Thermal System Upgrade of the Space Environment Simulation Test Chamber

The paper deals with the refurbishing and upgrade of the thermal system for the existing thermal vacuum test facility, the Space Environment Simulator, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The chamber is the largest such facility at the center. This upgrade is the third phase of the long range upgrade of the chamber that has been underway for last few years. The first phase dealt with its vacuum system, the second phase involved the GHe subsystem. The paper describes the considerations of design philosophy options for the thermal system; approaches taken and methodology applied, in the evaluation of the remaining "life" in the chamber shrouds and related equipment by conducting special tests and studies; feasibility and extent of automation, using computer interfaces and Programmable Logic Controllers in the control system and finally, matching the old components to the new ones into an integrated, highly reliable and cost effective thermal system for the facility. This is a multi-year project just started and the paper deals mainly with the plans and approaches to implement the project successfully within schedule and costs

Prevalence and risk factors of nocturnal enuresis among school age children in rural areas

Background: The word enuresis is derived from a Greek word (enourein) that means “to void urine.” It can occur either during the day or at night (though some restrict the term to bedwetting that occurs at night). Enuresis can be divided into primary and secondary forms. Aim of current study was to find out the prevalence and underlying its risk factors of nocturnal enuresis in age groups 5 to 12 years in the rural areas of the district. Methods: The study was done during the year 2011-12 among 1258 school children residing in rural areas of Ahmadabad district of Gujarat state by the help of health personnel staff with the cooperation of the teaching staff and all the parents of the children.Results: There were 869 males and 389 females. We found the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in 11.13% of total subjects. Nocturnal enuresis was more common in males than in females, 91/140 in males and 49/140 in female children.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that nocturnal enuresis is a common problem among school children especially with low income, lower age, family history of enuresis and history of urinary tract infection. Enuresis is a pediatric public health problem and efforts at all levels should be made such as preventive, etiological and curative. The ratio of males to females in this study was 1.86 that is comparable to other data of the same study.

Functional outcome of distal radius fractures treated with fixation by percutaneous cannulated screw

Background: In the present study primary objectives were to evaluate the clinical and functional outcome and union rates, whereas secondary objective was to study complications associated with closed reduction percutaneous fixation of displaced unstable fractures of distal radius in adults by using cannulated cancellous (CC) screw.Methods: Thirty two patients aged more than 18 years, with unstable displaced distal radial fracture were included in this prospective observational study. Patients were treated by closed reduction and percutaneous fixation by CC screw. Radiological parameters like radial inclination, radial height, ulnar variance, volar tilt were measured. Mayo wrist score and range of motion were noted. Patients were followed up for six months. Continuous variables were compared by using paired and unpaired ‘t’ test.Results: Mean Mayo wrist score at six months post-operative follow-up (82.8) was significantly higher compared to six weeks post-operative follow-up (64.4). Mean early post-operative radial height, mean radial inclination, and mean volar tilt were significantly higher compared to mean six months post-operatively. Mean early post-operative ulnar variance was significantly lower compared to mean six months post-operatively. Mean flexion, mean extension, mean supination, mean pronation, mean radial deviation, and mean ulnar deviation was significantly higher six months post-operative follow-up compared to six week post-operative follow-up. Mean grip strength was significantly higher six months post-operative follow-up compared to six week post-operative follow-up.Conclusions: Clinical and functional outcomes associated with closed reduction and percutaneous fixation by cannulated cancellous screw was excellent. Mayo wrist score was increased over six months follow up period

Taking data seriously: the value of actor-network theory in rethinking patient experience data

Hospitals are awash with patient experience data, much of it collected with the ostensible purpose of improving the quality of patient care. However, there has been comparatively little consideration of the nature and capacities of data itself. Using insights from actor-network theory, we propose that paying attention to patient experience data as having agency in particular hospital interactions allows us to better trace how and in what circumstances data lead (or fail to lead) to quality improvement

Computational modeling and validation studies of 3-D structure of neuraminidase protein of H1N1 influenza A virus and subsequent in silico elucidation of piceid analogues as its potent inhibitors

Emergence of the drug resistant variants of the Influenza A virus in the recent years has aroused a great need for the development of novel neuraminidase inhibitors for controlling the pandemic. The neuraminidase (NA) protein of the influenza virus has been the most potential target for the anti-influenza. However, in the absence of any experimental structure of the drug targeting NA protein of H1N1 influenza A virus as zanamivir and oseltamivir, the comprehensive study of the interaction of the drug molecules with the target protein has been missing. Hence in this study a computational 3-D structure of neuraminidase of H1N1 influenza A virus has been developed using homology modeling technique, and the same was validated for its reliability by ProSA web server in term of energy profile & Z scores and PROCHECK program followed by Ramachandran plot. Further, the developed 3-D model had been employed for docking studies with the class of compounds as Piceid and its analogs. In this context, two novel compounds (ChemBank ID 2110359 and 3075417) were found to be more potent inhibitors of neuraminidase than control drugs as zanamivir and oseltamivir in terms of their robust binding energies, strong inhibition constant (Ki) and better hydrogen bond interactions between the protein-ligand complex. The interaction of these compounds with NA protein has been significantly studied at the molecular level

Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome in a Post Orchideopexy Patient with Gyanaecomastia and Hypospadias: A Case Report

Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS), a rare form of male pseudohermaphroditism. It is characterized by the persistence of Mullerian duct structures (uterus, fallopian tubes and upper two-thirds of vagina) in otherwise normally virilized males (Karyotype 46XY). The exact cause of PMDS is not known, however it is thought to result from the defect of the synthesis or release of Mullerian inhibiting factor (MIF) or from a MIF receptor defect. Herein we report a case of PMDS with gynaecomastia and hypospadias in a post orchidopexy patient

Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid ABeta42 for the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease dementia in participants diagnosed with any dementia subtype in a specialist care setting

BackgroundDementia is a syndrome that comprises many differing pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD), vascular dementia (VaD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). People may benefit from knowing the type of dementia they live with, as this could inform prognosis and may allow for tailored treatment. Beta-amyloid (1-42) (ABeta42) is a protein which decreases in both the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people living with ADD, when compared to people with no dementia. However, it is not clear if changes in ABeta42 are specific to ADD or if they are also seen in other types of dementia. It is possible that ABeta42 could help differentiate ADD from other dementia subtypes.ObjectivesTo determine the accuracy of plasma and CSF ABeta42 for distinguishing ADD from other dementia subtypes in people who meet the criteria for a dementia syndrome.Search methodsWe searched MEDLINE, and nine other databases up to 18 February 2020. We checked reference lists of any relevant systematic reviews to identify additional studies.Selection criteriaWe considered cross-sectional studies that differentiated people with ADD from other dementia subtypes. Eligible studies required measurement of participant plasma or CSF ABeta42 levels and clinical assessment for dementia subtype.Data collection and analysisSeven review authors working independently screened the titles and abstracts generated by the searches. We collected data on study characteristics and test accuracy. We used the second version of the 'Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies' (QUADAS-2) tool to assess internal and external validity of results. We extracted data into 2 x 2 tables, cross-tabulating index test results (ABeta42) with the reference standard (diagnostic criteria for each dementia subtype). We performed meta-analyses using bivariate, random-effects models. We calculated pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In the primary analysis, we assessed accuracy of plasma or CSF ABeta42 for distinguishing ADD from other mixed dementia types (non-ADD). We then assessed accuracy of ABeta42 for differentiating ADD from specific dementia types: VaD, FTD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), alcohol-related cognitive disorder (ARCD), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). To determine test-positive cases, we used the ABeta42 thresholds employed in the respective primary studies. We then performed sensitivity analyses restricted to those studies that used common thresholds for ABeta42.Main resultsWe identified 39 studies (5000 participants) that used CSF ABeta42 levels to differentiate ADD from other subtypes of dementia. No studies of plasma ABeta42 met the inclusion criteria. No studies were rated as low risk of bias across all QUADAS-2 domains. High risk of bias was found predominantly in the domains of patient selection (28 studies) and index test (25 studies). The pooled estimates for differentiating ADD from other dementia subtypes were as follows: ADD from non-ADD: sensitivity 79% (95% CI 0.73 to 0.85), specificity 60% (95% CI 0.52 to 0.67), 13 studies, 1704 participants, 880 participants with ADD; ADD from VaD: sensitivity 79% (95% CI 0.75 to 0.83), specificity 69% (95% CI 0.55 to 0.81), 11 studies, 1151 participants, 941 participants with ADD; ADD from FTD: sensitivity 85% (95% CI 0.79 to 0.89), specificity 72% (95% CI 0.55 to 0.84), 17 studies, 1948 participants, 1371 participants with ADD; ADD from DLB: sensitivity 76% (95% CI 0.69 to 0.82), specificity 67% (95% CI 0.52 to 0.79), nine studies, 1929 participants, 1521 participants with ADD. Across all dementia subtypes, sensitivity was greater than specificity, and the balance of sensitivity and specificity was dependent on the threshold used to define test positivity.Authors' conclusionsOur review indicates that measuring ABeta42 levels in CSF may help differentiate ADD from other dementia subtypes, but the test is imperfect and tends to misdiagnose those with non-ADD as having ADD. We would caution against the use of CSF ABeta42 alone for dementia classification. However, ABeta42 may have value as an adjunct to a full clinical assessment, to aid dementia diagnosis

Dizaj i statistička optimizacija liposfera s glipizidom pomoću metodologije odgovora površine

A 32 factorial design was employed to produce glipizide lipospheres by the emulsification phase separation technique using paraffin wax and stearic acid as retardants. The effect of critical formulation variables, namely levels of paraffin wax (X1) and proportion of stearic acid in the wax (X2) on geometric mean diameter (dg), percent encapsulation efficiency (% EE), release at the end of 12 h (rel12) and time taken for 50% of drug release (t50), were evaluated using the F-test. Mathematical models containing only the significant terms were generated for each response parameter using the multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Both formulation variables studied exerted a significant influence (p < 0.05) on the response parameters. Numerical optimization using the desirability approach was employed to develop an optimized formulation by setting constraints on the dependent and independent variables. The experimental values of dg, % EE, rel12 and t50 values for the optimized formulation were found to be 57.54 ± 1.38 µm, 86.28 ± 1.32 %, 77.23 ± 2.78 % and 5.60 ± 0.32 h, respectively, which were in close agreement with those predicted by the mathematical models. The drug release from lipospheres followed first-order kinetics and was characterized by the Higuchi diffusion model. The optimized liposphere formulation developed was found to produce sustained anti-diabetic activity following oral administration in rats.32 faktorijalni dizajn primijenjen je za pripravu liposfera s glipizidom metodom separacije pomoću emulzija koristeći parafinski vosak i starinsku kiselinu kao tvari za usporavanje. Pomoću F-testa praćen je učinak kritičnih varijabli tijekom formuliranja, tj. količina parafinskog voska (X1) i udio stearinske kiseline (X2) na srednji promjer liposfera (dg), postotak inkapsulirane ljekovite tvari (% EE), oslobađanje ljekovite tvari nakon 12 h (rel12) te vrijeme potrebno za oslobađanje 50% ljekovite tvari (t50). Pomoću multiple linearne regresijske analize (MLRA) i analize varijabli (ANOVA) za svaki su parametar načinjeni matematički modeli koji sadrže samo značajne varijable. Proučavanje varijabli na oba načina ukazalo je na njihov značajan utjecaj (p < 0,05) na parametre liposfera. Postavljanjem ograničenja na zavisne i nezavisne varijable provedena je numerička optimizacija na principu poželjnosti. Eksperimentalne vrijednosti dg, % EE, rel12 i t50 optimiziranih formulacija bile su 57,54 ± 1,38 µm, 86,28 ± 1,32%, 77,23 ± 2,78% i 5,60 ± 0,32 h. Dobivene eksperimentalne vrijednosti iznosile su vrlo slične vrijednostima predviđenim matematičkim modelima. Oslobađanje glipizida iz liposfera slijedio je kinetiku prvog reda i okarakterizirano je Higuchijevim difuzijskim modelom. Optimizirane liposfere su nakon peroralne primjene na štakorima pokazale produljeni antidijabetički učinak