Characterization and monitoring of the Åknes landslide using terrestrial laser scanning

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides high-resolution point clouds of the topography and new TLS instruments with ranges exceeding 300 m or even 1000 m are powerful tools for characterizing and monitoring slope movements. This study focuses on the 35 million m3 Åknes rockslide in Western Norway, which is one of the most investigated and monitored rockslides in the world. The TLS point clouds are used for the structural analysis of the steep, inaccessible main scarp of the rockslide, including an assessment of the discontinuity sets and fold axes. TLS acquisitions in 2006, 2007 and 2008 provide information on 3-D displacements for the entire scanned area and are not restricted like conventional survey instruments to single measurement points. The affine transformation matrix between two TLS acquisitions precisely describes the rockslide displacements and enables their separation into translational components, such as the displacement velocity and direction, and rotational components, like toppling. This study shows the ability of TLS to obtain reliable 3-D displacement information over a large, unstable area. Finally, a possible instability model for the upper part of Åknes rockslide explains the measured translational and rotational displacements by a combination of southward planar sliding along the gneiss foliation, gravitational vertical settlement along the complex, stepped basal sliding surface and northward toppling toward the opened graben structure.

Randomized trial of pacemaker and lead system for safe scanning at 1.5 Tesla.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pacemakers is a relative contraindication because of the risks to the patient from potentially hazardous interactions between the MRI and the pacemaker system. Chest scans (ie, cardiac magnetic resonance scans) are of particular importance and higher risk. The previously Food and Drug Administration-approved magnetic resonance conditional system includes positioning restrictions, limiting the powerful utility of MRI. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the safety and effectiveness of a pacemaker system designed for safe whole body MRI without MRI scan positioning restrictions. METHODS: Primary eligibility criteria included standard dual-chamber pacing indications. Patients (n = 263) were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to undergo 16 chest and head scans at 1.5 T between 9 and 12 weeks postimplant (n = 177) or to not undergo MRI (n = 86) post-implant. Evaluation of the pacemaker system occurred immediately before, during (monitoring), and after MRI, 1-week post-MRI, and 1-month post-MRI, and similarly for controls. Primary end points measured the MRI-related complication-free rate for safety and compared pacing capture threshold between MRI and control subjects for effectiveness. RESULTS: There were no MRI-related complications during or after MRI in subjects undergoing MRI (n = 148). Differences in pacing capture threshold values from pre-MRI to 1-month post-MRI were minimal and similar between the MRI and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized trial demonstrates that the Advisa MRI pulse generator and CapSureFix MRI 5086MRI lead system is safe and effective in the 1.5 T MRI environment without positioning restrictions for MRI scans or limitations of body parts scanned.

Monitoring temporal fluctuations of Culex quinquefasciatus using oviposition traps containing attractant and larvicide in an urban environment in Recife, Brazil

The use of attractants and larvicides in oviposition traps is of practical interest for the surveillance and control of urban mosquitoes. In addition to increasing the safety of the traps, this combination is essential for an attract-and-kill control strategy based on trapping mosquito eggs. The combination of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) and grass infusion (GI) vs. GI alone were tested for their ability to attract in paired BR-OVT traps in the backyards of 10 houses in Recife, Brazil, for a period of 45 days. Results show that females prefer to oviposit in traps containing Bti (363 compared with 251 egg rafts over 45 days). Results from a one-year trial on the efficacy of BR-OVT traps loaded with GI and Bti as a sampling tool to monitor temporal fluctuations in the population densities of Culex quinquefasciatus in an urban environment are also reported. From December 2006-January 2007, one trap per home was installed and maintained for 348 consecutive days in 134-151 houses located in three urban blocks. Throughout the one-year field trial a total of 43,151 Culex egg rafts were collected in the traps. The data show that BR-OVT loaded with GI and Bti is sensitive enough to demonstrate continuous reproductive activity of Cux. quinquefasciatus in the study area throughout the year and to monitor temporal fluctuations in population density.

Introduction of an automated system for the diagnosis and quantification of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections pose major public health problems because of their prevalence worldwide. Consequently, screening for these infections is an important part of routine laboratory activity. Serological and molecular markers are key elements in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring for HBV and HCV infections. Today, automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) analyzers are widely used for virological diagnosis, particularly in high-volume clinical laboratories. Molecular biology techniques are routinely used to detect and quantify viral genomes as well as to analyze their sequence; in order to determine their genotype and detect resistance to antiviral drugs. Real-time PCR, which provides high sensitivity and a broad dynamic range, has gradually replaced other signal and target amplification technologies for the quantification and detection of nucleic acid. The next-generation DNA sequencing techniques are still restricted to research laboratories.The serological and molecular marker methods available for HBV and HCV are discussed in this article, along with their utility and limitations for use in Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) diagnosis and monitoring.

Monitoring switch-type sensors and powering autonomous sensors via inductive coupling: application to removable seats in vehicles

Aquesta tesi explora la possibilitat de fer servir enllaços inductius per a una aplicació de l’automòbil on el cablejat entre la centraleta (ECU) i els sensors o detectors és difícil o impossible. S’han proposat dos mètodes: 1) el monitoratge de sensors commutats (dos possibles estats) via acoblament inductiu i 2) la transmissió mitjançant el mateix principi físic de la potència necessària per alimentar els sensors autònoms remots. La detecció d'ocupació i del cinturó de seguretat per a seients desmuntables pot ser implementada amb sistemes sense fils passius basats en circuits ressonants de tipus LC on l'estat dels sensors determina el valor del condensador i, per tant, la freqüència de ressonància. Els canvis en la freqüència són detectats per una bobina situada en el terra del vehicle. S’ha conseguit provar el sistema en un marge entre 0.5 cm i 3 cm. Els experiments s’han dut a terme fent servir un analitzador d’impedàncies connectat a una bobina primària i sensors comercials connectats a un circuit remot. La segona proposta consisteix en transmetre remotament la potència des d’una bobina situada en el terra del vehicle cap a un dispositiu autònom situat en el seient. Aquest dispositiu monitorarà l'estat dels detectors (d'ocupació i de cinturó) i transmetrà les dades mitjançant un transceptor comercial de radiofreqüència o pel mateix enllaç inductiu. S’han avaluat les bobines necessàries per a una freqüència de treball inferior a 150 kHz i s’ha estudiat quin és el regulador de tensió més apropiat per tal d’aconseguir una eficiència global màxima. Quatre tipus de reguladors de tensió s’han analitzat i comparat des del punt de vista de l’eficiència de potència. Els reguladors de tensió de tipus lineal shunt proporcionen una eficiència de potència millor que les altres alternatives, els lineals sèrie i els commutats buck o boost. Les eficiències aconseguides han estat al voltant del 40%, 25% i 10% per les bobines a distàncies 1cm, 1.5cm, i 2cm. Les proves experimentals han mostrat que els sensors autònoms han estat correctament alimentats fins a distàncies de 2.5cm.

The systemic administration of oleoylethanolamide exerts neuroprotection of the nigrostriatal system in experimental Parkinsonism.

Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is an agonist of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and has been described to exhibit neuroprotective properties when administered locally in animal models of several neurological disorder models, including stroke and Parkinson's disease. However, there is little information regarding the effectiveness of systemic administration of OEA on Parkinson's disease. In the present study, OEA-mediated neuroprotection has been tested on in vivo and in vitro models of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OH-DA)-induced degeneration. The in vivo model was based on the intrastriatal infusion of the neurotoxin 6-OH-DA, which generates Parkinsonian symptoms. Rats were treated 2 h before and after the 6-OH-DA treatment with systemic OEA (0.5, 1, and 5 mg/kg). The Parkinsonian symptoms were evaluated at 1 and 4 wk after the development of lesions. The functional status of the nigrostriatal system was studied through tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1, oxidation marker) immunostaining as well as by monitoring the synaptophysin content. In vitro cell cultures were also treated with OEA and 6-OH-DA. As expected, our results revealed 6-OH-DA induced neurotoxicity and behavioural deficits; however, these alterations were less severe in the animals treated with the highest dose of OEA (5 mg/kg). 6-OH-DA administration significantly reduced the striatal TH-immunoreactivity (ir) density, synaptophysin expression, and the number of nigral TH-ir neurons. Moreover, 6-OH-DA enhanced striatal HO-1 content, which was blocked by OEA (5 mg/kg). In vitro, 0.5 and 1 μM of OEA exerted significant neuroprotection on cultured nigral neurons. These effects were abolished after blocking PPARα with the selective antagonist GW6471. In conclusion, systemic OEA protects the nigrostriatal circuit from 6-OH-DA-induced neurotoxicity through a PPARα-dependent mechanism.

Swiss behavioural surveillance system 1986-2008

Background: Second generation surveillance is a central feature of HIV/AIDS policy in Switzerland. Behavioural surveys in the general population, men having sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDU) have been regularly conducted since the early nineties. After peaking at 2144 cases in 1991, the number of new HIV cases notified to the Ministry of Health decreased in each subpopulation until 2000 (n=578) and then rose again to 735 in 2006. The recent increase is mainly due to MSM. Methods: In the general population, representative cross-sectional telephone surveys have been conducted 11 times since 1987. Surveys in convenience samples of MSM, recruited through gay newspapers and gay organisations, have been conducted 5 times since 1992. Surveys among IDU's attending needle exchange programmes have been conducted 5 times since 1993. Condom statistics, available since 1986, are included in the behavioural surveillance system. Results: In the general population aged 17-30, systematic condom use with casual partners in the last six months increased from 8.0% in 1987 to 75.8% in 2007. The proportion of MSM reporting anal intercourse with casual partners in the last 12 months increased from 61% in 1992 to 79% in 2007 (lowest value 56% in 1994) and unprotected anal intercourse with these partners increased from 14 % in 1992 to 24% in 2007 (lowest value 9% in 1994). The proportion of IDUs reporting borrowing used injection equipment decreased from 16.5% in 1993 to 8.9% in 2006. The ratio condoms released to retail/population aged 15-65 increased from 1.68 in 1986 to 3.8 in 2006. Conclusions: It has been possible to maintain a coherent behavioural surveillance system on a long-term basis, allowing for the monitoring of HIV prevention policy outcome and forseeing the development and distribution of new HIV cases in the population.

Forensic intelligence framework. Part II: study of the main generic building blocks and challenges through the examples of illicit drugs and false identity documents monitoring

The development of forensic intelligence relies on the expression of suitable models that better represent the contribution of forensic intelligence in relation to the criminal justice system, policing and security. Such models assist in comparing and evaluating methods and new technologies, provide transparency and foster the development of new applications. Interestingly, strong similarities between two separate projects focusing on specific forensic science areas were recently observed. These observations have led to the induction of a general model (Part I) that could guide the use of any forensic science case data in an intelligence perspective. The present article builds upon this general approach by focusing on decisional and organisational issues. The article investigates the comparison process and evaluation system that lay at the heart of the forensic intelligence framework, advocating scientific decision criteria and a structured but flexible and dynamic architecture. These building blocks are crucial and clearly lay within the expertise of forensic scientists. However, it is only part of the problem. Forensic intelligence includes other blocks with their respective interactions, decision points and tensions (e.g. regarding how to guide detection and how to integrate forensic information with other information). Formalising these blocks identifies many questions and potential answers. Addressing these questions is essential for the progress of the discipline. Such a process requires clarifying the role and place of the forensic scientist within the whole process and their relationship to other stakeholders.

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy.

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.

Recommendations on the use of EEG monitoring in critically ill patients: consensus statement from the neurointensive care section of the ESICM.

OBJECTIVES: Recommendations for EEG monitoring in the ICU are lacking. The Neurointensive Care Section of the ESICM assembled a multidisciplinary group to establish consensus recommendations on the use of EEG in the ICU. METHODS: A systematic review was performed and 42 studies were included. Data were extracted using the PICO approach, including: (a) population, i.e. ICU patients with at least one of the following: traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, stroke, coma after cardiac arrest, septic and metabolic encephalopathy, encephalitis, and status epilepticus; (b) intervention, i.e. EEG monitoring of at least 30 min duration; (c) control, i.e. intermittent vs. continuous EEG, as no studies compared patients with a specific clinical condition, with and without EEG monitoring; (d) outcome endpoints, i.e. seizure detection, ischemia detection, and prognostication. After selection, evidence was classified and recommendations developed using the GRADE system. RECOMMENDATIONS: The panel recommends EEG in generalized convulsive status epilepticus and to rule out nonconvulsive seizures in brain-injured patients and in comatose ICU patients without primary brain injury who have unexplained and persistent altered consciousness. We suggest EEG to detect ischemia in comatose patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and to improve prognostication of coma after cardiac arrest. We recommend continuous over intermittent EEG for refractory status epilepticus and suggest it for patients with status epilepticus and suspected ongoing seizures and for comatose patients with unexplained and persistent altered consciousness. CONCLUSIONS: EEG monitoring is an important diagnostic tool for specific indications. Further data are necessary to understand its potential for ischemia assessment and coma prognostication.

State Legislation Monitoring Report, FY 2002

The Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning issued its first state legislation monitoring report in February 2002, covering the first six month’s impact of Senate File 543 on the justice system. SF 543, enacted during the 2001 legislative session, changed the maximum penalty for first-offense Burglary-3rd degree, and established new sentencing options available to the court: * An alternative determinate prison sentence for certain Class D felons * Extended felony sentence reconsideration from 90 days to one year

Web-based Implementation of Winter Maintenance Decision Support System Using GIS and Remote Sensing, May 2005

Winter maintenance, particularly snow removal and the stress of snow removal materials on public structures, is an enormous budgetary burden on municipalities and nongovernmental maintenance organizations in cold climates. Lately, geospatial technologies such as remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and decision support tools are roviding a valuable tool for planning snow removal operations. A few researchers recently used geospatial technologies to develop winter maintenance tools. However, most of these winter maintenance tools, while having the potential to address some of these information needs, are not typically placed in the hands of planners and other interested stakeholders. Most tools are not constructed with a nontechnical user in mind and lack an easyto-use, easily understood interface. A major goal of this project was to implement a web-based Winter Maintenance Decision Support System (WMDSS) that enhances the capacity of stakeholders (city/county planners, resource managers, transportation personnel, citizens, and policy makers) to evaluate different procedures for managing snow removal assets optimally. This was accomplished by integrating geospatial analytical techniques (GIS and remote sensing), the existing snow removal asset management system, and webbased spatial decision support systems. The web-based system was implemented using the ESRI ArcIMS ActiveX Connector and related web technologies, such as Active Server Pages, JavaScript, HTML, and XML. The expert knowledge on snow removal procedures is gathered and integrated into the system in the form of encoded business rules using Visual Rule Studio. The system developed not only manages the resources but also provides expert advice to assist complex decision making, such as routing, optimal resource allocation, and monitoring live weather information. This system was developed in collaboration with Black Hawk County, IA, the city of Columbia, MO, and the Iowa Department of transportation. This product was also demonstrated for these agencies to improve the usability and applicability of the system.

Monitoring of human CD4 T cell responses in metastatic melanoma and arthritic patients

SUMMARY : Detailed knowledge of the different components of the immune system is required for the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies. CD4 T lymphocytes represent a highly heterogeneous group of cells characterized by various profiles of cytokine production and effector vs. regulatory functions. They are central players in orchestrating adaptive immune responses: unbalances between the different subtypes can lead either to aggressive autoimmune disorders or can favour the uncontrolled growth of malignancies. In this study we focused on the characterization of human CD4 T cells in advanced stage melanoma patients as well as in patients affected by various forms of autoimmune inflammatory spondyloarthropathies. In melanoma patients we report that a population of FOXP3 CD4 T cells, known as regulatory T cells, is overrepresented in peripheral blood, and even more in tumor-infitrated lymph nodes as well as at tumor sites, as compared to healthy donors. In tumor-infiltrated lymph nodes, but not in normal lymph nodes or in peripheral blood, FOXP3 CD4 T cells feature a highly differentiated phenotype (CD45RA-CCR7+/-), which suggests for a recent encounter with their cognate antigen. FOXP3 CD4 T cells have been described to be an important component of the several known immune escape mechanisms. We demonstrated that FOXP3 CD4 T cells isolated from melanoma patients exert an in vitro suppressive action on autologous CD4 T cells, thus possibly inhibiting an efficient anti-tumor response. Next, we aimed to analyse CD4 T cells at antigen-specific level. In advanced stage melanoma patients, we identified for the first time, using pMHCII multimers, circulating CD4 T cells specific for the melanoma antigen Melan-A, presented by HLA-DQB1 *0602. Interestingly, in a cohort of melanoma patients enrolled in an immunotherapy trails consisting of injection of a Melan-A derived peptide, we did not observe signif cant variations in the ex vivo frequencies of Melan-A specific CD4 T cells, but important differences in the quality of the specific CD4 T cells. In fact, up to 50% of the ex vivo Melan-A/DQ6 specific CD4 T cells displayed a regulatory phenotype and were hypoproliferative before vaccination, while more effector, cytokine-secreting Melan-A/DQ6 specific CD4 T cells were observed after immunization. These observations suggest that peptide vaccination may favourably modify the balance between regulatory and effector tumor-specific CD4 T cells. Finally, we identified another subset of CD4 T cells as possible mediator of pathology in a group of human autoimmune spondyloarthropathies, namely Th17 cells. These cells were recently described to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of some marine models of autommunity. We document an elevated presence of circulating Th17 cells in two members of seronegative spondyloarthropathies, e.g. psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, while we do not observe increased frequencies of Th17 cells in peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritic patients. In addition, Th17 cells with a more advanced differentiation state (CD45RA-CCR7-CD27-) and polyfunctionality (concomitant secretion of IL-17, IL-2 and TNFα) were observed exclusively in patients with seronegative spondylarthropathies. Together, our observations emphasize the importance of CD4 T cells in various diseases and suggest that immunotherapeutic approaches considering CD4 T cells as targets should be evaluated in the future.

Diagnosis and treatment of resistant hypertension.

Hypertension resistant to lifestyle interventions and antihypertensive medications is a common problem encountered by physicians in everyday practice. It is most often defined as a blood pressure remaining ≥ 140/90 mmHg despite the regular intake of at least three drugs lowering blood pressure by different mechanisms, one of them being a diuretic. It now appears justified to include, unless contraindicated or not tolerated, a blocker of the renin-angiotensin system and a calcium channel blocker in this drug regimen, not only to gain antihypertensive efficacy, but also to prevent or regress target organ damage and delay the development of cardiorenal complications. A non-negligible fraction of treatment-resistant hypertension have normal "out of office" blood pressures. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and/or home blood pressure recording should therefore be routinely performed to identify patients with true resistant hypertension, i.e. patients who are more likely to benefit from treatment intensification.