Effects of prolonged caloric stimulation upon oculomotor, vestibulospinal, and segmental spinal activity

Prolonged hot or cold stimulation effects on eye movements, vestibulospinal, and segmental spinal activities in monkey

Studies on Auditory and Vestibular End Organs and Brain Stem Nuclei

Cats were exposed to tones of 125, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz at sound pressure levels in the range 120 to 157.5 db, and for durations of one hour (1000, 2000, 4000 Hz) or four hours (125 Hz). Pure tone audiograms were obtained for each animal before and after exposure. Cochleas of animals were examined by phase-contrast microscopy. Extent of inner ear damage and range of frequencies for which hearing loss occurred increased as exposure tone was decreased in frequency. For example, exposure to 4000 Hz produced damage in a restricted region of the cochlea and hearing loss for a relatively narrow range of frequencies; exposure to 125 Hz produced wide-spread inner ear damage and hearing loss throughout the frequency range 125 to 6000 Hz

Generalized Height-diameter Models for Acacia Mangium Willd. Plantations in South Sumatra

The aim of this study was to develop a generalized height-diameter model for predicting tree height of Acacia mangium plantations in South Sumatra that could account for the variability of site and stand conditions. Six commonly used non-linear growth functions (i.e. Gompertz, Chapman-Richards, Lundqvist-Korf, Weibull, modified logistic, and exponential) were selected as candidate base models and were fitted to individual tree's height-diameter data of A.mangium plantations. A total of 13,302 trees collected from permanent sample plots with various spacing , stand age, and site quality were available for this study. The data were split into two sets: one set being the majority (75%) was used to estimate model parameters and the remaining data set (25%) was used to validate the models. The results showed that the six base models produced almost identical fits with a relatively high root mean squared error (± 3.4 m) and a relatively low proportion of the total variation in obser ved tree height (52.5 - 53.4%). The Lundqvist-Korf (LK) model performed slightly better than the other models based on the goodness of fit as well as bias and standard errors of the predictions. This LK model can be fitted easily and provided more satisfactory fit when additional variables were included into the model, hence was selected as the base model. Introducing stand variables into the selected base model resulted in a significant improvement of the accuracy for predicting heights. The root mean squared error decreased by the value between 0.5564 and 1.4252 m and the proportion of variation explained by the model increased by the value between 13.88 and 33.21%. The best improvement based on fit and model validation was achieved by the generalized height-diameter model with inclusion of stand age and site index

Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Penilaian Kinerja Karyawan Menggunakan Metode SAW

Kualitas sumber daya manusia merupakan salah satu faktor penunjang untuk meningkatkan produktivitas kinerja suatu instansi. Maka dari itu sumber daya manusia yang berkompetensi tinggi dapat mendukung tingkat kinerja, dengan penilaian kinerja maka akan diketahui prestasi yang dicapai setiap karyawan. Saat ini Lembaga Penjaminan Mutu (LPM) masih menggunakan cara manual dalam proses penilaian kinerja karyawan yaitu dengan menghitung skor setiap kriteria menggunakan microsoft excel. Proses penilaian secara manual sangat mungkin terjadi kesalahan dalam menghitung setiap kriteria, serta memakan waktu lama dalam proses perhitungannya. Saat ini Lembaga Penjaminan Mutu Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto (LPM) belum mempunyai aplikasi khusus yang digunakan untuk penilaian kinerja. Oleh karena itu dibangun sebuah sistem pendukung keputusan menggunakan metode SAW (Simple Additive Weighting) berbasis desktop agar mempermudah proses penilaian kinerja karyawan secara obyektif di LPM berdasarkan bobot dan kriteria-kriteria penilaian yang sudah ditentukan

Recruiting participants with peripheral arterial disease for clinical trials: Experience from the Study to Improve Leg Circulation (SILC)

ObjectiveTo describe the success of diverse recruitment methods in a randomized controlled clinical trial of exercise in persons with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).MethodsAn analysis of recruitment sources conducted for the 746 men and women completing a baseline visit for the study to improve leg circulation (SILC), a randomized controlled trial of exercise for patients with PAD. For each recruitment source, we determined the number of randomized participants, the rate of randomization among those completing a baseline visit, and cost per randomized participant.ResultsOf the 746 individuals who completed a baseline visit, 156 were eligible and randomized. The most frequent sources of randomized participants were newspaper advertising (n = 67), mailed recruitment letters to patients with PAD identified at the study medical center (n = 25), and radio advertising (n = 18). Costs per randomized participant were $2750 for television advertising,$2167 for Life Line Screening, $2369 for newspaper advertising,$3931 for mailed postcards to older community dwelling men and women, and $5691 for radio advertising. Among those completing a baseline visit, randomization rates ranged from 10% for those identified from radio advertising to 32% for those identified from the Chicago Veterans Administration and 33% for those identified from posted flyers.ConclusionMost participants in a randomized controlled trial of exercise were recruited from newspaper advertising and mailed recruitment letters to patients with known PAD. The highest randomization rates after a baseline visit occurred among participants identified from posted flyers and mailed recruitment letters to PAD patients

Randomized controlled trial of a primary care–based screening program to identify older women with prevalent osteoporotic vertebral fractures: Cohort for skeletal health in Bristol and Avon (COSHIBA)

Approximately 12% of postmenopausal women have osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs); these are associated with excess morbidity and mortality and a high risk of future osteoporotic fractures. Despite this, less than one-third come to clinical attention, partly due to lack of clear clinical triggers for referral for spinal radiographs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a novel primary care–based screening tool could be used to identify postmenopausal women with osteoporotic VFs and increase appropriate management of osteoporosis. A randomized controlled trial was undertaken in 15 general practices within the Bristol area of the UK. A total of 3200 women aged 65 to 80 years were enrolled, with no exclusion criteria. A simple screening tool was carried out by a nurse in primary care to identify women at high risk of osteoporotic VFs. All identified high-risk women were offered a diagnostic thoracolumbar radiograph. Radiographs were reported using standard National Health Service (NHS) reporting, with results sent back to each participant's general practitioner (GP). Participants in the control arm did not receive the screening tool or radiographs. The main outcome measure was self-reported prescription of medication for osteoporosis at 6 months with a random 5% subsample verified against electronic GP records. Secondary outcome was self-reported incidence of new fractures. Results showed that allocation to screening increased prescription of osteoporosis medications by 124% (odds ratio [OR] for prescription 2.24 at 6 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16 to 4.33). Allocation to screening also reduced fracture incidence at 12-month follow-up (OR for new fracture 0.60; 95% CI, 0.35–1.03; p = 0.063), although this did not reach statistical significance. This study supports the use of a simple screening tool administered in primary care to increase appropriate prescription of medications for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in the UK. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Researc

Corridor-based functional performance measures correlate better with physical activity during daily life than treadmill measures in persons with peripheral arterial disease

ObjectiveTo compare associations of physical activity during daily life with treadmill walking performance and corridor-based functional performance measures in persons with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD).Study DesignCross-sectional.SubjectsOne hundred fifty-six men and women with PAD who completed baseline measurements and were randomized into the study to improve leg circulation (SILC) exercise clinical trial.Main Outcome MeasuresParticipants completed a Gardner-Skinner treadmill protocol. Corridor-based functional performance measures were the 6-minute walk, walking velocity over four meters at usual and fastest pace, and the short physical performance battery (SPPB) (0-12 scale, 12 = best). Physical activity during daily life was measured continuously over 7 days with a Caltrac (Muscle Dynamics Fitness Network, Inc, Torrence, Calif) accelerometer.ResultsAdjusting for age, gender, and race, higher levels of physical activity during daily life were associated with greater distance achieved in the 6-minute walk (P trend = .001), faster fast-paced four-meter walking velocity (P trend < .001), faster usual-paced four-meter walking speed (P trend = .027) and a higher SPPB (P trend = .005). The association of physical activity level with maximum treadmill walking distance did not reach statistical significance (P trend = .083). There were no associations of physical activity with treadmill distance to onset of leg symptoms (P trend = .795).ConclusionFunctional performance measures are more strongly associated with physical activity levels during daily life than treadmill walking measures

Doped and non-doped organic light-emitting diodes based on a yellow carbazole emitter into a blue-emitting matrix

A new carbazole derivative with a 3,3'-bicarbazyl core 6,6'-substituted by dicyanovinylene groups (6,6'-bis(1-(2,2'-dicyano)vinyl)-N,N'-dioctyl-3,3'-bicarbazyl; named (OcCz2CN)2, was synthesized by carbonyl-methylene Knovenagel condensation, characterized and used as a component of multilayer organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Due to its &#61552;-donor-acceptor type structure, (OcCz2CN)2 was found to emit a yellow light at &#61548;max=590 nm (with the CIE coordinates x=0.51; y = 0.47) and was used either as a dopant or as an ultra-thin layer in a blue-emitting matrix of 4,4'-bis(2,2'-diphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (DPVBi). DPVBi (OcCz2CN)2-doped structure exhibited, at doping ratio of 1.5 weight %, a yellowish-green light with the CIE coordinates (x = 0.31; y = 0.51), an electroluminescence efficiency &#61544;EL=1.3 cd/A, an external quantum efficiency &#61544;ext= 0.4 % and a luminance L= 127 cd/m2 (at 10 mA/cm2) whereas for non-doped devices utilizing the carbazolic fluorophore as a thin neat layer, a warm white with CIE coordinates (x = 0.40; y= 0.43), &#61544;EL= 2.0 cd/A, &#61544;ext= 0.7 %, L = 197 cd/m2 (at 10 mA/cm2) and a color rendering index (CRI) of 74, were obtained. Electroluminescence performances of both the doped and non-doped devices were compared with those obtained with 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphtacene (rubrene) taken as a reference of highly efficient yellow emitter

Adhesion of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes to endothelium: a phenotypic and functional analysis.

Efficacy of cancer immunotherapy with cultured tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) depends upon infused TILs migrating into tumour-bearing tissue, in which they mediate an anti-tumour response. For TILs to enter a tumour, they must first bind to tumour endothelium, and this process depends on TILs expressing and regulating the function of relevant cell-surface receptors. We analysed the cell-surface phenotype and endothelial binding of TILs cultured from human melanoma and compared them with peripheral blood T cells and with allostimulated T cells cultured under similar conditions. Compared with peripheral blood T cells, TILs expressed high levels of five integrins, two other adhesion molecules, including the skin homing molecule CLA, and several activation markers and showed markedly enhanced integrin-mediated adhesion to a dermal microvascular endothelial cell line in vitro. Compared with the allostimulated T cells, TILs expressed higher levels of the cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA), the adhesion molecule CD31 and the activation markers CD30 and CD69, but lower levels of several other adhesion and activation molecules. These phenotypic and functional properties of TILs should have complex effects on their migration in vivo. Expression of CLA, the skin homing receptor, may increase migration to melanoma (a skin cancer), whereas integrin activation may cause non-specific binding of TILs to other endothelium. Manipulation of the culture conditions in which TILs are expanded might result in a phenotype that is more conducive to selective tumour homing in vivo