273 research outputs found
GravEn: Software for the simulation of gravitational wave detector network response
Physically motivated gravitational wave signals are needed in order to study
the behaviour and efficacy of different data analysis methods seeking their
detection. GravEn, short for Gravitational-wave Engine, is a MATLAB software
package that simulates the sampled response of a gravitational wave detector to
incident gravitational waves. Incident waves can be specified in a data file or
chosen from among a group of pre-programmed types commonly used for
establishing the detection efficiency of analysis methods used for LIGO data
analysis. Every aspect of a desired signal can be specified, such as start time
of the simulation (including inter-sample start times), wave amplitude, source
orientation to line of sight, location of the source in the sky, etc. Supported
interferometric detectors include LIGO, GEO, Virgo and TAMA.Comment: 10 Pages, 3 Figures, Presented at the 10th Gravitational Wave Data
Analysis Workshop (GWDAW-10), 14-17 December 2005 at the University of Texas,
Brownsvill
A First Comparison of SLOPE and Other LIGO Burst Event Trigger Generators
A number of different methods have been proposed to identify unanticipated
burst sources of gravitational waves in data arising from LIGO and other
gravitational wave detectors. When confronted with such a wide variety of
methods one is moved to ask if they are all necessary, i.e. given detector data
that is assumed to have no gravitational wave signals present, do they
generally identify the same events with the same efficiency, or do they each
'see' different things in the detector? Here we consider three different
methods, which have been used within the LIGO Scientific Collaboration as part
of its search for unanticipated gravitational wave bursts. We find that each of
these three different methods developed for identifying candidate gravitational
wave burst sources are, in fact, attuned to significantly different features in
detector data, suggesting that they may provide largely independent lists of
candidate gravitational wave burst events.Comment: 10 Pages, 5 Figures, Presented at the 10th Gravitational Wave Data
Analysis Workshop (GWDAW-10), 14-17 December 2005 at the University of Texas,
Brownsvill
A Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Study of a Community Health Worker-Delivered Intervention to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Rural, Underserved Non-Hispanic Black Population: The CHANGE Study
Purpose To evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Carolina Heart Alliance Networking for Greater Equity (CHANGE) Program, an adapted evidence-based cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention delivered by Community Health Workers (CHW) to rural adults. Design Hybrid implementation-effectiveness study with a preâpost design. Setting North Carolina Federally Qualified Health Center and local health department in a rural, medically underserved area. Sample Participants (n = 255) included 87% Non-Hispanic Black with a mean age of 57 years; 84% had diagnosed hypertension, 55% had diabetes, and 65% had hypercholesterolemia. Intervention A CHW-delivered, low-intensity, 4-month behavioral lifestyle intervention promoting a southern-style Mediterranean dietary pattern and physical activity. Measures We measured number and representativeness of participants reached and retained, intervention delivery fidelity, weight, blood pressure, and self-reported dietary and physical activity behaviors. Analysis Preâpost changes at 4 months were analyzed using paired t-tests. Results Study participants completed 90% of planned intervention contacts; 87% were retained. Intervention delivery fidelity measures showed participants receiving a mean of 3.5 counseling visits, 2.7 booster calls, and on average completing 1.7 modules, setting 1.8 goals, and receiving 1.3 referrals per visit. There were significant mean reductions in systolic (â2.5 mmHg, P < .05) and diastolic blood pressure (â2.1 mmHg, P < .01); the proportion of participants with systolic blood pressure <130 increased by 7 % points (P = .05), and diastolic pressure <80 by 9 percentage points (P < .01). Dietary behaviors improved significantly with average weekly servings of nuts increased by .5 serving (P < .0001), and fruits and vegetables by .8 daily serving (P < .0001). Physical activity also increased on average by 45 min./week (P < .001). Weight did not change significantly. Conclusions The CHANGE program showed both implementation and program effectiveness and adds to the evidence supporting CHW-delivered lifestyle interventions to reduce CVD risk among rural, Non-Hispanic Black, and medically underserved populations
A missed opportunity: birth registration coverage is lagging behind Bacillus Calmette\u2013Gu\ue9rin (BCG) immunization coverage and maternal health services utilization in low- and lower middle-income countries
Background: Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems lay
the foundation for good governance by increasing the effectiveness and
delivery of public services, providing vital statistics for the
planning and monitoring of national development, and protecting
fundamental human rights. Birth registration provides legal rights and
facilitates access to essential public services such as health care and
education. However, more than 110 low- and middle-income countries
(LMICs) have deficient CRVS systems, and national birth registration
rates continue to fall behind childhood immunization rates. Using
Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster
Survey (MICS) data in 72 LMICs, the objectives are to (a) explore the
status of birth registration, routine childhood immunization, and
maternal health services utilization; (b) analyze indicators of birth
registration, routine childhood immunization, and maternal health
services utilization; and (c) identify missed opportunities for
strengthening birth registration systems in countries with strong
childhood immunization and maternal health services by measuring the
absolute differences between the birth registration rates and these
childhood and maternal health service indicators. Methods: We
constructed a database using DHS and MICS data from 2000 to 2017,
containing information on birth registration, immunization coverage,
and maternal health service indicators. Seventy-three countries
including 34 low-income countries and 38 lower middle-income countries
were included in this exploratory analysis. Results: Among the 14
countries with disparity between birth registration and BCG vaccination
of more than 50%, nine were from sub-Saharan Africa (Tanzania, Uganda,
Gambia, Mozambique, Djibouti, Eswatini, Zambia, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Ghana), two were from South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal), one from
East Asia and the Pacific (Vanuatu) one from Latin America and the
Caribbean (Bolivia), and one from Europe and Central Asia (Moldova).
Countries with a 50% or above absolute difference between birth
registration and antenatal care coverage include Democratic Republic of
Congo, Gambia, Mozambique, Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda, in low-income
countries. Among lower middle-income countries, this includes Eswatini,
Ghana, Moldova, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and Zambia. Countries with a 50%
or above absolute difference between birth registration and facility
delivery care coverage include Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti,
Moldova, and Zambia. Conclusion: The gap between birth registration and
immunization coverage in low- and lower middle-income countries
suggests the potential for leveraging immunization programs to increase
birth registration rates. Engaging health providers during the
antenatal, delivery, and postpartum periods to increase birth
registration may be a useful strategy in countries with access to
skilled providers
Mexico-UK Sub-millimeter Camera for AsTronomy
MUSCAT is a large format mm-wave camera scheduled for installation on the
Large Millimeter Telescope Alfonso Serrano (LMT) in 2018. The MUSCAT focal
plane is based on an array of horn coupled lumped-element kinetic inductance
detectors optimised for coupling to the 1.1mm atmospheric window. The detectors
are fed with fully baffled reflective optics to minimize stray-light
contamination. This combination will enable background-limited performance at
1.1 mm across the full 4 arcminute field-of-view of the LMT. The easily
accessible focal plane will be cooled to 100 mK with a new closed cycle
miniature dilution refrigerator that permits fully continuous operation. The
MUSCAT instrument will demonstrate the science capabilities of the LMT through
two relatively short science programmes to provide high resolution follow-up
surveys of Galactic and extra-galactic sources previously observed with the
Herschel space observatory, after the initial observing campaigns. In this
paper, we will provide an overview of the overall instrument design as well as
an update on progress and scheduled installation on the LMT.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Journal of Low Temperature Detector
Evaluation of the WMO Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE) transfer functions for adjusting the wind bias in solid precipitation measurements
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE) involved extensive field intercomparisons of automated instruments for measuring snow during the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 winter seasons. A key outcome of SPICE was the development of transfer functions for the wind bias adjustment of solid precipitation measurements using various precipitation gauge and wind shield configurations. Due to the short intercomparison period, the data set was not sufficiently large to develop and evaluate transfer functions using independent precipitation measurements, although on average the adjustments were effective at reducing the bias in unshielded gauges from â33.4â% to 1.1â%. The present analysis uses data collected at eight SPICE sites over the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 winter periods, comparing 30âmin adjusted and unadjusted measurements from Geonor T-200B3 and OTT Pluvio2 precipitation gauges in different shield configurations to the WMO Double Fence Automated Reference (DFAR) for the evaluation of the transfer function. Performance is assessed in terms of relative total catch (RTC), root mean square error (RMSE), Pearson correlation (r), and percentage of events (PEs) within 0.1âmm of the DFAR. Metrics are reported for combined precipitation types and for snow only. The evaluation shows that the performance varies substantially by site. Adjusted RTC varies from 54â% to 123â%, RMSE from 0.07 to 0.38âmm, r from 0.28 to 0.94, and PEs from 37â% to 84â%, depending on precipitation phase, site, and gauge configuration (gauge and wind screen type). Generally, windier sites, such as Haukeliseter (Norway) and Bratt's Lake (Canada), exhibit a net under-adjustment (RTC of 54â% to 83â%), while the less windy sites, such as SodankylĂ€ (Finland) and Caribou Creek (Canada), exhibit a net over-adjustment (RTC of 102â% to 123â%). Although the application of transfer functions is necessary to mitigate wind bias in solid precipitation measurements, especially at windy sites and for unshielded gauges, the variability in the performance metrics among sites suggests that the functions be applied with caution
Microstructural and Rheological Transitions in Bacterial Biofilms
Abstract Biofilms are aggregated bacterial communities structured within an extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM controls biofilm architecture and confers mechanical resistance against shear forces. From a physical perspective, biofilms can be described as colloidal gels, where bacterial cells are analogous to colloidal particles distributed in the polymeric ECM. However, the influence of the ECM in altering the cellular packing fraction (Ï) and the resulting viscoelastic behavior of biofilm remains unexplored. Using biofilms of Pantoea sp. (WT) and its mutant (ÎUDP), the correlation between biofilm structure and its viscoelastic response is investigated. Experiments show that the reduction of exopolysaccharide production in ÎUDP biofilms corresponds with a sevenâfold increase in Ï, resulting in a colloidal glassâlike structure. Consequently, the rheological signatures become altered, with the WT behaving like a weak gel, whilst the ÎUDP displayed a glassâlike rheological signature. By coâculturing the two strains, biofilm Ï is modulated which allows us to explore the structural changes and capture a change in viscoelastic response from a weak to a strong gel, and to a colloidal glassâlike state. The results reveal the role of exopolysaccharide in mediating a structural transition in biofilms and demonstrate a correlation between biofilm structure and viscoelastic response
Increasing precision during neuromodulator injections for frontal rhytidsâUsing ultrasound imaging to identify the line of convergence
Background: Recent research introduced the concept of the âline of convergenceâ as a guide for injectors to enhance precision and avoid complications when treating the frontalis muscle with toxins. However, currently, no pre-injection ultrasound scanning is employed to increase precision and reduce adverse events when searching for the line of convergence. Objective: To explore the feasibility and practicality of implementing pre-injection ultrasound scanning into aesthetic neuromodulator treatments of the forehead. Methods: The sample of this study consisted of n = 55 volunteers (42 females and 13 males), with a mean age of 42.24 (10.3) years and a mean BMI of 25.07 (4.0) kg/m2. High-frequency ultrasound imaging was utilized to measure the thickness, length, and contractility of the frontal soft tissue and to determine the precise location of the line of convergence during maximal frontalis muscle contraction. Results: The results revealed that the line of convergence was located at 58.43% (8.7) of the total forehead height above the superior border of the eyebrow cilia without a statistically significant difference between sex, age, or BMI. With frontalis muscle contraction, the forehead shortens in males by 25.90% (6.5), whereas in females it shortens only by 21.74% (5.1), with p < 0.001 for sex differences. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility and practicality of pre-injection ultrasound scanning for facial aesthetic neuromodulator treatments. Knowing the location of the line of convergence, injectors can determine precisely and on an individual basis where to administer the neuromodulator deep or superficial or when the injection location is at risk to cause eyebrow ptosis.</p
Correlation between post-procedure residual thrombus and clinical outcome in deep vein thrombosis patients receiving pharmacomechanical thrombolysis in a multicenter randomized trial
PURPOSE: To evaluate relationships between immediate venographic results and clinical outcomes of pharmacomechanical catheter-directed venous thrombolysis (PCDT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Venograms from 317 acute proximal DVT patients who received PCDT in a multicenter randomized trial were reviewed. Quantitative thrombus resolution was assessed by independent readers using a modified Marder scale. The physician operators recorded their visual assessments of thrombus regression and venous flow. These immediate post-procedure results were correlated with patient outcomes at 1, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: PCDT produced substantial thrombus removal (p < 0.001 for pre-PCDT versus post-PCDT thrombus scores in all segments). At procedure end, spontaneous venous flow was present in 99% of iliofemoral venous segments and in 89% of femoral-popliteal venous segments. For the overall proximal DVT population, and for the femoral-popliteal DVT subgroup, post-PCDT thrombus volume did not correlate with 1-month or 24-month outcomes. For the iliofemoral DVT subgroup, over 1 and 24 months, symptom severity scores were higher (worse) and venous disease-specific quality of life (QOL) scores were lower (worse) in patients with greater post-PCDT thrombus volume, with the difference reaching statistical significance for the 24-month Villalta PTS severity (p=0.0098). Post-PCDT thrombus volume did not correlate with 12-month valvular reflux. CONCLUSION: PCDT successfully removes thrombus in acute proximal DVT. However, the residual thrombus burden at procedure end does not correlate with the occurrence of PTS during the subsequent 24 months. In iliofemoral DVT, lower residual thrombus burden correlates with reduced PTS severity and possibly also with improved venous QOL and fewer early symptoms
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