Historic Scour Data Collected at Selected Bridges in South Carolina

2008 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Addressing Water Challenges Facing the State and Regio

Terrain-aided navigation for long-range AUVs in dynamic under-mapped environments

Deploying long‐range autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) mid‐water column in the deep ocean is one of the most challenging applications for these submersibles. Without external support and speed over the ground measurements, dead‐reckoning (DR) navigation inevitably experiences an error proportional to the mission range and the speed of the water currents. In response to this problem, a computationally feasible and low‐power terrain‐aided navigation (TAN) system is developed. A Rao‐Blackwellized Particle Filter robust to estimation divergence is designed to estimate the vehicle's position and the speed of water currents. To evaluate performance, field data from multiday AUV deployments in the Southern Ocean are used. These form a unique test case for assessing the TAN performance under extremely challenging conditions. Despite the use of a small number of low‐power sensors and a Doppler velocity log to enable TAN, the algorithm limits the localisation error to within a few hundreds of metres, as opposed to a DR error of 40 km, given a 50 m resolution bathymetric map. To evaluate further the effectiveness of the system under a varying map quality, grids of 100, 200, and 400 m resolution are generated by subsampling the original 50 m resolution map. Despite the high complexity of the navigation problem, the filter exhibits robust and relatively accurate behaviour. Given the current aim of the oceanographic community to develop maps of similar resolution, the results of this study suggest that TAN can enable AUV operations of the order of months using global bathymetric models

Efficacy and Safety of Hizentra®, a New 20% Immunoglobulin Preparation for Subcutaneous Administration, in Pediatric Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency

Subcutaneous IgG treatment for primary immunodeficiencies (PI) is particularly well suited for children because it does not require venous access and is mostly free of systemic adverse events (AEs). In a prospective, open-label, multicenter, single-arm, Phase III study, 18 children and five adolescents with PI were switched from previous intravenous (IVIG) or subcutaneous (SCIG) IgG treatment to receive dose-equivalent, weekly subcutaneous infusions of Hizentra® for 40 weeks. Mean IgG trough levels were maintained in patients previously on SCIG, or increased in those previously on IVIG, regardless of age. No serious bacterial infections were reported during the efficacy period of the study. The rates of non-serious infections were 4.77 (children) and 5.18 (adolescents) infections per patient per year. Related AEs were observed in seven children (38.9%) and two adolescents (40%). Three serious AEs and two AEs leading to discontinuation (all unrelated) were reported in children. Hizentra® is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for pediatric patients

The use of the multivariate Principal Response Curve (PRC) for community analysis: a case study on the effects of carbendazim on enchytraeids in Terrestrial Model Ecosystems (TME).

The effects of the fungicide carbendazim (formulation Derosal®) on enchytraeids were determined in Terrestrial Model Ecosystem (TME) tests. TMEs consisted of intact soil columns (diameter 17.5 cm; length 40 cm) taken from three grassland sites (Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Bangor (Wales, England) and Flörsheim (Germany)) or an arable site (Coimbra (Portugal)). Results for each TME site were evaluated using the multivariate Principal Response Curve (PRC) method. The resulting No-Observable Effect Concentrations (NOECs) for the community were compared with the NOECs generated by univariate statistical methods. Furthermore, the E

Host-derived RANKL is responsible for osteolysis in a C4-2 human prostate cancer xenograft model of experimental bone metastases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>C4-2 prostate cancer (CaP) cells grown in mouse tibiae cause a mixed osteoblastic/osteolytic response with increases in osteoclast numbers and bone resorption. Administration of osteoprotegerin (OPG) blocks these increases, indicating the critical role of RANKL in osteolysis in this model. The objective of our study was to investigate whether RANKL expressed by tumor cells (human origin) directly stimulates osteolysis associated with the growth of these cells in bone or whether the increased osteolysis is caused by RANKL expressed by the host environment cells (murine origin). The relative contribution of tumor-<it>vs. </it>host-derived RANKL has been difficult to establish, even with human xenografts, because murine and human RANKL are both capable of stimulating osteolysis in mice, and the RANKL inhibitors used to date (OPG and RANK-Fc) inhibit human and murine RANKL.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To address this question we used a neutralizing, antibody (huRANKL MAb), which specifically neutralizes the biological activities of human RANKL and thereby the contribution of C4-2 derived RANKL in this tibial injection model of experimental bone metastases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Administration of huRANKL MAb did not inhibit the osteolytic response of the bone to these cells, or affect the establishment and growth of the C4-2 tumors in this environment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, our results suggest that in this model, murine RANKL and not the tumor-derived human RANKL is the mediator of the osteolytic reaction associated with C4-2 growth in bone. We hypothesize that C4-2 cells express other factor/s inducing host production of RANKL, thereby driving tumor-associated osteolysis.</p

Modifiable risk factors associated with bone deficits in childhood cancer survivors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To determine the prevalence and severity of bone deficits in a cohort of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) compared to a healthy sibling control group, and the modifiable factors associated with bone deficits in CCS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study of bone health in 319 CCS and 208 healthy sibling controls. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Generalized estimating equations were used to compare measures between CCS and controls. Among CCS, multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate odds ratios for BMD Z-score ≤ -1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All subjects were younger than 18 years of age. Average time since treatment was 10.1 years (range 4.3 - 17.8 years). CCS were 3.3 times more likely to have whole body BMD Z-score ≤ -1 than controls (95% CI: 1.4-7.8; p = 0.007) and 1.7 times more likely to have lumbar spine BMD Z-score ≤ -1 than controls (95% CI: 1.0-2.7; p = 0.03). Among CCS, hypogonadism, lower lean body mass, higher daily television/computer screen time, lower physical activity, and higher inflammatory marker IL-6, increased the odds of having a BMD Z-score ≤ -1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CCS, less than 18 years of age, have bone deficits compared to a healthy control group. Sedentary lifestyle and inflammation may play a role in bone deficits in CCS. Counseling CCS and their caretakers on decreasing television/computer screen time and increasing activity may improve bone health.</p

Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: a consensus document by the Belgian Bone Club

Several drugs are available for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may, in daily practice, confuse the clinician. This manuscript offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment guidelines, with a critical assessment of the currently available efficacy data on all new chemical entities which were granted a marketing authorization. Osteoporosis is widely recognized as a major public health concern. The availability of new therapeutic agents makes clinical decision-making in osteoporosis more complex. Nation-specific guidelines are needed to take into consideration the specificities of each and every health care environment. The present manuscript is the result of a National Consensus, based on a systematic review and a critical appraisal of the currently available literature. It offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment guidelines, with the aim of providing clinicians with an unbiased assessment of osteoporosis treatment effect

Do International Health Partnerships contribute to reverse innovation? a mixed methods study of THET-supported partnerships in the UK

Background International health partnerships (IHPs) are changing, with an increased emphasis on mutual accountability and joint agenda setting for both the high- and the low- or middle-income country (LMIC) partners. There is now an important focus on the bi-directionality of learning however for the UK partners, this typically focuses on learning at the individual level, through personal and professional development. We sought to evaluate whether this learning also takes the shape of ‘Reverse Innovation’ –when an idea conceived in a low-income country is subsequently adopted in a higher-income country. Methods This mixed methods study used an initial scoping survey of all the UK-leads of the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET)-supported International Health Partnerships (n = 114) to ascertain the extent to which the IHPs are or have been vehicles for Reverse Innovation. The survey formed the sampling frame for further deep-dive interviews to focus on volunteers’ experiences and attitudes to learning from LMICs. Interviews of IHP leads (n = 12) were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Survey data was analysed descriptively. Interview transcripts were coded thematically, using an inductive approach. Results Survey response rate was 27% (n = 34). The majority (70%) strongly agreed that supporting LMIC partners best described the mission of the partnership but only 13% of respondents strongly agreed that learning about new innovations and models was a primary mission of their partnership. Although more than half of respondents reported having observed innovative practice in the LMIC, only one IHP respondent indicated that this has led to Reverse Innovation. Interviews with a sample of survey respondents revealed themes primarily around how learning is conceptualised, but also a central power imbalance between the UK and LMIC partners. Paternalistic notions of knowledge could be traced to partnership power dynamics and latent attitudes to LMICs. Conclusions Given the global flow of innovation, if High-income countries (HICs) are to benefit from LMIC practices, it is paramount to keep an open mind about where such learning can come from. Making the potential for learning more explicit and facilitating innovation dissemination upon return will ultimately underpin the success of adoption