scholarly journals Characterisation of the Perseid meteoroid stream through SPOSH observations between 2010–2016

2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A25
Author(s):  
A. Margonis ◽  
A. Christou ◽  
J. Oberst

We have characterised the Perseid meteoroid stream from data acquired in a series of observing campaigns between 2010 and 2016. The data presented in this work were obtained by the Smart Panoramic Optical Sensor Head (SPOSH), an all-sky camera system designed to image faint transient noctilucent phenomena on dark planetary hemispheres. For the data reduction, a sophisticated software package was developed that utilises the high geometric and photometric quality of images obtained by the camera system. We identify 934 meteors as Perseids, observed over a long period between late July (~124°) and mid-to-late August (~147°). The maximum meteor activity contributing to the annual shower was found at λ⊙ = 140°.08 ± 0°.07. The radiant of the shower was estimated at RA = 47°.2 and Dec = 57°.5 with a median error of 0°.6 and 0°.2, respectively. The mean population index of the shower between solar longitudes of 120°.68 and 145°.19 was r = 2.36 ± 0.05, showing strong temporal variation. A predicted outburst in shower activity for the night of August 11–12, 2016 was confirmed, with a peak observed 12.75 hr before the annual maximum at 23:30 ± 15′ UT. We measure a peak flux of 6.1 × 10−4 km−2 hr−1 for meteoroids of mass 1.6 × 10−2 g or more, appearing in the time period between 23:00 and 00:00 UT. We estimate the measured flux of the outburst meteoroids to be approximately twice as high as the annual meteoroid flux of the same mass. The population index of r = 2.19 ± 0.08, computed from the outburst Perseids in 2016, is higher than the value of r = 1.92 ± 0.06 derived from meteors observed in 2015 belonging to the annual Perseid shower which was active near the time of the outburst. A dust trail with an unusually high population index of r = 3.58 ± 0.24 was encountered in 2013 between solar longitudes 136°.261 and 137°.442. The relatively high r-value implies an encounter with a dust trail rich in low-mass particles.

2006 ◽  
Vol 104 (6) ◽  
pp. 913-924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Régis ◽  
Philippe Metellus ◽  
Motohiro Hayashi ◽  
Philippe Roussel ◽  
Anne Donnet ◽  
...  

Object Stereotactic radiosurgery is an alternative to conventional surgery for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. The authors conducted a prospective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of this method in a large series of patients. Methods A total of 100 patients presenting with trigeminal neuralgia were treated and followed up for a minimum of 12 months. The mean age was 68.2 years; 54 patients were male, and 46 were female. Seven had a history of multiple sclerosis, and 42 had already received conventional surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. The intervention consisted of gamma knife surgery to the retrogasserian cisternal portion of the fifth cranial nerve. The median dose used at the maximum was 85 Gy (range 70–90 Gy). The number and intensity of pain attacks were recorded by the patient from 3 months before radiosurgery to a minimum of 12 months after treatment. Before and a minimum of 12 months after treatment, the patient completed a quality-of-life questionnaire. Neurological examination and quantitative sensory testing to evaluate sensory perception were performed by an independent neurologist over this same time period. At the last visit 83 of 100 patients were reported to be pain free. Fifty-eight of these 83 patients had stopped taking medication during the study. All quality-of-life parameters were improved (p < 0.001). Six patients reported facial paresthesia, and four patients reported hypesthesia. These symptoms were classified as mild. None of the complications reported for other techniques were observed. Conclusions Radiosurgery is a safe and effective alternative treatment for trigeminal neuralgia and is associated with a particularly low rate of hypesthesia.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 729-729
Author(s):  
Omar Maen Rashid ◽  
Karen A. Coyne ◽  
Thomas W. Ross ◽  
David Shibata

729 Background: Multiple organizations, including ASCO, have developed accountability quality of cancer care measures that have been incorporated into accreditation, managed care contracts and quality monitoring. Institutional adherence to adjuvant chemotherapy (chemo) for stage III colon cancer (CC) provided within 120 days of diagnosis (Dx) is one such measure. We previously reported our institutional experience with reasons for non-adherence to this measure. We undertook an in-depth comparison of the clinical management timeline in adherent (A) and non-adherent (NA) cases to identify potential areas for process improvement to address this issue. Methods: All CC cases reported at a single institution from 2008–2012 were reviewed using ACS Commission on Cancer coding standards. Student t-test was used for statistical comparisons. Results: Of the 122 measure-eligible cases 16 (13.1%) were deemed NA. Of NA cases, 2(12.5%) were lost to follow up and 14(87.5%) received delayed chemo. In NA cases, the mean time from initial Dx to chemo was 159.5(+/-51) days vs. 68.7(+/-24.5) days in A cases (p=2x10-6). The Table reports the mean interval times between diagnosis, initial visit, surgery, medical oncology consultation, and receipt of chemo. The most significant differences between A and NA cases were in the pre-operative time period and related to obtaining the initial consultation and subsequent surgical treatment. Conclusions: Treatment timeline analysis revealed the most prominent delays were time to initial presentation and to surgical intervention. These areas could potentially be addressed by measure awareness, streamlining of scheduling and improved inter-provider communication. With the inevitable implementation of such measures, institutions may benefit from similar systematic evaluations for process improvement. [Table: see text]


2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A13 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Tomko ◽  
L. Neslušan

Aims. We present a study of the meteor complex of the short-period comet 2P/Encke. Methods. For five perihelion passages of the parent comet in the past, we modeled the associated theoretical stream. Specifically, each of our models corresponds to a part of the stream characterized with a single value of the evolutionary time and a single value of the strength of the Poynting–Robertson effect. In each model, we follow the dynamical evolution of 10 000 test particles via a numerical integration. The integration was performed from the time when the set of test particles was assumed to be ejected from the comet’s nucleus up to the present. At the end of the integration, we analyzed the mean orbital characteristics of those particles that approached the Earth’s orbit, and thus created a meteor shower or showers. Using the mean characteristics of the predicted shower, we attempted to select its real counterpart from each of five considered databases (one photographic, three video, and one radio-meteor). If at least one attempt was successful, the quality of the prediction was evaluated. Results. The modeled stream of 2P approaches the Earth’s orbit in several filaments with the radiant areas grouped in four cardinal directions of ecliptical showers. These groups of radiant areas are situated symmetrically with respect to the apex of the Earth’s motion around the Sun. Specifically, we found that showers #2, #17, #156, #172, #173, #215, #485, #624, #626, #628, #629, #632, #634, #635, #636, and #726 in the IAU-MDC list of all showers are dynamically related to 2P. In addition, we found five new 2P-related showers in the meteor databases considered.


2001 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark T. Agrama ◽  
David Reiter ◽  
Allan K. Topham ◽  
William M. Keane

OBJECTIVES: We studied the unilateral nodal yields for procedures reported as standard or modified radical neck dissection (RND) to determine their applicability in outcomes research. METHODS: We analyzed the unilateral nodal yields for all procedures reported as RND for carcinoma of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx at our institution from 1985 to 1997 (n = 64, no prior treatment). These included both standard and modified techniques, encompassing levels I through V of the neck. Each side of a bilateral RND was treated as a separate case. This sample was compared with a similar population from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) registry. Nodal yield was obtained for RND alone and for unspecified neck dissection with primary excision for the same diseases and time period (n = 1499). RESULTS: The mean nodal yield from 64 RND was 30 vs 27 in the SEER data. The standard deviation was 14.7 compared with 17.2 in the SEER data. Values ranged from 7 to 66 nodes whereas the SEER range was from 1 to 97 nodes. Although the SEER data contain nodal yields from regional or selective neck dissection, we corroborate our findings of large variance in nodal yield from our RND sample. CONCLUSIONS: Large variance in nodal yields from RND may have undefined effects on quality of life, cure rate, and survival. Until correlation of nodal yields with outcomes is examined, we cannot know how to relate RND to outcomes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (34_suppl) ◽  
pp. 66-66
Author(s):  
Michael N. Neuss ◽  
Jennifer Malin ◽  
Stephanie Chan ◽  
Pamela Kadlubek ◽  
John L. Adams ◽  
...  

66 Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) has provided a method for measurement of process based practice quality since 2006. We sought to determine whether QOPI participants show improvement in measured quality over time, and if change is demonstrated, those factors in either the measures or participants which are associated with change. Methods: 156 participant medical practice groups, which did not submit trainee data, participated in at least two collection rounds from 2006 through 2010, and reported on ≥30 patients per round from were included in analysis from a larger group of 306 participants from this time period. A database of these reports was used to evaluate trends in scoring among participants. A linear regression model, which controlled for varied initial performance, was used to estimate the effect of participation over time and evaluate participant and measure characteristics. Measures were aggregated into categories to evaluate which factors correlated with change. Results: Participants completed a mean of 5.71 (S.D. 1.84) rounds of data collection. Adjusted mean quality scores improved from 0.71 (95% C.I. 0.42 – 0.91) to 0.85 (95% C.I. 0.60 – 0.95). Overall odds ratio of improvement over time was 1.09 (p < 0.0001). The greatest improvement was seen in measures assessing newly introduced clinical information, where the mean scores improved from 0.05 (95% C.I. 0.01 – 0.17) to 0.69 (95% C.I. 0.33 – 0.91), (p ≤ 0.0001). Many measures showed no change over time. Conclusions: QOPI has gained widespread adoption and approximately 15% of U.S. medical oncologists participate. Participation over time is highly correlated with improvement in measured performance. Much of this improvement is the result of the adoption of newly introduced clinical information. Some measures show no change despite significant opportunity for improvement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
Abdul Wakhid ◽  
Ana Puji Astuti ◽  
Maya Kurnia Dewi

Logoterapi merupakan terapi untuk menemukan makna positif dibalik sebuah kejadian yang tidak diharapkan. Logoterapi dilaksanakan secara individu maupun berkelompok dalam bentuk konseling dan berorientasi pada pencarian makna hidup individu. Tujuan logoterapi meningkatkan makna pengalaman hidup individu yang diarahkan kepada pengambilan keputusan yang bertanggung jawab. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan rancangan pre-experiment dengan metode pre and post test group, artinya pengumpulan data dilakukan terhadap responden untuk membandingkan kualitas hidup sebelum dan sesudah dilakukan intervensi. Teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan metode total sampling yaitu pengambilan seluruh sampel dengan tetap memperhatikan kriteria yang telah ditetapkan. Jumlah pasien yang menjalani hemodialisis di RSUD Ungaran sebanyak 21 orang dan di RSUD Ambarawa sebanyak 25 pasien. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan uji t test dependent. Hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa dari 46 responden didapatkan rata-rata skor kualitas hidup pasien yang mejalani hemodialisis sebesar 60.22 dengan skor terrendah 55 dan skor tertinggi 69. Bahwa dari 46 responden didapatkan rata-rata skor kualitas hidup pasien yang mejalani hemodialisis sebesar 88.72 dengan skor terrendah 79 dan skor tertinggi 103. Hasil uji statistik dengan uji t test dependent diketahui ada pengaruh logoterapi terhadap kemampuan memaknai hidup pada klien yang menjalani hemodialisis di RSUD Kabupaten Semarang (p value: 0,0001). Saran perlunya peningkatan kemampuan perawat dalam memberikan layanan kesehatan termasuk pemberian atau pemanduan penemuan makna hidup bagi pasien hemodialysis, agar selain dengan hemodialysis, ada faktor internal dari pasien yang dapat dijadikan sebagai motivasi untuk sembuh dari penyakit.   Kata Kunci: Logoterapi, kualitas hidup   IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH RENAL FAILURE WHO UNDERWENT HEMODIALYSIS   ABSTRACT Logotherapy is a therapy to discover the positive meaning behind an unexpected event. Logotherapy is carried out individually or in groups in the form of counseling and oriented to the search for the meaning of individual life. This study aims to improve the quality of life of patients with renal failure who underwent hemodialysis. This research was conducted by using pre-experiment with pre-post test study. The sampling technique was done by the convenience sampling. The number of patients undergoing hemodialysis as many as 46 respondents. Data analysis was done by using test t test dependent. The result showed that from 46 respondents got the mean of quality of life of patients who had hemodialysis 60.22 with lowest score 55 and highest score 69. Whereas from 46 respondents got the mean score of life quality of patients who had hemodialysis 88.72 with score the lowest score 79 and the highest score 103. The result of statistical test with t test dependent is known there is influence of logoterapi to the ability of meaningful life on client who undergo hemodialysis at Semarang Regency hospitals (p value: 0.0001). Advice on the need to improve the nurse's ability to provide health services, including the provision or guidance of the discovery of the meaning of life for hemodialysis patients, in addition to hemodialysis, there are internal factors of the patient that can be used as a motivation to recover from illness.   Keywords: Logotherapy, quality of life, kidney failure.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Hossain ◽  
MM Islam ◽  
F Naznin ◽  
RN Ferdousi ◽  
FY Bari ◽  
...  

Semen was collected from four rams, using artificial vagina and viability%, motility% and plasma membrane integrity% were measured. Fresh ejaculates (n = 32) were separated by modified swim-up separation using modified human tubal fluid medium. Four fractions of supernatant were collected at 15-minute intervals. The mean volume, mass activity, concentration, motility%, viability%, normal morphology and membrane integrity% (HOST +ve) of fresh semen were 1.0 ± 0.14, 4.1 ± 0.1 × 109 spermatozoa/ml, 85.0 ± 1.3, 89.4 ± 1.0, 85.5 ± 0.7, 84.7 ± 0.5 respectively. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in fresh semen quality parameters between rams. The motility%, viability% and HOST +ve % of first, second, third and fourth fractions were 53.4 ± 0.5, 68.2 ± 0.3, 74.8 ± 0.3 and 65.5 ± 0.4; 55.5 ± 0.4, 66.2 ± 0.4, 74.5 ± 0.3 and 73.6 ± 0.3 and 66.7 ± 0.5, 66.8 ± 0.5, 65.2 ± 0.4 and 74.7 ± 0.5 respectively. The motility%, viability% and membrane integrity% of separated semen samples differed significantly (P<0.05) between four fractions. The mean motility% and viability% were significantly higher (P<0.05) in third fraction (74.8 ± 0.3%), whereas the mean HOST +ve% was significantly higher (P<0.05) in fourth fraction (74.7 ± 0.5). All quality parameters of separated spermatozoa were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of fresh semen. The pregnancy rates were higher with fresh semen (71%) in comparison to that of separated sample (57%).Bangl. vet. 2016. Vol. 33, No. 2, 62-70


2019 ◽  
pp. 195-207

Background: Autism spectrum disorder is characterized in part by atypical behavior in the communication, social, and visual domains. Success in vision therapy is judged not only by changes in optometric findings, but through improvement in quality of life involving communication, social behavior and visual behavior. It would therefore be beneficial to have a validated questionnaire to assess parent reported quality of life pre and post vision therapy specific to patients with autism spectrum disorder. To our knowledge, a questionnaire of this nature has not been previously published in the literature. Methods: Questionnaire items were generated through surveying medical literature based on symptoms in three different categories: visual behavior, social behavior and communication. A pool of 34 questions was developed initially and then with thorough discussion with other experts, a 20-point questionnaire was developed with each item reflected in the construct concept. A draft of 20 questions was then sent to 10 subject experts with clinical experience in the field for more than 20 years, to review the pooled items. Validity and reliability was established prior to assessing the psychometric properties of the ASD/QOL-VT. Prospective observational study was conducted for a duration of 18 months. The study included individuals undergoing vision therapy in the age range of 3 to 15 years who had been diagnosed with ASD. The questionnaire was administered to parents of these children prior to the start of vision therapy. All subjects completed a minimum of 60 vision therapy sessions. The questionnaire was readministered after completing 60 sessions of vision therapy. Results: Cronbach’s alpha value for this questionnaire was 0.93, which reflected very good internal consistency. Factorial analysis yielded four factors with an Eigen value exceeding 1.0 which accounted for 68% variation in the model. The Cronbach alpha value for subscales identified by factorial analysis is 0.97 indicating excellent internal reliability. The mean pre vision therapy social behavior, communication and visual behavior score was 12.0±3.21, 17.07±4.57 and 26.97±6.41 respectively. The mean post vision therapy scores for social behavior, communication and visual behavior was 8.27±4.16, 11.33±5.27 and 17.93±6.52 respectively. On paired t test, the mean difference in score was statistically significant with P<0.001 in all three subcategories. Conclusions: Our study presents the development of a valid and reliable parent questionnaire, the ASD/QOL-VT, that judges communication, social behavior, and visual behavior in autism. Results of the study conducted indicate that vision therapy can result in significant improvements in the quality of life of patients with ASD as judged by their parents. This is evidenced by statistically significant changes in psychometric properties of the ASD/QOL-VT in social behavior, communication and visual behavior.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Zimmerman ◽  
Bobby May ◽  
Katherine Barnes ◽  
Anastasia Arynchyna ◽  
Elizabeth N. Alford ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEHydrocephalus is a chronic medical condition that has a significant impact on children and their caregivers. The objective of this study was to measure the quality of life (QOL) of children with hydrocephalus, as assessed by both caregivers and patients.METHODSPediatric patients with hydrocephalus and their caregivers were enrolled during routine neurosurgery clinic visits. The Hydrocephalus Outcomes Questionnaire (HOQ), a report of hydrocephalus-related QOL, was administered to both children with hydrocephalus (self-report) and their caregivers (proxy report about the child). Patients with hydrocephalus also completed measures of anxiety, depression, fatigue, traumatic stress, and headache. Caregivers completed a proxy report of child traumatic stress and a measure of caregiver burden. Demographic information was collected from administration of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (version 2.0) and from the medical record. Child and caregiver HOQ scores were analyzed and correlated with clinical, demographic, and psychological variables.RESULTSThe mean overall HOQ score (parent assessment of child QOL) was 0.68. HOQ Physical Health, Social-Emotional Health, and Cognitive Health subscore averages were 0.69, 0.73, and 0.54, respectively. The mean overall child self-assessment (cHOQ) score was 0.77, with cHOQ Physical Health, Social-Emotional Health, and Cognitive Health subscore means of 0.84, 0.79, and 0.66, respectively. Thirty-nine dyads were analyzed, in which both a child with hydrocephalus and his or her caregiver completed the cHOQ and HOQ. There was a positive correlation between parent and child scores (p < 0.004 for all subscores). Child scores were consistently higher than parent scores. Variables that showed association with caregiver-assessed QOL in at least one domain included child age, etiology of hydrocephalus, and history of endoscopic third ventriculostomy. There was a significant negative relationship (rho −0.48 to −0.60) between child-reported cHOQ score and child-reported measures of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. There was a similar significant relationship between caregiver report of child’s QOL (HOQ) and caregiver assessment of the child’s posttraumatic stress symptoms as well as their assessment of burden of care (rho = −0.59 and rho = −0.51, respectively). No relationship between parent-reported HOQ and child-reported psychosocial factors was significant. No clinical or demographic variables were associated with child self-assessed cHOQ.CONCLUSIONSPediatric patients with hydrocephalus consistently rate their own QOL higher than their caregivers do. Psychological factors such as anxiety and posttraumatic stress may be associated with lower QOL. These findings warrant further exploration.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaobin Yin ◽  
Jianguang Ji ◽  
Peng Lu ◽  
Wenyao Zhong ◽  
Liying Sun ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND With online health information becoming increasingly popular among patients and their family members, concerns have been raised about the accuracy from the websites. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the overall quality of the online information about scaphoid fracture obtained from Chinese websites using the local search engines. METHODS We conducted an online search using the keyword “scaphoid fracture” from the top 5 search engines in China, i.e. Baidu, Shenma, Haosou, Sougou and Bing, and gathered the top ranked websites, which included a total of 120 websites. Among them, 81 websites were kept for further analyses by removing duplicated and unrelated one as well as websites requiring payment. These websites were classified into four categories, including forum/social networks, commercials, academics and physician’s personals. Health information evaluation tool DISCERN and Scaphoid Fracture Specific Content Score (SFSCS) were used to assess the quality of the websites. RESULTS Among the 81 Chinese websites that we studied, commercial websites were the most common one accounting more than half of all websites. The mean DISCERN score of the 81 websites was 25.56 and no website had a score A (ranging from 64 to 80).The mean SFSCS score was 10.04 and no website had a score A (range between 24 and 30). In addition, DISCERN and SFSCS scores from academic and physician’s websites were significantly higher than those from the forum/social networks and commercials. CONCLUSIONS The overall quality of health information obtained from Chinese websites about scaphoid fracture was very low, suggesting that patients and their family members should be aware such deficiency and pay special attentions for the medical information obtained by using the current search engines in China.


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