the untreated OSPW. It was concluded that the toxicity of OSPW to benthic invertebrates may be reduced by ozone treatment.

  17. Opinions of Students Completing Master Thesis in Turkish Education Field about Academic Writing and Thesis Formation Process

    OpenAIRE

    Mustafa Onur KAN; Fatma Nur GEDİK

    2016-01-01

    The overall aim of this research is to evaluate opinions of students completing master thesis in the field of Turkish education about academic writing and process of forming thesis. The study has been devised using phenomenological design within the qualitative research methods. The study group of research is consisted of 9 participants completed master thesis in the field of Turkish education at Mustafa Kemal University Instıtute of Social Sciences in 2015. In this study, semi-structured int...

  18. Integrated management of thesis using clustering method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astuti, Indah Fitri; Cahyadi, Dedy

    2017-02-01

    Thesis is one of major requirements for student in pursuing their bachelor degree. In fact, finishing the thesis involves a long process including consultation, writing manuscript, conducting the chosen method, seminar scheduling, searching for references, and appraisal process by the board of mentors and examiners. Unfortunately, most of students find it hard to match all the lecturers' free time to sit together in a seminar room in order to examine the thesis. Therefore, seminar scheduling process should be on the top of priority to be solved. Manual mechanism for this task no longer fulfills the need. People in campus including students, staffs, and lecturers demand a system in which all the stakeholders can interact each other and manage the thesis process without conflicting their timetable. A branch of computer science named Management Information System (MIS) could be a breakthrough in dealing with thesis management. This research conduct a method called clustering to distinguish certain categories using mathematics formulas. A system then be developed along with the method to create a well-managed tool in providing some main facilities such as seminar scheduling, consultation and review process, thesis approval, assessment process, and also a reliable database of thesis. The database plays an important role in present and future purposes.

  19. Excess Mortality in Treated and Untreated Hyperthyroidism Is Related to Cumulative Periods of Low Serum TSH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lillevang-Johansen, Mads; Abrahamsen, Bo; Jørgensen, Henrik Løvendahl; Brix, Thomas Heiberg; Hegedüs, Laszlo

    2017-07-01

    Cumulative time-dependent excess mortality in hyperthyroid patients has been suggested. However, the effect of antithyroid treatment on mortality, especially in subclinical hyperthyroidism, remains unclarified. We investigated the association between hyperthyroidism and mortality in both treated and untreated hyperthyroid individuals. Register-based cohort study of 235,547 individuals who had at least one serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement in the period 1995 to 2011 (7.3 years median follow-up). Hyperthyroidism was defined as at least two measurements of low serum TSH. Mortality rates for treated and untreated hyperthyroid subjects compared with euthyroid controls were calculated using multivariate Cox regression analyses, controlling for age, sex, and comorbidities. Cumulative periods of decreased serum TSH were analyzed as a time-dependent covariate. Hazard ratio (HR) for mortality was increased in untreated [1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12 to 1.37; P hyperthyroid patients. When including cumulative periods of TSH in the Cox regression analyses, HR for mortality per every 6 months of decreased TSH was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.13; P hyperthyroid patients (n = 1137) and 1.13 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.15; P hyperthyroidism, respectively. Mortality is increased in hyperthyroidism. Cumulative periods of decreased TSH increased mortality in both treated and untreated hyperthyroidism, implying that excess mortality may not be driven by lack of therapy, but rather inability to keep patients euthyroid. Meticulous follow-up during treatment to maintain biochemical euthyroidism may be warranted. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society

  20. Outcome quality and long-term (≥15 years) stability after Class II:2 Herbst-multibracket appliance treatment in comparison to untreated Class I controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bock, Niko C; Saffar, Mitra; Hudel, Helge; Evälahti, Marjut; Heikinheimo, Kaisa; Rice, David P; Ruf, Sabine

    2017-12-09

    To investigate the outcome quality and the long-term (≥15 years) post-treatment (Tx) changes after Class II:2 Herbst-multibracket appliance (MBA) Tx. In this longitudinal observational study, a recall of Class II:2 patients who had been treated by a Herbst-MBA during adolescence was conducted. Study models from before and after active Tx, after retention and after recall were assessed using standard occlusal variables and the peer assessment rating index (PAR). These data were compared to historical untreated Class I controls. Twenty out of 33 patients (61%) could be located and participated at age 33.9 ± 2.7 years. When comparing their data to the 13 patients who did not participate, the pre- and post-Tx occlusal findings did not differ systematically; however, the PAR scores of the non-participants were by 3.3-8.2 points higher at all times and the non-participants were 2.1-2.5 years older. Pre-Tx at age 14.4 ± 2.7 years, the participants showed the following mean values: PAR = 15.0 ± 7.0, Class II molar relationship (MR) = 0.8 ± 0.3 cusp widths (cw), overbite = 5.3 ± 1.3 mm. After Tx, a PAR score of 2.9 ± 1.3 and a super Class I MR (-0.1 ± 0.1 cw) with normal overbite (1.2 ± 0.8 mm) existed. At recall, a PAR score increase to 5.9 ± 3.6 points had occurred, mainly caused by an increase of overbite to 2.5 ± 1.5 mm. The average MR remained Class I (0.0 ± 0.2 cw). For all variables, the untreated controls exhibited similar findings. The occlusal outcome of Class II:2 Herbst-MBA Tx exhibited very good long-term stability. While mild post-Tx changes occurred, the long-term findings are similar to untreated Class I controls. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  1. Opinions of Students Completing Master Thesis in Turkish Education Field about Academic Writing and Thesis Formation Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Onur KAN

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The overall aim of this research is to evaluate opinions of students completing master thesis in the field of Turkish education about academic writing and process of forming thesis. The study has been devised using phenomenological design within the qualitative research methods. The study group of research is consisted of 9 participants completed master thesis in the field of Turkish education at Mustafa Kemal University Instıtute of Social Sciences in 2015. In this study, semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was used to collect data. In order to ensure the reliability of the scope and structure, table of specification was constituted and expert views were consulted. For analyzing data descriptive analysis method was used. According to results of the research, it was obtained that participants experience various diffuculties in writing the basic sections of the thesis. In addition, it was seen that participants can not benefit enough from the studies written in foreign language. Participants reported that they find themselves more enough about academic writing and process of forming thesis after postgraduate education, but also they stated that academic writing courses should take part in program.

  2. Subcortical grey matter changes in untreated, early stage Parkinson's disease without dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hye Mi; Kwon, Kyum-Yil; Kim, Min-Jik; Jang, Ji-Wan; Suh, Sang-Il; Koh, Seong-Beom; Kim, Ji Hyun

    2014-06-01

    Previous MRI studies have investigated cortical or subcortical grey matter changes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), yielding inconsistent findings between the studies. We therefore sought to determine whether focal cortical or subcortical grey matter changes may be present from the early disease stage. We recruited 49 untreated, early stage PD patients without dementia and 53 control subjects. Voxel-based morphometry was used to evaluate cortical grey matter changes, and automated volumetry and shape analysis were used to assess volume changes and shape deformation of the subcortical grey matter structures, respectively. Voxel-based morphometry showed neither reductions nor increases in grey matter volume in patients compared to controls. Compared to controls, PD patients had significant reductions in adjusted volumes of putamen, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus (corrected p grey matter and clinical variables representing disease duration and severity. Our results suggest that untreated, early stage PD without dementia is associated with volume reduction and shape deformation of subcortical grey matter, but not with cortical grey matter reduction. Our findings of structural changes in the posterolateral putamen and ventromedial putamen/nucleus accumbens could provide neuroanatomical basis for the involvement of motor and limbic striatum, further implicating motor and non-motor symptoms in PD, respectively. Early hippocampal involvement might be related to the risk for developing dementia in PD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effect of Cuscuta campestris parasitism on the physiological and anatomical changes in untreated and herbicide-treated sugar beet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saric-Krsmanovic, Marija M; Bozic, Dragana M; Radivojevic, Ljiljana M; Umiljendic, Jelena S Gajic; Vrbnicanin, Sava P

    2017-11-02

    The effects of field dodder on physiological and anatomical processes in untreated sugar beet plants and the effects of propyzamide on field dodder were examined under controlled conditions. The experiment included the following variants: N-noninfested sugar beet plants (control); I - infested sugar beet plants (untreated), and infested plants treated with propyzamide (1500 g a.i. ha -1 (T 1 ) and 2000 g a.i. ha -1 (T 2 )). The following parameters were checked: physiological-pigment contents (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total carotenoids); anatomical -leaf parameters: thickness of epidermis, parenchyma and spongy tissue, mesophyll and underside leaf epidermis, and diameter of bundle sheath cells; petiole parameters: diameter of tracheid, petiole hydraulic conductance, xylem surface, phloem cell diameter and phloem area in sugar beet plants. A conventional paraffin wax method was used to prepare the samples for microscopy. Pigment contents were measured spectrophotometrically after methanol extraction. All parameters were measured: prior to herbicide application (0 assessment), then 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after application (DAA). Field dodder was found to affect the pigment contents in untreated sugar beet plants, causing significant reductions. Conversely, reduction in the treated plants decreased 27% to 4% for chlorophyll a, from 21% to 5% for chlorophyll b, and from 28% to 5% for carotenoids (T 1 ). Also, in treatment T 2, reduction decreased in infested and treated plants from 19% to 2% for chlorophyll a, from 21% to 2% for chlorophyll b, from 23% to 3% for carotenoids and stimulation of 1% and 2% was observed 28 and 35 DAA, respectively. Plants infested (untreated) by field dodder had lower values of most anatomical parameters, compared to noninfested plants. The measured anatomical parameters of sugar beet leaves and petiole had significantly higher values in noninfested plants and plants treated with propyzamide than in untreated plants. Also, the

  4. Elevated serum IGF-1 level enhances retinal and choroidal thickness in untreated acromegaly patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xia; Ma, Jin; Wang, Yuhan; Li, Lüe; Gao, Lu; Guo, Xiaopeng; Xing, Bing; Zhong, Yong

    2018-03-01

    1) To compare the retinal, choroidal, Haller's layer, and Sattler's/choriocapillaris thicknesses of untreated acromegaly patients without chiasm compression or diabetes mellitus and healthy controls. 2) To evaluate the correlations of retinal and choroidal thicknesses with serum growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF) burden. This prospective, case-control study included 27 untreated acromegaly patients and 27 sex-matched and age-matched controls. Subfoveal choroidal, Haller's layer and Sattler's/choriocapillaris thicknesses were determined by enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Foveal and macular retinal thicknesses were determined with SD-OCT. GH and IGF-1 burdens were defined as the product of disease duration and treatment-naïve serum GH and IGF-1 levels. Compared with healthy controls, patients with acromegaly exhibited significantly increased foveal retinal (p = 0.003), subfoveal choroidal (p IGF-1 level (p = 0.03) and IGF-1 burden (p = 0.009). No significant correlations were detected between choroidal thickness and GH burden (p = 0.44). Retinal thickness was not significantly correlated with any factor. The choroidal thickness of acromegaly patients was greater than that of healthy controls and was significantly correlated with disease duration, IGF-1 level and IGF-1 burden, indicating that excessive serum IGF-1 and its exposure time have a combined effect on choroidal thickness.

  5. A Systematic Review of Mortality from Untreated Scrub Typhus (Orientia tsutsugamushi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew J Taylor

    Full Text Available Scrub typhus, a bacterial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is increasingly recognized as an important cause of fever in Asia, with an estimated one million infections occurring each year. Limited access to health care and the disease's non-specific symptoms mean that many patients are undiagnosed and untreated, but the mortality from untreated scrub typhus is unknown. This review systematically summarizes the literature on the untreated mortality from scrub typhus and disease outcomes.A literature search was performed to identify patient series containing untreated patients. Patients were included if they were symptomatic and had a clinical or laboratory diagnosis of scrub typhus and excluded if they were treated with antibiotics. The primary outcome was mortality from untreated scrub typhus and secondary outcomes were total days of fever, clinical symptoms, and laboratory results. A total of 76 studies containing 89 patient series and 19,644 patients were included in the final analysis. The median mortality of all patient series was 6.0% with a wide range (min-max of 0-70%. Many studies used clinical diagnosis alone and had incomplete data on secondary outcomes. Mortality varied by location and increased with age and in patients with myocarditis, delirium, pneumonitis, or signs of hemorrhage, but not according to sex or the presence of an eschar or meningitis. Duration of fever was shown to be long (median 14.4 days Range (9-19.Results show that the untreated mortality from scrub typhus appears lower than previously reported estimates. More data are required to clarify mortality according to location and host factors, clinical syndromes including myocarditis and central nervous system disease, and in vulnerable mother-child populations. Increased surveillance and improved access to diagnostic tests are required to accurately estimate the untreated mortality of scrub typhus. This information would facilitate reliable quantification of

  6. A Systematic Review of Mortality from Untreated Scrub Typhus (Orientia tsutsugamushi).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Andrew J; Paris, Daniel H; Newton, Paul N

    2015-01-01

    Scrub typhus, a bacterial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is increasingly recognized as an important cause of fever in Asia, with an estimated one million infections occurring each year. Limited access to health care and the disease's non-specific symptoms mean that many patients are undiagnosed and untreated, but the mortality from untreated scrub typhus is unknown. This review systematically summarizes the literature on the untreated mortality from scrub typhus and disease outcomes. A literature search was performed to identify patient series containing untreated patients. Patients were included if they were symptomatic and had a clinical or laboratory diagnosis of scrub typhus and excluded if they were treated with antibiotics. The primary outcome was mortality from untreated scrub typhus and secondary outcomes were total days of fever, clinical symptoms, and laboratory results. A total of 76 studies containing 89 patient series and 19,644 patients were included in the final analysis. The median mortality of all patient series was 6.0% with a wide range (min-max) of 0-70%. Many studies used clinical diagnosis alone and had incomplete data on secondary outcomes. Mortality varied by location and increased with age and in patients with myocarditis, delirium, pneumonitis, or signs of hemorrhage, but not according to sex or the presence of an eschar or meningitis. Duration of fever was shown to be long (median 14.4 days Range (9-19)). Results show that the untreated mortality from scrub typhus appears lower than previously reported estimates. More data are required to clarify mortality according to location and host factors, clinical syndromes including myocarditis and central nervous system disease, and in vulnerable mother-child populations. Increased surveillance and improved access to diagnostic tests are required to accurately estimate the untreated mortality of scrub typhus. This information would facilitate reliable quantification of DALYs and

  7. Causes of anorexia in untreated hyperthyroidism: a prospective study

    OpenAIRE

    Dai, W.; Meng, X.

    2000-01-01

    Seventeen consecutive patients (mean (SD) 46 (11) years) with untreated hyperthyroidism and anorexia and 29 patients (35 (9) years) with untreated hyperthyroidism without anorexia were studied. The study was conducted at the thyroid clinic of the PUMC Hospital, Beijing, China from March to August 1997. The patients' ages, serum free calcium, liver function and emotional state, specifically the level of anxiety (using the self anxiety scale, Chinese version), were compared before and/or after ...

  8. Disparities in untreated caries among children and adults in the U.S., 2011-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Niodita; Vujicic, Marko; Yarbrough, Cassandra; Harrison, Brittany

    2018-03-06

    The Affordable Care Act of 2010 increased dental coverage for children in the United States, (U.S.) but not for adults. Few studies in current scholarship make use of up-to-date, nationally representative data to examine oral health disparities in the U.S. The purpose of this study is to use nationally representative data to determine the prevalence of untreated caries among children and adults of different socioeconomic and racial/ethnic groups and to examine the factors associated with untreated caries among children and adults. This study used the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) demographic, oral health questionnaire, and oral health dentition examination data (n = 7008 for children; n = 9673 for adults). Participants that had a standardized oral health examination and at least one natural primary or permanent tooth considering 28 tooth spaces were included in this study. Our main outcome measure was untreated coronal caries defined as decay on the crown or enamel surface of a tooth that had not been treated or filled. Population estimates were calculated to determine the prevalence of untreated caries among children and adults in the United States. Frequencies and Pearson's chi-square tests were used to compare those with and without untreated caries. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the factors associated with untreated caries. We conducted analyses among children and adults separately. From 2011 to 2014, 12.4 million children and 57.6 million adults in the United States had untreated caries. Age, family income level, recent dental visit, and financial and non-financial barriers were significantly associated with untreated caries in both children and adults. Race/ethnicity, gender and education level were also significantly associated with untreated caries among adults. The odds of untreated caries associated with financial barriers were 2.06 for children and 2.84 for adults while the

  9. What Examiners Do: What Thesis Students Should Know

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golding, Clinton; Sharmini, Sharon; Lazarovitch, Ayelet

    2014-01-01

    Although many articles have been written about thesis assessment, none provide a comprehensive, general picture of what examiners do as they assess a thesis. To synthesise this diverse literature, we reviewed 30 articles, triangulated their conclusions and identified 11 examiner practices. Thesis examiners tend to be broadly consistent in their…

  10. Evidence of an increased pathogenic footprint in the lingual microbiome of untreated HIV infected patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dang Angeline T

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Opportunistic oral infections can be found in over 80% of HIV + patients, often causing debilitating lesions that also contribute to deterioration in nutritional health. Although appreciation for the role that the microbiota is likely to play in the initiation and/or enhancement of oral infections has grown considerably in recent years, little is known about the impact of HIV infection on host-microbe interactions within the oral cavity. In the current study, we characterize modulations in the bacterial composition of the lingual microbiome in patients with treated and untreated HIV infection. Bacterial species profiles were elucidated by microarray assay and compared between untreated HIV infected patients, HIV infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy, and healthy HIV negative controls. The relationship between clinical parameters (viral burden and CD4+ T cell depletion and the loss or gain of bacterial species was evaluated in each HIV patient group. Results In untreated HIV infection, elevated viremia was associated with significantly higher proportions of potentially pathogenic Veillonella, Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Campylobacter species in the lingual microbiome than observed in healthy controls. The upsurge in the prevalence of potential pathogens was juxtaposed by diminished representation of commensal Streptococcus and Veillonella species. Colonization of Neisseria flavescens was lower in the lingual microbiome of HIV infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy than in uninfected controls. Conclusions Our findings provide novel insights into the potential impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy on the community structure of the oral microbiome, and implicate potential mechanisms that may increase the capacity of non-commensal species to gain a stronger foothold.

  11. Potential of nitrate addition to control the activity of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes in high-temperature oil production systems - a comparative study on a nitrate-treated and an untreated system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gittel, Antje; Sørensen, Ketil; Skovhus, Torben L.

    Sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) cause severe problems like microbial corrosion and reservoir souring in seawater-injected oil production systems. Adding nitrate to the injection water is applied to control SRP activity by favoring the growth of heterotrophic, nitrate-reducing bacteria (h......NRB) and nitrate-reducing, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (NR-SOB). Microbial diversity, abundance of Bacteria, Archaea and sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) and the potential activity of SRP were studied in production water samples from a nitrate-treated and an untreated system. The reservoirs and the produced water......) and Desulfotomaculum (system with nitrate). In samples from the untreated site, the presence of active SRP was supported by demonstrating their activity (incubations with 35S-sulfate) and growth in batch cultures at pipeline temperature. No SRP activity was detected at reservoir temperature and in samples from...

  12. Challenges for Better thesis supervision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghadirian, Laleh; Sayarifard, Azadeh; Majdzadeh, Reza; Rajabi, Fatemeh; Yunesian, Masoud

    2014-01-01

    Conduction of thesis by the students is one of their major academic activities. Thesis quality and acquired experiences are highly dependent on the supervision. Our study is aimed at identifing the challenges in thesis supervision from both students and faculty members point of view. This study was conducted using individual in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). The participants were 43 students and faculty members selected by purposive sampling. It was carried out in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2012. Data analysis was done concurrently with data gathering using content analysis method. Our data analysis resulted in 162 codes, 17 subcategories and 4 major categories, "supervisory knowledge and skills", "atmosphere", "bylaws and regulations relating to supervision" and "monitoring and evaluation". This study showed that more attention and planning in needed for modifying related rules and regulations, qualitative and quantitative improvement in mentorship training, research atmosphere improvement and effective monitoring and evaluation in supervisory area.

  13. Anaerobic digestion of autoclaved and untreated food waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tampio, Elina; Ervasti, Satu; Paavola, Teija; Heaven, Sonia; Banks, Charles; Rintala, Jukka

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Autoclaving decreased the formation of NH4-N and H 2 S during food waste digestion. • Stable digestion was achieved with untreated and autoclaved FW at OLR 6 kg VS/m 3 day. • Use of acclimated inoculum allowed very rapid increases in OLR. • Highest CH 4 yields were observed at OLR 3 kg VS/m 3 day with untreated FW. • Autoclaved FW produced highest CH 4 yields during OLR 4 kgVS/m 3 day. - Abstract: Anaerobic digestion of autoclaved (160 °C, 6.2 bar) and untreated source segregated food waste (FW) was compared over 473 days in semi-continuously fed mesophilic reactors with trace elements supplementation, at organic loading rates (OLRs) of 2, 3, 4 and 6 kg volatile solids (VS)/m 3 d. Methane yields at all OLR were 5–10% higher for untreated FW (maximum 0.483 ± 0.013 m 3 CH 4 /kg VS at 3 kg VS/m 3 d) than autoclaved FW (maximum 0.439 ± 0.020 m 3 CH 4 /kg VS at 4 kg VS/m 3 d). The residual methane potential of both digestates at all OLRs was less than 0.110 m 3 CH 4 /kg VS, indicating efficient methanation in all cases. Use of acclimated inoculum allowed very rapid increases in OLR. Reactors fed on autoclaved FW showed lower ammonium and hydrogen sulphide concentrations, probably due to reduced protein hydrolysis as a result of formation of Maillard compounds. In the current study this reduced biodegradability appears to outweigh any benefit due to thermal hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic components

  14. Advice for Writing a Thesis (Based on What Examiners Do)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golding, Clinton

    2017-01-01

    In the article, "What examiners do: What thesis students should know", we identified 11 things that thesis examiners do as they read and judge a thesis. But, we left a gap in the research: knowing this, What should thesis students do to write for their examiners? In this article, I fill the gap. The advice for thesis students is: first,…

  15. Anaerobic digestion of autoclaved and untreated food waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tampio, Elina, E-mail: elina.tampio@mtt.fi [Bioenergy and Environment, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, FI-31600 Jokioinen (Finland); Ervasti, Satu; Paavola, Teija [Bioenergy and Environment, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, FI-31600 Jokioinen (Finland); Heaven, Sonia; Banks, Charles [University of Southampton, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Rintala, Jukka [Bioenergy and Environment, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, FI-31600 Jokioinen (Finland)

    2014-02-15

    Highlights: • Autoclaving decreased the formation of NH4-N and H{sub 2}S during food waste digestion. • Stable digestion was achieved with untreated and autoclaved FW at OLR 6 kg VS/m{sup 3}day. • Use of acclimated inoculum allowed very rapid increases in OLR. • Highest CH{sub 4} yields were observed at OLR 3 kg VS/m{sup 3}day with untreated FW. • Autoclaved FW produced highest CH{sub 4} yields during OLR 4 kgVS/m{sup 3}day. - Abstract: Anaerobic digestion of autoclaved (160 °C, 6.2 bar) and untreated source segregated food waste (FW) was compared over 473 days in semi-continuously fed mesophilic reactors with trace elements supplementation, at organic loading rates (OLRs) of 2, 3, 4 and 6 kg volatile solids (VS)/m{sup 3} d. Methane yields at all OLR were 5–10% higher for untreated FW (maximum 0.483 ± 0.013 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS at 3 kg VS/m{sup 3} d) than autoclaved FW (maximum 0.439 ± 0.020 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS at 4 kg VS/m{sup 3} d). The residual methane potential of both digestates at all OLRs was less than 0.110 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS, indicating efficient methanation in all cases. Use of acclimated inoculum allowed very rapid increases in OLR. Reactors fed on autoclaved FW showed lower ammonium and hydrogen sulphide concentrations, probably due to reduced protein hydrolysis as a result of formation of Maillard compounds. In the current study this reduced biodegradability appears to outweigh any benefit due to thermal hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic components.

  16. The Master's Thesis in Applied Psychology Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shultz, Kenneth S.; Kottke, Janet L.

    1996-01-01

    Recommends the inclusion of a master's thesis in industrial and organizational psychology programs. Argues that the thesis serves several critical educational purposes and is relevant to applied psychology. Offers suggestions for increasing the relationship between the educational requirement and the professional tasks. (MJP)

  17. Diseases of aging untreated virgin female RFM and BALB/c mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cosgrove, G.E.; Satterfield, L.C.; Bowles, N.D.; Klima, W.C.

    1978-01-01

    Diseases of untreated, virgin female barrier-maintained RFM and BALB/c mice used as controls in a large radiation aging experiment were necropsied after natural death. The spectrum and incidence of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases were somewhat different in the two strains. Both strains show a high incidence of neoplasma (largely reticulum cell sarcomas and lung tumors) and of glomerulosclerosis. A wide variety of other diseases was noted in much lower incidence. The findings in the RF were briefly compared with those in earlier experiments with that strain in this laboratory

  18. Award for the best CMS thesis

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    The 2002 CMS PhD Thesis Award for has been presented to Giacomo Luca Bruno for his thesis defended at the University of Pavia in Italy and entitled "The RPC detectors and the muon system for the CMS experiment at the LHC". His work was supervised by Sergio P. Ratti from the University of Pavia. Since April 2002, Giacomo has been employed as a research fellow by CERN's EP Division. He continues to work on CMS in the areas of data acquisition and physics reconstruction and selection. Last Monday he received a commemorative engraved plaque from Lorenzo Foà, chairman of the CMS Collaboration Board. He will also receive expenses paid to an international physics conference to present his thesis results. Giacomo Luca Bruno with Lorenzo Foà

  19. Long-Term Testosterone Therapy Improves Cardiometabolic Function and Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Men with Hypogonadism: A Real-Life Observational Registry Study Setting Comparing Treated and Untreated (Control) Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traish, Abdulmaged M; Haider, Ahmad; Haider, Karim Sultan; Doros, Gheorghe; Saad, Farid

    2017-09-01

    In the absence of large, prospective, placebo-controlled studies of longer duration, substantial evidence regarding the safety and risk of testosterone (T) therapy (TTh) with regard to cardiovascular (CV) outcomes can only be gleaned from observational studies. To date, there are limited studies comparing the effects of long-term TTh in men with hypogonadism who were treated or remained untreated with T, for obvious reasons. We have established a registry to assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of T in men in a urological setting. Here, we sought to compare the effects of T on a host of parameters considered to contribute to CV risk in treated and untreated men with hypogonadism (control group). Observational, prospective, cumulative registry study in 656 men (age: 60.7 ± 7.2 years) with total T levels ≤12.1 nmol/L and symptoms of hypogonadism. In the treatment group, men (n = 360) received parenteral T undecanoate (TU) 1000 mg/12 weeks following an initial 6-week interval for up to 10 years. Men (n = 296) who had opted against TTh served as controls. Median follow-up in both groups was 7 years. Measurements were taken at least twice a year, and 8-year data were analyzed. Mean changes over time between the 2 groups were compared by means of a mixed-effects model for repeated measures, with a random effect for intercept and fixed effects for time, group, and their interaction. To account for baseline differences between the 2 groups, changes were adjusted for age, weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose, blood pressure, and lipids. There were 2 deaths in the T-treated group, none was related to CV events. There were 21 deaths in the untreated (control) group, 19 of which were related to CV events. The incidence of death in 10 patient-years was 0.1145 in the control group (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0746-0.1756; P control group and none in the T-treated group. Long-term TU was well tolerated with excellent adherence suggesting a high level of

  20. Distinctive distribution of lymphocytes in unruptured and previously untreated brain arteriovenous malformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Guo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To test the hypothesis that lymphocyte infiltration in brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM is not associated with iron deposition (indicator of micro-hemorrhage. Methods: Sections of unruptured, previously untreated bAVM specimens (n = 19 were stained immunohistochemically for T-lymphocytes (CD3 + , B-lymphocytes (CD20 + , plasma cells (CD138 + and macrophages (CD68 + . Iron deposition was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin and Prussian blue stains. Superficial temporal arteries (STA were used as control. Results: Both T-lymphocytes and macrophages were present in unruptured, previously untreated bAVM specimens, whereas few B cells and plasma cells were detected. Iron deposition was detected in 8 specimens (42%; 95% confidence intervals = 20-67%. The samples with iron deposition tended to have more macrophages than those without (666 ± 313 vs. 478 ± 174 cells/mm 2 ; P = 0.11. T-cells were clustered on the luminal side of the endothelial surface, on the vessel-wall, and in the perivascular regions. There was no correlation between T-lymphocyte load and iron deposition (P = 0.88. No macrophages and lymphocytes were detected in STA controls. Conclusion: T-lymphocytes were present in bAVM specimens. Unlike macrophages, the load and location of T-lymphocytes were not associated with iron deposition, suggesting the possibility of an independent cell-mediated immunological mechanism in bAVM pathogenesis.

  1. Effects of Untreated Periodontitis on Osseointegration of Dental Implants in a Beagle Dog Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Daehyun; Sohn, Byungjin; Kim, Kyoung Hwa; Kim, Sungtae; Koo, Ki-Tae; Kim, Tae-Il; Seol, Yang-Jo; Lee, Yong-Moo; Rhyu, In-Chul; Ku, Young

    2016-10-01

    There have been previous studies on the relationship between periodontitis and peri-implantitis, but limited information is available on how periodontitis affects osseointegration and wound healing of newly placed dental implants adjacent to natural teeth. The objective of the present experiment is to evaluate healing around dental implants adjacent to teeth with untreated experimental periodontitis. The study included six male beagle dogs. Scaling and plaque control procedures were performed on three dogs (control group). In the other three dogs (experimental group), retraction cords and ligature wires were placed subgingivally around all premolars and the first molars. Induced experimental periodontitis was confirmed after 3 months. Each control or experimental group was divided into two subgroups depending on the timing of implant placement (immediate/delayed). Twelve dental implants (two implants for each dog) were placed immediately, and the other 12 dental implants (two implants for each dog) were placed 2 months after extraction. The animals were sacrificed 2 months after implant placement. Histologic and histometric analyses were performed. Four implants (three from the immediate placement group and one from the delayed placement group) failed in the experimental group. There were significant differences in the percentage of bone-to-implant contact and marginal bone volume density between the control and experimental groups. Both parameters were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (P implants is associated with a higher failure rate compared with delayed placement. Untreated experimental periodontitis was correlated with compromised osseointegration in the implants with delayed placement.

  2. Supervisors' perspective on medical thesis projects and dropout rates: survey among thesis supervisors at a large German university hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Can, Elif; Richter, Felicitas; Valchanova, Ralitsa; Dewey, Marc

    2016-10-14

    To identify underlying causes for failure of medical thesis projects and the constantly high drop-out rate in Germany from the supervisors' perspective and to compare the results with the students' perspective. Cross-sectional survey. Online questionnaire for survey of medical thesis supervisors among the staff of Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Published, earlier longitudinal survey among students for comparison. 1069 thesis supervisors participated. Data are presented using descriptive statistics, and the χ 2 test served to compare the results among supervisors with the earlier data from the longitudinal survey of doctoral students. Not applicable. This survey is an observational study. Of 3653 potential participants, 1069 (29.3%) supervising 3744 doctoral candidates participated in the study. Supervisors considered themselves to be highly motivated and to offer adequate supervision. On the other hand, 87% stated that they did not feel well prepared for thesis supervision. Supervisors gave lack of timeliness of doctoral students and personal differences (p=0.024 and p=0.001) as the main reasons for terminating thesis projects. Doctoral students predominantly mentioned methodological problems and difficult subjects as critical issues (p=0.001 and pthesis supervisors and medical students feel ill prepared for their roles in the process of a medical dissertation. Contradictory reasons for terminating medical thesis projects based on supervisors' and students' self-assessment suggest a lack of communication and true scientific collaboration between supervisors and doctoral students as the major underlying issue that requires resolution. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  3. Graduate Students’ Satisfaction on the Thesis Advising Practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan S. Janer

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This descriptive action research focused on the satisfaction of the students on the advising practices of their thesis advisers. The 28 respondents of the study were purposively and incidentally chosen. The findings, derived from the use of unstructured interview and survey questionnaire, revealed that most of the students are satisfied with their thesis advisers in terms of their knowledge of student’s research, professional characteristics and qualities, and personality factors as revealed by the overall weighted mean values of 2.68, 2.72, and 2.72 respectively. The students along thesis advising observed various practices of the faculty members. Students chose their advisers based on their availability, field of specialization, and coaching and mentoring abilities. Based on the findings, this study recommends that the faculty members be given more training to further enhance their abilities in thesis advising. The college may also tap other research-reputable faculty members to become research advisers. An orientation activity among the students may also be conducted to assist them in choosing the faculty member with an appropriate research reputation and also to brief them on the roles they will play as thesis advisers. The need to revisit the policies of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS is also highly recommended. Hence, this study proposes some amendments on the existing guidelines of the department along thesis advising.

  4. Impact of field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunk. on physiological and anatomical changes in untreated and herbicide-treated alfalfa plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarić-Krsmanović Marija

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The effects of field dodder on physiological processes and the anatomy of alfalfa plants were examined under controlled conditions. The experiment included the following variants: N - noninfested alfalfa plants (control; I - infested alfalfa plants (untreated; T - infested plants treated with imazethapyr. Imazethapyr application rate was 100 g a.i. ha-1. The following parameters were checked: physiological - pigment content (chlorophyll ɑ, chlorophyll b, total carotenoids; anatomical - stem parameters: thickness of epidermis and cortex, and diameter of stem and central cylinder; leaf parameters: thickness of epidermis, parenchyma and spongy tissue, mesophyll and underside leaf epidermis, and diameter of bundle sheath cells in alfalfa plants. Pigment contents and anatomical parameters were measured: prior to herbicide treatment (0 assessment, then 7 (I assessment, 14 (II assessment, 21 (III assessment, 28 (IV assessment and 35 (V assessment days after application (DAA. Field dodder was found to affect the contents of chlorophyll ɑ, chlorophyll ɑ and carotenoids in untreated alfalfa plants, causing significant reductions in pigment content. Conversely, percent reduction in the treated plants decreased 22-5% for chlorophyll ɑ, 25-1%, for chlorophyll b, and 21-11% for carotenoids, while a stimulating effect of 1-6% was observed for the contents of chlorophyll b and carotenoids 35 DAA. Plants infested (untreated by field dodder had lower values of most anatomical parameters, compared to noninfested plants. The measured anatomical parameters of alfalfa stems and leaves had significantly higher values in noninfested plants and plants treated with imazethapyr than in untreated plants.

  5. Human norovirus in untreated sewage and effluents from primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, Carlos J A; Avant, Justin; Lowther, James; Till, Dale; Lees, David N

    2016-10-15

    Wastewater treatments are considered important means to control the environmental transmission of human norovirus (NoV). Information about NoV concentrations in untreated and treated effluents, their seasonality and typical removal rates achieved by different treatment processes is required to assess the effectiveness of sewage treatment processes in reducing human exposure to NoV. This paper reports on a characterisation of concentrations of NoV (genogroups I and II) in untreated sewage (screened influent) and treated effluents from five full scale wastewater treatment works (WwTW) in England. Results are shown for effluent samples characteristic of primary- (primary settlement, storm tank overflows), secondary- (activated sludge, trickling filters, humus tanks) and tertiary (UV disinfection) treatments. NoV occurrence in untreated sewage varied between years. This variation was consistent with the annual variation of the virus in the community as indicated by outbreak laboratory reports. Significant differences were found between mean NoV concentrations in effluents subject to different levels of treatment. Primary settlement achieved approximately 1 log10 removal for both genogroups. Concentrations of NoV and Escherichia coli in untreated sewage were of the same order of magnitude of those in storm tank overflows. Of the secondary treatments studied, activated sludge was the most effective in removing NoV with mean log10 removals of 3.11 and 2.34 for GI and GII, respectively. The results of this study provide evidence that monitoring of NoV in raw sewage or treated effluents could provide early warning of an elevated risk for NoV and potentially help prevent outbreaks through environmental exposure. They also provide evidence that elimination of stormwater discharges and improvement of the efficiency of activated sludge for NoV removal would be effective for reducing the risk of environmental transmission. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All

  6. 7 CFR 319.56-44 - Untreated grapefruit, sweet oranges, and tangerines from Mexico for processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Untreated grapefruit, sweet oranges, and tangerines... QUARANTINE NOTICES Fruits and Vegetables § 319.56-44 Untreated grapefruit, sweet oranges, and tangerines from Mexico for processing. Untreated grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis), and...

  7. ATLAS Thesis Award 2017

    CERN Multimedia

    Anthony, Katarina

    2018-01-01

    Winners of the ATLAS Thesis Award were presented with certificates and glass cubes during a ceremony on 22 February, 2018. They are pictured here with Karl Jakobs (ATLAS Spokesperson), Max Klein (ATLAS Collaboration Board Chair) and Katsuo Tokushuku (ATLAS Collaboration Board Deputy Chair).

  8. ALICE gives its first thesis awards

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    For the first time the ALICE collaboration has given two of its doctoral students awards for their outstanding theses. Winners Christian Holm Christensen and Zaida Conesa del Valle holding their awards.On 29 October the ALICE collaboration honoured two students for their outstanding theses at a ceremony held at CERN. The two awards, one of which was given for a physics thesis and the other for a technical thesis, went to Zaida Conesa Del Valle (Laboratoire de physique subatomique et des technologies associées) and Christian Holm Christensen (Niels Bohr Institute) respectively. "It is very gratifying to see that the collaboration appreciates our work," said Zaida Conesa del Valle, winner of the physics award for her thesis: Performance of the ALICE Muon Spectrometer. Weak Boson Production and Measurement in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC. "I also feel specially thankful to all the people who worked with me," she added. "It was pl...

  9. THESIS: terrestrial and habitable zone infrared spectroscopy spacecraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasisht, G.; Swain, M. R.; Akeson, R. L.; Burrows, A.; Deming, D.; Grillmair, C. J.; Greene, T. P.

    2008-07-01

    THESIS is a concept for a medium class mission designed for spectroscopic characterization of extrasolar planets between 2-14 microns. The concept leverages off the recent first-steps made by Spitzer and Hubble in characterizing the atmospheres of alien gas giants. Under favourable circumstances, THESIS is capable of identifying biogenic molecules in habitable-zone planets, thereby determining conditions on worlds where life might exist. By systematically characterizing many worlds, from rocky planets to gas-giants, THESIS would deliver transformational science of profound interest to astronomers and the general public.

  10. How to create a journal article from a thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahern, Kathy

    2012-01-01

    To identify strategies to assist in the publication of research arising from a postgraduate thesis or dissertation. There are many benefits to publishing a journal article from a completed thesis, including contributing knowledge to the writer's chosen field, career enhancement and personal satisfaction. However, there are also numerous obstacles for the newly graduated student in crafting an article fit for a specialist publication from a thesis. The author conducted a search of the title, abstract and keywords of the Cinahl, Scopus and Proquest databases, from 1990 to 2010: The author searched for the words: 'journal article' or 'manuscript; 'thesis' or 'dissertation'. The author excluded papers if: they pertained to allocation of authorship to someone other than the academic adviser; related to undergraduate issues rather than graduate dissertations; were discussions of the merits of a PhD by 'publication' instead of 'by thesis'; were not published in a peer-reviewed journal; or were not in English. The relationship between adviser and student changes as the student becomes a graduate, and new roles for the student and adviser need to be negotiated. Students need to realise that writing a paper from a thesis is usually going to be more difficult than they anticipate, but the application of strategies discussed in this paper should make the task manageable. Furthermore, universities might wish to consider alternatives in which published papers emerge before the examination of a thesis, such as requiring students to write a paper as part of their coursework.

  11. Impaired bone remodeling in children with osteogenesis imperfecta treated and untreated with bisphosphonates: the role of DKK1, RANKL, and TNF-α.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunetti, G; Papadia, F; Tummolo, A; Fischetto, R; Nicastro, F; Piacente, L; Ventura, A; Mori, G; Oranger, A; Gigante, I; Colucci, S; Ciccarelli, M; Grano, M; Cavallo, L; Delvecchio, M; Faienza, M F

    2016-07-01

    In this study, we investigated the bone cell activity in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) treated and untreated with neridronate. We demonstrated the key role of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in regulating bone cell of untreated and treated OI subjects. These cytokines could represent new pharmacological targets for OI. Bisphosphonates are widely used in the treatment of children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with the objective of reducing the risk of fractures. Although bisphosphonates increase bone mineral density in OI subjects, the effects on fracture incidence are conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying bone cell activity in subjects with mild untreated forms of OI and in a group of subjects with severe OI treated with cycles of intravenous neridronate. Sclerostin, DKK1, TNF-α, RANKL, osteoprotegerin (OPG), and bone turnover markers were quantified in serum of 18 OI patients (12 females, mean age 8.86 ± 3.90), 8 of which were receiving cyclic intravenous neridronate, and 21 sex- and age-matched controls. The effects on osteoblastogenesis and OPG expression of media conditioned by the serum of OI patients and anti-DKK1 neutralizing antibody were evaluated. Osteoclastogenesis was assessed in cultures from patients and controls. DKK1 and RANKL levels were significantly increased both in untreated and in treated OI subjects with respect to controls. The serum from patients with high DKK1 levels inhibited both osteoblast differentiation and OPG expression in vitro. High RANKL and low OPG messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were found in lymphomonocytes from patients. High amounts of TNF-α were expressed by monocytes, and an elevated percentage of circulating CD11b-CD51/CD61+ osteoclast precursors was observed in patients. Our study demonstrated the key role of DKK1, RANKL, and TNF-α in regulating bone cell activity of subjects

  12. The prevalence of sexual behavior disorders in patients with treated and untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iovino, Paola; Pascariello, Annalisa; Limongelli, Paolo; Tremolaterra, Fabrizio; Consalvo, Danilo; Sabbatini, Francesco; Amato, Giuseppe; Ciacci, Carolina

    2007-07-01

    Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic disease. Sexual behavior is often altered in chronic illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual behavior in patients affected with GERD before and after medical or surgical treatment in comparison to healthy controls (HC). Upper GI endoscopy and 24-h ambulatory pH testing were performed to confirm GERD in symptomatic patients. GERD patients completed an anonymous questionnaire on sexual life before and after medical or surgical treatment. Compared with HC, untreated patients with GERD showed more frequent difficulty in attaining orgasm and painful intercourse. GERD patients after surgical treatment had significantly more difficulty in attaining orgasm, while after continuous medical treatment GERD patients compared with HC had significantly more difficulty in attaining orgasm, higher painful intercourse, lower sexual desire, and perceived more frequently that the partner was unhelpful. When compared with untreated conditions, GERD patients after surgical treatment had a significant improvement in attaining orgasm and in painful intercourse but a significant decrease in sexual desire, a lower satisfaction with their sexual life, and a higher prevalence of an unhelpful partner, whereas GERD patients after medical treatment had a decrease in all indices of sexual behavior. Untreated GERD is associated with disorders in sexual behavior. Compared with HC, only the surgical group partially improved after treatment.

  13. Association between treated/untreated traumatic dental injuries and impact on quality of life of Brazilian schoolchildren

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pordeus Isabela A

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Traumatic dental injury (TDI could have physical and psychosocial consequences for children. Thus, it is important to measure the impact of TDI on the quality of life of children (QoL. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between treated/untreated TDI and the impact on the quality of life of 11-to-14-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 1612 male and female schoolchildren aged 11 to 14 years attending public and private elementary schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select the children. Three calibrated examiners used the Andreasen classification for the diagnosis of TDI. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14 - Impact Short Form (ISF:16, composed of 16 items and self-administered by all children. Other oral conditions (dental caries and malocclusion and the Social Vulnerability Index were determined and used as controlling variables. Results Two hundred nineteen children were diagnosed with untreated TDI and 64 were diagnosed with treated TDI. There were no statistically significant associations between untreated or treated TDI and overall CPQ11-14 (Fisher = 0.368 and Fisher = 0.610, respectively. Children with an untreated TDI were 1.4-fold (95% CI = 1.1-2.1 more likely to report impact on the item "avoided smiling/laughing" than those without TDI, whereas children with a treated TDI were twofold (95% CI = 1.1-3.5 more likely to report impact on the item "other children asked questions" than those without TDI. Conclusions Neither treated nor untreated TDI was associated with oral symptoms, functional limitations or emotional wellbeing. However, children with a TDI in the anterior teeth experienced a negative impact on social wellbeing, mainly with regard to avoiding smiling or laughing and being

  14. Head circumference in untreated and IGF-I treated patients with Laron syndrome: comparison with untreated and hGH-treated children with isolated growth hormone deficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laron, Zvi; Iluz, Moshe; Kauli, Rivka

    2012-04-01

    Head circumference (HC) is a simple and practical measure of brain size, development and longitudinal measurements of the HC in childhood are an index of brain growth. To determine the effects of long IGF-I deficiency and treatment on HC in patients with Laron syndrome (LS). 20 untreated adult LS patients, aged 48.4±11.2 years and 13 LS patients treated between ages of 5.6±4 to 11.3±3 years were studied. 15 patients with congenital IGHD treated between age 6.1±4 and 13±4 by hGH served as controls. HC was expressed as standard deviation (SD) and Ht as SDS. HC was measured and plotted on Nellhaus charts. Linear height (Ht) was measured by a Harpenden Stadiometer. The mean HC deficit of the adult untreated LS males was -2.9±0.6 SD compared to a Ht deficit of -7.0±1.7 SDS. The HC of the LS adult females was -3.6±1 SD compared to a Ht SDS of -6.9±1.5 (pdeficit decreased only by 1.5 SDS. hGH treatment of cIGHD children increased the HC from -2.0±1.8 to 0.3±1.2 SD and the Ht SDS from -4.8±1.6 to 1.6±1.0. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Bridging Knowledge: A Collective Undergraduate Thesis Development Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holdsworth, Jason K.; Arun, Özgür

    2017-01-01

    While there are various approaches to gerontological and geriatrics (and social sciences) education globally, a component commonly included in undergraduate education is a final thesis project. In Turkey, the Department of Gerontology at Akdeniz University has undertaken a unique approach to thesis development that values and draws on accessing…

  16. Shortened duration of untreated first episode of psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Tor Ketil; McGlashan, T H; Johannessen, Jan Olav

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether duration of untreated psychosis can be shortened in patients with first episodes of DSM-IV schizophrenia spectrum disorders and whether shorted duration alters patient appearance at treatment. METHOD: Two study groups were ascertained in the same Norwegian h...

  17. Brain Oscillations Elicited by the Cold Pressor Test: A Putative Index of Untreated Essential Hypertension

    OpenAIRE

    Christos Papageorgiou; Efstathios Manios; Eleftheria Tsaltas; Eleni Koroboki; Maria Alevizaki; Elias Angelopoulos; Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos; Charalabos Papageorgiou; Nikolaos Zakopoulos

    2017-01-01

    Objective. Essential hypertension is associated with reduced pain sensitivity of unclear aetiology. This study explores this issue using the Cold Pressor Test (CPT), a reliable pain/stress model, comparing CPT-related EEG activity in first episode hypertensives and controls. Method. 22 untreated hypertensives and 18 matched normotensives underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). EEG recordings were taken before, during, and after CPT exposure. Results. Significant group d...

  18. A way toward the doctorate theses: a methodol ogy for the development of the system of thesis work shops at instance level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Manuel Caraballo Carmona

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The present article proposes a methodology which makes possible to standardize the process of thesis presentation workshops previous to the defense of the P hD thesis. This methodology intends the research partial results to be presented with scientific rigor and to organize, plan, develop , and control these thesis presentation workshops, to conduct the success in the thesis presentations at the pre - defense an d defense moments, proposing as criteria for success the scientific rigor, fluency in the oral presentation, capacity to answer the questions immediately, and time adjustment.

  19. Text Analysis of Chemistry Thesis and Dissertation Titles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scalfani, Vincent F.

    2017-01-01

    Programmatic text analysis can be used to understand patterns and reveal trends in data that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to uncover with manual coding methods. This work uses programmatic text analysis, specifically term frequency counts, to study nearly 10,000 chemistry thesis and dissertation titles from 1911-2015. The thesis and…

  20. ATLAS Thesis Awards 2015

    CERN Multimedia

    Biondi, Silvia

    2016-01-01

    Winners of the ATLAS Thesis Award were presented with certificates and glass cubes during a ceremony on Thursday 25 February. The winners also presented their work in front of members of the ATLAS Collaboration. Winners: Javier Montejo Berlingen, Barcelona (Spain), Ruth Pöttgen, Mainz (Germany), Nils Ruthmann, Freiburg (Germany), and Steven Schramm, Toronto (Canada).

  1. Linguistic Error Analysis on Students' Thesis Proposals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pescante-Malimas, Mary Ann; Samson, Sonrisa C.

    2017-01-01

    This study identified and analyzed the common linguistic errors encountered by Linguistics, Literature, and Advertising Arts majors in their Thesis Proposal classes in the First Semester 2016-2017. The data were the drafts of the thesis proposals of the students from the three different programs. A total of 32 manuscripts were analyzed which was…

  2. Inspirational Catalogue of Master Thesis Proposals 2015

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorndahl, Søren

    2015-01-01

    This catalog presents different topics for master thesis projects. It is important to emphasize that the project descriptions only serves as an inspiration and that you always can discuss with the potential supervisors the specific contents of a project.......This catalog presents different topics for master thesis projects. It is important to emphasize that the project descriptions only serves as an inspiration and that you always can discuss with the potential supervisors the specific contents of a project....

  3. Complications of untreated molar-incisor hypomineralization in a 12-year-old boy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shubha Arehalli Bhaskar

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Complications arising because of untreated molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH have received little mention in the dental literature. However, this can be an area of concern, with severe consequences in rare cases. Hence, early recognition and prompt management of MIH is essential for long-term oral health of affected individuals. This paper describes an untreated case of severe MIH that resulted in infection of facial spaces.

  4. On-the-road driving performance and driving-related skills in older untreated insomnia patients and chronic users of hypnotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leufkens, T R M; Ramaekers, J G; de Weerd, A W; Riedel, W J; Vermeeren, A

    2014-07-01

    Many older adults report sleep problems and use of hypnotics. Several studies have shown that hypnotics can have acute adverse effects on driving the next morning. It is unclear however whether driving of chronic hypnotic users is impaired. Therapeutic effects on insomnia and development of tolerance may reduce the residual effects on driving. The present study aimed to compare actual driving performance and driving-related skills of chronic hypnotic users to good sleepers. To determine whether insomnia itself affects driving performance, driving and driving-related skills were compared between insomnia patients who do not or infrequently use hypnotics and good sleepers. Twenty-two frequent users of hypnotics (using hypnotics ≥ 4 nights per week for more than 3 months), 20 infrequent users (using hypnotics ≤ 3 nights per week), and 21 healthy, age-matched controls participated in this study. On the night before testing, all subjects were hospitalized for an 8-h sleep recorded by polysomnography. Frequent hypnotic users used their regular medication at bedtime (2330 hours), while infrequent users and controls received no medication. Cognitive performance (word learning, digit span, tracking, divided attention, vigilance, and inhibitory control) was assessed 8.5 h and driving performance between 10 and 11 h after bedtime and dosing. Polysomnographic recordings did not significantly differ between the groups, but the insomnia patients, treated or untreated, still reported subjective sleep complaints. Results show no differences in driving performance and driving-related skills between both groups of insomnia patients and controls. Driving performance in chronic users of hypnotics and untreated insomnia patients is not impaired. For chronic users, this may be due to prescription of relatively safe drugs and low doses. For untreated insomniacs, this corroborates previous findings showing an absence of neuropsychological deficits in this group of patients.

  5. Writing a Thesis Differently

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honan, Eileen; Bright, David

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we explore the contributions that Deleuze and Guattari have made to thinking/writing language and how these ideas can be put to work in producing a doctoral thesis. We contribute to the field of work within what Patti Lather and Elizabeth St Pierre have called the "post-qualitative" movement, where researchers attempt to…

  6. The untreated dental caries in primary teeth: would it be problems?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Udijanto Tedjosasongko

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Dental caries still remain as the most prevalent oral health disease in children. Many efforts have been done to prevent dental caries in children, but unfortunately there are dental practitioners who still have false mindset and prefer not to treat the dental caries case in primary teeth with the most common reasons are because it will be replaced with the permanent teeth. There are many negative effect will occur if the dental caries treatments in primary teeth are neglected.This topic would review the effects of untreated dental caries in children based on research reports.Severely decayed teeth have an important impact on children’s general health, nutrition, growth and body weight by causing discomfort, pain, sleeping problems, learning disorders and absence from school.  Untreated caries may affect seriously the quality of children’s life because of pain and discomfort, which could lead to acute and chronic infections, oral mucosal conditions and altered eating and sleeping habits. Furthermore, untreated caries in primary teeth can have a lasting detrimental impact on the permanent dentition by causing high caries risk or developmental defects of the permanent successor tooth. Moreover it has been reported that children at each higher level of caries had significantly lower height and weight outcomes than those with lower caries levels. The untreated dental caries in primary teeth would lead the children to poor growth and health which lowering the their quality of life.

  7. Caffeine as an indicator for the quantification of untreated wastewater in karst systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hillebrand, Olav; Nödler, Karsten; Licha, Tobias; Sauter, Martin; Geyer, Tobias

    2012-02-01

    Contamination from untreated wastewater leakage and related bacterial contamination poses a threat to drinking water quality. However, a quantification of the magnitude of leakage is difficult. The objective of this work is to provide a highly sensitive methodology for the estimation of the mass of untreated wastewater entering karst aquifers with rapid recharge. For this purpose a balance approach is adapted. It is based on the mass flow of caffeine in spring water, the load of caffeine in untreated wastewater and the daily water consumption per person in a spring catchment area. Caffeine is a source-specific indicator for wastewater, consumed and discharged in quantities allowing detection in a karst spring. The methodology was applied to estimate the amount of leaking and infiltrating wastewater to a well investigated karst aquifer on a daily basis. The calculated mean volume of untreated wastewater entering the aquifer was found to be 2.2 ± 0.5 m(3) d(-1) (undiluted wastewater). It corresponds to approximately 0.4% of the total amount of wastewater within the spring catchment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Platelets in blood stored in untreated and siliconed glass bottles and plastic bags

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kissmeyer-Nielsen, F.; Madsen, C. B.; Nedergaard, Jytte

    1961-01-01

    Platelet survival was determined using untreated and siliconed glass bottles and plastic bags (Fenwal) for collecting and storing blood. The platelets were tagged in vivo with P32 in six polycythaemic patients undergoing treatment with P32. The results showed that fresh ACD blood collected in untreated glass, siliconed glass, and plastic gave the same recovery of platelets in the recipients. The use of EDTA (Fenwal formula) as anticoagulant gave results inferior to those obtained with blood using ACD as anticoagulant. Even after storage up to 24 hours in untreated glass bottles (ordinary bank blood) a satisfactory recovery of platelets was observed. After storage for 72 hours the recovery was less but not negligible. PMID:14456481

  9. Treated and Untreated Alcohol-Use Disorders: Course and Predictors of Remission and Relapse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moos, Rudolf H.; Moos, Bernice S.

    2007-01-01

    The research described here focused on personal, life context, and help-related factors to trace the long-term course of treated and untreated alcohol-use disorders. A group of 461 individuals who sought help for alcohol problems was surveyed at baseline and 1, 3, 8, and 16 years later. Compared with individuals who remained untreated, individuals…

  10. Action learning in undergraduate engineering thesis supervision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brad Stappenbelt

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In the present action learning implementation, twelve action learning sets were conducted over eight years. The action learning sets consisted of students involved in undergraduate engineering research thesis work. The concurrent study accompanying this initiative, investigated the influence of the action learning environment on student approaches to learning and any accompanying academic, learning and personal benefits realised. The influence of preferred learning styles on set function and student adoption of the action learning process were also examined. The action learning environment implemented had a measurable significant positive effect on student academic performance, their ability to cope with the stresses associated with conducting a research thesis, the depth of learning, the development of autonomous learners and student perception of the research thesis experience. The present study acts as an addendum to a smaller scale implementation of this action learning approach, applied to supervision of third and fourth year research projects and theses, published in 2010.

  11. Immunological responses, histopathological finding and disease resistance of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) exposed to treated and untreated municipal wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akaishi, Fabiola M.; St-Jean, Sylvie D.; Bishay, Farida; Clarke, John; Rabitto, Ines da S.; Oliveira Ribeiro, Ciro A. de

    2007-01-01

    This study provides new information on the response of the immune system of Mytilus edulis exposed to untreated and treated sewage, linking immune response to ecologically relevant endpoints, such as disease resistance. Our goal was to assess the potential effects of sewage on the immune system (phagocytic activity and production of cytotoxic metabolites, disease resistance) and gills (light microscope) of mussels through a bioassay and field study in an estuarine receiving environment (RE). A semi-static experiment was developed in a wastewater treatment plant in New Glasgow, NS Canada. Mussels were exposed for 21 days to 12.5%, 25%, 50% and 100% of untreated sewage influent and artificial seawater control. Sampling occurred after 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure. In the field study, eight sites were selected in East River and Pictou Harbour, NS, positioned upstream and downstream of sewage effluents outfalls. Caged mussels were exposed to the RE for 90 days (May-July 2005). Mussels were challenged to test their efficiency at eliminating the bacteria, Listonella anguillarium in the bioassay and field studies. The bioassay results showed that higher concentrations of untreated sewage could modulate the immune system of mussels through increased of phagocytic activity (PA), nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production during 14 days of exposure, and decreased activity and production at 21 days, with the exception of H 2 O 2 production which was high even at 21 days. Mussels exposed to untreated sewage RE also presented a high PA, NO and H 2 O 2 production and lower number of haemocytes compared to mussels from reference sites. In the bacterial challenge, mussels pre-exposed to 100% sewage died 24 h after being infected with L. anguillarium, while mussels pre-exposed to 50% eliminated bacteria had a mortality rate of 30%. Mussels from the control, 12.5% and 25% groups eliminated bacteria and no mortality was observed. No significant difference was

  12. CARDIAC STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ABNORMALITIES IN FEMALES WITH UNTREATED HYPOPITUITARISM DUE TO SHEEHAN SYNDROME: RESPONSE TO HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laway, Bashir Ahmad; Ramzan, Mahroosa; Allai, Mohd Sultan; Wani, Arshad Iqbal; Misgar, Raiz Ahmad

    2016-09-01

    Data on cardiac abnormalities in females with untreated hypopituitarism are limited. We investigated echocardiographic abnormalities in females with untreated hypopituitarism and their response to treatment. Twenty-three females with treatment-naïve hypopituitarism and 30 matched healthy controls were evaluated for cardiac structure and function. Echocardiographic evaluation was done at presentation and after achieving a euthyroid and eucortisol state. Fourteen (61%) patients had mitral regurgitation, and 11 (48%) had pericardial effusion as against none among controls. Indices of left ventricular (LV) size like LV end diastolic dimension (LVEDD; 44.5 ± 3.5 mm in cases vs. 47.6 ± 3.8 mm in controls, P = .004), and LV diastolic volume (LVEDV; 91.8 ± 18.0 mL versus 106.5 ± 20.4 mL, P = .009) were significantly lower in the SS group compared with controls. LV mass (LVM) was 70.8 ± 19.2 g in cases and 108.0 ± 33.2 g in controls (P = .02). Similarly, indices of LV systolic function like stroke volume (SV; 59.1 ± 12.0 mL in cases and 74.4 ± 15.8 mL in controls; P = .000), ejection fraction (EF; 64.3 ± 6.2 % in cases against 69.9 ± 9.2 % in controls; P = .03), and fractional shortening (FS; 34.9 ± 4.7% versus 40.1 ± 4.4%, P = .000) were significantly decreased in patients compared with controls. Cardiac abnormalities normalized with restoration of a euthyroid and eucortisol state. Pericardial effusion, mitral regurgitation, and diminished LVM are common in females with untreated hypopituitarism. ACTH = adrenocorticotrophic hormone BMI = body mass index DT = deceleration time EDV = end-diastolic volume EF = ejection fraction FS = fractional shortening GH = growth hormone IGF-1 = insulin growth factor-1 ITT = insulin tolerance test IVSd = interventricular septal diameter LH = luteinizing hormone LV = left ventricular LVEDD = LV end diastolic dimension LVEDV = LV end diastolic volume LVM = LV mass MRI = magnetic resonance imaging MVP = mitral value prolapse PPH

  13. Effects of irritant chemicals on Aedes aegypti resting behavior: is there a simple shift to untreated "safe sites"?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hortance Manda

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Previous studies have identified the behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti to irritant and repellent chemicals that can be exploited to reduce man-vector contact. Maximum efficacy of interventions based on irritant chemical actions will, however, require full knowledge of variables that influence vector resting behavior and how untreated "safe sites" contribute to overall impact. METHODS: Using a laboratory box assay, resting patterns of two population strains of female Ae. aegypti (THAI and PERU were evaluated against two material types (cotton and polyester at various dark:light surface area coverage (SAC ratio and contrast configuration (horizontal and vertical under chemical-free and treated conditions. Chemicals evaluated were alphacypermethrin and DDT at varying concentrations. RESULTS: Under chemical-free conditions, dark material had significantly higher resting counts compared to light material at all SAC, and significantly increased when material was in horizontal configuration. Cotton elicited stronger response than polyester. Within the treatment assays, significantly higher resting counts were observed on chemical-treated dark material compared to untreated light fabric. However, compared to matched controls, significantly less resting observations were made on chemical-treated dark material overall. Most importantly, resting observations on untreated light material (or "safe sites" in the treatment assay did not significantly increase for many of the tests, even at 25% SAC. Knockdown rates were ≤5% for all assays. Significantly more observations of flying mosquitoes were made in test assays under chemical-treatment conditions as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: When preferred Ae. aegypti resting sites are treated with chemicals, even at reduced treatment coverage area, mosquitoes do not simply move to safe sites (untreated areas following contact with the treated material. Instead, they become agitated

  14. Robust Self Tuning Controllers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad

    1985-01-01

    The present thesis concerns robustness properties of adaptive controllers. It is addressed to methods for robustifying self tuning controllers with respect to abrupt changes in the plant parameters. In the thesis an algorithm for estimating abruptly changing parameters is presented. The estimator...... has several operation modes and a detector for controlling the mode. A special self tuning controller has been developed to regulate plant with changing time delay.......The present thesis concerns robustness properties of adaptive controllers. It is addressed to methods for robustifying self tuning controllers with respect to abrupt changes in the plant parameters. In the thesis an algorithm for estimating abruptly changing parameters is presented. The estimator...

  15. Going beyond the Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew C.

    2010-01-01

    Most every writing teacher can relate to the curse of reading yet another incoherent essay, the contents of which resemble an unorganized junk drawer of thoughts. Such essays cry out for a main idea. The remedy is a thesis, and teachers rightly take pains to help students discover this. Yet in spite of this, writing teachers ought to bear in mind…

  16. Senior Thesis Research at Princeton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prud'homme, Robert K.

    1981-01-01

    Reviews a senior undergraduate research program in chemical engineering at Princeton University. Includes strengths and requirements for a successful program. Senior thesis research provides creative problem solving experiences for students and is congruent with departmental research objectives. Selected student comments are included. (SK)

  17. Marrow hypoplasia: a rare complication of untreated Grave's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Juliana; França, Larissa de; Ellinger, Vivian; Wolff, Mônica

    2014-12-01

    Atypical presentation forms of hyperthyroidism are always a challenge to the clinician. We present a female patient with the typical symptoms of thyrotoxicosis, without any thionamides treatment before, associated with pancytopenia, which recovered after euthyroidism state was achieved. Although the major cases of pancytopenia in Grave's disease are seen as a complication of antithyroid drugs (thioamides), in this case report the alteration in blood tests was associated with untreated hyperthyroidism. In the literature review, we found 19 case reports between 1981 to 2012, but it has been related to a hypercellular bone marrow with periferic destruction. Our case, however, is about a hypocellular bone marrow without fibrosis or fat tissue replacement, which proceeded with a periferic improvement following thyroid treatment. Although rare, pancytopenia, when present, may develop as an unusual and severe manifestation in untreated subjects.

  18. Comparative evaluation of untreated and radurized Chilean avocadoes shipped to the Netherlands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ang, L.A.; Uzcategui, E.; Farkas, J.; Langerak, D.Is.; Duren, M.D.A.; Rubio, C.T.

    1986-01-01

    Avocados of Fuerte variety were picked mature green, treated with a hot water dip (10 min at 46 deg C) then individually wrapped in PVC foil, irradiated with a gamma radiation dose of 25 Gy, shipped by boat at 7 deg C from Chile to the Netherlands and stored there under different conditions. Similarly packed untreated fruits served as controls. The combination treatment and wrapping in PVC foil delayed and reduced the decay, and resulted in a better consumer quality. This small-scale trial shipment holds promise that a sea-transport of combined treated avocados from Chile to Western Europe whould be feasible. (author)

  19. Effectiveness of insecticide-treated and untreated nets to prevent malaria in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Remoortel, Hans; De Buck, Emmy; Singhal, Maneesh; Vandekerckhove, Philippe; Agarwal, Satya P

    2015-08-01

    India is the most malaria-endemic country in South-East Asia, resulting in a high socio-economic burden. Insecticide-treated or untreated nets are effective interventions to prevent malaria. As part of an Indian first-aid guideline project, we aimed to investigate the magnitude of this effect in India. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Central to systematically review Indian studies on the effectiveness of treated or untreated vs. no nets. Parasite prevalence and annual parasite incidence served as malaria outcomes. The overall effect was investigated by performing meta-analyses and calculating the pooled risk ratios (RR) and incidence rate ratios. Of 479 articles, we finally retained 16 Indian studies. Untreated nets decreased the risk of parasite prevalence compared to no nets [RR 0.69 (95% CI; 0.55, 0.87) in high-endemic areas, RR 0.49 (95% CI; 0.28, 0.84) in low-endemic areas], as was the case but more pronounced for treated nets [RR 0.35 (95% CI; 0.26, 0.47) in high-endemic areas, risk ratio 0.16 (95% CI; 0.06, 0.44) in low-endemic areas]. Incidence rate ratios showed a similar observation: a significantly reduced rate of parasites in the blood for untreated nets vs. no nets, which was more pronounced in low-endemic areas and for those who used treated nets. The average effect of treated nets (vs. no nets) on parasite prevalence was higher in Indian studies (RR 0.16-0.35) than in non-Indian studies (data derived from a Cochrane systematic review; RR 0.58-0.87). Both treated and untreated nets have a clear protective effect against malaria in the Indian context. This effect is more pronounced there than in other countries. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. The finite-dimensional Freeman thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudolph, Lee

    2008-06-01

    I suggest a modification--and mathematization--of Freeman's thesis on the relations among "perception", "the finite brain", and "the world", based on my recent proposal that the theory of finite topological spaces is both an adequate and a natural mathematical foundation for human psychology.

  1. Factors related to severe untreated tooth decay in rural adolescents: a case-control study for public health planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skaret, E; Weinstein, P; Milgrom, P; Kaakko, T; Getz, T

    2004-01-01

    In this case-control study of rural adolescents we identified factors to discriminate those who have high levels of tooth decay and receive treatment from those with similar levels who receive no treatment. The sample was drawn from all 12-20-year-olds (n = 439) in a rural high school in Washington State, U.S. The criterion for being included was 5 or more decayed, missing or filled teeth. The questionnaire included structure, history, cognition and expectation variables based on a model by Grembowski, Andersen and Chen. No structural variable was related to the dependent variable. Two of 10 history variables were related: perceived poor own dental health and perceived poor mother's dental health. Four of eight cognition variables were also predictive: negative beliefs about the dentist, not planning to go to a dentist even if having severe problems, not being in any club or playing on a sports team and not having a best friend. No relationship was found for the expectation variable 'usual source of care'. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that untreated tooth decay is associated with avoidance of care and point to the importance of history and cognition variables in planning efforts to improve oral health of rural adolescents.

  2. Master’s Thesis Supervision: Feedback, interpersonal relationships, and adaptivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Kleijn, R.A.M.

    2013-01-01

    In most academic master’s programmes the final component is conducting a piece of research, a master’s thesis. In this dissertation master’s thesis supervision is investigated from a feedback and interpersonal perspective, in order to provide more insight into its quality. The quality of master’s

  3. Rethinking neuroethics in the light of the extended mind thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, Neil

    2007-09-01

    The extended mind thesis is the claim that mental states extend beyond the skulls of the agents whose states they are. This seemingly obscure and bizarre claim has far-reaching implications for neuroethics, I argue. In the first half of this article, I sketch the extended mind thesis and defend it against criticisms. In the second half, I turn to its neuroethical implications. I argue that the extended mind thesis entails the falsity of the claim that interventions into the brain are especially problematic just because they are internal interventions, but that many objections to such interventions rely, at least in part, on this claim. Further, I argue that the thesis alters the focus of neuroethics, away from the question of whether we ought to allow interventions into the mind, and toward the question of which interventions we ought to allow and under what conditions. The extended mind thesis dramatically expands the scope of neuroethics: because interventions into the environment of agents can count as interventions into their minds, decisions concerning such interventions become questions for neuroethics.

  4. Collaborating for Success: Team Teaching the Engineering Technical Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keating, Terrence; Long, Mike

    2012-01-01

    This paper will examine the collaborative teaching process undertaken at College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) by Engineering and the Communication faculties to improve the overall quality of engineering students' capstone projects known as the Technical Thesis. The Technical Thesis is divided into two separate components: a proposal stage…

  5. PhD thesis defense | Kemoli | East African Medical Journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A thesis oral defence is the culmination of research enquiryon a specific subject or project. The defence provides an opportunity for presentation and sustained argument in support of the findings. This is preceded by examination of the thesis by indipendent nominated examiners who do not communicate on the work as ...

  6. Importance and benefits of the doctoral thesis for medical graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giesler, Marianne; Boeker, Martin; Fabry, Götz; Biller, Silke

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: The majority of medical graduates in Germany complete a doctorate, even though a doctoral degree is not necessary for the practice of medicine. So far, little is known about doctoral candidates’ view on the individual benefit a doctoral thesis has for them. Consequently, this is the subject of the present investigation. Method: Data from surveys with graduates of the five medical faculties of Baden-Württemberg from the graduation years 2007/2008 (N=514) and 2010/2011 (N=598) were analysed. Results: One and a half years after graduating 53% of those interviewed had completed their doctorate. When asked about their motivation for writing a doctoral thesis, participants answered most frequently “a doctorate is usual” (85%) and “improvement of job opportunities” (75%), 36% said that an academic career has been their primary motive. Less than 10% responded that they used their doctoral thesis as a means to apply for a job. The proportion of graduates working in health care is equally large among those who have completed a thesis and those who have not. Graduates who pursued a thesis due to scientific interest are also currently more interested in an academic career and recognise more opportunities for research. An implicit benefit of a medical thesis emerged with regard to the self-assessment of scientific competences as those who completed a doctorate rated their scientific competencies higher than those who have not. Discussion: Although for the majority of physicians research interest is not the primary motivation for completing a doctorate, they might nevertheless achieve some academic competencies. For graduates pursuing an academic career the benefit of completing a medical thesis is more obvious. PMID:26958656

  7. Importance and benefits of the doctoral thesis for medical graduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giesler, Marianne; Boeker, Martin; Fabry, Götz; Biller, Silke

    2016-01-01

    The majority of medical graduates in Germany complete a doctorate, even though a doctoral degree is not necessary for the practice of medicine. So far, little is known about doctoral candidates' view on the individual benefit a doctoral thesis has for them. Consequently, this is the subject of the present investigation. Data from surveys with graduates of the five medical faculties of Baden-Württemberg from the graduation years 2007/2008 (N=514) and 2010/2011 (N=598) were analysed. One and a half years after graduating 53% of those interviewed had completed their doctorate. When asked about their motivation for writing a doctoral thesis, participants answered most frequently "a doctorate is usual" (85%) and "improvement of job opportunities" (75%), 36% said that an academic career has been their primary motive. Less than 10% responded that they used their doctoral thesis as a means to apply for a job. The proportion of graduates working in health care is equally large among those who have completed a thesis and those who have not. Graduates who pursued a thesis due to scientific interest are also currently more interested in an academic career and recognise more opportunities for research. An implicit benefit of a medical thesis emerged with regard to the self-assessment of scientific competences as those who completed a doctorate rated their scientific competencies higher than those who have not. Although for the majority of physicians research interest is not the primary motivation for completing a doctorate, they might nevertheless achieve some academic competencies. For graduates pursuing an academic career the benefit of completing a medical thesis is more obvious.

  8. Importance and benefits of the doctoral thesis for medical graduates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giesler, Marianne

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The majority of medical graduates in Germany complete a doctorate, even though a doctoral degree is not necessary for the practice of medicine. So far, little is known about doctoral candidates’ view on the individual benefit a doctoral thesis has for them. Consequently, this is the subject of the present investigation.Method: Data from surveys with graduates of the five medical faculties of Baden-Württemberg from the graduation years 2007/2008 (N=514 and 2010/2011 (N=598 were analysed.Results: One and a half years after graduating 53% of those interviewed had completed their doctorate. When asked about their motivation for writing a doctoral thesis, participants answered most frequently “a doctorate is usual” (85% and “improvement of job opportunities” (75%, 36% said that an academic career has been their primary motive. Less than 10% responded that they used their doctoral thesis as a means to apply for a job. The proportion of graduates working in health care is equally large among those who have completed a thesis and those who have not. Graduates who pursued a thesis due to scientific interest are also currently more interested in an academic career and recognise more opportunities for research. An implicit benefit of a medical thesis emerged with regard to the self-assessment of scientific competences as those who completed a doctorate rated their scientific competencies higher than those who have not.Discussion: Although for the majority of physicians research interest is not the primary motivation for completing a doctorate, they might nevertheless achieve some academic competencies. For graduates pursuing an academic career the benefit of completing a medical thesis is more obvious.

  9. What Works for Doctoral Students in Completing Their Thesis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsay, Siân

    2015-01-01

    Writing a thesis is one of the most challenging activities that a doctoral student must undertake and can represent a barrier to timely completion. This is relevant in light of current and widespread concerns regarding doctoral completion rates. This study explored thesis writing approaches of students post or near Ph.D. completion through…

  10. A functional programming interpreter. M.S. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robison, Arch Douglas

    1987-01-01

    Functional Programming (FP) sup BAC87 is an alternative to conventional imperative programming languages. This thesis describes an FP interpreter implementation. Superficially, FP appears to be a simple, but very inefficient language. Its simplicity, however, allows it to be interpreted quickly. Much of the inefficiency can be removed by simple interpreter techniques. This thesis describes the Illinois Functional Programming (IFP) interpreter, an interactive functional programming implementation which runs under both MS-DOS and UNIX. The IFP interpreter allows functions to be created, executed, and debugged in an environment very similar to UNIX. IFP's speed is competitive with other interpreted languages such as BASIC.

  11. Maternal and neonatal consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazemier, B.M.; Koningstein, F.N.; Schneeberger, C.; Ott, A.; Bossuyt, P.M.; Miranda, E. de; Vogelvang, T.E.; Verhoeven, C.J.; Langenveld, J.; Woiski, M.D.; Oudijk, M.A.; Ven, J.E. van der; Vlegels, M.T.; Kuiper, P.N.; Feiertag, N.; Pajkrt, E.; Groot, C.J. de; Mol, B.W.; Geerlings, S.E.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Existing approaches for the screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy are based on trials that were done more than 30 years ago. In this study, we reassessed the consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. METHODS: In this

  12. Maternal and neonatal consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazemier, B.M.; Koningstein, F.N.; Schneeberger, C.; Ott, A; Bossuyt, P.M.; de Miranda, E.; Vogelvang, T.E.; Verhoeven, C.J.M.; Langenveld, J.; Woiski, M.; Oudijk, M.A.; van der Yen, J.E.M.; Vlegels, M.T.W.; Kuiper, P.N.; Feiertag, N.; Pajkrt, E.; de Groot, C.J.M.; Mol, B.W.J.; Geerlings, S.E.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Existing approaches for the screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy are based on trials that were done more than 30 years ago. In this study, we reassessed the consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. Methods: In this

  13. System simulation for an untreated sewage source heat pump (USSHP) in winter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Na; Hao, Peng Z.

    2017-01-01

    The paper discusses the system characteristics of an untreated sewage source heat pump in winter. In this system, the sewage enters into the evaporator directly. The variable parameters to control the system contain the sewage temperature at evaporator inlet and the water temperature at condenser inlet. It is found that most parameters, except the condensation heat transfer coefficient, change in the form of sine wave the same as the sewage temperature at inlet. The heating load and consumed power are 12.9kW and 3.45kW when the sewage temperature at inlet is 13°C. COP is about 3.75 in the range of the sewage temperature at inlet of 12-13°C.

  14. A familiar Friend: The Impacts of the Master's Thesis over Four Formative Career Phases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooley, Cole Douglas

    2017-01-01

    Over the course of my career, I have experienced the thesis in different ways. This reflection paper will relay my encounters with, what I am calling, thesis-objects (to borrow a concept from object relations). I encountered the thesis-objects at different phases of my professional development: when I was a student, a supervisor for Smith MSW students, a PhD applicant, and chair of the Alumni Thesis Award Committee. My relationship with each thesis-object has refined me and granted me new perspective and personal growth. When I was a student, the thesis was a coach helping me develop tools to answer important questions. When I was a supervisor, the thesis was a bridge-builder strengthening my relationships with supervisees. Then, when I was a PhD applicant, the thesis was a door-opener providing me means to access PhD opportunities. Now that I am a chair, the thesis is a teacher opening my eyes to new intellectual terrain and pressing social problems.

  15. Maternal and neonatal consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy : a prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazemier, Brenda M.; Koningstein, Fiona N.; Schneeberger, Caroline; Ott, Alewijn; Bossuyt, Patrick M.; de Miranda, Esteriek; Vogelvang, Tatjana E.; Verhoeven, Corine J. M.; Langenveld, Josje; Woiski, Mallory; Oudijk, Martijn A.; van der Yen, Jeanine E. M.; Vlegels, Manita T. W.; Kuiper, Petra N.; Feiertag, Nicolette; Pajkrt, Eva; de Groot, Christianne J. M.; Mol, Ben W. J.; Geerlings, Suzanne E.

    Background Existing approaches for the screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy are based on trials that were done more than 30 years ago. In this study, we reassessed the consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. Methods In this multicentre

  16. Maternal and neonatal consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study with an embedded randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazemier, Brenda M.; Koningstein, Fiona N.; Schneeberger, Caroline; Ott, Alewijn; Bossuyt, Patrick M.; de Miranda, Esteriek; Vogelvang, Tatjana E.; Verhoeven, Corine J. M.; Langenveld, Josje; Woiski, Mallory; Oudijk, Martijn A.; van der Ven, Jeanine E. M.; Vlegels, Manita T. W.; Kuiper, Petra N.; Feiertag, Nicolette; Pajkrt, Eva; de Groot, Christianne J. M.; Mol, Ben W. J.; Geerlings, Suzanne E.

    2015-01-01

    Existing approaches for the screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy are based on trials that were done more than 30 years ago. In this study, we reassessed the consequences of treated and untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. In this multicentre prospective cohort

  17. Adsorption properties of stearic acid onto untreated kaolinite | Sari ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The focus of the study is to investigate adsorption property and determine thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption of stearic acid onto untreated kaolinite at the temperatures of 25, 35 and 45 oC. The equilibrium adsorption isotherms were analyzed by linear Langmuir and Freundlich models. Adsorption experiments ...

  18. The key to reducing duration of untreated first psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Joa, Inge; Johannessen, Jan Olav; Auestad, Bjørn

    2008-01-01

    The TIPS early intervention program reduced the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in first-episode schizophrenia from 16 to 5 weeks in a health care sector using a combination of easy access detection teams (DTs) and a massive information campaign (IC) about the signs and symptoms of psychosis...

  19. Diet quality and adherence to a healthy diet in Japanese male workers with untreated hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanauchi, Masao; Kanauchi, Kimiko

    2015-07-10

    As Japanese societies rapidly undergo westernisation, the prevalence of hypertension is increasing. We investigated the association between dietary quality and the prevalence of untreated hypertension in Japanese male workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 433 male workers who completed a brief food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to the WHO-based Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), the American Heart Association 2006 Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, and Mediterranean-style diet was assessed using four adherence indexes (HDI score, AI-84 score, DASH score and MED score). Hypertension classes were classified into three categories: non-hypertension, untreated hypertension and treated hypertension (ie, taking antihypertensive medication). The prevalence of untreated hypertension and treated hypertension was 22.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Patients with untreated hypertension had significantly lower HDI and AI-84 scores compared with non-hypertension. DASH and MED scores across the three hypertension classes were comparable. After adjusting for age, energy intake, smoking habit, alcohol drinking, physical activity and salt intake, a low adherence to HDI and a lowest quartile of AI-84 score were associated with a significantly higher prevalence of untreated hypertension, with an OR of 3.33 (95% CI 1.39 to 7.94, p=0.007) and 2.23 (1.09 to 4.53, p=0.027), respectively. A lower dietary quality was associated with increased prevalence of untreated hypertension in Japanese male workers. Our findings support a potential beneficial impact of nutritional assessment using diet qualities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  20. Health research priorities in medical thesis at National University of Piura, 2010-2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelson Purizaca-Rosillo

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVES To determine the frequency of thesis to obtain the medical degree at the NationalUniversity of Piura (UNP whose aim was framed within the Peru's nationaland/or Piura's regionalHRP from 201Oto 2014. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectionalstudy was conducted.All thesis to obtain the medicaldegree registered at the library of the UNP and the specialized library of the human medicine faculty from 2010 to 2014 were included.According the aim of the thesis,it was determinedif it was related toa nationalor regionalHRP.We searched through Google Scholar if the thesis that met witha HRP hadbeen published in a scientific joumal. RESULTS 150 thesis were found in the study period. Only 15 (10% thesis hadas the main objective a nationalHRP and 1 (0.6% a regionalHRP.Besides,none of the thesis had been published. CONCLUSIONS Thereis a low frequency of medicalthesis that were framed within a nationaland/or regionalHRP.

  1. A statistical analysis of Chinese traditional sports science master′s degree thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SHEN Wenjuan

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Through a statistical analysis of 367 sports science master′s degree thesis on Chinese traditional sport in the past five years,some conclusions can be drawn that the traditional national sports master's degree thesis should expand the theoretical depth; expand the scope of the study,in particular,focusing on some disappearing traditional national sports; regulate the types of research methods; strengthen the depth of data mining,correct thesis references. Thus can further clarify the laws of traditional sports graduate Thesis and provide references for postgraduate training.

  2. Number of objectives and conclusions in dissertations and thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liebano Richard Eloin

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To analyze the number of objectives and conclusions presented in dissertations and thesis defended at Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista School of Medicine (UNIFESP - EPM. METHODS: It was realized a search in the master degree dissertations and doctor degree thesis defended at Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista School of Medicine in the years 2002 and 2003 that were found available in the central library of this university. RESULTS: From 723 master dissertations analyzed, 62 (8,57% presented only one objective and one conclusion, 134 (18,53% presented one objective and more than one conclusion and 527 (72,89% had more than one objective and more than one conclusion. From 502 doctor thesis analyzed, 23 (4,58% presented only one objective and one conclusion, 123 (24,50% presented one objective and more than one conclusion and 376 (74,90% had more than one objective and more than one conclusion.. CONCLUSIONS: It wasn't found in researched literature the number of objectives and conclusions a scientific work must have. A highest number of thesis and dissertations presented more than one objective and more than one conclusion.

  3. Insulinlike growth factor I affects ocular development: a study of untreated and treated patients with Laron syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourla, Dan Haim; Laron, Zvi; Snir, Moshe; Lilos, Pearl; Weinberger, Dov; Axer-Siegel, Ruth

    2006-07-01

    To evaluate the ocular dimensions in patients with primary growth hormone receptor insensitivity (Laron syndrome [LS]) and to study the effect of supplemental insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) on ocular growth. Retrospective case series. Twelve patients with LS, 8 untreated (LS group) and 4 treated (LS-T group) with supplemental IGF-I, and 30 healthy controls. Ocular dimensions and refraction were measured, and a full ophthalmologic examination was performed. Differences in the average ocular dimension data among IGF-I-treated patients, untreated ones, and controls. The average axial length of eyes in the LS group was 21.94 mm (standard deviation [SD], 0.81). Corresponding values for the LS-T and control group eyes were 22.53 mm (SD, 1.74) and 23.20 mm (SD, 1.35) respectively. The average anterior chamber depth of eyes in the LS group was 2.55 mm (SD, 0.26). Corresponding values for eyes in the LS-T and control groups were 3.48 mm (SD, 0.09) and 3.84 mm (SD, 0.16) respectively. The average lens thickness of eyes in the LS group was 4.56 mm (SD, 0.36). Corresponding values for the LS-T and control groups were 3.77 mm (SD, 0.23) and 3.51 mm (SD, 0.25), respectively. The average corneal curvature of eyes in the LS group was 46.9 diopters (D) (SD, 2.32). Corresponding values for the LS-T and control groups were 47.6 D (SD, 2.83) and 44.4 D (SD, 1.5), respectively. Insulinlike growth factor I seems to be an important regulator of ocular growth as documented in patients with primary growth hormone insensitivity. The mechanism of this observation should be investigated further.

  4. The validation of the Supervision of Thesis Questionnaire (STQ).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henricson, Maria; Fridlund, Bengt; Mårtensson, Jan; Hedberg, Berith

    2018-06-01

    The supervision process is characterized by differences between the supervisors' and the students' expectations before the start of writing a bachelor thesis as well as after its completion. A review of the literature did not reveal any scientifically tested questionnaire for evaluating nursing students' expectations of the supervision process when writing a bachelor thesis. The aim of the study was to determine the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of a questionnaire for measuring nursing students' expectations of the bachelor thesis supervision process. The study had a developmental and methodological design carried out in four steps including construct validity and internal consistency reliability statistical procedures: construction of the items, assessment of face validity, data collection and data analysis. This study was conducted at a university in southern Sweden, where students on the "Nursing student thesis, 15 ECTS" course were consecutively selected for participation. Of the 512 questionnaires distributed, 327 were returned, a response rate of 64%. Five factors with a total variance of 74% and good communalities, ≥0.64, were extracted from the 10-item STQ. The internal consistency of the 10 items was 0.68. The five factors were labelled: The nature of the supervision process, The supervisor's role as a coach, The students' progression to self-support, The interaction between students and supervisor and supervisor competence. A didactic, useful and secure questionnaire measuring nursing students' expectations of the bachelor thesis supervision process based on three main forms of supervision was created. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Motivation in medical students: a PhD thesis report

    OpenAIRE

    Kusurkar, Rashmi

    2012-01-01

    The aims of this thesis were to gather insights and investigate the factors influencing, outcomes and applications of medical students' motivation. This thesis consists of three literature reviews, four research papers and two application papers. Two research studies investigated the relationships of student motivation with study strategy, effort and academic performance through structural equation modelling and cluster analysis. The relationships of age, maturity, gender and educational back...

  6. Biohydrogen production from untreated and hydrolyzed potato steam peels by the extreme thermophiles Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Thermotoga neapolitana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mars, Astrid E.; Veuskens, Teun; Budde, Miriam A.W.; van Doeveren, Patrick F.N.M.; Lips, Steef J.; Bakker, Robert R.; de Vrije, Truus; Claassen, Pieternel A.M. [Wageningen UR, Food and Biobased Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen (Netherlands)

    2010-08-15

    Production of hydrogen by the extreme thermophiles Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Thermotoga neapolitana was studied in serum flasks and in pH-controlled bioreactors with glucose, and hydrolyzed and untreated potato steam peels (PSP) as carbon sources. Two types of PSP hydrolysates were used: one in which the starch in the PSP was liquefied with alpha-amylase, and one in which the liquefied starch was further hydrolyzed to glucose by amyloglucosidase. When the PSP hydrolysates or untreated PSP were added at circa 10-14 g/L of glucose units, both strains grew well and produced hydrogen with reasonable to high molar yields (2.4-3.8 moles H{sub 2}/mole glucose units), and no significant production of lactate. The hydrogen production rates and yields were similar with untreated PSP, hydrolyzed PSP, and pure glucose, showing that C. saccharolyticus and T. neapolitana are well equipped for the utilization of starch. When the concentrations of the substrates were increased, growth and hydrogen production of both strains were hampered. At substrate concentrations of circa 30-40 g/L of glucose units, the molar hydrogen yield of C. saccharolyticus was severely reduced due to the formation of high amounts of lactate, while T. neapolitana was unable to grow at all. The results showed that PSP and PSP hydrolysates are very suitable substrates for efficient fermentative hydrogen production at moderate substrate loadings. (author)

  7. The platelet activating factor acetyl hydrolase, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, paraoxonase 1 and arylesterase levels in treated and untreated patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlioglu, Ayse; Kaygusuz, Ikbal; Karakurt, Feridun; Gumus, Ilknur Inegol; Uysal, Aysel; Kasapoglu, Benan; Armutcu, Ferah; Uysal, Sema; Keskin, Esra Aktepe; Koca, Cemile

    2014-11-01

    To evaluate the platelet activating factor acetyl hydrolyze (PAF-AH), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), arylesterase (ARE) levels and the effects of metformin and Diane-35 (ethinyl oestradiol + cyproterone acetate) therapies on these parameters and to determine the PON1 polymorphisms among PCOS patients. Ninety patients with PCOS, age 30, and body mass index-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups: metformin treatment, Diane-35 treatment and no medication groups. The treatment with metformin or Diane-35 was continued for 6 months and all subjects were evaluated with clinical and biochemical parameters 6 months later. One-way Anova test, t test and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. PAF-AH and ox-LDL levels were statistically significantly higher in untreated PCOS patients than controls, and they were statistically significantly lower in patients treated with metformin or Diane-35 than untreated PCOS patients. In contrast, there were lower PON1 (not statistically significant) and ARE (statistically significant) levels in untreated PCOS patients than the control group and they significantly increased after metformin and Diane-35 treatments. In PCOS patients serum PON1 levels for QQ, QR and RR phenotypes were statistically significantly lower than the control group. In patients with PCOS, proatherogenic markers increase. The treatment of PCOS with metformin or Diane-35 had positive effects on lipid profile, increased PON1 level, which is a protector from atherosclerosis and decreased the proatherogenic PAF-AH and ox-LDL levels.

  8. Substitution of lucerne hay by untreated, urea-enriched and urea ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Wheat straw was left untreated (WS), enriched with 1.5% urea (UWS), or ammoniated with 5.5% urea in a stack for 8 .... nitrogen concentration for maximal microbial synthesis is in ... faeces and urine samples were taken daily and pooled for.

  9. An Investigation of Generic Structures of Pakistani Doctoral Thesis Acknowledgements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rofess, Sakander; Mahmood, Muhammad Asim

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates Pakistani doctoral thesis acknowledgements from genre analysis perspective. A corpus of 235 PhD thesis acknowledgements written in English was taken from Pakistani doctoral theses collected from eight different disciplines. HEC Research Repository of Pakistan was used as a data sources. The theses written by Pakistani…

  10. Entropy and Computation: The Landauer-Bennett Thesis Reexamined

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orly Shenker

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The so-called Landauer-Bennett thesis says that logically irreversible operations (physically implemented such as erasure necessarily involve dissipation by at least kln2 per bit of lost information. We identify the physical conditions that are necessary and sufficient for erasure and show that the thesis does not follow from the principles of classical mechanics. In particular, we show that even if one assumes that information processing is constrained by the laws of classical mechanics, it need not be constrained by the Second Law of thermodynamics.

  11. Evolution and development of dual ingestion systems in mammals: notes on a new thesis and its clinical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberts, Jeffrey R; Pickler, Rita H

    2012-01-01

    Traditionally, the development of oral feeding is viewed as a continuous, unitary process in which reflex-dominated sucking behavior gives rise to a more varied and volitional feeding behavior. In contrast, we consider the thesis that the infant develops two separable ingestive systems, one for suckling and one for feeding. First, we apply an evolutionary perspective, recognizing that suckling-feeding is a universal, mammalian developmental sequence. We find that in mammalian evolution, feeding systems in offspring were established prior to the evolution of lactation, and therefore suckling is a separable feature that was added to feeding. We next review an experimental literature that characterizes suckling and feeding as separable in terms of their topography, sensory controls, physiological controls, neural substrates, and experience-based development. Together, these considerations constitute a view of "dual ingestive systems." The thesis, then, is that suckling is not a simple precursor of feeding but is a complete behavior that emerges, forms, and then undergoes a dissolution that overlaps with the emergence of independent feeding. This thesis guides us to focus differently on the challenges of properly managing and facilitating oral ingestion in infants, especially those born preterm, prior to the developmental onset of suckling.

  12. Idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: a favourable prognosis in untreated patients?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Deegens, J.K.J.; Assmann, K.J.M.; Steenbergen, E.; Hilbrands, L.B.; Gerlag, P.G.G.; Jansen, J.L.; Wetzels, J.F.M.

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are considered to have a poor prognosis and spontaneous remissions are seldom reported. However, FSGS is not a single disease entity. Our aim was to describe the clinical course in initially untreated patients with recently

  13. Substance use and duration of untreated psychosis in KwaZulu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Substance use and psychiatric disorders cause significant burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. Co-morbid psychopathology and longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) can negatively affect treatment outcomes. Objectives: The study assessed substance use amongst adults with ...

  14. Do adult men with untreated hypospadias have adverse outcomes? A pilot study using a social media advertised survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlomer, Bruce; Breyer, Benjamin; Copp, Hillary; Baskin, Laurence; DiSandro, Michael

    2014-08-01

    Hypospadias is usually treated in childhood. Therefore, the natural history of untreated mild hypospadias is unknown. We hypothesized that men with untreated hypospadias, especially mild, do not have adverse outcomes. Facebook was used to advertise an electronic survey to men older than 18 years. Men with untreated hypospadias identified themselves and indicated the severity of hypospadias with a series of questions. Outcomes included: Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), penile curvature and difficulty with intercourse, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Penile Perception Score (PPS), psychosexual milestones, paternity, infertility, sitting to urinate, and the CDC HRQOL-4 module. 736 men completed self-anatomy questions and 52 (7.1%) self-identified with untreated hypospadias. Untreated hypospadias participants reported worse SHIM (p < 0.001) and IPSS scores (p = 0.05), more ventral penile curvature (p = 0.003) and resulting difficulty with intercourse (p < 0.001), worse satisfaction with meatus (p = 0.011) and penile curvature (p = 0.048), and more sitting to urinate (p = 0.07). When stratified by mild and severe hypospadias, severe hypospadias was associated with more adverse outcomes than mild hypospadias. Men with untreated hypospadias reported worse outcomes compared with non-hypospadiac men. Mild untreated hypospadias had fewer adverse outcomes than severe hypospadias. Research is needed to determine if treatment of childhood hypospadias improves outcomes in adults, especially for mild hypospadias. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Motivation in medical students: a PhD thesis report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusurkar, Rashmi

    2012-08-01

    The aims of this thesis were to gather insights and investigate the factors influencing, outcomes and applications of medical students' motivation. This thesis consists of three literature reviews, four research papers and two application papers. Two research studies investigated the relationships of student motivation with study strategy, effort and academic performance through structural equation modelling and cluster analysis. The relationships of age, maturity, gender and educational background with motivation were investigated through multiple regression analysis. The results of this thesis were 1. Developments in medical education appear to have undervalued student motivation. 2. Motivation is an independent variable in medical education; intrinsic motivation is significantly associated with deep study strategy, high study effort and good academic performance. 3. Motivation is a dependent variable in medical education and is significantly affected by age, maturity, gender, educational background; intrinsic motivation is enhanced by providing students with autonomy, feedback and emotional support. 4. Strength of motivation for medical school can be reliably measured by Strength of Motivation for Medical School questionnaire. The conclusion of this thesis was that it is important to give consideration to motivation in medical education because intrinsic motivation leads to better learning and performance and it can be enhanced through giving students autonomy in learning, feedback about competence and emotional support.

  16. A familiar Friend: The Impacts of the Master’s Thesis over Four Formative Career Phases

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Over the course of my career, I have experienced the thesis in different ways. This reflection paper will relay my encounters with, what I am calling, thesis-objects (to borrow a concept from object relations). I encountered the thesis-objects at different phases of my professional development: when I was a student, a supervisor for Smith MSW students, a PhD applicant, and chair of the Alumni Thesis Award Committee. My relationship with each thesis-object has refined me and granted me new perspective and personal growth. When I was a student, the thesis was a coach helping me develop tools to answer important questions. When I was a supervisor, the thesis was a bridge-builder strengthening my relationships with supervisees. Then, when I was a PhD applicant, the thesis was a door-opener providing me means to access PhD opportunities. Now that I am a chair, the thesis is a teacher opening my eyes to new intellectual terrain and pressing social problems. PMID:29479118

  17. The effect of supplementing untreated, urea-supplemented and urea ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    3x2x2 factorial experiment, involving an intake and in vivo digestibility trial with 48 adult S.A. Mutton Merino wethers. Straw dry matter (OM) intake on ammoniated wheat-straw diets was 27 and 22% higher (P ';;0,01) than on untreated and urea-supplemented diets, respectively. No significant difference was found between ...

  18. Evaluation of untreated dental caries in children with PUFA index

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nagehan Aktaş

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Tooth decay continues to come up as a serious health problem particularly in developing countries. Limited number of studies investigated the prevalence of complication of untreated dental caries as abscess, fistula and ulceration. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries among a group of children. Materials and Method: The study was conducted on 1200 children with ages between 5-12 years in the Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, GaziUniversity between the dates 1-31 March 2012. Caries in deciduous and permanent teeth were scored using DMFT/dmft and PUFA/pufa indexes (D/d: decayed, M/m: missing, F/f: filled, P/p: carious lesion with pulpal involvement, U/u: ulceration of the mucosa due to root fragments, F/f: fistula, A/a: abscess. Results: DMFT index was 2.34 ± 1.37 and dmft index was 4.25 ± 3.46. The prevalence of PUFA/pufa for permanent and deciduous teeth was 2.30% and 22.25%, respectively. The highest score in both permanent and deciduous teeth was caries lesions with pulpal involvement (%11.24 for deciduous teeth and %1.67 for permanent teeth. This was followed by abscess and fistula formation. Conclusion: The prevalence of clinical consequences of untreated dental caries was high for deciduous teeth in the selected population. The PUFA/pufa index is seen as an epidemiological tool complementary to the existing caries index aimed to assess dental caries.

  19. [The importance of thesis in specialization courses in Medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramiro-H, Manuel; Cruz-A, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    The development of a thesis goes far beyond a mere compliance with the methodological requirements and evidence that students have sufficient knowledge that the profession demands. A thesis is usually the first academic and research work that students publish, it is also the result of commitment and dedication to the field of medicine in which they will be developing, which reflects motivations and interests, as well as their reflection to a specific problem.

  20. How to Write a Bachelor Thesis in (APA) Style

    OpenAIRE

    Hirnstein, Marco

    2016-01-01

    Bachelor students at the Faculty of Psychology in Bergen are required to write their thesis according to the guidelines of scientific writing by the American Psychological Association (APA). These guidelines provide help with structuring the thesis, describing research methods, reporting findings, referencing, and using a clear scientific writing style. Despite its relevance, teaching the APA guidelines has been considered somewhat boring by both students and teaching staff – largely due to t...

  1. Honors Thesis Preparation: Evidence of the Benefits of Structured Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engel, Steven

    2016-01-01

    A recent study of honors curricula across the nation indicates that 75.6% of honors programs and colleges at four-year institutions have thesis or capstone requirements (Savage and Cognard-Black). In addition to institutions with thesis requirements, many more also have the option for students to complete theses. For example, an earlier study…

  2. Characteristics of undergraduate medical thesis of a Peruvian public university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Betty Castro Maldonado

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The undergraduate thesis rather than a requirement to graduate, are a way of doing research. Previous studies show a thesis published between 2.7% to 17.6% in indexed journals. Objective: Describe the characteristics of the undergraduate thesis of the Faculty of a medical school. Bibliometric study. 221 theses were reviewed, collecting: Year, number of authors, advisers, and references, study population, and national priorities for health research. A search was performed on Google Scholar to assess publication. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Being lower production in the years 2008-2010 was observed. 91.6% had one advisor, 76% descriptive, 82.8% in hospital population, and 62.4% of adults. Theses displayed between 2010-2014 72.9% did not correspond to any national health research priority. Only 6.8% was based on literature of the last five years. Only 9 (4.1% were published in a scientific journal indexed. Conclusions: The undergraduate thesis were characterized as descriptive, hospital, adults, literature based on outdated and not in line with the national priorities for health research. The publication is low.

  3. Supervisory control system implemented in programmable logical controller web server

    OpenAIRE

    Milavec, Simon

    2012-01-01

    In this thesis, we study the feasibility of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system realisation in a web server of a programmable logic controller. With the introduction of Ethernet protocol to the area of process control, the more powerful programmable logic controllers obtained integrated web servers. The web server of a programmable logic controller, produced by Siemens, will also be described in this thesis. Firstly, the software and the hardware equipment used for real...

  4. Enjoy writing your science thesis or dissertation! a step-by-step guide to planning and writing a thesis or dissertation for undergraduate and graduate science students

    CERN Document Server

    Fisher, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    This book is a step by step illustrated guide to planning and writing dissertations and theses for undergraduate and graduate science students. Topics covered include advice on writing each section of a thesis as well as general discussions on collecting and organizing references, keeping records, presenting data, interacting with a supervisor and avoiding academic misconduct. Recommendations about how to use word processors and other software packages effectively are included, as well as advice on the use of other resources. A concise summary of important points of English grammar is given, along with appendices listing frequently confused words and wordy phrases to avoid. Further appendices are provided, including one on Si units. The aim is to provide an easy-to-read guide that gives students practical advice about all aspects of writing a science thesis or dissertation, starting from writing a thesis plan and finishing with the viva and corrections to the thesis.

  5. Emergence of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and untreatable gonorrhea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unemo, Magnus; Nicholas, Robert A

    2013-01-01

    The new superbug Neisseria gonorrhoeae has retained resistance to antimicrobials previously recommended for first-line treatment and has now demonstrated its capacity to develop resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporin, ceftriaxone, the last remaining option for first-line empiric treatment of gonorrhea. An era of untreatable gonorrhea may be approaching, which represents an exceedingly serious public health problem. Herein, we review the evolution, origin and spread of antimicrobial resistance and resistance determinants (with a focus on extended-spectrum cephalosporins) in N. gonorrhoeae, detail the current situation regarding verified treatment failures with extended-spectrum cephalosporins and future treatment options, and highlight essential actions to meet the large public health challenge that arises with the possible emergence of untreatable gonorrhea. Essential actions include: implementing action/response plans globally and nationally; enhancing surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance, treatment failures and antimicrobial use/misuse; and improving prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea. Novel treatment strategies, antimicrobials (or other compounds) and, ideally, a vaccine must be developed. PMID:23231489

  6. Assessing the competences associated with a nursing Bachelor thesis by means of rubrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llaurado-Serra, M; Rodríguez, E; Gallart, A; Fuster, P; Monforte-Royo, C; De Juan, M Á

    2018-07-01

    Writing a Bachelor thesis is the last step in obtaining a university degree. The thesis may be job- or research-orientated, but it must demonstrate certain degree-level competences. Rubrics are a useful way of unifying the assessment criteria. To design a system of rubrics for assessing the competences associated with the Bachelor thesis of a nursing degree, to examine the system's reliability and validity and to analyse results in relation to the final thesis mark. Cross-sectional and psychometric study conducted between 2012 and 2014. Nursing degree at a Spanish university. Twelve tutors who designed the system of rubrics. Students (n = 76) who wrote their Bachelor thesis during the 2013-2014 academic year. After deciding which aspects would be assessed, who would assess them and when, the tutors developed seven rubrics (drafting process, assessment of the written thesis by the supervisor and by a panel, student self-assessment, peer assessment, tutor evaluation of the peer assessment and panel assessment of the viva). We analysed the reliability (inter-rater and internal consistency) and validity (convergent and discriminant) of the rubrics, and also the relationship between the competences assessed and the final thesis mark. All the rubrics had internal consistency coefficients >0.80. The rubric for oral communication skills (viva) yielded inter-rater reliability of 0.95. Factor analysis indicated a unidimensional structure for all but one of the rubrics, the exception being the rubric for peer assessment, which had a two-factor structure. The main competences associated with a good quality Bachelor thesis were written communication skills and the ability to work independently. The assessment system based on seven rubrics is shown to be valid and reliable. Writing a Bachelor thesis requires a range of degree-level competences and it offers nursing students the opportunity to develop their evidence-based practice skills. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All

  7. Zilsel's Thesis, Maritime Culture, and Iberian Science in Early Modern Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leitão, Henrique; Sánchez, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    Zilsel's thesis on the artisanal origins of modern science remains one of the most original proposals about the emergence of scientific modernity. We propose to inspect the scientific developments in Iberia in the early modern period using Zilsel's ideas as a guideline. Our purpose is to show that his ideas illuminate the situation in Iberia but also that the Iberian case is a remarkable illustration of Zilsel's thesis. Furthermore, we argue that Zilsel's thesis is essentially a sociological explanation that cannot be applied to isolated cases; its use implies global events that involve extended societies over large periods of time.

  8. Productivity losses attributable to untreated chlamydial infection and associated pelvic inflammatory disease in reproductive-aged women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blandford, John M; Gift, Thomas L

    2006-10-01

    The productivity losses attributable to disease-related morbidity and mortality impose a burden on society in general and on employers in particular. A reliable assessment of the productivity losses associated with untreated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) would complement earlier work on direct medical costs and contribute to an estimate of the full cost of chlamydial disease. The goal of this study was to estimate the discounted lifetime productivity losses attributable to untreated chlamydial infection in reproductive-aged women. We developed a cost model using Monte Carlo methods to estimate the lifetime discounted productivity losses attributable to untreated lower genital tract Ct infection among reproductive-aged women. The model considered the impact of disability resulting from acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) associated with untreated Ct infection and from the sequelae of acute PID, including chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. To accommodate disparate Ct infection rates and labor market characteristics across age groups, we matched age-based risk factors for Ct infection with labor market patterns. Data sources included the 2001 National Chlamydia Surveillance Data, the 2001 Current Population Survey, and published literature. Estimates indicate that the mean weighted productivity losses per untreated Ct infection were approximately US dollars 130 (in year 2001 dollars). Mean weighted productivity losses per case of acute PID were estimated at US dollars 649. Estimated productivity losses were highly correlated with age, reflecting age-dependent differences in labor market characteristics. The productivity losses attributable to untreated infection with Ct and to sequelae of this infection form a substantial portion of the total economic burden of disease. Effective programs to prevent chlamydial infection and effective screening, diagnosis, and treatment of Ct-infected women may reduce productivity losses and

  9. Microbiological composition of untreated water during different weather conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adna Bešić

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Water can support the growth of different microorganisms which may result in contamination. Therefore, the microbiological examination is required for testing the hygienic probity of water. In the study of microbial composition of untreated, natural spring and mineral water differences in the presence and number of bacteria during the two periods, winter and summer, are detectable.Methods: In our study, we analyzed and compared the following parameters, specified in the Rulebook: total bacteria and total aerobic bacteria (ml/22 and 37°C, total Coliform bacteria and Coliforms of fecalorigin (MPN/100ml, fecal streptococci as Streptococcus faecalis  (MPN/100ml, Proteus spp (MPN/100ml, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MPN/100 ml Sulphoreducing Clostridia (cfu / ml. The paper is a retrospective study in which we processed data related to the period of 2005-2009 year. While working, we used the descriptive-analytical comparative statistical treatment.Results: The obtained results show statistically significant differences in the microbial composition of untreated water in the two observed periods,Conclusions: Findings were consequence of different weather conditions in these periods, which imply a number of other variable factors.

  10. Medical Speciality Thesis: Contribution to a Controversial Issue with a Research Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Bilgin SAYDAM

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aquisition of clinical and practical skills is the main target during the speciality training program. On the other hand, acquisition of skills in reading and interpreting scientific knowledge are also important training targets in order to develop and update clinical practice constantly. The process of thesis preparation during the speciality training provides an important opportunity to capture the skills in interpreting scientific knowledge. In Turkey, thesis writing has been obligatory for completion of speciality training for several years. Recently, there has been a discussion about the obligation for clinicians to write a thesis, especially those who are undertaking specialist training in education and research hospitals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pros and cons of thesis writing during speciality training using a questionnaire that was sent to specialists. This descriptive and analytical study was conducted as an e-questionnaire between December, 2013, and May, 2014. A likert scale consisted of 18 questions has been prepared in accordance with this study. Th e questionnaire was sent to 1536 physicians. 328 of the questionnaires have been included in the study by evaluating the responses obtained from 345 of the participants. Th e response rate was 23%. Th e Cronbach alpha coeff icient was 0.77. Out of the 328 questionnaires, 11.9 %were from Basic Medical Sciences, 57%from Internal Medical Sciences, and 30.2%from Surgical Medical Sciences. Among the respondents, the percentage of specialists, assistant professors, associate professors and professors were 20.7%, 8.2%, 13.7%, and 57.3%, respectively. Independent of specialty field and aff iliation, the respondents concluded that the conduction and thesis writing contributed to their scientific career in spite of the common problems they encountered regarding adequate time for preparation. Furthermore, they concluded that thesis writing had a positive eff ect in the

  11. Evolution and Development of Dual Ingestion Systems in Mammals: Notes on a New Thesis and Its Clinical Implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey R. Alberts

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, the development of oral feeding is viewed as a continuous, unitary process in which reflex-dominated sucking behavior gives rise to a more varied and volitional feeding behavior. In contrast, we consider the thesis that the infant develops two separable ingestive systems, one for suckling and one for feeding. First, we apply an evolutionary perspective, recognizing that suckling-feeding is a universal, mammalian developmental sequence. We find that in mammalian evolution, feeding systems in offspring were established prior to the evolution of lactation, and therefore suckling is a separable feature that was added to feeding. We next review an experimental literature that characterizes suckling and feeding as separable in terms of their topography, sensory controls, physiological controls, neural substrates, and experience-based development. Together, these considerations constitute a view of “dual ingestive systems.” The thesis, then, is that suckling is not a simple precursor of feeding but is a complete behavior that emerges, forms, and then undergoes a dissolution that overlaps with the emergence of independent feeding. This thesis guides us to focus differently on the challenges of properly managing and facilitating oral ingestion in infants, especially those born preterm, prior to the developmental onset of suckling.

  12. Morbidity after Hemorrhage in Children with Untreated Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Li; Kim, Helen; Chen, Xiao-Lin; Wu, Chun-Xue; Ma, Jun; Su, Hua; Zhao, Yuanli

    2017-01-01

    Background Children with untreated brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are at risk of encountering life-threatening hemorrhage very early in their lives. The primary aim of invasive treatment is to reduce unfavorable outcome associated with a bAVM rupture. A better understanding of the morbidity of bAVM hemorrhage might be helpful for weighing the risks of untreated bAVM and invasive treatment. Our aim was to assess the clinical outcome after bAVM rupture and identify features to predict severe hemorrhage in children. Methods We identified all consecutive children admitted to our institution for bAVMs between July 2009 and December 2014. Clinical outcome after hemorrhagic presentation and subsequent hemorrhage was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) for children. The association of demographic characteristics and bAVM morphology with severe hemorrhage (mRS >3 or requiring emergency hematoma evacuation) was studied using univariate and multivariable regression analyses. A nomogram based on multivariable analysis was formulated to predict severe hemorrhage risk for individual patients. Results A total of 134 patients were identified with a mean treatment-free follow-up period of 2.1 years. bAVM ruptured in 83 (62%) children: 82 had a hemorrhage at presentation and 6 of them experienced a recurrent hemorrhage during follow-up; 1 patient had other diagnostic symptoms but bled during follow-up. Among them, 49% (41/83) had a severe hemorrhage; emergency hematoma evacuation was required in 28% of them (23/83), and 24% (20/83) remained as disabled (mRS ≥ 3) at last follow-up. Forty-six percent (38/82) of children with hemorrhagic presentation were severely disabled (mRS >3). Forty-three percent (3/7) were severely disabled after subsequent hemorrhage. The annual rate of severe subsequent hemorrhage was 1% in the overall cohort and 3.3% in children with ruptured presentation. All the subsequent severe hemorrhage events occurred in children with severe

  13. What Makes a Senior Thesis Good?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trosset, Carol; Weisler, Steven

    2018-01-01

    Kuh (2008) describes the capstone as a "culminating experience" students undertake close to graduation often involving "a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they've learned" (p. 11). The senior thesis is one form of the capstone in which students write an analytic paper under faculty supervision, typically as…

  14. Alternative normalization methods demonstrate widespread cortical hypometabolism in untreated de novo Parkinson's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berti, Valentina; Polito, C; Borghammer, Per

    2012-01-01

    , recent studies suggested that conventional data normalization procedures may not always be valid, and demonstrated that alternative normalization strategies better allow detection of low magnitude changes. We hypothesized that these alternative normalization procedures would disclose more widespread...... metabolic alterations in de novo PD. METHODS: [18F]FDG PET scans of 26 untreated de novo PD patients (Hoehn & Yahr stage I-II) and 21 age-matched controls were compared using voxel-based analysis. Normalization was performed using gray matter (GM), white matter (WM) reference regions and Yakushev...... normalization. RESULTS: Compared to GM normalization, WM and Yakushev normalization procedures disclosed much larger cortical regions of relative hypometabolism in the PD group with extensive involvement of frontal and parieto-temporal-occipital cortices, and several subcortical structures. Furthermore...

  15. Effect of untreated bed nets on blood-fed Phlebotomus argentipes in kala-azar endemic foci in Nepal and India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picado, Albert; Kumar, Vijay; Das, Murari; Burniston, Ian; Roy, Lalita; Suman, Rijal; Dinesh, Diwakar; Coosemans, Marc; Sundar, Shyam; Shreekant, Kesari; Boelaert, Marleen; Davies, Clive; Cameron, Mary

    2009-12-01

    Observational studies in the Indian subcontinent have shown that untreated nets may be protective against visceral leishmaniasis (VL). In this study, we evaluated the effect of untreated nets on the blood feeding rates of Phlebotomus argentipes as well as the human blood index (HBI) in VL endemic villages in India and Nepal. The study had a 'before and after intervention' design in 58 households in six clusters. The use of untreated nets reduced the blood feeding rate by 85% (95% CI 76.5-91.1%) and the HBI by 42.2% (95% CI 11.1-62.5%). These results provide circumstantial evidence that untreated nets may provide some degree of personal protection against sand fly bites.

  16. Finding the Genesis for a Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caroll, Joyce Armstrong

    2013-01-01

    This article describes a prewriting heuristics strategy that can help students find the genesis of their thesis. The 3 functions of the heuristic procedure are that it aids in retrieving relevant information stored in the mind; draws attention to important information that can be further researched or accessed; and prepares the mind for the…

  17. Down-regulated resistin level in consequence of decreased neutrophil counts in untreated Grave's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Ying; Qi, Yicheng; Huang, Fengjiao; Chen, Xinxin; Zhou, Yulin; Ye, Lei; Wang, Weiqing; Ning, Guang; Wang, Shu

    2016-11-29

    Resistin, belongs to cysteine-rich secretory protein, is mainly produced by circulating leukocytes, such as neutrophils monocytes and macrophages in humans. To date, few but controversial studies have reported about resistin concentrations in hyperthyroid patients, especially in Graves' disease (GD). We undertaked a controlled, prospective study to explore the serum resistin concentration in GD patients before and after -MMI treatment. In addition, we also investigated the main influencing factor on serum resistin level and discuessed the potential role of serum resistin plays in GD patients. 39 untreated GD (uGD) patients, including 8 males and 31 females, were enrolled in our investigation. All of these patients were prescribed with MMI treatment, in addition to 25 healthy controls. Anthropometric parameters and hormone assessment were measured. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum resistin concentration in different stages of GD patients. Furthermore, neutrophil cell line NB4 with or without T3 treatment to detect the effect of thyroid hormones on resistin expression. The serum resistin level and neutrophil counts in untreated GD patients were significantly declined. And all of these parameters were recovered to normal after MMI treatment in ethyroid GD (eGD) and TRAb-negative conversion (nGD) patients. Resistin concentration exhibited a negative correlation with FT3 and FT4, but a positive correlation with absolute number of neutrophiles in uGD patients, whereas did not correlate with thyroid autoimmune antibodies and BMI. Neutrophile cell line, NB4, produced decreased expression of resistin when stimulated with T3. Our study showed a decrease of serum resistin level in GD patients and we suggested that the serum resistin might primarily secreted from circulating neutrophils and down-regulated by excessive thyroid hormones in GD patients.

  18. [Vagotonía. The medical thesis of Salvador Zubirán].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado, Guillermo; Estañol-Vidal, Bruno

    2012-01-01

    Salvador Zubirán submitted his thesis for his MD degree in 1923. This thesis falls within the context of the new Mexican physiological medicine and denotes the visionary character of its author. Zubirán appears here as the introducer in Mexico of the physiopharmacological approach in autonomic nervous system disorders.

  19. Influence of untreated and bacterial-treated Yamuna water on the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In present study an attempt has been made to study the pollution level of river Yamuna at Agra, by analyzing the physico-chemical parameters of untreated and bacterial-treated water and its effect on the growth of maize plant. Among different concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 100%) of treated water, the 100% concentration of ...

  20. Compulsive buying disorder: an untreated patient for 20 years

    OpenAIRE

    Gonca Karakus; Lut Tamam

    2017-01-01

    Compulsive buying disorder is characterized by impulsive drives and compulsive behaviors (buying unneeded things), personal distress, impaired social and vocational functioning and financial problems. In this case report, we presented diagnostic and treatment process of 49 year old, female patient who had complaints amnesia, weight loss and insomnia. In her medical history, she had compulsive buying disorder for nearly twenty years but untreated until her current evaluation. Comorbid psychi...

  1. Variation in duration of untreated psychosis in an 18-year perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ten Velden Hegelstad, Wenche; Joa, Inge; Barder, Helene

    2014-01-01

    AIM: The Scandinavian TIPS project engineered an early detection of psychosis programme that sought to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) through early detection teams and extensive information campaigns since 1997. In 1997-2000, DUP was reduced from 26 to 4.5 weeks median. The prog......AIM: The Scandinavian TIPS project engineered an early detection of psychosis programme that sought to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) through early detection teams and extensive information campaigns since 1997. In 1997-2000, DUP was reduced from 26 to 4.5 weeks median....... The programme was continued beyond the initial project in modified forms for over 13 years. The aim of this study was to track the vicissitudes of DUP over an 18-year period (1993-2010) with differing early detection efforts in a defined catchment area. METHOD: The DUP of all patients meeting criteria for first...

  2. Student Engagement, Ideological Contest and Elective Affinity: The Zepke Thesis Reviewed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trowler, Paul

    2015-01-01

    This paper takes up issues raised in two articles by Nick Zepke and portrayed here as "the Zepke thesis". This thesis argues that the literature on, interest in and practices around student engagement in higher education have an elective affinity with neo-liberal ideology. At one level this paper counters many of the assertions that…

  3. Thesis by Publication in Education: An Autoethnographic Perspective for Educational Researchers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merga, Margaret K.

    2015-01-01

    Despite its growing popularity, the thesis by publication is a less conventional format for doctoral dissertations in the field of education. The author successfully undertook a thesis by publication in education from 2012, to submission in 2014. This paper draws on both the literature in the field and the experiences of the author through an…

  4. Dynamics of cesium-134 and biomass in treated and untreated turkey oak leaf-litter bags

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Croom, J.M.; Ragsdale, H.L.

    1978-01-01

    Litter bags were prepared from leaves harvested in late fall from turkey oak trees (Quercus laevis) tagged with 134 Cs. Untreated bags and bags treated by soaking in 1000 ppM HgCl 2 were placed in the field on Dec. 7, 1974. Five bags of each treatment were retrieved at 7-, 14-, and 30-day intervals as the experiment progressed. Treated bags remained free of visible fungal hyphae growth for 12 weeks. Untreated bags had lost more weight but less 134 Cs than treated bags after 14 and 56 days, respectively. After 9 months, untreated bags had lost 33% weight and 90% 134 Cs. Although 134 Cs is rapidly leached from litter (ecological half-life approximately equal to 12 weeks), some is retained by fungal hyphae on leaf-litter surfaces. This mechanism of mineral retention in the litter layer could represent adaptation at the ecosystem level for nutrient conservation

  5. Features of Brain MRI in Dogs with Treated and Untreated Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vite, Charles H; Nestrasil, Igor; Mlikotic, Anton; Jens, Jackie K; Snella, Elizabeth M; Gross, William; Shapiro, Elsa G; Kovac, Victor; Provenzale, James M; Chen, Steven; Le, Steven Q; Kan, Shih-hsin; Banakar, Shida; Wang, Raymond Y; Haskins, Mark E; Ellinwood, N Matthew; Dickson, Patricia I

    2013-01-01

    The mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) dog model has been important in the development of therapies for human patients. We treated dogs with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) by various approaches. Dogs assessed included untreated MPS I dogs, heterozygous carrier dogs, and MPS I dogs treated with intravenous ERT as adults (beginning at age 13 to 16 mo), intrathecal and intravenous ERT as adults (beginning at age 13 to 16 mo), or intrathecal ERT as juveniles (beginning at age 4 mo). We then characterized the neuroimaging findings of 32 of these dogs (age, 12 to 30 mo). Whole and midsagittal volumes of the corpus callosum, measured from brain MRI, were significantly smaller in affected dogs compared with unaffected heterozygotes. Corpus callosum volumes in dogs that were treated with intrathecal ERT from 4 mo until 21 mo of age were indistinguishable from those of age-matched carrier controls. Dogs with MPS I showed cerebral ventricular enlargement and cortical atrophy as early as 12 mo of age. Ventricular enlargement was greater in untreated MPS I dogs than in age-matched dogs treated with intrathecal ERT as juveniles or adults. However, treated dogs still showed some ventricular enlargement or cortical atrophy (or both). Understanding the progression of neuroimaging findings in dogs with MPS I and their response to brain-directed therapy may improve preclinical studies for new human-directed therapies. In particular, corpus callosum volumes may be useful quantitative neuroimaging markers for MPS-related brain disease and its response to therapy. PMID:23582423

  6. Improving production of treated and untreated verbs in aphasia: A meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia de Aguiar

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND. Demographic and clinical predictors of aphasia recovery have been identified in the literature. However, little attention has been devoted to identifying and distinguishing predictors of improvement for different outcomes, e.g., production of treated vs. untreated materials. These outcomes may rely on different mechanisms, and therefore be predicted by different variables. Furthermore, treatment features are not typically accounted for when studying predictors of aphasia recovery. This is partly due to the small numbers of cases reported in studies, but also to limitations of data analysis techniques usually employed. METHOD. We reviewed the literature on predictors of aphasia recovery, and conducted a meta-analysis of single-case studies designed to assess the efficacy of treatments for verb production. The contribution of demographic, clinical, and treatment-related variables was assessed by means of Random Forests (a machine-learning technique used in classification and regression. Two outcomes were investigated: production of treated (for 142 patients and untreated verbs (for 166 patients. RESULTS. Improved production of treated verbs was predicted by a three-way interaction of pre-treatment scores on tests for verb comprehension and word repetition, and the frequency of treatment sessions. Improvement in production of untreated verbs was predicted by an interaction including the use of morphological cues, presence of grammatical impairment, pre-treatment scores on a test for noun comprehension and frequency of treatment sessions. CONCLUSION. Improvement in the production of treated verbs occurs frequently. It may depend on restoring access to and/or knowledge of lexeme representations, and requires relative sparing of semantic knowledge (as measured by verb comprehension and phonological output abilities (including working memory, as measured by word repetition. Improvement in the production of untreated verbs has not been

  7. Linear Parameter Varying Control of Induction Motors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trangbæk, Klaus

    The subject of this thesis is the development of linear parameter varying (LPV) controllers and observers for control of induction motors. The induction motor is one of the most common machines in industrial applications. Being a highly nonlinear system, it poses challenging control problems...... for high performance applications. This thesis demonstrates how LPV control theory provides a systematic way to achieve good performance for these problems. The main contributions of this thesis are the application of the LPV control theory to induction motor control as well as various contributions...

  8. TEFL Graduate Supervisees' Views of Their Supervisors' Supervisory Styles and Satisfaction with Thesis Supervision

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gedamu, Abate Demissie

    2018-01-01

    Thesis supervisor supervisory styles play central roles in enhancing timely and quality completion of thesis works. To this effect, this study aimed at exploring TEFL graduate supervisees' perception of their thesis supervisors' supervisory style(s), the supervisees' level of satisfaction with thesis supervision, and the association between…

  9. Accounting choices of controllers : An insight into controller deliberations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Groot, Therèse

    2015-01-01

    This doctoral thesis provides insights into the accounting choice process of business controllers. The main contribution is a new approach in analyzing financial accounting choices, using an interpretive methodology. Moreover, the overall framework of analysis developed in this thesis can help

  10. The Extended Mind Thesis and Mechanistic Explanations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fazekas, Peter

    2013-01-01

    The Extended Mind Thesis (EMT) is traditionally formulated against the bedrock of functionalism, and ongoing debates are typically bogged down with questions concerning the exact relationship between EMT and different versions of functionalism. In this paper, I offer a novel ally for EMT: the new...

  11. Presentation master thesis at EAPRIL 2015 Conference

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iris Sutherland; Richard Kragten; Zac Woolfitt

    2015-01-01

    Three graduates of the Inholland Master Leren en Innoveren (Zac Woolfitt, Iris Sutherland and Richard Kragten) each presented their master thesis in an interactive 'flipped' session which involved providing content in advance via a video for those attending the session. The session was well attended

  12. Limitations of fecal calprotectin at diagnosis in untreated pediatric Crohn's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shaoul, Ron; Sladek, Marlgozata; Turner, Dan

    2012-01-01

    Fecal Calprotectin (FC) is a validated screening test for intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). The objective of the study was to prospectively evaluate the limitations of FC for identifying CD in newly diagnosed untreated pediatric patients and to assess the association of FC levels w...

  13. Exploring the thesis experience of Master of Health professions education graduates: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skeith, Leslie; Ridinger, Heather; Srinivasan, Sushant; Givi, Babak; Youssef, Nazih; Harris, Ilene

    2018-04-27

    To explore the thesis experience of recent Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) graduates in the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) program. This is a qualitative case study exploring the experience of MHPE graduates between 2014 and 2016 (n=31). Using convenience sampling, all graduates with an email address (n=30) were invited to participate in an online survey and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were completed in-person or via telephone or video conference; interviewers collected detailed notes and audio recordings.  Two authors independently analyzed the data iteratively using thematic analysis and discrepancies were discussed and resolved. Survey results (n=20, 67%) revealed an average graduation of 5.1 years; 10 graduates (33%) were interviewed. Three themes related to the thesis experience were identified: success factors, challenges, and outcomes. Success factors, when present, promoted completion of a thesis; these included: a supportive program environment, time management, available resources, MHPE foundational coursework, aligning theses with career goals, and identifying a project with limited scope. Challenges made thesis completion more difficult for graduates; these included: institutional factors, personal or professional responsibilities, burnout, externally-imposed deadlines, and barriers in the research process. Despite these challenges, completing the thesis resulted in many professional or personal benefits (outcomes). Multiple success factors and challenges were identified in the master's thesis process among MHPE graduates at UIC. These findings can help students conducting education-based scholarship through the master's thesis process. This study also informs program evaluation and improvements and outlines personal and professional outcomes of completing a master's thesis.

  14. Dominant Fecal Microbiota in Newly Diagnosed Untreated Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lill Therese Thorkildsen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Our knowledge about the microbiota associated with the onset of IBD is limited. The aim of our study was to investigate the correlation between IBD and the fecal microbiota for early diagnosed untreated patients. The fecal samples used were a part of the Inflammatory Bowel South-Eastern Norway II (IBSEN II study and were collected from CD patients (n=30, UC patients (n=33, unclassified IBD (IBDU patients (n=3, and from a control group (n=34. The bacteria associated with the fecal samples were analyzed using a direct 16S rRNA gene-sequencing approach combined with a multivariate curve resolution (MCR analysis. In addition, a 16S rRNA gene clone library was prepared for the construction of bacteria-specific gene-targeted single nucleotide primer extension (SNuPE probes. The MCR analysis resulted in the recovery of five pure components of the dominant bacteria present: Escherichia/Shigella, Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, and two components of unclassified Clostridiales. Escherichia/Shigella was found to be significantly increased in CD patients compared to control subjects, and Faecalibacterium was found to be significantly reduced in CD patients compared to both UC patients and control subjects. Furthermore, a SNuPE probe specific for Escherichia/Shigella showed a significant overrepresentation of Escherichia/Shigella in CD patients compared to control subjects. In conclusion, samples from CD patients exhibited an increase in Escherichia/Shigella and a decrease in Faecalibacterium indicating that the onset of the disease is associated with an increase in proinflammatory and a decrease in anti-inflammatory bacteria.

  15. Hepatopathy in an adult, secondary to congenital untreated panhypopituitarism and ectopic posterior pituitary gland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A Valle-Murillo

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a rare case of an adult with advanced liver failure in the setting of an untreated congenital panhypopituitarism. A 32-years-old man presented with a newly onset seizure episode secondary to hypoglycemia. In the initial exploration, we found eunuchoid habitus, absence of secondary sexual characteristics, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. Hormonal evaluation confirmed the absence of anterior hypophyseal hormones and the liver function tests showed derangement of liver function. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI showed hypoplastic adenohypophysis and ectopic posterior pituitary gland. In the approach to liver disease, no cause was identified, besides the untreated panhypopituitarism.

  16. Hepatopathy in an adult, secondary to congenital untreated panhypopituitarism and ectopic posterior pituitary gland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valle-Murillo, Miguel A; Perez-Diaz, Ivan

    2012-09-01

    We report a rare case of an adult with advanced liver failure in the setting of an untreated congenital panhypopituitarism. A 32-years-old man presented with a newly onset seizure episode secondary to hypoglycemia. In the initial exploration, we found eunuchoid habitus, absence of secondary sexual characteristics, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. Hormonal evaluation confirmed the absence of anterior hypophyseal hormones and the liver function tests showed derangement of liver function. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed hypoplastic adenohypophysis and ectopic posterior pituitary gland. In the approach to liver disease, no cause was identified, besides the untreated panhypopituitarism.

  17. Action Learning in Undergraduate Engineering Thesis Supervision

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stappenbelt, Brad

    2017-01-01

    In the present action learning implementation, twelve action learning sets were conducted over eight years. The action learning sets consisted of students involved in undergraduate engineering research thesis work. The concurrent study accompanying this initiative investigated the influence of the action learning environment on student approaches…

  18. Body composition in untreated adult patients with Laron syndrome (primary GH insensitivity).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laron, Zvi; Ginsberg, Shira; Lilos, Pearl; Arbiv, Mira; Vaisman, Nahum

    2006-07-01

    To quantify body adiposity and its distribution in untreated adult patients with Laron syndrome (LS; primary GH insensitivity) caused by molecular defects of the GH receptor gene or postreceptor pathways and characterized by dwarfism, obesity, insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia. Eleven LS patients (seven females and four males) aged 28-53 years were studied. Seven healthy males and six healthy females served as controls. Body composition of the total body trunk, upper and lower extremities was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Statistical analysis using an analysis of variance (anova) and Mann-Whitney nonparametric methods was performed separately in males and females. Percentage body fat in the LS patients was much higher (P < 0.01) than that in the control population and the female LS patients were significantly more obese (59% total body fat) than the male patients (39% total body fat) (P < 0.002). It was also evident that in these types of patients with markedly increased body fat and decreased muscle and bone mass, body mass index (BMI) does not accurately reflect the body composition. Lifelong congenital IGF-I deficiency leads to extreme adiposity.

  19. Pleural tuberculosis in a patient with untreated type 1 Gaucher disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulgar, Ozgecan; Eskazan, Ahmet Emre; Ersen, Ezel; Demiroz, Ahu Senem; Turna, Akif; Oz, Buge; Tuzuner, Nukhet

    2016-01-01

    Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive glycolipid storage disorder, due to deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, leading to accumulation of the substrate glucocerebroside in the cells of the macrophage-monocyte system. Patients with GD have alteration in their immune system and impaired microbicidal capacity of mononuclear phagocytes. It has also been demonstrated that monocyte dysfunction may correlate with the plasma glucocerebrosidase concentrations. Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in developing countries. Pleural TB is one of the most common forms of extra-pulmonary TB. Since immune system can be impaired due to the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase in various ways, TB can be observed in patients with GD especially when left untreated. Cytopenia(s) is also general finding in untreated Gaucher patients, and they may be observed most frequently due to the infiltration of the bone marrow with Gaucher cells together with the additional factor of splenomegaly. We herein present a case of an adult patient with heterozygous untreated GD1, who developed pleural TB complicated by ipsilateral pulmonary fibrosis. Before his admission to our clinic, pleurectomy operation was performed and 4-drug combination anti-TB therapy was initiated including isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide. Fever complaint was disappeared with anti-TB treatment but he also had fatigue and pain. After initiation of enzyme replacement therapy in addition to anti-TB treatment, clinical and hematological improvement was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of GD1 with pleural TB. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. [Medical degree earned with a thesis in medical schools of Lima, 2011: characteristics, motivations and perceptions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mejia, Christian R; Inga-Berrospi, Fiorella; Mayta-Tristán, Percy

    2014-01-01

    We surveyed physicians who obtained their medical degree with a thesis in 2011 from the seven medical schools in Lima to know the characteristics of the degree by thesis process, as well as participants’ motivations and perceptions of that process. We included 98 students who did a thesis (87% of total); 99% conducted observational thesis, 30% did so in groups of three. The main motivation was that it was good for their curriculum vitae (94%). At the university where the thesis is compulsory, the process began with the choice of topic and adviser. Perceived “greatest” and “least” difficulty in the process was the completion of administrative procedures (53%) and selection of their advisor (11%), respectively. Administrative timeliness and processes should be reviewed so as not to impede the completion of thesis, since the new University Act requires the completion of a thesis to graduate.

  1. Progression of Treated versus Untreated Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System Category 4 Masses after Transcatheter Arterial Embolization Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronald, James; Gupta, Rajan T; Marin, Daniele; Wang, Qi; Durocher, Nicholas S; Suhocki, Paul V; Kim, Charles Y

    2018-05-01

    To compare outcomes of treated vs untreated Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4 (LR-4) masses after transcatheter arterial embolization. In 167 patients undergoing embolization for HCC from January 2005 to December 2012, LR-4 masses were retrospectively identified on CT and MR imaging examinations performed before embolization. In 149 patients undergoing embolization from January 2013 to December 2016, masses prospectively classified as LR-4 were identified. In total, there were 81 LR-4 masses in 62 patients (16 women; mean age 62 y; range 29-83 y). Procedures were reviewed to determine whether LR-4 masses were within or outside the liver volume that received embolization during treatment of dominant masses. Time to progression to LR-5 and by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) was estimated for treated vs untreated LR-4 masses using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test. LR-4 masses averaged 1.8 cm; 88%, 60%, 14%, and 14% demonstrated arterial phase hyperenhancement, washout, a capsule, and growth. Of LR-4 masses, 62 were within the liver volume that received embolization and considered treated, and 19 were outside and considered untreated. Response rates according to mRECIST were 37% vs 21% for treated vs untreated masses (P = .27). The 6- and 12-month rates of progression to LR-5 were 7% and 26% for treated masses vs 27% and 75% for untreated masses (P = .001). According to mRECIST, 7% and 27% of treated masses progressed vs 30% and 65% of untreated masses (P = .001). LR-4 masses that receive embolization in the setting of dominant masses elsewhere show lower rates of progression compared with untreated masses. Copyright © 2017 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Inspirational catalogue of Master Thesis proposals 2014

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This catalog presents different topics for master thesis projects. It is important to emphasize that the project descriptions only serves as an inspiration and that you always can discuss with the potential supervisors the specific contents of a project. If you have an idea for a project which...

  3. Improving Production of Treated and Untreated Verbs in Aphasia : A Meta-Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Aguiar, Vânia; Bastiaanse, Roelien; Miceli, Gabriele

    2016-01-01

    Background: Demographic and clinical predictors of aphasia recovery have been identified in the literature. However, little attention has been devoted to identifying and distinguishing predictors of improvement for different outcomes, e.g., production of treated vs. untreated materials. These

  4. Feynman's thesis: A new approach to quantum theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Ashok

    2007-01-01

    It is not usual for someone to write a book on someone else's Ph.D. thesis, but then Feynman was not a usual physicist. He was without doubt one of the most original physicists of the twentieth century, who has strongly influenced the developments in quantum field theory through his many ingenious contributions. Path integral approach to quantum theories is one such contribution which pervades almost all areas of physics. What is astonishing is that he developed this idea as a graduate student for his Ph.D. thesis which has been printed, for the first time, in the present book along with two other related articles. The early developments in quantum theory, by Heisenberg and Schroedinger, were based on the Hamiltonian formulation, where one starts with the Hamiltonian description of a classical system and then promotes the classical observables to noncommuting quantum operators. However, Dirac had already stressed in an article in 1932 (this article is also reproduced in the present book) that the Lagrangian is more fundamental than the Hamiltonian, at least from the point of view of relativistic invariance and he wondered how the Lagrangian may enter into the quantum description. He had developed this idea through his 'transformation matrix' theory and had even hinted on how the action of the classical theory may enter such a description. However, although the brief paper by Dirac contained the basic essential ideas, it did not fully develop the idea of a Lagrangian description in detail in the functional language. Feynman, on the other hand, was interested in the electromagnetic interactions of the electron from a completely different point of view rooted in a theory involving action-at-a-distance. His theory (along with John Wheeler) did not have a Hamiltonian description and, in order to quantize such a theory, he needed an alternative formulation of quantum mechanics. When the article by Dirac was brought to his attention, he immediately realized what he was

  5. Clarifying the Impact of Untreated and Treated Dental Caries on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldens, Carlos Alberto; Ardenghi, Thiago Machado; Dos Santos Dullius, Angela Isabel; Vargas-Ferreira, Fabiana; Hernandez, Pedro Antonio González; Kramer, Paulo Floriani

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dental caries experience and the components of the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among adolescents in southern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 adolescents aged 11-14 years enrolled at public schools in the municipality of Osório (southern Brazil). A calibrated examiner performed the clinical examination for caries (World Health Organization: DMFT index), malocclusion (Dental Aesthetic Index) and traumatic dental injuries [Andreasen et al., 2007]. The participants answered the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) - Impact Short Form, and their parents/guardians answered a structured questionnaire addressing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Data analysis involved Poisson regression with robust variance, with the calculation of rate ratios adjusted for potential confounding variables. High severity of dental caries experience exerted a significant impact on OHRQoL, even after controlling for socioeconomic and clinical factors (rate ratio 1.30; 95% confidence interval, CI 1.12-1.51). All OHRQoL domains were affected by untreated dental caries. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CPQ11-14 scores were 33% higher among adolescents with untreated caries (rate ratio 1.33; 95% CI 1.17-1.50) and 24% higher among those with missing teeth (rate ratio 1.24; 95% CI 1.06-1.47). No difference in OHRQoL was found between adolescents with filled teeth and those without dental caries. In conclusion, dental caries experience, untreated dental caries and missing teeth exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL among the adolescents. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. A content analysis of the postgraduate thesis written on special education in turkey based on various variables (2009-2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukaddes Sakalli Demirok

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to examine postgraduate thesis studies conducted between the years of 2009 and 2014 in special education field in Turkey based on various variables and figure out how many of these thesis is related with hearing disability. A total number of 146 postgraduate thesis have been found in the thesis scanning center of Higher Education Council (YOK of Turkey. 126 of these thesis were master thesis and 20 of them were doctorate thesis. Data of the research were analyzed in SPSS 20.0 program. According to the results, it was revealed that quantitative method is the most preferred method in postgraduate thesis and there is much more number of master thesis than doctorate thesis. According to the distribution of thesis based on disability group, thesis are mostly related with special education and there is least number of thesis related with dyslexia. Besides, there were not much number of studies conducted with individuals with disability. Recommendations and implications for further research are also provided based on the results.

  7. Prevalence, species differentiation, haemolytic activity, and antibiotic susceptibility of aeromonads in untreated well water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalifa Sifaw Ghenghesh

    2001-02-01

    Full Text Available The use of untreated water for drinking and other activities have been associated with intestinal and extraintestinal infections in humans due to Aeromonas species. In the present study aeromonads were isolated from 48.7% of 1,000 water samples obtained from wells and other miscellaneous sources. Aeromonas species were detected in 45% of samples tested in spring, 34.5% in summer, 48% in autumn and 60% of samples tested in winter. Speciation of 382 strains resulted in 225 (59% being A. hydrophila, 103 (27% A. caviae, 42 (11% A. sobria and 11 (3% atypical aeromonads. Of 171 Aeromonas strains tested for their haemolytic activity, 53%, 49%, 40% and 37% were positive in this assay using human, horse, sheep and camel erythrocytes respectively. The results obtained indicate that potentially enteropathogenic Aeromonas species are commonly present in untreated drinking water obtained from wells in Libya (this may also apply to other neighbouring countries which may pose a health problem to users of such water supplies. In addition, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin are suitable drugs that can be used in the treatment of Aeromonas-associated infections, particularly in the immunocompromised, resulting from contact with untreated sources of water.

  8. Assessment of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cement Panel Influenced by Treated and Untreated Coconut Fiber Addition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Alida; Jamaludin, Shamsul Baharin; Anwar, Mohamed Iylia; Noor, Mazlee Mohd; Hussin, Kamarudin

    This project was conducted to produce a cement panel with the addition of treated and untreated coconut fiber in cement panel. Coconut fiber was added to replace coarse aggregate (sand) in this cement panel. In this project, the ratios used to design the mixture were 1:1:0, 1:0.97:0.03, 1:0.94:0.06, 1:0.91:0.09 (cement: sand: coconut fiber). The water cement ratio was constant at 0.55. The sizes of sample tested were, 160 mm x 40 mm x 40 mm for compression test, and 100 mm x 100 mm x 40 mm for density, moisture content and water absorption tests. After curing samples for 28 days, it was found that the addition of coconut fiber, further increase in compressive strength of cement panel with untreated coconut fiber. Moisture content of cement panel with treated coconut fiber increased with increasing content of coconut fiber whereas water absorption of cement panel with untreated coconut fiber increased with increasing content of coconut fiber. The density of cement panel decreased with the addition of untreated and treated coconut fiber.

  9. A Response to Shelby Gilbert's "A Study of Ogbu and Simons' Thesis"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, C. Matthew

    2009-01-01

    This article responds to Shelby Gilbert's "A Study of Ogbu and Simon's Thesis." The author begins by saying that he thinks that this study of examining Ogbu and Simons' thesis (to investigate school performance of Black immigrant and non-immigrant students in the United States) makes a thought-provoking contribution to overall discussions…

  10. Assessment of dental student satisfaction with regard to process of thesis educational courses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eslamipour, Faezeh; Noroozi, Zahra; Hosseinpour, Kobra

    2015-01-01

    Ensuring achievement of research experience by students is one of the most important goals of the thesis-conduction process and evaluation of student satisfaction with this process is one of the most imperative challenges herein. The aim of this study is to investigate the satisfaction of dental students passing the thesis educational course from the Isfahan Dental School. Sixty-two dental students who had graduated in2011, from the Isfahan Dental School, participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) was used for data collection. The questionnaire evaluated student satisfaction in seven domains: Thesis supervision, skill development, intellectual climate, infrastructure, thesis examination, goals and expectations, and overall satisfaction. The data were analyzed on an SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean score of satisfaction of the participants was 75 ± 12. On the basis of their scores, satisfaction in 3.2% of them was slow, in 33.9%was medium, in 61.3% was good and in 1.6% was high. The highest satisfaction was found to be in thesis supervision and the least was in the intellectual climate domain. There was no significant statistical difference between satisfaction and gender (P = 0.46). Considering the results, to increase student satisfaction for passing the thesis courses, it is necessary to improve the intellectual climate in dental schools and also increase the research budget for more financial support of students to carry out their projects.

  11. Decreasing systolic blood pressure and declining mortality rates in an untreated population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Ulla O; Marott, Jacob L; Jensen, Gorm B

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate developments in 30 years mortality risk that may be associated with developments in population systolic blood pressure (SBP) and to evaluate possible secular trends in BP-associated mortality risk in the untreated population....

  12. PhD Thesis: Functional Textiles in Hospital Interiors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, Jeppe Emil

    The PhD thesis explores the possibilities and design qualities of using functional textiles in the interior of hospital environments, and is the result of a three-year collaboration between Aalborg University, Department of Civil Engineering, and VIA University College, VIA Design. The thesis...... years, knowledge on the use of interior materials and textiles are still rather limited. Contemporary hospital design has been widely criticised of being too institutional and clinical, and one of the main reasons for this experience may be related to the use of ‘cold’, hard-surfaced materials...... of plastic, vinyl and steel. These materials also dominate the new hospitals, designed and constructed these years, and despite the increased focus on the design concept healing architecture, the rational requirements of ef cient cleaning and maintenance still seems to direct the interior design of hospital...

  13. Vital Signs: Dental Sealant Use and Untreated Tooth Decay Among U.S. School-Aged Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, Susan O; Wei, Liang; Gooch, Barbara F; Weno, Katherine; Espinoza, Lorena

    2016-10-21

    Tooth decay is one of the greatest unmet treatment needs among children. Pain and suffering associated with untreated dental disease can lead to problems with eating, speaking, and learning. School-based dental sealant programs (SBSP) deliver a highly effective intervention to prevent tooth decay in children who might not receive regular dental care. SBSPs benefits exceed their costs when they target children at high risk for tooth decay. CDC used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 to estimate current prevalences of sealant use and untreated tooth decay among low-income (≤185% of federal poverty level) and higher-income children aged 6-11 years and compared these estimates with 1999-2004 NHANES data. The mean number of decayed and filled first molars (DFFM) was estimated for children with and without sealants. Averted tooth decay resulting from increasing sealant use prevalence was also estimated. All reported differences are significant at pdental sealant use has increased; however, most children have not received sealants. Increasing sealant use prevalence could substantially reduce untreated decay, associated problems, and dental treatment costs.

  14. Treated and Untreated Remission from Problem Drinking in Late Life: Post-Remission Functioning and Health-Related Quality of Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schutte, Kathleen K.; Brennan, Penny L.; Moos, Rudolf H.

    2009-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the post-remission status of older remitted problem drinkers who achieved stable remission without treatment. Method The post-remission drinking behavior, health-related functioning, life context, coping, and help-seeking of older, untreated (n = 330) and treated (n = 120) former problem drinkers who had been remitted for a minimum of six years were compared twice over the course of six-years to each other and to lifetime nonproblem drinkers (n = 232). Analyses considered the impact of severity of drinking problem history. Results Untreated remitters were more likely than treated remitters to continue to drink, exhibited fewer chronic health problems and less depressive symptomatology, and were less likely to smoke. Untreated remitters’ life contexts were somewhat more benign than those of treated ones, and they were less likely to describe a coping motive for drinking and engage in post-remission help-seeking. Although untreated remitters more closely resembled lifetime nonproblem drinkers than did treated remitters, both untreated and treated remitter groups exhibited worse health-related functioning, more financial and interpersonal stressors, and more post-remission help-seeking than did lifetime nonproblem drinkers. Conclusions Regardless of whether late-life remission was gained without or with treatment, prior drinking problems conveyed a legacy of health-related and life context deficits. PMID:18829184

  15. Effect of untreated and treated sewage wastewater by chloride or irradiation on growth of some plants and soil characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takriti, S.; Khalifa, K.

    2003-12-01

    Pot experiments were conducted at Deir-Alhajar research station, about 40 km. south east of Damascus during 2000. Corn. eggplant and parsley were planted in plastic pots capacity 8 kg soil to study the effect of irrigation of corn, eggplant and parsley by untreated and treated sewage water (by Chloride or Irradiation) on growth and effect of irrigation on soil characteristics and accumulation of some heavy metals such as Pb, Cr, Co, Hg, and Zn, Cu in plant and soil which irrigated with treated and untreated sewage water compared with irrigated with fresh water (well water). The results showed that no negative effect was observed for untreated and treated sewage water on growth of plants (corn, eggplant and parsley). Also, no significant effect due to irrigation with treated and untreated sewage water was observed in accumulation of some trace elopements (heavy metals) such as Cr, Pb, Hg, and Zn and Cu in plants irrigated with treated and untreated sewage water to critical toxic point. This point needed more studies and longer period to confirm these results before using by farmers on large scale. Irradiation of sewage water had a positive effect on reducing the transfer of some heavy toxic metals such as Pb and Cr form waste water to soil. (author)

  16. Duration of untreated psychosis/illness and brain volume changes in early psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapp, Charlotte; Canela, Carlos; Studerus, Erich; Walter, Anna; Aston, Jacqueline; Borgwardt, Stefan; Riecher-Rössler, Anita

    2017-09-01

    The time period during which patients manifest psychotic or unspecific symptoms prior to treatment (duration of untreated psychosis, DUP, and the duration of untreated illness, DUI) has been found to be moderately associated with poor clinical and social outcome. Equivocal evidence exists of an association between DUP/DUI and structural brain abnormalities, such as reduced hippocampus volume (HV), pituitary volume (PV) and grey matter volume (GMV). Thus, the goal of the present work was to examine if DUP and DUI are associated with abnormalities in HV, PV and GMV. Using a region of interest (ROI) based approach, we present data of 39 patients from the Basel FePsy (Früherkennung von Psychosen, early detection of psychosis) study for which information about DUP, DUI and HV, PV and GMV data could be obtained. Twenty-three of them were first episode psychosis (FEP) and 16 at-risk mental state (ARMS) patients who later made the transition to frank psychosis. In unadjusted analyses, we found a significant positive correlation between DUP and PV in FEP patients. However, when adjusted for covariates, we found no significant correlation between DUP or DUI and HV, PV or GMV anymore. There only was a trend for decreasing GMV with increasing DUI in FEP. Our results do not comprehensively support the hypothesis of a "toxic" effect of the pathogenic mechanism underlying untreated psychosis on brain structure. If there is any effect, it might rather occur very early in the disease process, during which patients experience only unspecific symptoms. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Writing a Structured Abstract for the Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartley, James

    2010-01-01

    This article presents the author's suggestions on how to improve thesis abstracts. The author describes two books on writing abstracts: (1) "Creating Effective Conference Abstracts and Posters in Biomedicine: 500 tips for Success" (Fraser, Fuller & Hutber, 2009), a compendium of clear advice--a must book to have in one's hand as one prepares a…

  18. TCP Packet Trace Analysis. M.S. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepard, Timothy J.

    1991-01-01

    Examination of a trace of packets collected from the network is often the only method available for diagnosing protocol performance problems in computer networks. This thesis explores the use of packet traces to diagnose performance problems of the transport protocol TCP. Unfortunately, manual examination of these traces can be so tedious that effective analysis is not possible. The primary contribution of this thesis is a graphical method of displaying the packet trace which greatly reduce, the tediousness of examining a packet trace. The graphical method is demonstrated by the examination of some packet traces of typical TCP connections. The performance of two different implementations of TCP sending data across a particular network path is compared. Traces many thousands of packets long are used to demonstrate how effectively the graphical method simplifies examination of long complicated traces. In the comparison of the two TCP implementations, the burstiness of the TCP transmitter appeared to be related to the achieved throughput. A method of quantifying this burstiness is presented and its possible relevance to understanding the performance of TCP is discussed.

  19. Bacterial Community Dynamics and Biodegradation Rates in Untreated and Oily Soils During PAH Exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakaria, A.E.M.

    2008-01-01

    The approach taken in this study represents an attempt to address the possible selective effects of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on the bacterial community structure of an untreated garden soil (S) and a chronically contaminated oily soil (CS). Untreated and chronically hydrocarbon polluted soils, collected from Egypt were enriched in shaking flasks containing 50 mg/l anthracene as a sole source of carbon over a period of 15 days. Bacterial communities in each soil were profiled by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the PCR amplified 16 S r DNA gene fragments after 0, 5, 10, and 15 days. Culture able biodegrading bacterial counts on minerals- Silica gel- Oil (MSD) plates as well as anthracene degradation for both soils were followed up at the same time intervals. Nine bacterial species were found to be dominant in the pristine soil before enrichment with the model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), eight of them disappeared after live days of enrichment with the domination of one new species. It stayed dominant in soil until 15 days - exposure to anthracene. Therefore it can be used as a bio marker for PAH pollution. The chronically contaminated soil revealed a remarkable increase in the diversity directly after 5 days exposure to PAH HPLC analysis of the extracted anthracene remained in the biodegradation flasks after different degradation periods revealed that a higher biodegradation rates were accomplished by the oily soil consortium rather than by the pristine one. Before exposure to PAH, counts of culture able biodegrading bacteria were found to be higher in the untreated soil rather than in the oily one. After exposure the situation has been a bit altered as the counts in the untreated soil revealed a temporary suppression with a prolongation of the time required for growth as a result of the hydrocarbon stress

  20. Antipsychotics, brain morphology and duration of untreated illness in schizophrenia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boonstra, G.

    2011-01-01

    Aims: This thesis addresses the necessity of prophylactic antipsychotic treatment in first-episode schizophrenia patients and the effect of discontinuation of antipsychotics on brain volume and side-effects as well as the usage of these medications in general practice. Furthermore, the influence of

  1. Students' anxiety in a senior thesis course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, M R; Palm, L J

    2000-06-01

    The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered on Weeks 8, 12, and 15 of a semester to 16 students enrolled in a senior thesis course. State anxiety scores were elevated when oral presentations began and declined following the presentations. Trait anxiety scores remained constant across test administrations. The influence of situational variables on students' anxiety was discussed.

  2. The Thesis, the Pendulum and the Battlefield

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameri, Amir

    2015-01-01

    The debate over the design thesis is often entangled in the dialectics of the practical and the theoretical. Whether the argument is waged and weighted in favour of a practical emphasis or a theoretical emphasis, or more insidious, a judicious balance between the two, what is inevitably assumed in the debate is the possibility of drawing and/or…

  3. Understanding the up, back, and forward-component in master's thesis supervision with adaptivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Kleijn, Renske A M; Bronkhorst, Larike H.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Pilot, Albert; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2016-01-01

    Despite the importance of goals in educational theories, goals in master's thesis projects are rarely investigated. Therefore, this study explores how goals play a role in master's thesis supervision in terms of: defining the goals (up-component); locating where the student stands in relation to the

  4. The course of untreated anxiety and depression, and determinants of poor one-year outcome: a one-year cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Beljouw, I.M.J.; Verhaak, P.; Cuijpers, P.; van Marwijk, H.W.J.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Little is known about the course and outcome of untreated anxiety and depression in patients with and without a self-perceived need for care. The aim of the present study was to examine the one-year course of untreated anxiety and depression, and to determine predictors of a poor

  5. The course of untreated anxiety and depression, and determinants of poor one-year outcome: a one-year cohort study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beljouw, I.M.J. van; Verhaak, P.F.M.; Cuijpers, P.; Marwijk, H.W.J. van; Penninx, B.W.J.H.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Little is known about the course and outcome of untreated anxiety and depression in patients with and without a self-perceived need for care. The aim of the present study was to examine the one-year course of untreated anxiety and depression, and to determine predictors of a poor

  6. The course of untreated anxiety and depression, and determinants of poor one-year outcome : a one-year cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Beljouw, Ilse M. J.; Verhaak, Peter F. M.; Cuijpers, Pim; van Marwijk, Harm W. J.; Penninx, Brenda W. J. H.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Little is known about the course and outcome of untreated anxiety and depression in patients with and without a self-perceived need for care. The aim of the present study was to examine the one-year course of untreated anxiety and depression, and to determine predictors of a poor

  7. Analysis of Journal Citations in Thesis/Dissertations of Post ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Analysis of Journal Citations in Thesis/Dissertations of Post Graduates of the Department of Political Science, University of Calabar, Nigeria and Their Availability in the University Library: A Re-Visitation.

  8. On the Strategies of Graduation Thesis Writing Teaching of Translation Major Undergraduates Based on Eco-Translatology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Wang

    2017-01-01

    Graduation thesis is an indispensible procedure for each undergraduate, which is crucial for successful graduation, employment, further study and even further development. However, due to most undergraduates' ignorance of academic writing and the deficiency of current thesis writing course, thesis writing ability can hardly be enhanced and…

  9. Mathematical modeling of drying of pretreated and untreated pumpkin

    OpenAIRE

    Tunde-Akintunde, T. Y.; Ogunlakin, G. O.

    2011-01-01

    In this study, drying characteristics of pretreated and untreated pumpkin were examined in a hot-air dryer at air temperatures within a range of 40–80 °C and a constant air velocity of 1.5 m/s. The drying was observed to be in the falling-rate drying period and thus liquid diffusion is the main mechanism of moisture movement from the internal regions to the product surface. The experimental drying data for the pumpkin fruits were used to fit Exponential, General exponential, Logarithmic, Page...

  10. Compulsive buying disorder: an untreated patient for 20 years

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonca Karakus

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Compulsive buying disorder is characterized by impulsive drives and compulsive behaviors (buying unneeded things, personal distress, impaired social and vocational functioning and financial problems. In this case report, we presented diagnostic and treatment process of 49 year old, female patient who had complaints amnesia, weight loss and insomnia. In her medical history, she had compulsive buying disorder for nearly twenty years but untreated until her current evaluation. Comorbid psychiatric disorders started in the last two months which expedited her current referral. [Cukurova Med J 2017; 42(1.000: 172-175

  11. [High frequency of plagiarism in medical thesis from a Peruvian public university].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saldaña-Gastulo, J Jhan C; Quezada-Osoria, C Claudia; Peña-Oscuvilca, Américo; Mayta-Tristán, Percy

    2010-03-01

    An observational study was conducted to describe the presence of plagiarism in medical thesis in 2008 performed at a public university in Peru. Search for plagiarism in 33 thesis introductions using a Google search algorithm, characterizes of the study type and we search in electronic form if the thesis mentor have published articles in scientific journals. We found evidence of plagiarism in 27/33 introductions, 37.3% (171/479) of all the paragraphs analyzed had some degree of plagiarism, literal plagiarism was the most frequent (20/27) and journals were the most common sources of plagiarism (19/27). The characteristics of the studies were observational (32/33), cross-sectional (30/33), descriptive (25/33) and retrospective (19/33). None of the authors had published in a scientific journal, and only nine of his tutors of them had at least one publication. No association was found between the characteristics of the thesis and the presence of plagiarism. In conclusion, we found a high frequency of plagiarism in theses analyzed. Is responsibility of medical schools take the necessary actions to detect and avoid plagiarism among their students.

  12. The functional matrix hypothesis revisited. 3. The genomic thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, M L

    1997-09-01

    Although the initial versions of the functional matrix hypothesis (FMH) theoretically posited the ontogenetic primacy of "function," it is only in recent years that advances in the morphogenetic, engineering, and computer sciences provided an integrated experimental and numerical data base that permitted recent significant revisions of the FMH--revisions that strongly support the primary role of function in craniofacial growth and development. Acknowledging that the currently dominant scientific paradigm suggests that genomic, instead of epigenetic (functional) factors, regulate (cause, control) such growth, an analysis of this continuing controversy was deemed useful. Accordingly the method of dialectical analysis, is employed, stating a thesis, an antithesis, and a resolving synthesis based primarily on an extensive review of the pertinent current literature. This article extensively reviews the genomic hypothesis and offers a critique intended to remove some of the unintentional conceptual obscurantism that has recently come to surround it.

  13. An empirical thesis of service recovery in the package holiday industry

    OpenAIRE

    By, Angelica; Kaspersson, Elisabeth

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to gain an understanding what it is within the vacation offering that makes certain customers dissatisfied with a service recovery effort. Design/methodology/approach: The basis of the thesis is a qualitative approach since we want to gain an understanding about what it is in the service failure and service recovery that make customers dissatisfied. Although, a quantitative approach will be used as a supplement to the qualitative approach in order to seek pa...

  14. Natural History of Tuberculosis: Duration and Fatality of Untreated Pulmonary Tuberculosis in HIV Negative Patients: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiemersma, Edine W.; van der Werf, Marieke J.; Borgdorff, Martien W.; Williams, Brian G.; Nagelkerke, Nico J. D.

    2011-01-01

    Background The prognosis, specifically the case fatality and duration, of untreated tuberculosis is important as many patients are not correctly diagnosed and therefore receive inadequate or no treatment. Furthermore, duration and case fatality of tuberculosis are key parameters in interpreting epidemiological data. Methodology and Principal Findings To estimate the duration and case fatality of untreated pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV negative patients we reviewed studies from the pre-chemotherapy era. Untreated smear-positive tuberculosis among HIV negative individuals has a 10-year case fatality variously reported between 53% and 86%, with a weighted mean of 70%. Ten-year case fatality of culture-positive smear-negative tuberculosis was nowhere reported directly but can be indirectly estimated to be approximately 20%. The duration of tuberculosis from onset to cure or death is approximately 3 years and appears to be similar for smear-positive and smear-negative tuberculosis. Conclusions Current models of untreated tuberculosis that assume a total duration of 2 years until self-cure or death underestimate the duration of disease by about one year, but their case fatality estimates of 70% for smear-positive and 20% for culture-positive smear-negative tuberculosis appear to be satisfactory. PMID:21483732

  15. Plasma erythropoietin by high-detectability immunoradiometric assay in untreated and treated patients with polycythaemia vera and essential thrombocythaemia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carneskog, J.; Kutti, J.; Wadenvik, H. [Univ. of Goeteborg, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Medicine, Haematology Section (Sweden); Lundberg, P.A.; Lindstedt, G. [Univ. of Goeteborg, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine (Sweden)

    1998-12-31

    By using an immunoradiometric method with a stated detection limit of {<=}1 IU/l (stated normal reference limit in adults 3.7-16 IU/l) we determined EDTA-plasma erythropoietin (EPO) in 58 patients with polycythaemia vera (PV) and 49 patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET). At the time of blood sampling, 20 of the PV patients were newly diagnosed and untreated, 23 were treated by phlebotomy only, and 30 also received myelosuppressive treatment (with 32P, hydroxyurea of alpha-interferon). Of the ET patients 24 were untreated and 28 received myelosuppressive therapy. For comparison plasma EPO was also determined in 10 patients with pseudopolycythaemia (PP). In this latter group the results for plasma EPO agreed well with the cited normal reference limits. The majority of untreated PV patients (12/20) had undetectable plasma EPO concentration, and the remainder all had values below the lower normal reference limit. Plasma EPO in PV was not significantly influenced by phlebotomy therapy. Twelve of the 24 untreated ET patients (50%) had plasma EPO values below the reference interval (undetectable in 2 patients). The mean EPO concentration was significantly lower in PV patients receiving phlebotomy therapy than in patients with untreated ET. In the total material of PV and ET treated with myelosuppressive agents the PV patients showed significantly lower values for EPO concentration than did patients with ET. The present results support the view that EPO measurements by high-detectability methods are diagnostically useful and should be included in the panel of new criteria for the diagnosis of PV. (au) 20 refs.

  16. Diversity and population dynamics of pests and predators in irrigated rice fields with treated and untreated pesticide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattanapun, W

    2012-01-01

    The monitoring of rice pests and their predators in pesticide untreated and treated rice fields was conducted at the southern of Thailand. Twenty-two species in 15 families and 6 orders of rice pests were sampled from untreated rice field. For treated rice field, 22 species in 14 families and 5 orders of rice pest were collected. Regardless of treatment type, dominant species and individual number of rice pest varied to physiological stage of rice. Lepidopteran pests had highest infestation during the vegetative stage of rice growth, while hemipteran pests composed of hopper species (Hemipetra: Auchenorrhyncha) and heteropteran species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) were dominant groups during the reproductive stage and grain formation and ripening stage of rice growth. In contrast, dominant species of predator did not change throughout rice growing season. There were 35 species in 25 families and seven orders and 40 species in 29 families and seven orders of predators collected from untreated and treated rice field, respectively. Major predators of both rice fields were Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Tetragnatha sp. (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) and Agriocnemis pygmaea Rambur (Odonata: Agrionidae). The population dynamic of predators were not related with rice pest population in both treatments. However, the fluctuation of population pattern of rice pests in the untreated treatment were more distinctly synchronized with their predators than that of the treated treatment. There were no significant differences in the total number of rice pest and predator between two treatments at vegetative and reproductive stages of rice growth. Untreated rice field had a higher population number of predator and a lower population number of rice pest than that of treated rice field during grain formation and ripening stages. These results indicated the ago-ecosystem balance in rice fields could be produced through minimal pesticide application, in order to allow

  17. The relation between executing of thesis policies and medical student's theses quality in type medical faculties of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kolahi A.A

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Medical students' thesis is equal to six units, which is mandatory for graduation. The purpose of preparing thesis is to familiarize students with research process, methodology, and scientific report writing skill. Purpose: The objective of this study is to determine the relation between executing of thesis policies and medical students' theses quality in type I medical faculties of Iran Methods: To perform this study first, we randomly chose 36 (Total sample=396 medical students' theses in each 11 medical faculties, which completed in 1998-99 academic year. The original theses were evaluated by using a questionnaire. Second, for evaluation of operationalization of thesis policies we use four criteria including, the presence of performance regulations, the proposals approving process, final approving course and presence of a defence session to evaluate thesis in the same medical faculty. Results: In medical faculties that thesis policies were completed, the score of theses was high. In contrast medical faculties with weak policies had low students’ theses scores. Conclusion: Thesis policies are considered as one of the ways to improve the quality of thesis. it is advise at the same time as we should be plan to provide the effective factors for improvement quality of thesis consider strongly the regulations related thesis should be considerate. Keywords: MEDICAL STUDENTS, THESES, REGULATION, and SCORES

  18. Wheat straw as ruminant feed : effect of supplementation and ammonia treatment on voluntary intake and nutrient availability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oosting, S.J.

    1993-01-01

    This thesis describes the results of experiments with goats, sheep and cattle fed untreated or ammonia-treated wheat straw. Aim of the experiments was to identify factors limiting voluntary intake and digestion of these low-quality feeds. Supplementation of urea to untreated wheat straw

  19. Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs about the Roles of Thesis Supervisors: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapia Carlín, Rebeca Elena

    2013-01-01

    Trainee beliefs about the roles of thesis supervisors can exert an important influence on timely and successful completion of theses. This research article explores pre-service teacher beliefs about the roles of thesis supervisors through the analysis of their learning diaries. The aim of this study is to identify ways to improve supervisory…

  20. Clinical consequences of untreated dental caries in German 5- and 8-year-olds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grund, Katrin; Goddon, Inka; Schüler, Ina M; Lehmann, Thomas; Heinrich-Weltzien, Roswitha

    2015-11-04

    About half of all carious lesions in primary teeth of German 6- to 7-year-old children remain untreated, but no data regarding the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries are available. Therefore, this cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess the prevalence and experience of caries and odontogenic infections in the primary dentition of 5- and 8-year-old German children. Dental examinations were performed in 5-year-old pre-school children (n = 496) and in 8-year-old primary school children (n = 608) living in the Westphalian Ennepe-Ruhr district. Schools and preschools were selected by sociodemographic criteria including size, area, ownership, socio-economic status. Caries was recorded according to WHO criteria (1997). The Lorenz curves were used to display the polarisation of dental caries. Caries pattern in 5-year-olds was categorized by Wyne's (1997) definition of early childhood caries (ECC). Odontogenic infections as clinical consequence of untreated dental caries were assessed by the pufa index. The 'untreated caries-pufa ratio' was calculated, and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used for evaluating the correlation between dmft and pufa scores. Categorical data were compared between groups using the chi-square test and continuous data were analysed by t-test. Caries prevalence and experience in the primary dentition was 26.2 %/0.9 ± 2.0 dmft in 5-year-olds and 48.8 %/2.1 ± 2.8 dmft in 8-year-olds. ECC type I (22 %) was the prevalent caries pattern in 5-year-olds. About 30 % of the tooth decay was treated (5y: 29.7 %/8y: 39.3 %). The Lorenz curves showed a strong caries polarisation on 20 % of the children. Pufa prevalence and experience was 4.4 %/0.1 ± 0.5 pufa in 5-year-olds and 16.6 %/0.3 ± 0.9 pufa in 8-year-olds. In 5-year-olds 14.2 % and in 8-year-olds 34.2 % of the d-component had progressed mainly to the pulp. A significant correlation between dmft and pufa scores exists in

  1. Reduced exercise capacity in untreated adults with primary growth hormone resistance (Laron syndrome).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Dov, Issahar; Gaides, Mark; Scheinowitz, Mickey; Wagner, Rivka; Laron, Zvi

    2003-12-01

    Primary IGF-I deficiency (Laron syndrome, LS) may decrease exercise capacity as a result of a lack of an IGF-I effect on heart, peripheral muscle or lung structure and/or function. Eight patients (six females) who had never received treatment with IGF-I, with mean age of 36 +/- 10 (SD) years (range 21-48), weight 47 +/- 9 kg (31-61), height 126 +/- 12 cm (112-140) and body mass index of 29 +/- 4 kg/m2 (24-34), and 12 age-matched controls, underwent lung function tests and incremental cycling to the limit of tolerance (CPX, MedGraphics). Predicted values for the patients were derived from adult equations based on height. In LS patients, lung function was near normal; vital capacity was 84 +/- 11% of expected (66-103). Peak exercise O2-uptake and the anaerobic threshold were reduced, 57 +/- 20% of predicted and 33 +/- 9% of predicted peak (P = 0.005 vs. controls), despite normal mean exercise breathing reserve. All parameters were normal in the controls. Exercise capacity in untreated adults with LS is significantly reduced. The limitation for most patients was not ventilatory but resulted either from low cardiac output and/or from dysfunction of the peripheral muscles. However, the relative contribution of each of these elements and/or the role of poor fitness needs further study.

  2. Dentofacial growth changes in subjects with untreated Class II malocclusion from late puberty through young adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baccetti, Tiziano; Stahl, Franka; McNamara, James A

    2009-02-01

    The purpose of this longitudinal study was to compare dentofacial growth changes in untreated subjects with Class II Division 1 malocclusion with those in subjects with normal (Class I) occlusion from late puberty through young adulthood. The Class II Division 1 sample consisted of 23 subjects (10 male, 13 female). The Class I sample included 30 subjects (13 male, 17 female). The lateral cephalograms of the subjects in both groups were analyzed at 2 consecutive stages of development: T1, postpubertal observation (cervical vertebral maturation stage 6), and T2, young adulthood stage. The average time between T1 and T2 was 3.5 years. The statistical comparisons of the growth changes in the 2 groups were performed with Mann-Whitney U tests. From late puberty through young adulthood, dentofacial growth in subjects with untreated Class II malocclusion does not show significant differences when compared with that observed in untreated subjects with normal occlusion. These findings show that Class II dentoskeletal disharmony does not exhibit significant growth change from late puberty through young adulthood.

  3. Pain Reduction in Untreated Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis Using Liposomal Bupivacaine (Exparel): A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bultema, Kristy; Fowler, Sara; Drum, Melissa; Reader, Al; Nusstein, John; Beck, Mike

    2016-12-01

    In the treatment of patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, endodontic debridement is a predictable method to relieve pain. However, there are clinical situations in which emergency care cannot be provided immediately. An unexplored treatment option in these cases may be the use of a long-acting anesthetic to reduce pain in untreated irreversible pulpitis. Some medical studies have shown potential for infiltrations of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel; Pacira Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA) to prolong pain relief and reduce opioid use postoperatively. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Exparel only for infiltrations; therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare an infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine versus bupivacaine for pain control in untreated, symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Ninety-five emergency patients received 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine via infiltration or an inferior alveolar nerve block to relieve their initial presenting pain. Patients then randomly received either 4 mL liposomal bupivacaine (13.3 mg/mL) or 4 mL 0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine by infiltration. Patients received a diary for the day of the appointment and 3 days postinjection to record soft tissue numbness, pain levels, and analgesic (non-narcotic and narcotic) use. No significant differences (P pulpitis. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Moisture meter calibration for untreated and ACQ-treated southern yellow pine plywood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel V. Glass; Charles G. Carll

    2009-01-01

    Conductance moisture meter readings using stainless steel screws as electrodes were compared with gravimetric moisture content for 1) southern yellow pine (SYP) dimensioned lumber, 2) untreated (underlayment grade) SYP plywood, and 3) SYP plywood treated with alkaline copper quaternary. Meter readings were taken with the meter set to the manufacturer-provided species...

  5. Understanding the Up, Back, and Forward-Component in Master's Thesis Supervision with Adaptivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Bronkhorst, Larike H.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Pilot, Albert; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2016-01-01

    Despite the importance of goals in educational theories, goals in master's thesis projects are rarely investigated. Therefore, this study explores how goals play a role in master's thesis supervision in terms of: defining the goals (up-component); locating where the student stands in relation to the goals (back-component); and how the student can…

  6. Hand size and growth in untreated and IGF-I treated patients with Laron syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konen, O; Silbergeld, A; Lilos, P; Kornreich, L; Laron, Z

    2009-03-01

    We have previously reported on the linear growth, growth of the head circumference and foot length in untreated and IGF-I treated patients with Laron syndrome (LS) (primary GH insensitivity). To assess the size and growth of the hands in patients with LS from early childhood to adult age. Ten IGF-I treated children with LS (4 M, 6 F) and 24 untreated patients (10 M, 14 F) were studied. Measurements of palm length were made on available standardized hand X-rays from infancy to adult age. The measurements were compared to normal references and SD values were calculated for each measurement. The growth of the hand was compared to the concomitant height of the body. Hand SDS in untreated patients with LS decreased with age, from a mean of -2.8 +/- 0.7 (age 1-3 years) to -7.3 +/- 0.8 (age 13-15 years) and to -9.0 +/- 3.9 (age 40-50 years). During 9 years of IGF-I treatment the hand size deficit SDS did not improve in contradistinction to the height SDS which decreased from -6.2 +/- 1.2 to -3.9 +/- 0.5. Congenital IGF-I deficiency, as in Laron syndrome, profoundly affects the size and growth of the hand as part of its growth retardation characteristics, resulting in acromicria.

  7. FDG metabolism and uptake versus blood flow in women with untreated primary breast cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zasadny, Kenneth R.; Tatsumi, Mitsuaki; Wahl, Richard L.

    2003-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between tumor blood flow and glucose utilization in women with untreated primary breast carcinomas. Noninvasive determinations of blood flow and glucose utilization with positron emission tomography (PET) were performed in 101 regions of tumor from nine women with untreated primary breast carcinoma. [ 15 O]H 2 O PET scans of tumor blood flow were compared with fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) PET scans of tumor glucose metabolism. Modeling of multiple parameters was undertaken and flow and glucose utilization compared. Mean whole-tumor blood flow was 14.9 ml dl -1 min -1 , but ranged from 7.6 to 29.2 ml dl -1 min -1 . Mean whole-tumor standardized uptake value corrected for lean body mass, SUV-lean (50-60 min), was 2.32±0.19 while mean K i was 1.2 ml dl -1 min -1 for FDG. SUV-lean and blood flow were strongly correlated (r=0.82, P=0.007) as were K 1 for FDG and flow (r=0.84, P=0.004). In these women with untreated breast cancers, FDG uptake (SUV-lean) and tumor blood flow are strongly correlated. The slope of FDG uptake versus blood flow appears higher at low flow rates, suggesting the possible presence of areas of tumor hypoxia. (orig.)

  8. A validated UHPLC-MS/MS method to quantify low levels of anabolic-androgenic steroids naturally present in urine of untreated horses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Decloedt, Anneleen; Bailly-Chouriberry, Ludovic; Vanden Bussche, Julie; Garcia, Patrice; Popot, Marie-Agnes; Bonnaire, Yves; Vanhaecke, Lynn

    2015-06-01

    Doping control is a main priority for regulatory bodies of both the horse racing industry and the equestrian sports. Urine and blood samples are screened for the presence of hundreds of forbidden substances including anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs). Based on the suspected endogenous origin of some AASs, with β-boldenone as the most illicit candidate, this study aimed to improve the knowledge of the naturally present AAS in horse urine. To this extent, a novel ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated according to the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC) and European Commission (EC) guidelines, proving the power of this new method. Low limits of detection (0.2 ng/mL), good reproducibility (percentage of standard deviation (%RSD)  0.99 and lack-of-fit analysis) were obtained for all included AASs. With this method, urine samples of 105 guaranteed untreated horses (47 geldings, 53 mares, and 5 stallions serving as a control) were screened for β-boldenone and five related natural steroids: androstadienedione (ADD), androstenedione (AED), alpha-testosterone (αT), beta-testosterone (βT), and progesterone (P). Progesterone, β-testosterone, and α-testosterone were detected in more than half of the horses at low concentrations (anabolic-androgenic steroids naturally present in urine of untreated horses (mares and geldings).

  9. High frequency of association of rheumatic/autoimmune diseases and untreated male hypogonadism with severe testicular dysfunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jimenez-Balderas, F Javier; Tapia-Serrano, Rosario; Fonseca, M Eugenia; Arellano, Jorge; Beltran, Arturo; Yañez, Patricia; Camargo-Coronel, Adolfo; Fraga, Antonio

    2001-01-01

    Our goal in the present work was to determine whether male patients with untreated hypogonadism have an increased risk of developing rheumatic/autoimmune disease (RAD), and, if so, whether there is a relation to the type of hypogonadism. We carried out neuroendocrine, genetic, and rheumatologic investigations in 13 such patients and 10 healthy male 46,XY normogonadic control subjects. Age and body mass index were similar in the two groups. Nine of the 13 patients had hypergonadotropic hypogonadism (five of whom had Klinefelter's syndrome [karyotype 47,XXY]) and 4 of the 13 had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (46,XY). Of these last four, two had Kallmann's syndrome and two had idiopathic cryptorchidism. Eight (61%) of the 13 patients studied had RADs unrelated to the etiology of their hypogonadism. Of these, four had ankylosing spondylitis and histocompatibility B27 antigen, two had systemic lupus erythematosus (in one case associated with antiphospholipids), one had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and one had juvenile dermatomyositis. In comparison with the low frequencies of RADs in the general population (about 0.83%, including systemic lupus erythematosus, 0.03%; dermatomyositis, 0.04%; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, 0.03%; ankylosing spondylitis, 0.01%; rheumatoid arthritis, 0.62%; and other RAD, 0.1%), there were surprisingly high frequencies of such disorders in this small group of patients with untreated hypogonadism (P hypogonadism and was associated with marked gonadal failure with very low testosterone levels. PMID:11714390

  10. Duration of untreated psychosis: a proposition regarding treatment definition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polari, Andrea; Lavoie, Suzie; Sarrasin, Pascale; Pellanda, Veronica; Cotton, Sue; Conus, Philippe

    2011-11-01

    Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) refers to the time elapsing between psychosis onset and treatment initiation. Despite a certain degree of consensus regarding the definition of psychosis onset, the definition of treatment commencement varies greatly between studies and DUP may be underestimated due to lack of agreement. In the present study, three sets of criteria to define the end of the untreated period were applied in a first-episode psychosis cohort to assess the impact of the choice of definition on DUP estimation. The DUP of 117 patients admitted in the Treatment and Early Intervention in Psychosis Program Psychosis in Lausanne was measured using the following sets of criteria to define treatment onset: (i) initiation of antipsychotic medication; (ii) entry into a specialized programme; and (iii) entry into a specialized programme and adequate medication with a good compliance. DUP varied greatly according to definitions, the most restrictive criteria leading to the longest DUP (median DUP1=2.2 months, DUP2=7.4 months and DUP3=13.6 months). A percentage of 19.7 of the patients who did not meet these restrictive criteria had poorer premorbid functioning and were more likely to use cannabis. Longer DUP3 was associated with poorer premorbid functioning and with younger age at onset of psychosis. These results underline the need for a unique and standardized definition of the end of DUP. We suggest that the most restrictive definition of treatment should be used when using the DUP concept in future research. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  11. Relationship between amount of overtime work and untreated decayed teeth in male financial workers in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshino, Koichi; Suzuki, Seitaro; Ishizuka, Yoichi; Takayanagi, Atsushi; Sugihara, Naoki; Kamijyo, Hideyuki

    2017-05-25

    Continuous or frequent overtime work has been shown to have harmful effects on human health. Meanwhile, one of the main reasons for tooth loss is caries. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between overtime work and untreated decayed teeth in male financial workers. The participants were recruited by applying screening procedures to a pool of Japanese registrants in an online database. Participants filled out a questionnaire about their oral health, behavior, and working conditions. Participants comprised a total of 951 financial male workers, aged 25-64 years. The likelihood of tooth decay increased with amount of overtime work (p=0.002). After adjusting for age, income, educational background, oral hygiene behavior, snacking behavior, regular dental visitation, bad interpersonal relationships at work, and smoking habit, a multiple logistic regression analysis found that participants with 45-80 h of overtime work (odds ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-5.33) or over 80 h of overtime work (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.13-7.97) were more likely to have untreated tooth decay. The percentage of participants who gave "too busy with work" as the reason for leaving decayed teeth untreated increased with amount of overtime (p<0.001). These results indicate that overtime work is strongly related to untreated decayed teeth. In addition to oral health education and dental checkups, decreasing stress and decreasing the amount of overtime work may also have a positive effect on oral health in the workplace.

  12. 7 CFR 3402.6 - Overview of the special international study and/or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... thesis/dissertation research travel allowance. 3402.6 Section 3402.6 Agriculture Regulations of the... GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.6 Overview of the special international study and/or thesis... special international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance, the Project Director must...

  13. synthesis and charact catalyst for the production o thesis

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    userpc

    THESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SOLID HETEROGENEOUS. R THE PRODUCTION OF ... r ratio, 2wt% catalyst loading, 80oC reaction temperature and talyst maintained ... The analysis was carried out on a Shimadzu model XRD6000 ...

  14. Untreated urban waste contaminates Indian river sediments with resistance genes to last resort antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marathe, Nachiket P; Pal, Chandan; Gaikwad, Swapnil S; Jonsson, Viktor; Kristiansson, Erik; Larsson, D G Joakim

    2017-11-01

    Efficient sewage treatment is critical for limiting environmental transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In many low and middle income countries, however, large proportions of sewage are still released untreated into receiving water bodies. In-depth knowledge of how such discharges of untreated urban waste influences the environmental resistome is largely lacking. Here, we highlight the impact of uncontrolled discharge of partially treated and/or untreated wastewater on the structure of bacterial communities and resistome of sediments collected from Mutha river flowing through Pune city in India. Using shotgun metagenomics, we found a wide array (n = 175) of horizontally transferable antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) including carbapenemases such as NDM, VIM, KPC, OXA-48 and IMP types. The relative abundance of total ARGs was 30-fold higher in river sediments within the city compared to upstream sites. Forty four ARGs, including the tet(X) gene conferring resistance to tigecycline, OXA-58 and GES type carbapenemases, were significantly more abundant in city sediments, while two ARGs were more common at upstream sites. The recently identified mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected only in one of the upstream samples, but not in city samples. In addition to ARGs, higher abundances of various mobile genetic elements were found in city samples, including integron-associated integrases and ISCR transposases, as well as some biocide/metal resistance genes. Virulence toxin genes as well as bacterial genera comprising many pathogens were more abundant here; the genus Acinetobacter, which is often associated with multidrug resistance and nosocomial infections, comprised up to 29% of the 16S rRNA reads, which to our best knowledge is unmatched in any other deeply sequenced metagenome. There was a strong correlation between the abundance of Acinetobacter and the OXA-58 carbapenemase gene. Our study shows that uncontrolled discharge of untreated urban

  15. The Topological Primacy Thesis: Genetic and Didactic Aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schipper, Wilhelm

    1983-01-01

    Several critical questions concerning the topological primacy thesis were raised in an extensive literature survey (SE 531 428). Three points related to this criticism are discussed and reinforced, including a reexamination of Laurendeau and Pinard's data (showing that they do not support the hypothesis of topological primacy in children's…

  16. Does duration of untreated psychosis bias study samples of first-episode psychosis?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friis, S; Melle, I; Larsen, T K

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: While findings are contradictory, many studies report that long Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) correlates with poorer outcome in first episode psychosis. In an outcome study of first-episode psychosis, we compared the patients who refused to participate in a follow-along with th......OBJECTIVE: While findings are contradictory, many studies report that long Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) correlates with poorer outcome in first episode psychosis. In an outcome study of first-episode psychosis, we compared the patients who refused to participate in a follow......-along with those who consented to estimate the importance of this factor in sample recruitment bias. Our questions were: (i) What is the percentage of refusers? (ii) Are there systematic differences between refusers and consenters on DUP and/or other admission variables? (iii) What is the risk of refusal...... for different values of DUP? METHOD: In an unselected group of consecutively admitted patients we compared follow-along refusers and consenters on the following admission variables: sex, age, diagnostic group, substance abuse, being in-patient, coming from an early detection site and DUP. We conducted...

  17. Quantitative analysis of untreated bio-samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sera, K.; Futatsugawa, S.; Matsuda, K.

    1999-01-01

    A standard-free method of quantitative analysis for untreated samples has been developed. For hair samples, measurements were performed by irradiating with a proton beam a few hairs as they are, and quantitative analysis was carried out by means of a standard-free method developed by ourselves. First, quantitative values of concentration of zinc were derived, then concentration of other elements was obtained by regarding zinc as an internal standard. As the result, values of concentration of sulphur for 40 samples agree well with the average value for a typical Japanese and also with each other within 20%, and validity of the present method could be confirmed. Accuracy was confirmed by comparing the results with those obtained by the usual internal standard method, too. For the purpose of a surface analysis of a bone sample, a very small incidence angle of the proton beam was used, so that both energy loss of the projectile and self-absorption of X-rays become negligible. As the result, consistent values of concentration for many elements were obtained by the standard-free method

  18. Action learning in undergraduate engineering thesis supervision

    OpenAIRE

    Stappenbelt, Brad

    2017-01-01

    In the present action learning implementation, twelve action learning sets were conducted over eight years. The action learning sets consisted of students involved in undergraduate engineering research thesis work. The concurrent study accompanying this initiative investigated the influence of the action learning environment on student approaches to learning and any accompanying academic, learning and personal benefits realised. The influence of preferred learning styles on set function and s...

  19. Master's Thesis Projects: Student Perceptions of Supervisor Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Mainhard, M. Tim; Meijer, Paulien C.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Pilot, Albert

    2013-01-01

    A growing body of research has investigated student perceptions of written feedback in higher education coursework, but few studies have considered feedback perceptions in one-on-one and face-to-face contexts such as master's thesis projects. In this article, student perceptions of feedback are explored in the context of the supervision of…

  20. Adaptive Extremum Control and Wind Turbine Control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Xin

    1997-01-01

    This thesis is divided into two parts, i.e., adaptive extremum control and modelling and control of a wind turbine. The rst part of the thesis deals with the design of adaptive extremum controllers for some processes which have the behaviour that process should have as high e ciency as possible...... in parameters, and thus directly lends itself to parameter estimation and adaptive control. The extremum control law is derived based on static optimization of a performance function. For a process with nonlinearity at output the intermediate signal between the linear part and nonlinear part plays an important....... Firstly, it is assumed that the nonlinear processes can be divided into a dynamic linear part and static nonlinear part. Consequently the processes with input nonlinearity and output nonlinearity are treated separately. With the nonlinearity at the input it is easy to set up a model which is linear...

  1. Revolutionary composite joining method; from an aerospace thesis research to founding a new company

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bergman, A.

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, Peter Madlener started his graduation thesis at the Aerospace Engineering faculty on a new joining technology for composite sandwich panels. The promising results gained in this thesis led to the foundation of MOCS: a young company with the ambitious goal of introducing a revolutionary

  2. "Breaking the Mold" in the Dissertation: Implementing a Problem-Based, Decision-Oriented Thesis Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archbald, Doug

    2010-01-01

    This article offers lessons from an initiative refashioning the doctoral thesis in an education leadership program. The program serves a practitioner clientele; most are teachers and administrators. The new model for the thesis emphasizes leadership, problem solving, decision making, and organizational improvement. The former model was a…

  3. An Analysis of Current Graduation Thesis Writing by English Majors in Independent Institute

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ying

    2014-01-01

    The paper takes 414 graduates from ZJU in 2011 and 2012, NIT as a case, analyzing the status of their writing of graduation thesis. It is found that a considerable number of students have problems in selection and report of topics, writing of each part and debating in the whole process of graduation thesis. In view of the situation, based on the…

  4. Clinical consequences and economic costs of untreated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Knauert

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To provide an overview of the healthcare and societal consequences and costs of untreated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Data sources: PubMed database for English-language studies with no start date restrictions and with an end date of September 2014. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was performed to identify all studies that discussed the physiologic, clinical and societal consequences of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome as well as the costs associated with these consequences. There were 106 studies that formed the basis of this analysis. Conclusions: Undiagnosed and untreated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome can lead to abnormal physiology that can have serious implications including increased cardiovascular disease, stroke, metabolic disease, excessive daytime sleepiness, work-place errors, traffic accidents and death. These consequences result in significant economic burden. Both, the health and societal consequences and their costs can be decreased with identification and treatment of sleep apnea. Implications for practice: Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, despite its consequences, is limited by lack of diagnosis, poor patient acceptance, lack of access to effective therapies, and lack of a variety of effective therapies. Newer modes of therapy that are effective, cost efficient and more accepted by patients need to be developed. Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, Cost, Continuous positive airway pressure, Mandibular advancement device

  5. Hyperarousal during sleep in untreated primary insomnia sufferers: A polysomnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hein, Matthieu; Senterre, Christelle; Lanquart, Jean-Pol; Montana, Xavier; Loas, Gwénolé; Linkowski, Paul; Hubain, Philippe

    2017-07-01

    Because some evidence favors the hyperarousal model of insomnia, we sought to learn more about the dynamics of this phenomenon during sleep. Polysomnographic data from 30 normative subjects and 86 untreated primary insomnia sufferers recruited from the database of the sleep laboratory were studied for whole nights and in terms of thirds of the night. Untreated primary insomnia sufferers had an increased sleep latency and excess of WASO, together with a deficit in REM and NREM sleep during the entire night. In terms of thirds of the night, they presented a major excess of WASO during the first and last thirds of the night but an excess of lesser importance during the middle third. A deficit in SWS was found during the first third of the night, but for REM, the deficit was present during both the first and last thirds. Primary insomnia sufferers had no SWS or REM deficit during the second third of the night. We found that the hyperarousal phenomenon occurs mainly during the sleep-onset period of the first and last thirds of the night and is less important during the middle third. These results open new avenues for understanding the pathophysiology of primary insomnia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Correlates of Untreated Hypercholesterolemia in Older Adults: A Community-Based Household Survey in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhi; Zaman, M. Justin; Wang, Jingjing; Peacock, Janet L.; Chen, Ruoling

    2015-01-01

    Hypercholesterolemia is common in older adults and less treated, but little is known about correlates of untreated hypercholesterolemia. Using a standard interview method we examined a random sample of 7,572 participants aged ≥60 years in a community-based household survey across 7 provinces of China during 2007–2012, and documented 328 cases of hypercholesterolemia from self-reported doctor diagnosis. Compared to participants with normal cholesterol, older adults with hypercholesterolemia had higher socioeconomic position and larger body mass index. In patients with hypercholesterolemia, 209 were not treated using lipid-lowering medications (63.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 58.5%–68.9%). Untreated hypercholesterolemia was significantly associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio 2.13, 95%CI 1.17–3.89), current smoking (3.48, 1.44–8.44), heavy alcohol drinking (3.13,1.11–8.84), chronic bronchitis (2.37,1.14–4.90) and high level of meat consumptions (2.85,1.22–6.65). Although having coronary heart disease exposed participants for treatment, half of participants with coronary heart disease did not receive lipid-lowering medications. Among hypercholesterolemia participants with stroke, hypertension or diabetes, more than half of them did not receive lipid-lowering medications. The high proportion of untreated hypercholesterolemia in older, high-risk Chinese adults needs to be mitigated through multi-faceted primary and secondary prevention strategies to increase population opportunities of treating hypercholesterolemia. PMID:26161751

  7. Supporting the Thesis Writing Process of International Research Students through an Ongoing Writing Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Linda Y.; Vandermensbrugghe, Joelle

    2011-01-01

    Evidence from research suggests writing support is particularly needed for international research students who have to tackle the challenges of thesis writing in English as their second language in Western academic settings. This article reports the development of an ongoing writing group to support the thesis writing process of international…

  8. Intergroup contact and ingroup reappraisal : examining the deprovincialization thesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verkuyten, M.J.A.M.; Thijs, J.T.; Bekhuis, H.

    2010-01-01

    According to the deprovincialization thesis, interethnic contact involves a reappraisal and distancing from the ingroup. Contact can broaden one’s horizon by acknowledging and recognizing the value of other cultures and thereby putting the taken-for-granted own cultural standards into perspective.

  9. Consistency and Inconsistency in PhD Thesis Examination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holbrook, Allyson; Bourke, Sid; Lovat, Terry; Fairbairn, Hedy

    2008-01-01

    This is a mixed methods investigation of consistency in PhD examination. At its core is the quantification of the content and conceptual analysis of examiner reports for 804 Australian theses. First, the level of consistency between what examiners say in their reports and the recommendation they provide for a thesis is explored, followed by an…

  10. Analysis of and reflection on bachelor thesis in nursing students: A descriptive study in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roca, Judith; Gros, Silvia; Canet, Olga

    2018-06-11

    The bachelor thesis, a final year subject to obtain a nursing degree, presents an ideal opportunity for the development and assessment of professional competencies. Thus, it is necessary to specify that the structure of the bachelor thesis works as an element of review and reflection from both a pedagogical and professional perspective. To analyse the main elements of the bachelor thesis in the nursing degree 2015-16 in Spain. A transversal descriptive study was conducted using a quantitative documentary analysis via study guides or grade reports. The variables were the main academic elements of the bachelor thesis subject (credits, competencies, learning outcomes, contents, methodologies, training activities and assessment). A probabilistic sample of 66 institutions was studied using descriptive statistics with statistical measures of central tendency and measures of variability. The results showed a maximum range of 12 and a minimum of 6 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. The definition and number of competencies to be developed varied and the learning outcomes were formulated in only 40.9% of the guides consulted. The most widely used teaching methodologies and training activities were academic supervision (87.9%) and autonomous work (80.3%). Regarding types of work, basic investigation (34.8%), care plans (33.3%) and literature review (30,3%) ranked highest. No specific descriptors could be linked to the contents. Finally, two main assessment tools were found: process and product. The rubric is presented as a main element of the assessment. The bachelor thesis is conceived as autonomous, personal and original academic work. But no homogeneity was observed in the key development elements such as competencies, teaching strategies, or type of bachelor thesis. Therefore, the findings from the analysis and the bibliographic review are presented as recommendations as regards the outcome, structure and/or teaching elements linked to the bachelor thesis

  11. Is screening effective in detecting untreated psychiatric disorders among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palmer, Steven C.; Taggi, Alison; DeMichele, Angela; Coyne, James C.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A key purpose of routine distress screening is to ensure that cancer patients receive appropriate mental health care. Most studies validating screening instruments overestimate the effectiveness of screening by not differentiating between patients with untreated disorders and patients

  12. A Content Analysis of the Postgraduate Thesis Written on Special Education in Turkey Based on Various Variables (2009-2014)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirok, Mukaddes Sakalli; Besgul, Meyrem; Baglama, Basak

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine postgraduate thesis studies conducted between the years of 2009 and 2014 in special education field in Turkey based on various variables and figure out how many of these thesis is related with hearing disability. A total number of 146 postgraduate thesis have been found in the thesis scanning center of Higher…

  13. How to do a postgraduate research project and write a minor thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duke, Trevor

    2018-05-26

    Many universities and colleges in low-income and middle-income countries require a masters dissertation or thesis for as part of postgraduate training, and some colleges offer a 1-year to 2-year diploma of child health as a clinical qualification to enable skills in child health for generalists, or as part of the early phase of paediatric training. This paper describes the stages of doing a research project for such a masters or diploma, and describes in detail how to write a minor thesis. The paper is designed to provide a practical approach for junior researchers, and their supervisors. Colleges differ in their formal requirements of a minor thesis (word count, line spacing, referencing style), but this paper outlines the principles and practical issues rarely covered elsewhere. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  14. Design And Implementation Of Radio Resources Controller Of WCDMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hafez, A.M.A.

    2012-01-01

    Recently, wireless communications and especially the mobile networks are employed in nuclear applications including, but not limited to, Nuclear Material Integrity [1], Radiation Monitoring Networks [2, 3] and Nuclear Power Plants [4]. The thesis introduces an overview about one of the third generation (3G) mobile networks, known as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks, which consists of Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and the Core Network (CN). The UTRAN has many interfaces, but the thesis focuses on the Uu interface which is between the User Equipment (UE) and the UTRAN. That interface is based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Accessing (WCDMA) system. The protocol architecture of UMTS is composed of two planes; the control plane and the user plane. Again, the thesis is concerned on the control plane which has the Radio Resources Control (RRC) protocol to manage the control signal at the Uu interface between the UE and the Radio Network Controller. The main goal of the thesis is to design, implement and test the building blocks of Radio Resources Controller of the WCDMA system. Also, the thesis presents one of nuclear applications that is based on WCDMA. This application includes design, implementation and simulation of Radiation Monitoring network as a pilot prototype model.

  15. Project families: A new concept for student thesis activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goltermann, Per; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

    2017-01-01

    The students’ activities during their final thesis work have been organised in project families, i.e. a group of individual student project organized in a shared learning environment. The aim is more efficient supervision and support, simultaneously to improved learning. DTU Byg have now tested...

  16. Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chi, Lin

    1996-12-31

    This thesis on underwater control systems is written with the designer in mind, assuming that the reader has some knowledge of control theory. It can be used as a text for undergraduate students and engineers. To help readers better understand the system they will be working with, the thesis is organised in a stepwise way. The reader will gain basic knowledge about underwater operations, equipment and control systems. Then the reader will be able to follow the steps to develop a required control system for an underwater equipment by first understanding the characteristics of the design problem, customer requirement, functional requirement, and possible solution, and then to present a mathematical model of the control problem. Having developed the concept, the thesis guides the reader to develop evaluation criteria and different ways to make the decision. The thesis gives an overview of how to achieve a successful design rather than giving the techniques for detailed control system design. Chapter 1 describes underwater operations and systems. Chapter 2 discusses issues of underwater control systems and control methods. Chapter 3 deals with design method and control systems theory, focusing on human-centered control. Chapter 4 discusses methods used to evaluate and rank products, and chapter 5 applies the methods to an example. 113 refs., 115 figs., 80 tabs.

  17. Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chi, Lin

    1997-12-31

    This thesis on underwater control systems is written with the designer in mind, assuming that the reader has some knowledge of control theory. It can be used as a text for undergraduate students and engineers. To help readers better understand the system they will be working with, the thesis is organised in a stepwise way. The reader will gain basic knowledge about underwater operations, equipment and control systems. Then the reader will be able to follow the steps to develop a required control system for an underwater equipment by first understanding the characteristics of the design problem, customer requirement, functional requirement, and possible solution, and then to present a mathematical model of the control problem. Having developed the concept, the thesis guides the reader to develop evaluation criteria and different ways to make the decision. The thesis gives an overview of how to achieve a successful design rather than giving the techniques for detailed control system design. Chapter 1 describes underwater operations and systems. Chapter 2 discusses issues of underwater control systems and control methods. Chapter 3 deals with design method and control systems theory, focusing on human-centered control. Chapter 4 discusses methods used to evaluate and rank products, and chapter 5 applies the methods to an example. 113 refs., 115 figs., 80 tabs.

  18. A Tradition Unlike Any Other: Research on the Value of an Honors Senior Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banks, H. Kay

    2016-01-01

    An honors senior thesis introduces students into a world of scholarship and professional activity in a way that no single course, either semester- or year-long, can do (Anderson, Lyons, and Weiner). Many honors educators consider honors thesis work to be the defining honors experience. For graduate schools, employers, and the students themselves,…

  19. Early detection strategies for untreated first-episode psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johannessen, Jan Olav; McGlashan, T H; Larsen, Tor Ketil

    2001-01-01

    -year inclusion period (1997-2000) are described. It includes targeted information towards the general public, health professionals and schools, and ED teams to recruit appropriate patients into treatment as soon as possible. This plus easy access to psychiatric services via ED teams systematically changed......Some studies in first-episode schizophrenia correlate shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) with better prognosis, suggesting that timing of treatment may be important. A three-site prospective clinical trial in Norway and Denmark is underway to investigate the effect of the timing......-episode cases. The study ultimately will compare early detected with usual detected patients. This paper describes the study's major independent intervention variable, i.e. a comprehensive education and detection system to change DUP in first onset psychosis. System variables and first results from the four...

  20. A Supervisor's Roles for Successful Thesis and Dissertation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mhunpiew, Nathara

    2013-01-01

    The success of a thesis or a dissertation for a graduate student relies upon the roles of their supervisor. The student not only needs to be equipped with the knowledge, but also be able to manage others and external factors at the same time. The journey during the period of conducting research is mixed with various tasks. Five supportive roles of…

  1. Gefitinib plus cisplatin and radiotherapy in previously untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregoire, Vincent; Hamoir, Marc; Chen Changhu; Kane, Madeleine; Kawecki, Andrzej; Julka, Pramod K.; Wang, Hung-Ming; Prasad, Srihari; D'Cruz, Anil K.; Radosevic-Jelic, Ljiljana; Kumar, Rejnish R.; Korzeniowski, Stanislaw; Fijuth, Jacek; Machiels, Jean-Pascal; Sellers, Mark V.; Tchakov, Ilian; Raben, David

    2011-01-01

    Background and purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of gefitinib given concomitantly and/or as maintenance therapy to standard cisplatin/radiotherapy for previously untreated, unresected, stage III/IV non-metastatic SCCHN. Materials and methods: In this phase II, double-blind, study, 226 patients were randomized to gefitinib 250 mg/day, 500 mg/day or placebo in two phases: a concomitant phase (gefitinib or placebo with chemoradiotherapy), followed by a maintenance phase (gefitinib or placebo alone). Primary endpoint was local disease control rate (LDCR) at 2 years; secondary endpoints were LDCR at 1 year, objective response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety and tolerability. Results: Gefitinib (250 and 500 mg/day) did not improve 2-year LDCR compared with placebo either when given concomitantly with chemoradiotherapy (32.7% vs. 33.6%, respectively; OR 0.921, 95% CI 0.508, 1.670 [1-sided p = 0.607]) or as maintenance therapy (28.8% vs. 37.4%, respectively; OR 0.684, 95% CI 0.377, 1.241 [1-sided p = 0.894]). Secondary efficacy outcomes were broadly consistent with the 2-year LDCR results. In both doses, gefitinib was well-tolerated and did not adversely affect the safety and tolerability of concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion: Gefitinib was well-tolerated, but did not improve efficacy compared with placebo when given concomitantly with chemoradiotherapy, or as maintenance therapy alone.

  2. Seminar for Master's Thesis Projects: Promoting Students' Self-Regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miedijensky, Shirley; Lichtinger, Einat

    2016-01-01

    This study presents a thesis seminar model aimed at promoting students' self-regulation. Students' perceptions regarding the contribution of the seminar to their learning process were characterized and the seminar's effect upon their self-regulation expressions was examined. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed thematically. The…

  3. The effect of social geographic factors on the untreated tooth decay among head start children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heima, Masahiro; Ferretti, Margaret; Qureshi, Mehveen; Ferretti, Gerald

    2017-10-01

    Disparities among untreated dental caries exist for children from low-income families in the United States. Understanding of the mechanism of the disparities is required to reduce it and social geographic factors are one of the important influences. Although the effect of fluoridated water has been well reported, studies of other sociogeograpic factors, such as the density of available dentists, are still very limited. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of sociogeographic factors on the number of primary teeth with untreated dental caries among children from low-income families who are enrolled in Head Start programs throughout Northeast Ohio of the United States. This was a cross-sectional chart review study. Three hundred-eighty-eight charts were reviewed, and the number of primary teeth with untreated dental caries (dt) and the children's addresses were retrieved. The sociogeographic variables, including fluoridated water availability and the density of available dentists who accept a government-supported insurance (Medicaid dentists), were collected. The mean (standard deviation) of children's age was 3.51 (1.14) years with a range of 7 months to 5 years. A negative binomial regression model analysis, which used dt as a dependent variable and children's characteristic factors (i.e. age, gender, insurance type, and total number of primary teeth) and sociogeographic factors (i.e. Population, total number of Medicaid dentists, density of Medicaid dentist, and Fluoride water availability) of cities, as independent variables, demonstrated that only the density of Medicaid dentist in the sociogeographic factors indicated a significant effect (Estimated ß-Coefficients (Standard Errors)=-0.003 (0.002), p =0.030). This study demonstrated a significant negative association between the density of available dentists and untreated dental caries among children from low-income families in Head Start programs in Northeast Ohio. Increasing available dentists

  4. Intake and digestibility of untreated and urea treated rice straw base diet fed to sheep

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Yulistiani

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available Rice straw as one of agricultural by-products has low quality due to low content of essensial nutrients like protein, energy, minerals and vitamin as well as poor palatability and digestibility. Therefore, the quality of rice straw needs to be improved in order to increase its utilization by gastrointestinal tract of ruminants. The purpose of this study is to compare untreated and urea treated rice straw as basal diets for sheep. Twelve mature Merino wethers (average body weight 53.62 + 3.44 kg were separated into 4 groups based on their live weight with each groups assigned three diets, that are: diet 1 untreated rice straw with high forage legume content, diet 2 urea ensiled rice straw and diet 3 rice straw sprayed with urea solution at feeding time. Diets were allocated based on a randomized complete block design. Urea ensiled rice straw was prepared by spraying chopped straw with urea solution to yield straw containing 4% urea and 40% moisture, then kept in air tight polythylene bags for 6 weeks. The untreated, ensiled and urea supplemented rice straw were mixed with other feed ingredients to provide isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets. Diets were formulated to meet maintenance requirement according to NRC. Sheep were adapted to experimental diets for 15 days, and after adaptation period, a metabolism trial was conducted. Results reveal that dry matter intake permetabolic body weight (DMI/W0.75, DE (digestible energi intake and apparent digestibility of NDF (neutral detergent fibre were not significantly different between diet 1 and diet 2. Apparent digestibility of DM (dry matter, OM (organic matter, and ADF (acid detergent fibre, as well as N retention were not significantly different between three diets. Positive result in N retention was only observed in diet 2, while others were negative. It may be concluded from this study that untreated rice straw basal diet supplemented with forage legume offer an alternative method other than urea

  5. Increased blood clearance rate of indium-111 oxine-labeled autologous CD4+ blood cells in untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grimfors, G.; Holm, G.; Mellstedt, H.; Schnell, P.O.; Tullgren, O.; Bjoerkholm, M.

    1990-01-01

    Untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) have a blood T-lymphocytopenia mainly caused by a reduction of the CD4+ subset. Indirect support for a sequestration of T cells in the spleen and tumor-involved lymphoid tissue has accumulated. To test the hypothesis that the blood CD4 T-lymphocytopenia in patients with HD is caused by an altered lymphocyte traffic, 12 untreated HD patients and five in complete clinical remission (CCR) were studied. Blood lymphocytes were collected by leukapheresis and gradient centrifugation, and were further purified by an adherence step. The cells were labeled with indium-111 oxine and reinfused intravenously into the patient. The radioactivity of CD4+ and CD8+ blood lymphocytes separated by immunoabsorption was measured from serial blood samples. CD4+ cells were eliminated more rapidly in untreated patients than patients in CCR. Repeated gamma camera imaging after autotransfusion of indium-111 oxine labeled cells demonstrated an accumulation of radioactivity in tumor-involved tissue of untreated patients. These findings support the concept of an enhanced elimination of CD4+ cells in patients with active HD that may contribute to the observed blood T-lymphocytopenia and may reflect a biologic response to the tumor

  6. Bibliomtric overview of thesis and dissertations on indigenous education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Masson Maroldi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT. The indigenous education in Brazil has its founding milestone in the first catechetical actions of the Jesuits in the second half of the sixteenth century. In this long trajectory up to the present day the education of the indigenous peoples that inhabit the Brazilian territory has been the subject of controversies and discussions at the governmental and academic levels, which has generated numerous studies. This research had as objective to elaborate a bibliometric panorama of the scientific production on indigenous education present in theses and dissertations of the Brazilian Digital Library of Thesis and Dissertations (BDTD / IBICT through bibliometric methodology. The corpus analyzed was composed of 173 postgraduate studies defended in the country between 1996 and 2016. The results indicate that the Southeast and South regions, respectively, concentrate the largest number of papers and that the Education area is the majority in the Scientific production of the thesis and dissertations recovered.

  7. The Honors Thesis: A Handbook for Honors Directors, Deans, and Faculty Advisors. National Collegiate Honors Council Monograph Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Mark; Lyons, Karen; Weiner, Norman

    2014-01-01

    This handbook is intended to help all those who design, administer, and implement honors thesis programs--honors directors, deans, staff, faculty, and advisors--evaluate their thesis programs, solve pressing problems, select more effective requirements or procedures, or introduce an entirely new thesis program. The authors' goal is to provide…

  8. Intergroup Contact and Ingroup Reappraisal: Examining the Deprovincialization Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verkuyten, Maykel; Thijs, Jochem; Bekhuis, Hidde

    2010-01-01

    According to the deprovincialization thesis, interethnic contact involves a reappraisal and distancing from the ingroup. Contact can broaden one's horizon by acknowledging and recognizing the value of other cultures and thereby putting the taken-for-granted own cultural standards into perspective. The current research uses data from three surveys…

  9. Molecular physiology of seeds. Author-review of the Thesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hajduch, M.

    2014-05-01

    Plant development is well described. However, full understanding of the regulation of processes associated with plant development is still missing. Present author-review of the Dr.Sc. thesis advances our understanding of the regulation of plant development by quantitative proteomics analyses of seed development of soybean, canola, castor, flax, and model plant arabidopsis in control and environmentally challenged environments. The analysis of greenhouse-grown soybean, canola, castor, and arabidospis provided complex characterization of metabolic processes during seed development, for instance, of carbon assimilation into fatty acids. Furthermore, the analyses of soybean and flax grown in Chernobyl area provided in-depth characterization of seed development in radio-contaminated environment. Soybean and flax were altered by radio-contaminated environment in different way. However, these alterations resulted into modifications in seed oil content. Further analyses showed that soybean and flax possess alterations of carbon metabolism in cytoplasm and plastids along with increased activity of photosynthetic apparatus. Our present experiments are focused on further characterization of molecular bases that might be responsible for alterations of seed oil content in Chernobyl grown plants. (author)

  10. Untreated Natural Graphite as a Graphene Source for High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Simón

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Graphene nanosheets (GNS are synthesized from untreated natural graphite (NG for use as electroactive materials in Li-ion batteries (LIBs, which avoids the pollution-generating steps of purifying graphite. Through a modified Hummer method and subsequent thermal exfoliation, graphitic oxide and graphene were synthesized and characterized structurally, morphologically and chemically. Untreated natural graphite samples contain 45–50% carbon by weight; the rest is composed of different elements such as aluminium, calcium, iron, silicon and oxygen, which are present as calcium carbonate and silicates of aluminium and iron. Our results confirm that in the GO and GNS synthesized, calcium is removed due to oxidation, though other impurities are maintained because they are not affected by the synthesis. Despite the remaining mineral phases, the energy storage capacity of GNS electrodes is very promising. In addition, an electrochemical comparison between GNS and NG demonstrated that the specific capacity in GNS is higher during the whole cycling process, 770 mA·g−1 at 100th cycle, which is twice that of graphite.

  11. Neuroendocrine and behavioral consequences of untreated and treated depression in pregnancy and lactation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csaszar, Eszter; Melichercikova, Kristina; Dubovicky, Michal

    2014-01-01

    Depression during pregnancy and in the post partum period is a significant health issue in modern society. The estimated prevalence of depression in pregnancy ranges from 13-20%. The major dilemma for gynecologists is to treat or not to treat depression during gestation and lactation. Consequences of untreated depression can be so serious that the benefit of antidepressant therapy may overweigh the possible risk for injury of fetal/neonatal development. Currently, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are commonly used for treatment of maternal depression. The review article brings up-to-date knowledge on effects of maternal adversity (depression) and/or antidepressants on the development of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of the offspring in relation to postnatal behavior and reactivity to stressful stimuli. Treated as well as untreated maternal depression presents a risk for the developing fetus and neonate. The authors stress the need to evaluate the relative safety of SNRIs/SNRIs by means of relevant experimental models to assess if these drugs can be assigned to treat pregnant and lactating depressive women.

  12. THE WEBER THESIS OF CALVINISM AND CAPITALISM--ITS VARIOUS VERSIONS AND THEIR "FATE" IN SOCIAL SCIENCE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafirovski, Milan

    2016-01-01

    The paper identifies and examines various multiple renditions of the so-called Weber Thesis of an historical association and convergence between ascetic Protestantism, above all Calvinism, and the emergence and development of modern capitalism as an economic spirit and system. Specifically, it detects at least four different versions and formulations or interpretations, thus casting doubt in the common view of the Weber Thesis as a single and monolithic theory or hypothesis. The paper also considers the status of the multiple versions of the Weber Thesis in post-Weberian and contemporary sociology and related disciplines like economics and history. It concludes that the weaker, relaxed renditions of the Weber Thesis have attained a greater success and more endured in contemporary social science than have its stronger, stricter versions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Report on the laboratory examination of the effect of fungal invasion on the durability of untreated mine support timbers

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Hall, PJ

    1967-02-01

    Full Text Available stream_source_info RR 12_67 The laboratory examination of the effect of fungal invasion on the durability of untreated mine support timber COMRO 1967.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 8 Content-Encoding ISO-8859...-1 stream_name RR 12_67 The laboratory examination of the effect of fungal invasion on the durability of untreated mine support timber COMRO 1967.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 ...

  14. Queueing systems with heavy tails (Summary of Ph.D. thesis on the occasion of receiving the Gijs de Leve prize)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zwart, A.P.

    2003-01-01

    This article gives a short summary of my PhD thesis Queueing Systems with Heavy-tails, winner of the Gijs De Leve prize for the best Dutch thesis in operations research in the period 2000-2002. Apart from the Gijs de Leve prize, this thesis also received the ASML prize, for best thesis in Ihe

  15. Casodex (bicalutamide) 150-mg monotherapy compared with castration in patients with previously untreated nonmetastatic prostate cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, P; Tyrrell, C J; Kaisary, A V

    1998-01-01

    To compare the efficacy, tolerability, and quality of life benefits of bicalutamide (Casodex) 150-mg/day monotherapy and castration in previously untreated nonmetastatic (M0) advanced prostate cancer....

  16. PLC VVVF Elevator Control System

    OpenAIRE

    Tang, Yujian; Gui, Tianyu

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the thesis is to introduce the PLC VVVF elevator and its control system. The thesis can be divided into three parts. The first part is about the overview of the lift: the kinds of the lift and the structure of the lift, it shows the knowledge about the components and the operating systems of the lift. The second part is about the PLC control system, it’s about the operations of the lift from the introduction about the hardware and software of the PLC control system. And the thi...

  17. News from the Library: Share your work, submit your thesis to CDS!

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Library

    2011-01-01

    Are you a student paid by CERN, using CERN equipment or advised by CERN staff and you are currently writing a thesis? Then you should know that you are welcome to submit your final work to the CERN Document Server (CDS), where it will be made available by Open Access.   This is the most efficient way of sharing your work within the community - your thesis will certainly find a much greater audience than if you follow the advice of certain dubious publishing companies (see the article Free access to science... but at what cost? published in this issue). At the same time, you ensure long-term storage of your file. All theses qualify, from bachelor to PhD, and any language is accepted. You simply go to CDS and submit your work. If your thesis was written some years ago it is still not too late to submit it; it will then get a new life on CDS! More information here. CERN Theses collection here. If you have any questions or submission problems, please do not hesitate to contact Catherine Cart. ...

  18. A thesis on fire : Studies of work engagement, Type A behavior and burnout

    OpenAIRE

    Eriksson Hallberg, Ulrika

    2005-01-01

    The overall address of the present thesis is the relationship between being ‘on fire’ and burning out. More specifically, the thesis focused largely on two representations of involvement in work (work engagement and Type A behavior) and their respective relationships to burnout. Another pervasive theme was construct validity in assessing burnout and work engagement. These themes were addressed in four empirical studies, conducted in a sample of health-care workers (Study I) and a sample of in...

  19. Turning Points: Improving Honors Student Preparation for Thesis Completion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patino, Cynthia

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation is an action research study that had as its primary goal to increase retention of honors college students at Arizona State University by implementing an additional advising session during the fifth semester of their academic career. Introducing additional, strategically-timed support for the honors thesis and demystifying the…

  20. Clinical consequences of untreated dental caries evaluated using PUFA index in orphanage children from India

    OpenAIRE

    Shanbhog, Raghavendra; Godhi, Brinda S; Nandlal, Bhojraj; Kumar, Shruti S; Raju, Veena; Rashmi, S

    2013-01-01

    Background: To determine the prevalence and severity of oral condition related to untreated dental caries with PUFA index and to relate period of institutional stay, oral hygiene practice and diet of orphan children to caries experience ratio.

  1. [Doctoral thesis: Demographic growth and economic and social development in Mali].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabo, K

    1999-12-01

    A doctoral thesis is described analyzing the relationships between demographic growth and economic and social development in Mali. The hypothesis is stated that demographic growth impedes economic development and any improvement in populations¿ standards of living. The hypothesis was verified using data for the period from 1960 to the present. Over that period, Mali conducted two general population censuses in 1976 and 1987, as well as several demographic research studies. The thesis is comprised of 4 parts, of which the first generally describes Mali. The second part analyzes the relationship between population growth and economic and social development in Mali. Study results are presented, followed by an analysis of the effects of economic and social development upon population growth in Mali through factors such as urbanization, education level, literacy, income, employment, occupation, gross domestic or gross national product by inhabitant, infant mortality rate, life expectancy at birth, contraceptive practice, fertility opinions and desires, women¿s status, and migration in Mali. Analysis indicates that Mali has not completely begun its demographic transition, but that traditional pronatalist behaviors are changing. Population policies and programs are explored in the third part of the thesis, followed by the fourth part which focuses upon methodological questions.

  2. The starting of the scientific research: workshops thesis in the Department and in the Faculty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Manuel Caraballo Carmona

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article presents a methodology to develop workshops thesis at the department level by the docto rate beginners. This research process of writing and defending the PhD thesis, will guide the researcher to get familiar with the research process that he develops and achieves. Additionally this article allows the researcher in his thesis workshops to sho w the theoretical knowledge related with the research methodology to ensure base d on science each of the results obtained during the research process. The purpose of this article is that the researcher present s a theoretical - methodological design supported by a high and strict theoretical work.

  3. Publishing a Master’s Thesis: A Guide for Novice Authors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resta, Robert G.; McCarthy Veach, Patricia; Charles, Sarah; Vogel, Kristen; Blase, Terri

    2010-01-01

    Publication of original research, clinical experiences, and critical reviews of literature are vital to the growth of the genetic counseling field, delivery of genetic counseling services, and professional development of genetic counselors. Busy clinical schedules, lack of time and funding, and training that emphasizes clinical skills over research skills may make it difficult for new genetic counselors to turn their thesis projects into publications. This paper summarizes and elaborates upon a presentation aimed at de-mystifying the publishing process given at the 2008 National Society of Genetic Counselors Annual Education Conference. Specific topics include familiarizing prospective authors, particularly genetic counseling students, with the basics of the publication process and related ethical considerations. Former students’ experiences with publishing master’s theses also are described in hopes of encouraging new genetic counselors to submit for publication papers based on their thesis projects. PMID:20076994

  4. Chemo-radioresistance of small cell lung cancer cell lines derived from untreated primary tumors obtained by diagnostic bronchofiberscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanio, Yoshiro; Watanabe, Masatoshi; Inoue, Tamotsu

    1990-01-01

    New cell lines of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were established from specimens of untreated primary tumors biopsied by diagnostic bronchofiberscopy. The advantage of this method was ease of obtaining specimens from lung tumors. Establishment of cell lines was successful with 4 of 13 specimens (30%). Clinical responses of the tumors showed considerable variation, but were well correlated with the in vitro sensitivity of the respective cell lines to chemotherapeutic drugs and irradiation. One of the cell lines was resistant to all drugs tested and irradiation, while another was sensitive to all of them. Although the acquired resistance of SCLC is the biggest problem in treatment, the natural resistance to therapy is another significant problem. Either acquired or natural, resistance mechanisms of SCLC may be elucidated by the use of such cell lines derived from untreated tumors. This method and these SCLC cell lines are expected to be useful for the serial study of biologic and genetic changes of untreated and pre-treated tumors, or primary and secondary tumors. (author)

  5. Inventory control in case of unknown demand and control parameters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, E.

    2010-01-01

    This thesis deals with unknown demand and control parameters in inventory control. Inventory control involves decisions on what to order when and in what quantity. These decisions are based on information about the demand. Models are constructed using complete demand information; these models ensure

  6. Relationship between parents' occupational characteristics and untreated dental caries in offspring: A population-based study of data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Sung-Shil; Kim, Byurira; Yoon, Jin-Ha; Song, Je Seon; Park, Eun-Cheol; Jang, Sung-In

    2018-05-01

    Objectives We investigated the association between parents' occupational characteristics and untreated dental caries in their children. Methods We analyzed the data of 4764 and 5862 children merged with data of their mothers and fathers, respectively, derived from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2015. Dentists assessed untreated dental caries, and occupational characteristics were self-reported. The associations between untreated dental caries in children and their parents' occupational characteristics were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of untreated dental caries was 18.58% and 16.39% in the mother- and father-matched data, respectively. Compared to children whose mothers worked regular hours, those whose mothers worked overtime had increased odds of untreated dental caries [odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.39]. Children of female self-employed workers/employers/unpaid family workers had higher odds of untreated dental caries than those of wage earners (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.00-1.39). The OR of untreated dental caries was higher among children with shift-working parents than those whose parents worked daytime hours (mother: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11-1.51; father: OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.18-1.58). Conclusions The children of non-white-collar workers, non-wage earners, and workers working overtime or doing shift work had higher odds of untreated dental caries. The effects of parental occupational characteristics on untreated dental caries differed by sex (mother versus father). Public health programs targeting the prevention of dental caries among children should consider parental occupational characteristics.

  7. Effect of pH, Dosage and Concentration on the Adsorption of Congo Red onto Untreated and Treated Aluminium Dross

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakaria Mohamad Zulfika, Hazielim B.; Baini, Rubiyah; Zauzi, Nur Syuhada Ahmad

    2017-06-01

    The adsorption of congo red onto aluminium dross was studied in batch process. The objective of this study is to adsorption capacity between untreated and treated aluminium dross in the removal of congo red. Aluminium dross was leached with 250 ml of 1% of NaOH and and precipitated with 30% H2O2. The treated aluminium dross being calcined at 600°C for 3 hours. The surface area for untreated and treated aluminium dross was 10.06 m2/g and 79.80 m2/g respectively. Then the adsorption process was carried out on an orbital shaker at 200 rpm for 4 hours. In the effect of pH, it was found that untreated removes more congo red compared to the treated while in the effect of concentration solution and dosage of adsorbent, treated aluminium dross removes more congo red. In conclusion, this adsorbent was found to be effective and economically viable in the removal of congo red in waste water treatment.

  8. Duration of untreated psychosis and pathway to care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Fayez, Hanan; Lappin, Julia; Murray, Robin; Boydell, Jane

    2017-02-01

    Recent studies of 'duration of untreated psychosis' (DUP) indicate that some patients remain untreated in the community for some time. Considerable emphasis has been placed on reducing the DUP. However, most studies investigating DUP have been conducted in Western countries, where well-developed primary care systems are available. This study aims to describe DUP and its association with both demographic factors and pathways to care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A retrospective study of 421 new case records of all Saudi schizophrenia patients over a 2-year period in six governmental hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The median DUP was 1.41 years (interquartile range 0.35-2.81 years). The longest time to contact was 9.86 years but 90% had a DUP shorter than 5 years. Older age at onset, single marital status and higher educational level were associated with shorter DUP. Long DUP was associated with help seeking from traditional healers. In Saudi Arabia, it usually takes longer for patients to seek help from psychiatric services after their first psychosis onset than it does in Western countries. The results suggest that the DUP is influenced by both demographic factors and pathways to care. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  9. Toxicity assessment of untreated/treated electroplating sludge using human and plant bioassay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orescanin, Visnja; Durgo, Ksenija; Mikelic, Ivanka Lovrencic; Halkijevic, Ivan; Kuspilic, Marin

    2018-04-30

    The purpose of this work was to assess the risk to the environment arising from the electroplating sludge from both chemical and toxicological point of view. Both approaches were used for the assessment of the treatment efficiency which consisted of CaO based solidification followed by thermal treatment at 400°C. The elemental composition was determined in the bulk samples and the leachates of untreated sludge. The toxicity of the leachate was determined using two human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2 and SW 480) and Hordeum vulgare L. based plant bioassay. The same toxicity tests were employed to the leachate of the treated sludge. Untreated sludge showed extremely high cytotoxic effect to both human and plant bio-system in dose-dependent manner. The percentages higher than 0.5% and 0.05% of the leachate caused significant cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 and SW 480 cells, respectively. The percentages of the leachate higher than 0.05% also showed significant toxic effect to H. vulgare L. bio-system with complete arrest of seed germination following the treatment with 100% to 5% of the leachate. The leachate of the treated sludge showed no toxicity to any of the test systems confirming the efficiency and justification of the employed procedures for the detoxification of electroplating sludge.

  10. Control of schistosomiasis in Guayama and Arroyo, Puerto Rico*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jobin, William R.; Ferguson, Frederick F.; Palmer, Juan R.

    1970-01-01

    In 1953, a programme to control schistosomiasis mansoni was started in Guayama and Arroyo, Puerto Rico, employing, first, chemical and, later, both biological and chemical methods to control Biomphalaria glabrata, the snail host of Schistosoma mansoni. Sodium pentachlorophenate was the molluscicide, and an ampullarid snail, Marisa cornuarietis, was used for biological control in ponds and reservoirs. In addition some chemotherapy was given to infected persons. The prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was measured annually, sampling about one-third of the 6-year-old population in Guayama and Arroyo and in Caguas, an untreated area. Costs of the programme and the results are discussed in relation to similar projects in other parts of Puerto Rico. In Guayama and Arroyo the prevalence of schistosomiasis reached zero in 6-year-olds by 1966 despite the persistence of the disease in a nearby untreated area. Although this decline appeared related to the control effort, it is noted that a large decline also occurred in the untreated area, suggesting the influence of other factors such as economic development or improvements in sanitation. PMID:5309511

  11. Control of schistosomiasis in Guayama and Arroyo, Puerto Rico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jobin, W R; Ferguson, F F; Palmer, J R

    1970-01-01

    In 1953, a programme to control schistosomiasis mansoni was started in Guayama and Arroyo, Puerto Rico, employing, first, chemical and, later, both biological and chemical methods to control Biomphalaria glabrata, the snail host of Schistosoma mansoni. Sodium pentachlorophenate was the molluscicide, and an ampullarid snail, Marisa cornuarietis, was used for biological control in ponds and reservoirs. In addition some chemotherapy was given to infected persons. The prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was measured annually, sampling about one-third of the 6-year-old population in Guayama and Arroyo and in Caguas, an untreated area. Costs of the programme and the results are discussed in relation to similar projects in other parts of Puerto Rico. In Guayama and Arroyo the prevalence of schistosomiasis reached zero in 6-year-olds by 1966 despite the persistence of the disease in a nearby untreated area. Although this decline appeared related to the control effort, it is noted that a large decline also occurred in the untreated area, suggesting the influence of other factors such as economic development or improvements in sanitation.

  12. Strategies for Finding and Selecting an Ideal Thesis or Dissertation Topic: A Review of Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Simon A.

    2009-01-01

    Choosing an ideal master's thesis or doctoral dissertation topic is probably one of the most important decisions students will make while in graduate school. Some graduate students may spend a year or even longer looking for potential topics before finally selecting one for their thesis or dissertation. There are a number of successful strategies…

  13. Eugenics and moral authorship. Analysis of a Habermas´s thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Ortega Esquembre

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to study the Jürgen Habermas´s vision of genetic manipulation; in particular, it will be addressed critically his assumption that the genetically engineered person would loose his awareness of authorship. In the author´s view, positive genetic intervention —one that is to genetically enhance the subject— would eliminate the awareness of authorship of that subject, as well as his self-understanding as moral agent. Two aspects of the question will be approached: firstly, the correctness or incorrectness of Habermas´s thesis. Secondly, the relevance of the thesis to oppose positive eugenics. Could be other arguments considered within Habermas´s conceptual framework to oppose positive eugenics?

  14. Characterization of untreated and treated male and female date palm leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AlMaadeed, M.A.; Kahraman, Ramazan; Noorunnisa Khanam, P.; Al-Maadeed, Somaya

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Sheshi female and male date palm leaves were treated with NaOH concentrations. ► Male leaves have lower mechanical properties and improved when treated by NaOH 2%. ► Female leaves have higher thermal stability. ► There are different properties for different types of date leaves. ► Leaves can be used as reinforcements for thermoplastic materials. -- Abstract: This paper describes the characterization of male and female date palm leaves from two different cultivars, Sheshi female and unknown male leaves. Characterization was done for both untreated and NaOH treated date palm leaves by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopic techniques. To our knowledge, the difference in specious reaction to the treatment type of date palm fiber has not been investigated earlier. These leaves were treated with different concentrations of NaOH, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% (w/w). The results from this investigation indicate that female leaves have better tensile properties which deteriorate with the increase of the alkali. The male leaves have lower tensile properties than female leaves and their mechanical properties are improved slightly by NaOH treatment. Female leaves have more pores than male leaves, this was proved and calculated by image analysis. Untreated female leaves have higher thermal stability (353 °C) than male leaves (343 °C). Both can be used as reinforcements in thermoplastic matrix materials whose processing temperatures are below 300 °C.

  15. Quality of Life in Patients With Untreated and Symptomatic Hallux Valgus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Yohei; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Muramatsu, Yuta; Terakado, Atsushi; Sasho, Takahisa; Akagi, Ryuichiro; Endo, Jun; Sato, Yasunori; Takahashi, Kazuhisa

    2016-11-01

    The purposes of this study were to compare the quality of life (QOL) of subjects who had untreated symptomatic hallux valgus with the QOL of the general population and to investigate factors associated with the QOL of the subjects. One hundred sixteen subjects with previously untreated and symptomatic hallux valgus were surveyed. QOL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Additionally, clinical evaluations (the visual analog scale for pain, Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot Scale, lesser toe pain, and pain in other parts of the body) and radiographic evaluations (hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle between the first and second metatarsals, and dislocation of the second metatarsophalangeal joint) were performed. Differences in the SF-36 between the subjects and the general population were tested using independent t tests. Correlations between the QOL measurements, clinical evaluations, and radiographic evaluations were assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficient. All SF-36 subscales and physical component summary scores for the subjects were significantly lower than those of the general population. Notably, the standardized physical function subscale (38.2 ± 15.8, P hallux valgus subjects was lower than that of the general population. All QOL and clinical evaluation parameters were not significantly or negligibly correlated with the severity of toe deformities. Surgical decision making should not be based on the severity of the deformity alone, but rather patient QOL should also be carefully assessed. Level III, comparative series. © The Author(s) 2016.

  16. Linking the environmental loads to the fate of PPCPs in Beijing: Considering both the treated and untreated wastewater sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Bin; Dai, Guohua; Deng, Shubo; Huang, Jun; Wang, Yujue; Yu, Gang

    2015-01-01

    The environmental loads of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in Beijing were estimated from direct discharge of untreated wastewater and WWTP treated effluent. The annual environmental loads of 15 PPCP components ranged from 16.3 kg (propranolol) to 9.85 tons (caffeine). A fugacity model was developed to successfully estimate the PPCP pollution based on the estimated environmental load. The modeled results approximated the observed PPCP concentrations in Beijing. The untreated wastewater contributed significantly to PPCP pollution in Beijing, ranging from 46% (propranolol) to 99% (caffeine). The total environmental burden of target PPCPs ranged from 0.90 kg (propranolol) to 536 kg (caffeine). Water is the most important media for the fate of PPCPs. Monte Carlo-based concentration distributions of PPCPs are consistent with the observed results. The most important way to reduce the PPCP pollution is to both improve wastewater collection rate and adopt deep treatment technologies. - Highlights: • Annual environmental loads of PPCPs ranged from 16.3 kg to 9.85 tons in Beijing. • The environmental loads can be linked to PPCP pollution by fugacity model. • Untreated wastewater significantly contributed to PPCP pollution in Beijing. • The environmental burden of 15 PPCPs in Beijing ranged from 0.90 kg to 536 kg. • Uncertainty simulation successfully generated PPCP concentration distribution. - The environmental loads from both the treated and untreated wastewater sources contribute to PPCPs pollution in the surface water in Beijing, China

  17. Climate change, values, and the cultural cognition thesis

    OpenAIRE

    Persson, Johannes; Sahlin, Nils-Eric; Wallin, Annika

    2015-01-01

    Recently the importance of addressing values in discussions of risk perception and adaptation to climate change has become manifest. Values-based approaches to climate change adaptation and the cultural cognition thesis both illustrate this trend. We argue that in the wake of this development it is necessary to take the dynamic relationship between values and beliefs seriously, to acknowledge the possibility of bi-directional relationships between values and beliefs, and to address the variet...

  18. School-based approaches to reducing the duration of untreated psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiffman, Jason; Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Hong, L Elliot; Reeves, Gloria

    2015-04-01

    Students with emerging psychosis often experience delays in diagnosis and treatment that impact mental health and academic outcomes. School systems have tremendous potential to improve early identification and treatment of adolescent psychosis. As a community-based resource, schools can support outreach, education, and screening for adolescents with psychosis and engage identified students and their families for treatment. The concept of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP; the gap between symptom onset and treatment initiation) in adolescent psychosis and the potential role of schools in reducing DUP are reviewed. Future directions for clinical care and research needed to support school-based interventions are proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Quantitative analysis of untreated human nails for monitoring human exposure to heavy metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sera, Koichiro; Futatsugawa, Shouji; Murao, Satoshi; Clemente, E.

    2002-01-01

    In order to address global environmental issues, a standard-free method developed by ourselves has been successfully applied to various kinds of bio-samples. Especially, a method for untreated hairs has been applied in many polluted areas to study human exposure to toxic elements. In addition to hair, nail is expected to give us valuable information about human exposure to toxic elements. However, the analysis requires relatively large amounts of samples and laborious sample preparation techniques which necessitate internal standards. In this work, we have developed a quantitative method for untreated human-nail analysis based on the standard-free method. It requires neither large amounts of nails nor complicated target preparation procedure. Furthermore, it is perfectly free from any ambiguity in target preparation such as volatilization of certain elements and contamination of the sample during chemical ashing. The optimum conditions of irradiating nail samples are established, and accuracy and reproducibility of the present method are confirmed. It is found that ultrasonic washing in distilled water is effective for many nail samples preventing the loss of elements from the sample. It is also found that elemental concentration in nails strongly depends on their sampling positions. (author)

  20. MATLAB simulation software used for the PhD thesis "Acquisition of Multi-Band Signals via Compressed Sensing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    MATLAB simulation software used for the PhD thesis "Acquisition of Multi-Band Signals via Compressed Sensing......MATLAB simulation software used for the PhD thesis "Acquisition of Multi-Band Signals via Compressed Sensing...

  1. Associations between causal attributions and personal stigmatizing attitudes in untreated persons with current mental health problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolzenburg, Susanne; Freitag, Simone; Schmidt, Silke; Schomerus, Georg

    2018-02-01

    Past research has shown that among the general public, certain causal explanations like biomedical causes are associated with stronger desire for social distance from persons with mental illness. Aim of this study was to find out how different causal attributions of persons with untreated mental health problems regarding their own complaints are associated with stigmatizing attitudes, anticipated self-stigma when seeking help and perceived stigma-stress. Altogether, 207 untreated persons with a current depressive syndrome were interviewed. Biomedical causes, but also belief in childhood trauma or unhealthy behavior as a cause of the problem, were associated with stronger personal stigma and with more stigma-stress. Similarities and differences to findings among the general population and implications for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Entrepreneurial proliferation: Russia`s nuclear industry suits the buyers market. Master`s thesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Whalen, T.D.; Williams, A.R.

    1995-06-01

    The Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, bringing an end to four decades of the Cold War. A system of tight centralized controls has given way to chaotic freedom and un-managed, entrepreneurial capitalism. Of immediate concern to most world leaders has been the control and safety of over 30,000 Soviet nuclear weapons. After 1991, the Soviet, centralized system of management lost one key structural element: a reliable `human factor` for nuclear material control. The Soviet systems for physical security and material control are still in place in the nuclear inheritor states - Russia, Ukraine, Khazakhnstan, and Belarus - but they do not restrain or regulate their nuclear industry. In the chaos created by the Soviet collapse, the nonproliferation regime may not adequately temper the supply of the nuclear materials of the new inheritor states. This could permit organizations or states seeking nuclear weapons easier access to fissile materials. New initiatives such as the United States Cooperative Threat Reduction program, which draws upon U.S. technology and expertise to help the NIS solve these complex problems, are short-tern tactics. At present there are no strategies which address the long-tern root problems caused by the Soviet collapse.This thesis demonstrates the extent of the nuclear control problems in Russia. Specifically, we examine physical security, material control and accounting regulation and enforcement, and criminal actions. It reveals that the current lack of internal controls make access to nuclear materials easier for aspiring nuclear weapons States.

  3. Ten-year survival rates of teeth adjacent to treated and untreated posterior bounded edentulous spaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquilino, S A; Shugars, D A; Bader, J D; White, B A

    2001-05-01

    Failure to replace a single missing posterior tooth may lead to a variety of dental problems, which may ultimately result in tooth loss. However, little is known about the fate of the adjacent teeth if a missing posterior tooth is not replaced. This retrospective study evaluated the survival of teeth adjacent to treated and untreated posterior bounded edentulous spaces. Data were obtained from electronic treatment records from the Kaiser Permanente Dental Care Program, Portland, Ore. A final sample of 317 patients who met the study inclusion criteria was identified. Each bounded edentulous space was placed in 1 of 3 treatment categories: untreated, restored with a fixed partial denture, or restored with a removable partial denture. Subsequent treatment and the status of the teeth adjacent to the bounded edentulous space were followed through December 1999. Ten-year Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were generated for each treatment group, and differences in survival were evaluated with the log-rank chi-square test (alpha=.05). There was a significant difference in survival among the 3 treatment categories (P=.005). Spaces restored with a fixed partial denture had longer 10-year survival estimates (92%) than those that remained untreated (81%). Spaces restored with a removable partial denture had the poorest 10-year survival rate (56%). Under the conditions and selection bias associated with this retrospective study, the survival of teeth adjacent to a single posterior edentulous space was negatively associated with removable partial denture placement compared with no treatment or the use of a fixed partial denture.

  4. Sterilization of melon flies: mating competitiveness after treatment with tepa or gamma irradiation and ratios of treated to untreated flies producing population suppression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashraf, M.; Keiser, I.; Harris, E.J.

    1976-01-01

    Male melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, treated with a single dose of the chemosterilant tepa (tris(l-aziridinyl) phosphine oxide), or with gamma irradiation, either single or fractionated doses, did not differ significantly in sexual competitiveness as determined by percentage hatch of eggs. Mating competitiveness of males treated by either method ranged from 53 to 66 percent of that of untreated males. In another study, melon flies (males and females) sterilized with 0.0125 percent tepa, the threshold dose for both sexes, completely suppressed a population when the ratio was 16:16:1:1 (sterile males-sterile females-untreated males-untreated females) as determined by no egg hatch

  5. Tracking Control of Nonlinear Mechanical Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lefeber, A.A.J.

    2000-01-01

    The subject of this thesis is the design of tracking controllers for certain classes of mechanical systems. The thesis consists of two parts. In the first part an accurate mathematical model of the mechanical system under consideration is assumed to be given. The goal is to follow a certain

  6. Embedded Controller Design for Pig Stable Ventilation Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jessen, Jan Jacob

    This thesis focuses on zone based climate control in pig stables and how to implement climate controllers in a new range of products. The presented controllers are based on simple models of climate dynamics and simple models of actuators. The implementation uses graphical point and click features....... The thesis is a collection of eight papers. The first two papers deal with the mplementation of controllers and how to integrate the development of controllers into a complete framework that can provide different services e.g. remote monitoring. The same framework is also capable of automatically generating...

  7. Giant unusual shaped chronic subdural hematoma in a patient with untreated congenital hydrocephalus

    OpenAIRE

    Mishra, Arvind; Ojha, Bal. K.; Chandra, Anil; Srivastava, Chhitij; Singh, Sunil Kumar

    2011-01-01

    Subdural hematoma is a well known complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion for hydrocephalus and usually spreads out over the cerebral convexity, and appears as a crescent shaped lesion on imaging. Chronic subdural hematoma in a case of untreated compensated congenital hydrocephalus has not been reported in English literature. We report the rare case of an adult with congenital hydrocephalus with a huge unusual shaped hemispheric subdural hematoma.

  8. Economic impact of feeding a phenylalanine-restricted diet to adults with previously untreated phenylketonuria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, M C; Guest, J F

    1999-02-01

    The aim of the present study was to estimate the direct healthcare cost of managing adults with previously untreated phenylketonuria (PKU) for one year before any dietary restrictions and for the first year after a phenylalanine- (PHE-) restricted diet was introduced. The resource use and corresponding costs were estimated from medical records and interviews with health care professionals experienced in caring for adults with previously untreated PKU. The mean annual cost of caring for a client being fed an unrestricted diet was estimated to be 83 996 pound silver. In the first year after introducing a PHE-restricted diet, the mean annual cost was reduced by 20 647 pound silver to 63 348 pound silver as a result of a reduction in nursing time, hospitalizations, outpatient clinic visits and medications. However, the economic benefit of the diet depended on whether the clients were previously high or low users of nursing care. Nursing time was the key cost-driver, accounting for 79% of the cost of managing high users and 31% of the management cost for low users. In contrast, the acquisition cost of a PHE-restricted diet accounted for up to 6% of the cost for managing high users and 15% of the management cost for low users. Sensitivity analyses showed that introducing a PHE-restricted diet reduces the annual cost of care, provided that annual nursing time was reduced by more than 8% or more than 5% of clients respond to the diet. The clients showed fewer negative behaviours when being fed a PHE-restricted diet, which may account for the observed reduction in nursing time needed to care for these clients. In conclusion, feeding a PHE-restricted diet to adults with previously untreated PKU leads to economic benefits to the UK's National Health Service and society in general.

  9. Assessment of treated vs untreated oil spills. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, M.P.

    1981-02-01

    The results of a series of studies conducted to determine the practicability and feasibility of using dispersants to mitigate the impact of an oil spill on the environment are described. The method of approach is holistic in that it combines the physical, chemical, microbial and macro-fauna response to a spill treated with dispersants and compares this with spills that are left untreated. The program integrates mathematical, laboratory, meso-scale (three 20 foot high by three feet in diameter tanks, in-situ experiments and analyses to determine if the use of dispersants is an effective oil spill control agent. In summary, it appears viable to use dispersants as determined on a case by case basis. The case for using dispersants has to be based on whether or not their use will mitigate the environmental impact of the spill. In the case of an open ocean spill that is being driven into a rich inter-tidal community, the use of dispersants could greatly reduce the environmental impact. Even in the highly productive George's Bank area at the height of the cod spawning season, the impact of the use of dispersants is well within the limits of natural variability when the threshold toxicity level is assumed to be as low as 100 ppB, a level which is often found in the open ocean. Thus, it appears that dispersants can and should be used when it is evident that their use will mitigate the impacts of the spill. Their use in areas where there is poor circulation and therefore little possibility of rapid dilution is more questionable and should be a subject of future studies.

  10. Impact of untreated dental caries and its clinical consequences on the oral health-related quality of life of schoolchildren aged 8-10 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mota-Veloso, Isabella; Soares, Maria Eliza C; Alencar, Bruna Mota; Marques, Leandro Silva; Ramos-Jorge, Maria Letícia; Ramos-Jorge, Joana

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the impact of untreated dental caries and its clinical consequences on the quality of life of Brazilian schoolchildren aged 8-10 years. A randomly selected sample of 587 children underwent a clinical oral examination for the assessment of untreated dental caries and clinical consequences. The WHO criteria (decayed component of the decayed, missing, and filled teeth--D-DMFT in permanent teeth or d-dfmt in primary teeth) and the PUFA index, which records the presence of severely decayed permanent (upper case) and primary (lower case) teeth with visible pulpal involvement (P/p), as well as ulceration caused by dislocated tooth fragments (U/u), fistula (F/f), and abscesses (A/a), were used for the oral examination. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was evaluated using the Child's Perception Questionnaire (CPQ8-10). Poisson regression was employed to test unadjusted and adjusted associations between untreated dental caries/clinical consequences and OHRQoL. The prevalence of untreated dental caries was 64.6% (D/d component of DMFT/dmft > 0) and 17.9% of children exhibited clinical consequences of caries (PUFA/pufa index >0). In the adjusted models, untreated caries was significantly associated with the total CPQ8-10 score and all subscale scores. The clinical consequences of dental caries (PUFA/pufa index >0) were significantly associated with the total CPQ8-10 as well as the oral symptoms and functional limitations' subscales. Untreated dental caries and its clinical consequences exerted a negative impact on the OHRQoL of the schoolchildren analyzed.

  11. Democracies under rising inequality : New tests of the redistributive thesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Linde, D.E.

    2017-01-01

    Recent increases in income inequality have led a number of authors to question the redistributive thesis, which predicts higher levels of income inequality will be met with increased redistribution of income, curbing inequality. This dissertation offers a new test of this theory, and sets out to

  12. Usability evaluation of user interface of thesis title review system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tri, Y.; Erna, A.; Gellysa, U.

    2018-03-01

    Presentation of programs with user interface that can be accessed online through the website of course greatly provide user benefits. User can easily access the program they need. There are usability values that serve as a benchmark for the success of a user accessible program, ie efficiency, effectiveness, and convenience. These usability values also determine the development of the program for the better use. Therefore, on the review title thesis program that will be implemented in STT Dumai was measured usability evaluation. It aims to see which sides are not yet perfect and need to be improved to improve the performance and utilization of the program. Usability evaluation was measured by using smartPLS software. Database used was the result of respondent questionnaires that include questions about the experience when they used program. The result of a review of thesis title program implemented in STT Dumai has an efficiency value of 22.615, the effectiveness of 20.612, and satisfaction of 33.177.

  13. Learning Cultures in Travel and Tourism: A Critique of Manuela du Bois-Reymond's Trendsetter Learner Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Andrew

    2011-01-01

    This article aims to contribute to the discussion surrounding Manuela du Bois-Reymond's important "trendsetter learner" thesis and, in so doing, to join the wider debate about post-compulsory learning cultures. The article outlines the trendsetter learner thesis and then considers recent criticisms that it has attracted. While the author…

  14. Management Control Packages in Public Sector Organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Kolk, Berend

    2016-01-01

    This thesis examines configurations of management control (MC) packages in public sector organizations, and how they relate to employee motivation and behavior. Using multiple case studies and a survey study, this thesis contributes to the extant literature in three ways. First, it enhances the

  15. Data-Driven Control of Refrigeration System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vinther, Kasper

    Refrigeration is used in a wide range of applications, e.g., for storage of food at low temperatures to prolong shelf life and in air conditioning for occupancy comfort. The main focus of this thesis is control of supermarket refrigeration systems. This market is very competitive and it is import......Refrigeration is used in a wide range of applications, e.g., for storage of food at low temperatures to prolong shelf life and in air conditioning for occupancy comfort. The main focus of this thesis is control of supermarket refrigeration systems. This market is very competitive...... traditionally are a pressure and a temperature sensor. In this thesis, a novel maximum slope-seeking (MSS) control method is developed. This has resulted in a control implementation, which successfully has been able to control the evaporator superheat in four widely different refrigeration system test...... problems. The method utilizes the qualitative nonlinearity in the system and harmonic analysis of a perturbation signal to reach an unknown, but suitable, operating point. Another important control task in refrigeration systems is to maintain the temperature of the refrigerated space or foodstuff within...

  16. Acceptance of a systematic review as a thesis: survey of biomedical doctoral programs in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puljak, Livia; Sapunar, Damir

    2017-12-12

    Systematic reviews (SRs) have been proposed as a type of research methodology that should be acceptable for a graduate research thesis. The aim of this study was to analyse whether PhD theses in European biomedical graduate programs can be partly or entirely based on SRs. In 2016, we surveyed individuals in charge of European PhD programs from 105 institutions. The survey asked about acceptance of SRs as the partial or entire basis for a PhD thesis, their attitude towards such a model for PhD theses, and their knowledge about SR methodology. We received responses from 86 individuals running PhD programs in 68 institutions (institutional response rate of 65%). In 47% of the programs, SRs were an acceptable study design for a PhD thesis. However, only 20% of participants expressed a personal opinion that SRs meet the criteria for a PhD thesis. The most common reasons for not accepting SRs as the basis for PhD theses were that SRs are 'not a result of a PhD candidate's independent work, but more of a team effort' and that SRs 'do not produce enough new knowledge for a dissertation'. The majority of participants were not familiar with basic concepts related to SRs; questions about meta-analyses and the type of plots frequently used in SRs were correctly answered by only one third of the participants. Raising awareness about the importance of SRs and their methodology could contribute to higher acceptance of SRs as a type of research that forms the basis of a PhD thesis.

  17. Artistic freedom. The challenge of thesis supervision in an art ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rigorous science – Artistic freedom. The challenge of thesis supervision in an art university. K Rinne, P Sivenius. Abstract. No Abstract. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 21 (8) 2007: pp. 1091-1102. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT.

  18. An evaluation of the process and initial impact of disseminating a nursing e-thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macduff, Colin

    2009-05-01

    This paper is a report of a study conducted to evaluate product, process and outcome aspects of the dissemination of a nursing PhD thesis via an open-access electronic institutional repository. Despite the growth of university institutional repositories which make theses easily accessible via the world wide web, nursing has been very slow to evaluate related processes and outcomes. Drawing on Stake's evaluation research methods, a case study design was adopted. The case is described using a four-phase structure within which key aspects of process and impact are reflexively analysed. In the conceptualization/re-conceptualization phase, fundamental questions about the purpose, format and imagined readership for a published nursing PhD were considered. In the preparation phase, seven key practical processes were identified that are likely to be relevant to most e-theses. In the dissemination phase email invitations were primarily used to invite engagement. The evaluation phase involved quantitative indicators of initial impact, such as page viewing and download statistics and qualitative feedback on processes and product. Analysis of process and impact elements of e-thesis dissemination is likely to have more than intrinsic value. The advent of e-theses housed in web-based institutional repositories has the potential to transform thesis access and use. It also offers potential to transform the nature and scope of thesis production and dissemination. Nursing scholars can exploit and evaluate such opportunities.

  19. Factors Mediating the Interactions between Adviser and Advisee during the Master's Thesis Project: A Quantitative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues Jr., Jose Florencio; Lehmann, Angela Valeria Levay; Fleith, Denise De Souza

    2005-01-01

    Building on previous studies centred on the interaction between adviser and advisee in masters thesis projects, in which a qualitative approach was used, the present study uses factor analysis to identify the factors that determine either a successful or unsuccessful outcome for the masters thesis project. There were five factors relating to the…

  20. Duration of untreated psychosis in adolescents: ethnic differences and clinical profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dominguez, Maria-de-Gracia; Fisher, Helen L; Major, Barnaby; Chisholm, Brock; Rahaman, Nikola; Joyce, John; Woolley, James; Lawrence, Jo; Hinton, Mark; Marlowe, Karl; Aitchison, Katherine; Johnson, Sonia; Hodes, Matthew

    2013-11-01

    Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) is an important measure associated with outcome of psychosis. This first study in the UK compared DUP between adolescent and adult-onset individuals and explored whether the adolescent-onset group showed variations in DUP that could be accounted for by sociodemographic and selected risk factors. This naturalistic cohort study included 940 new first-episode psychosis cases aged 14-35years (136 adolescent-onset versus 804 adult-onset psychotic individuals) referred to nine Early Intervention Services for Psychosis in London (2003-2009). Sociodemographic characteristics, age of onset, family history of mental illness, duration of untreated psychosis, suicidality and substance use information were collected at entry to the services. Adolescents presented with significantly greater median DUP (179days) than adults (81days, p=0.005). Large differences in DUP were found amongst adolescent ethnic groups (median DUP: White: 454days; Black: 103days; Asian and mixed: 28.5days). In addition, younger age of onset and higher lifetime cannabis use were associated with longer treatment delay amongst adolescents. This study of DUP in adolescent-onset psychosis found it to be approximately twice the length of DUP amongst adults. For the adolescent White sub-group, DUP was far greater than the UK Department of Health target (<3months). Both the high rates of lifetime cannabis use and the lower age of onset might explain the long DUP in this ethnic group. Physicians need to be particularly vigilant about identifying and managing early psychosis in adolescents. © 2013.

  1. Prospective relationship of duration of untreated psychosis to psychopathology and functional outcome over 12 years.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hill, Michele

    2012-11-01

    The duration of untreated psychosis is well recognised as an independent predictor of symptomatic and functional outcome in the short term and has facilitated the development of worldwide early intervention programmes. However, the extent and mechanisms by which it might influence prognosis beyond a decade remain poorly understood.

  2. Writing a Thesis : A Guide for Scientific Reports

    OpenAIRE

    Engdahl, Ingrid; Sandqvist, Karin

    2012-01-01

    This guide is an introduction to one way to write scientific reports, the way we have been using and taught to our students in Teacher Education Programmes and Child and Youth Studies. It includes how to structure the text, suggested content to go under each heading, some rules about quotes and references, cooperation with the advisor and with fellow students and, finally, guides for the thesis seminar, an agenda for the seminar and advice for the opponent(s) and respondent(s). The references...

  3. Modelling the Thin-Layer Drying Kinetics of Untreated and Blanch-Osmotic Pre-treated Tomato Slices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel Enahoro Agarry

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-treatment and drying temperature on the drying kinetics and nutritional quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum L. under hot air drying. Tomato samples were blanched at 80oC and osmotically dehydrated using 20% w/w sodium chloride solutions at 30oC for 20 min. The blanch-osmotic pre-treated and untreated tomato slices were dried at temperature of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80oC, respectively in a hot air-dryer. The results showed that blanch-osmotic pre-treatment offered a higher drying rate and lower or faster drying time than untreated condition. The tomato drying regime was characteristically in the constant and falling rate period. The tomato drying rate curve showed characteristics of porous hygroscopic solids. The optimum drying temperature for tomato was found to be 60oC. Four semi-empirical drying models of Newton, Page, Henderson and Pabis, and Logarithmic were fitted to the drying data using non-linear regression analysis. The most appropriate model was selected using the coefficient of determination (R2 and root mean square error (RMSE. The Page model has shown a better fit to the drying kinetics data of tomato in comparison with other tested models. Transport of moisture during drying was described by Fick’s diffusion model application and the effective moisture diffusivity (Deff thus estimated. The Deff at 60oC was 4.43 × 10-11m2/s and 6.33 × 10-11m2/s for blanch-osmotic pre-treated and untreated tomato slices, respectively.

  4. Nursing students' attitudes toward research and development within nursing: Does writing a bachelor thesis make a difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uysal Toraman, Aynur; Hamaratçılar, Güler; Tülü, Begüm; Erkin, Özüm

    2017-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of writing a bachelor's thesis on nursing students' attitudes towards research and development in nursing. The study sample consisted of 91 nursing students who were required to complete a bachelor's thesis and 89 nursing students who were not required to complete a bachelor's thesis. Data were collected via self-report questionnaire that was distributed in May and June 2012. The questionnaire comprised 3 parts: (1) demographic items; (2) questions about "scientific activities," and (3) the nursing students' attitudes towards and awareness of research and development within nursing scale (version 2). The mean age of the students was 23 (1.3) years. The students who wrote a bachelor's thesis achieved a median score of 110.0, whereas the students in the other group had a median score of 105.0 on the scale. All the items were assigned a 3 or higher. A statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups in their attitudes towards and awareness of research (U = 3265.5; P = .025). The results of this study suggest that writing a thesis in nursing education has a positive influence on nursing students' attitudes towards and awareness of research and development in nursing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  5. Using the Pebb Universal Controller to Modify Control Algorithms for DC-To-DC Converters and Implement Closed-Loop Control of ARCP Inverters

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Floodeen, David

    1998-01-01

    The objective of this thesis is two-fold. The first goal is to expand the operational capabilities of the Ship's Service Converter Module control algorithm for a DC-to-DC converter using the Universal Controller...

  6. Altered metabolic incorporation of fucose and leucine into PNS myelin of 25-week-old diabetic (C57BL/Ks [db/db]) mice: effects of untreated diabetes on nerve metabolism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chez, M.G.; Peterson, R.G.

    1983-01-01

    Sciatic nerves of 25-week-old genetically diabetic (C57BL/Ks [db/db]) mice and their litter-mate controls were removed, and their metabolic incorporation of [ 3 H]fucose and [ 14 C]leucine into myelin was studied in vitro. Untreated diabetic animals showed significant increases (p less than 0.05) in the fucose/leucine incorporation into myelin when compared to values found for their litter-mates. These results correlated well with previous experiments performed on alloxan or streptozotocin-diabetic rats and thus show the in vitro incubation procedure to be a good indicator of altered metabolic conditions in peripheral nerves due to diabetes mellitus. The resulting ratio increases seen in diabetic animals is at variance with the decrease in ratios found in animals undergoing typical Wallerian degeneration. These results suggest that different metabolic processes operate in untreated diabetics than in normals or in those undergoing other degenerative nerve processes

  7. Mathematical modeling of drying of pretreated and untreated pumpkin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunde-Akintunde, T Y; Ogunlakin, G O

    2013-08-01

    In this study, drying characteristics of pretreated and untreated pumpkin were examined in a hot-air dryer at air temperatures within a range of 40-80 °C and a constant air velocity of 1.5 m/s. The drying was observed to be in the falling-rate drying period and thus liquid diffusion is the main mechanism of moisture movement from the internal regions to the product surface. The experimental drying data for the pumpkin fruits were used to fit Exponential, General exponential, Logarithmic, Page, Midilli-Kucuk and Parabolic model and the statistical validity of models tested were determined by non-linear regression analysis. The Parabolic model had the highest R(2) and lowest χ(2) and RMSE values. This indicates that the Parabolic model is appropriate to describe the dehydration behavior for the pumpkin.

  8. Prevalence and Possible Risk Factors of Low Bone Mineral Density in Untreated Female Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Ning Sun

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation. Different studies have shown decreased bone mineral density (BMD in patients with SLE. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and possible risk factors of low BMD in untreated female patients with SLE in Chinese population. A total of 119 untreated female patients with SLE were included. BMD was measured at lumbar spine and at total hip by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The associations between decreased BMD and demographic variables, clinical variables, and bone metabolism variables were analyzed. These SLE patients had the following characteristics: mean age was 32.6±11.9 years, mean disease duration was 22.1±34.5 months, and mean SLEDAI was 11.4±5.4. Osteopenia was present in 31.1% of the patients and osteoporosis in 8.5%. A significant negative association between low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c and BMD at the lumbar spine (correlation coefficient = −0.242; P=0.023 and total hip (correlation coefficient = −0.259; P=0.019 was shown. These results seem to indicate that increased LDL-c may be an important risk factor for low BMD at lumbar spine and total hip in untreated female SLE patients.

  9. Closed-Loop Optimal Control Implementations for Space Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    with standard linear algebra techniques if is converted to a diagonal square matrix by multiplying by the identity matrix, I , as was done in (1.134...OPTIMAL CONTROL IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS by Colin S. Monk December 2016 Thesis Advisor: Mark Karpenko Second Reader: I. M...COVERED Master’s thesis, Jan-Dec 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE CLOSED-LOOP OPTIMAL CONTROL IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS

  10. Controllability and Stabilization of Bilinear and Semilinear Partial Differential Equations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krishnaswamy, Vijayaraghavan

    The topic of the thesis is the investigation of the question of controllability of weakly nonlinear partial differntial equations. The method is based on the Hilbert Uniqueness Method.......The topic of the thesis is the investigation of the question of controllability of weakly nonlinear partial differntial equations. The method is based on the Hilbert Uniqueness Method....

  11. Writing a bachelor thesis generates transferable knowledge and skills useable in nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundgren, Solveig M; Robertsson, Barbro

    2013-11-01

    Generic skills or transferable skills have been discussed in terms of whether or not skills learned in one context can be transferred into another context. The current study was aimed to explore nurses' self-perceptions of the knowledge and skills they had obtained while writing a Bachelor's thesis in nursing education, their experience of the extent of transfer and utilization in their current work. Responding nurses (N=42) had all worked from 1 to 1.5 years after their final examination and had completed a questionnaire that was structured with open-ended questions. Only five nurses reported that they were unable to use any of the knowledge and skills they had obtained from writing a thesis. A majority of the nurses (37/42) could give many examples of the practical application of the skills and knowledge they had obtained. Our findings indicate that writing a thesis as part of an undergraduate degree program plays a major role in the acquisition and development of knowledge and skills which can subsequently be transferred into and utilized in nursing practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Thermal Signature Identification System (TheSIS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merritt, Scott; Bean, Brian

    2015-01-01

    We characterize both nonlinear and high order linear responses of fiber-optic and optoelectronic components using spread spectrum temperature cycling methods. This Thermal Signature Identification System (TheSIS) provides much more detail than conventional narrowband or quasi-static temperature profiling methods. This detail allows us to match components more thoroughly, detect subtle reversible shifts in performance, and investigate the cause of instabilities or irreversible changes. In particular, we create parameterized models of athermal fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), delay line interferometers (DLIs), and distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, then subject the alternative models to selection via the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Detailed pairing of components, e.g. FBGs, is accomplished by means of weighted distance metrics or norms, rather than on the basis of a single parameter, such as center wavelength.

  13. Utilization of Urea Treated and Untreated Cocoa Pod Husk Based Diets by Growing Pigs : An On-farm Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iyayi, EA.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available An on-farm adaptation study of the utilization of urea treated and untreated cocoa pod husk (CPH by growing pigs was carried out on a commercial pig farm. Thirty-two Landrace X Large White growing pigs (16 males + 16 females were randomly assigned to 4 experimental diets. Diet 1 was a standard grower ration (control. In Diets 2 and 3 CPH meal was included at 250 g/kg, that used in Diet 3 being treated with a 5 % urea solution. Diet 4 was the farmer's diet. There was no significant difference (P> 0.05 between diets 3 and the control in their effect on the performance of the animals. These two diets caused a better (P 0.05 influence on the backfat thickness. Carcass cuts were also not significantly (P> 0.05 influenced by inclusion of CPH meal. Results suggest (1 the possibility of formulating diets for growing pigs using CPH meals and (2 that further treatment of the CPH meal with urea improves its nutritive value resulting in better performance and economy of production.

  14. The course of untreated anxiety and depression, and determinants of poor one-year outcome: a one-year cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Marwijk Harm WJ

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the course and outcome of untreated anxiety and depression in patients with and without a self-perceived need for care. The aim of the present study was to examine the one-year course of untreated anxiety and depression, and to determine predictors of a poor outcome. Method Baseline and one-year follow-up data were used of 594 primary care patients with current anxiety or depressive disorders at baseline (established by the Composite Interview Diagnostic Instrument (CIDI, from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA. Receipt of and need for care were assessed by the Perceived Need for Care Questionnaire (PNCQ. Results In depression, treated and untreated patients with a perceived treatment need showed more rapid symptom decline but greater symptom severity at follow-up than untreated patients without a self-perceived mental problem or treatment need. A lower education level, lower income, unemployment, loneliness, less social support, perceived need for care, number of somatic disorders, a comorbid anxiety and depressive disorder and symptom severity at baseline predicted a poorer outcome in both anxiety and depression. When all variables were considered at the same time, only baseline symptom severity appeared to predict a poorer outcome in anxiety. In depression, a poorer outcome was also predicted by more loneliness and a comorbid anxiety and depressive disorder. Conclusion In clinical practice, special attention should be paid to exploring the need for care among possible risk groups (e.g. low social economic status, low social support, and support them in making an informed decision on whether or not to seek treatment.

  15. Support for Different Roles in Software Engineering Master's Thesis Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Host, M.; Feldt, R.; Luders, F.

    2010-01-01

    Like many engineering programs in Europe, the final part of most Swedish software engineering programs is a longer project in which the students write a Master's thesis. These projects are often conducted in cooperation between a university and industry, and the students often have two supervisors, one at the university and one in industry. In…

  16. The Experienced Meaning of Working with a PhD Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stubb, Jenni; Pyhalto, Kirsi; Lonka, Kirsti

    2012-01-01

    There is a variation in terms of how researchers perceive the nature of research work. Previous research has mainly looked at the members of academia who already have established themselves in the scholarly community. We aimed at exploring the ways in which doctoral students perceived their thesis project and further, the relations of such…

  17. A serological, parasitological and clinical evaluation of untreated Chagas disease patients and those treated with benznidazole before and thirteen years after intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado-de-Assis, Girley Francisco; Diniz, Glaucia Alessio; Montoya, Roberto Araújo; Dias, João Carlos Pinto; Coura, José Rodrigues; Machado-Coelho, George Luiz Lins; Albajar-Viñas, Pedro; Torres, Rosália Morais; de Lana, Marta

    2013-01-01

    The etiological treatment of Chagas disease is recommended for all patients with acute or recent chronic infection, but controversies remain regarding the benefit of chemotherapy and interpretations of the parasitological cure after etiological treatment. This study compares the laboratory and clinical evaluations of Chagas disease patients who were diagnosed 13 years earlier. Fifty-eight Chagas disease patients (29 treated with benznidazole and 29 untreated) were matched at the time of treatment based on several variables. Conventional serology revealed the absence of seroconversion in all patients. However, lower serological titres were verified in the treated group, primarily among patients who had the indeterminate form of the disease. Haemoculture performed 13 years after the intervention was positive for 6.9% and 27.6% of the treated and untreated patients, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction tests were positive for 44.8% and 13.8% of the treated and untreated patients, respectively. Patients who presented with the indeterminate form of the disease at the beginning of the study exhibited less clinical progression (17.4%) compared with the untreated group (56.5%). Therefore, this global analysis revealed that etiological treatment with benznidazole may benefit patients with respect to the clinical progression of Chagas disease and the prognosis, particularly when administered to patients with the indeterminate form of the disease. PMID:24037109

  18. Prey Preference of Predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae on untreated and Beauveria bassiana-treated of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjan Seiedy

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The predator Amblyseius swirskii and entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana are important biocontrol agents of Trialeurodes vaporariorum. Determination of the host preference of predators in the fields when receiving signals related to either untreated and Beauveria bassiana-treated pest is important. Materials and Methods In this research, the prey preference of adult female (2 days old of A. swirskii was determined on untreated and Beauveria bassiana-treated of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae in various treatments base on Manly Index. These different treatments consisted of two time intervals; 24 and 48 h post-inoculation of greenhouse whiteflies with 1×105 conidia /ml of B. bassiana with 13 replicates. 24-h starved predators were added to the leaf discs singly then the number of consumed untreated and B. bassiana-treated T. vaporariorum in each Petri dish was assessed after 24 h. Results and Discussion The results revealed that mean number of consumed B. bassiana-treated T. vaporariorum in two time intervals; 24 and 48 h. after inoculation were 4/15±0/19 and 2.23±0/12, respectively. This investigation showed a significant preference of A. swirskii towards untreated T. vaporariorum in 24 (P< 0.0034 and 48 h. (P

  19. Compositional Synthesis of Safety Controllers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuijper, W.

    2012-01-01

    In my thesis I investigate compositional techniques for synthesis of safety controllers. A safety controller, in this context, is a state machine that gives the set of safe control outputs for every possible sequence of observations from the plant under control. Compositionality, in this context,

  20. Comparison of HIV DNA and RNA in gut-associated lymphoid tissue of HIV-infected controllers and noncontrollers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatano, Hiroyu; Somsouk, Ma; Sinclair, Elizabeth; Harvill, Kara; Gilman, Lee; Cohen, Michelle; Hoh, Rebecca; Hunt, Peter W; Martin, Jeffrey N; Wong, Joseph K; Deeks, Steven G; Yukl, Steven A

    2013-09-10

    HIV-infected controllers have provided novel insights into mechanisms of viral control. We investigated the degree to which HIV DNA and RNA are present in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of controllers. Cross-sectional cohort study. Colorectal biopsy pieces were obtained from five untreated noncontrollers, five ART-suppressed patients, and nine untreated controllers. Rectal HIV DNA was lower in controllers (median 496 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells) than in untreated noncontrollers (117483 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.001) and ART-suppressed patients (6116 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells, P = 0.004). Similarly, rectal HIV RNA was lower in controllers (19 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells) than in noncontrollers (15210 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.001) and ART-suppressed patients (1625 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.0599). Rectal HIV RNA/DNA ratios were not statistically different between the three groups. Despite being able to maintain very low plasma HIV RNA levels in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-infected controllers have readily measurable levels of HIV DNA and RNA in GALT. As expected, controllers had lower rectal HIV DNA and RNA compared with untreated noncontrollers and ART-suppressed individuals. Compared with the mechanisms of 'natural' viral control of controllers, long-term ART does not reduce the total HIV reservoir to the level of controllers.

  1. Computerized EEG and brain imaging studies in untreated schizophrenic patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyauchi, Toshiro; Kishimoto, Hideji; Hagimoto, Hiroshi; Fujita, Haruhiro; Tanaka, Kenkichi

    1993-01-01

    We undertook routine EEG, Z-map, CT and PET scans in seven acute untreated schizophrenics. Routine EEGs showed slower activity in only one case. However, the Z-map showed slower activity in all the cases. CT demonstrated brain atrophy in three of the cases, and PET revealed hypofrontality in two, right hypoparietality in four, and both conditions in one case. There was no relation between CT and PET or the Z-map. However, a significant increase in alpha 1 activity was demonstrated on the Z-map in cases who were found to be the parietal type on PET; this was not conspicuous in the frontal type on PET. Moreover, in three of the patients, the Z-map findings were similar to the lesion indicated on PET. (author)

  2. Climate Agreements under Limited Participation, Asymmetric Information and market Imperfections - a summary of a Dr.polit. thesis -

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hagem, C

    1996-08-01

    This report summarizes the papers included as part of a doctoral thesis. It starts with the history of the greenhouse effect and proceeds with the international efforts to control man-made air pollution. In 1990 the UN established the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee for Climate Change (INC), the task of which was to prepare the negotiations for the UN`s Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), which came into force in 1994. The commitments of the signatories are not legally binding, quantitatively. The FCCC established a Conference of the Parties (COP) as the supreme body of the convention. Its first session was held in Berlin in 1995. The Berlin Mandate established a process that would enable the Parties to take actions for the period after 2000. A possible international climate agreement is often evaluated in terms of its efficiency or cost-effectiveness. Calculations are extremely complex and involve great uncertainties. Countries may not agree on the methods of calculation. There are several studies on cost-benefit analyses for controlling global warming, based on various simplifications. The thesis focuses on the cost-effectiveness of possible climate agreements and covers only CO{sub 2}. The implications of limited participation in a climate agreement are discussed. The design of a climate treaty should take into account how different policy instruments can be used to influence the emissions from non-participants. The final section discusses the impact on cost-effectiveness of a trade able quota system if some counties have market power. 59 refs.

  3. Final Thesis Models in European Teacher Education and Their Orientation towards the Academy and the Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Råde, Anders

    2014-01-01

    This study concerns different final thesis models in the research on teacher education in Europe and their orientation towards the academy and the teaching profession. In scientific journals, 33 articles support the occurrence of three models: the portfolio model, with a mainly teaching-professional orientation; the thesis model, with a mainly…

  4. The Hidden Cost of Untreated Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck: Systemic Reactive (AA Amyloidosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erkan Dervisoglu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a case of a 51-year-old man who was diagnosed with systemic reactive (AA amyloidosis in association with untreated glomus jugulare and glomus caroticum tumors. He refused radiotherapy and renal replacement therapy. Paragangliomas, although rare, should be considered one of the tumors that can result in AA amyloidosis.

  5. Effects of intravitreal ranibizumab on the untreated eye and systemic gene expression profile in age-related macular degeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michalska-Małecka K

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Katarzyna Michalska-Małecka,1,2 Adam Kabiesz,2 Malgorzata W Kimsa,3 Barbara Strzałka-Mrozik,3 Maria Formińska-Kapuścik,2,4 Malgorzata Nita,5 Urszula Mazurek31Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 2University Center for Ophthalmology and Oncology, Independent Public Clinical Hospital, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 3Department of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 4Clinical Department of Children Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 5Domestic and Specialized Medicine Centre “Dilmed”, Katowice, PolandAbstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the systemic effects of intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis treatment in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD. The impact of intravitreal ranibizumab injections on central retinal thickness (CRT of treated and contralateral untreated eyes, and differences in gene expression patterns in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed. The study included 29 patients aged 50 years old and over with diagnosed neovascular AMD. The treatment was defined as 0.5 mg of ranibizumab injected intravitreally in the form of one injection every month during the period of 3 months. CRT was measured by optical coherence tomography. The gene expression profile was assigned using oligonucleotide microarrays of Affymetrix HG-U133A. Studies have shown that there was a change of CRT between treated and untreated eyes, and there were differences in CRT at baseline and after 1, 2, and 3 months of ranibizumab treatment. Three months after intravitreal injection, mean CRT was reduced in the treated eyes from 331.97±123.62 to 254.31±58.75 µm, while mean CRT in the untreated fellow eyes reduced from 251.07±40.29 to 235.45±36.21 µm at the same time. Furthermore, the research has shown

  6. Legged locomotion : Balance, control and tools - from equation to action

    OpenAIRE

    Ridderström, Christian

    2003-01-01

    This thesis is about control and balance stability of leggedlocomotion. It also presents a combination of tools that makesit easier to design controllers for large and complicated robotsystems. The thesis is divided into four parts. The first part studies and analyzes how walking machines arecontrolled, examining the literature of over twenty machinesbriefly, and six machines in detail. The goal is to understandhow the controllers work on a level below task and pathplanning, but above actuato...

  7. Poor quality of life among untreated Thai and Cambodian children without severe HIV symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunupuradah, Torsak; Puthanakit, Thanyawee; Kosalaraksa, Pope; Kerr, Stephen J; Kariminia, Azar; Hansudewechakul, Rawiwan; Kanjanavanit, Suparat; Ngampiyaskul, Chaiwat; Wongsawat, Jurai; Luesomboon, Wicharn; Chuenyam, Theshinee; Vonthanak, Saphonn; Vun, Mean Chhi; Vibol, Ung; Vannary, Bun; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Ananworanich, Jintanat

    2012-01-01

    There are limited data on quality of life (QOL) 1 in untreated HIV-infected children who do not have severe HIV symptoms. Moreover, such data do not exist for Asian children. Poor QOL could be a factor in deciding if antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be initiated. Thai and Cambodian children (n=294), aged 1-11 years, naïve to ART, with mild to moderate HIV symptoms and CD4 15-24% were enrolled. Their caregivers completed the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group QOL questionnaire prior to ART commencement. Six QOL domains were assessed using transformed scores that ranged from 0 to 100. Higher QOL scores indicated better health. Mean age was 6.1 (SD 2.8) years, mean CD4 was 723 (SD 369) cells/mm(3), 57% was female, and%CDC N:A:B was 2:63:35%. One-third knew their HIV diagnosis. Mean (SD) scores were 69.9 (17.6) for health perception, 64.5 (16.2) for physical resilience, 84.2 (15.6) for physical functioning, 77.9 (16.3) for psychosocial well-being, 74.7 (28.7) for social and role functioning, 90.0 (12.1) for health care utilization, and 87.4 (11.3) for symptoms domains. Children with CD4 counts above the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) ART-initiation criteria (n=53) had higher scores in health perception and health care utilization than those with lower CD4 values. Younger children had poorer QOL than older children despite having similar mean CD4%. In conclusion, untreated Asian children without severe HIV symptoms had relatively low QOL scores compared to published reports in Western countries. Therapy initiation criteria by the WHO identified children with lower QOL scores to start ART; however, children who did not fit ART-initiation criteria and those who were younger also displayed poor QOL. QOL assessment should be considered in untreated children to inform decisions about when to initiate ART.

  8. Development of an integrated control and measurement system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manges, W.W.

    1984-03-01

    This thesis presents a tutorial on the issues involved in the development of a minicomputer-based, distributed intelligence data acquisition and process control system to support complex experimental facilities. The particular system discussed in this thesis is under development for the Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) Program at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP). In the AVLIS program, we were careful to integrate the computer sections of the implementation into the instrumentation system rather than adding them as an appendage. We then addressed the reliability and availability of the system as a separate concern. Thus, our concept of an integrated control and measurement (ICAM) system forms the basis for this thesis. This thesis details the logic and philosophy that went into the development of this system and explains why the commercially available turn-key systems generally are not suitable. Also, the issues involved in the specification of the components for such an integrated system are emphasized

  9. The association between pre-morbid adjustment, duration of untreated psychosis and outcome in first-episode psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, P; Petersen, L; Thorup, A

    2008-01-01

    The association between the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and outcome of schizophrenia may be confounded by other factors such as poor pre-morbid adjustment. The aim of the present study was to examine the independent contributions of DUP and of pre-morbid adjustment to the clinical...

  10. Model Predictive Control Algorithms for Pen and Pump Insulin Administration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boiroux, Dimitri

    at mealtime, and the case where the insulin sensitivity increases during the night. This thesis consists of a summary report, glucose and insulin proles of the clinical studies and research papers submitted, peer-reviewed and/or published in the period September 2009 - September 2012....... of current closed-loop controllers. In this thesis, we present different control strategies based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) for an artificial pancreas. We use Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) in order to determine the optimal insulin and blood glucose profiles. The optimal control problem...

  11. The drive to control : how affect and motivation regulate cognitive control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steenbergen, Hendrik van

    2012-01-01

    The studies described in this thesis aimed to investigate how affect and motivation impact cognitive control, in terms of both behavior and brain activation. Six out of the eight empirical studies found support for indirect effects on cognitive control, as measured with sequential trial-to-trial

  12. Complicated untreated apical periodontitis causing paraesthesia: A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricucci, Domenico; Loghin, Simona; Siqueira, José F

    2017-08-14

    The purpose of this article was to report a case of untreated apical periodontitis resulting in severe late complications. A patient with an asymptomatic crowned root canal-treated mandibular molar revealing a radiographic substandard endodontic treatment and a slight periapical radiolucency was made aware of the treatment options and opted for no treatment. The lesion slightly increased in size after 6 years, but the tooth remained asymptomatic and endodontic retreatment was again refused. After 4 more years, the patient presented with an abscess and severe pain, complicated by paraesthesia of the left chin and lip. Radiographic examination revealed that the lesion had increased considerably to involve the mandibular canal. The treatment protocol included long-term intracanal medication with calcium hydroxide and follow-ups revealed complete resolution of the periapical radiolucency and the paraesthesia had completely subsided. © 2017 Australian Society of Endodontology Inc.

  13. Perineal evisceration secondary to a bite injury in a dog with an untreated perineal hernia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Daniel; Lux, Cassie; Seibert, Rachel

    2016-10-01

    Emergency surgery was performed on a 6-year-old castrated male springer spaniel dog with evisceration of most of the small intestinal tract through the perineal region, secondary to a dog attack. This is the first report describing successful treatment of perineal evisceration secondary to dog attack at an untreated perineal hernia, employing abdominal and perineal approaches.

  14. STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING IN WRITING A THESIS USING THE TRANSITIVITY SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emi Emilia

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Students’ Critical Thinking in Writing a Thesis Using the Transitivity System. This paper reports on a small part of the results of a study in attempting to identify students’ ability and difficulties in writing an English undergraduate thesis in a state university in Indonesia. The paper centres around the students’ ability and difficulties in writing a data presentation and discussion chapter, which are related to critical capacity looked at in this study. The paper begins with a brief introduction, which presents the background and the theories underpinning the study. This will be followed by an account of the methodology, in which it is argued that the study used a case study method, particularly text analysis  and involved  nine theses  selected randomly and analysed based on the elements of a conventional research report and the Transitivity system of systemic functional grammar, developed by Halliday. The paper then delineates the results, showing that despite their  good control in the discourse semantic level, students in general still need a lot of guidance and assistance in writing a data presentation and discussion chapter. Recommendation for further research will conclude the paper. Abstrak: Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Mahasiswa dalam Menulis Tesis. Artikel ini membahas sebagian hasil penelitian yang berupaya untuk mengidentifikasi kemampuan dan kesulitan mahasiswa dalam menulis skripsi. Pembahasan difokuskan pada kemampuan dan kesulitan mahasiswa dalam menulis bab pemaparan dan pembahasan data, yang sangat erat kaitannya dengan kemampuan berpikir kritis. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan studi kasus, khususnya analisis teks dan melibatkan 9 skrip yang dipilih secara acak. Data dianalisis berdasarkan struktur organisasi atau elemen-elemen yang seharusnya ada dalam laporan penelitian konvensional dan sistem Transitivity dari tata bahasa sistemik fungsional yang dikembangkan oleh Halliday. Hasil penelitian

  15. The Ethical Justification of the Thesis that Separates Law from Morality Through John Austin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galvão Rabelo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The british legal philosopher John Austin stands at the threshold of the evolution of the legal positivist tradition. His work, which dates back to the first half of the 19th century, was especially important to establish the basic elements of this school of legal understanding. Among his contributions to the legal positivist doctrine, lies the creation of the thesis that separates morality from law. Under an ethical context, however, John Austin was an ardent utilitarian who defended the use of the principle of utility as the only rational criteria for the unveiling of superior moral standards (divine laws. Considering both dimensions of his understanding, it has long been wondered if his utilitarian ethics have influenced, somehow, his legal theory, especially in regards to the separation thesis. Said thesis, which is in the center of the legal positivist tradition, has been interpreted in different ways in contemporary legal debate. A particular branch, called ethical positivism, opened new perspectives to the study of this tradition, defending the legal positivism theory as a morally satisfactory theoretical model for the contemporary legal systems. Hence, using the main premise of ethical positivism (which states that there are moral reasons to defend the separation thesis as an interprative and methodological tool, this paper plans on revisiting the link between John Austins legal and ethical convictions, in order to comprehend what were the moral reasons which led him to defend the separation of what law is and what it should be.

  16. DENTAL CAST STUDY OF ADULT PATIENTS WITH UNTREATED UNILATERAL CLEFT-LIP OR CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE IN INDONESIA COMPARED WITH SURGICALLY TREATED PATIENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    SPAUWEN, PHM; HARDJOWASITO, W; BOERSMA, J; LATIEF, BS

    To determine differences in maxillary and dentoalveolar relationships between untreated and treated patients having unilateral clefts of the lip and alveolus (UCLA) or lip and palate (UCLP), dental cast assessments were done on 70 untreated adult Indonesian patients (UCLA-I, UCLP-I) and 67 Dutch

  17. Risk indicators for aggressive periodontitis in an untreated isolated young population from Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priscila Corraini

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the prevalence of aggressive periodontitis (AgP, and to investigate the association between demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral risk indicators with AgP in an untreated and isolated young population in Southeastern Brazil. For this cross-sectional survey, 134 subjects aged 12-29 years were selected by a census. Of those eligible, 101 subjects received a full-mouth clinical examination, and were interviewed using a structured written questionnaire. Cases were defined as individuals with 4 or more teeth with attachment loss > 4 mm or > 5 mm in the age groups 12-19 and 20-29, respectively. Overall, 9.9% of the subjects presented AgP (10.3% of the 12-19-year-olds and 9.7% of the 20-29-year-olds. The only risk indicator significantly associated with AgP in this isolated population was a high proportion of sites (> 30% presenting supragingival calculus [OR = 23.2]. Having experienced an urgency dental treatment was a protective factor for AgP [OR = 0.1]. The authors concluded that this isolated and untreated population from Brazil presented a high prevalence of AgP. Local plaque-retaining factors played a major role in the prevalence of AgP in this isolated population, and should be included in further studies evaluating this destructive periodontal disease form.

  18. Age-Dependent Fecal Bacterial Correlation to Inflammatory Bowel Disease for Newly Diagnosed Untreated Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felix Chinweije Nwosu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The knowledge about correlation patterns between the fecal microbiota and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD—comprising the two subforms Crohn's disease (CD and ulcerative colitis (UC—for newly diagnosed untreated children is limited. To address this knowledge gap, a selection of faecal specimens (CD, n=27 and UC, n=16 and non-IBD controls (n=30 children (age < 18 years was analysed utilising bacterial small subunit (SSU rRNA. We found, surprising age dependence for the fecal microbiota correlating to IBD. The most pronounced patterns were that E. coli was positively (R2=0.16, P=0.05 and Bacteroidetes, negatively (R2=0.15, P=0.05 correlated to age for CD patients. For UC, we found an apparent opposite age-related disease correlation for both Bacteroides and Escherichia. In addition, there was an overrepresentation of Haemophilus for the UC children. From our, results we propose a model where the aetiology of IBD is related to an on-going immunological development in children requiring different age-dependent bacterial stimuli. The impact of our findings could be a better age stratification for understanding and treating IBD in children.

  19. Evaluating Information Assurance Control Effectiveness on an Air Force Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-01

    Byres, E. J., Lowe, J. (2004). The Myths and facts behind cyber security risks for industrial control systems . Berlin, Germany: VDE 2004 Congress...ACQUISITION (SCADA) SYSTEM THESIS Jason R. Nielsen, Major, USAF AFIT/GCO/ENG/11-10 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE...DATA ACQUISITION (SCADA) SYSTEM THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate School of

  20. An Analysis of Written Feedback on a PhD Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Vijay; Stracke, Elke

    2007-01-01

    This paper offers an interim analysis of written feedback on a first draft of a PhD thesis. It first looks at two sources of data: in-text feedback and overall feedback. Looking at how language is used in its situational context, we then coded the feedback and developed a model for analysis based on three fundamental functions of speech:…

  1. Sensitivity and specificity of Frontal Assessment Battery in newly diagnosed and untreated obstructive sleep apnea patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladera, Valentina; Sargento, Paulo; Perea, Victoria; Faria, Miguel; Garcia, Ricardo

    2018-02-01

    Executive dysfunction (ED) is often observed in subjects diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but their assessment requires facilities that are not always available. We aim to evaluate the extent to which Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) discriminates ED in newly diagnosed, untreated, and without-comorbidity OSA patients. Sixty subjects participated in the study. Of these, 40 (31 males and 9 females) were newly diagnosed for OSA through full-night polysomnography (apnea/hypopnea index; M = 39.01, SD = 27.16), untreated, with a mean age of 54.50 years (SD = 8.90), while the remaining 20 (15 males and 5 females) had no symptoms of OSA (M = 51.60 years, SD = 10.70). The instruments used were the following: Questionnaire for Sleep Apnea Risk, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, and FAB. The group with OSA exhibited significantly lower values in the FAB global score (p = 0.003) and in Conceptualization (p = 0.001) and Mental Flexibility (p = 0.009) subtests. ROC analysis showed adequate discriminative capacity for the FAB global score (AUC = 0.74) and for Conceptualization (AUC = 0.75) and Mental Flexibility (AUC = 0.70) scores. The FAB is a short and no-time-consuming tool that can be used to investigate the presence of ED in untreated OSA patients with no comorbidities, providing clinicians with a simple and effective way of detecting the presence of this dysfunction and allowing a more informed decision for the need of a full neuropsychological assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Science as an ally of religion: a Muslim appropriation of 'the conflict thesis'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yalcinkaya, M Alper

    2011-06-01

    John W. Draper's History of the Conflict between Religion and Science (1874) is commonly regarded as the manifesto of the 'conflict thesis'. The superficiality of this thesis has been demonstrated in recent studies, but to read Draper's work only as a text on 'science versus religion' is to miss half of its significance, as it also involved evaluations of individual religions with respect to their attitudes towards science. Due to Draper's favourable remarks on Islam, the Ottoman author Ahmed Midhat translated his work into Turkish, and published it along with his own comments on Draper's arguments. Midhat interpreted Islam using the cues provided by Draper, and portrayed it as the only religion compatible with science. While his Christian readers condemned Draper for his approach to Islam, Midhat transformed the 'conflict thesis' into a proclamation that Islam and science were allies in opposition to Christian encroachment on the Ottoman Empire. This paper analyses Midhat's appropriation of Draper's work and compares it to the reaction of Draper's Christian readers. It discusses the context that made an alliance between Islam and science so desirable for Midhat, and emphasizes the impact of the historico-geographical context on the encounters between and representations of science and religion.

  3. Optimization and analysis of the current control loop of VSCs connected to uncertain grids through LCL filters

    OpenAIRE

    Cóbreces Álvarez, Santiago

    2009-01-01

    Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado 2011 This thesis focuses on the design and analysis of the control of voltage source converters connected to the grid through LCL filters. Particularly it is centered on grids presenting uncertainty in their intrinsic dynamic parameters and their influence over the inner control loop of a grid converter: the current control. To that end, the thesis follows a three-fold discussion. Firstly, the thesis studies the grid model, its uncertain parameters and pr...

  4. Active control of sound transmission through partitions composed of discretely controlled modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leishman, Timothy W.

    This thesis provides a detailed theoretical and experimental investigation of active segmented partitions (ASPs) for the control of sound transmission. ASPs are physically segmented arrays of interconnected acoustically and structurally small modules that are discretely controlled using electronic controllers. Theoretical analyses of the thesis first address physical principles fundamental to ASP modeling and experimental measurement techniques. Next, they explore specific module configurations, primarily using equivalent circuits. Measured normal-incidence transmission losses and related properties of experimental ASPs are determined using plane wave tubes and the two-microphone transfer function technique. A scanning laser vibrometer is also used to evaluate distributed transmitting surface vibrations. ASPs have the inherent potential to provide excellent active sound transmission control (ASTC) through lightweight structures, using very practical control strategies. The thesis analyzes several unique ASP configurations and evaluates their abilities to produce high transmission losses via global minimization of normal transmitting surface vibrations. A novel dual diaphragm configuration is shown to employ this strategy particularly well. It uses an important combination of acoustical actuation and mechano-acoustical segmentation to produce exceptionally high transmission loss (e.g., 50 to 80 dB) over a broad frequency range-including lower audible frequencies. Such performance is shown to be comparable to that produced by much more massive partitions composed of thick layers of steel or concrete and sand. The configuration uses only simple localized error sensors and actuators, permitting effective use of independent single-channel controllers in a decentralized format. This work counteracts the commonly accepted notion that active vibration control of partitions is an ineffective means of controlling sound transmission. With appropriate construction, actuation

  5. Defense budget control in the event of emergency

    OpenAIRE

    Sakunaka, Masakazu

    2013-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited The purpose of this thesis is to give recommendations to the government of Japan for better provision of budget in contingent situations. To accomplish the objective, this thesis explains how a government should control the provision of adequate and timely budgets in the military. Literature shows that routine budget process has a control function and four basic steps. A shorter process to fund emergencies is found in the U.Ss practica...

  6. Guide for thesis quality at CEA / Physical Sciences Division

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renault, J.Ph.; Rotureau, P.; Skaza, F.; Lapoux, V.; Saas, St.; Nguyen, F.; Chaleard, C.; Thromat, N.; Pussieux, Th.; Duc, R.

    2003-01-01

    Thesis is a basic component of scientific research. It has to be successful, for the student whose future depends widely on it, as well as for the host laboratory awaiting a profitable return on investment. The present guide, dedicated to students and their managers, aims to lead them to success by implementing a customized Quality approach. That tool, built as following the DSM Quality referential, wants to be, like this latter one: 'Useful, Usable, Used'. (authors)

  7. Vibration control of large linear quadratic symmetric systems. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, G. J.

    1983-01-01

    Some unique properties on a class of the second order lambda matrices were found and applied to determine a damping matrix of the decoupled subsystem in such a way that the damped system would have preassigned eigenvalues without disturbing the stiffness matrix. The resulting system was realized as a time invariant velocity only feedback control system with desired poles. Another approach using optimal control theory was also applied to the decoupled system in such a way that the mode spillover problem could be eliminated. The procedures were tested successfully by numerical examples.

  8. Abnormal functional connectivity of the amygdala in first-episode and untreated adult major depressive disorder patients with different ages of onset.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Jing; Shen, Zonglin; Xu, Xiufeng; Yang, Shuran; Chen, Wei; Liu, Xiaoyan; Lu, Yi; Liu, Fang; Lu, Jin; Li, Na; Sun, Xuejin; Cheng, Yuqi

    2017-03-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder with high morbidity. As a part of the limbic system, the amygdala is important in the processing of emotional information. Structural and functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities in the amygdala have been observed in MDD patients. The present study was carried out to identify the features of amygdala FC in adult MDD patients with different ages of onset. Sixty-nine first-episode and untreated MDD patients and 81 healthy controls (CTLs) were included in this study and underwent 3D structural imaging and resting-state functional MRI scanning. The patients and CTLs were divided into two groups according to age of onset: young adult (abnormal resting-state FC with other regions compared with matched controls. However, in old adult patients, compared with matched controls, the right amygdala showed more abnormal changes in the resting-state FC with other regions. MDD patients with different ages of onset showed different changes in the structure and FC of the amygdala. These results might help us to understand the high heterogeneity of MDD.

  9. Application of epidemic algorithms for smart grids control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krkoleva, Aleksandra

    2012-01-01

    Smart Grids are a new concept for electricity networks development, aiming to provide economically efficient and sustainable power system by integrating effectively the actions and needs of the network users. The thesis addresses the Smart Grids concept, with emphasis on the control strategies developed on the basis of epidemic algorithms, more specifically, gossip algorithms. The thesis is developed around three Smart grid aspects: the changed role of consumers in terms of taking part in providing services within Smart Grids; the possibilities to implement decentralized control strategies based on distributed algorithms; and information exchange and benefits emerging from implementation of information and communication technologies. More specifically, the thesis presents a novel approach for providing ancillary services by implementing gossip algorithms. In a decentralized manner, by exchange of information between the consumers and by making decisions on local level, based on the received information and local parameters, the group achieves its global objective, i. e. providing ancillary services. The thesis presents an overview of the Smart Grids control strategies with emphasises on new strategies developed for the most promising Smart Grids concepts, as Micro grids and Virtual power plants. The thesis also presents the characteristics of epidemic algorithms and possibilities for their implementation in Smart Grids. Based on the research on epidemic algorithms, two applications have been developed. These applications are the main outcome of the research. The first application enables consumers, represented by their commercial aggregators, to participate in load reduction and consequently, to participate in balancing market or reduce the balancing costs of the group. In this context, the gossip algorithms are used for aggregator's message dissemination for load reduction and households and small commercial and industrial consumers to participate in maintaining

  10. Characterization of antibiotic resistant enterococci isolated from untreated waters for human consumption in Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo, Ana S; Freitas, Ana R; Abreu, Cristina; Machado, Elisabete; Peixe, Luísa; Sousa, João C; Novais, Carla

    2011-01-31

    Untreated drinking water is frequently overlooked as a source of antibiotic resistance in developed countries. To gain further insight on this topic, we isolated the indicator bacteria Enterococcus spp. from water samples collected in wells, fountains and natural springs supplying different communities across Portugal, and characterized their antibiotic resistance profile with both phenotypic and genetic approaches. We found various rates of resistance to seven antibiotic families. Over 50% of the isolates were resistant to at least ciprofloxacin, tetracyclines or quinupristin-dalfopristin and 57% were multidrug resistant to ≥3 antibiotics from different families. Multiple enterococcal species (E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. casseliflavus and other Enterococcus spp) from different water samples harbored genes encoding resistance to tetracyclines, erythromycin or gentamicin [tet(M)-46%, tet(L)-14%, tet(S)-5%, erm(B)-22%, aac(6´)-Ie-aph(2″)-12%] and putative virulence factors [gel-28%, asa1-16%]. The present study positions untreated drinking water within the spectrum of ecological niches that may be reservoirs of or vehicles for antibiotic resistant enterococci/genes. These findings are worthy of attention as spread of antibiotic resistant enterococci to humans and animals through water ingestion cannot be dismissed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Configurating computer-controlled bar system

    OpenAIRE

    Šuštaršič, Nejc

    2010-01-01

    The principal goal of my diploma thesis is creating an application for configurating computer-controlled beverages dispensing systems. In the preamble of my thesis I present the theoretical platform for point of sale systems and beverages dispensing systems, which are required for the understanding of the target problematics. As with many other fields, computer tehnologies entered the field of managing bars and restaurants quite some time ago. Basic components of every bar or restaurant a...

  12. Distributed formation control for autonomous robots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Garcia de Marina Peinado, Hector Jesús

    2016-01-01

    This thesis addresses several theoretical and practical problems related to formation-control of autonomous robots. Formation-control aims to simultaneously accomplish the tasks of forming a desired shape by the robots and controlling their coordinated collective motion. This kind of robot

  13. Clinical prediction models in reproductive medicine: applications in untreated subfertility and in IVF treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    C.C. Hunault

    2006-01-01

    textabstractThis thesis deals with two prediction problems in reproductive medicine. The first is the prediction in infertile couples of the chance to conceive without treatment. The second deals with the prediction of the chance of conception in couples treated with in vitro fertilization (IVF).

  14. Control and identification in activated sludge processes = Regeling en identifikatie in aktief-slib processen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lukasse, L.

    1999-01-01

    This thesis is about control and identification in activated sludge processes (ASP's). The chapters in this thesis are divided in two parts. Part I deals with the development of the best feasible, close-to-optimal adaptive receding horizon optimal controller (RHOC) for N-removal in a

  15. Manufacturing systems considered as time domain control systems : receding horizon control and observers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roset, B.J.P.

    2007-01-01

    This thesis considers manufacturing systems and model-based controller design, as well as their combinations. The objective of a manufacturing system is to create products from a selected group of raw materials and semifinished goods. In the field of manufacturing systems control is an important

  16. PACHE Trainee Spotlight: Roslyn Curry Featured on Thesis Thursday Radio Show

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roslyn Curry, a student at the University of Arizona (UA), was featured on a local radio program, Thesis Thursday, where she discussed her participation in the U54 PACHE Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP) as a research trainee in Dr. William Montfort’s Lab at the University of Arizona Cancer Cente

  17. Evaluability Assessment Thesis and Dissertation Studies in Graduate Professional Degree Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walser, Tamara M.; Trevisan, Michael S.

    2016-01-01

    Evaluability assessment (EA) has potential as a design option for thesis and dissertation studies, serving as a practical training experience for both technical and nontechnical evaluation skills. Based on a content review of a sample of EA theses and dissertations from graduate professional degree programs, the authors of this article found that…

  18. Model Based Control of Reefer Container Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Kresten Kjær

    This thesis is concerned with the development of model based control for the Star Cool refrigerated container (reefer) with the objective of reducing energy consumption. This project has been carried out under the Danish Industrial PhD programme and has been financed by Lodam together with the Da......This thesis is concerned with the development of model based control for the Star Cool refrigerated container (reefer) with the objective of reducing energy consumption. This project has been carried out under the Danish Industrial PhD programme and has been financed by Lodam together...

  19. Clinical consequences of untreated dental caries assessed using PUFA index and its covariates in children residing in orphanages of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamran, Ramsha; Farooq, Warda; Faisal, Mehreen Riaz; Jahangir, Faisal

    2017-07-11

    The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical effects of untreated dental caries in Pakistani children residing in orphanages using the DMFT and PUFA index; association of decay and untreated dental caries with demographics including type of orphanage; behavioural and dental visiting pattern; and association of dental pain experience and type of orphanage with dental visiting. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a total of 753 orphan children belonging to 4-17 years of age group residing in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Clinical examination of children was performed using the DMFT and PUFA index for the assessment of dental caries and untreated decay, followed by questionnaire enquiring about eating and oral hygiene habits, dental visiting pattern and dental pain and swelling experience. Association between dental decay, child's dental visiting and pain as a consequence of untreated decay was carried out using chi square test and logistic regression analysis. The overall caries prevalence was 34.8% and overall prevalence of PUFA/pufa was 15.9%. The mean score of DMFT and dmft was 1.18 (SD 0.39) and 1.04 (SD 0.23), and mean PUFA was 1.18 (SD 0.57) and mean pufa score 1.14 (SD 0.35). Untreated caries ratio was found to be 49.1% indicating half the decay had progressed to involve the pulp. No significant association of gender was found with DMFT, dmft, PUFA and pufa (p > 0.05), however, when analysed individually, the 'D' component of DMFT was significantly associated with male gender (p = 0.05). Furthermore, no significant association of DMFT/dmft or PUFA/pufa in either dentition was found with behavioural characteristics such as dietary and oral hygiene habits. Also, 66.2% children who experienced pain had not been to the dentist in the past year (p = 0.013) and 52.6% children who mentioned experiencing pain at night had not been to the dentist in the past year (p = 0.009). Children with decay were more

  20. Management Control, Intrinsic Motivation and Creativity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Godt Gregersen, Mikkel

    This thesis consists of a cape and three papers. The overall research question is: How can intrinsic motivation and management control coexist in a creative environment and how can coordination be possible in such a context? The cape ties together the research done in the three papers....... It is divided into six sections. The first section introduces the concepts of intrinsic motivation, creativity and management control. This is followed by a section on management control in a creative context. These two sections frame the thesis and introduce the setting in which the research has been done...... of the conclusion is that intrinsic motivation and management control can coexist under the conditions that all three basic needs, i.e. autonomy, competence and relatedness, are supported. This can happen when control takes point of departure in the individual employee. The second part of the conclusion...

  1. The denial of death thesis: sociological critique and implications for palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmermann, Camilla; Rodin, Gary

    2004-03-01

    It has become commonplace to say that contemporary western society is 'death-denying'. This characterization, which sociologists have termed the 'denial of death thesis', first arose in the social science, psychological and clinical medical literature in the period between 1955 and 1985. During the same time period, the hospice and palliative care movements were developing and in part directed themselves against the perceived cultural denial of death in western society. While the denial of death has been taken for granted by the lay public as well as by clinicians, in the sociological literature it has been increasingly questioned. In this paper we use sociological critiques of the denial of death thesis to raise critical questions about the theory and practice of contemporary palliative care. In particular, we argue that the emphasis of palliative care should not be on extinguishing the denial of death but on the relief of suffering.

  2. Protestant Clergy and the Culture Wats: An Empirical Test of Hunter's Thesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uecker, Jeremy E; Lucke, Glenn

    2011-12-01

    This study instead focuses on culture wars among religious elites-clergy-and tests three aspects of the culture wars thesis: (1) whether cultural wars exist at all among religious elites, (2) whether clergy attitudes are polarized on these issues, and (3) whether religious authority or religious affiliation is more salient in creating culture wars cleavages. Using data from a large random sample of Protestant clergy, we find a substantial amount of engagement in culture wars by all types of Protestant clergy. The amount of polarization is more attributable to views of religious authority (i.e., biblical inerrancy) than to religious tradition. Moreover, polarization among clergy is somewhat more evident on culture wars issues than on other social and political issues. These findings are generally supportive of the culture wars thesis and should help return examinations of culture wars back to where they were originally theorized to be waged: among elites.

  3. Quality assessments of untreated and washed quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seeds based on histlogical and foaming capacity investigations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Raamsdonk, van L.W.D.; Pinckaers, V.G.Z.; Ossenkoppele, J.S.; Houben, R.; Lotgering, M.; Groot, M.J.

    2010-01-01

    Quinoa seed has a high nutritional value, but has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it unpalatable. Therefore the seeds are usually processed in order to remove the naturally occurring saponins from the seeds. To investigate the impact of processing, untreated and washed seeds of the

  4. Daunorubicin Hydrochloride, Cytarabine and Oblimersen Sodium in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-04

    Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  5. The Content Analysis on Doctoral Thesies in Geomatic Engineering in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahsin BOZTOPRAK

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to reach a conclusion based on the synthesis of doctoral dissertations published about surveying (geomatic engineering by using content analysis. For this purpose, 325 doctoral dissertations published in Turkey were analyzed using content analysis technique. As a result of performed analysis, it has been determined that 70.46's% of doctoral dissertations have been published in the last fifteen years. It has been shown that most doctoral dissertations were published by Istanbul Technical University, Yıldız Technical University, Selçuk University and Karadeniz Technical University. Most of the doctorate studies have been carried out in the discipline of public measurements/ land management with the rate of %32.62. 89.54% of the publishing language of the PhD thesis is Turkish, the average number of pages is 156. 68.45% of the PhD thesis advisors have professor doctor title. The most covered subjects are geographic information systems (15.46%, GPS/GNSS (12.36% and satellite image analysis (11.24%.

  6. A doctoral thesis about Carol Davila written in Paris in 1936.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogozea, Liliana; Dumitrascu, Dinu I; Triff, Dorin; Leasu, Florin; Dumitraşcu, Dan L

    2014-01-01

    Carol Davila, the father of the Romanian modern medicine, made decisive contributions to the development of health sciences in the Romanian Principalities in the last decades of the nineteenth century. The merit of his scientific work was recognized beyond the borders of his country. His life (not devoid of anecdotic instances and unknown episodes) and especially his work have aroused considerable interest among numerous medical historians. This paper presents a historical study elaborated in France, but until recently ignored, dedicated to the biography of Carol Davila. It concerns the medical doctoral thesis (State Diploma) elaborated by Joseph Adler (born 1910 in Botoşani, Romania) under the supervision of professor Maxime Laignel-Lavastine, whose interest in Romania is well-known. Professor Laignel-Lavastine held the office of Secretary General of the International Society of History of Medicine (ISHM), founded in 1921, (replaced in this position by another French professor with links to Romania: Jules Guiart). The thesis comprises 48 pages and an exhaustive bibliography. It represents a token of the appreciation given to Davila's achievements by Europe's medical community.

  7. Microbiota-dependent metabolite and cardiovascular disease marker trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with monocyte activation but not platelet function in untreated HIV infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haissman, Judith M; Haugaard, Anna K; Ostrowski, Sisse R

    2017-01-01

    and combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) HIV infection. METHODS: TMAO and the pre-cursors betaine, choline, and carnitine were quantified by mass-spectrometry in plasma samples from a previously established cross-sectional cohort of 50 untreated and 50 cART treated HIV-infected individuals. Whole...... agonists, or with overall hypo- or hyperreactivity in untreated or treated HIV-infected individuals. In contrast, sCD14 a marker of both monocyte activation and microbial translocation was independently associated with TMAO in untreated HIV-infection (R = 0.381, P = 0.008). Lower levels of carnitine [32.......2 (28.4-36.8) vs. 38.2 (33.6-42.0), P = 0.001] and betaine [33.1 (27.3-43.4) vs.37.4 (31.5-48.7, P = 0.02], but similar TMAO levels [3.8 (2.3-6.1), vs. 2.9 μM (1.9-4.8) P = 0.15] were found in cART treated compared to untreated HIV-infected individuals, resulting in higher ratios of TMAO/carnitine [0...

  8. Untreated depression and tuberculosis treatment outcomes, quality of life and disability, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambaw, Fentie; Mayston, Rosie; Hanlon, Charlotte; Medhin, Girmay; Alem, Atalay

    2018-04-01

    To investigate the association between comorbid depression and tuberculosis treatment outcomes, quality of life and disability in Ethiopia. The study involved 648 consecutive adults treated for tuberculosis at 14 primary health-care facilities. All were assessed at treatment initiation (i.e. baseline) and after 2 and 6 months. We defined probable depression as a score of 10 or above on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Data on treatment default, failure and success and on death were obtained from tuberculosis registers. Quality of life was assessed using a visual analogue scale and we calculated disability scores using the World Health Organization's Disability Assessment Scale. Using multivariate Poisson regression analysis, we estimated the association between probable depression at baseline and treatment outcomes and death. Untreated depression at baseline was independently associated with tuberculosis treatment default (adjusted risk ratio, aRR: 9.09; 95% confidence interval, CI: 6.72 to 12.30), death (aRR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.54 to 5.78), greater disability ( β : 0.83; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.99) and poorer quality of life ( β : -0.07; 95% CI: -0.07 to -0.06) at 6 months. Participants with probable depression had a lower mean quality-of-life score than those without (5.0 versus 6.0, respectively; P  < 0.001) and a higher median disability score (22.0 versus 14.0, respectively; P  < 0.001) at 6 months. Untreated depression in people with tuberculosis was associated with worse treatment outcomes, poorer quality of life and greater disability. Health workers should be given the support needed to provide depression care for people with tuberculosis.

  9. Multi-agent control of urban transportation networks and of hybrid systems with limited information sharing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luo, R.

    2016-01-01

    This thesis aims at developing efficient methods for control of large-scale systems by employing state-of-the-art control methods and optimization techniques. This thesis is divided into two parts. In the first part, we address dynamic traffic routing for urban transportation networks. In the second

  10. EPA and USGS scientists conduct study to determine prevalence of newly-emerging contaminants in treated and untreated drinking water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scientists from the EPA and USGS are collaborating on a research study to determine the presence of contaminants of emerging concern in treated and untreated drinking water collected from drinking water treatment plants.

  11. Determination of rat vertebral bone compressive fatigue properties in untreated intact rats and zoledronic-acid-treated, ovariectomized rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brouwers, J.E.M.; Ruchselman, M.; Rietbergen, van B.; Bouxsein, M.L.

    2009-01-01

    Summary Compressive fatigue properties of whole vertebrae, which may be clinically relevant for osteoporotic vertebral fractures, were determined in untreated, intact rats and zoledronic-acid-treated, ovariectomized rats. Typical fatigue behavior was found and was similar to that seen in other

  12. Natural History of Tuberculosis: Duration and Fatality of Untreated Pulmonary Tuberculosis in HIV Negative Patients: A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tiemersma, Edine W.; van der Werf, Marieke J.; Borgdorff, Martien W.; Williams, Brian G.; Nagelkerke, Nico J. D.

    2011-01-01

    Background: The prognosis, specifically the case fatality and duration, of untreated tuberculosis is important as many patients are not correctly diagnosed and therefore receive inadequate or no treatment. Furthermore, duration and case fatality of tuberculosis are key parameters in interpreting

  13. Natural history of tuberculosis: duration and fatality of untreated pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV negative patients: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tiemersma, E.W.; van der Werf, M.J.; Borgdorff, M.W.; Williams, B.G.; Nagelkerke, N.J.D.

    2011-01-01

    Background The prognosis, specifically the case fatality and duration, of untreated tuberculosis is important as many patients are not correctly diagnosed and therefore receive inadequate or no treatment. Furthermore, duration and case fatality of tuberculosis are key parameters in interpreting

  14. A methodological approach to designing sewer system control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mollerup, Ane Loft

    for this thesis was therefore the wish for a methodological approach to sewer system control design. Using a case study the following research hypothesis was tested in this thesis: Using classical and modern control theory, a methodological approach can be derived for designing sewer system control. This can aid....... This was not unexpected, since the true potential of having optimisation arises, when a system has many control loops with limit-ing constraints and/or changing prioritisation between them. The results showed that for small sewer systems, where the complexity is limited, it is not necessarily the best option to implement...... generate control systems of the future that are more robust, more structured, have a better performance and are easi-er to maintain....

  15. Hope of Success and Fear of Failure Predicting Academic Procrastination Students Who Working on a Thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sari Zakiah Akmal

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Students, who are working on the thesis, have some difficulties caused by internal and external factors. Those problems can disrupt the completion of their thesis, such as the tendency to do academic procrastination. Increasing achievement motivation can reduce academic procrastination. This study aims to look at the role of achievement motivation (hope of success and fear of failure in predicting academic procrastination. The study used a quantitative approach by distributing academic procrastination and achievement motivation questionnaires. The study involved 182 students who were working on a thesis as samples, which were obtained by using accidental sampling technique. Data were analyzed using multiple regressions. It showed that the hope of success and fear of failure have a significant role in predicting academic procrastination (R2 = 13.8%, F = 14,356, p <0.05. The hope of success can decrease academic procrastination, while fear of failure can improve it. Thus, interventions to reduce academic procrastination can be delivered by increasing students hope of success.

  16. The metallic thread in a patchwork thesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hull, Emily A. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2014-01-01

    This thesis contains research that is being prepared for publication. Chapter 2 presents research on water and THF solvated macrocyclic Rh and Co compounds and the effects of different axial ligands (NO2, NO, Cl, CH3) on their optical activity. Chapter 3 involves the study of gas-phase Nb mono and dications with CO and CO2. Chapter 4 is a study of reactions of CO and CO2 with Ta mono and dications. Chapter 5 is a study on virtual orbitals, their usefulness, the use of basis sets in modeling them, and the inclusion of transition metals into the QUasi Atomic Minimal Basis (QUAMBO) method.68-72 Chapter 6 presents the conclusions drawn from the work presented in this dissertation.

  17. Conference "The Cultural Alchemy of the Exact Sciences : Revisiting the Forman Thesis"

    CERN Document Server

    Kojevnikov, Alexei; Trischler, Helmuth; Weimar culture and quantum mechanics : selected papers by Paul Forman and contemporary perspectives on the Forman thesis

    2011-01-01

    This volume reprints Paul Forman's classic papers on the history of physics in post-World War I Germany and the invention of quantum mechanics. The Forman thesis has become famous as the first argument in favor of the cultural conditioning of scientific knowledge, in particular for its demonstration of the historical connection between the culture of Weimar Germany - known for its irrationality and antiscientism - and the emerging concept of quantum acausality.This volume reprints Paul Forman's classic papers on the history of physics in post-World War I Germany and the invention of quantum mechanics. The Forman thesis has become famous as the first argument in favor of the cultural conditioning of scientific knowledge, in particular for its demonstration of the historical connection between the culture of Weimar Germany - known for its irrationality and antiscientism - and the emerging concept of quantum acausality. At the 2007 international conference in Vancouver, Canada, leading historians of physics disc...

  18. An Investigation of Non-Thesis Master's Program Geography Teacher Candidates' Attitudes towards Teaching Profession regarding Several Socio-Cultural Features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sezer, Adem; Kara, Hasan; Pinar, Adnan

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of non-thesis master's degree program: geography teacher candidates towards teaching profession regarding several socio-cultural features. The study was conducted in different universities with 218 geography teacher candidates enrolled in the geography education non-thesis master's degree…

  19. Fermentation of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Treated and Untreated Barley Straw in a Rumen Simulation Technique using Rumen Inoculum from Cattle with Slow Versus Fast Rate of Fiber Disappearance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Ann Beauchemin

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of rumen inoculum from heifers with fast vs. slow rate of in situ fiber digestion on the fermentation of complex versus easily digested fiber sources in the forms of untreated and Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX treated barley straw, respectively, using an artificial rumen simulation technique (Rusitec. In situ fiber digestion was measured in a previous study by incubating untreated barley straw in the rumen of sixteen heifers fed a diet consisting of 700 g/kg barley straw and 300 g/kg concentrate. The two heifers with fastest rate of digestion (Fast > 4.18 % h-1 and the two heifers with the slowest rate of digestion (Slow 0.05 methane per gram of digested material for both untreated and AFEX straw, and reduced (interaction, P < 0.05 acetate: propionate ratio for untreated straw. Greater relative populations of Ruminococcus albus (P < 0.05 and increased microbial N production (P = 0.045 were observed in Fast rumen inoculum. AFEX straw in Fast inoculum had greater total bacterial populations than Slow, but for untreated straw this result was reversed (interaction, P = 0.013. These findings indicate that differences in microbial populations in rumen fluid contribute to differences in the capacity of rumen inoculum to digest fiber.

  20. Combining malaria control with rural electrification

    OpenAIRE

    Oria, Prisca A.

    2016-01-01

    Chapter 1 presents the background information relevant to the subject matter and methods of this thesis. These include the application of social and behavioural sciences in malaria control, the SolarMal project and malaria in Kenya. It also presents the research objective, question and design that informed this thesis. Chapter 2 systematically documented and analysed how the mosquito trapping technology and related social contexts mutually shaped each other and how this mutual shaping impacte...

  1. Wide variation of prostate-specific antigen doubling time of untreated, clinically localized, low-to-intermediate grade, prostate carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choo, Richard; Klotz, Laurence; Deboer, Gerrit; Danjoux, Cyril; Morton, Gerard C

    2004-08-01

    To assess the prostate specific antigen (PSA) doubling time of untreated, clinically localized, low-to-intermediate grade prostate carcinoma. A prospective single-arm cohort study has been in progress since November 1995 to assess the feasibility of a watchful-observation protocol with selective delayed intervention for clinically localized, low-to-intermediate grade prostate adenocarcinoma. The PSA doubling time was estimated from a linear regression of ln(PSA) against time, assuming a simple exponential growth model. As of March 2003, 231 patients had at least 6 months of follow-up (median 45) and at least three PSA measurements (median 8, range 3-21). The distribution of the doubling time was: 50 years, 56. The median doubling time was 7.0 years; 42% of men had a doubling time of >10 years. The doubling time of untreated clinically localized, low-to-intermediate grade prostate cancer varies widely.

  2. A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sildenafil citrate in Canadian men with erectile dysfunction and untreated symptoms of depression, in the absence of major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Sidney H; Dugré, Hélène; Defoy, Isabelle

    2011-05-01

    Depression and erectile dysfunction (ED) often co-occur. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are effective in men with ED and untreated depression, or ED secondary to antidepressants. This study evaluated sildenafil treatment in Canadian men with clinically diagnosed ED (Sexual Health Inventory for Men score ≤ 21) and mild-to-moderate untreated depressive symptoms [Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) score 14-28], but excluding major depressive disorder. Pretreatment screening using the Sexual Health Inventory for Men and BDI-II showed that men with ED were more likely to have depression than men without ED, and ED severity was a predictor of depression (P=0.0226). Two hundred and two men were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with placebo (n=98) or sildenafil (n=104), initial dose of 50 mg, adjustable to 25 or 100 mg. The men were evaluated on all domains of the International Index of Erectile Function and the Sex Effects Questionnaire, Global Efficacy Questions, and Event-log data. Compared with placebo, patients treated with sildenafil had significantly greater changes from baseline in BDI-II scores (P<0.001). All International Index of Erectile Function domains and the Sex Effects Questionnaire components were also significantly improved in sildenafil group (P<0.01). The most common adverse events included headache, dyspepsia, vasodilatation, and respiratory tract infections and were generally mild in intensity. 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

  3. [Analysis of master degree thesis of otolaryngology head and neck surgery in Xinjiang].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayiheng, Qukuerhan; Niliapaer, Alimu; Yalikun, Yasheng

    2010-12-01

    To understand the basic situation and development of knowledge structure and ability of master degree of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in Xinjiang region in order to provide reference to further improve the quality of postgraduate students. Fourty-six papers of Otolaryngology master degree thesis were reviewed at randomly in terms of types, subject selection ranges as well as statistical methods during 1998-2009 in Xinjiang region in order to analyze and explore its advantages and characteristics and suggest a solution for its disadvantages. In 46 degree thesis, nine of them are scientific dissertations accounting for 19.57%, 37 are clinical professional degree thesis, accounting for 80.43%. Five are Experimental research papers, 30 are clinical research papers, 10 are clinical and experimental research papers, 1 of them is experimental epidemiology research paper; in this study, the kinds of diseases including every subject of ENT, various statistical methods are involved; references are 37.46 in average, 19.55 of them are foreign literatures references in nearly 5 years are 13.57; four ethnic groups are exist in postgraduate students with high teaching professional level of tutors. The clinical research should be focused in order to further research on ENT common diseases, the application of advanced research methods, the full application of the latest literature, tutors with high-level, training of students of various nationalities, basic research needs to be innovative and should be focus the subject characteristics, to avoid excessive duplication of research.

  4. Distribution pattern of urine albumin creatinine ratio and the prevalence of high-normal levels in untreated asymptomatic non-diabetic hypertensive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohmaru, Natsuki; Nakatsu, Takaaki; Izumi, Reishi; Mashima, Keiichi; Toki, Misako; Kobayashi, Asako; Ogawa, Hiroko; Hirohata, Satoshi; Ikeda, Satoru; Kusachi, Shozo

    2011-01-01

    Even high-normal albuminuria is reportedly associated with cardiovascular events. We determined the urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) in spot urine samples and analyzed the UACR distribution and the prevalence of high-normal levels. The UACR was determined using immunoturbidimetry in 332 untreated asymptomatic non-diabetic Japanese patients with hypertension and in 69 control subjects. The microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria levels were defined as a UCAR ≥30 and creatinine and a UCAR ≥300 µg/mg·creatinine, respectively. The distribution patterns showed a highly skewed distribution for the lower levels, and a common logarithmic transformation produced a close fit to a Gaussian distribution with median, 25th and 75th percentile values of 22.6, 13.5 and 48.2 µg/mg·creatinine, respectively. When a high-normal UACR was set at >20 to creatinine, 19.9% (66/332) of the hypertensive patients exhibited a high-normal UACR. Microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were observed in 36.1% (120/336) and 2.1% (7/332) of the patients, respectively. UACR was significantly correlated with the systolic and diastolic blood pressures and the pulse pressure. A stepwise multivariate analysis revealed that these pressures as well as age were independent factors that increased UACR. The UACR distribution exhibited a highly skewed pattern, with approximately 60% of untreated, non-diabetic hypertensive patients exhibiting a high-normal or larger UACR. Both hypertension and age are independent risk factors that increase the UACR. The present study indicated that a considerable percentage of patients require anti-hypertensive drugs with antiproteinuric effects at the start of treatment.

  5. Association between duration of untreated bipolar disorder and clinical outcome: data from a Brazilian sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo C. Medeiros

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD is often left untreated for long periods, and this delay in treatment correlates with unfavorable prognosis. The present study sought to assess the magnitude of duration of untreated bipolar disorder (DUB in Brazil. We hypothesized that DUB would be longer in Brazil than in developed countries, and would be associated with poor clinical outcomes. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two psychiatric outpatients were evaluated for BD diagnosis, demographics, DUB, and clinical outcomes. Results: The mean age and mean DUB were, respectively, 38.9±10.8 and 10.4±9.8 years. An extended DUB was associated with early onset of BD (p < 0.001, depression as first mood episode (p = 0.04, and presence of BD in a first-degree relative (p = 0.012. Additionally, a longer DUB was associated with poorer clinical outcomes, such as elevated rates of rapid cycling (p = 0.004 and anxiety disorders (p = 0.016, as well as lower levels of current full remission (p = 0.021. Conclusion: As DUB may be a modifiable variable, better medical education regarding mental health, more structured medical services, and population-wide psychoeducation might reduce the time between onset and proper management of BD, thus improving outcome.

  6. Relationship of carotid arterial functional and structural changes to left atrial volume in untreated hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaroch, Joanna; Rzyczkowska, Barbara; Bociąga, Zbigniew; Vriz, Olga; Driussi, Caterina; Loboz-Rudnicka, Maria; Dudek, Krzysztof; Łoboz-Grudzień, Krystyna

    2016-04-01

    The contribution of arterial functional and structural changes to left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction has been the area of recent research. There are some studies on the relationship between arterial stiffness (a.s.) and left atrial (LA) remodelling as a marker of diastolic burden. Little is known about the association of arterial structural changes and LA remodelling in hypertension (H). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between carotid a.s. and intima-media thickness (IMT) and LA volume in subjects with H. The study included 245 previously untreated hypertensives (166 women and 79 men, mean age 53.7 ± 11.8 years). Each patient was subjected to echocardiography with measurement of LA volume, evaluation of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and LV systolic/diastolic function indices, integrated assessment of carotid IMT and echo-tracking of a.s. and wave reflection parameters. Univariate regression analysis revealed significant correlations between indexed LA volume and selected clinical characteristics, echocardiographic indices of LVH and LV diastolic/systolic function and a.s./wave reflection parameters. The following parameters were identified as independent determinants of indexed LA volume on multivariate regression analysis: diastolic blood pressure (beta = -0.229, P arterial stiffness but not intima-media thickness and LA volume in patients with untreated hypertension.

  7. Centralized motion control of a linear tooth belt drive: Analysis of the performance and limitations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jokinen, M.

    2010-07-01

    A centralized robust position control for an electrical driven tooth belt drive is designed in this doctoral thesis. Both a cascaded control structure and a PID based position controller are discussed. The performance and the limitations of the system are analyzed and design principles for the mechanical structure and the control design are given. These design principles are also suitable for most of the motion control applications, where mechanical resonance frequencies and control loop delays are present. One of the major challenges in the design of a controller for machinery applications is that the values of the parameters in the system model (parameter uncertainty) or the system model it self (non-parametric uncertainty) are seldom known accurately in advance. In this thesis a systematic analysis of the parameter uncertainty of the linear tooth beltdrive model is presented and the effect of the variation of a single parameter on the performance of the total system is shown. The total variation of the model parameters is taken into account in the control design phase using a Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT). The thesis also introduces a new method to analyze reference feedforward controllers applying the QFT. The performance of the designed controllers is verified by experimental measurements. The measurements confirm the control design principles that are given in this thesis. (orig.)

  8. Where's Your Thesis Statement and What Happened to Your Topic Sentences? Identifying Organizational Challenges in Undergraduate Student Argumentative Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Ryan T.; Pessoa, Silvia

    2016-01-01

    The authors examine the challenges students faced in trying to write organized texts using effective thesis statements and topic sentences by analyzing argumentative history essays written by multilingual students enrolled in an undergraduate history course. They use the notions of macro-Theme (i.e., thesis statement) and hyper-Theme (i.e., topic…

  9. Design of an Integrated Team Project as Bachelor Thesis in Bioscience Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peeters, Marie-Christine; Londers, Elsje; Van der Hoeven, Wouter

    2014-01-01

    Following the decision at the KU Leuven to implement the educational concept of guided independent learning and to encourage students to participate in scientific research, the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering decided to introduce a bachelor thesis. Competencies, such as communication, scientific research and teamwork, need to be present in the…

  10. Fermentation of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Treated and Untreated Barley Straw in a Rumen Simulation Technique Using Rumen Inoculum from Cattle with Slow versus Fast Rate of Fiber Disappearance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffith, Candace L; Ribeiro, Gabriel O; Oba, Masahito; McAllister, Tim A; Beauchemin, Karen A

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of rumen inoculum from heifers with fast vs. slow rate of in situ fiber digestion on the fermentation of complex versus easily digested fiber sources in the forms of untreated and Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) treated barley straw, respectively, using an artificial rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). In situ fiber digestion was measured in a previous study by incubating untreated barley straw in the rumen of 16 heifers fed a diet consisting of 700 g/kg barley straw and 300 g/kg concentrate. The two heifers with fastest rate of digestion (Fast ≥ 4.18% h -1 ) and the two heifers with the slowest rate of digestion (Slow ≤ 3.17% h -1 ) were chosen as inoculum donors for this study. Two Rusitec apparatuses each equipped with eight fermenters were used in a completely randomized block design with two blocks (apparatus) and four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (Fast or Slow rumen inoculum and untreated or AFEX treated straw). Fast rumen inoculum and AFEX straw both increased ( P 0.05) methane production per gram of digested material for both untreated and AFEX straw, and reduced (interaction, P < 0.05) acetate: propionate ratio for untreated straw. Greater relative populations of Ruminococcus albus ( P < 0.05) and increased microbial N production ( P = 0.045) were observed in Fast rumen inoculum. AFEX straw in Fast inoculum had greater total bacterial populations than Slow, but for untreated straw this result was reversed (interaction, P = 0.013). These findings indicate that differences in microbial populations in rumen fluid contribute to differences in the capacity of rumen inoculum to digest fiber.

  11. Department of defense environmental cleanup cost allowability policy. Master`s thesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murdock, J.M.

    1994-12-01

    The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the factors affecting the allowability determination of defense contractor environmental remediation costs. The primary objective of this thesis was to determine what policies and contracting cost principles the Department of Defense (DOD) should develop to address environmental costs in a consistent manner, providing a `single face` to industry. A secondary objective was to develop an audit framework and questions to allow for consistent policy analysis and application to a contractor`s proposed environmental remediation costs based upon the materiality of the situation. Background material was presented to show the amount and complexity of environmental regulations, the effects of current judicial decisions and DOD`s efforts to develop a consistent policy. Research material was provided from Congress, the General Accounting Office, DOD, defense contractors, California, Washington, industry associations and environmental protection coalitions. The researcher`s analysis of the material produced an environmental cost principle. This cost principle was applied to a current environmental claim, producing an audit framework and tailored list of cost and/or pricing data analysis, questions. Both the cost principle and audit framework are recommended for incorporation into DOD`s final environmental cost allowability decision.

  12. LGBT Identity, Untreated Depression, and Unmet Need for Mental Health Services by Sexual Minority Women and Trans-Identified People.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Leah S; Daley, Andrea; Curling, Deone; Gibson, Margaret F; Green, Datejie C; Williams, Charmaine C; Ross, Lori E

    2017-02-01

    Previous studies have found that transgender, lesbian, and bisexual people report poorer mental health relative to heterosexuals. However, available research provides little information about mental health service access among the highest need groups within these communities: bisexual women and transgender people. This study compared past year unmet need for mental health care and untreated depression between four groups: heterosexual cisgender (i.e., not transgender) women, cisgender lesbians, cisgender bisexual women, and transgender people. This was a cross-sectional Internet survey. We used targeted sampling to recruit 704 sexual and gender minority people and heterosexual cisgendered adult women across Ontario, Canada. To ensure adequate representation of vulnerable groups, we oversampled racialized and low socioeconomic status (SES) women. Trans participants were 2.4 times (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.6-3.8, p mental healthcare as cisgender heterosexual women. Trans participants were also 1.6 times (95% CI = 1.0-27, p = 0.04) more likely to report untreated depression. These differences were not seen after adjustment for social context factors such as discrimination and social support. We conclude that there are higher rates of unmet need and untreated depression in trans and bisexual participants that are partly explained by differences in social factors, including experiences of discrimination, lower levels of social support, and systemic exclusion from healthcare. Our findings suggest that the mental health system in Ontario is not currently meeting the needs of many sexual and gender minority people.

  13. A Cross-Country Study on Research Students' Perceptions of the Role of Supervision and Cultural Knowledge in Thesis Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGinty, Suzanne Claire; Koo, Yew Lie; Saeidi, Mahnaz

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents preliminary findings from a research study in Australia, Malaysia and Iran on students' perceptions of the roles of supervisor and student in the production of their thesis and the contribution of their cultural knowledge to thesis development. The 360 respondents who answered an online survey were studying for their Master's…

  14. The effect of duration of untreated psychosis and treatment delay on the outcomes of prolonged early intervention in psychotic disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albert, Nikolai; Melau, Marianne; Jensen, Heidi

    2017-01-01

    to the prolonged treatment with regards to disorganized and negative dimension. For participants with short duration from first symptom until start of SEI treatment there was a significant difference on the negative dimension favoring the prolonged OPUS treatment. The finding of an effect of prolonged treatment......The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been shown to have an effect on outcome after first-episode psychosis. The premise of specialized early intervention (SEI) services is that intervention in the early years of illness can affect long-term outcomes. In this study, we investigate whether...... DUP affects treatment response after 5 years of SEI treatment compared to 2 years of SEI treatment. As part of a randomized controlled trial testing the effect of prolonged SEI treatment 400 participants diagnosed within the schizophrenia spectrum were recruited. For this specific study participants...

  15. Untreated severe dental decay: a neglected determinant of low Body Mass Index in 12-year-old Filipino children.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Benzian, H.; Monse, B.; Heinrich-Weltzien, R.; Hobdell, M.; Mulder, J.; Palenstein Helderman, W.H. van

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Dental decay is the most common childhood disease worldwide and most of the decay remains untreated. In the Philippines caries levels are among the highest in the South East Asian region. Elementary school children suffer from high prevalence of stunting and underweight.The present study

  16. Motion control of rigid bodies in SE(3)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roza, Ashton

    This thesis investigates the control of motion for a general class of vehicles that rotate and translate in three-space, and are propelled by a thrust vector which has fixed direction in body frame. The thesis addresses the problems of path following and position control. For path following, a feedback linearization controller is presented that makes the vehicle follow an arbitrary closed curve while simultaneously allowing the designer to specify the velocity profile of the vehicle on the path and its heading. For position control, a two-stage approach is presented that decouples position control from attitude control, allowing for a modular design and yielding almost global asymptotic stability of any desired hovering equilibrium. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified both in simulation and experimentally by means of a hardware-in-the-loop setup emulating a co-axial helicopter.

  17. Cost-Benefit and Performance of Handmade Carpets Produced with Wool, Untreated and Chemical Treated Jute Pile Yarns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Shravan Kumar; Goswami, Kamal Kanti

    2018-03-01

    Jute is a natural fibre which is used to make different type of products due to low cost, easy availability and eco-friendliness. However, the stiffness and harshness of jute fibre affect the use of jute in many products like pile yarns in hand knotted carpets. In this research, a study has been done on the application of jute pile yarns in Persian hand knotted carpet. Three types of commercial yarns (wool, untreated jute and woollenized jute) as well as three types of chemical treated jute yarns (hydrogen peroxide bleached, softened bleached and woollenized yarns) have been applied as pile yarns in Persian hand knotted carpets. Cost-benefit analysis of hand knotted carpets shows that manufacturing cost of wool carpet is lower than others. The contribution of manpower charges is higher than material cost during carpet manufacturing. Hand knotted carpet shows the lowest pile abrasion loss and highest compression recovery when wool is used as pile. Wool hand knotted carpet shows higher compression than untreated and treated jute carpets.

  18. Brace for impact! A thesis on medical care following an airplane crash

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postma, I.L.E.

    2014-01-01

    In this thesis the events and management of a mass casualty incident (MCI) of an airplane crash are studied from a medical point of view. The incident is broken down into areas that are applicable to other MCIs. it is believed that the detailed study of an exceptional event can provide vital

  19. Powdery Mildew Control and Yield Response of Inodorus Melon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ippolito Camele

    Full Text Available The research was carried out on melon (Cucumis melo L. var. inodorus Naud. in 2006 and 2007 at “Pantanello” Experimental Farm (40° 24’N; 16° 48’E; 10 m a.s.l.; Metaponto, southern Italy to evaluate the efficacy of a low environmental impact control strategy against powdery mildew of cucurbits. Winter melon was treated with a new anti-oidium formulation, called Stifénia, obtained from fenugreek seeds and stimulating the plant self-defence. The adopted experimental design included two control strategies (1. biological, using Stifénia and 2. conventional, using penconazole, myclobutanil and sulphur and an untreated control (treated with water alone applied to two cultivars of inodorus melon (cv ‘Amarillo’ and HF1 ‘Cocorito’, the latter a genotype resistant to powdery mildew. Stifénia applications were not effective against the disease; in fact, there were no differences in percentage of attacked plant surface between treated plots and untreated ones. The melon marketable yield was significantly higher with the conventional strategy respect to Stifénia and control. Repeated applications of Stifénia resulted in a significant decrease of marketable yield even in comparison with the untreated control. The cultivars significantly affected powdery mildew development, since the resistant one (‘Cocorito’ was attacked later and damaged always lower than the non-resistant genotype (‘Amarillo’. Laboratory analyses carried out on infected leaves always confirmed that Golovinomyces cichoracearum D.C. was responsible of the disease.

  20. [Postdoctoral lecturer thesis in medicine: academic competence or career booster?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorg, H; Betzler, C; Grieswald, C; Schwab, C G G; Tilkorn, D J; Hauser, J

    2016-06-01

    The postdoctoral lecturer thesis in medicine represents an essential success factor for the career of a physician; however, there is controversial discussion on whether this reflects academic competence or is more a career booster. In this context we conducted a survey among postdoctoral medical lecturers with the aim to evaluate the significance of this qualification. The online survey was performed using a questionnaire requesting biographical parameters and subjective ratings of topics concerning the postdoctoral lecturer thesis. Overall 628 questionnaires were included in the study. The significance of the postdoctoral qualification was rated high in 68.6 % and was seen to be necessary for professional advancement in 71.0 %. The chances of obtaining a full professorship after achieving a postdoctoral qualification were rated moderate to low (68.1 %); nevertheless, 92.3 % would do it again and 86.5 % would recommend it to colleagues. Accordingly, 78.8 % were against its abolishment. Wishes for reforms included standardized federal regulations, reduced dependency on professors and more transparency. The postdoctoral lecturer qualification in medicine is highly valued and the majority of responders did not want it to be abolished. Although the chances for a full professorship were only rated low, successful graduation seems to be beneficial for the career; however, there is a need for substantial structural and international changes.

  1. The new "new racism" thesis: limited government values and race-conscious policy attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gainous, Jason

    2012-01-01

    Some contend that Whites’ application of values to form opinions about race-conscious policy may constitute a subtle form of racism. Others challenge the new racism thesis, suggesting that racism and values are exclusive in their influence. Proponents of the thesis assert that many Whites’ attitudes about such policy are structured by a mix of racism and American individualism. The author suggests that an even more subtle form of racism may exist. Racism may actually be expressed in opposition to big government. The test results presented here indicate that the effects of limited-government values on attitudes about race-conscious policy are conditional on levels of racial prejudice for many Whites, whereas the effects on racially ambiguous social welfare policy attitudes are not. The author contends that these results provide support to the argument that racism still exists and has found a new subtle expression.

  2. Improving electrical power systems reliability through locally controlled distributed curtailable load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehbozorgi, Mohammad Reza

    2000-10-01

    Improvements in power system reliability have always been of interest to both power companies and customers. Since there are no sizable electrical energy storage elements in electrical power systems, the generated power should match the load demand at any given time. Failure to meet this balance may cause severe system problems, including loss of generation and system blackouts. This thesis proposes a methodology which can respond to either loss of generation or loss of load. It is based on switching of electric water heaters using power system frequency as the controlling signal. The proposed methodology encounters, and the thesis has addressed, the following associated problems. The controller must be interfaced with the existing thermostat control. When necessary to switch on loads, the water in the tank should not be overheated. Rapid switching of blocks of load, or chattering, has been considered. The contributions of the thesis are: (A) A system has been proposed which makes a significant portion of the distributed loads connected to a power system to behave in a predetermined manner to improve the power system response during disturbances. (B) The action of the proposed system is transparent to the customers. (C) The thesis proposes a simple analysis for determining the amount of such loads which might be switched and relates this amount to the size of the disturbances which can occur in the utility. (D) The proposed system acts without any formal communication links, solely using the embedded information present system-wide. (E) The methodology of the thesis proposes switching of water heater loads based on a simple, localized frequency set-point controller. The thesis has identified the consequent problem of rapid switching of distributed loads, which is referred to as chattering. (F) Two approaches have been proposed to reduce chattering to tolerable levels. (G) A frequency controller has been designed and built according to the specifications required to

  3. Reality Television, The Hills and the Limits of the Immaterial Labour Thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison Mary Virginia Hearn

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper will examine the immaterial labour thesis as proposed by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri through a case study of reality television production practices, specifically those of the MTV program, The Hills. Because immaterial labour is rooted in individual intelligence, affect, and social communicative capacities, Hardt and Negri contend that economic value in the form of labour power can no longer be adequately measured and quantified and that this immeasurability contains revolutionary potential. But, given the current global economic meltdown, and the persistent and very material suffering of people all over the globe, how legitimate and responsible are these claims? Drawing from interviews with reality television workers and the work of George Caffentzis, Massimo de Angelis, David Harvie and others, this paper will test the limits of the immaterial labour thesis, arguing that, rather than disappearing, capital continues to impose measurement systems to determine socially necessary labour time no matter how diffuse or social that labour might be, and that this imposition continues to produce the alienation and exploitation of many for the benefit of a few.

  4. Flexible Access Control for Dynamic Collaborative Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, M.A.C.

    2009-01-01

    Access control is used in computer systems to control access to confidential data. In this thesis we focus on access control for dynamic collaborative environments where multiple users and systems access and exchange data in an ad hoc manner. In such environments it is difficult to protect

  5. Aspects of control measures in occupational hygiene

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lumens, M.

    1997-01-01


    This thesis focuses on two aspects which are of major importance in the broad field of control measures in occupational hygiene: the selection of control measures in a structured way and the impact of factors modifying the effectiveness of these control measures.

    The main

  6. Executive control systems in the engineering design environment. M.S. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, P. W.

    1985-01-01

    An executive control system (ECS) is a software structure for unifying various applications codes into a comprehensive system. It provides a library of applications, a uniform access method through a cental user interface, and a data management facility. A survey of twenty-four executive control systems designed to unify various CAD/CAE applications for use in diverse engineering design environments within government and industry was conducted. The goals of this research were to establish system requirements to survey state-of-the-art architectural design approaches, and to provide an overview of the historical evolution of these systems. Foundations for design are presented and include environmental settings, system requirements, major architectural components, and a system classification scheme based on knowledge of the supported engineering domain(s). An overview of the design approaches used in developing the major architectural components of an ECS is presented with examples taken from the surveyed systems. Attention is drawn to four major areas of ECS development: interdisciplinary usage; standardization; knowledge utilization; and computer science technology transfer.

  7. Serotonergic control of the developing cerebellum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostland, M.

    2013-01-01

    The work described in this thesis gives insights in the mechanism behind the serotonergic control of the cerebellum during postnatal development. The findings present a powerful role for serotonin in the physiology of the developing cerebellum. The effects of the serotonergic control extend both

  8. An Investigation of the Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disturbances in Adults with Undiagnosed and/or Untreated Phenylketonuria in Poland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazur, Artur; Jarochowicz, Sabina; Oltarzewski, Mariusz; Sykut-Cegielska, Jolanta; Gradowska, Wanda; Januszek-Trzciakowska, Aleksandra; O'Malley, Grace; Kwolek, Andrzej

    2011-01-01

    Background: The aim of the study was to determine neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in a group of patients with previously undiagnosed or untreated phenylketonuria (PKU) in the south-eastern part of Poland. Methods: The study was conducted among 400 adults with severe intellectual disability who were born prior to neonatal screening…

  9. Duration of Untreated Psychosis Is Associated with More Negative Schizophrenia Symptoms after Acute Treatment for First-Episode Psychosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grano, Niklas; Lindsberg, Jenni; Karjalainen, Marjaana; Gronroos, Peter; Blomberg, Ari-Pekka

    2010-01-01

    Evidence of association between duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and negative symptoms of schizophrenia in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients is inconsistent in the recent literature. In the present study, DUP, schizophrenia symptoms, duration of medication, and diagnosis were obtained from hospital archives in a sample of FEP patients.…

  10. Testing the Protestant Ethic Thesis with Quantitative Historical Data: A Research Note

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanderson, Stephen K.; Abrutyn, Seth B.; Proctor, Kristopher R.

    2011-01-01

    We provide a test of the thesis that Protestantism influenced the development of modern capitalism by using quantitative data from 1500 through 1870. Results show that during this period the percentage of a country's population that is Protestant is unrelated to both its level of per capita GDP and the average rate of its annual growth in per…

  11. The Lenoir thesis revisited: Blumenbach and Kant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zammito, John H

    2012-03-01

    Timothy Lenoir launched the historical study of German life science at the end of the 18th century with the claim that J. F. Blumenbach's approach was shaped by his reception of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant: a 'teleomechanism' that adopted a strictly 'regulative' approach to the character of organisms. It now appears that Lenoir was wrong about Blumenbach's understanding of Kant, for Blumenbach's Bildungstrieb entailed an actual empirical claim. Moreover, he had worked out the decisive contours of his theory and he had exerted his maximal influence on the so-called 'Göttingen School' before 1795, when Lenoir posits the main influence of Kant's thought took hold. This has crucial significance for the historical reconstruction of the German life sciences in the period. The Lenoir thesis can no longer serve as the point of departure for that reconstruction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Instructable autonomous agents. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huffman, Scott Bradley

    1994-01-01

    In contrast to current intelligent systems, which must be laboriously programmed for each task they are meant to perform, instructable agents can be taught new tasks and associated knowledge. This thesis presents a general theory of learning from tutorial instruction and its use to produce an instructable agent. Tutorial instruction is a particularly powerful form of instruction, because it allows the instructor to communicate whatever kind of knowledge a student needs at whatever point it is needed. To exploit this broad flexibility, however, a tutorable agent must support a full range of interaction with its instructor to learn a full range of knowledge. Thus, unlike most machine learning tasks, which target deep learning of a single kind of knowledge from a single kind of input, tutorability requires a breadth of learning from a broad range of instructional interactions. The theory of learning from tutorial instruction presented here has two parts. First, a computational model of an intelligent agent, the problem space computational model, indicates the types of knowledge that determine an agent's performance, and thus, that should be acquirable via instruction. Second, a learning technique, called situated explanation specifies how the agent learns general knowledge from instruction. The theory is embodied by an implemented agent, Instructo-Soar, built within the Soar architecture. Instructo-Soar is able to learn hierarchies of completely new tasks, to extend task knowledge to apply in new situations, and in fact to acquire every type of knowledge it uses during task performance - control knowledge, knowledge of operators' effects, state inferences, etc. - from interactive natural language instructions. This variety of learning occurs by applying the situated explanation technique to a variety of instructional interactions involving a variety of types of instructions (commands, statements, conditionals, etc.). By taking seriously the requirements of flexible

  13. Primary aldosteronism among newly diagnosed and untreated hypertensive patients in a Swedish primary care area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westerdahl, Christina; Bergenfelz, Anders; Isaksson, Anders; Nerbrand, Christina; Valdemarsson, Stig

    2011-03-01

    To evaluate the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in newly diagnosed and untreated hypertensive patients in primary care using the aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR), and to assess clinical and biochemical characteristics in patients with high and normal ARR. Patient survey study. A total of 200 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed and untreated hypertension from six primary health care centres in Sweden were included. ARR was calculated from serum aldosterone and plasma renin concentrations. The cut-off level for ARR was 65. Patients with an increased ARR were considered for confirmatory testing with the fludrocortisone suppression test (FST), followed by adrenal computed tomographic radiology (CT) and adrenal venous sampling (AVS). Of 200 patients, 36 patients had an ARR > 65. Of these 36 patients, 11 patients had an incomplete aldosterone inhibition during FST. Three patients were diagnosed with an aldosterone producing adenoma (APA) and eight with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BHA). Except for moderately lower level of P-K in patients with an ARR > 65 and in patients with PA, there were no biochemical or clinical differences found among hypertensive patients with PA compared with patients without PA. Eleven of 200 evaluated patients (5.5%) were considered to have PA. The diagnosis of PA should therefore be considered in newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects and screening for the diagnosis is warranted.

  14. Students' Views on Thesis Supervision in International Master's Degree Programmes in Finnish Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippou, Kalypso; Kallo, Johanna; Mikkilä-Erdmann, Mirjamaija

    2017-01-01

    This paper employs an intercultural perspective to examine students' views on master's thesis supervision and the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and students. The 302 respondents who answered the online questionnaire were enrolled in international master's degree programmes in four Finnish universities. The study revealed asymmetric…

  15. Integrating cultural control methods for tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tumwine, J.; Frinking, H.D.; Jeger, M.J.

    2002-01-01

    Cultural control measures against tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) were evaluated in six field experiments over 3 years in Uganda. Each experiment included sanitation (removal of diseased plant tissues), fungicide (mancozeb) application, and an untreated control, as standard treatments.

  16. Circulating levels of endothelin-1 in a homogenous Gulf Arab population with untreated essential hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obineche, Enyioma; Abdulle, Abdishakur M; Bokhari, Awais M; Yasin, Javed Y; Gillett, Michael P T

    2006-01-01

    Racial variations are reported in the natural history of hypertension. For example, hypertension is significantly more prevalent in blacks than whites. Endothelial cells are important regulators of vascular tone and homeostasis, in part through secretions of vasoactive substances including endothelin-1 (ET-1), a small peptide with potent vasopressor actions. In black hypertensives, ET-1 levels are higher than in normotensive blacks and in both hypertensive and normotensive whites. Since ET-1 might play a significant role in the development and severity of hypertension in the indigenous Arab population of the United Arab Emirates, we investigated the circulating levels of ET-1 in this homogenous population. ET-1 levels were measured in plasma samples from 60 untreated hypertensive Arabs and compared with 60 age- and sex-matched normotensive controls. ET-1 levels were significantly higher in hypertensives (mean 10.1 +/- 1 pmol/L) than normotensives (mean 2.2 +/- 0.5 pmol/L). Body mass index (BMI) was slightly higher among the hypertensives. For all subjects these levels significantly (P Arabs as compared with reported levels in white hypertensives and ET-1 could be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in this population. The endothelial system might be particularly important with respect to hypertension in this racial group and merits further study.

  17. Brain Oscillations Elicited by the Cold Pressor Test: A Putative Index of Untreated Essential Hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papageorgiou, Christos; Manios, Efstathios; Tsaltas, Eleftheria; Koroboki, Eleni; Alevizaki, Maria; Angelopoulos, Elias; Dimopoulos, Meletios-Athanasios; Papageorgiou, Charalabos; Zakopoulos, Nikolaos

    2017-01-01

    Essential hypertension is associated with reduced pain sensitivity of unclear aetiology. This study explores this issue using the Cold Pressor Test (CPT), a reliable pain/stress model, comparing CPT-related EEG activity in first episode hypertensives and controls. 22 untreated hypertensives and 18 matched normotensives underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). EEG recordings were taken before, during, and after CPT exposure. Significant group differences in CPT-induced EEG oscillations were covaried with the most robust cardiovascular differentiators by means of a Canonical Analysis. Positive correlations were noted between ABPM variables and Delta (1-4 Hz) oscillations during the tolerance phase; in high-alpha (10-12 Hz) oscillations during the stress unit and posttest phase; and in low-alpha (8-10 Hz) oscillations during CPT phases overall. Negative correlations were found between ABPM variables and Beta2 oscillations (16.5-20 Hz) during the posttest phase and Gamma (28.5-45 Hz) oscillations during the CPT phases overall. These relationships were localised at several sites across the cerebral hemispheres with predominance in the right hemisphere and left frontal lobe. These findings provide a starting point for increasing our understanding of the complex relationships between cerebral activation and cardiovascular functioning involved in regulating blood pressure changes.

  18. Quantification of newly produced B and T lymphocytes in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caimi Luigi

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The immune defects occurring in chronic lymphocytic leukemia are responsible for the frequent occurrence of infections and autoimmune phenomena, and may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of the malignant clone. Here, we evaluated the quantitative defects of newly produced B and T lymphocytes. Methods The output of B and T lymphocytes from the production and maturation sites was analyzed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and healthy controls by quantifying kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs and T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs by a Real-Time PCR assay that simultaneously detects both targets. T-lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by six-color flow cytometric analysis. Data comparison was performed by two-sided Mann-Whitney test. Results KRECs level was reduced in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients studied at the very early stage of the disease, whereas the release of TRECs+ cells was preserved. Furthermore, the observed increase of CD4+ lymphocytes could be ascribed to the accumulation of CD4+ cells with effector memory phenotype. Conclusions The decreased number of newly produced B lymphocytes in these patients is likely related to a homeostatic mechanism by which the immune system balances the abnormal B-cell expansion. This feature may precede the profound defect of humoral immunity characterizing the later stages of the disease.

  19. Age-dependent cognitive dysfunction in untreated hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins da Silva, Ana; Cavaco, Sara; Fernandes, Joana; Samões, Raquel; Alves, Cristina; Cardoso, Márcio; Kelly, Jeffery W; Monteiro, Cecília; Coelho, Teresa

    2018-02-01

    Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis has been described in patients whose disease course was modified by liver transplant. However, cognitive dysfunction has yet to be investigated in those patients. Moreover, CNS involvement in untreated patients or asymptomatic mutation carriers remains to be studied. A series of 340 carriers of the TTRVal30Met mutation (180 symptomatic and 160 asymptomatic) underwent a neuropsychological assessment, which included the Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2), auditory verbal learning test, semantic fluency, phonemic fluency, and trail making test. Cognitive deficits were identified at the individual level, after adjusting the neuropsychological test scores for demographic characteristics (sex, age, and education), based on large national normative data. The presence of cognitive dysfunction was determined by deficit in DRS-2 and/or multiple cognitive domains. Participants were also screened for depression based on a self-report questionnaire. The frequency of cognitive dysfunction was higher (p = 0.003) in symptomatic (9%) than in asymptomatic (2%) carriers. Among older carriers (≥ 50 years), the frequency of cognitive dysfunction was higher (p hereditary TTR amyloidosis patients with peripheral polyneuropathy, even in the early stages of the disease.

  20. Chemoimmunotherapy with ofatumumab in combination with CHOP in previously untreated follicular lymphoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Czuczman, Myron S; Hess, Georg; Gadeberg, Ole V

    2012-01-01

    An international, Phase II trial was conducted to assess two doses of ofatumumab, a human CD20 monoclonal antibody, combined with cyclophosphamide (750 mg/m(2) ), doxorubicin (50 mg/m(2) ), prednisone (100 mg days 3-7) and vincristine (1·4 mg/m(2) ) (O-CHOP), as frontline treatment for follicular...... lymphoma (FL). 59 patients with previously untreated FL were randomized to ofatumumab 500 mg (n = 29) or 1000 mg (n = 30) day 1, with CHOP on day 3 every 3 weeks for six cycles. Median duration of FL was 0·1 years for both dose groups; 34% and 38% of patients had high-risk Follicular Lymphoma International...

  1. Prevalence of teeth with untreated dental trauma among nursery and primary school pupils in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kahabuka, F.K.; Plasschaert, A.J.M.; Hof, M.A. van 't

    2001-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of teeth with untreated dental trauma among children aged 4-15 years in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A sample of 4524 children from three districts of different socio-economic status in the Dar es Salaam area was examined for signs of dental trauma

  2. Environmental assessment of untreated manure use, manure digestion and codigestion with silage maize : Deliverable for the 'EU-AGRO-BIOGAS' project

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vries, de J.W.; Corre, W.J.; Dooren, van H.J.C.

    2010-01-01

    This report describes the environmental impact of untreated manure use, manure digestion, and co-digestion with silage maize for energy production. The life cycle assessment methodology was used. Environmental indicators included were, global warming potential, energy use, eutrophication,

  3. Increasing the number of feminist scientists: why feminist aims are not served by the Underdetermination Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intemann, Kristen

    2008-11-01

    Recent feminist philosophers of science have argued that feminist values can contribute to rational decisions about which scientific theories to accept. On this view, increasing the number of feminist scientists is important for ensuring rational and objective theory acceptance. The Underdetermination Thesis has played a key role in arguments for this view [Anderson (1995) Hypatia 10(3), 50 84; Hankinson Nelson (1990) Who knows? From Quine to a feminist empiricism. Temple University Press, Philadelphia; Longino (1990) Science as social knowledge. Princeton University Press, Princeton; Longino (2002) The fate of knowledge. Princeton University Press, Princeton; Kourany (2003) Philosophy of Science 70, 1 14]. This thesis is alleged to open an argumentative “gap” between evidence and theory acceptance and provide a rationale for filling the gap with feminist values. While I agree with the conclusion that feminist values can contribute to rational decisions about which theories to accept, I argue that the Underdetermination Thesis cannot support this claim. First, using earlier arguments [Laudan (1990) in: R. Giere (ed) Minnesota studies in the philosophy of science, vol 14, pp 267 297; Slezak (1991) International Studies in Philosophy of Science 5, 241 256; Pinnick (1994) Philosophy of Science 61, 664 657] I show that Underdetermination cannot, by itself, establish that feminist values should fill the gap in theory acceptance. Secondly, I argue that the very use of the Underdetermination Thesis concedes that feminist values are extra-scientific, a-rational, factors in theory acceptance. This concession denies feminists grounds to explain why their values contribute to rational scientific reasoning. Finally, I propose two alternative ways to explain how feminist values can contribute to rational theory acceptance that do not rely on Underdetermination.

  4. An Environmentally Benign Approach for As (V Absorption from Wastewater Using Untreated Coffee Grounds—Preliminary Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gnu Nam

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Arsenic contamination of water is a worldwide issue due to its severe effects on the human body. Coffee grounds are a porous material with network structures, making it absorb other substances such as some gases or elements. In this research, renewable coffee wastes were used as an adsorbent to extract arsenic (As from wastewater. In order to evaluate the usefulness of untreated coffee grounds, a series of preliminary tests for attachment of arsenic to coffee grounds were provided. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET surface area and adsorption–desorption isotherms of an untreated coffee ground obtained from N2 gas adsorption were provided, and pore sizes was obtained using Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH method. The adsorption capacities of the coffee waste were verified through a series of experimental processes changing the conditions such as concentration of arsenic, initial amount of coffee grounds, and pH. The maximum absorption concentration of 6.44 mg/L on 1 g of coffee grounds at 1.00 mM of arsenic solution was observed. It was demonstrated that the modification by the cation species or pretreatment processes, such as calcination, will be necessary to enhance the absorption capacity for the extraction of arsenic.

  5. Generic Model Predictive Control Framework for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, M.

    2014-01-01

    This thesis deals with a model predictive control framework for control design of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, where car-following tasks are under control. The framework is applied to design several autonomous and cooperative controllers and to examine the controller properties at the

  6. Quality control of radioactive waste products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martens, B.R.; Warnecke, E.; Odoj, R.

    1986-01-01

    The variety of incoming untreated wastes, treatment methods, waste forms and containers requires a great variety of controlling methods and principles to be applied both during waste treatment and on the final product. The paper describes product control schemes and methods, sampling systems and transportable testing equipment for waste drums, and equipment for waste cementation using in-drum stirring and subsequent fixation of solid wastes in the flowable product. (DG) [de

  7. Visual servo control for a human-following robot

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Burke, Michael G

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available This thesis presents work completed on the design of control and vision components for use in a monocular vision-based human-following robot. The use of vision in a controller feedback loop is referred to as vision-based or visual servo control...

  8. Model-Based Brake Control including Tyre Behaviour

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Vries, E.J.H.

    2012-01-01

    The objective of the thesis is to develop a method for controlled braking of a vehicle. The brake pedal depression has been considered to be proportional to the intended deceleration. The brake controller is not aimed to replace a cruise control; it will have an anti-lock braking (ABS) function. The

  9. Autonomous Control, Climate and Environmental Changes Effects ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Autonomous Control, Climate and Environmental Changes Effects on Trypanosomiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review. ... African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that causes serious economic losses in livestock due to anemia, loss of condition and emaciation. The disease when neglected is lethal and untreated ...

  10. Passivity-Based Control of Electric Machines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nicklasson, P.J.

    1996-12-31

    This doctoral thesis presents new results on the design and analysis of controllers for a class of electric machines. Nonlinear controllers are derived from a Lagrangian model representation using passivity techniques, and previous results on induction motors are improved and extended to Blondel-Park transformable machines. The relation to conventional techniques is discussed, and it is shown that the formalism introduced in this work facilitates analysis of conventional methods, so that open questions concerning these methods may be resolved. In addition, the thesis contains the following improvements of previously published results on the control of induction motors: (1) Improvement of a passivity-based speed/position controller, (2) Extension of passivity-based (observer-less and observer-based) controllers from regulation to tracking of rotor flux norm, (3) An extension of the classical indirect FOC (Field-Oriented Control) scheme to also include global rotor flux norm tracking, instead of only torque tracking and rotor flux norm regulation. The design is illustrated experimentally by applying the proposed control schemes to a squirrel-cage induction motor. The results show that the proposed methods have advantages over previous designs with respect to controller tuning, performance and robustness. 145 refs., 21 figs.

  11. Curricular Goals and Personal Goals in Master's Thesis Projects: Dutch Student-Supervisor Dyads

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Pilot, Albert

    2013-01-01

    To be effective, feedback should be goal-related. In order to better understand goal-related feedback in Master's thesis projects, the present study explores the goals of supervisors and students in supervision dyads and similarities and differences within and between these dyads. Twelve supervisors and students were interviewed, and their goals…

  12. Management controls of liberalised state owned entities: duality of the rational–legal (modern–neoliberal) and the patrimonial–feudal (traditional)

    OpenAIRE

    Hewege, Chandana Rathnasiri

    2017-01-01

    This thesis explores management controls and the consequences of dysfunctions in the operation of management controls in liberalised State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Sri Lanka. The thesis argues that there is a duality of traditional (feudal–patrimonial) and modern (rational–neoliberal) control elements, and that this duality can better explain management control issues of developing countries such as Sri Lanka. In the process, it aims to extend management control theory relating to SOEs in ...

  13. Cerebellar Codings for Control of Compensatory Eye Movements

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Schonewille (Martijn)

    2008-01-01

    textabstractThis thesis focuses on the control of the cerebellum on motor behaviour, and more specifically on the role of the cerebellar Purkinje cells in exerting this control. As the cerebellum is an online control system, we look at both motor performance and learning, trying to identify

  14. A report of three cases of untreated Graves' disease associated with pancytopenia in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafhati, Abdullah Noor; See, Chee Keong; Hoo, Fan Kee; Badrulnizam, Long Bidin Mohamed

    2014-01-01

    Generally, clinical presentations of Graves' disease range from asymptomatic disease to overt symptomatic hyperthyroidism with heat intolerance, tremor, palpitation, weight loss, and increased appetite. However, atypical presentation of Graves' disease with hematological system involvement, notably pancytopenia, is distinctly uncommon. Hereby, we present and discuss a series of three untreated cases of Graves' disease clinically presented with pancytopenia and the hematological abnormalities that responded well to anti-thyroid treatment. With resolution of the thyrotoxic state, the hematological parameters improved simultaneously. Thus, it is crucial that anti-thyroid treatment be considered in patients with Graves' disease and pancytopenia after a thorough hematological evaluation.

  15. TSH-receptor-autoantibody-titers in untreated toxic diffuse goitres - an early indicator of relapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, W.; Reiners, C.; Boerner, W.

    1984-01-01

    TSH-receptor-auto antibodies were determined in follow-up of 30 patients with relapse of toxic diffuse goitres, i.e. patients with Graves' disease and toxic disseminated autonomy, and in 13 patients with spontaneous remission after antithyroid drug therapy by use of a commercially available TSH-radioreceptorassay (TRAK-assay). All the patients with very high receptor-autoantibody-titers in untreated thyrotoxicosis (F > 20%) had one or more periods of hyperthyroidism or a very severe course of disease. None of these patients showed a spontaneous remission of disease. They all could be identified as Graves' patients. Patients with TRAK-titers 3% [de

  16. Crossflow ultrafiltration of raw municipal wastewater : Investigations using PVDF tubular membranes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ravazzini, A.M.

    2008-01-01

    In the usual wastewater treatment schemes the application of membranes follows a biological process. However, ultrafiltration of untreated wastewater produces permeate free of particles and bacteria in one single step and could represent the starting point for new water-reuse concepts. This thesis

  17. Master's Thesis Supervision: Relations between Perceptions of the Supervisor-Student Relationship, Final Grade, Perceived Supervisor Contribution to Learning and Student Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Mainhard, M. Tim; Meijer, Paulien C.; Pilot, Albert; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2012-01-01

    Master's thesis supervision is a complex task given the two-fold goal of the thesis (learning and assessment). An important aspect of supervision is the supervisor-student relationship. This quantitative study (N = 401) investigates how perceptions of the supervisor-student relationship are related to three dependent variables: final grade,…

  18. Getting used to academic public speaking: global self-esteem predicts habituation in blood pressure response to repeated thesis presentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elfering, Achim; Grebner, Simone

    2012-06-01

    Global self-esteem was tested to predict quicker cardiovascular adaptation during stressful oral thesis presentation and faster habituation from the first to the second and third thesis presentations. Nineteen graduate students initially rated their global self-esteem and afterwards orally presented their theses proposals in 20-min presentations to their thesis supervisor and peers. A second and third presentation of the revised thesis concepts took place at 4-weeks intervals. Ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate were assessed repeatedly during the presentations. Post-talk self ratings of stressfulness indicated presentations to be a strong public speaking stressor. One hundred and thirty-eight measurements of systolic (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) showed a significant adaptation (decrease) during presentations. There was an overall mean level decrease from the first to the second, and the second to the third presentations in HR, but not in SBP and DBP. However, habituation in SBP and DBP across three presentations was significantly faster (p < .05) in those participants who initially reported higher levels of global self-esteem. Higher global self-esteem did not foster adaptation within the presentations. Self-esteem is discussed as an important individual resource that allows successful coping with recurring evaluative threats.

  19. Reading in Preparation for Writing a PhD Thesis: Case Studies of Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwan, Becky S. C.

    2009-01-01

    The paper presents stories of how a group of doctoral students chose the key disciplinary literature that they read in preparation for their thesis-undertaking (RT). The stories were analyzed in light of current understanding of literature reviewing as a situated practice and theory of doctoral education as socio-cognitive apprenticeship. As the…

  20. The natural history of cystic echinococcosis in untreated and albendazole-treated patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomon, N; Kachani, M; Zeyhle, E; Macpherson, C N L

    2017-07-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO) treatment protocols for cystic echinococcosis (CE) are based on the standardized ultrasound (US) classification. This study examined whether the classification reflected the natural history of CE in untreated and albendazole-treated patients. Data were collected during mass US screenings in CE endemic regions among transhumant populations, the Turkana and Berber peoples of Kenya and Morocco. Cysts were classified using the WHO classification. Patient records occurring prior to treatment, and after albendazole administration, were selected. 852 paired before/after observations of 360 cysts from 257 patients were analyzed. A McNemar-Bowker χ 2 test for symmetry was significant (palbendazole-treated patients was significant (palbendazole-induced changes. Regressions may reflect the stability of CE3B cysts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Modeling and (adaptive) control of greenhouse climates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Udink ten Cate, A.J.

    1983-01-01

    The material presented in this thesis can be grouped around four themes, system concepts, modeling, control and adaptive control. In this summary these themes will be treated separately.

    System concepts

    In Chapters 1 and 2 an overview of the problem formulation

  2. Imaging Microglial Activation in Untreated First-Episode Psychosis: A PET Study With [18F]FEPPA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafizi, Sina; Tseng, Huai-Hsuan; Rao, Naren; Selvanathan, Thiviya; Kenk, Miran; Bazinet, Richard P; Suridjan, Ivonne; Wilson, Alan A; Meyer, Jeffrey H; Remington, Gary; Houle, Sylvain; Rusjan, Pablo M; Mizrahi, Romina

    2017-02-01

    Neuroinflammation and abnormal immune responses are increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies targeting the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) have been limited by high nonspecific binding of the first-generation radioligand, low-resolution scanners, small sample sizes, and psychotic patients being on antipsychotics or not being in the first episode of their illness. The present study uses the novel second-generation TSPO PET radioligand [ 18 F]FEPPA to evaluate whether microglial activation is elevated in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of untreated patients with first-episode psychosis. Nineteen untreated patients with first-episode psychosis (14 of them antipsychotic naive) and 20 healthy volunteers underwent a high-resolution [ 18 F]FEPPA PET scan and MRI. Dynamic PET data were analyzed using the validated two-tissue compartment model with arterial plasma input function with total volume of distribution (V T ) as outcome measure. All analyses were corrected for TSPO rs6971 polymorphism (which is implicated in differential binding affinity). No significant differences were observed between patients and healthy volunteers in microglial activation, as indexed by [ 18 F]FEPPA V T , in either the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or the hippocampus. There were no significant correlations between [ 18 F]FEPPA V T and duration of illness, clinical presentation, or neuropsychological measures after adjusting for multiple testing. The lack of significant differences in [ 18 F]FEPPA V T between groups suggests that microglial activation is not present in first-episode psychosis.

  3. Contrasting effects of untreated textile wastewater onto the soil available nitrogen-phosphorus and enzymatic activities in aridisol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arif, Muhammad Saleem; Riaz, Muhammad; Shahzad, Sher Muhammad; Yasmeen, Tahira; Buttler, Alexandre; Garcıa-Gil, Juan Carlos; Roohi, Mahnaz; Rasool, Akhtar

    2016-02-01

    Water shortage and soil qualitative degradation are significant environmental problems in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The increasing demand for water in agriculture and industry has resulted in the emergence of wastewater use as an alternative in these areas. Textile wastewater is produced in surplus amounts which poses threat to the environment as well as associated flora and fauna. A 60-day incubation study was performed to assess the effects of untreated textile wastewater at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% dilution levels on the physico-chemical and some microbial and enzymatic properties of an aridisol soil. The addition of textile wastewater provoked a significant change in soil pH and electrical conductivity and soil dehydrogenase and urease activities compared to the distilled-water treated control soil. Moreover, compared to the control treatment, soil phosphomonoesterase activity was significantly increased from 25 to 75% application rates, but decreased at 100% textile wastewater application rate. Total and available soil N contents increased significantly in response to application of textile wastewater. Despite significant increases in the soil total P contents after the addition of textile wastewater, soil available P content decreased with increasing concentration of wastewater. Changes in soil nutrient contents and related enzymatic activities suggested a dynamic match between substrate availability and soil N and P contents. Aridisols have high fixation and low P availability, application of textile wastewater to such soils should be considered only after careful assessment.

  4. A numerical study of fundamental shock noise mechanisms. Ph.D. Thesis - Cornell Univ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meadows, Kristine R.

    1995-01-01

    The results of this thesis demonstrate that direct numerical simulation can predict sound generation in unsteady aerodynamic flows containing shock waves. Shock waves can be significant sources of sound in high speed jet flows, on helicopter blades, and in supersonic combustion inlets. Direct computation of sound permits the prediction of noise levels in the preliminary design stage and can be used as a tool to focus experimental studies, thereby reducing cost and increasing the probability of a successfully quiet product in less time. This thesis reveals and investigates two mechanisms fundamental to sound generation by shocked flows: shock motion and shock deformation. Shock motion is modeled by the interaction of a sound wave with a shock. During the interaction, the shock wave begins to move and the sound pressure is amplified as the wave passes through the shock. The numerical approach presented in this thesis is validated by the comparison of results obtained in a quasi-one dimensional simulation with linear theory. Analysis of the perturbation energy demonstrated for the first time that acoustic energy is generated by the interaction. Shock deformation is investigated by the numerical simulation of a ring vortex interacting with a shock. This interaction models the passage of turbulent structures through the shock wave. The simulation demonstrates that both acoustic waves and contact surfaces are generated downstream during the interaction. Analysis demonstrates that the acoustic wave spreads cylindrically, that the sound intensity is highly directional, and that the sound pressure level increases significantly with increasing shock strength. The effect of shock strength on sound pressure level is consistent with experimental observations of shock noise, indicating that the interaction of a ring vortex with a shock wave correctly models a dominant mechanism of shock noise generation.

  5. Screening for impulse control symptoms in patients with de novo Parkinson disease: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weintraub, Daniel; Papay, Kimberly; Siderowf, Andrew

    2013-01-08

    To determine the frequency and correlates of impulse control and related behavior symptoms in patients with de novo, untreated Parkinson disease (PD) and healthy controls (HCs). The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative is an international, multisite, case-control clinical study conducted at 21 academic movement disorders centers. Participants were recently diagnosed, untreated PD patients (n = 168) and HCs (n = 143). The outcome measures were presence of current impulse control and related behavior symptoms based on recommended cutoff points for the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease (QUIP)-Short Form. There were 311 participants with complete QUIP data. Frequencies of impulse control and related behavior symptoms for patients with PD vs HCs were as follows: gambling (1.2% vs. 0.7%), buying (3.0% vs. 2.1%), sexual behavior (4.2% vs. 3.5%), eating (7.1% vs. 10.5%), punding (4.8% vs. 2.1%), hobbyism (5.4% vs. 11.9%), walkabout (0.6% vs. 0.7%), and any impulse control or related behavior (18.5% vs. 20.3%). In multivariable models, a diagnosis of PD was not associated with symptoms of any impulse control or related behavior (p ≥ 0.10 in all cases). PD itself does not seem to confer an increased risk for development of impulse control or related behavior symptoms, which further reinforces the reported association between PD medications and impulse control disorders in PD. Given that approximately 20% of patients with newly diagnosed PD report some impulse control or related behavior symptoms, long-term follow-up is needed to determine whether such patients are at increased risk for impulse control disorder development once PD medications are initiated.

  6. A feedback linearization approach to spacecraft control using momentum exchange devices. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzielski, John Edward

    1988-01-01

    Recent developments in the area of nonlinear control theory have shown how coordiante changes in the state and input spaces can be used with nonlinear feedback to transform certain nonlinear ordinary differential equations into equivalent linear equations. These feedback linearization techniques are applied to resolve two problems arising in the control of spacecraft equipped with control moment gyroscopes (CMGs). The first application involves the computation of rate commands for the gimbals that rotate the individual gyroscopes to produce commanded torques on the spacecraft. The second application is to the long-term management of stored momentum in the system of control moment gyroscopes using environmental torques acting on the vehicle. An approach to distributing control effort among a group of redundant actuators is described that uses feedback linearization techniques to parameterize sets of controls which influence a specified subsystem in a desired way. The approach is adapted for use in spacecraft control with double-gimballed gyroscopes to produce an algorithm that avoids problematic gimbal configurations by approximating sets of gimbal rates that drive CMG rotors into desirable configurations. The momentum management problem is stated as a trajectory optimization problem with a nonlinear dynamical constraint. Feedback linearization and collocation are used to transform this problem into an unconstrainted nonlinear program. The approach to trajectory optimization is fast and robust. A number of examples are presented showing applications to the proposed NASA space station.

  7. Anaesthetic management for emergency caesarean section in a patient with an untreated recently diagnosed phaeochromocytoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anil Agarwal

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Phaeochromocytoma is a rare cause of hypertension during pregnancy with potentially fatal consequences. If not detected and treated early in pregnancy, it is catastrophic for both the mother and the baby. Management requires close co-ordination between the obstetrician, anaesthesiologist, paediatrician and the endocrinologist. Perioperative management for an emergency caesarean section in a parturient with untreated phaeochromocytoma is an anaesthetic challenge and no standard recommendations have been reported till date. In this case report, we present anaesthetic management in such a case with successful maternal and foetal outcome.

  8. Modelling the Thin-Layer Drying Kinetics of Untreated and Blanch-Osmotic Pre-treated Tomato Slices

    OpenAIRE

    Samuel Enahoro Agarry

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-treatment and drying temperature on the drying kinetics and nutritional quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum L.) under hot air drying. Tomato samples were blanched at 80oC and osmotically dehydrated using 20% w/w sodium chloride solutions at 30oC for 20 min. The blanch-osmotic pre-treated and untreated tomato slices were dried at temperature of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80oC, respectively in a hot air-dryer. The results showed th...

  9. Bone scintigraphy and radiology in untreated Paget's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vellenga, C.J.L.R.; Pauwels, E.K.J.; Bijvost, O.L.M.

    1985-01-01

    This study is based on 107 patients with untreated Paget's disease of bone. Scintigraphy was performed 3 hours after 20 mCi Tc-99m-Sn-EHDP, using a Toshiba 204 or 404 gamma camera. In each patient multiple spot films of the total skeleton were made and evaluated according to a six-point scale. Moreover, in 42 patients the ratio of uptake in a lesion over comparable normal bone was measured using an MDS Trinary computer. Radiographs were made only of affected parts and evaluated according to a three-point scale. In 59 (16%) of the 373 lesions found on the scintigam no radiographic abnormalities were found. These roentgen-negative lesions generally show rather low scintigraphic uptake and are mostly asymptomatic. There exists a clear correlation between scintigraphic uptake and radiological deformity: the scintigraphic scores 5 and 6 occur in only 24% of the ro-grade 1 lesions, but in 65% of the grade 3 lesions; after computer evaluation the mean ratio in grade 1 and 3 lesions is 3.0 and 6.5 resp. (p<0.01). There also appears to be a correlation between scint. uptake and symptomatology: typical Pagetic pain is present in 10% of scint. score 2 and 3 lesions, but in 40% of score 5 and 6 lesions; the mean computer measured scint. ratio is 4.0 for asymptomatic and 7.5 for painful lesions (p<0.001)

  10. Application of Contraction Mappings to the Control of Nonlinear Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killingsworth, W. R., Jr.

    1972-01-01

    The theoretical and applied aspects of successive approximation techniques are considered for the determination of controls for nonlinear dynamical systems. Particular emphasis is placed upon the methods of contraction mappings and modified contraction mappings. It is shown that application of the Pontryagin principle to the optimal nonlinear regulator problem results in necessary conditions for optimality in the form of a two point boundary value problem (TPBVP). The TPBVP is represented by an operator equation and functional analytic results on the iterative solution of operator equations are applied. The general convergence theorems are translated and applied to those operators arising from the optimal regulation of nonlinear systems. It is shown that simply structured matrices and similarity transformations may be used to facilitate the calculation of the matrix Green functions and the evaluation of the convergence criteria. A controllability theory based on the integral representation of TPBVP's, the implicit function theorem, and contraction mappings is developed for nonlinear dynamical systems. Contraction mappings are theoretically and practically applied to a nonlinear control problem with bounded input control and the Lipschitz norm is used to prove convergence for the nondifferentiable operator. A dynamic model representing community drug usage is developed and the contraction mappings method is used to study the optimal regulation of the nonlinear system.

  11. Modelling and control of systems with flow

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Mourik, S.

    2008-01-01

    In practice, feedback control design consists of three steps: modelling, model reduction and controller design for the reduced model. Systems with flow are often complicated, and there is yet no standard algorithm that integrates these steps. In this thesis we make a modest effort by considering two

  12. Use of the scoliosis research society outcomes instrument to evaluate patient outcome in untreated idiopathic scoliosis patients in Japan: part I: comparison with nonscoliosis group: preliminary/limited review in a Japanese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Kei; Hasegawa, Kazuhiro; Hirano, Toru; Uchiyama, Seiji; Endo, Naoto

    2005-05-15

    ). Untreated scoliosis patients with severe deformity were inclined to complain of being self-conscious or distressed regarding their back appearance compared with age- and sex-matched control adolescents. The control group was inclined to have, however, a negative general self-image compared with the patients group. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha for all domains was considerably low. The baseline of the SRS-24 scores in the Japanese population might differ from that of the Western population because of differences in national culture. Therefore, further study is necessary to clarify the validity of the SRS-24 domains for Japanese patients.

  13. Trends in income-related inequality in untreated caries among children in the United States: findings from NHANES I, NHANES III, and NHANES 1999-2004.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capurro, Diego Alberto; Iafolla, Timothy; Kingman, Albert; Chattopadhyay, Amit; Garcia, Isabel

    2015-12-01

    The goal of this analysis was to describe income-related inequality in untreated caries among children in the United States over time. The analysis focuses on children ages 2-12 years in three nationally representative U.S. surveys: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1971-1974, NHANES 1988-1994, and NHANES 1999-2004. The outcome of interest is untreated dental caries. Various methods are employed to measure absolute and relative inequality within each survey such as pair-wise comparisons, measures of association (odds ratios), and three summary measures of overall inequality: the slope index of inequality, the relative index of inequality, and the concentration index. Inequality trends are then assessed by comparing these estimates across the three surveys. Inequality was present in each of the three surveys analyzed. Whether measured on an absolute or relative scale, untreated caries disproportionately affected those with lower income. Trend analysis shows that, despite population-wide reductions in untreated caries between NHANES I and NHANES III, overall absolute inequality slightly increased, while overall relative inequality significantly increased. Between NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2004, both absolute and relative inequality tended to decrease; however, these changes were not statistically significant. Socioeconomic inequality in oral health is an important measure of progress in overall population health and a key input to inform health policies. This analysis shows the presence of socioeconomic inequality in oral health in the American child population, as well as changes in its magnitude over time. Further research is needed to determine the factors related to these changes and their relative contribution to inequality trends. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Association of translocator protein total distribution volume with duration of untreated major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiawan, Elaine; Attwells, Sophia; Wilson, Alan A; Mizrahi, Romina; Rusjan, Pablo M; Miler, Laura; Xu, Cynthia; Sharma, Sarita; Kish, Stephen; Houle, Sylvain; Meyer, Jeffrey H

    2018-04-01

    People with major depressive disorder frequently exhibit increasing persistence of major depressive episodes. However, evidence for neuroprogression (ie, increasing brain pathology with longer duration of illness) is scarce. Microglial activation, which is an important component of neuroinflammation, is implicated in neuroprogression. We examined the relationship of translocator protein (TSPO) total distribution volume (V T ), a marker of microglial activation, with duration of untreated major depressive disorder, and with total illness duration and antidepressant exposure. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited participants aged 18-75 years from the Toronto area and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Toronto, ON, Canada). Participants either had major depressive episodes secondary to major depressive disorder or were healthy, as confirmed with a structured clinical interview and consultation with a study psychiatrist. To be enrolled, participants with major depressive episodes had to score a minimum of 17 on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and had to be medication free or taking a stable dose of medication for at least 4 weeks before PET scanning. Eligible participants were non-smokers; had no history of or concurrent alcohol or substance dependence, neurological illness, autoimmune disorder, or severe medical problems; and were free from acute medical illnesses for the previous 2 weeks before PET scanning. Participants were excluded if they had used brain stimulation treatments within the 6 months before scanning, had used anti-inflammatory drugs lasting at least 1 week within the past month, were taking hormone replacement therapy, had psychotic symptoms, had bipolar disorder (type I or II) or borderline antisocial personality disorder, or were pregnant or breastfeeding. We scanned three primary grey-matter regions of interest (prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and insula) and 12 additional regions and subregions using 18

  15. ARSIS AND THESIS: A REVIEW OF TWO ELEMENTS OF RHYTHM IN NON-TRADITIONAL MUSIC WRITTEN BY F. H. SMITH VAN WAESBERGHE D.J

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunarto

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to discuss the comparative terms of arsis and thesis in the study of Western music. The purpose of the study is to study the forms of music from the terms of language and its application, because there are many elements of music that are not understandable. Method of this study uses classical literature and musicology approach in which the great phrase rhythm of Gregorian music was more appropriately take a literary term; arsis and thesis. The focus of this study is to discuss the terms of Arsis and Thesis used in the section of rhythm elements of non-traditional music. This study reveals several musical terms in which there are similarities and differences between the rhythm and bars of music. The similarities and differences in the analysis are based on the history of Western music from Gregorian music. Gregorian was monophonic music that still existed in Europe until the 19th century. There were only two phrases in Gregorian music; when the melody moved up and when it moved down. In this case, there were two main elements in Gregorian music; they were different in rhythmic and they were in one rhythm of music. Arsis is a hard melody while thesis is a soft melody. It could be said that arsis and thesis are also parts of the dynamics form of music work. Keywords: arsis; Thesis; music rhythm; non-traditional music.

  16. Relationship between parental locus of control and caries experience in preschool children - cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lencová, Erika; Pikhart, Hynek; Broukal, Zdenek; Tsakos, Georgios

    2008-06-12

    Due to high prevalence and serious impacts, childhood caries represents a public health issue. Behavioural risk factors such as locus of health control have been implicated in the development of the disease; however their association with childhood caries has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the relationship between parental locus of health control and caries experience and untreated caries of their preschool children in a representative sample in Czech Republic, adjusting for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. A representative sample of 285 preschool children and their parents was recruited. Study data included children's dental status recorded in nurseries and parental questionnaires with 13 attitudinal items regarding locus of control (LoC) in caries prevention. The association between parental locus of control and children's caries experience and level of untreated caries was analysed using logistic regression, adjusting for the effect of key sociodemographic variables. There was a statistically highly significant linear trend between increased parental LoC and higher probability of the children to be free from untreated caries, independent from the effect of sociodemographic variables of children and parents. A similar highly statistically significant trend, although not entirely linear, and independent from sociodemographic variables was observed with respect to the chance of the children to be free from caries experience with increasing strength of parental LoC. After full adjustment, children in the strongest parental LoC quintile were 2.81 (1.23-6.42, pcontrol of both untreated caries and caries experience in their preschool children and highlight that a more internal LoC within the family is advantageous in the prevention of dental caries.

  17. Students’Self-Perception and Cognition about Circumstances in Writing a Graduation Thesis

    OpenAIRE

    橋本, 京子

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates how students perceive self and the circumstances when writing a graduation thesis, and also the relationship between positive cognitions and mental health. Thirty-one university students who were writing graduation theses were administered a questionnaire six months before the deadline and again one month before it. Students perceived themselves more emotionally unbalanced and more incapable, but more positive about their attitudes concerning their graduation theses th...

  18. Modelling the Skinner Thesis : Consequences of a Lognormal or a Bimodal Resource Base Distribution

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Auping, W.L.

    2014-01-01

    The copper case is often used as an example in resource depletion studies. Despite these studies, several profound uncertainties remain in the system. One of these uncertainties is the distribution of copper grades in the lithosphere. The Skinner thesis promotes the idea that copper grades may be

  19. "On Course" for Supporting Expanded Participation and Improving Scientific Reasoning in Undergraduate Thesis Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowd, Jason E.; Roy, Christopher P.; Thompson, Robert J., Jr.; Reynolds, Julie A.

    2015-01-01

    The Department of Chemistry at Duke University has endeavored to expand participation in undergraduate honors thesis research while maintaining the quality of the learning experience. Accomplishing this goal has been constrained by limited departmental resources (including faculty time) and increased diversity in students' preparation to engage in…

  20. The Relation between Feedback Perceptions and the Supervisor-Student Relationship in Master's Thesis Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Pilot, Albert; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2014-01-01

    Research supervision can be investigated from social-emotional and cognitive perspectives, but most studies include only one perspective. This study aims to understand the interplay between a social-emotional (supervisor-student relationship) and cognitive (feedback) perspective on the outcomes of master's thesis supervision in specific, by…

  1. Adaptive Backstepping Flight Control for Modern Fighter Aircraft

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sonneveldt, L.

    2010-01-01

    The main goal of this thesis is to investigate the potential of the nonlinear adaptive backstepping control technique in combination with online model identification for the design of a reconfigurable flight control system for a modern fighter aircraft. Adaptive backstepping is a recursive,

  2. Alternative Assessment of Glycemic Control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Greven, W.L.

    2015-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease associated with development of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Optimal glycemic control, usually measured by HbA1c is the cornerstone for prevention of complications. In this thesis glycemic variability (which resembles actual glucose levels,

  3. Brain Oscillations Elicited by the Cold Pressor Test: A Putative Index of Untreated Essential Hypertension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christos Papageorgiou

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Essential hypertension is associated with reduced pain sensitivity of unclear aetiology. This study explores this issue using the Cold Pressor Test (CPT, a reliable pain/stress model, comparing CPT-related EEG activity in first episode hypertensives and controls. Method. 22 untreated hypertensives and 18 matched normotensives underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM. EEG recordings were taken before, during, and after CPT exposure. Results. Significant group differences in CPT-induced EEG oscillations were covaried with the most robust cardiovascular differentiators by means of a Canonical Analysis. Positive correlations were noted between ABPM variables and Delta (1–4 Hz oscillations during the tolerance phase; in high-alpha (10–12 Hz oscillations during the stress unit and posttest phase; and in low-alpha (8–10 Hz oscillations during CPT phases overall. Negative correlations were found between ABPM variables and Beta2 oscillations (16.5–20 Hz during the posttest phase and Gamma (28.5–45 Hz oscillations during the CPT phases overall. These relationships were localised at several sites across the cerebral hemispheres with predominance in the right hemisphere and left frontal lobe. Conclusions. These findings provide a starting point for increasing our understanding of the complex relationships between cerebral activation and cardiovascular functioning involved in regulating blood pressure changes.

  4. Fault Tolerant Control Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøgh, S. A.

    This thesis considered the development of fault tolerant control systems. The focus was on the category of automated processes that do not necessarily comprise a high number of identical sensors and actuators to maintain safe operation, but still have a potential for improving immunity to component...

  5. Contribution to control of robotics structures and dynamic behaviour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilliot, Jean-Marie

    1990-01-01

    The scope of this thesis is the simulation of the dynamics of complex rigid multi-body systems involved in robotics, in order to control them. In the first stage, methods for obtaining equations and models required for simulation and control purposes are proposed and discussed: - determination of constraint equations using the jacobian matrices, - elaboration of direct and inverse dynamics of manipulators. The second part of this thesis deals with the different concepts and components involved in the setting of simulation systems for Robotics Application Programs: models, emulators and the software development environment. The control algorithms are then introduced as a particular class of robotics application programs. A simulator has been developed, allowing the calculation and the visualisation of robot motions, driven by generalized torques. Some examples of control programs generating such control torques are then presented to illustrate the use of the simulator. (author) [fr

  6. Quantum control of optomechanical systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofer, S.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis explores the prospects of entanglement-enhanced quantum control of optomechanical systems. We first discuss several pulsed schemes in which the radiation-pressure interaction is used to generate EPR entanglement between the mechanical mode of a cavity-optomechanical system and a travelling-wave light pulse. The entanglement created in this way can be used as a resource for mechanical state preparation. On the basis of this protocol, we introduce an optomechanical teleportation scheme to transfer an arbitrary light state onto the mechanical system. Furthermore, we describe how one can create a mechanical non-classical state (i.e., a state with a negative Wigner function) by single-photon detection, and, in a similar protocol, how optomechanical systems can be used to demonstrate the violation of a Bell inequality. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to time-continuous quantum control protocols. Making use of optimal-control techniques, we analyse measurement-based feedback cooling of a mechanical oscillator and demonstrate that ground-state cooling is achievable in the sideband-resolved, blue-detuned regime. We then extend this homodyne-detection based setup and introduce the notion of a time-continuous Bell measurement---a generalisation of the standard continuous variable Bell measurement to a continuous measurement setting. Combining this concept with continuous feedback we analyse the generation of a squeezed mechanical steady state via time-continuous teleportation, and the creation of bipartite mechanical entanglement by entanglement swapping. Finally we discuss an experiment demonstrating the evaluation of the conditional optomechanical quantum state by Kalman filtering, constituting a important step towards time-continuous quantum control of optomechanical systems and the possible realisation of the protocols presented in this thesis. (author) [de

  7. Soluble CD14 in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with markers of inflammation and axonal damage in untreated HIV-infected patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, Sofie; Pedersen, Karin Kæreby; Anesten, Birgitta

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: HIV-associated cognitive impairment has declined since the introduction of combination antiretroviral treatment (cART). However, milder forms of cognitive impairment persist. Inflammation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been associated with cognitive impairment, and CSF neurofila......BACKGROUND: HIV-associated cognitive impairment has declined since the introduction of combination antiretroviral treatment (cART). However, milder forms of cognitive impairment persist. Inflammation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been associated with cognitive impairment, and CSF...... neurofilament light chain protein (NFL) and CSF neopterin concentrations are increased in those patients. Microbial translocation in HIV infection has been suggested to contribute to chronic inflammation, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) are markers of microbial translocation...... and the resulting monocyte activation, respectively. We hypothesised that microbial translocation contributes to inflammation and axonal damage in the central nervous system (CNS) in untreated HIV infection. METHODS: We analyzed paired samples of plasma and CSF from 62 HIV-infected, untreated patients without...

  8. Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    NN, NN; Patel, Deven; Thorne, Claire

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race. METHODS: Data on > or = 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV......-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested...... random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection. RESULTS: The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p=0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies...

  9. Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Morphological Studies of Rice Husk (Treated/Untreated)-CaCO3 Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Deepak; Joshi, Garvit; Gupta, Ayush

    2016-10-01

    Natural fiber reinforced composites are a very popular area of research because of the easy availability and biodegradability of these fibers. The manufacturing of natural fiber composite is done by reinforcing fibers in the particulate form, fiber form or in woven mat form. Natural fiber composites also utilize industrial wastes as a secondary reinforcements like fly ash, sludge etc. By keeping all these point of views in the present investigation the effect of rice husk flour (chemically treated/untreated) and micro sized calcium carbonate with epoxy resin have been evaluated. The diameter of rice husk flour was maintained at 600 µm through mechanical sieving machine. The husk flour was chemically treated with NaOH (5 % w/v). Mechanical properties like hardness, flexural impact and compression strength were evaluated and found to be superior in modified or chemically treated flour as compared to unmodified or untreated flour reinforced composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study was also undertaken for the developed composites. SEM study shows the distribution of the rice husk flour and calcium carbonate over the matrix.

  10. Two cosmic ray experiments in the 40's, one of them my Phd thesis

    CERN Document Server

    Steinberger, J

    2013-01-01

    The experiment of Conversi, Pancini and Piccioni performed in Rome at the end of World War 2 showed that the "mesotron", now the muon, is not the "Yukawa particle". My thesis showed that the electron spectrum in mesotron decay is continuous, leading the way to the "universal" Fermi interaction

  11. Graphical User Interface and Microprocessor Control Enhancement of a Pseudorandom Code Generator

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kos, John

    1999-01-01

    .... This thesis addresses the issue of providing automated computer control to previously built, manually controlled hardware incorporating the Stanford Telecom STEL-1032 Pseudo-Random Number (PRN) Coder...

  12. Modeling and Control of Underwater Robotic Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schjoelberg, I:

    1996-12-31

    This doctoral thesis describes modeling and control of underwater vehicle-manipulator systems. The thesis also presents a model and a control scheme for a system consisting of a surface vessel connected to an underwater robotic system by means of a slender marine structure. The equations of motion of the underwater vehicle and manipulator are described and the system kinematics and properties presented. Feedback linearization technique is applied to the system and evaluated through a simulation study. Passivity-based controllers for vehicle and manipulator control are presented. Stability of the closed loop system is proved and simulation results are given. The equation of motion for lateral motion of a cable/riser system connected to a surface vessel at the top end and to a thruster at the bottom end is described and stability analysis and simulations are presented. The equations of motion in 3 degrees of freedom of the cable/riser, surface vessel and robotic system are given. Stability analysis of the total system with PD-controllers is presented. 47 refs., 32 figs., 7 tabs.

  13. Contribution to intelligent vehicle platoon control

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao , Jin

    2010-01-01

    This PhD thesis is dedicated to the control strategies for intelligent vehicle platoon in highway with the main aims of alleviating traffic congestion and improving traffic safety. After a review of the different existing automated driving systems, the vehicle longitudinal and lateral dynamic models are derived. Then, the longitudinal control and lateral control strategies are studied respectively. At first, the longitudinal control system is designed to be hierarchical with an upper level co...

  14. Adaptative control with non-minimum phase system. Application to level control in PWR power plant steam generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bihoreau, C.

    1981-03-01

    This thesis presents the proposal for a water control level method likely to improve performance, especially at low power. Particular problems are analyzed in detail. Finally, computerized simulations are presented; they confirm the algorithm performance [fr

  15. Infection control in Indonesian Hospitals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duerink, Daphne Offra

    2009-01-01

    The studies in this thesis were performed as part of the AMRIN (Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia) study that addressed antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic usage and infection control in Indonesia. They are the first studies that give insight into the incidence of healthcare-associated

  16. LA LECTURA Y LA ESCRITURA EN LAS TESIS DE MAESTRÍA Reading and Writing in a Magister Thesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ligia Ochoa Sierra

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available El artículo centra su atención en la lectura y la escritura como factores que pueden favorecer u obstaculizar la terminación de una tesis de maestría. Los datos de esta investigación provienen de entrevistas semiestructuradas a estudiantes que terminaron su tesis y se graduaron, a estudiantes que nunca la terminaron, y a directores o asesores de tesis de maestría de la Facultad de Ciencias Humanas de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Los resultados muestran que escribir una tesis supone capacidades cognitivas previas como las relacionadas con la capacidad de soportar críticas y la habilidad de revisar un documento pero también requiere de procesos que solo se desarrollan a propósito de la elaboración de la tesis, como reseñas críticas, escritura académica, manejo de diversas fuentes.This article focuses on reading and writing as factors that may hinder the completion of a Master's thesis. The corpus includes semi-structured interviews to graduates who completed their theses, non-completers, and Master's thesis advisors or directors of the Faculty of Ciencias Humanas of Universidad Nacional de Colombia. The results show that writing a thesis involves having prior cognitive skills such the ability to accept criticism and the ability to edit a document, as well as processes that are the result of the thesis itself: critical reviews, academic writing and the ability to handle sources.

  17. Modelling and Analysing Access Control Policies in XACML 3.0

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramli, Carroline Dewi Puspa Kencana

    (c.f. GM03,Mos05,Ris13) and manual analysis of the overall effect and consequences of a large XACML policy set is a very daunting and time-consuming task. In this thesis we address the problem of understanding the semantics of access control policy language XACML, in particular XACML version 3.0....... The main focus of this thesis is modelling and analysing access control policies in XACML 3.0. There are two main contributions in this thesis. First, we study and formalise XACML 3.0, in particular the Policy Decision Point (PDP). The concrete syntax of XACML is based on the XML format, while its standard...... semantics is described normatively using natural language. The use of English text in standardisation leads to the risk of misinterpretation and ambiguity. In order to avoid this drawback, we define an abstract syntax of XACML 3.0 and a formal XACML semantics. Second, we propose a logic-based XACML analysis...

  18. Thesis: the ''evolutions of the long term European gas market - organisation and costs''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouvry, V.

    1998-01-01

    This paper presents the main conclusions of the thesis defended by the author on January 30, 1998: recalls of some characteristics of the European gas market, the stakes of the gas market liberation, the regulatory aspects, the tariffs problem, the competition in the gas marketing segment, and different possible modeling of the gas market evolution (contracts, costs, competition). (J.S.)

  19. T-cell dynamics in healthy and HIV-infected individuals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrisekoop, N.

    2007-01-01

    This thesis focuses on T-cell dynamics in healthy and both treated and untreated HIV-infected individuals. Although the progressive decline in CD4+ T-cell numbers is the hallmark of HIV infection, the mechanisms behind this depletion remain controversial. Currently the most prevailing ideas include

  20. An Access Control Model for the Uniframe Framework

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Crespi, Alexander M

    2005-01-01

    ... security characteristics from the properties of individual components would aid in the creation of more secure systems In this thesis, a framework for characterizing the access control properties...