Tracking system analytic calibration activities for the Mariner Mars 1969 mission

Calibration activity of Deep Space Network in support of Mars encounter phase of Mariner Mars 1969 missio

The Mariner 6 and 7 flight paths and their determination from tracking data

Determination of orbit estimates for Mariner 6 and 7 space probe flight

Joint hypermobility in children with idiopathic scoliosis: SOSORT award 2011 winner

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Generalized joint hypermobility (JHM) refers to increased joint mobility with simultaneous absence of any other systemic disease. JHM involves proprioception impairment, increased frequency of pain within joints and tendency to injure soft tissues while performing physical activities. Children with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) often undergo intensive physiotherapy requiring good physical capacities. Further, some physiotherapy methods apply techniques that increase joint mobility and thus may be contraindicated.</p> <p>The aim of this paper was to assess JHM prevalence in children with idiopathic scoliosis and to analyze the relationship between JHM prevalence and the clinical and radiological parameters of scoliosis. The methods of assessment of generalized joint hypermobility were also described.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>This case-control study included 70 subjects with IS, aged 9-18 years (mean 13.2 ± 2.2), Cobb angle range 10°-53° (mean 24.3 ± 11.7), 34 presenting single curve thoracic scoliosis and 36 double curve thoracic and lumbar scoliosis. The control group included 58 children and adolescents aged 9-18 years (mean 12.6 ± 2.1) selected at random. The presence of JHM was determined using Beighton scale complemented with the questionnaire by Hakim and Grahame. The relationship between JHM and the following variables was evaluated: curve severity, axial rotation of the apical vertebra, number of curvatures (single versus double), number of vertebrae within the curvature (long versus short curves), treatment type (physiotherapy versus bracing) and age.</p> <p>Statistical analysis was performed with Statistica 8.1 (StatSoft, USA). The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, U Mann-Whitney test, Chi²test, Pearson and Spermann correlation rank were conducted. The value <it>p </it>= 0.05 was adopted as the level of significance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>JHM was diagnosed in more than half of the subjects with idiopathic scoliosis (51.4%), whilst in the control group it was diagnosed in only 19% of cases (<it>p </it>= 0.00015). A significantly higher JHM prevalence was observed in both girls (<it>p </it>= 0.0054) and boys (<it>p </it>= 0.017) with IS in comparison with the corresponding controls. No significant relation was found between JHM prevalence and scoliosis angular value (<it>p </it>= 0.35), apical vertebra rotation (<it>p </it>= 0.86), the number of vertebrae within curvature (<it>p </it>= 0.8), the type of applied treatment (<it>p </it>= 0.55) and the age of subjects (<it>p </it>= 0.79). JHM prevalence was found to be higher in children with single curve scoliosis than in children with double curve scoliosis (<it>p </it>= 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>JHM occurs more frequently in children with IS than in healthy sex and age matched controls. No relation of JHM with radiological parameters, treatment type and age was found. Systematically searched in IS children, JHM should be taken into account when physiotherapy is planned.</p

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Atlas osuwisk na Słowacji

The paper presents the results of a unique geological project "Atlas of slope stability maps of Slovak Republic in the scale 1:50 000". The atlas includes 132 map sheets compiled by method of engineering geological zoning and covers the whole territory of Slovakia. Totally 21 190 slope deformations with the area of 2 575,912 km2 was registered in the atlas. The area damaged by the slope deformations takes 5,25% of the total area of Slovak Republic. Each slope deformation has its own passport with 28 different data types enabling detail analyses of the deformations in relation to geological and geomorphologic environment. The maps are now available on internet to anybody interesting in geological hazards in particular localities of Slovakia.W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki unikalnego projektu geologicznego pt. "Atlas map stateczności skarp Słowacji w skali 1:50 000". Atlas zawiera 132 arkusze map stref oraz całego terytorium Słowacji zestawione metodami geologii inżynierskiej. W Atlasie zarejestrowano w sumie 21 190 osuwisk obejmujących 2 575,912 km2. Powierzchnia zniszczeń osuwiskowych zajmuje 5,25% całego terytorium Słowacji. Każde osuwisko posiada własną dokumentację, zawierającą 28 różnych danych umożliwiających szczegółową analizę deformacji w zależności od czynników geologicznych i geomorfologicznych. Mapy są dostępne w Internecie dla każdego, kto interesuje się zagrożeniami geologicznymi, w szczególności zlokalizowanymi na Słowacji

Niestateczne skarpy na prawym przyczółku zapory zbiornika wodnego Liptowska Mara

Construction of the water reservoir Liptovska Mara required remediation of two landslides, Velkomarsky and Vlastiansky landslides, which are located on a right-side end of the dam body of the water reservoir. The effectiveness of the remediation methods has been monitored by monitoring system since 1974. Partial reactivation of the landslides in spring 2006 and especially a fact that the monitoring network is already not in good physical condition have called for proposal of complex monitoring system of the two landslides. The mentioned proposal of the new monitoring system is the main content of the presented article.Konstrukcja zbiornika wodnego Liptowska Mara wymaga zabezpieczenia dwóch osuwisk (Velkomarsky i Vlastiansky), zlokalizowanych przy prawym przyczółku zapory. Skuteczność zastosowanych zabezpieczeń jest monitorowana za pomocą systemu założonego w 1974 r. Częściowa ponowna aktywacja osuwiska wiosną 2006 r. oraz zły stan techniczny dotychczasowego systemu monitoringu stanowiły przesłanki do przedstawienia kompleksowego systemu monitoringu obu osuwisk. Artykuł przedstawia koncepcję tego systemu

Niestateczne skarpy tamy zbiornika Nova Bystrica

Water reservoir Nova Bystrica is located in the northern part of Slovakia, about 6 kilometers southward of the border with Poland and serves to supply the population with drinking water. Two landslides (slope deformations) have affected a slope adjacent to the water reservoir dam. The distance between the dam left-hand side and the landslides is about 250 m. The first landslide is active; its toe extends to the reservoir water and has destroyed the forest road. The second slope deformation, which is considerably larger than the first one, is a block deformation allocated above the forest road. In the contribution, basing on the ongoing monitoring the authors described the stability of both landslides. According to the slope stability calculations they also analyzed the activity of both landslides and forecasted their further development with regard to the operation of the water reservoir itself. In conclusions there are recommendations for further monitoring of both slope deformations and also there are suggests for additional research works.Zbiornik wodny zapewniający mieszkańcom wodę pitną Nova Bystrica położony jest na północy Słowacji w odległości ok. 6 km od granicy z Polską. Na zboczach przyległych do tamy zbiornika miały miejsce dwa osuwiska. Odległość pomiędzy lewą częścią tamy a miejscem utraty stateczności zbocza wynosiła 250 m. Pierwsze osuwisko jest cały czas aktywne, a jego jęzor wchodzi do zbiornika i niszczy drogę leśną pośrodku zbocza. Drugie osuwisko, o wiele większe niż pierwsze, jest blokową deformacją zlokalizowaną powyżej ww. drogi. Bazując na prowadzonym w tym rejonie monitoringu, autorzy określili stateczność zboczy obu osuwisk. W oparciu o obliczenia wskaźników stateczności, przeanalizowali również aktywność obu osuwisk z uwzględnieniem przyszłych ruchów wody w zbiorniku. We wnioskach podano zalecenia dotyczące dalszego monitoringu deformacji zachodzących na zboczu osuwisk oraz sugestie dalszych prac badawczych w tym zakresie