Field Trials

Source: www.thetimesnews.com.com --- 27 days ago
RALEIGH -- The black German shepherd zeroed in quickly on the white box with a man hidden inside, jogging past five others with hardly a sniff even for ones where the man had hidden before, leaving a lingering human scent. ...

Source: www.wimax.com --- 19 days ago
Alcatel-Lucent selected to provide turnkey network system and services for evaluation in Madrid. ...

Source: www.irishexaminer.com --- 41 days ago
Field Trials of industrial hemp are taking place in Ireland to see if it is suitable as a biomass crop. ...

Source: www.bignewsnetwork.com --- 8 days ago
Scientists in New Zealand have started the test of 'polypill', a multidrug manufactured by an Indian company to protect against heart disease and stroke. ...

Source: raleigh.mync.com --- 30 days ago
About 200 police dogs and handler teams from across the nation are in Raleigh this week taking part in the United States Police Canine Association Field Trials. It’s hosted by the Raleigh Police Department Canine Unit and is the first time the event has been held in North Carolina. At Laurel Hills Park in Raleigh the mood is tense, the competition fierce and the scoring complex. It’s like the Olympics for police dogs, reserved for only the most agile and obedient. All the way from Minnesota, Jeffery Ellis and his five time champion Tazer take a shot at the course and nail it, but the darts, ducks and runs showcase more than skills. "A competition like this is important to show we have control over these dogs that these dogs are not attack animals and out of control,” Ellis said. Recently a Belgian Malinois like Tazer took center stage when his handler, N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Charles Jones, was fired for allegedly abusing the dog. A judge disagreed and recommended Jones get his job back. While Highway Patrol K-9's are not part of this competition, Raleigh Police Sgt. Phil Medlin said it might help shed police dogs in a more positive light. "Oh most definitely, this is a standard by which we train, the Raleigh Police Department trains as well as the other departments here,” Medlin said. While it is a competition it is also a chance for regionally certified K-9s to earn national certification. After all, they're considered offi ...

Source: www.ker.com --- 10 days ago
At the Plantation Field Horse Trials in Unionville, Pennsylvania, top rider Phillip Dutton scored well in several divisions. Phillip Dutton finished in fifth place on Clifton Imperial in the CIC Two-star; claimed second and fourth places riding Bailey Wick and Loose 'N Cool in the CIC Three-star; and rode Che Kairo to a fourth-place record in the Advanced division. Dutton also piloted Castle Jordan to a win in the Open Intermediate-A section. Dutton is sponsored by KER and its Team Member Pennfield Feeds . ...

Source: cujtokyo.wordpress.com --- 42 days ago
Consumers Union of Japan and No! GMO Campaign have written to Californian rice growers, asking them to strictly implement and enforce the March 2007 moratorium on GM Field Trials in California. We are still concerned about the undetermined events that led to the contamination of long grain rice in the Southern States and skeptical about the control of [...] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 6 days ago
Related Articles Editorial review: targets for glioma treatment: from bench to bedside. Curr Opin Oncol. 2008 Nov;20(6):650-1 Authors: Sanson M PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Progress in molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of malignant gliomas opens new therapeutic possibilities. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent developments in the Field of tumour biology have elucidated signalling pathways and genes involved in the development of gliomas, which represent new potential therapeutic targets, and many targeted therapies are currently being tested in clinical Trials. Except for the antiangiogenic drugs, the results have been modest, because of the heterogeneity of malignant gliomas and redundant pathways, suggesting that combination therapies may be more appropriate. The recent finding that only a minority of tumour cells are capable of self-renewal (tumour stem cells) leads to focus on genes specifically involved in stem cell self-renewal and proliferation. SUMMARY: Antiangiogenic drugs already have proved efficacy. Targeting of tumour-specific alterations and drugs more specifically directed against tumour stem cells may provide significant progress in future treatment of gliomas. PMID: 18841046 [PubMed - in process] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 17 hours ago
Related Articles Therapeutic Discourse Among Nurses and Physicians in Controlled Clinical Trials. Nurs Ethics. 2008 Nov;15(6):803-812 Authors: Instone SL, Mueller MR, Gilbert TL An ethnographic Field study about the informed consent process in investigational drug Trials for seriously ill persons with hepatitis C suggests that nurses and physicians referred to these Trials as giving treatment, even though they involved placebos. Interview data and informed consent documents contained frequent references to the term ;treatment trial' or ;treatment'. Although these findings were unexpected and not the original focus of our study, we consider them in the light of an extensive literature on the ;therapeutic misconception' that has been described among physicians and patients with AIDS and other serious illnesses. We also suggest that certain organizational and professional characteristics of nursing and medicine reinforce this tendency to refer to the Trials as treatment. Implications for further research are provided. PMID: 18849369 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 6 days ago
Related Articles [Regulation of geochemical activity of microorganisms in a petroleum reservoir by injection of H2O2 or water-air mixture] Mikrobiologiia. 2008 May-Jun;77(3):370-9 Authors: Nazina TN, Pavlova NK, Ni F, Shestakova NM, Ivoĭlov VS, Feng Q, Dongyun Z, Prusakova TS, Beliaev SS, Ivanov MV In the course of pilot Trials of biotechnologies for the enhancement of oil recovery in the Gangxi bed of the Dagang oil Field (China), microbiological processes were investigated. The biotechnologies were based on injection into the petroleum reservoir of different oxygen sources (H2O2 solution or a water-air mixture) with nitrogen and phosphorus salts. The injection of water-air mixture with nitrogen and phosphorus salts resulted in an increase in the number of aerobic and anaerobic organotrophic bacteria, rates of sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in formation water and also the content of CO2 (from 4.8-12 to 15-23.2%) and methane (from 86-88 to 91.8%) in the gas. The preferential consumption of isotopically light bicarbonate by methanogens resulted in a higher content of the light 12C in methane; the delta13C/CH4 value changed from -45.1...-48.3 to -50.7...-59.3 per thousand). At the same time, mineral carbonates of the formation water became isotopically heavier; the delta13C/Sigmacarbonates value increased from 3.4...4.0 to 5.4...9.6 per thousand. Growth of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria was accompanied by production of biosurfacta ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 11 days ago
Related Articles Effectiveness of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2008 Oct 1;300(13):1551-65 Authors: Leichsenring F, Rabung S CONTEXT: The place of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) within psychiatry is controversial. Convincing outcome research for LTPP has been lacking. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of LTPP, especially in complex mental disorders, ie, patients with personality disorders, chronic mental disorders, multiple mental disorders, and complex depressive and anxiety disorders (ie, associated with chronic course and/or multiple mental disorders), by performing a meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Studies of LTPP published between January 1, 1960, and May 31, 2008, were identified by a computerized search using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Current Contents, supplemented by contact with experts in the Field. STUDY SELECTION: Only studies that used individual psychodynamic psychotherapy lasting for at least a year, or 50 sessions; had a prospective design; and reported reliable outcome measures were included. Randomized controlled Trials (RCTs) and observational studies were considered. Twenty-three studies involving a total of 1053 patients were included (11 RCTs and 12 observational studies). DATA EXTRACTION: Information on study characteristics and treatment outcome was extracted by 2 independent raters. Effect sizes were calculated for overall effectiveness, target problems, general psychiatr ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 4 days ago
Related Articles WITHDRAWN: Interventions for treating calcaneal fractures. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(4):CD001161 Authors: Bridgman S, Dunn K, McBride D, Richards P BACKGROUND: Fracture of the calcaneus (os calcis or heel bone) comprises one to two per cent of all fractures. OBJECTIVES: To identify and evaluate randomised Trials of treatments for calcaneal fractures. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Injuries Group Trials Register were searched. We checked reference lists of relevant articles and contacted trialists and experts in the Field. Date of the most recent search: October 1998. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised and quasi-randomised Trials comparing interventions for treating patients with calcaneal fractures. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality, using a 12 item scale, and extracted data. Wherever appropriate and possible, results were pooled. MAIN RESULTS: Of the six relevant randomised Trials identified, four were included, one excluded and one is ongoing.All four included Trials had methodological flaws.Three Trials, involving 134 patients, compared open reduction and internal fixation with non-operative management of displaced intra-articular fractures. Pooled results showed no apparent difference in residual pain (24/40 versus 24/42; Peto odds ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.34 to 2.36) ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 14 days ago
Related Articles Precancerous lesions of the breast. Nat Clin Pract Oncol. 2008 Sep 30; Authors: Costa A, Zanini V The management of precancerous lesions of the breast has become a considerable clinical problem in the past 20 years, mostly as a consequence of increased detection due to the introduction of mammographic screening. It is not possible to identify with absolute certainty which of these lesions will progress to invasive carcinoma, and tailoring the treatment according to each individual case remains a challenge. There is a particular dilemma for surgeons, who must balance the risk of resecting too much and causing unnecessary cosmetic damage, or resecting too little and leaving an increased risk of recurrence. Further knowledge in the Field of predictive and prognostic factors together with the development of gene-profiling techniques will, hopefully, provide answers to these questions. Among precancerous lesions of the breast, particular attention should be paid to ductal carcinoma in situ or intraductal carcinoma, appropriate treatment of which is crucial to prevent invasive breast cancer. Nearly all possible combinations of surgery, radiotherapy and medical treatments (anti-estrogens) have been tested in different clinical Trials, but the situation is far from satisfactory. We believe that an important contribution can come from oncoplastic surgery, which is the application of plastic and reconstructive surgical techniqu ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 6 days ago
Related Articles Psychosocial interventions and medication adherence in bipolar disorder. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008;10(2):239-50 Authors: Depp CA, Moore DJ, Patterson TL, Lebowitz BD, Jeste DV Recent research has indicated that psychosocial interventions can have a valuable role in reducing the substantial psychosocial disability associated with bipolar disorder. Randomized controlled Trials of these interventions indicate that improvements are seen in symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and treatment adherence. These interventions, systematically presented in the form of standardized treatment manuals, vary in format, duration, and theoretical basis. All are meant to augment pharmacotherapy, which represents the standard of treatment in the Field. Modalities that have gathered the most empirical support include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, interpersonal and social rhythms therapy, and psychoeducation. The enhancement of adherence to pharmacotherapy is a common therapeutic target, due to the association of nonadherence with higher relapse rates, hospitalization, and health care costs among people with bipolar disorder. Given the complexity of nonadherence behavior, multicomponent interventions are often required. In this review, we provide an overview of the rationale, evidence base, and major psychotherapeutic approaches in bipolar disorder, focusing on the assessment and enhancement of medication adheren ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 4 days ago
Related Articles Oestrogens and progestins for preventing and treating postpartum depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(4):CD001690 Authors: Dennis CL, Ross LE, Herxheimer A BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression is a common complication of childbirth, affecting approximately 13% of women. A hormonal aetiology has long been hypothesised due to the sudden and substantial fluctuations in concentrations of steroid hormones associated with pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. There is also convincing evidence that oestrogens, progestins, and related compounds have important central nervous system activity at physiological concentrations. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this review was to assess the effects of oestrogens and progestins, including natural progesterone and synthetic progestogens, compared with placebo or usual antepartum, intrapartum, or postpartum care in the prevention and treatment of postpartum depression. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group Trials register (June 2004), the Cochrane Depression Anxiety and Neurosis Group Trials register (July 2004), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (July 2004), MEDLINE (1966 to 2004), EMBASE (1980 to 2004), and CINAHL (1982 to 2004). We scanned secondary references and contacted experts in the Field. SELECTION CRITERIA: All published and unpublished randomised controlled Trials comparing an oestrogen and progestin i ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(4):CD004366 Authors: Mead GE, Morley W, Campbell P, Greig CA, McMurdo M, Lawlor DA BACKGROUND: Depression is a common and important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Depression is commonly treated with antidepressants and/or psychotherapy, but some people may prefer alternative approaches such as exercise. There are a number of theoretical reasons why exercise may improve depression. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of depression. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched Medline, Embase, Sports Discus, PsycLIT, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for eligible studies. In addition, we hand-searched several relevant journals, contacted experts in the Field, searched bibliographies of retrieved articles, and performed citation searches of identified studies. We also searched www.controlled-Trials.com. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled Trials in which exercise was compared to standard treatment, no treatment or a placebo treatment in adults (aged 18 and over) with depression, as defined by trial authors. We excluded Trials of post-natal depression. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We calculated effect sizes for each trial using Cohen's method and a standardised mean difference (SMD) for the overall pooled effect, using a random effects model. Where Trials used a number ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles Interventions (other than pharmacological, psychosocial or psychological) for treating antenatal depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(4):CD006795 Authors: Dennis CL, Allen K BACKGROUND: Although pregnancy was once thought of as a time of emotional well-being for many women, conferring 'protection' against psychiatric disorders, a recent meta-analysis of 21 studies suggests the mean prevalence rate for depression across the antenatal period is 10.7%, ranging from 7.4% in the first trimester to a high of 12.8% in the second trimester. Due to maternal treatment preferences and potential concerns about fetal and infant health outcomes, non-pharmacological treatment options are needed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects, on mothers and their families, of non-pharmacological/psychosocial/psychological interventions compared with usual antepartum care in the treatment of antenatal depression. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (August 2007), the Cochrane Collaboration Depression Anxiety and Neurosis Group's Trials Registers (CCDANCTR-Studies and CCDANCTR-References) (January 2007), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2006, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to January 2007), EMBASE (1980 to January 2007) and CINAHL (1982 to January 2007). We scanned secondary references and contacted experts in the Field to identify other published or ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 4 days ago
Related Articles WITHDRAWN: Interventions for early stage Hodgkin's disease in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(4):CD002035 Authors: Louw GG, Pinkerton CR BACKGROUND: Hodgkin's disease is one of the most curable cancers in children, particularly at the early stages. However it is not clear which combinations of treatment strategies are most effective at maintaining high cure rates and minimising long term harmful effects or sequelae of treatment. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of radiotherapy, chemotherapy or combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy on relapse free survival and overall survival rates in children with early (stage I to IIA) Hodgkin's disease. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Library (issue 4, 2001), MEDLINE (1966 to July 2001), EMBASE, Cinahl, Cancer-CD and reference lists of relevant articles. We also handsearched six journals. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled Trials of involved Field radiotherapy, extended Field radiotherapy, anthracycline based chemotherapy regimens, or alkylating chemotherapy agents in children to 19 years of age with Hodgkin's disease. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Trial eligibility and quality were assessed and study authors were contacted for additional information. MAIN RESULTS: Four Trials involving 334 children were included. It was not possible to combine the outcomes as they covered different treatment regimens. The Trials were of variable quality. One trial co ...