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Predictive Value of the Parent Guide to Quality Day Care Centers: Study II The purpose of the present study was to establish, through a replication in a second community, the reliability and predictive validity of the Parent Guide to Quality Day Care Centers. 28 women were asked to use the items in the guide as a basis for observing in 11 licensed day care centers prejudged by child care experts to provide either above- or below-average services. Paralleling our initial research, a significant number of the items (91%) were reliably observed more frequently in centers prejudged to provide above-average services than in centers prejudged to provide below-average services. We concluded that parents must use observational guidelines to help them select day-care programs above average in quality because day-care licensing has limited value.
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Comparison of a new reduced lead set ECG with the standard ECG for diagnosing cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia. In a few patients, 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) derived from reduced-lead-set configurations do not match the standard ECG. Constructing an ECG from a reduced number of standard leads should minimize this problem because some of the resultant 12 leads would always include "true" standard leads. The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of a new reduced-lead-set 12-lead ECG ("interpolated" ECG) with the standard ECG to diagnose cardiac arrhythmias and acute myocardial ischemia. The interpolated ECG uses six standard electrode sites (limb leads plus V(1) and V(5)), from which the remaining four precordial leads (V(2), V(3), V(4), and V(6)) are constructed. Standard and interpolated ECGs were compared using data from 2 prospective clinical trials involving 649 patients evaluated for 1) chest pain in the emergency department (ischemia group, n = 509) or 2) tachycardias in the cardiac electrophysiology laboratory (arrhythmia group, n = 140). Diagnoses were identical between standard and interpolated ECGs for bundle branch and fascicular blocks, left atrial enlargement, right ventricular hypertrophy, prior inferior myocardial infarction (MI), and the distinction of ventricular tachycardia from supraventricular tachycardia with aberrant conduction. There was 99% agreement for prior anterior MI (kappa, .935, P =.000). The percent agreement for acute myocardial ischemia on the initial ECG recorded in chest-pain patients in the emergency department was 99.2% (kappa, .978, P =.000). Of the 120 patients who had ST events with continuous standard 12-lead ECG monitoring, 116 (97%) also had
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criteria for transient ischemia with the interpolated ECG (ie, DeltaST >or= 100 microV in >or=1 lead(s) lasting >or=1 minute(s). The interpolated 12-lead ECG is comparable to the standard ECG for diagnosing multiple cardiac abnormalities, including wide-QRS-complex tachycardias and acute myocardial ischemia. The advantages of this ECG method are that the standard electrode sites are familiar to clinicians and that eight of the 12 leads are "true" standard leads. Hence, QRS-axis and morphology criteria for diagnosing wide-QRS-complex tachycardia and bundle branch and fascicular blocks are preserved.
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SOME ASPECTS OF INVESTIGATION OF MAGNETIC FIELDS PRODUCED BY MEDIUM VOLTAGE SWITCHGEARS Investigation of magnetic fields in medium voltage switchgears (up to 40 kV) becomes a strongly topical business, which has several reasons. Nowadays, various switchgears and substations of this kind are often installed in densely populated areas (for example in buildings for commercial purposes etc.) and may represent a danger associated with their possibly negative influencing of near low current and telecommunication devices as well as living organisms. Because of a lot of various uncertainties in this domain practically all developed countries accepted corresponding standards that, nevertheless, still substantially differ from one another. The unambiguous trend is (at least within the European Union), however, their unification. Manufacturers and operators of the mentioned appliances must certify them, accordingly, i.e. must guarantee the maximum values of field quantities in its neighborhood. This may be realized by either measurements (that is, however, time consuming, expensive and, under common operation conditions, often complicated) or numerical simulations. The latter way – after validating results by experiments – becomes relatively cheap and offers inclusion of optimization techniques. The authors continue in their work where they suggested a methodology of determining magnetic field distribution in the neighborhood of switchgears that consists of several steps. The basics steps are represented by preprocessing (input of 3D geometry), building of 3D mathematical model, its solution (realized by a combination of ANSYS and a number of user procedures) and consequent verification of results. The paper pays attention mainly to the phase of preprocessing (selection of the
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definition area with boundary conditions, parameters of discretization mesh) and solution. Discussed is accuracy of results and also problems concerning measurements and evaluation of the field distribution. The methodology is illustrated on an example – switchgear substation of type WS, manufacturer Areva Sachsenwerk, Germany. The most important results are compared with measured values. This paper represents one of the results of cooperation between the University of West Bohemia and Areva Sachsenwerk, Germany. ELEKTROENERGETIKA Stará Lesná, 21. 23. 9. 2005 1. Basic properties of the switchgears The essential components of switchgear installations are the bus bars (as well as some bar elements), switchgear device, space for feeding of power cables and other equipment (case for switchgear mechanism, low voltage devices etc.). The basic structure is schematically shown in Fig. 1. The entire switchgear installation consists of those switchgears panels where the arrangements and types of used panels depend on the requirements of the operating utility. From the viewpoint of computer simulation it is possible to divide the investigated medium voltage switchgear into next following five basic functional parts: • container with vacuum circuit breakers, disconnector, bus bars etc • cable compartment • low voltage cabinet • housing for the operating mechanism of the switching devices • cooler All these parts can be then divided into two types: active parts (such as conductors, bus bars etc.) representing sources of magnetic field and passive parts (cases from magnetic or nonmagnetic steel, coolers) that more or less shield the magnetic fields. 2. Steps of the solution For the numerical simulation
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using FEM software it is usually necessary to simplify this relatively complicated geometry and take into account only the relevant shielding parts reducing the magnetic field outside the device. Resembling all above mentioned parts, the authors used in phase of preprocessing a combination of possibilities of CAD systems (Mechanical Desktop) with Ansys pre-processor. The model geometry created was then discretized and solved in Ansys 6.1 environment. Distribution of magnetic field is evaluated mainly outside the switchgear with the aim to evaluate how far from the investigated device are isolines 1μΤ, 10μΤ and 100μΤ (maximum values admitted by the standards). The results obtained are then compared with measurement (in this case with respect to the Switzerland national standard allowing 1μΤ). The measurement of the switchgear was carried out under operation conditions in the factory of Areva in Regensburg. Bus bar
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How to write an Interpretation To cite: Behjati S. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2013;98:49–51. As the arsenal of clinical investigations is continuously changing, it can be challenging to choose the right test for your patient. Novel tests arrive and supersede old ones; indications for established tests change; test results have to be reinterpreted in the light of new evidence. Inappropriate testing can have a range of negative consequences, from adding nothing to the patient’s management, generating confusion and at worst providing false reassurance. To help paediatricians make best use of the plethora of tests at their disposal, we at E&P have devised Interpretations. Here, I present the format with the aim to encourage you, our reader, to pick up a pen and to start writing.
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Deep Learning for Better Variant Calling for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment High-throughput techniques have revolutionized the study of genomics and molecular biology in recent years. These methods provide a large quantity of sequence data, and have applications in different areas of bioinformatics. One can sequence parts or whole of an organism's DNA to determine genetic information about an individual or a population, measure expression levels of different genes under different conditions, and determine binding affinity of proteins to DNA segments revealing details regarding gene regulation, at a higher resolution than before. However, different high-throughput methods that target even a single application have different underlying error models. Robust analytic pipelines are necessary to extract necessary information from the raw data. In this paper, we discuss future research directions for developing such analytics using techniques from Machine Learning and Deep Neural Networks. We focus on two applications that will affect the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Factors Associated with Independent Meal Preparation, Self-Care and Mobility in CVA Clients This study compared factors associated with and predictive of performance by stroke clients on two tests, namely a Meal Preparation Scale and the Barthel Index (a measure of independence in self-care and mobility). There is some overlap between factors associated with independent meal preparation and those associated with independence in self-care and mobility. However, motor function in the upper extremity is significantly (.05) more highly correlated with performance of self-care and mobility (r = .47) than with meal preparation (r = .28). Similarly, motor function in the lower extremity is significantly (.05) more highly correlated with performance in self-care and mobility (r = .47) than with meal preparation (r = .07). On the other hand, motor planning is significantly (.05) more highly correlated with meal preparation (r = .51) than with self-care and mobility (r = .28). Motor function in the upper extremity and visual-spatial perception on admission are predictors of future performance in both self-care mobility and meal preparation; but neither function can be predicted accurately using variables measured in this study.
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Alpha du centaur: a prototype environment for the design of parallel regular alorithms We describe Alpha du Centaur (ADC), a prototype environment for the design of parallel regular algorithms. In ADC, a program is specified using the Alpha language, using system of parameterized linear recurrence equations. The goal of ADC is to make it possible to transform the initial specifications into a parallel algorithm, that is to say, another system of recurrence equations, in which the time and the space index are separated. The first section of the paper is devoted to a presentation of the model underlying ADC, i.e., system of recurrence equations. The second section summarizes briefly the knowledge we have on this formalism, and presents some open problems. In the third section, we describe the architecture of ADC, which is based on the CENTAUR environment, and we present an example of utilization of ADC for designing a simple algorithm.
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Solvent based compositions containing a substantially non-gelled polymeric composition A solvent based composition containing a non-aqueous solvent and a substantially non-gelled polymeric composition is disclosed. The polymeric composition comprises the reaction product of an A polymer which is an addition polymer having 3.5 or more reactive functional groups per polymer chain and a B polymer having about 2 to about 3 functional groups per polymer chain that are co-reactive with the reactive functional groups of the A polymer. The solvent based composition includes coatings, adhesives, inks, primers, overprint varnishes and the like.
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Online Control and Near-Optimal Algorithm for Distributed Energy Storage Sharing in Smart Grid This paper proposes an online control approach for real-time energy management of distributed energy storage (ES) sharing. A new ES sharing scenario is considered, in which the capacities of physical ESs (PESs) are reallocated to users, so that each user manages its own virtual ES (VES) without knowing detailed operations of the PESs. To optimize the ES sharing system in real time, an online algorithm is developed based on Lyapunov optimization framework. The advantage of the online algorithm is that it makes decisions only based on the realization of current system states, without having to predict future uncertain system states such as electricity price, user load, and renewable generation. In performance analysis, it is proven that the online solution is feasible and has a provable performance guarantee. Based on the analysis, an approach for optimal offline parameter selection is proposed to guarantee the online control performance. For practical need of privacy protection, a distributed implementation of the online control is proposed via alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). In the distributed implementation, users are allowed to manage their VESs locally without sending their private data to anyone. In simulation, actual real-time data of electricity price, home load, and home renewable generation is used. Results show that the proposed distributed online control approach can provide a near-optimal solution, compared with other benchmarks.
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Coordinated motion control of a pneumatic-cylinder-driven biaxial gantry for contour tracking tasks In this paper, coordinated motion control of the pneumatic-cylinder-driven biaxial gantry for precise contour tracking is investigated. An adaptive robust coordinated motion controller is developed by incorporating the task coordinate formulation into the adaptive robust control architecture. Specifically, a task coordinate frame is used to approximately calculate the contour error, which is utilized for controller design to generate coordination between two axes. Furthermore, the proposed controller utilizes online parameter adaptation to estimate some important unknown model parameters, and employs a robust control law to attenuate the effects of parameter estimation errors, unmodelled dynamics and external disturbances. Therefore, certain transient contouring performance and steady-state contour tracking accuracy can be guaranteed. Extensive comparative experimental results obtained verify the effectiveness of the proposed coordinated motion control strategy and its performance robustness to sudden disturbances in practical implementation.
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Sorbent Suspensions vs. Sorbent Columns for Extracorporeal Detoxification in Hepatic Failure Abstract: Hepatic failure is a significant medical problem which has been unsuccessfully treated by hemodialysis. However, similar therapies using recirculated dialysate regenerated by sorbents in place of single‐pass dialysate have been beneficial in treating acute‐on‐chronic liver failure. The advantages of sorbent‐based treatments include some selectivity of toxin removal and improved removal of protein‐bound toxins. Activated carbon has been extensively used in detoxification systems, but has often had insufficient toxin capacity. Powdered activated carbon, because of its large surface area, can provide greater binding capacity for bilirubin and other toxins than granular carbon commonly used in detoxifying columns. Methods of using powdered carbon in extracorporeal blood treatment devices are reviewed in the present paper, including liver dialysis and a new sorbent suspension reactor (SSR); and the abilities and limitations of the SSR and columns to process protein solutions are discussed.
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Calorimeter for Real-Time Dosimetry of Pulsed Ultra-High Dose Rate Electron Beams An aluminum calorimeter was investigated as a possible real-time dosimeter for electron beams with an ultra-high dose per pulse (DPP), as used in FLASH radiation therapy (a few Gy/pulse). Ionization chambers, the most widely used active dosimeter type in conventional external beam radiation therapy, suffer from large ion recombination losses at these conditions. Passive dosimeters, such as alanine, are independent of dose rate but do not provide real-time read-out. In this work it is shown that the response of alanine is independent of the DPP in the investigated ultra-high DPP range (up to 2.3 Gy/pulse). Alanine dose measurements were then used to determine the ion recombination correction for an Advanced Markus plane-parallel ionization chamber at ultra-high DPP. Ion collection losses larger than 50% were observed. Therefore, ionization chambers are not considered suitable for accurate dosimetry in FLASH radiation therapy. As an alternative, in a second (independent) experiment an aluminum open-to-atmosphere calorimeter, operated in the quasi-adiabatic mode was investigated at ultra-high DPP electron radiation. The beam pulse charge, and thus the DPP, was varied to evaluate the linearity of the calorimeter response in the DPP range between 0.3 and 1.8 Gy/pulse. On average, the standard deviation of the calorimeter response was 0.1%. The response was proportional to the DPP in the investigated range. The average deviation of the linear fit of the calorimeter dose as a function of the beam pulse charge was <0.5%. This preliminary investigation suggests that a simplified calorimeter design is suitable as
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a dosimeter with real-time read-out for clinical FLASH radiation therapy beams.
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On the Efficiency of Runs Rules Schemes for Process Monitoring There are two main types of variations, namely, common and special causes leading to in‐control and out‐of‐control states, respectively. Control charts are popular tools used to differentiate between these two states of a process. Implementation of runs rules schemes with control charts is an attractive approach for process monitoring. This study is designed to describe the methodology of runs rules schemes and discuss their implementation for different types of control charts. We have considered memory‐less charts, namely, X¯ , S, and R charts for our study purposes. It is examined that the efficiency gain depends on the number of decision points utilized to implement a given rule. Moreover, superiority of runs rules schemes may vary for different types of location and dispersion charts. An application example using a dataset is also included in the study for practical considerations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Mortality from external causes in Lithuania: looking for critical points in time and place Aim: A study was undertaken to analyse trends in mortality from major external causes of death, and to detect urban/rural differences by cut points over the period of socioeconomic transition. Methods: Information on deaths from major external causes (traffic accidents, suicides, and homicides) for the 1990 - 2000 period was obtained from Lithuanian Department of Statistics. Mortality rates were age standardized, using the European standard, and analysed, according to (urban/rural) residence and sex. The Jointpoint analysis was used to identify the best-fitting points, wherever a statistically significant change in mortality occurred. Results: The most critical point for external causes of mortality during the period of transition was the year 1994, when an increasing mortality trend reversed to a decreasing one. Mortality from suicides primarily caused these positive changes. Changes in mortality from traffic accidents were not significantly associated with the period under analysis. Numerous less favourable trends in rural areas, including suicide rates, traffic accidents, and homicides, are likely to stratify urban/rural health outcomes in the future. Conclusion: Despite a recent decline, mortality from external causes remains at an extremely high level in Lithuania. Future progress requires sustained improvements in prevention, and serious attention to external causes of death in health policy development.
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Improvements of Bilayer Ambipolar Organic Field-Effect Transistors Based on Pentacene and N,N '-Ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic Di-imide by Changing Growth Rate Method The changing growth rate method is adopted for the first time to improve the performance of ambipolar organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Pentacene and N,N '-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic di-imide (PTCDI-C13) are chosen as p-type and n-type organic semiconductors, respectively. By modifying the dielectric surface with polystyrene, balanced carrier mobilities as high as 0.41 and 0.40 cm2·V-1·s-1 for hole and electron, respectively, are achieved through such method, which are the highest values for air-stable ambipolar OFETs. Meanwhile, the devices show negligible hysteresis and air stability for more than one week.
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[Biliary calculosis--new possibilities of treatment]. The gallstone prevalence rate in Croatia is in the range of 10 to 20 per cent and for the population above age 65 years is around 30 per cent. Human gallstones are classified into two categories, i.e. cholesterol stones and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones account for 70-80% of gallstones. They are formed due to the bile supersaturation with cholesterol and later nucleation of cholesterol vesicles and crystal formation. Pigment stones of black type account for 20-25% of gallstones. They are formed as a result of chronic hemolysis. Surgery is still a method of choice in treatment of majority of patients with gallstones. It is a low-risk therapy with high success rate that can be used regardless the size, number, composition and localisation of gallstones. Cholesterol stones can be dissolved by direct instillation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE therapy), fragmented by extracorporeal shockwaves (ESWL) and dissolved using bile salts chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid. The problems with these treatment modalities is high recurrence rate and limitation described for each method. Choledocholithiasis can be treated surgically, by endoscopic sphincterotomy combined with stone extraction and by extraction via T-tract. The decision on the best treatment modality in gallstone patients should be made only after careful evaluation of all relevant facts (type of stone, number and size of stones, localisation of stones, patient's age and general condition) taking into consideration the team experience. It is imperative not to use the treatment method with possible complication that cannot be dealt with in the institution performing the
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treatment.
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Control of spontaneous emission with functionalized multilayered hyperbolic metamaterials The behavior of spontaneous emission of emitters embedded inside metamaterials with hyperbolic dispersion has been investigated. A simple technique has been developed to fabricate lamellar metal-dielectric hyperbolic metamaterials on substrates which can be flat, flexible or curvilinear in geometry. Moreover, this method opens up the possibility of functionalizing the dielectric layers by dye molecules. Utilizing this technique, we study the spontaneous emission kinetics of emitters placed either on top, or embedded inside hyperbolic metamaterials. While we observe a reduction in the radiative lifetimes in both cases, owing to the singularity in the density of photonic states, the effect is much stronger when the dye molecules are inside the metamaterial, rather than on its surface.
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Faithful expression of living color reporter genes in transgenic medaka under two tissue‐specific zebrafish promoters To test tissue specificity of zebrafish gene promoters in a heterologous fish species, two transgenic medaka lines under two zebrafish promoters were generated. Under the zebrafish skeletal muscle‐specific mylz2 promoter, transgenic medaka expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP) exclusively in skeletal muscles, mimicking the endogenous medaka mylz2 mRNA expression and also identical to GFP expression in mylz2:gfp transgenic zebrafish. A madaka mylz2 promoter was also capable of directing skeletal muscle‐specific GFP expression in transient transgenic zebrafish embryos. In the krt8:rfp transgenic medaka line with the zebrafish epithelial krt8 promoter, red fluorescent protein was specifically expressed in the skin epithelia as well as the epithelial lining cells of the anterior digestive tract, which was also identical to GFP expression in krt8:gfp transgenic zebrafish. Therefore, the two zebrafish promoters faithfully function in a heterologous fish species, and it is likely that the mechanisms of tissue‐specific expression are largely conserved among fish species. Developmental Dynamics 234:387–392, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
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Avoiding Expensive Specialized Equipment in Testing the Stability of a Buck Converter Using Time Domain Analysis The common way to check converter stability is via frequency domain analysis, by measuring the open loop frequency response, and observing the control loop cross-over frequency and phase margin at the cross-over point. It is a complicated measurement, requiring specialized, expensive equipment and fine skills. A simpler way to quickly check converter stability and performances is via time domain analysis by applying a fast load step to the converter and observing the output voltage response during the load step; It will highlight potential problems regarding loop stability, input supply stability, slope compensation issues, load regulation and layout problems. The electronic load could suffer a hardware simplification too by taking account that it is not necessary usage of an expensive one but an emulated one.
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Performance of the fluorescence detectors of the pierre auger observatory Fluorescence detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory have been operating in a stable manner since January 2004. After a brief review of the physical characteristics of the detectors, the associated atmospheric monitoring, the calibration infrastructure and the detector aperture, we will describe the steps required for the reconstruction of fluorescence event data, with emphasis on the shower profile parameters and primary energy.
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Network reconstruction via graph blending Graphs estimated from empirical data are often noisy and incomplete due to the difficulty of faithfully observing all the components (nodes and edges) of the true graph. This problem is particularly acute for large networks where the number of components may far exceed available surveillance capabilities. Errors in the observed graph can render subsequent analyses invalid, so it is vital to develop robust methods that can minimize these observational errors. Errors in the observed graph may include missing and spurious components, as well fused (multiple nodes are merged into one) and split (a single node is misinterpreted as many) nodes. Traditional graph reconstruction methods are only able to identify missing or spurious components (primarily edges, and to a lesser degree nodes), so we developed a novel graph blending framework that allows us to cast the full estimation problem as a simple edge addition/deletion problem. Armed with this framework, we systematically investigate the viability of various topological graph features, such as the degree distribution or the clustering coefficients, and existing graph reconstruction methods for tackling the full estimation problem. Our experimental results suggest that incorporating any topological feature as a source of information actually hinders reconstruction accuracy. We provide a theoretical analysis of this phenomenon and suggest several avenues for improving this estimation problem.
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Location of the ss--mutation of bacteriophage T7 in genes 10, the structural gene for the major capsid protein T7+ phage are unable to plate on a strain of Shigella sonnei D2 371-48. Spontaneous phage mutants arise (ss--mutants) that are able to plate on this strain of Shigella. We have shown by complementation studies and genetic crosses that the ss--mutation maps in gene 10, the structural gene for the major protein of the capsid. This finding implies that the gene 10 protein may interact with a host protein during phage development and that the abortive infection of T7 observed in S. sonnei D2 371-48 with T7+ phage may be a defect in head morphogenesis. Our studies also reveal that various T7 strains commonly contain deletions in nonessential regions. T7 ss--mutants selected after growth of T7+ on Shigella D2 371-48 often acquire a deletion in the 0.7 gene that is not necessary for the ss--phenotype. Finally, we have found a new nonessential region of the T7 chromosome that is located between 33 and 35.5% of the T7 genome length.
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351 Neuronal supplement deprivation decreases erythropoietin receptor expression in mouse brain and spinal cord neurons in-vitro Purpose of study The tissue protective receptor (TPR), a heterodimer of &bgr;- common receptor (BCR) and erythropoietin receptor (EpoR), triggers a tissue protective mechanism in neurons. An in-vitro model of neuronal ischemia requires oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). OGD experiments on neonatal mouse neurons revealed a large decrease in EpoR, which may not be due to the OGD conditions. Serum free neuronal culture commonly uses neuronal supplement (NS) B27. It is not present in OGD treatment media to avoid alteration of ischaemic damage. We hypothesise that the deprivation of neuronal supplement independently reduces EpoR present on the neuronal cell membrane. Methods used Brain and spinal cord tissue was collected from neonatal mice (2–5 days old), then digested by papain and trituration. Neurons were isolated from the digested tissue by centrifugation. The neurons were cultured at a density of 200 k–250 k cells/cm2 for 1 week on PDL coated plates in Neurobasal-A Medium with 2% (v/v) B27 neuronal supplement (Gibco). The cells were then treated with either B27 deprived media or fresh media with 2% B27. After 1–2 hours, the cells were lysed and a Western blot for BCR and EpoR was performed. Summary of results Neurons subject to NS deprivation showed decreased EpoR such that it was undetectable relative to neurons given 2% B27 (brain: 0.0 vs 0.39±0.055, p<0.01; spinal cord: 0.0 vs 0.33±0.056, p<0.01). BCR was not significantly different in neurons deprived of NS versus neurons given 2% B27
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(brain: 0.45±0.046 vs 0.46±0.044, p=0.91; spinal cord: 0.35±0.056 vs 0.32±0.051, p=0.74). Conclusions Neuronal supplement deprivation reduces the amount of EpoR present on neurons, while having no effect on BCR. This may imply that EpoR is required at some ratio to facilitate BCR’s protection mechanism. Future study aims to better define the relationship between EpoR and BCR, and their tissue protective mechanism. In addition, effects of a decrease in TPR should be considered when using this in-vitro model.
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[Diagnostic imaging of polysplenia syndrome in the adult]. Polysplenia syndrome is a congenital disorder of situs that is characterized by the presence of multiple spleens and a variable combination of thoracic and visceral anomalies. We present three adult cases of polysplenia syndrome with emphasis on the diagnostic imaging findings. Computed tomography could best determine the exact location and shape of the anomalous organs. The visceral anomalies observed in our patients included multiple spleens, interruption of the inferior vena cava (IVC), azygos or hemiazygos continuation, left-sided IVC, symmetrical liver, anomalous fissure of the liver, anomalous lobe of the liver, median location of the gallbladder, short pancreas, inverted stomach, gallbladder and pancreas, and intestinal malrotation.
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A fluid future for liquid biopsies O ncologists have dreamed of them for years: noninvasive alternatives to tissue biopsies that can quickly identify tumors by the cells, DNA, or other cell components that they shed into patients’ blood. Now, several promising studies and a wave of prototypes suggest that such tests may be within reach. These new approaches to liquid biopsies, led by methods for detecting circulating tumor DNA, have been generating considerable excitement because of their potential to provide easier, less painful options for early detection; more tailored therapies; and better monitoring and prediction of cancer recurrence in lieu of more expensive imaging scans. That excitement, though, comes with a big caveat. For all the encouraging data from the flood of new panels, several experts agree that most of the tests must significantly improve their performance before they are ready for prime time. “This is the future, but we are not there yet,” says Gonzalo Torga, MD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. One liquid biopsy in development, called CancerSEEK, uses circulating proteins and DNA mutations to detect 8 distinct types of cancer. In a recent study in Science, the blood test correctly identified the disease in approximately 70% of 1005 patients who had already been diagnosed with a stage I, II, or III cancer.1 If it pans out, the test could offer advanced warning for multiple tumors— liver, pancreatic, esophageal, ovarian, and stomach—that currently lack screening tests. Still, although it demonstrated a
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specificity of more than 99%, CancerSEEK’s sensitivity varied widely, from a high of 98% for ovarian cancer to a low of 33% for breast cancer. Based in Menlo Park, California, GRAIL, a spinoff of sequencing titan Illumina, is trying to develop its own version of a liquid biopsy for early cancer detection. In June 2018, the company reported that combined results from several of its sequencing-based methods rivaled those of CancerSEEK: it correctly diagnosed ovarian, liver, pancreatic, and gallbladder cancer more than 80% of the time, but it was less than 25% accurate in detecting breast cancer. In March 2018, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists released a joint review of 77 articles describing liquid biopsy tests for solid tumors based on circulating tumor DNA analysis.2 Despite the tests’ potential, the expert panel concluded that the majority yielded “insufficient evidence of clinical validity and utility” for advanced cancers and even less evidence for early-stage cancers, treatment monitoring, or detection of residual disease.
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New epiphytic sooty molds: Alloscorias syngonii (Readerielliopsidaceae) from Thailand A novel taxon was found as epiphytic sooty molds on Syngonium podophyllum from Thailand. A new genus, Alloscorias gen. nov. is established to accommodate a novel taxon, named A. syngonii. The morphological characters of the species are observed in culture. Phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset of LSU, ITS, TEF-1α and RPB2 sequence data together with morphological support that Alloscorias is a distinct genus within Readerielliopsidaceae (Capnodiales). Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided in this paper.
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An efficient 175 MHz programmable FIR digital filter An efficient 175-MHz programmable finite impulse response (FIR) digital filter is implemented. It uses a novel switchable unit-delay to allocate the optimal hardware resources to each filter tap. The authors' prototype circuit can have up to 32 linear taps with 16-bit I/O in a die size of 5.9mm by 3.4mm using 1.2 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. A simple recoding of the coefficient values results in a simplification of the digit multiplication hardware. On-chip testing circuitry permits the testing of the chip at a high frequency.<<ETX>>
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Prevalence of Corynebacterium urealyticum in urine specimens collected at a university-affiliated medical center Corynebacterium urealyticum (formerly Corynebacterium group D2) has been implicated as a cause of alkaline-encrusted cystitis and urinary tract struvite calculi. Despite preselecting urine specimens with neutral and alkaline pHs and using prolonged incubation on a selective medium, isolation of this organism was rarely observed in a population of hospitalized patients. We do not recommend routine cultures for this organism unless the urine is alkaline and struvite crystals, leukocytes, and erythrocytes are present.
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Epileptic seizure classification using novel entropy features applied on maximal overlap discrete wavelet packet transform of EEG signals Using electroencephalography for diagnosis of seizure attacks has been in a great attention as it records abnormal electrical activities of the brain. This paper proposes a novel technique for diagnosis of epileptic seizures based on non-linear entropy features extracted from maximal overlap discrete wavelet packet transform (MODWPT) of EEG signals. Discriminative features are selected by a t-test criterion and used for the classification with two different classifiers. The proposed method is evaluated and compared to the previous methods in EEG seizure classification by using a publically available EEG dataset with different healthy and seizure suffering subjects. The obtained results show the superiority of the proposed method over the previous techniques in classification performance.
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Teacher Perceptions of School-Based Interventions This article reports the results of a study investigating teachers' perceptions of intervention alternatives used to control classroom behavior problems. Regular and special educators from a two-state area completed a 65-item questionnaire assessing teachers' perceptions of the relative effectiveness, ease of use, and frequency of use of a variety of intervention strategies for the treatment of classroom behavior problems. Results indicated that teachers' responses factored into clearly defined categories. Further, teachers differentially rated these categories in terms of their relative effectiveness, ease of use, and frequency of use. Strategies rated as most effective, easiest to use, and most frequently used by both regular and special educators included interventions that either redirected students toward appropriate behavior or that involved manipulation of rewards. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for school-based consultants who interact with teachers concerning the control, of classroom behavior.
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Deinstitutionalization, social rejection, and the self-esteem of former mental patients. Modified labeling theorists have long argued that the stigma of mental illness has important consequences for the lives of people with mental illness. We propose that social rejection is an enduring force in the lives of people with mental illness and that these experiences are central to understanding the poor self-concepts described by many former psychiatric patients. We explore changes in a cohort of recently deinstitutionalized mental patients' (N = 88) self-esteem and experiences with social rejection using data from a three wave panel survey conducted while institutionalized and over a two-year period following the patients' discharge from a long-term state hospital. Our results indicate that social rejection is a persistent source of social stress for the discharged patients. Moreover, these experiences increase feelings of self-deprecation that, in turn, weaken their sense of mastery. Where the patients' received their follow-up care--whether in a community setting or in another state hospital--had little impact on their self-related feelings or on their experiences of social rejection. Our results provide further support for modified labeling theory and underscore the need to consider the dynamic relationship between stigmatizing experiences and self-related changes.
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Support structure for the ankle joint. This holding structure, susceptible of being used both as a prevention means and as a curative means comprises three parts hinged between each other, respectively: a first rigid part (1), called rod and intended to surround partially and bear against the lower end of the user's leg and, subdivided in the terminal area into two branches (4, 5) and terminated at the two malleoli of the user's ankle; a second part called pedal shell (13) intended to surround the plantar arch; and a third part called sub-astragalian shell (6) having a V-shape and intended to be hinged respectively at the malleoli to the rod (1), at the two ends (8, 9) of the branches of the V so as to provide for the displacement of said rod (1) in the sagittal plane of the tibio-tarsal articulation and, on the other hand, at the upper end of the pedal shell (13) at the point of the V so that the pedal shell (13) may effect eversion and inversion motions with respect to the assembly formed by the rod (1) and the sub-astragalian shell (6).
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The misidentification syndromes as mindreading disorders The patient with Capgras' syndrome claims that people very familiar to him have been replaced by impostors. I argue that this disorder is due to the destruction of a representation that the patient has of the mind of the familiar person. This creates the appearance of a familiar body and face, but without the familiar personality, beliefs, and thoughts. The posterior site of damage in Capgras' is often reported to be the temporoparietal junction, an area that has a role in the mindreading system, a connected system of cortical areas that allow us to attribute mental states to others. Just as the Capgras' patient claims that that man is not his father, the patient with asomatognosia claims that his arm is not really his. A similar account applies here, in that a nearby brain area, the supramarginal gyrus, is damaged. This area works in concert with the temporoparietal junction and other areas to produce a large representation of a mind inside a body situated in an environment. Damage to the mind-representing part of this system (coupled with damage to executive processes in the prefrontal lobes) causes Capgras' syndrome, whereas damage to the body-representing part of this system (also coupled with executive damage) causes asomatognosia.
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Study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of dendrimers using density matrix renormalization group method. We have used the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method to study the linear and nonlinear optical responses of first generation nitrogen based dendrimers with donor acceptor groups. We have employed Pariser-Parr-Pople Hamiltonian to model the interacting pi electrons in these systems. Within the DMRG method we have used an innovative scheme to target excited states with large transition dipole to the ground state. This method reproduces exact optical gaps and polarization in systems where exact diagonalization of the Hamiltonian is possible. We have used a correction vector method which tacitly takes into account the contribution of all excited states, to obtain the ground state polarizibility, first hyperpolarizibility, and two photon absorption cross sections. We find that the lowest optical excitations as well as the lowest excited triplet states are localized. It is interesting to note that the first hyperpolarizibility saturates more rapidly with system size compared to linear polarizibility unlike that of linear polyenes.
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Indices of adrenal deficiency involved in brain plasticity and functional control reorganization in hemodialysis patients with polysulfone membrane: BOLD-fMRI study. This work purpose was to estimate the implication of suspected adrenal function deficiencies, which was influenced by oxidative stress (OS) that are generating brain plasticity, and reorganization of the functional control. This phenomenon was revealed in two-hemodialysis patients described in this paper. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) revealed a significant activation of the motor cortex. Hemodialysis seems to originate an inflammatory state of the cerebral tissue reflected by increased OS, while expected to decrease since hemodialysis eliminates free radicals responsible for OS. Considering adrenal function deficiencies, sensitivity to OS and assessed hyponatremia and hypercalcemia, adrenal function deficiencies is strongly suspected in both patients. This probably contributes to amplify brain plasticity and a reorganization of functional control after hemodialysis that is compared to earlier reported studies. Brain plasticity and functional control reorganization was revealed by BOLD-fMRI with a remarkable sensitivity. Brain plastic changes are originated by elevated OS associating indices of adrenal function deficiencies. These results raise important issues about adrenal functional deficiencies impact on brain plasticity in chronic hemodialysis-patients. This motivates more global studies of plasticity induced factors in this category of patients including adrenal functional deficiencies and OS.
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Which Route to Recovery? New learning often interferes with the production of older, previously learned responses. However, the original responses usually appear to spontaneously recover and regain their dominance after a delay. This article takes a new approach to questions of interference and recovery by examining performance on immediate and delayed tests using direct or indirect instructions. Direct instructions asked participants to deliberately retrieve the original responses, and indirect instructions allowed them to respond on a more automatic basis, using whatever response came to mind first. Results suggest that interference and recovery may have their largest effects via relatively automatic influences on memory, such as the accessibility of new versus original information. This finding adds a new perspective to classic theories of interference and recovery, and may also inform current understanding of performance in populations (e.g., older adults) that often rely predominantly on automatic memory processing.
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A Large‐scale, Hospital‐based Case‐Control Study of Risk Factors of Breast Cancer According to Menopausal Status We conducted a large‐scale, hospital‐based case‐control study to evaluate differences and similarities in the risk factors of female breast cancer according to menopausal status. This study is based on a questionnaire survey on life style routinely obtained from outpatients who first visited the Aichi Cancer Center Hospital between January 1, 1988 and December 31, 1992. Among 36,944 outpatients, 1,186 women with breast cancer detected by histological examination were taken as the case group (607 premenopausal women and 445 postmenopausal women) and 23,163 women confirmed to be free of cancer were selected as the control group. New findings and reconfirmed factors of breast cancer were as follows. 1) The risk of at least one breast cancer history among subjects’ first‐degree relatives was relatively high among pre‐ as well as post‐menopausal women. 2) A protective effect of physical activity against breast cancer was observed among both pre‐ and post‐menopausal women. 3) Dietary control decreased the risk of premenopausal breast cancer. 4) Current smoking and drinking elevated the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women. 5) Decreasing trends of breast cancer risk were associated with intake of bean curd, green‐yellow vegetables, potato or sweet potato, chicken and ham or sausage in premenopausal women, while in postmenopausal women a risk reduction was associated with a more frequent intake of boiled, broiled and/or raw fish (sashimi). Further study will be needed to clarify the age group‐ and/or birth cohort‐specific risk factors for breast cancer among the
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young generation in Japan.
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An International Overview of the Electronic Financial System and the Risks Related to It A significant milestone in the evolution of financial reporting systems occurred when the international financial reporting standards (IFRS) were first applied in the year of 1989. The XBRL (extensible business reporting language) phenomenon marked a new stage in the development of global accounting and reporting systems in the year of 2008 when public companies in US began to use this system. Although the two steps have had a significant impact on the process of harmonizing the global financial reporting system, this process is yet not complete. This chapter presents a comparative analysis of some issues emerging from the application of electronic reporting systems in order to identify the risks presented by them and possible solutions to current practices in financial reporting.
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Determination of Symptoms of Depressive, Anxiety and Somatic and Perceived Threat of Covid-19 Among Health Care Workers This study aimed to determine symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic and perceived threat of coronavirus disease among health care workers. The study was conducted in Istanbul. 315 health care workers who completed the online questionnaire included in the study. Measurement tools consisted of a questionnaire including items to define perceived level of coronavirus disease of participants and questions about demographic characteristics and Patient Health Questionnare-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-15. It was determined that somatic symptoms were clinically significantly high in 37.8% of the healthcare workers and it is followed by depression symptoms in 34% and anxiety symptoms in 23.5% respectively. The results showed that 77.8% of participants felt coronavirus disease as a life-threatening situation and 95.6% of them worried about being infected. Although worrying about being infected by coronavirus affected symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic, feeling life-threatening of coronavirus disease affected symptoms of anxiety and somatic. The factors associated with depression were following;females (OR, 3.85, p= 0.001), being married (OR, 2.35, P=0.049), and no physical exercise (OR, 3.02, p=0.008). As to somatic symptoms, being female (OR, 2.63, p= 0.013), living alone (OR, 2.66, p=0.016), having chronic diseases (OR, 4.31, p= 0.000), and no physical exercise (OR, 2.33, p=0.025) were found as the risk factors. Early psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions to these groups that have risk factors in terms of psychiatric symptoms might be beneficial in preventing the development of psychiatric symptoms in healthcare workers
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during outbreak. © 2021 The Author(s).
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Spin-dependent transport between magnetic nanopillars through a nano-granular metal matrix We investigate the influence of local magnetic field on the spin-dependent transport properties of magnetic granular metals. By means of electron-beam-induced-deposition we fabricate a complex granular system made of Co nanopillars embedded in a Pt-C nano-granular metal matrix. We identify two different spin-dependent tunnelling regimes. In the first one, transport occurs almost exclusively through the nano-granular Pt-C matrix and it is affected by the local stray field due to the Co nanopillars. In the second regime, the transport takes place through both the Pt-C matrix and the Co nanopillars. These two transport regimes are discriminated by the different sign of the magnetoresistance. In particular, a strong enhancement of the magnetoresistance is found at low temperatures in the second regime, which is caused by spin-flip scattering and higher order tunnelling processes.
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Reproducibility and reliability of first pass radionuclide ventriculography with Au-195m. Validation of Au-195m radionuclide ventriculography. Au-195m is a radio-isotope with an ultra-short half-life with which multiple sequential evaluations of ventricular function can be made. In order to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of analyses of overall and regional ventricular function by radio-isotope ventriculography with Au-195m we studied 10 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with coronary artery disease. Each subject underwent 4 first-pass studies: 1 with Tc-99m and, 10 minutes later, 3 with Au-195m (2 basal studies separated by 3-5 minutes interval and, 10 minutes later, 1 after s.l. nitroglycerin administration). Regional wall motion was analyzed and ejection fraction and peak count rate were determined in each test. Our study showed that the ejection fraction obtained with Au-195m was reproducible (r = 0.98) and correlated well with the ejection fraction determined by using Tc-99m (r = 0.98). The values of the peak count rate obtained with Tc-99m were higher than those obtained with Au-195m. Due to the specially designed collimator and the technical characteristics of the gamma-camera we used, we were able to record sufficiently high count-rates to evaluate regional wall motion, and this analysis was also found to be reliable and reproducible. After s.l. nitroglycerin administration, normal volunteers showed a significant increase of ejection fraction in comparison with basal acquisitions (p less than 0.05), while a wide range of responses was observed in the group of patients with coronary artery disease. We conclude that radio-isotope ventriculography with Au-195m is reliable and reproducible and could be a
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valid method of monitoring rapid variations induced in overall and regional left ventricular function.
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What are the origins of ecdysteroids in gastropods? Terrestrial gastropods contain ecdysteroids, the origins of which are unknown. Whether they are synthesized by the animals or they arise from the diet is an open question. To address this problem, labeled cholesterol and various molecules which are efficiently converted into ecdysone by arthropods were tested as possible ecdysone precursors in Stylommatophra (gastropods). None of these experiments led to ecdysone biosynthesis and although snails and slugs were shown to contain some of the enzymes required for a biosynthetic pathway (i.e., a 3-oxoecdysteroid 3 beta-reductase, a 25-hydroxylase, and a 20-hydroxylase), no 2-hydroxylase and 22-hydroxylase activity could be detected. An endogenous origin would imply that Stylommatophora use a biosynthetic pathway different from that of insects. A dietary origin for ecdysteroids is also possible since, when ingested, these molecules remain in animals for several days and undergo limited metabolic conversion.
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Cystic fibrosis and the pseudomonads. The microbiology of pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis has altered over the past 10 years. The major pathogens in this disease are now Pseudomonas aeruginosa and, increasingly, Pseudomonas cepacia. P. aeruginosa respiratory infection in these patients is rarely eradicated and this is often the only pathogen found at post-mortem. The most important points in the pathogenesis of this infection are probably the protective role of the bacterial mucoid exopolysaccharide and the interaction of various other bacterial factors with the immune system of the body. P. cepacia has recently emerged as the common isolate from the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. The actual role of this organism in the progression of lung disease is poorly understood. There has been some speculation about the role of cross-infection in the acquisition of both of these organisms. The treatment of these infections is problematical because of the altered antimicrobial pharmaco-kinetics within the cystic fibrotic lung and the resistant properties of the organisms involved. Approaches which have been suggested recently include immunological interventions and genetic therapy.
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Neonatal jaundice and developmental defects trauma, and are rarely associated with biliary malignancy. The most common type is the cholecystoduodenal fistula, and this accounted for 76% of cases in the Mayo Clinic study of 424 patients with fistulae.I Cholangitis is frequently found with the cholecystocolic type.':' Cholecystocolicfistulae are best treated by one-stage closure of the fistula combined with cholecystectomy. The common bile duct will frequently need exploration and drainage due to associated biliary sludge or calculi. G. J. Bates, A. R. Askew, Department of Surgery, University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Qld. 4029.
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557 INFECTION IN NEWBORN INFANTS - A CHANGING PATTERN IN A SPECIAL CARE UNIT (SCU) An analysis of bacterial infection in the intensive and intermediate care nurseries (special care unit) of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania was made over a 3 year period to determine if changes in the predominant organisms for neonatal sepsis had occurred. From Jan. 1982 to Sept. 1984, 98 bacteremias were identified in 2571 infants, an incidence of 3.8/100 SCU admissions and 11.8/1000 hospital births was noted. Eighty-eight percent of all bacteremias were due to gram positive organisms, with coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) and beta hemolytic streptococcus Group B (GBS) being the predominant organisms. Paucity of gram negative infection was noted. CNS was responsible for 42% of bacteremias and 75% of nosocomial infections, while GBS was responsible for 32% of bacteremias and 78% of early infections. Incidence of GBS disease was 3.8/1000 hospital births; however, if GBS antigenuria as identified by latex agglutination was included, incidence rose to 5.5/1000 hospital births. Mortality from GBS was 11%. The majority of infants with CNS were 1600 gms. Although mortality was low, considerable morbidity was noted. Forty-two percent of infants with clinical signs of necrotizing enterocolitis were noted to have CNS bacteremia, and 32% of localized infections were due to CNS.These data suggest the changing pattern of infection and emergence of coagulase-negative staphylococcus as a pathogen. In view of the significant morbidity caused by CNS among low birth weight infants, antibiotic therapy for suspected nosocomial infection should include coverage against this ubiquitous organism.
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Elastic Slowing of Supersonic Beams allowed me great freedom in my work and put a lot of trust in me. Nevertheless, you were always there with good advice and great ideas when I needed you. I am very proud that I was given the opportunity to work in your group. Thank you for supporting me during my time in Austin and beyond. I am equally thankful to my fellow group members and friends Adam Libson, Dr. Ed Narevicius and Christian Parthey. Everything we accomplished during the last one and a half years was a group effort and they are the main reason I am writing this thesis using the pronoun " we ". Adam, although you sometimes " unnerved " us with your constant fear of leaks or fatal rotor destruction, I wouldn't have wanted to work with anybody else than you on this project. You often foresaw problems we would have easily overlooked and solved them as well as many others in your intelligent and practical manner. You are a dear friend to me and I wish you the best for your future graduate studies, your career as a physicist, which will, considering your love for the subject, surely be a great one, and life beyond physics. Ed, you often asked the questions that made me concentrate on the important aspects of a problem, made me rethink our previous approach or simply made the problem vanish. By making me see things from a different perspective, you were a mentor without ever acting superior (after all,
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" you are the postdoc "). I thank you v for working with me, for bringing some sereneness in our lab, for advising me on my plans for the future and for being my friend. I wish you success in your professional life and you and your family great happiness in your private life. " Thank y'all! " Christian, you came in our lab when we were just starting to build the experiment, so you were thrown in at the deep end. I was amazed how quickly you became an integral part of the group and now, I can't imagine the Raizen lab without you. Sure, your intelligence and determination helped, but I think the true reason for this is that we all instantly liked you and that you have by now become a good friend. I wish you a fun and successful year in Austin and the best …
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After Rome; or, Why Spenser Was Not a Republican This essay raises some objections to the emerging critical consensus that Spenser’s political values were, at least in certain significant ways, aligned with Renaissance republicanism. Noting Spenser’s tendency to downplay the Roman state’s own institutional history in favor of its relations to predecessors and successors, I argue that he belongs, rather, to an Augustinian metahistorical tradition for which “the republic” features as a dubious, problematic category. Spenser responds to republican discourse primarily as raising a set of moral arguments about time, action, and the politically structured society. But whereas the Venetian theorist Gasparo Contarini exemplifies the republican tendency to maximize the definitional relations among virtue, permanence, and constitutional design, Spenser in both The Ruines of Time and his commendatory sonnet for Contarini’s English translation pointedly disassociates himself from that republican nexus. The time-bound society, I show in concluding, looks most like something fitted to Spenser’s ethical imagination the less it resembles the kind of balanced, stable ordering of parts that is the object of republican political analysis.
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Qualitative spatial reasoning for activity recognition using tools of ambient intelligence The aging population represents a growing concern of governments due to the extent that it will take in the coming decades and the speed of its evolution. This problem will result in increasing number of people affected by many diseases associated with aging such as the various types of dementia, including the sadly famous Alzheimer's disease. People with Alzheimer's must be assisted at all time during their everyday life. Technological assistance inside what is called a smart home could bring an affordable solution to solve this concern. One of the key issues to smart home assistance is to recognize the ongoing activities of everyday life made by the patient in order to be able to provide useful services at an appropriate moment. To do so, we must build a structured knowledge base of activities from which one or many intelligent agents (communicating with each other) would use information extracted from the various sensors to take a decision on what the inhabitant could be currently doing. The best way to build such an algorithm is to exploit constraints of different natures (logical, temporal, etc.) in order to circumscribe a library of activities. Many authors have emphasized the importance of the fundamental spatial aspect in activity recognition. However, only few works exist, and they are tested in a limited way that does not allow discerning the importance of dealing with space. Important spatial criterions, such as distance between objects, could help to reduce the number of hypotheses.
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Moreover, many errors can be detected only by using the spatial reasoning such as position problems (inappropriate objects are brought into the activity zone) or orientation of object issue (cup of coffee is upside down when pouring coffee). This thesis provides potential solutions to the problem outlined, which deals with spatial recognition of activities of daily living of a person with Alzheimer's disease. It proposes to adapt a theory of spatial reasoning, developed by Egenhofer, to a new model for recognition of activities. This new model allows identifying the ongoing activity using only qualitative spatial criterions which we demonstrate through the text that some could not have been identified otherwise. It also allows detection of new abnormalities related to the behavior of an individual in loss of autonomy. Finally, the model has been implemented and validated in carrying out activities in a smart home on the cutting edge of technology. These activities were derived from a clinical study with normal and mild to moderate Alzheimer subjects. The results were analyzed and compared with existing approaches to measure the contribution of this thesis. - Le vieillissement de la population represente une preoccupation croissante des gouvernements en raison de l'ampleur qu'il prendra dans les prochaines decennies et la rapidite de son evolution. Ce probleme se traduira par l'augmentation du nombre de personnes touchees par de nombreuses maladies liees au vieillissement telles que les differents types de demence, y compris la tristement celebre maladie d'Alzheimer. Les personnes atteintes de la maladie d'Alzheimer doivent etre assistees en tout temps dans
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leur vie quotidienne. L'assistance technologique a l'interieur de ce qu'on appelle une maison intelligente pourrait apporter une solution abordable pour cette tâche. Une des questions cles inherentes a ce type d'assistance est de reconnaitre les activites courantes de la vie quotidienne faite par le patient afin d'etre en mesure de fournir des services utiles au moment le plus opportun. Pour ce faire, nous devons construire une base de connaissances structuree a partir de laquelle un ou plusieurs agents intelligents utilisant l'information extraite des divers capteurs pour emettre une hypothese ciblee concernant l'activite en cours de l'habitant. La meilleure facon de construire un tel algorithme est d'exploiter les contraintes de natures differentes (logique, temporelle, etc.) afin de circonscrire une bibliotheque d'activites. De nombreux auteurs ont souligne l'importance de l'aspect spatial fondamental dans la reconnaissance d'activite. Cependant, seuls quelques travaux existent, et ils sont testes de facon limitee qui ne permet pas de voir l'importance de considerer l'espace. Neanmoins, plusieurs criteres spatiaux tels que la distance entre les objets pourraient aider a reduire le nombre d'hypotheses d'activites. Par ailleurs, de nombreuses erreurs peuvent etre detectees uniquement en utilisant le raisonnement spatial, tel que les problemes de type position ou d'orientation. Cette these fournit des pistes de solutions aux problemes decrits, qui traitent de la reconnaissance spatiale des activites de la vie quotidienne d'une personne avec la maladie d'Alzheimer. Elle propose d'adapter une theorie du raisonnement spatial, developpe par Egenhofer, a un nouveau modele pour la reconnaissance des activites. Ce nouveau modele permet d'identifier les activites en cours en
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utilisant uniquement les criteres spatiaux. Nous demontrons a travers le texte que certaines activites ne pourraient pas avoir ete identifiees autrement. Le modele permet egalement la detection de nouvelles anomalies liees au comportement d'un individu en perte d'autonomie. Enfin, le modele a ete implemente et valide en realisant des activites dans un habitat intelligent a la fine pointe de la technologie. Ces activites ont ete tirees d'une etude clinique avec des sujets normaux et Alzheimer. Les resultats ont ete analyses et compares avec les approches existantes pour evaluer la contribution de ce modele.
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Distribution of bacteria infected by metagenomic sequencing technology in maxillofacial space. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare and analyze the consistency and difference between metageno-mic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and conventional bacterial culture in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in maxillofacial space infection, as well as to provide a new detection method for the early clinical identification of pathogenic bacteria in maxillofacial space infection. METHODS The clinical data of 16 patients with oral and maxillofacial space infections in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2020 to June 2020 were collected. mNGS and conventional bacterial culture methods were used to detect pus. We then analyzed and compared the test results of the two methods, including the test cycle, positive detection rate, anaerobic bacteria, facultative anaerobes and aerobic bacteria detection rates, distribution of pathogenic bacteria, relative species abundance, and resistance genes. RESULTS The average inspection period of mNGS was (18.81±3.73) h, and the average inspection period of bacterial culture was (83.25±11.64) h, the former was shorter than the latter (P<0.05). The positive detection rate of mNGS was 100% (16/16), and the positive detection rate of conventional bacterial culture was 31.25% (5/16), the former was higher than the latter (P<0.05). The detection rate of mNGS anaerobic bacteria was 93.75% (15/16), the detection rate of bacterial culture anaerobes was 0 (0/16), the former was higher than the latter (P<0.05). Using mNGS, the detection rate of facultative anaerobes in bacterial culture was 75.00% (12/16), and the detection rate of facultative anaerobes in bacterial culture was 25.00% (4/16), the former
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was higher than the latter (P<0.05). The detection rate of aerobic bacteria in bacterial culture was 12.50% (1/16), the former was higher than the latter (P>0.05). mNGS detected 15 kinds of pathogenic bacteria, among which 3 were Gram positive, 12 were Gram negative, 49 were non-pathogenic, 16 were Gram positive, and 32 were Gram negative, 1 was fungus. CONCLUSIONS Compared with conventional bacterial culture, mNGS has the characteristics of short test time, high sensitivity, and high accuracy. Thus, it is a new detection method for the early identification of pathogenic bacteria in maxillofacial space infection and is beneficial to the early clinical diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
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A modified likelihood function approach to DOA estimation in the presence of unknown spatially correlated Gaussian noise using a uniform linear array The problem of modified ML estimation of DOAs of multiple source signals incident on a uniform linear array (ULA) in the presence of unknown spatially correlated Gaussian noise is addressed here. Unlike previous work, the proposed method does not impose any structural constraints or parameterization of the signal and noise covariances. It is shown that the characterization suggested here provides a very convenient framework for obtaining an intuitively appealing estimate of the unknown noise covariance matrix via a suitable projection of the observed covariance matrix onto a subspace that is orthogonal complement of the so-called signal subspace. This leads to a formulation of an expression for a so-called modified likelihood function, which can be maximized to obtain the unknown DOAs. For the case of an arbitrary array geometry, this function has explicit dependence on the unknown noise covariance matrix. This explicit dependence can be avoided for the special case of a uniform linear array by using a simple polynomial characterization of the latter. A simple approximate version of this function is then developed that can be maximized via the-well-known IQML algorithm or its variants. An exact estimate based on the maximization of the modified likelihood function is obtained by using nonlinear optimization techniques where the approximate estimates are used for initialization. The proposed estimator is shown to outperform the MAP estimator of Reilly et al. (1992). Extensive simulations have been carried out to show
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the validity of the proposed algorithm and to compare it with some previous solutions.
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Pathology and prognosis in pseudomyxoma peritonei: a review of 274 cases Aims The classification of abdominal mucinous neoplasia is a controversial area. In 2010, WHO published a classification which divides pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) into low and high grades. The aim of the authors was to correlate this classification with the prognosis and site of primary neoplasm. Methods The authors reviewed 274 patients with PMP who had undergone surgery at a single institution and classified them according to WHO criteria. The findings were correlated with clinical information and survival data. Results PMP was low grade in 78% of patients and high grade in 22%. The appendix accounted for 94% of lesions, and the most common primary tumour was a low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. Colorectal primaries were more likely to be associated with high grade PMP. There was an excellent correlation between the grade of the PMP and the primary neoplasm; only two cases showed discordant morphology: both were high grade appendiceal adenocarcinomas that were associated with low grade PMP. Nodal metastases were more likely in high grade lesions, but there was no significant difference in the rate of parenchymal organ invasion between low grade and high grade. Low grade morphology was associated with significantly longer survival than high grade (overall 5-year survival of 63% for low grade and 23% for high grade). Conclusions Categorisation as either low grade or high grade by WHO criteria correlates with prognosis. The grade of the PMP is generally consistent with the grade of the primary neoplasm. Colorectal primaries are more
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likely to be associated with high grade PMP.
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A note on lexicalizing ‘what’ and ‘who’ in Russian and in Polish Abstract The contrast between the Russian čto and the Polish co ‘what’ is syntactic and reflects the way in which an identical sequence of features in the syntactic representation becomes realized as morphology. Specifically, I argue that this scenario follows from a spell-out mechanism outlined in Starke (2018), where prefix formation, as in the Russian tri-morphemic čt-o but not in the Polish bi-morphemic c-o, takes place in order to spell out a feature which cannot be spelled out in the mainline derivation. Next, I explore a possibility that the wh-prefix in kto ‘who’, the same form in Russian and Polish, merges with a syntactically different stem than the one present in the lexical items for ‘what’, a scenario more transparently visible on the example of English wh-at and wh-o.
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Process Safety Considerations for the Supply of a High-Energy Oxadiazole IDO1-Selective Inhibitor The development of a stereospecific synthesis of a IDO1-selective inhibitor is described. The synthetic strategy toward enabling early discovery efforts along with additional findings pertaining to process safety that limited scalability are outlined. A convergent approach that supported the synthesis of material suitable for early preclinical and/or good laboratory practice toxicology studies and avoided the formation of key high-energy intermediates is summarized.
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An Autonomous Parking Space Planning System Based on Pattern Searching Algorithm In the field of static traffic, parking space planning and moving line planning are currently carried out manually over a period of more than one week, which is inefficient and cannot be optimized automatically. Therefore, this paper proposes and implements an autonomous parking space planning system based on pattern searching algorithm, which is divided into four modules: image preprocessing module, parking area segmentation module, parking space planning module, and image post-processing module. We use the system proposed in this paper to test the simulated parking lots of the same area. The result is that the parking space plot ratio can reach 48.68%. We also optimize an existing actual parking lot. The number of parking spaces in the optimized parking lot has increased by 20% compared with the original parking lot.
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Recent Publications on International Human Rights Counter-terrorism and human rights in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights/Ana Salinas de Frías. – Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2012. – 461 p. ISBN: 978–92–871–7197–9 Terrorism has become one of the major threats facing both states and the international community, in particular aft er the terrorist attacks in the United States, Madrid and London, which revealed a whole new scale and dimension of the phenomenon. An eff ective response is absolutely necessary; this response, however, cannot undermine democracy, human rights, the rule of law or the supreme values inherent to these principles. Th ere is no universally agreed defi nition of “terrorism”, nor is there an international jurisdiction before which the perpetrators of terrorist crimes can be brought to account. Th e European Court of Human Rights is the fi rst international jurisdiction to deal with such a phenomenon. For many decades and through more than four hundred cases, it has elaborated a clear, integrated and articulated body of case law on responses to terrorism from a human rights and rule of law perspective. Th us, this is a handbook on counter-terrorism with a special focus on due respect for human rights and rule of law.
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Acoustic Diagnostics Applications in the Study of the Oscillation Combustion in Lean Premixed Pre-Evaporation Combustor The paper presents an experimental investigation of the thermoacoustic oscillations detection in a lean premixed pre-evaporation (LPP) combustor using acoustic signals. The LPP model combustion chamber oscillation combustion test platform was designed and built; the thermal parameters signal, the acoustic signal, and the dynamic pressure signal were collected under the steady condition and the transition condition, and been analyzed comparatively. The experimental result shows that, at the same inlet air speed, the dominant frequency of the combustion chamber is proportional to the thermal load, while at the same fuel flow, the main frequency of the combustion chamber does not change with the changing of air speed. In addition, the doubling frequency of the acoustic signal is more obvious than the pressure signals, which show that the interference of the acoustic signal is less. In the transition condition, the pulse energy of the acoustic signal is obviously increased after ignition. The dominant frequency energy increases when the working condition begins to change in the stable to oscillation combustion condition. The dominant frequency energy decreases when the working condition begins to change in the oscillation to stable combustion condition. During the flameout condition, the oscillating energy begins to decay from the high frequency region. For the acoustic signal is less disturbed than the pressure signal and it can obtain the same result with the pressure signal in the oscillation condition and the transition condition, acoustic diagnostic is an auxiliary method for combustion oscillation
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in LPP combustor.
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An exact computational method for performance analysis of sequential test algorithms for detecting network intrusions Sequential test algorithms are playing increasingly important roles for quick detecting network intrusions such as portscanners. In view of the fact that such algorithms are usually analyzed based on intuitive approximation or asymptotic analysis, we develop an exact computational method for the performance analysis of such algorithms. Our method can be used to calculate the probability of false alarm and average detection time up to arbitrarily pre-specified accuracy.
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Indigenous Smallholder Farming Strategies in South-Western Burkina Faso in Climate Variability Context Existing production systems in West Africa are unable to maintaining a good enough nutrient cycling at farm level. Climate change is expected to increase food production issues in agro ecosystems. Adaptation of smallholders to climate change requires rethinking and adjusting their existing production systems in order to improve their nutrient balance and to ensure an efficient provision of food demand. To that end, better understanding indigenous strategies is still needed. The present study was conducted in South-western Burkina Faso. Three communities of the province were chosen through a cluster analysis using NDVI index, land use map, soil degradation information, and population density. Using soil map, six villages were randomly selected and 360 farms were surveyed. The findings show that farmers overwhelmingly (99%) perceive rainfall variability in the studied zone. Farmers used in average 22.69 ± 3.11 kg ha -1 of mineral fertilizer. A total of 28.06 % and 23.6% of interviewed farmers were using farm yard manure and compost from crop residues, respectively. Stone bunds were implemented by around 35% of farmers. The study also showed that most farmers rely on non-scientific methods for determining sowing period. The study demonstrates the need for rethinking the policy intervention strategies to ensure a better uptake of proven practices in sustainable nutrient management, and to build capacities of smallholder farmers in agro-meteorology to guide the decision making.
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RMU volume 41 issue 1-2 Cover and Back matter In addition to ten specially commissioned essays covering a range of Roman literature from Plautus to Juvenal, this volume contains an appreciation of Sullivan's life and work (including a complete list of his publications in classics and other fields) and the text of the first J.P. Sullivan Annual Lecture given by Professor Boyle at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in March 1994. In the theme on which it focuses and in the quality of its contributions, Roman Literature and Ideology constitutes a worthy tribute to one who did so much to further the study of Roman literature.
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Amylase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: a new marker for pulmonary aspiration. www.ccmjournal.org March 2013 • Volume 41 • Number 3 Aspiration is a common complication in hospitalized patients, which is usually associated with poor outcomes, especially in those with neuromuscular diseases, gastrointestinal or esophageal dysfunction, and loss of consciousness. The clinical manifestations of aspiration vary depending on volume and contents of aspiration as well as the host’s response. Considering quick deterioration of lung function due to chemical and bacterial insults after aspiration, it is critical to have an assay to detect and discriminate chemical and bacterial pneumonia to guide antibiotic treatment. Several biomarkers, such as pepsin and lipid laden alveolar macrophages have been identified as evidence of aspiration because both of them suggested lipid content from gastrointestinal tract, especially in children with gastro esophageal reflux and gastric contents aspiration–induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates (1). In adults patients, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) pepsin in intubated patients has been considered an indicator for aspiration of gastric contents and also a major risk factor for pneumonia (2, 3). To further diagnose etiology of aspiration pneumonia, serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTERM-1), and cytokines profiles (4) have been investigated for feasibility to discriminate bacterial aspiration pneumonia and chemical pneumonitis besides as a marker to diagnose aspiration. In addition, serial measurements of serum PCT was associated with the prognosis of pulmonary aspiration (5) and BAL sTREM-1 levels could be potentially useful in distinguishing BAL culture–positive from BAL culture–negative aspiration (6). However, both the sensitivity
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and specificity (76% and 38% for PCT using a threshold of 2.0 ng/ml, 65.8% and 91.9% for sTREM-1 using a threshold of 250 pg/ml) to diagnose aspiration pneumonia and chemical pneumonitis using above biomarker have not been widely accepted. In this issue of Critical Care Medicine, Weiss and colleagues (7) studied the role of BAL α-amylase in diagnosis of aspiration in a retrospective study. Total 296 BAL samples were collected within 72 hrs after endotracheal intubation from 280 mechanically ventilated patients in five medical centers, and the relationship between BAL amylase concentration and pre-intubation aspiration risk factors as well as the BAL microbial culture results were analyzed. What they found were 1) there was a strong association between BAL amylase concentration and traditional risk factors for aspiration; 2) BAL amylase concentration may predict bacterial pneumonia; 3) if BAL amylase concentration cutoff value was < 125 units/L, the sensitivity for predicting bacterial pneumonia was 70%, with a negative predictive value of 85%. If combined with clinical information, BAL amylase might be helpful in early diagnosis and the management of suspected aspiration. Actually, as early as in the 1980s, there was some evidence showing (8, 9) that BAL amylase was derived from oropharyngeal contents and aspiration or pulmonary complication. Unfortunately, no further clinical studies have been conducted to confirm above findings until Weiss et al revealed the significance of BAL amylase in diagnosing and differentiating bacterial pneumonia after aspiration with high sensitivity and negative predictive value. Nevertheless, this study does have some limitations as the author had addressed
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in the text, such as the absence of a gold standard to diagnose bacterial pneumonia and the potential confounding factors. Even though the amylase in BAL has a relatively long-lasting detection window, its dynamic changes of activity should not be neglected. Multiple quantitative detection of BAL amylase would be preferred other than one time measurement. In addition, BAL is an invasive approach which also needs special training before operation, the volume and location of BAL should be standardized to have comparison between different institutes. In some patients without artificial intubation, it is not practical to have BAL examination. Thus, given the current limitations, well-designed Cohort studies should be conducted to test whether this is a robust finding. In conclusion, notwithstanding the caveat, the results from this study may guide the clinical management of aspiration.
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Deep venous thrombosis in intravenous cocaine abuse mimicking septic arthritis of the shoulder. We describe two patients with deep venous thrombosis of the upper extremity who initially were thought to have septic arthritis of the shoulder. These patients had a history of recent intravenous cocaine abuse. The diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis should be considered when a patient with a swollen shoulder has an appropriate history.
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Deranged smooth muscle α-actin expression as a biomarker of intestinal pseudo-obstruction We read with interest the article by Knowles and colleagues ( Gut 2004; 53 :1583–9) in which the authors concluded that immunostaining of the adult jejunum with smooth muscle α-actin (ASMA) may be a valuable biomarker of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIIP). We recently published a similar study in which 17 archival formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded samples of small intestine and 12 samples of large intestine were immunostained with ASMA, desmin, and smooth muscle myosin heavy …
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Penicillin tolerance among beta-hemolytic streptococci and production of the group carbohydrates, hemolysins, hyaluronidases and deoxyribonucleases. Penicillin tolerance among 67 strains of beta-hemolytic streptococci was examined by determining the ratio of the minimal bactericidal concentration to the minimal inhibitory concentration as 32 or greater. Tolerance was demonstrated in 15 group A strains and in 11.7, and 4 of groups B, C and G, respectively. Thereafter the effects of a subminimal inhibitory concentration (1/2 MIC) of penicillin on the bacterial products of four tolerant and four nontolerant strains (two of each Lancefield group) were analyzed and compared. The antibiotic caused a marked increase in the expression of the group carbohydrates for strains of group B. Penicillin was found to reduce the cell-bound hemolysin activities of the four tolerant strains and to increase the activity of the other (free) form of nontolerant groups A, C and G hemolysins. Penicillin caused an increase in the extracellular hyaluronidase activities of one group A and groups B, C and G streptococci. With added antibiotic the production of deoxyribonuclease by tolerant groups A, C and G was greatly enhanced and that of the group B streptococcus was arrested.
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Empowering Women Through Community-Based Tourism in the Western Cape, South Africa Tourism has received considerable attention in recent years with regards to the impacts of tourism and its ability to contribute toward sustainability. This article focuses on the positive impact communitybased tourism can have on the empowerment of women. Four domains of empowerment have been identified in literature, and the objective of this research specifically reviews the social and economic empowerment domains, which community-based tourism has had on the lives of women involved in tourism. Primary data in the form of life histories were collected through semistructured interviews by the researchers, and data analyzed according to an empowerment framework. The results yielded a number of women considered to be empowered on both economic and social levels. However, despite the considered empowerment of women, aspects of disempowerment were noted. The study fundamentally reveals that Sustainable Development Goal 5, pertaining to women empowerment, can be achieved through the economic empowerment of women who in turn socially empower the communities in which they reside.
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[ABP: the testicular protein that binds androgens]. ABP is a protein found in the testicular cytosol or secreted by Sertoli cells in the rete testis fluid. It has a high affinity for androgers and binds specifically 5 alpha-DHT and testosterone (but to a lesser extent). The binding capacity is saturable. ABP is measured by steady state polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or by separation on dextran coated charcoal. ABP moves from testis to epididymis where its binding activity is totally or partially destroyed from caput to cauda epididymis. In some species (ram, bull, billy goat) but not in others (human, boar, stallion) ABP is present in the seminal plasma of the ejaculate. In some species like the rat, ABP is also secreted in the testicular blood stream by Sertoli cells through the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules. ABP varies with age and with season. Its production is under separate endocrine control of FSH and testosterone and its transport from testis to epididymis is specifically controlled by FSH. Through its binding activity, ABP may play a role in spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation by enhancing the local concentration of androgens around the germinal cells and the male gametes. However ABP is not present in some species, like the pig, although their spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation are normal.
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Control of a wind turbine with a hydrostatic transmission — An extended linearisation approach In this paper, a simplified model of the NREL 5MW wind turbine with a hydrostatic transmission is derived. A suitable control scheme is described, and the steady state operating points of the system are calculated. The system is given in extended linearised form, and this form is used to design a gain scheduled linear quadratic regulator (LQR), with wind speed and difference pressure as scheduling parameters. Steady state operating points are used as desired values for feedforward control, and disturbance compensation is implemented to minimise the influence of rotor torque variations. Wind turbines operate in different control modes, with different control objectives which are dependent on wind speed. The developed controller is designed to operate for the entire operational range of the wind turbine. The controller is validated through simulation over a range of wind speeds.
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Approximation Analysis of Open Acyclic Exponential Queueing Networks with Blocking An arbitrary configuration of an open queueing network with exponential service times and finite buffers is analyzed. We offer an iterative procedure for approximating the marginal occupancy probabilities for each queue of the system. The method decomposes the queueing network into individual queues and analyzes each in isolation using information from only its nearest neighbors. Based upon the SIMP approximation previously used for tandem queues, it replaces each server's service time with a clearance time, which includes blocking, and each server's arrival rate by an equivalent acceptance rate. The procedure is easy to implement and requires modest memory and computer time. Extensive numerical experiments, performed for various topologies, yield accurate results compared with those obtained by exact or simulation methods.
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Socioeconomic and Functional Outcomes after Severe Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries: A Comparison of Surgical and Nonsurgical Patients Background Data: Management of cervical spine fractures has no individualized treatment protocol. Most guidelines are based on the fracture types; our study, being done in a developing nation, has taken into consideration the socioeconomic factors and their implication in making a final treatment plan. Purpose: To compare socioeconomic and functional outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical management of acute cervical spine fractures with severe (ASIA-A and ASIA-B) neurological deficit at a minimum of 12 months postinjury. Study Design: A retrospective observational study. Patients and Methods: The study included a total of 42 patients: 22 were treated operatively (group A) and 20 treated conservatively (group B). Functional outcomes were assessed at a minimum of 12 months postinjury using the SCIM scoring scale. Other parameters, including the number of hospital days, total expenditure at discharge, ICU-related events, deaths within one year, and rehabilitation details, were analyzed. Results: The mean hospital stay in group A was 26 days, with one patient requiring ICU admission with an expenditure of $2707, whereas in group B, the mean days of hospital admission was 40 days with two patients requiring ICU admission incurring an expenditure of $850. ICU-related comorbidities were high in group A. One patient in group A and five in group B died within the first 12 months. Overall mortality within the twelve months following ASIA-A and ASIA-B cervical spine injury was 16.6%, with higher mortality in group B during the early (0–3 months)
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period. The mean SCIM functional score at 12 months in group A and B was 36.5 and 41.6, respectively (p = 0.2). No statistically significant difference was found in the functional outcome between survivors in both groups at 12 months. Conclusion: One-year survival was better in surgically treated patients with no difference (p = 0.09) in the functional outcome of both groups. Only an early and sustained rehabilitation in both groups help improving their quality of life. (2021ESJ247)
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Two Habsburg Women and Two Convents in the Heart of Renaissance Madrid T his exhibition opened in December , was interrupted by COVID-, and remained closed for months. It has reopened this September with an extension until January . A virtual exhibition is accessible at the Patrimonio Nacional website, which allows viewers to enjoy the show in its entirety and closely study the objects on display. Curated by Fernando Checa Cremades, this exhibition spotlights two convents built in the centre of Madrid: the Descalzas Reales and the Encarnación, both of which were once a stone’s throw from the former royal residence, the Alcázar. Today the Palacio Real stands on the same site, rebuilt after a destructive fire in . The women who founded these religious institutions were two Spanish Habsburg princesses, Juana of Austria (–), sister of Philip II, and Margaret of Austria (–), consort of Philip III. Under Juana’s personal supervision, construction of the Descalzas Reales began in , coming to semi-completion by , while the Encarnación, founded in just before Queen Margaret’s premature death, was inaugurated in . Both convents and their churches are extremely well-preserved, containing a multitude of donated art works, reliquaries, paintings, portraits, rich textiles and religious objects — many from Asia and the NewWorld — but which have largely remained inaccessible to the public. As active convents, not all rooms can be accessed, and as former royal sites, both are managed today by the Patrimonio Nacional, which organises guided visits. Checa has curated eleven expansive rooms in the
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Royal Palace, with artworks (some never exhibited before), which reveal the past and present religious and artistic ambiences of these convents. Permission for some loans were obtained by the abbesses of both institutions, the real custodians of this rich heritage. Many of the artworks and objects, incorporated for centuries into the life and routines of these nuns, are still used daily, or are earmarked for specific religious ceremonies, which makes this exhibition distinctive. This is a show about
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[Based on in vivo fluorescence imaging technology, to extablish a fluorescence modification method for amphipathic block polymers]. Rhodamine B (Rh B) was used to decorate an amphipathic block polymers (β-CD-[P(AA- co-MMA)-b-PVP](4)) in this study. First, after activated by 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride, rhodamine B was marked with hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) through ester exchange reaction. Second, the labeled amphipathic block polymers (β-CD-[P(AA-(HEMA-RhB)-MMA)-b-PVP](4)) were synthesized after polymerization reaction of double bones between Rh B-HEMA and other reactants. Finally, the structure of product was measured by FT-IR spectra and fluorospectro photometer (FLUORO). The critical micelle concentration of Rh B-labeled and unlabeled amphipathic block polymers were 4.96×10(-3), 5.09×10(-3)mg·L(-1), respectively, indicating no change of their micellization behavior. In vivo tissue distribution and whole- body fluorescent imaging were studied by vinpocetine (VP)-loaded polymeric micelles which were prepared through a solvent evaporation method. Compared to the result of in vivo tissue distribution and whole-body fluorescence imaging, a similar bio-distribution behavior of VP-loaded polymeric micelles was found. Those proved the successful fluorescence modification with a labeling yield of 4.13%. With in vivo fluorescence imaging technology, we established a fluorescence method for modification of amphipathic block polymers.
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Molecular encapsulation of amodiaquine in 2-hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin cavity. Characterization and its in vitro cytotoxicity ABSTRACT Amodiaquine has been used widely as an antimalarial drug. Amodiaquine is a mannich base 4-amino quinolone with a mode of action similar to that of chloroquine. The inclusion complex of amodiaquine with 2-(hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin in solution phase is studied from the ground and excited state with absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques, respectively. A binding constant and stoichiometric ratio between amodiaquine and 2-(hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin are calculated by the use of Benesi–Hildebrand equation. The solid complexes are prepared by physical, kneading and coprecipitation methods. The solid complexes are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectral analysis, Differential scanning calorimetric curves and powder X-ray diffraction patterns. The anticancer activity was tested for pure amodiaquine and their complex with 2-(hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin against MDA MB 231 cell line. It clearly showed that a significant improvement of anticancer activity of amodiaquine when forming a complex with 2-(hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin.
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Physical Activity in Stage III Colon Cancer: CALGB/SWOG 80702 (Alliance). PURPOSE To determine the specific types, durations, and intensities of recreational physical activity associated with the greatest improvements in disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with colon cancer. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study nested within a randomized multicenter trial of stage III colon cancer that compared 3 versus 6 months of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin with or without celecoxib. We measured recreational physical activity in the first 3 months of chemotherapy and again 6 months after completion of chemotherapy. The primary end point was DFS. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 5.9 years, 457 of 1,696 patients experienced disease recurrence or death. For total recreational physical activity volume, the 3-year DFS was 76.5% with < 3.0 metabolic equivalent task hours per week (MET-h/wk) and 87.1% with ≥ 18.0 MET-h/wk (risk difference [RD], 10.6%; 95% CI, 4.7 to 19.4; P < .001). For light-intensity to moderate-intensity activities, the 3-year DFS was 65.7% with 0.0 h/wk and 87.1% with ≥ 1.5 h/wk (RD, 21.4%; 95% CI, 9.2 to 37.1; P < .001). For vigorous-intensity activity, the 3-year DFS was 76.0% with 0.0 h/wk and 86.0% with ≥ 1.0 h/wk (RD, 10.0%; 95% CI, 4.5 to 18.9; P < .001). For brisk walking, the 3-year DFS was 81.7% with < 1.0 h/wk and 88.4% with ≥ 3.0 h/wk (RD, 6.7%; 95% CI, 3.0 to 13.8; P < .001). For muscle strengthening activity, the 3-year DFS was 81.8% with 0.0 h/wk and 88.8% for ≥ 0.5 h/wk (RD, 7.0%;
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95% CI, 3.1 to 14.2; P = .003). CONCLUSION Among patients with stage III colon cancer enrolled in a trial of postoperative treatment, larger volumes of recreational physical activity, longer durations of light- to moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or any vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity were associated with the greatest improvements in DFS.
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Tunable Resonant Cavity Enhanced Detectors using Vertical MEMS Mirrors Highly sensitive photodetectors for the mid infrared have been obtained by placing a photodiode inside a Fabry Perot cavity. These resonant cavity enhanced detectors (RCED) are sensitive at the resonances only, which depend on the distance between the two mirrors of the cavity. Displacing one of these mirrors allows changing the cavity length and thus selecting the detection wavelength. The design, simulation and fabrication of a MEMS mirror and its integration with the counter mirror and the photodiode grown by molecular beam epitaxy are presented. First results with external mirrors moved by piezoactuation are described, too.
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Ultrasonic Monitoring of Thermally Curing Resins with the Use of Shear Wave Reflectivity A technique is presented for estimating t he state of viscosity of a thermally curing resin. The resin's complex shear modulus at 1 MHz is derived from the measured reflection coefficient of shear wave pulses at the tool-resin interface. A speci a1 transducer-buffe r assembly that operates at high temperature and provides a reference cal i bration signal has been developed. With this assembly, absolute d eterminations a re made throughout the cure cycle o f the storage (real) and loss (imaginary) components of the shear modulus, from the latter of which the h igh frequency dynamic viscosity is calculated. Comparison with data obtained at low shear rates with a 10 Hz torque viscometer indicates the feasibility of using the high frequency technique to monitor the rheological properties of thermally c uring r esins.
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Collecting Validity Evidence for the Assessment of Mastery Learning in Simulation-Based Ultrasound Training. PURPOSE To collect validity evidence for the assessment of mastery learning on a virtual reality transabdominal ultrasound simulator. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed the validity evidence using Messick's framework for validity. The study included 20 novices and 9 ultrasound experts who all completed 10 obstetric training modules on a transabdominal ultrasound simulator that provided automated measures of performance for each completed module (i. e., simulator metrics). Differences in the performance of the two groups were used to identify simulator metrics with validity evidence for the assessment of mastery learning. The novices continued to practice until they had attained mastery learning level. RESULTS One-third of the simulator metrics discriminated between the two groups. The median simulator scores from a maximum of 40 metrics were 17.5 percent (range 0 - 45.0 percent) for novices and 90.0 percent (range 85.0 - 97.5) for experts, p < 0.001. Internal consistency was high, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.98. The test/retest reliability gave an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.62 for novices who reached the mastery learning level twice. Novices reached the mastery learning level within a median of 4 attempts (range 3 - 8) corresponding to a median of 252 minutes of simulator training (range 211 - 394 minutes). CONCLUSION This study found that validity evidence for the assessment of mastery learning in simulation-based ultrasound training can be demonstrated and that ultrasound novices can attain mastery learning levels with less than 5 hours of training. Only
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one-third of the standard simulator metrics discriminated between different levels of competence.
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A Multichannel High-Frequency Current Link Based Isolated Auxiliary Power Supply for Medium-Voltage Applications The auxiliary power supply (APS) is one of the critical components inside medium-voltage (MV) power converters. Besides high insulation capability and small footprint, low common-mode (CM) coupling capacitance and multichannel output are the desired features of APS in the emerging silicon-carbide-based MV converters due to their fast switching speed. This article presents the design and optimization procedure of a high-density isolated APS using an LCCL-LC resonant topology with an operating frequency of 1 MHz. The proposed design procedure attains consistent soft-switching operation under a random number of output channels. The galvanic isolation is realized by a current-fed single-turn 1 MHz transformer that can achieve a breakdown voltage of over 20 kV while maintaining a small size. Design optimization on the insulation system of the current transformer is proposed to obtain both high partial-discharge inception voltage (PDIV) and low coupling capacitance. Finally, two versions of APSs are developed, using air and silicone as dielectric materials, which can reach PDIV of over 5 and 16 kV, respectively. The corresponding coupling capacitances are 1.86 pF and 3.6 pF. Both designs can provide a maximum power of 20 W on the receiving side, and 120 W on the sending side.
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