Sample records for aa household alkaline

  1. Laboratory study on the behaviour of spent AA household alkaline batteries in incineration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Almeida, Manuel F.; Xara, Susana M.; Delgado, Julanda

    2009-01-15

    The quantitative evaluation of emissions from incineration is essential when Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies consider this process as an end-of-life solution for some wastes. Thus, the objective of this work is to quantify the main gaseous emissions produced when spent AA alkaline batteries are incinerated. With this aim, batteries were kept for 1 h at 1273 K in a refractory steel tube hold in a horizontal electric furnace with temperature control. At one end of the refractory steel tube, a constant air flow input assures the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere and guides the gaseous emissions to amore » filter system followed by a set of two bubbler flasks having an aqueous solution of 10% (v/v) nitric acid. After each set of experiments, sulphur, chlorides and metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl and Zn) were analyzed in both the solutions obtained from the steel tube washing and from the bubblers. Sulphur, chlorides and metals were quantified, respectively, using barium sulfate gravimetry, the Volhard method and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The emissions of zinc, the most emitted metal, represent about 6.5% of the zinc content in the batteries. Emissions of manganese (whose oxide is the main component of the cathode) and iron (from the cathode collector) are negligible when compared with their amount in AA alkaline batteries. Mercury is the metal with higher volatility in the composition of the batteries and was collected even in the second bubbler flask. The amount of chlorides collected corresponds to about 36% of the chlorine in the battery sleeve that is made from PVC. A considerable part of the HCl formed in PVC plastic sleeve incineration is neutralized with KOH, zinc and manganese oxides and, thus, it is not totally released in the gas. Some of the emissions are predictable through a thermodynamic data analysis at temperatures in the range of 1200-1300 K taking into account the composition of the batteries. This analysis

  2. Performance of AA5052 alloy anode in alkaline ethylene glycol electrolyte with dicarboxylic acids additives for aluminium-air batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, DaPeng; Zhang, DaQuan; Lee, KangYong; Gao, LiXin

    2015-11-01

    Dicarboxylic acid compounds, i.e. succinic acid (SUA), adipic acid (ADA) and sebacic acid (SEA), are used as electrolyte additives in the alkaline ethylene glycol solution for AA5052 aluminium-air batteries. It shows that the addition of dicarboxylic acids lowers the hydrogen gas evolution rate of commercial AA5052 aluminium alloy anode. AA5052 aluminium alloy has wide potential window for electrochemical activity and better discharge performance in alkaline ethylene glycol solution containing dicarboxylic acid additives. ADA has the best inhibition effect for the self-corrosion of AA5052 anode among the three dicarboxylic acid additives. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) reveals that dicarboxylic acids and aluminium ions can form coordination complexes. Quantum chemical calculations shows that ADA has a smaller energy gap (ΔE, the energy difference between the lowest unoccupied orbital and the highest occupied orbital), indicating that ADA has the strongest interaction with aluminium ions.

  3. Evaluation of AA5052 alloy anode in alkaline electrolyte with organic rare-earth complex additives for aluminium-air batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Dapeng; Li, Heshun; Liu, Jie; Zhang, Daquan; Gao, Lixin; Tong, Lin

    2015-10-01

    Behaviours of the AA5052 aluminium alloy anode of the alkaline aluminium-air battery are studied by the hydrogen evolution test, the electrochemical measurements and the surface analysis method. The combination of amino-acid and rare earth as electrolyte additives effectively retards the self-corrosion of AA5052 aluminium alloy in 4 M NaOH solution. It shows that the combination of L-cysteine and cerium nitrate has a synergistic effect owing to the formation of a complex film on AA5052 alloy surface. The organic rare-earth complex can decrease the anodic polarisation, suppress the hydrogen evolution and increase the anodic utilization rate.

  4. Reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride using buffered alkaline ascorbic acid.

    PubMed

    Lin, Ya-Ting; Liang, Chenju

    2015-10-01

    Alkaline ascorbic acid (AA) was recently discovered as a novel in-situ chemical reduction (ISCR) reagent for remediating chlorinated solvents in the subsurface. For this ISCR process, the maintenance of an alkaline pH is essential. This study investigated the possibility of the reduction of carbon tetrachloride (CT) using alkaline AA solution buffered by phosphate and by NaOH. The results indicated that CT was reduced by AA, and chloroform (CF) was a major byproduct at a phosphate buffered pH of 12. However, CT was completely reduced by AA in 2M NaOH without CF formation. In the presence of iron/soil minerals, iron could be reduced by AA and Fe(2+) tends to precipitate on the mineral surface to accelerate CT degradation. A simultaneous transfer of hydrogenolysis and dichloroelimination would occur under phosphate buffered pH 12. This implies that a high alkaline environment is a crucial factor for maintaining the dominant pathway of two electron transfer from dianionic AA to dehydroascorbic acid, and to undergo dichloroelimination of CT. Moreover, threonic acid and oxalic acid were identified to be the major AA decomposition products in alkaline solutions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Reduction of nitrobenzene with alkaline ascorbic acid: Kinetics and pathways.

    PubMed

    Liang, Chenju; Lin, Ya-Ting; Shiu, Jia-Wei

    2016-01-25

    Alkaline ascorbic acid (AA) exhibits the potential to reductively degrade nitrobenzene (NB), which is the simplest of the nitroaromatic compounds. The nitro group (NO2(-)) of NB has a +III oxidation state of the N atom and tends to gain electrons. The effect of alkaline pH ranging from 9 to 13 was initially assessed and the results demonstrated that the solution pH, when approaching or above the pKa2 of AA (11.79), would increase reductive electron transfer to NB. The rate equation for the reactions between NB and AA at pH 12 can be described as r=((0.89±0.11)×10(-4) mM(1-(a+b))h(-1))×[NB](a=1.35±0.10)[AA](b=0.89±0.01). The GC/MS analytical method identified nitrosobenzene, azoxybenzene, and azobenzene as NB reduction intermediates, and aniline (AN) as a final product. These experimental results indicate that the alkaline AA reduction of NB to AN mainly proceeds via the direct route, consisting of a series of two-electron or four-electron transfers, and the condensation reaction plays a minor route. Preliminary evaluation of the remediation of spiked NB contaminated soils revealed that maintenance of alkaline pH and a higher water to soil ratio are essential for a successful alkaline AA application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A Tenebrio molitor GPI-anchored alkaline phosphatase is involved in binding of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa to brush border membrane vesicles.

    PubMed

    Zúñiga-Navarrete, Fernando; Gómez, Isabel; Peña, Guadalupe; Bravo, Alejandra; Soberón, Mario

    2013-03-01

    Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins recognizes their target cells in part by the binding to glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol (GPI) anchored proteins such as aminopeptidase-N (APN) or alkaline phosphatases (ALP). Treatment of Tenebrio molitor brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) with phospholipase C that cleaves out GPI-anchored proteins from the membranes, showed that GPI-anchored proteins are involved in binding of Cry3Aa toxin to BBMV. A 68 kDa GPI-anchored ALP was shown to bind Cry3Aa by toxin overlay assays. The 68 kDa GPI-anchored ALP was preferentially expressed in early instar larvae in comparison to late instar larvae. Our work shows for the first time that GPI-anchored ALP is important for Cry3Aa binding to T. molitor BBMV suggesting that the mode of action of Cry toxins is conserved in different insect orders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Safety and Abuse Testing of Energizer LiFeS2 AA Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jeevarajan, Judith A.; Baldwin, Laura; Bragg, Bobby J.

    2003-01-01

    The LiFeS2 test program was part of the study on state-of-the-art batteries/cells available in the commercial market. It was carried out in an effort to replace alkaline AA cells for Shuttle and Station applications. A large number of alkaline cells are used for numerous Shuttle and Station applications as loose cells. Other government agencies reported good performance and abuse tolerance of the AA LiFeS2 cells. In this study, only abuse testing was performed on the cells to determine their tolerance. The tests carried out were over-discharge, external short circuit, heat-to-vent, vibration and drop.

  8. Antiangiogenic effects of AA-PMe on HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Qi; Zhou, Yachun; Wei, Yingjie; Gong, Zhunan

    2018-01-01

    Angiogenesis plays a vital role in many physiological and pathological processes and several diseases are connected with its dysregulation. Asiatic acid (AA) has demonstrated anticancer properties and we suspect this might be attributable to an effect on angio-genesis. A modified derivative of AA, N-(2α,3β,23-acetoxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-L-proline methyl ester (AA-PMe), has improved efficacy over its parent compound, but its effect on blood vessel development remains unclear. Methods In this study, we investigated the antiangiogenic activity of AA and AA-PMe in zebrafish embryos and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). First of all, we treated HUVECs with increasing concentrations of AA-PMe or AA, with or without vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) present, and assessed cell viability, tube formation, and cell migration and invasion. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were later used to determine the role of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-mediated signaling in AA-PMe inhibition of angiogenesis. We extended these studies to follow angiogenesis using Tg(fli:EGFP) transgenic zebrafish embryos. For these experiments, embryos were treated with varying concentrations of AA-PMe or AA from 24 to 72 hours postfertilization prior to morphological observation, angiogenesis assessment, and endogenous alkaline phosphatase assay. VEGFR2 expression in whole embryos following AA-PMe treatment was also determined. Results We found AA-PMe decreased cell viability and inhibited migration and tube formation in a dose-dependent manner in HUVECs. Similarly, AA-PMe disrupted the formation of intersegmental vessels, the dorsal aorta, and the posterior cardinal vein in zebrafish embryos. Both in vitro and in vivo AA-PMe surpassed AA in its ability to block angiogenesis by suppressing VEGF-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and disrupting downstream extracellular regulated protein kinase and AKT signaling

  9. Antiangiogenic effects of AA-PMe on HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo.

    PubMed

    Jing, Yue; Wang, Gang; Xiao, Qi; Zhou, Yachun; Wei, Yingjie; Gong, Zhunan

    2018-01-01

    Angiogenesis plays a vital role in many physiological and pathological processes and several diseases are connected with its dysregulation. Asiatic acid (AA) has demonstrated anticancer properties and we suspect this might be attributable to an effect on angio-genesis. A modified derivative of AA, N-(2α,3β,23-acetoxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-L-proline methyl ester (AA-PMe), has improved efficacy over its parent compound, but its effect on blood vessel development remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the antiangiogenic activity of AA and AA-PMe in zebrafish embryos and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). First of all, we treated HUVECs with increasing concentrations of AA-PMe or AA, with or without vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) present, and assessed cell viability, tube formation, and cell migration and invasion. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were later used to determine the role of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-mediated signaling in AA-PMe inhibition of angiogenesis. We extended these studies to follow angiogenesis using Tg(fli:EGFP) transgenic zebrafish embryos. For these experiments, embryos were treated with varying concentrations of AA-PMe or AA from 24 to 72 hours postfertilization prior to morphological observation, angiogenesis assessment, and endogenous alkaline phosphatase assay. VEGFR2 expression in whole embryos following AA-PMe treatment was also determined. We found AA-PMe decreased cell viability and inhibited migration and tube formation in a dose-dependent manner in HUVECs. Similarly, AA-PMe disrupted the formation of intersegmental vessels, the dorsal aorta, and the posterior cardinal vein in zebrafish embryos. Both in vitro and in vivo AA-PMe surpassed AA in its ability to block angiogenesis by suppressing VEGF-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and disrupting downstream extracellular regulated protein kinase and AKT signaling. For the first time

  10. Rechargeable alkaline manganese dioxide cells. A test report

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farrington, Michael D.

    The rechargeable alkaline MnO 2 (RAM) system has now been commercially available for several years. The Canadian Department of National Defence is interested in determining if the low cost RAM system is technically capable of replacing existing cells and batteries now in use. A preliminary study identified sufficient candidate batteries in use within the Department whose performance requirements compared favourably with RAM manufacturers' claims. Further study was warranted. Replacement cost savings could be significant. A study is now in progress that is aimed at determining how well the RAM technology actually performs. This paper presents test results that illustrate how RAM cells compare to primary alkaline cells and nickel/cadmium. The majority of the work is focused on the 'AA' size products from Rayovac and Pure Energy: tests were also conducted on Rayovac 'D' cells.

  11. Chemical redox modulated fluorescence of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots for probing the activity of alkaline phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Liu, JingJing; Tang, Duosi; Chen, Zhitao; Yan, Xiaomei; Zhong, Zhou; Kang, Longtian; Yao, Jiannian

    2017-08-15

    Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as an essential enzyme plays an important role in clinical diagnoses and biomedical researches. Hence, the development of convenient and sensitivity assay for monitoring ALP is extremely important. In this work, on the basis of chemical redox strategy to modulate the fluorescence of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs), a novel label-free fluorescent sensing system for the detection of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity has been developed. The fluorescence of NGQDs is firstly quenched by ultrathin cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets, and then restored by ascorbic acid (AA), which can reduce CoOOH to Co 2+ , thus the ALP can be monitored based on the enzymatic hydrolysis of L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphate (AAP) by ALP to generate AA. Quantitative evaluation of ALP activity in a range from 0.1 to 5U/L with the detection limit of 0.07U/L can be realized in this sensing system. Endowed with high sensitivity and selectivity, the proposed assay is capable of detecting ALP in biological system with satisfactory results. Meanwhile, this sensing system can be easily extended to the detection of various AA-involved analytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A unique alkaline pH-regulated and fatty acid-activated tandem pore domain potassium channel (K₂P) from a marine sponge.

    PubMed

    Wells, Gregory D; Tang, Qiong-Yao; Heler, Robert; Tompkins-MacDonald, Gabrielle J; Pritchard, Erica N; Leys, Sally P; Logothetis, Diomedes E; Boland, Linda M

    2012-07-15

    A cDNA encoding a potassium channel of the two-pore domain family (K(2P), KCNK) of leak channels was cloned from the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AquK(2P) cannot be placed into any of the established functional groups of mammalian K(2P) channels. We used the Xenopus oocyte expression system, a two-electrode voltage clamp and inside-out patch clamp electrophysiology to determine the physiological properties of AquK(2P). In whole cells, non-inactivating, voltage-independent, outwardly rectifying K(+) currents were generated by external application of micromolar concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA; EC(50) ∼30 μmol l(-1)), when applied in an alkaline solution (≥pH 8.0). Prior activation of channels facilitated the pH-regulated, AA-dependent activation of AquK(2P) but external pH changes alone did not activate the channels. Unlike certain mammalian fatty-acid-activated K(2P) channels, the sponge K(2P) channel was not activated by temperature and was insensitive to osmotically induced membrane distortion. In inside-out patch recordings, alkalinization of the internal pH (pK(a) 8.18) activated the AquK(2P) channels independently of AA and also facilitated activation by internally applied AA. The gating of the sponge K(2P) channel suggests that voltage-independent outward rectification and sensitivity to pH and AA are ancient and fundamental properties of animal K(2P) channels. In addition, the membrane potential of some poriferan cells may be dynamically regulated by pH and AA.

  13. Effect of the Microstructure on Diffusion Bonded AA5083, AA6082 and AA7075 Aluminium Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venugopal, S.; Mahendran, G.

    2018-05-01

    Rolled plates of aluminium alloys AA5083, AA6082 and AA7075 of 5 mm thickness are joined by diffusion bonding at varied parameters. The microstructure evolution of AA5083, AA6082 and AA7075 aluminium alloys is characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Metallurgical investigations and mechanical tests are also performed to correlate the results of the TEM investigations with the mechanical properties of the produced diffusion bonded joints. It is observed that the bonding and shear strength of the alloys increase with the increase in bonding temperature, due to the diffusion of micro-constituents in the interface. High temperature enhances the uniform distribution of secondary phase particles and reduces pore formation/defects in the bonded joints.

  14. A unique alkaline pH-regulated and fatty acid-activated tandem pore domain potassium channel (K2P) from a marine sponge

    PubMed Central

    Wells, Gregory D.; Tang, Qiong-Yao; Heler, Robert; Tompkins-MacDonald, Gabrielle J.; Pritchard, Erica N.; Leys, Sally P.; Logothetis, Diomedes E.; Boland, Linda M.

    2012-01-01

    SUMMARY A cDNA encoding a potassium channel of the two-pore domain family (K2P, KCNK) of leak channels was cloned from the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AquK2P cannot be placed into any of the established functional groups of mammalian K2P channels. We used the Xenopus oocyte expression system, a two-electrode voltage clamp and inside-out patch clamp electrophysiology to determine the physiological properties of AquK2P. In whole cells, non-inactivating, voltage-independent, outwardly rectifying K+ currents were generated by external application of micromolar concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA; EC50 ∼30 μmol l–1), when applied in an alkaline solution (≥pH 8.0). Prior activation of channels facilitated the pH-regulated, AA-dependent activation of AquK2P but external pH changes alone did not activate the channels. Unlike certain mammalian fatty-acid-activated K2P channels, the sponge K2P channel was not activated by temperature and was insensitive to osmotically induced membrane distortion. In inside-out patch recordings, alkalinization of the internal pH (pKa 8.18) activated the AquK2P channels independently of AA and also facilitated activation by internally applied AA. The gating of the sponge K2P channel suggests that voltage-independent outward rectification and sensitivity to pH and AA are ancient and fundamental properties of animal K2P channels. In addition, the membrane potential of some poriferan cells may be dynamically regulated by pH and AA. PMID:22723483

  15. Synergistic effects of carboxymethyl cellulose and ZnO as alkaline electrolyte additives for aluminium anodes with a view towards Al-air batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jie; Wang, Dapeng; Zhang, Daquan; Gao, Lixin; Lin, Tong

    2016-12-01

    The synergistic effects of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have been investigated as alkaline electrolyte additives for the AA5052 aluminium alloy anode in aluminium-air battery by the hydrogen evolution test, the electrochemical measurements and the surface analysis method. The combination of CMC and ZnO effectively retards the self-corrosion of AA5052 alloy in 4 M NaOH solution. A complex film is formed via the interaction between CMC and Zn2+ ions on the alloy surface. The carboxyl groups adsorbed on the surface of aluminium make the protective film more stable. The cathodic reaction process is mainly suppressed significantly. AA5052 alloy electrode has a good discharge performance in the applied electrolyte containing the composite CMC/ZnO additives.

  16. Aa Ah Nak

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tha, Na Gya; Wus, Thay

    2017-01-01

    In this article, Aa Ah Nak, the authors' methodology presents not only various reflections but also diverse contradictions about the Aa Nii language as well as language revitalization. This article explores language foundation and how the Aa Nii language revitalization is inextricably linked to the genocide and resulting historic trauma pervasive…

  17. Optimization of NaOH Molarity, LUSI Mud/Alkaline Activator, and Na2SiO3/NaOH Ratio to Produce Lightweight Aggregate-Based Geopolymer

    PubMed Central

    Abdul Razak, Rafiza; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Hussin, Kamarudin; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Hardjito, Djwantoro; Yahya, Zarina

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the mechanical function and characterization of an artificial lightweight geopolymer aggregate (ALGA) using LUSI (Sidoarjo mud) and alkaline activator as source materials. LUSI stands for LU-Lumpur and SI-Sidoarjo, meaning mud from Sidoarjo which erupted near the Banjarpanji-1 exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia on 27 May 2006. The effect of NaOH molarity, LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA) ratio, and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio to the ALGA are investigated at a sintering temperature of 950 °C. The results show that the optimum NaOH molarity found in this study is 12 M due to the highest strength (lowest AIV value) of 15.79% with lower water absorption and specific gravity. The optimum LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA) ratio of 1.7 and the Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 0.4 gives the highest strength with AIV value of 15.42% with specific gravity of 1.10 g/cm3 and water absorption of 4.7%. The major synthesized crystalline phases were identified as sodalite, quartz and albite. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image showed more complete geopolymer matrix which contributes to highest strength of ALGA produced. PMID:26006238

  18. Life cycle assessment of three different management options for spent alkaline batteries.

    PubMed

    Xará, Susana; Almeida, Manuel Fonseca; Costa, Carlos

    2015-09-01

    The potential environmental impact of Landfilling, Incineration and Recycling of spent household alkaline batteries collected in continental Portugal was compared using LCA methodology and the Recipe Impact Assessment method. Major contributors and improvement opportunities for each system were identified and scenarios for 2012 and 2016 legislation targets were evaluated. For 13 out of the 18 impact categories, the Recycling system is the worst alternative, Incineration is the worst option for 4 and Landfill is the worst option only for one impact category. However if additionally in each system the recovery of materials and energy is taken into account there is a noticeable advantage of the Recycling system for all the impact categories. The environmental profiles for 2012 and 2016 scenarios (25% and 45% recycling rates, respectively) show the dominance of the Recycling system for most of the impact categories. Based on the results of this study, it is questioned whether there are environmental benefits of recycling abroad the household alkaline batteries collected in continental Portugal and, since the low environmental performance of the Recycling system is particularly due to the international transport of the batteries to the recycling plant, is foreseen that a recycling facility located in Portugal, could bring a positive contribution to the environmental impact of the legislation compliance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Specific Immunoassays for Placental Alkaline Phosphatase As a Tumor Marker

    PubMed Central

    Stinghen, Sérvio T.; Moura, Juliana F.; Zancanella, Patrícia; Rodrigues, Giovanna A.; Pianovski, Mara A.; Lalli, Enzo; Arnold, Dodie L.; Minozzo, João C.; Callefe, Luis G.; Ribeiro, Raul C.; Figueiredo, Bonald C.

    2006-01-01

    Human placental (hPLAP) and germ cell (PLAP-like) alkaline phosphatases are polymorphic and heat-stable enzymes. This study was designed to develop specific immunoassays for quantifying hPLAP and PLAP-like enzyme activity (EA) in sera of cancer patients, pregnant women, or smokers. Polyclonal sheep anti-hPLAP antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography with whole hPLAP protein (ICA-PLAP assay) or a synthetic peptide (aa 57–71) of hPLAP (ICA-PEP assay); the working range was 0.1–11 U/L and cutoff value was 0.2 U/L EA for nonsmokers. The intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 3.7%–6.5% (ICA-PLAP assay) and 9.0%–9.9% (ICA-PEP assay). An insignificant cross-reactivity was noted for high levels of unheated intestinal alkaline phosphatase in ICA-PEP assay. A positive correlation between the regression of tumor size and EA was noted in a child with embryonal carcinoma. It can be concluded that ICA-PEP assay is more specific than ICA-PLAP, which is still useful to detect other PLAP/PLAP-like phenotypes. PMID:17489017

  20. Constitutive behavior of as-cast AA1050, AA3104, and AA5182

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Haaften, W. M.; Magnin, B.; Kool, W. H.; Katgerman, L.

    2002-07-01

    Recent thermomechanical modeling to calculate the stress field in industrially direct-chill (DC) cast-aluminum slabs has been successful, but lack of material data limits the accuracy of these calculations. Therefore, the constitutive behavior of three aluminum alloys (AA1050, AA3104, and AA5182) was determined in the as-cast condition using tensile tests at low strain rates and from room temperature to solidus temperature. The parameters of two constitutive equations, the extended Ludwik equation and a combination of the Sellars-Tegart equation with a hardening law, were determined. In order to study the effect of recovery, the constitutive behavior after prestraining at higher temperatures was also investigated. To evaluate the quantified constitutive equations, tensile tests were performed simulating the deformation and cooling history experienced by the material during casting. It is concluded that both constitutive equations perform well, but the combined hardening-Sellars-Tegart (HST) equation has temperature-independent parameters, which makes it easier to implement in a DC casting model. Further, the deformation history of the ingot should be taken into account for accurate stress calculations.

  1. Biochemical and molecular characterization of a detergent-stable serine alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus CBS with high catalytic efficiency.

    PubMed

    Jaouadi, Bassem; Ellouz-Chaabouni, Semia; Rhimi, Moez; Bejar, Samir

    2008-09-01

    We have described previously the potential use of an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus CBS as an effective additive in laundry detergent formulations [B. Jaouadi, S. Ellouz-Chaabouni, M. Ben Ali, E. Ben Messaoud, B. Naili, A. Dhouib, S. Bejar, A novel alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus CBS having a high compatibility with laundry detergent and a high feather-degrading activity, Process Biochem, submitted for publication]. Here, we purified this enzyme (named SAPB) and we cloned, sequenced and over-expressed the corresponding gene. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity using salt precipitation and gel filtration HPLC. The pure protease was found to be monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 34598.19Da as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The NH2-terminal sequence of first 21 amino acids (aa) of the purified SAPB was AQTVPYGIPQIKAPAVHAQGY and was completely identical to proteases from other Bacillus pumilus species. This protease is strongly inhibited by PMSF and DFP, showing that it belongs to the serine proteases superfamily. Interestingly, the optimum pH is 10.6 while the optimum temperature was determined to be 65 degrees C. The enzyme was completely stable within a wide range of pH (7.0-10.6) and temperature (30-55 degrees C). One of the distinguishing properties is its catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) calculated to be 45,265min(-1)mM(-1) and 147,000min(-1)mM(-1) using casein and AAPF as substrates, respectively, which is higher than that of Subtilisin Carlsberg, Subtilisin BPN' and Subtilisin 309 determined under the same conditions. In addition, SAPB showed remarkable stability, for 24h at 40 degrees C, in the presence of 5% Tween-80, 1% SDS, 15% urea and 10% H2O2, which comprise the common bleach-based detergent formulation. The sapB gene encoding SAPB was cloned, sequenced and over-expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant enzyme (rSAPB) has the same physicochemical and kinetic properties as the native one. SapB gene had

  2. Negative Affect, Relapse, and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Does AA Work by Reducing Anger?*

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, John F.; Stout, Robert L.; Tonigan, J. Scott; Magill, Molly; Pagano, Maria E.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: Anger and other indices of negative affect have been implicated in a stress-induced pathway to relapse. The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) literature states that reduction of anger is critical to recovery, yet this proposed mechanism has rarely been investigated. Using lagged, controlled hierarchical linear modeling analyses, this study investigated whether AA attendance mobilized changes in anger and whether such changes explained AA-related benefit. Method: Alcohol-dependent adults (N = 1,706) receiving treatment as part of a clinical trial were assessed at intake and at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. Results: Findings revealed substantially elevated levels of anger compared with the general population (98th percentile) that decreased over 15-month follow-up but remained high (89th percentile). AA attendance was associated with better drinking outcomes, and higher levels of anger were associated with heavier drinking. However, AA attendance was unrelated to changes in anger. Conclusions: Although support was not found for anger as a mediator, there was strong convergence between AA's explicit emphasis on anger and the present findings: Anger appears to be a serious, enduring problem related to relapse and heavy alcohol consumption. Methodological factors may have contributed to the lack of association between AA and anger, but results suggest that AA attendance alone may be insufficient to alleviate the suffering and alcohol-related risks specifically associated with anger. PMID:20409438

  3. Insights from the genome of a high alkaline cellulase producing Aspergillus fumigatus strain obtained from Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

    PubMed

    Paul, Sujay; Zhang, Angel; Ludeña, Yvette; Villena, Gretty K; Yu, Fengan; Sherman, David H; Gutiérrez-Correa, Marcel

    2017-06-10

    Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a high alkaline cellulase producing Aspergillus fumigatus strain LMB-35Aa isolated from soil of Peruvian Amazon rainforest. The genome is ∼27.5mb in size, comprises of 228 scaffolds with an average GC content of 50%, and is predicted to contain a total of 8660 protein-coding genes. Of which, 6156 are with known function; it codes for 607 putative CAZymes families potentially involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Several important cellulose degrading genes, such as endoglucanase A, endoglucanase B, endoglucanase D and beta-glucosidase, are also identified. The genome of A. fumigatus strain LMB-35Aa represents the first whole sequenced genome of non-clinical, high cellulase producing A. fumigatus strain isolated from forest soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. The cytochrome P450 2AA gene cluster in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Expression of CYP2AA1 and CYP2AA2 and response to phenobarbital-type inducers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kubota, Akira; Bainy, Afonso C.D.; Departamento de Bioquímica, CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC 88040-900

    2013-10-01

    The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2 gene family is the largest and most diverse CYP gene family in vertebrates. In zebrafish, we have identified 10 genes in a new subfamily, CYP2AA, which does not show orthology to any human or other mammalian CYP genes. Here we report evolutionary and structural relationships of the 10 CYP2AA genes and expression of the first two genes, CYP2AA1 and CYP2AA2. Parsimony reconstruction of the tandem duplication pattern for the CYP2AA cluster suggests that CYP2AA1, CYP2AA2 and CYP2AA3 likely arose in the earlier duplication events and thus are most diverged in function from the other CYP2AAs.more » On the other hand, CYP2AA8 and CYP2AA9 are genes that arose in the latest duplication event, implying functional similarity between these two CYPs. A molecular model of CYP2AA1 showing the sequence conservation across the CYP2AA cluster reveals that the regions with the highest variability within the cluster map onto CYP2AA1 near the substrate access channels, suggesting differing substrate specificities. Zebrafish CYP2AA1 transcript was expressed predominantly in the intestine, while CYP2AA2 was most highly expressed in the kidney, suggesting differing roles in physiology. In the liver CYP2AA2 expression but not that of CYP2AA1, was increased by 1,4-bis [2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)] benzene (TCPOBOP) and, to a lesser extent, by phenobarbital (PB). In contrast, pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN) increased CYP2AA1 expression, but not CYP2AA2 in the liver. The results identify a CYP2 subfamily in zebrafish that includes genes apparently induced by PB-type chemicals and PXR agonists, the first concrete in vivo evidence for a PB-type response in fish. - Highlights: • A tandemly duplicated cluster of ten CYP2AA genes was described in zebrafish. • Parsimony and duplication analyses suggest pathways to CYP2AA diversity. • Homology models reveal amino acid positions possibly related to functional diversity. • The CYP2AA locus does not share

  5. Longitudinal study of experimental induction of AA amyloidosis in mice seeded with homologous and heterologous AA fibrils.

    PubMed

    Muhammad, Naeem; Murakami, Tomoaki; Inoshima, Yasuo; Ishiguro, Naotaka

    2016-09-01

    To investigate pathogenesis and kinetics of experimentally induced murine AA amyloidosis seeded with homologous (murine) and heterologous (bovine) AA fibrils. Experimental AA amyloidosis was induced by administration of inflammatory stimulus and preformed AA fibrils to a total of 111 female C57/Black mice. In this longitudinal study, heterologous (bovine) as well as homologous (murine) AA fibrils were injected intraperitoneally to mice in various combinations. Re-stimulation was done at 120 or 300 days post first inoculation. To analyze the intensity of amyloid depositions in mice organs, immunohistochemical techniques and image J software were used. Assessment of cytokines level in sera was done using a Mouse Th1/Th2/Th17 Cytokine CBA Kit. Incidence and severity of AA amyloidosis were quite low in mice inoculated with heterologous bovine AA fibrils than homologous murine one. Homologous AA fibrils administration at first and second inoculation caused maximum amount of amyloid depositions and severe systemic form of amyloidosis. Increase in the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was observed after first inoculation, while second inoculation caused a further increase in the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. AA amyloidosis can be induced by heterologous as well as homologous AA fibrils. Severity of AA amyloidosis induced with homologous AA fibrils is higher compared to heterologous AA fibrils.

  6. Characterization of the radical-scavenging reaction of 2-O-substituted ascorbic acid derivatives, AA-2G, AA-2P, and AA-2S: a kinetic and stoichiometric study.

    PubMed

    Takebayashi, Jun; Tai, Akihiro; Gohda, Eiichi; Yamamoto, Itaru

    2006-04-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize the antioxidant activity of three ascorbic acid (AA) derivatives O-substituted at the C-2 position of AA: ascorbic acid 2-glucoside (AA-2G), ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AA-2P), and ascorbic acid 2-sulfate (AA-2S). The radical-scavenging activities of these AA derivatives and some common low molecular-weight antioxidants such as uric acid or glutathione against 1,1-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS+), or galvinoxyl radical were kinetically and stoichiometrically evaluated under pH-controlled conditions. Those AA derivatives slowly and continuously reacted with DPPH radical and ABTS+, but not with galvinoxyl radical. They effectively reacted with DPPH radical under acidic conditions and with ABTS+ under neutral conditions. In contrast, AA immediately quenched all species of radicals tested at all pH values investigated. The reactivity of Trolox, a water-soluble vitamin E analogue, was comparable to that of AA in terms of kinetics and stoichiometrics. Uric acid and glutathione exhibited long-lasting radical-scavenging activity against these radicals under certain pH conditions. The radical-scavenging profiles of AA derivatives were closer to those of uric acid and glutathione rather than to that of AA. The number of radicals scavenged by one molecule of AA derivatives, uric acid, or glutathione was equal to or greater than that by AA or Trolox under the appropriate conditions. These data suggest the potential usage of AA derivatives as radical scavengers.

  7. Detection of AA76, a Common Form of Amyloid A Protein, as a Way of Diagnosing AA Amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Sato, Junji; Okuda, Yasuaki; Kuroda, Takeshi; Yamada, Toshiyuki

    2016-01-01

    Reactive amyloid deposits consist of amyloid A (AA) proteins, the degradation products of serum amyloid A (SAA). Since the most common species of AA is the amino terminal portion produced by cleavage between residues 76 and 77 of SAA (AA76), the presence of AA76 in tissues could be a consequence of AA amyloid deposition. This study assessed the diagnostic significance of the detection of AA76 for AA amyloidosis using two different approaches. Biopsy specimens (n=130 from 54 subjects) from gastroduodenal mucosa or abdominal fat (n=9 from 9 subjects) of patients who had already been diagnosed with or were suspected of having AA amyloidosis were used. Fixed mucosal sections were subjected to immunohistochemistry using a newly developed antibody recognizing the carboxyl terminal end of AA76 (anti-AA76). The non-fixed materials from gastroduodenal mucosa or abdominal fat were subjected to immunoblotting for detection of the size of AA76. Among the gastroduodenal specimens (n=115) from already diagnosed patients, the positive rates of Congo red staining, immunohistochemistry using anti-AA76, and immunoblotting were 68.4%, 73.0%, and 92.2%, respectively. The anti-AA76 did not stain the supposed SAA in the blood or leakage, which was stained by anti-SAA antibody. AA76 was not detected either by immunohistochemistry or by immunoblot in the materials from patients in whom AA amyloidosis had been ruled out. In the abdominal fat, the immunoblot detected AA76 in 8 materials from 8 already diagnosed patients and did not in 1 patient whose gastroduodenal mucosa was negative. In conclusion, the detection of AA76 may alter the ability to diagnose AA amyloidosis. In immunohistochemistry for fixed specimens, the new anti-AA76 antibody can improve the specificity. Immunoblot for non-fixed materials, which can considerably improve the sensitivity, should be beneficial for small materials like abdominal fat. © 2016 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

  8. Prophylactic treatment with alkaline phosphatase in cardiac surgery induces endogenous alkaline phosphatase release.

    PubMed

    Kats, Suzanne; Brands, Ruud; Hamad, Mohamed A Soliman; Seinen, Willem; Scharnhorst, Volkher; Wulkan, Raymond W; Schönberger, Jacques P; Oeveren, Wim van

    2012-02-01

    Laboratory and clinical data have implicated endotoxin as an important factor in the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass. We assessed the effects of the administration of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (bIAP), an endotoxin detoxifier, on alkaline phosphatase levels in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. A total of 63 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were enrolled and prospectively randomized. Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (n=32) or placebo (n=31) was administered as an intravenous bolus followed by continuous infusion for 36 hours. The primary endpoint was to evaluate alkaline phosphatase levels in both groups and to find out if administration of bIAP to patients undergoing CABG would lead to endogenous alkaline phosphatase release. No significant adverse effects were identified in either group. In all the 32 patients of the bIAP-treated group, we found an initial rise of plasma alkaline phosphatase levels due to bolus administration (464.27±176.17 IU/L). A significant increase of plasma alkaline phosphatase at 4-6 hours postoperatively was observed (354.97±95.00 IU/L) as well. Using LHA inhibition, it was shown that this second peak was caused by the generation of tissue non specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP-type alkaline phosphatase). Intravenous bolus administration plus 8 hours continuous infusion of alkaline phosphatase in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass results in endogenous alkaline phosphatase release. This endogenous alkaline phosphatase may play a role in the immune defense system.

  9. Determination of trace alkaline phosphatase by solid-substrate room-temperature phosphorimetry based on Triticum vulgare lectin labeled with fullerenol.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jia-Ming; Gao, Fei; Huang, Hong-Hua; Zeng, Li-Qing; Huang, Xiao-Mei; Zhu, Guo-Hui; Li, Zhi-Ming

    2008-04-01

    Fullerenol (F) shows a strong and stable room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal on the surface of nitrocellulose membrane (NCM) at lambda ex max/ lambda em max =542.0/709.4 nm. When modified by dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS), fullerenol emits a stronger signal. It was also found that quantitative specific affinity-adsorption reaction can be carried out between Triticum vulgare lectin (WGA) labeled with DBS-F and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) on the surface of NCM, and the product obtained (WGA-ALP-WGA-F-DBS) emits a strong and stable RTP signal. Furthermore, the content of ALP was proportional to the DeltaI(p) value. Based on the facts above, a new method for the determination of trace amounts of ALP by affinity-adsorption solid-substrate room-temperature phosphorimetry (AA-SS-RTP) was established, using fullerenol modified with DBS to label WGA. The detection limit was 0.011 fg spot(-1) (corresponding concentration: 2.8x10(-14) g ml(-1), namely 2.8x10(-16) mol l(-1)). This method with high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision has been successfully applied to the determination of the content of ALP in human serum survey and forecast human disease, and the results are tallied with those using alkaline phosphatase kits. The mechanism for the determination of ALP using AA-SS-RTP was also discussed.

  10. [Risk control of traditional Chinese medicines containing aristolochis acids (AAs) based on influencing factors of content of AAs].

    PubMed

    Tian, Jing-Zhuo; Liang, Ai-Hua; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Bo-Li

    2017-12-01

    Aristolochic acids (AAs) widely exist in such plants as Aristolochia and Asarum. The renal toxicity of AAs as well as its carcinogenicity to urinary system have been widely known. In 2003 and 2004, China prohibited the use of Aristolochiae Radix, Aristolochiae Manshuriensis Caulis and Aristolochiae Fangchi Radix, and required administering other AAs-containing medicines in accordance with the regulations for prescription drugs. In this paper, we retrieved literatures on the content determination of AAs in recent 10 years in China. It suggested that the AAs content is lower in Asarum herb, especially in its roots and rhizomes, and most of which do not show detectable amount of AA-I. Some of traditional Chinese medicines show fairly small amount of detectable AA-I. The AAs content in Aristolochia herb (including Fructus Aristolochiae, kaempfer dutchmanspipe root) is relatively high; however, there are fewer literatures for studying the content determination of AAs in Chinese patent medicines. There were many factors affecting AAs content, including the parts used, origins, processing methods, extraction process. It suggested that we should pay attention to the toxicity of Chinese medicines containing AAs and use these decoction pieces and traditional Chinese medicines cautiously. In addition, basic studies for the origins, processing methods and extraction process of Chinese patent medicines containing AAs, as well as supervision and detection of AAs content in traditional Chinese medicinal materials, decoction pieces and Chinese patent medicines shall be strengthened for reducing medication risk and guaranteeing clinical medication safety. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  11. Laboratory Astrophysics Division of The AAS (LAD)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salama, Farid; Drake, R. P.; Federman, S. R.; Haxton, W. C.; Savin, D. W.

    2012-10-01

    The purpose of the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) is to advance our understanding of the Universe through the promotion of fundamental theoretical and experimental research into the underlying processes that drive the Cosmos. LAD represents all areas of astrophysics and planetary sciences. The first new AAS Division in more than 30 years, the LAD traces its history back to the recommendation from the scientific community via the White Paper from the 2006 NASA-sponsored Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop. This recommendation was endorsed by the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC), which advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on selected issues within the fields of astronomy and astrophysics that are of mutual interest and concern to the agencies. In January 2007, at the 209th AAS meeting, the AAS Council set up a Steering Committee to formulate Bylaws for a Working Group on Laboratory Astrophysics (WGLA). The AAS Council formally established the WGLA with a five-year mandate in May 2007, at the 210th AAS meeting. From 2008 through 2012, the WGLA annually sponsored Meetings in-a-Meeting at the AAS Summer Meetings. In May 2011, at the 218th AAS meeting, the AAS Council voted to convert the WGLA, at the end of its mandate, into a Division of the AAS and requested draft Bylaws from the Steering Committee. In January 2012, at the 219th AAS Meeting, the AAS Council formally approved the Bylaws and the creation of the LAD. The inaugural gathering and the first business meeting of the LAD were held at the 220th AAS meeting in Anchorage in June 2012. You can learn more about LAD by visiting its website at http://lad.aas.org/ and by subscribing to its mailing list.

  12. Laboratory Astrophysics Division of the AAS (LAD)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Salama, Farid; Drake, R. P.; Federman, S. R.; Haxton, W. C.; Savin, D. W.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) is to advance our understanding of the Universe through the promotion of fundamental theoretical and experimental research into the underlying processes that drive the Cosmos. LAD represents all areas of astrophysics and planetary sciences. The first new AAS Division in more than 30 years, the LAD traces its history back to the recommendation from the scientific community via the White Paper from the 2006 NASA-sponsored Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop. This recommendation was endorsed by the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC), which advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on selected issues within the fields of astronomy and astrophysics that are of mutual interest and concern to the agencies. In January 2007, at the 209th AAS meeting, the AAS Council set up a Steering Committee to formulate Bylaws for a Working Group on Laboratory Astrophysics (WGLA). The AAS Council formally established the WGLA with a five-year mandate in May 2007, at the 210th AAS meeting. From 2008 through 2012, the WGLA annually sponsored Meetings in-a-Meeting at the AAS Summer Meetings. In May 2011, at the 218th AAS meeting, the AAS Council voted to convert the WGLA, at the end of its mandate, into a Division of the AAS and requested draft Bylaws from the Steering Committee. In January 2012, at the 219th AAS Meeting, the AAS Council formally approved the Bylaws and the creation of the LAD. The inaugural gathering and the first business meeting of the LAD were held at the 220th AAS meeting in Anchorage in June 2012. You can learn more about LAD by visiting its website at http://lad.aas.org/ and by subscribing to its mailing list.

  13. 40 CFR Table Aa-2 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for CH4 and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for CH4 and N2O AA Table AA-2 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Manufacturing Pt. 98, Subpt. AA, Table AA -2 Table AA-2 to Subpart AA of Part 98—Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner...

  14. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Aa of... - Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA A Appendix A to Subpart AA of Part 63 Protection of... Hazardous Air Pollutants From Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. AA, App. A Appendix A to Subpart AA of Part 63—Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA 40 CFR...

  15. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Aa of... - Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA A Appendix A to Subpart AA of Part 63 Protection of... Hazardous Air Pollutants From Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. AA, App. A Appendix A to Subpart AA of Part 63—Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA 40 CFR...

  16. AAS Statistics and the 60% Cohort

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marvel, K. B.

    2004-05-01

    I will present the latest statistics available describing the gender of the AAS membership including an update on the so-called 60% cohort (that group of AAS members from the ages of 18 to 25 who are 60% women and 40% men). The AAS membership has changed significantly in the past 30 years from an overall female membership percentage of about 10% to a level around 30% today. This trend is accelerating and indicates the ongoing inclusion of women in the physical sciences, especially astronomy. By the year 2030, the AAS membership should reach gender parity if the present trend continues.

  17. Activity of vegetative insecticidal proteins Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 of Bacillus thuringiensis against lepidopteran pests.

    PubMed

    Baranek, Jakub; Kaznowski, Adam; Konecka, Edyta; Naimov, Samir

    2015-09-01

    Vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) secreted by some isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis show activity against insects and are regarded as insecticides against pests. A number of B. thuringiensis strains harbouring vip3A genes were isolated from different sources and identified by using a PCR based approach. The isolates with the highest insecticidal activity were indicated in screening tests, and their vip genes were cloned and sequenced. The analysis revealed two polymorphic Vip protein forms, which were classified as Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59. After expression of the vip genes, the proteins were isolated and characterized. The activity of both toxins was estimated against economically important lepidopteran pests of woodlands (Dendrolimus pini), orchards (Cydia pomonella) and field crops (Spodoptera exigua). Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 were highly toxic and their potency surpassed those of many Cry proteins used in commercial bioinsecticides. Vip3Aa59 revealed similar larvicidal activity as Vip3Aa58 against S. exigua and C. pomonella. Despite 98% similarity of amino acid sequences of both proteins, Vip3Aa59 was significantly more active against D. pini. Additionally the effect of proteolytic activation of Vip58Aa and Vip3Aa59 on toxicity of D. pini and S. exigua was studied. Both Vip3Aa proteins did not show any activity against Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera) larvae. The results suggest that the Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 toxins might be useful for controlling populations of insect pests of crops and forests. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Mineralogical, petrological and geochemical aspects of alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite associations from Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morbidelli, L.; Gomes, C. B.; Beccaluva, L.; Brotzu, P.; Conte, A. M.; Ruberti, E.; Traversa, G.

    1995-12-01

    A general description of Mesozoic and Tertiary (Fortaleza) Brazilian alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite districts is presented with reference to mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry and geochronology. It mainly refers to scientific results obtained during the last decade by an Italo-Brazilian research team. Alkaline occurrences are distributed across Brazilian territory from the southern (Piratini, Rio Grande do Sul State) to the northeastern (Fortaleza, Ceará State) regions and are mainly concentrated along the borders of the Paraná Basin generally coinciding with important tectonic lineaments. The most noteworthy characteristics of these alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite suites are: (i) prevalence of intrusive forms; (ii) abundance of cumulate assemblages (minor dunites, frequent clinopyroxenites and members of the ijolite series) and (iii) abundance of evolved rock-types. Many data demonstrate that crystal fractionation was the main process responsible for magma evolution of all Brazilian alkaline rocks. A hypothesis is proposed for the genesis of carbonatite liquids by immiscibility processes. The incidence of REE and trace elements for different major groups of lithotypes, belonging both to carbonatite-bearing and carbonatite-free districts, are documented. Sr and preliminary Nd isotopic data are indicative of a mantle origin for the least evolved magmas of all the studied occurrences. Mantle source material and melting models for the generation of the Brazilian alkaline magma types are also discussed.

  19. Alkaline "Permanent" Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pacey, Antony

    1991-01-01

    Discussion of paper manufacturing processes and their effects on library materials focuses on the promotion of alkaline "permanent" paper, with less acid, by Canadian library preservation specialists. Standards for paper acidity are explained; advantages of alkaline paper are described, including decreased manufacturing costs; and…

  20. Co-expression of AaPMT and AaTRI effectively enhances the yields of tropane alkaloids in Anisodus acutangulus hairy roots

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Tropane alkaloids (TA) including anisodamine, anisodine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine are a group of important anticholinergic drugs with rapidly increasing market demand, so it is significant to improve TA production by biotechnological approaches. Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) was considered as the first rate-limiting upstream enzyme while tropinone reductase I (TRI) was an important branch-controlling enzyme involved in TA biosynthesis. However, there is no report on simultaneous introduction of PMT and TRI genes into any TA-producing plant including Anisodus acutangulus (A. acutangulus), which is a Solanaceous perennial plant that is endemic to China and is an attractive resource plant for production of TA. Results In this study, 21 AaPMT and AaTRI double gene transformed lines (PT lines), 9 AaPMT single gene transformed lines (P lines) and 5 AaTRI single gene transformed lines (T lines) were generated. RT-PCR and real-time fluorescence quantitative analysis results revealed that total AaPMT (AaPMT T) and total AaTRI (AaTRI T) gene transcripts in transgenic PT, P and T lines showed higher expression levels than native AaPMT (AaPMT E) and AaTRI (AaTRI E) gene transcripts. As compared to the control and single gene transformed lines (P or T lines), PT transgenic hairy root lines produced significantly higher levels of TA. The highest yield of TA was detected as 8.104 mg/g dw in line PT18, which was 8.66, 4.04, and 3.11-times higher than those of the control (0.935 mg/g dw), P3 (highest in P lines, 2.004 mg/g dw) and T12 (highest in T lines, 2.604 mg/g dw), respectively. All the tested samples were found to possess strong radical scavenging capacity, which were similar to control. Conclusion In the present study, the co-expression of AaPMT and AaTRI genes in A. acutangulus hairy roots significantly improved the yields of TA and showed higher antioxidant activity than control because of higher total TA content, which is the first report on

  1. Microstructural features of friction stir welded dissimilar Aluminium alloys AA2219-AA7475

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaman Khan, Noor; Ubaid, Mohammed; Siddiquee, Arshad Noor; Khan, Zahid A.; Al-Ahmari, Abdulrahman; Chen, Xizhang; Haider Abidi, Mustufa

    2018-05-01

    High strength, good corrosion resistance, light weight make aluminium alloys a material of choice in many industrial sectors like aerospace, marine etc. Problems associated with welding of these alloys by fusion welding processes restricted their use in various industries. Friction stir welding (FSW), a clean solid-state joining process, easily overcomes various difficulties encountered during conventional fusion welding processes. In the present work, the effect of rotational speed (710 rpm, 900 rpm and 1120 rpm) on micro-hardness distribution and microstructure of FSWed dissimilar aluminium alloy joints were analyzed. Plates of AA7475-T761 and AA2219-O having thickness of 2.5 mm were welded by fixing AA7475 on retreating side (RS) and AA2219 on advancing side (AS). Welded joints were characterized by Vickers micro-hardness testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). Results revealed that rotational speed significantly affects the micro-hardness due to increase in grain size, coarsening and dissolution of strengthening precipitates and re-precipitation. Higher micro-hardness values were observed in stir zone due to grain refinement and re-precipitation. Minimum micro-hardness value was observed at the TMAZ/HAZ of advancing side due to thermal softening.

  2. Experimental transmission of AA amyloidosis by injecting the AA amyloid protein into interleukin-1 receptor antagonist knockout (IL-1raKO) mice.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, K; Uchida, K; Chambers, J K; Tei, M; Shoji, A; Ushio, N; Nakayama, H

    2015-05-01

    The incidence of AA amyloidosis is high in humans with rheumatoid arthritis and several animal species, including cats and cattle with prolonged inflammation. AA amyloidosis can be experimentally induced in mice using severe inflammatory stimuli and a coinjection of AA amyloid; however, difficulties have been associated with transmitting AA amyloidosis to a different animal species, and this has been attributed to the "species barrier." The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist knockout (IL-1raKO) mouse, a rodent model of human rheumatoid arthritis, has been used in the transmission of AA amyloid. When IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with mouse AA amyloid together with a subcutaneous pretreatment of 2% AgNO3, all mice from both strains that were injected with crude or purified murine AA amyloid developed AA amyloidosis. However, the amyloid index, which was determined by the intensity of AA amyloid deposition, was significantly higher in IL-1raKO mice than in BALB/c mice. When IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were injected with crude or purified bovine AA amyloid together with the pretreatment, 83% (5/6 cases) and 38% (3/8 cases) of IL-1raKO mice and 17% (1/6 cases) and 0% (0/6 cases) of BALB/c mice, respectively, developed AA amyloidosis. Similarly, when IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were injected with crude or purified feline AA amyloid, 33% (2/6 cases) and 88% (7/8 cases) of IL-1raKO mice and 0% (0/6 cases) and 29% (2/6 cases) of BALB/c mice, respectively, developed AA amyloidosis. These results indicated that IL-1raKO mice are a useful animal model for investigating AA amyloidogenesis. © The Author(s) 2014.

  3. 40 CFR Table Aa-1 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O AA Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... Paper Manufacturing Pt. 98, Subpt. AA, Table AA-1 Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98—Kraft Pulping...

  4. 40 CFR Table Aa-1 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O AA Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... Paper Manufacturing Pt. 98, Subpt. AA, Table AA-1 Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98—Kraft Pulping...

  5. 40 CFR Table Aa-1 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O AA Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... Paper Manufacturing Pt. 98, Subpt. AA, Table AA-1 Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98—Kraft Pulping...

  6. 40 CFR Table Aa-1 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Kraft Pulping Liquor Emissions Factors for Biomass-Based CO2, CH4, and N2O AA Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... Paper Manufacturing Pt. 98, Subpt. AA, Table AA-1 Table AA-1 to Subpart AA of Part 98—Kraft Pulping...

  7. [Intra-household distribution of energy and macronutrients in Colombian households].

    PubMed

    Ardila, Víctor A; Prada, Gloria E; Herrán, Oscar F

    2013-01-01

    Knowing the intra-household distribution of dietary intake is useful to establish food policy. To estimate the intra-household distribution of energy and macronutrients by kinship in Colombian households. We applied two recalls of dietary intake for the last 24 hours (R24H) in 1,505 subjects living in 432 households. Usual intake was calculated for each subject, aggregated for each household and calculated the share (%) for each of its members. Participation data was adjusted in linear models for age, gender, body mass index, energy requirement, socioeconomic levels, education and household size. The head of the household participates on average in 27.4% (95% CI: 26.5 to 28.2) of the total energy, without sex differences or if they contribute to the household income or not. The participation of unrelated subjects was 30.3% (95% CI: 25.3 to 35.3), and 26.0% (95% CI: 22.7 to 29.3) of the siblings of the head of the household, which is equivalent to that of the head of the household. By adjusting participation, the grandson becomes important with 29.8% (95% CI: 27.4 to 30.9). Men participate more than women (p<0.05). Even in smaller households, participation is lower if the economic level is low and they are receiving food aids (p<0.05). In the context of the structures of power and authority, the need for a cultural intervention with nutritional purposes to modify the principles of contribution, necessity, equity and demand emerges. Inequality is evident in the distribution.

  8. Genesis of rare-metal pegmatites and alkaline apatite-fluorite rocks of Burpala massi, Northern Baikal folded zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sotnikova, Irina; Vladykin, Nikolai

    2015-04-01

    Burpalinsky rare metal alkaline massif in the Northern Baikal folded zone in southern margin of Siberian Platform, is a of intrusion central type, created 287 Ma covering area of about 250 km2. It is composed of nepheline syenites and pulaskites grading to quartz syenites in the contacts. Veines and dykes are represented by shonkinites, sodalite syenite, leucocratic granophyres, alkali granites and numerous rare metal alkaline syenite pegmatites and two dykes of carbonatites. All rocks except for granites are cut by a large apatite-fluorite dyke rocks with mica and magnetite, which in turn is cut by alaskite granites dyke. The massif has been studied by A.M. Portnov, A.A. Ganzeev et al. (1992) Burpalinsky massif is highly enriched with trace elements, which are concentrated in pegmatite dykes. About 70 rare-metal minerals we found in massif. Zr-silicates: zircon, eudialyte, lovenite, Ti-lovenite, velerite, burpalite, seidozerite, Ca- seidozerite, Rosenbuschite, vlasovite, katapleite, Ca-katapleite, elpidite. Ti- minerals:- sphene, astrophyllite, ramsaite, Mn-neptunite bafertisite, chevkinite, Mn-ilmenite, pirofanite, Sr-perrerit, landauite, rutile, anatase, brookite; TR- minerals - loparite, metaloparite, britolite, rinkolite, melanocerite, bastnesite, parisite, ankilite, monazite, fluocerite, TR-apatite; Nb- minerals - pyrochlore, loparite. Other rare minerals leucophanite, hambergite, pyrochlore, betafite, torite, thorianite, tayniolite, brewsterite, cryolite and others. We have proposed a new scheme massif: shonkinites - nepheline syenites - alkaline syenite - quartz syenites - veined rocks: mariupolites, rare-metal pegmatites, apatite, fluorite rock alyaskite and alkaline granites and carbonatites (Sotnikova, 2009). Apatite-fluorite rocks are found in the central part of massif. This is a large vein body of 2 km length and a 20 m width cutting prevailing pulaskites. Previously, these rocks were regarded as hydrothermal low-temperature phase. New geological and

  9. Data on microbial and physiochemical characteristics of inlet and outlet water from household water treatment devices in Rasht, Iran.

    PubMed

    Naghipour, Dariush; Ashrafi, Seyed Davoud; Mojtahedi, Ali; Vatandoost, Masoud; Hosseinzadeh, Loghman; Roohbakhsh, Esmail

    2018-02-01

    In this research, we measured various parameters related to drinking water quality include turbidity, temperature, pH, EC, TDS, Alkalinity, fecal and total coliform, heterotrophic plate count (HPC), free chlorine, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Na, Cl - , F - , HCO 3 , in the inlet and outlet of household water treatment devices according to the standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (W.E. Federation and Association and A.P.H., 2005) [1]. Sixty four inlet and outlet water samples were taken from thirty two household water treatment devices from eight different residential blocks in Golsar town of Rasht, Iran. The data obtained from experiments were analyzed using the software Special Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 24) and MS-Excel.

  10. Obesity is a significant susceptibility factor for idiopathic AA amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Blank, Norbert; Hegenbart, Ute; Dietrich, Sascha; Brune, Maik; Beimler, Jörg; Röcken, Christoph; Müller-Tidow, Carsten; Lorenz, Hanns-Martin; Schönland, Stefan O

    2018-03-01

    To investigate obesity as susceptibility factor in patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis. Clinical, biochemical and genetic data were obtained from 146 patients with AA amyloidosis. Control groups comprised 40 patients with long-standing inflammatory diseases without AA amyloidosis and 56 controls without any inflammatory disease. Patients with AA amyloidosis had either familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) or long-standing rheumatic diseases as underlying inflammatory disease (n = 111, median age 46 years). However, in a significant proportion of patients with AA amyloidosis no primary disease was identified (idiopathic AA; n = 37, median age 60 years). Patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis were more obese and older than patients with AA amyloidosis secondary to FMF or rheumatic diseases. Serum leptin levels correlated with the body mass index (BMI) in all types of AA amyloidosis. Elevated leptin levels of more than 30 µg/l were detected in 18% of FMF/rheumatic + AA amyloidosis and in 40% of patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis (p = .018). Finally, the SAA1 polymorphism was confirmed as a susceptibility factor for AA amyloidosis irrespective of the type of the disease. Obesity, age and the SAA1 polymorphism are susceptibility factors for idiopathic AA amyloidosis. Recent advances in treatment of FMF and rheumatic disorders will decrease the incidence of AA amyloidosis due to these diseases. Idiopathic AA, however, might be an emerging problem in the ageing and increasingly obese population.

  11. AAS Career Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marvel, Kevin B.

    2012-08-01

    The American Astronomical Society provides substantial programs in the area of Career Services.Motivated by the Society's mission to enhance and share humanity's understanding of the Universe, the AAS provides a central resource for advertising positions, interviewing opportunities at its annual winter meeting and information, workshops and networks to enable astronomers to find employment.The programs of the Society in this area are overseen by an active committee on employment and the AAS Council itself.Additional resources that help characterize the field, its growth and facts about employment such as salaries and type of jobs available are regularly summarized and reported on by the American Institute of Physics.

  12. WEEE and portable batteries in residual household waste: quantification and characterisation of misplaced waste.

    PubMed

    Bigum, Marianne; Petersen, Claus; Christensen, Thomas H; Scheutz, Charlotte

    2013-11-01

    A total of 26.1Mg of residual waste from 3129 households in 12 Danish municipalities was analysed and revealed that 89.6kg of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), 11kg of batteries, 2.2kg of toners and 16kg of cables had been wrongfully discarded. This corresponds to a Danish household discarding 29g of WEEE (7 items per year), 4g of batteries (9 batteries per year), 1g of toners and 7g of unidentifiable cables on average per week, constituting 0.34% (w/w), 0.04% (w/w), 0.01% (w/w) and 0.09% (w/w), respectively, of residual waste. The study also found that misplaced WEEE and batteries in the residual waste constituted 16% and 39%, respectively, of what is being collected properly through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. This shows that a large amount of batteries are being discarded with the residual waste, whereas WEEE seems to be collected relatively successfully through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. Characterisation of the misplaced batteries showed that 20% (w/w) of the discarded batteries were discarded as part of WEEE (built-in). Primarily alkaline batteries, carbon zinc batteries and alkaline button cell batteries were found to be discarded with the residual household waste. Characterisation of WEEE showed that primarily small WEEE (WEEE directive categories 2, 5a, 6, 7 and 9) and light sources (WEEE directive category 5b) were misplaced. Electric tooth brushes, watches, clocks, headphones, flashlights, bicycle lights, and cables were items most frequently found. It is recommended that these findings are taken into account when designing new or improving existing special waste collection schemes. Improving the collection of WEEE is also recommended as one way to also improve the collection of batteries due to the large fraction of batteries found as built-in. The findings in this study were comparable to other western European studies, suggesting that the recommendations made in this study could apply to other

  13. Alkaline pH sensor molecules.

    PubMed

    Murayama, Takashi; Maruyama, Ichiro N

    2015-11-01

    Animals can survive only within a narrow pH range. This requires continual monitoring of environmental and body-fluid pH. Although a variety of acidic pH sensor molecules have been reported, alkaline pH sensor function is not well understood. This Review describes neuronal alkaline pH sensors, grouped according to whether they monitor extracellular or intracellular alkaline pH. Extracellular sensors include the receptor-type guanylyl cyclase, the insulin receptor-related receptor, ligand-gated Cl- channels, connexin hemichannels, two-pore-domain K+ channels, and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Intracellular sensors include TRP channels and gap junction channels. Identification of molecular mechanisms underlying alkaline pH sensing is crucial for understanding how animals respond to environmental alkaline pH and how body-fluid pH is maintained within a narrow range. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Alkaline battery operational methodology

    DOEpatents

    Sholklapper, Tal; Gallaway, Joshua; Steingart, Daniel; Ingale, Nilesh; Nyce, Michael

    2016-08-16

    Methods of using specific operational charge and discharge parameters to extend the life of alkaline batteries are disclosed. The methods can be used with any commercial primary or secondary alkaline battery, as well as with newer alkaline battery designs, including batteries with flowing electrolyte. The methods include cycling batteries within a narrow operating voltage window, with minimum and maximum cut-off voltages that are set based on battery characteristics and environmental conditions. The narrow voltage window decreases available capacity but allows the batteries to be cycled for hundreds or thousands of times.

  15. Proteolysis of serum amyloid A and AA amyloid proteins by cysteine proteases: cathepsin B generates AA amyloid proteins and cathepsin L may prevent their formation

    PubMed Central

    Rocken, C; Menard, R; Buhling, F; Vockler, S; Raynes, J; Stix, B; Kruger, S; Roessner, A; Kahne, T

    2005-01-01

    Background: AA amyloidosis develops in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. The AA amyloid proteins are proteolytic fragments obtained from serum amyloid A (SAA). Previous studies have provided evidence that endosomes or lysosomes might be involved in the processing of SAA, and contribute to the pathology of AA amyloidosis. Objective: To investigate the anatomical distribution of cathepsin (Cath) B and CathL in AA amyloidosis and their ability to process SAA and AA amyloid proteins. Methods and results: CathB and CathL were found immunohistochemically in every patient with AA amyloidosis and displayed a spatial relationship with amyloid in all the cases studied. Both degraded SAA and AA amyloid proteins in vitro. With the help of mass spectrometry 27 fragments were identified after incubation of SAA with CathB, nine of which resembled AA amyloid proteins, and seven fragments after incubation with CathL. CathL did not generate AA amyloid-like peptides. When native human AA amyloid proteins were used as a substrate 26 fragments were identified after incubation with CathB and 18 after incubation with CathL. Conclusion: The two most abundant and ubiquitously expressed lysosomal proteases can cleave SAA and AA amyloid proteins. CathB generates nine AA amyloid-like proteins by its carboxypeptidase activity, whereas CathL may prevent the formation of AA amyloid proteins by endoproteolytic activity within the N-terminal region of SAA. This is particularly interesting, because AA amyloidosis is a systemic disease affecting many organs and tissue types, almost all of which express CathB and CathL. PMID:15897303

  16. WEEE and portable batteries in residual household waste: Quantification and characterisation of misplaced waste

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bigum, Marianne, E-mail: mkkb@env.dtu.dk; Petersen, Claus, E-mail: claus_petersen@econet.dk; Christensen, Thomas H., E-mail: thho@env.dtu.dk

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • We analyse 26.1 Mg of residual waste from 3129 Danish households. • We quantify and characterise misplaced WEEE and portable batteries. • We compare misplaced WEEE and batteries to collection through dedicated schemes. • Characterisation showed that primarily small WEEE and light sources are misplaced. • Significant amounts of misplaced batteries were discarded as built-in WEEE. - Abstract: A total of 26.1 Mg of residual waste from 3129 households in 12 Danish municipalities was analysed and revealed that 89.6 kg of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), 11 kg of batteries, 2.2 kg of toners and 16 kgmore » of cables had been wrongfully discarded. This corresponds to a Danish household discarding 29 g of WEEE (7 items per year), 4 g of batteries (9 batteries per year), 1 g of toners and 7 g of unidentifiable cables on average per week, constituting 0.34% (w/w), 0.04% (w/w), 0.01% (w/w) and 0.09% (w/w), respectively, of residual waste. The study also found that misplaced WEEE and batteries in the residual waste constituted 16% and 39%, respectively, of what is being collected properly through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. This shows that a large amount of batteries are being discarded with the residual waste, whereas WEEE seems to be collected relatively successfully through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. Characterisation of the misplaced batteries showed that 20% (w/w) of the discarded batteries were discarded as part of WEEE (built-in). Primarily alkaline batteries, carbon zinc batteries and alkaline button cell batteries were found to be discarded with the residual household waste. Characterisation of WEEE showed that primarily small WEEE (WEEE directive categories 2, 5a, 6, 7 and 9) and light sources (WEEE directive category 5b) were misplaced. Electric tooth brushes, watches, clocks, headphones, flashlights, bicycle lights, and cables were items most frequently found. It is recommended that

  17. AAS Oral History Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Holbrook, Jarita; AAS Oral History Team

    2016-06-01

    Now in its fourth year, the AAS Oral History Project has interviewed over 80 astronomers from all over the world. Led by the AAS Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) and partially funded by the American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library and ongoing support from the AAS, volunteers have collected oral histories from astronomers at professional meetings starting in 2015, including AAS, DPS, and the IAU general assembly. Each interview lasts one and a half to two hours and focuses on interviewees’ personal and professional lives. Questions include those about one’s family, childhood, strong influences on one’s scientific career, career path, successes and challenges, perspectives on how astronomy is changing as a field, and advice to the next generation. Each interview is audio recorded and transcribed, the content of which is checked with each interviewee. Once complete, interview transcripts are posted online as part of a larger oral history library at https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/oral-histories. Future analysis will reveal a rich story of astronomers and will help the community address issues of diversity, controversies, and the changing landscape of science. We are still recruiting individuals to be interviewed from all stages of career from undergraduate students to retired and emeritus astronomers. Contact Jarita Holbrook to schedule an interview or to find out more information about the project (astroholbrook@gmail.com). Also, contact Jarita Holbrook if you would like to become an interviewer for the project.

  18. Anodes for alkaline electrolysis

    DOEpatents

    Soloveichik, Grigorii Lev [Latham, NY

    2011-02-01

    A method of making an anode for alkaline electrolysis cells includes adsorption of precursor material on a carbonaceous material, conversion of the precursor material to hydroxide form and conversion of precursor material from hydroxide form to oxy-hydroxide form within the alkaline electrolysis cell.

  19. Rating AAs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Susan J.

    2001-01-01

    Why alternative investments? In a word: performance. Many higher education endowment and foundation managers are making increasing commitments to alternative investments, or AAs, in order to obtain higher returns and broader diversification for their investment portfolios than public securities instruments can usually provide. Learn how to handle…

  20. Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding: Buffering at intermediate alkaline pH

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rudin, J.; Wasan, D.T.

    1993-11-01

    The alkaline flooding process involves injecting alkaline agents into the reservoir to produce more oil than is produced through conventional waterflooding. The interaction of the alkali in the flood water with the naturally occurring acids in the reservoir oil results in in-situ formation of soaps, which are partially responsible for lowering IFT and improving oil recovery. The extent to which IFT is lowered depends on the specific oil and injection water properties. Numerous investigators have attempted to clarify the relationship between system chemical composition and IFT. An experimental investigation of buffered alkaline flooding system chemistry was undertaken to determine themore » influence of various species present on interfacial tension (IFT) as a function of pH and ionic strength. IFT was found to go through an ultralow minimum in certain pH ranges. This synergism results from simultaneous adsorption of un-ionized and ionized acid species on the interface.« less

  1. 7 CFR 51.596 - U.S. Grade AA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false U.S. Grade AA. 51.596 Section 51.596 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks Grades § 51.596 U.S. Grade AA. U.S. Grade AA shall consist of stalks...

  2. 7 CFR 51.596 - U.S. Grade AA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false U.S. Grade AA. 51.596 Section 51.596 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks Grades § 51.596 U.S. Grade AA. U.S. Grade AA shall consist of stalks...

  3. An electrochemical microRNAs biosensor with the signal amplification of alkaline phosphatase and electrochemical-chemical-chemical redox cycling.

    PubMed

    Xia, Ning; Zhang, Youjuan; Wei, Xin; Huang, Yaping; Liu, Lin

    2015-06-09

    MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) have been regarded as clinically important biomarkers and drug discovery targets. In this work, we reported a simple and ultrasensitive electrochemical method for miRNAs detection based on single enzyme amplification and electrochemical-chemical-chemical (ECC) redox cycling. Specifically, upon contact with the target miRNAs, the hairpin structure of biotinylated DNA immobilized on gold electrode was destroyed and the biotin group in DNA was forced away from the electrode surface, allowing for the coupling of streptavidin-conjugated alkaline phosphatase (SA-ALP). Then, ascorbic acid (AA, the enzymatic product of ALP) triggered the ECC redox cycling with ferrocene methanol (FcM) and tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) as the redox mediator and the chemical reducing reagent, respectively. The method was more sensitive than that with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or glucose oxidase (GOx) triggered recycling since one ALP molecule captured by one target miRNA molecule promoted the production of thousands of AA. Analytical merits (e.g., detection limit, dynamic range, specificity, regeneration and reproducibility) were evaluated. The feasibility of the method for analysis of miRNA-21 in human serum has also been demonstrated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. 7 CFR 51.596 - U.S. Grade AA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false U.S. Grade AA. 51.596 Section 51.596 Agriculture..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks Grades § 51.596 U.S. Grade AA. U.S. Grade AA shall consist of stalks of celery of similar varietal characteristics, which are well...

  5. 7 CFR 51.596 - U.S. Grade AA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false U.S. Grade AA. 51.596 Section 51.596 Agriculture..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks Grades § 51.596 U.S. Grade AA. U.S. Grade AA shall consist of stalks of celery of similar varietal characteristics, which are well...

  6. Effect of alkaline addition on anaerobic sludge digestion with combined pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization.

    PubMed

    Fang, Wei; Zhang, Panyue; Zhang, Guangming; Jin, Shuguang; Li, Dongyi; Zhang, Meixia; Xu, Xiangzhe

    2014-09-01

    To improve anaerobic digestion efficiency, combination pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization was applied to pretreat sewage sludge. Effect of alkaline dosage on anaerobic sludge digestion was investigated in detail. SCOD of sludge supernatant significantly increased with the alkaline dosage increase after the combined pretreatment because of sludge disintegration. Organics were significantly degraded after the anaerobic digestion, and the maximal SCOD, TCOD and VS removal was 73.5%, 61.3% and 43.5%, respectively. Cumulative biogas production, methane content in biogas and biogas production rate obviously increased with the alkaline dosage increase. Considering both the biogas production and alkaline dosage, the optimal alkaline dosage was selected as 0.04 mol/L. Relationships between biogas production and sludge disintegration showed that the accumulative biogas was mainly enhanced by the sludge disintegration. The methane yield linearly increased with the DDCOD increase as Methane yield (ml/gVS)=4.66 DDCOD-9.69. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Pediatric reference intervals for alkaline phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Zierk, Jakob; Arzideh, Farhad; Haeckel, Rainer; Cario, Holger; Frühwald, Michael C; Groß, Hans-Jürgen; Gscheidmeier, Thomas; Hoffmann, Reinhard; Krebs, Alexander; Lichtinghagen, Ralf; Neumann, Michael; Ruf, Hans-Georg; Steigerwald, Udo; Streichert, Thomas; Rascher, Wolfgang; Metzler, Markus; Rauh, Manfred

    2017-01-01

    Interpretation of alkaline phosphatase activity in children is challenging due to extensive changes with growth and puberty leading to distinct sex- and age-specific dynamics. Continuous percentile charts from birth to adulthood allow accurate consideration of these dynamics and seem reasonable for an analyte as closely linked to growth as alkaline phosphatase. However, the ethical and practical challenges unique to pediatric reference intervals have restricted the creation of such percentile charts, resulting in limitations when clinical decisions are based on alkaline phosphatase activity. We applied an indirect method to generate percentile charts for alkaline phosphatase activity using clinical laboratory data collected during the clinical care of patients. A total of 361,405 samples from 124,440 patients from six German tertiary care centers and one German laboratory service provider measured between January 2004 and June 2015 were analyzed. Measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity was performed on Roche Cobas analyzers using the IFCC's photometric method. We created percentile charts for alkaline phosphatase activity in girls and boys from birth to 18 years which can be used as reference intervals. Additionally, data tables of age- and sex-specific percentile values allow the incorporation of these results into laboratory information systems. The percentile charts provided enable the appropriate differential diagnosis of changes in alkaline phosphatase activity due to disease and changes due to physiological development. After local validation, integration of the provided percentile charts into result reporting facilitates precise assessment of alkaline phosphatase dynamics in pediatrics.

  8. The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?

    PubMed Central

    Schwalfenberg, Gerry K.

    2012-01-01

    This review looks at the role of an alkaline diet in health. Pubmed was searched looking for articles on pH, potential renal acid loads, bone health, muscle, growth hormone, back pain, vitamin D and chemotherapy. Many books written in the lay literature on the alkaline diet were also reviewed and evaluated in light of the published medical literature. There may be some value in considering an alkaline diet in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases and further studies are warranted in this area of medicine. PMID:22013455

  9. States' Flexibility Waiver Plans for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS). Synthesis Report 96

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Edwards, Lynn M.; Thurlow, Martha L.; Hodgson, Jennifer R.

    2014-01-01

    All states have alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. For accountability purposes, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allows up to 1% of students to be counted as proficient with this assessment option. In 2011 the U.S. Department of…

  10. Characterization and quantification of biochar alkalinity.

    PubMed

    Fidel, Rivka B; Laird, David A; Thompson, Michael L; Lawrinenko, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Lack of knowledge regarding the nature of biochar alkalis has hindered understanding of pH-sensitive biochar-soil interactions. Here we investigate the nature of biochar alkalinity and present a cohesive suite of methods for its quantification. Biochars produced from cellulose, corn stover and wood feedstocks had significant low-pK a organic structural (0.03-0.34 meq g -1 ), other organic (0-0.92 meq g -1 ), carbonate (0.02-1.5 meq g -1 ), and other inorganic (0-0.26 meq g -1 ) alkalinities. All four categories of biochar alkalinity contributed to total biochar alkalinity and are therefore relevant to pH-sensitive soil processes. Total biochar alkalinity was strongly correlated with base cation concentration, but biochar alkalinity was not a simple function of elemental composition, soluble ash, fixed carbon, or volatile matter content. More research is needed to characterize soluble biochar alkalis other than carbonates and to establish predictive relationships among biochar production parameters and the composition of biochar alkalis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Adsorption of superplasticizer admixtures on alkali-activated slag pastes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Palacios, M.; Houst, Y.F.; Bowen, P.

    2009-08-15

    Alkali-activated slag (AAS) binders are obtained by a manufacturing process less energy-intensive than ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and involves lower greenhouse gasses emission. These alkaline cements allow the production of high mechanical strength and durable concretes. In the present work, the adsorption of different superplasticizer admixtures (naphthalene-based, melamine-based and a vinyl copolymer) on the slag particles in AAS pastes using alkaline solutions with different pH values have been studied in detail. The effect of the superplasticizers on the yield stress and plastic viscosity of the AAS and OPC pastes have been also evaluated. The results obtained allowed us to concludemore » that the adsorption of the superplasticizers on AAS pastes is independent of the pH of the alkaline solutions used and lower than on OPC pastes. However, the effect of the admixtures on the rheological parameters depends directly on the type and dosage of the superplasticizer as well as of the binder used and, in the case of the AAS, on the pH of the alkaline activator solution. In 11.7-pH NaOH-AAS pastes the dosages of the superplasticizers required to attain similar reduction in the yield stress are ten-fold lower than for Portland cement. In this case the superplasticizers studied show a fluidizing effect considerably higher in 11.7-pH NaOH-AAS pastes than in OPC pastes. In 13.6-pH NaOH-AAS pastes, the only admixture observed to affect the rheological parameters is the naphthalene-based admixture due to its higher chemical stability in such extremely alkaline media.« less

  12. Microsolvation of the acetanilide cation (AA(+)) in a nonpolar solvent: IR spectra of AA(+)-L(n) clusters (L = He, Ar, N2; n ≤ 10).

    PubMed

    Schmies, Matthias; Patzer, Alexander; Schütz, Markus; Miyazaki, Mitsuhiko; Fujii, Masaaki; Dopfer, Otto

    2014-05-07

    Infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra of mass-selected cluster ions of acetanilide (N-phenylacetamide), AA(+)-Ln, with the ligands L = He (n = 1-2), Ar (n = 1-7), and N2 (n = 1-10) are recorded in the hydride stretch (amide A, νNH, νCH) and fingerprint (amide I-III) ranges of AA(+) in its (2)A'' ground electronic state. Cold AA(+)-Ln clusters are generated in an electron impact ion source, which predominantly produces the most stable isomer of a given cluster ion. Systematic vibrational frequency shifts of the N-H stretch fundamentals (νNH) provide detailed information about the sequential microsolvation process of AA(+) in a nonpolar (L = He and Ar) and quadrupolar (L = N2) solvent. In the most stable AA(+)-Ln clusters, the first ligand forms a hydrogen bond (H-bond) with the N-H proton of trans-AA(+) (t-AA(+)), whereas further ligands bind weakly to the aromatic ring (π-stacking). There is no experimental evidence for complexes with the less stable cis-AA(+) isomer. Quantum chemical calculations at the M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ level confirm the cluster growth sequence derived from the IR spectra. The calculated binding energies of De(H) = 720 and 1227 cm(-1) for H-bonded and De(π) = 585 and 715 cm(-1) for π-bonded Ar and N2 ligands in t-AA(+)-L are consistent with the observed photofragmentation branching ratios of AA(+)-Ln. Comparison between charged and neutral AA((+))-L dimers indicates that ionization switches the preferred ion-ligand binding motif from π-stacking to H-bonding. Electron removal from the HOMO of AA(+) delocalized over both the aromatic ring and the amide group significantly strengthens the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond and weakens the N-H bond of the amide group.

  13. The Pasadena Recommendations: Five Years After AAS Endorsement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knezek, Patricia; Frattare, L.; Ulvestad, J.

    2010-01-01

    It has been five years since the AAS Council unanimously endorsed the document, known as "Equity Now: The Pasadena Recommendations for Gender Equality in Astronomy," in January 2005. This document was the main product of the conference entitled "Women in Astronomy II: Ten Years After” (WIA II), held in June 2003 in Pasadena, CA. Participants of that 2003 meeting assessed the progress for women in science, offering insights into causes of the slower advancement of women, and discussed strategies to accelerate the achievement of equality. These insights and strategies were then incorporated into the "Pasadena Recommendations" by the CSWA. It was subsequently released to the entire AAS community for review and comments prior to its endorsement by the AAS. We will discuss the Recommendations and their impact since the endorsement by the AAS, including the process that is in place for organizations and departments to formally endorse the Pasadena Recommendations, thus making an organizational commitment to their implementation (see http://www.aas.org/cswa/pasadena_endorse.html).

  14. Fluorescence turn-on detection of alkaline phosphatase activity based on controlled release of PEI-capped Cu nanoclusters from MnO2 nanosheets.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yunyi; Li, Yongxin; Zhang, Cuiyun; Zhang, Qingfeng; Huang, Xinan; Yang, Meiding; Shahzad, Sohail Anjum; Lo, Kenneth Kam-Wing; Yu, Cong; Jiang, Shichun

    2017-08-01

    A fluorescence turn-on assay for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity is developed through the controlled release of polyethyleneimine-capped copper nanoclusters (PEI-capped CuNCs) from the MnO 2 nanosheets. In an aqueous solution, the positively charged PEI-capped CuNCs could be adsorbed onto the surface of the negatively charged MnO 2 nanosheets. Such adsorption through favorable electrostatic interactions could efficiently quench the nanocluster fluorescence emission via resonance energy transfer from the PEI-capped CuNCs to the MnO 2 nanosheets. 2-Phospho-L-ascorbic acid (AAP) could be hydrolyzed to L-ascorbic acid (AA) in the presence of ALP. AA could reduce MnO 2 into Mn 2+ and trigger the disintegration of the MnO 2 nanosheets. As a result, the CuNCs were released and the quenched fluorescence was recovered efficiently. The detection strategy is simple, inexpensive, sensitive, selective, with low toxicity, and has better biocompatibility. The newly fabricated biosensor for ALP activity will potentially make it a robust candidate for numerous biological and biomedical applications.

  15. 21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

  16. 21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

  17. 21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

  18. Nucleotide sequences encoding a thermostable alkaline protease

    DOEpatents

    Wilson, David B.; Lao, Guifang

    1998-01-01

    Nucleotide sequences, derived from a thermophilic actinomycete microorganism, which encode a thermostable alkaline protease are disclosed. Also disclosed are variants of the nucleotide sequences which encode a polypeptide having thermostable alkaline proteolytic activity. Recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide may be obtained by culturing in a medium a host cell genetically engineered to contain and express a nucleotide sequence according to the present invention, and recovering the recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide from the culture medium.

  19. The influence of spent household batteries to the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes during composting.

    PubMed

    Komilis, Dimitrios; Bandi, Dimitra; Kakaronis, Georgios; Zouppouris, Georgios

    2011-06-01

    The objective of this work was to investigate the potential transfer of 9 heavy metals from spent household batteries (zinc-carbon and alkaline-manganese batteries) to the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes during active composting. Six runs were performed including one control and 2 replications. Eleven types of alkaline and non-alkaline batteries were added at 3 different levels to the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes, namely at percentages equal to 0.98% w/w (low), 5.2% w/w (medium) and 10.6% w/w (high). Experiments were performed in 230 l insulated plastic aerobic bioreactors under a dynamic air flow regime for up to 60 days. Iron, copper and nickel masses contained in the organic fraction of the wastes were found significantly higher in the high level runs compared to the corresponding masses in the control. No metal transfer was obtained in the low and medium level runs. Metal mass balance closures ranged from 51% to 176%. Metals' concentrations in the leachates were below 10 mg l⁻¹ for most metals, except iron, while an increasing concentration trend versus time was measured in the leachates of the high level runs. In all cases, the contents of 5 regulated heavy metals in all end products were below the Hellenic limits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Nucleotide sequences encoding a thermostable alkaline protease

    DOEpatents

    Wilson, D.B.; Lao, G.

    1998-01-06

    Nucleotide sequences, derived from a thermophilic actinomycete microorganism, which encode a thermostable alkaline protease are disclosed. Also disclosed are variants of the nucleotide sequences which encode a polypeptide having thermostable alkaline proteolytic activity. Recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide may be obtained by culturing in a medium a host cell genetically engineered to contain and express a nucleotide sequence according to the present invention, and recovering the recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide from the culture medium. 3 figs.

  1. Validity of an adapted Household Food Insecurity Access Scale in urban households in Iran.

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, Fatemeh; Omidvar, Nasrin; Houshiar-Rad, Anahita; Khoshfetrat, Mohammad-Reza; Abdollahi, Morteza; Mehrabi, Yadollah

    2012-01-01

    To assess the validity of a locally adapted Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in the measurement of household food insecurity (FI) in the city of Tehran. A cross-sectional study. Urban households were selected through a systematic cluster sampling method from six different districts of Tehran. The socio-economic status of households was evaluated using a questionnaire by means of interviews. An adapted HFIAS was used to measure FI. Content validity was assessed by an expert panel, and the questionnaire was then tested among ten households for clarity. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing the measure with a number of determinants and consequences of FI. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's α and exploratory factor analysis. For repeatability, the questionnaire was administered twice to twenty-five households at an interval of 20 d and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated. A total of 416 households. In all, 11·8 %, 14·4 % and 17·5 % of the households were severely, moderately and mildly food insecure, respectively. Cronbach's α was 0·855. A significant correlation was observed between the two administrations of the questionnaire (r = 0·895, P < 0·001). Factor analysis of HFIAS items revealed two factors: the first five items as factor 1 (mild-to-moderate FI) and the last four as factor 2 (severe FI). Heads of food-secure households had higher education and higher job position compared with heads of food-insecure households (P < 0·001). Income and expenditure were lower in food-insecure households compared with food-secure households. Adapted HFIAS showed acceptable levels of internal consistency, criterion validity and reliability in assessing household FI among Tehranians.

  2. Characteristics of AA amyloidosis patients in San Francisco.

    PubMed

    Lejmi, Hiba; Jen, Kuang-Yu; Olson, Jean L; James, Sam H; Sam, Ramin

    2016-04-01

    AA amyloidosis due to subcutaneous injection of drugs of abuse has been described in the USA, but all the existing literature is from more than 20 years ago. There is more recent literature from Europe. We have observed a high incidence of AA amyloidosis in the county hospital in San Francisco. Here, we describe 24 patients who had kidney biopsy-proven AA amyloidosis from our hospital from 1998 to 2013. All the patients were thought to have AA amyloidosis from skin popping of illicit drugs after having exhausted the intravenous route. These patients with biopsy-proven AA amyloidosis were analysed further. All patients were found to have hepatitis C infection, hypertension was not common, most had advanced kidney failure, and acidosis was common as was tubulointerstitial involvement on the kidney biopsy. Other organ involvement included hepatomegaly and splenomegaly in a number of patients; direct myocardial involvement was not seen, but pulmonary hypertension, history of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were common. The prognosis of these patients was poor. The mortality rate approached 50% 1 year after biopsy, and most of the patient needed dialysis shortly after diagnosis. Cessation of drug use seemed beneficial but rarely achievable. AA amyloidosis from skin popping is common in San Francisco. Most patients with renal involvement end up on dialysis, and mortality rates are exceedingly high. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  3. Household transmission of SARS, 2003

    PubMed Central

    Wilson-Clark, Samantha D.; Deeks, Shelley L.; Gournis, Effie; Hay, Karen; Bondy, Susan; Kennedy, Erin; Johnson, Ian; Rea, Elizabeth; Kuschak, Theodore; Green, Diane; Abbas, Zahid; Guarda, Brenda

    2006-01-01

    Background In the 2003 outbreak in Toronto (in Ontario, Canada) of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), about 20% of cases resulted from household transmission. The purpose of our study was to determine characteristics associated with the transmission of SARS within households. Methods A retrospective cohort of SARS-affected households was studied to determine risk factors for household transmission. Questionnaires addressed characteristics of the index case, the household and behaviours among household members. Potential risk factors for secondary transmission of infection were assessed in regression models appropriate to the outcome (secondary cases) and nonindependence of household members. Results The 74 households that participated included 18 secondary cases and 158 uninfected household members in addition to the 74 index cases. The household secondary attack rate was 10.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.7%–23.5%). There was a linear association between the time the index patient spent at home after symptom onset and the secondary attack rate. Infected health care workers who were index cases had lower rates of household transmission. Interpretation SARS transmission in households is complex and increases with the length of time an ill person spends at home. Risk of transmission was lower when the index case was a health care worker. Rapid case identification is the public health measure most useful in minimizing exposure in the home. PMID:17098951

  4. Does household composition explain welfare regime poverty risks for older adults and other household members?

    PubMed

    Tai, Tsui-o; Treas, Judith

    2009-11-01

    This cross-national study examines the poverty of older adults and their household members and relates the risk of poverty to macrolevel state approaches to welfare as well as to microlevel composition of households. Data on individuals in households with older adults for 22 countries come from the Luxembourg Income Survey. Robust cluster analysis relates the risk of poverty to the type of state welfare regime; the characteristics of the household head (age, gender, marital status, and education); as well as the household's numbers of earners, older adults, and children. Persons in households with older adults are significantly less likely to be poor in countries with social democratic and conservative welfare regimes than in Taiwan, an exemplar of limited social welfare programs. Controlling for country differences in household composition increases the differences in poverty risks. Living with fewer children, more older adults, and more earners lowers the risk of poverty, as does having a married and better educated household head. Countries with more generous social welfare provisions have lower risks of poverty despite having household characteristics that are comparatively unfavorable. As Taiwan demonstrates, household composition, particularly a reliance on multigenerational households, compensates for limited state welfare programs.

  5. MDCT evaluation of acute aortic syndrome (AAS)

    PubMed Central

    Rossi, Giovanni; Lassandro, Francesco; Rea, Gaetano; Marino, Maurizio; Muto, Maurizio; Molino, Antonio; Scaglione, Mariano

    2016-01-01

    Non-traumatic acute thoracic aortic syndromes (AAS) describe a spectrum of life-threatening aortic pathologies with significant implications on diagnosis, therapy and management. There is a common pathway for the various manifestations of AAS that eventually leads to a breakdown of the aortic intima and media. Improvements in biology and health policy and diffusion of technology into the community resulted in an associated decrease in mortality and morbidity related to aortic therapeutic interventions. Hybrid procedures, branched and fenestrated endografts, and percutaneous aortic valves have emerged as potent and viable alternatives to traditional surgeries. In this context, current state-of-the art multidetector CT (MDCT) is actually the gold standard in the emergency setting because of its intrinsic diagnostic value. Management of acute aortic disease has changed with the increasing realization that endovascular therapies may offer distinct advantages in these situations. This article provides a summary of AAS, focusing especially on the MDCT technique, typical and atypical findings and common pitfalls of AAS, as well as recent concepts regarding the subtypes of AAS, consisting of aortic dissection, intramural haematoma, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer and unstable aortic aneurysm or contained aortic rupture. MDCT findings will be related to pathophysiology, timing and management options to achieve a definite and timely diagnostic and therapeutic definition. In the present article, we review the aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, outcomes and therapeutic approaches to acute aortic syndromes. PMID:27033344

  6. Net alkalinity and net acidity 2: Practical considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

    2005-01-01

    The pH, alkalinity, and acidity of mine drainage and associated waters can be misinterpreted because of the chemical instability of samples and possible misunderstandings of standard analytical method results. Synthetic and field samples of mine drainage having various initial pH values and concentrations of dissolved metals and alkalinity were titrated by several methods, and the results were compared to alkalinity and acidity calculated based on dissolved solutes. The pH, alkalinity, and acidity were compared between fresh, unoxidized and aged, oxidized samples. Data for Pennsylvania coal mine drainage indicates that the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5-4) or near neutral (pH 6-7); ??? 25% of the samples had pH values between 5 and 6. Following oxidation, no samples had pH values between 5 and 6. The Standard Method Alkalinity titration is constrained to yield values >0. Most calculated and measured alkalinities for samples with positive alkalinities were in close agreement. However, for low-pH samples, the calculated alkalinity can be negative due to negative contributions by dissolved metals that may oxidize and hydrolyze. The Standard Method hot peroxide treatment titration for acidity determination (Hot Acidity) accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete degassing of CO2 and oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates either the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. The Hot Acidity directly measures net acidity (= -net alkalinity). Samples that had near-neutral pH after oxidation had negative Hot Acidity; samples that had pH < 6.3 after oxidation had positive Hot Acidity. Samples with similar pH values before oxidation had dissimilar Hot Acidities due to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. Hot Acidity was approximately equal to net acidity calculated based on initial pH and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the

  7. Evaluation of Alkaline Cleaner Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Partz, Earl

    1998-01-01

    Alkaline cleaners used to process aluminum substrates have contained chromium as the corrosion inhibitor. Chromium is a hazardous substance whose use and control are described by environmental laws. Replacement materials that have the characteristics of chromated alkaline cleaners need to be found that address both the cleaning requirements and environmental impacts. This report will review environmentally friendly candidates evaluated as non-chromium alkaline cleaner replacements and methods used to compare those candidates one versus another. The report will also list characteristics used to select candidates based on their declared contents. It will also describe and evaluate methods used to discriminate among the large number of prospective candidates.

  8. The Household Health Spending and Impoverishment: Findings from the Households Survey in Shiraz, Iran.

    PubMed

    Khammarnia, M; Keshtkaran, A; Kavosi, Z; Hayati, R

    2014-08-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the households' impoverishment due to the healthcare costs in Shiraz in 2012. In this household's survey, 800 households were studied in Shiraz. The study sample was selected using stratified and cluster sampling in the urban and rural areas, respectively. The information was collected using the household section of the World Health Survey questionnaire. In order to determine impoverishment due to health spending, at first, the households' food-based poverty line (subsistence expenditure) was measured. Then, households' health expenditure was subtracted from their total expenditure and if the obtained value was lower than the households' food-based poverty line, the households was considered to be impoverished due to health expenditures. The collected data were entered into the SPSS (version 16) statistical software and analyzed using descriptive statistic, Chi-square test, and logistic regression in backward method. The study results showed that 7.1% of the households (CI: 0.071 ± 0.018) were impoverished because of healthcare expenditures. Besides, the households in the first quintile were more likely to be faced with poverty compared to those in the other quintiles (p < 0.05). Being covered by health insurance did not affect the protection from poverty due to health costs. Moreover, the participants living in rural areas were faced with poverty more than those living in urban areas (p < 0.05). It seems that health expenditure can be an economic shock for household in Shiraz and through spending on health a household may fall into poverty. As insurance had no effect on impoverishment, it implies that change in health insurance plans and ways of health financing is necessary.

  9. Reinforcement with alumina particles at the interface region of AA6101-T6 and AA1350 alloys during friction stir welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashok Kumar, R.; Thansekhar, M. R.

    2018-04-01

    This paper deals the combinational effect of friction stir welding and friction stir processing on dissimilar AA6101-T6 and AA1350 aluminium alloys. For that, alumina particles are reinforced at interface region of AA6101-T6 and AA1350 aluminium alloys. Friction Stir Welding and Friction Stir Processing are done simultaneously for various sizes of groove. To analyze the welding quality and surface modifications, mechanical, wear and microstructural tests are carried out. Among these, smallest groove of 0.5 mm width and 1 mm depth reveals highest tensile and bending strengths and largest groove of 2 mm width and 3 mm depth gives maximum hardness and wear resistance. Taguchi technique shows that groove width is most influencing parameter. Developed second order models with interaction predict the responses with minimum error.

  10. Comparison of calculated and experimentally determined SID of CP and AA in complex diets differing in AA contents for grower finisher pigs.

    PubMed

    Büsing, K; Berk, A; Müller, S; Kieckhäven, S; Krüger, K; Zeyner, A

    2017-10-01

    In practice, the content of standardized ileal digestible AA in complex feeds for pigs is calculated on the basis of tabulated values for individual feedstuffs. It comes into question, however, whether this truly reflects an accurate content based upon the estimate made for the individual feedstuffs. The objective of this study was to compare standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and selected AA in complex feeds for grower and finisher pigs either calculated or experimentally determined. Six diets with increasing AA levels were prepared for grower (BW from 30 to 70 kg) and finisher (BW from 70 to 120 kg) feed. Crystalline L-lys, DL-met and L-thr were added to both diets, L-trp and L-val only to the grower feed. SID of both CP and AA was calculated from feed tables and experimentally determined in six adult minipigs (MINILEWE) with ileorectal anastomosis. With increasing AA levels, experimentally determined SID of supplemented AA increased (p < 0.05), but SID of CP (p ≥ 0.05) was not affected. In both grower and finisher feed, calculated and experimentally determined SID of CP, Met, Cys, Trp, Ile and Tyr differed by more than 2% units, but those of Lys and His only in the finisher feed. Yet this effect was not directly consistent. The margin of error following estimation of SID of AA via tabulated values for individual feedstuffs, however, seems to be acceptable for practical use. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  11. Prevalence of Giardia infection in households of Giardia cases and risk factors for household transmission.

    PubMed

    Waldram, Alison; Vivancos, Roberto; Hartley, Catherine; Lamden, Kenneth

    2017-07-11

    Giardia is a leading but neglected cause of infectious gastroenteritis worldwide and is treatable. There is a substantial burden of undetected Giardia in the UK and for every one case of Giardia reported to national surveillance there are 14 cases in the community. We aimed to ascertain the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with secondary household Giardia infections to assess the burden of infection and inform control measures. We identified all giardiasis cases notified in nine local authorities in Lancashire between June 2014 and June 2015, and invited their household contacts to submit faecal specimens for Giardia testing and complete a risk factor questionnaire. We estimated the proportion of households with additional Giardia infection. We compared household risk factors between households with and without additional Giardia using Fisher's exact test. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent risk factors for additional Giardia infections. We identified additional Giardia infections in 30% (27/91) of included households. A total of 41 infections were found from 212 household members, of which 37 were asymptomatic. The majority of infections were assemblage B (57%) but there were also a high number of mixed infections (20%). Risk factors significantly associated with additional household infections were; having children under 5 years in the household (odds ratio 42; 95% confidence intervals 10-178) and the presence of gastrointestinal illness in the household before the onset of the index case (odds ratio 9; 95% confidence intervals 1.5-48). Our finding of a high household prevalence of asymptomatic infection has raised the public health question of whether treatment of asymptomatic household contacts may be justified in preventing Giardia re-infection of the index case or in preventing secondary cases and household clusters. We recommend the communication of this risk in household contacts of Giardia and reinforcement of

  12. Household Wealth in China

    PubMed Central

    Xie, Yu; Jin, Yongai

    2015-01-01

    With new nationwide longitudinal survey data now available from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we study the level, distribution, and composition of household wealth in contemporary China. We find that the wealth Gini coefficient of China was 0.73 in 2012. The richest 1 percent owned more than one-third of the total national household wealth, while the poorest 25 percent owned less than 2 percent. Housing assets, which accounted for over 70 percent, were the largest component of household wealth. Finally, the urban-rural divide and regional disparities played important roles in household wealth distribution, and institutional factors significantly affected household wealth holdings, wealth growth rate, and wealth mobility. PMID:26435882

  13. Household Production.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scholl, Kathleen K.; And Others

    1982-01-01

    Compiled to give readers information on current research in household production, this special issue focuses on the family as a provider of goods and services. It includes five feature articles, a summary of a survey of American farm women, and a brief analysis of sources of time-use data for estimating the value of household production. Covered…

  14. American household structure in transition.

    PubMed

    Glick, P C

    1984-01-01

    The number of U.S. households rose by 58 percent between 1960 and 1983, with nontraditional household types accounting for most of the increase. Whereas the number of households containing married couples with children younger than 18 rose by only four percent over the period, one-parent households increased by 175 percent; one-person households, by 173 percent; and households composed of unmarried couples, by 331 percent. In 1983, households maintained by married couples constituted six in 10 U.S. households; the second most common household type--adults living alone--accounted for about one-quarter of all households. Lone parents living with their children represent nearly one in 10 households. Almost all of these parents are women--of whom two-thirds are separated or divorced, one-quarter have never been married, and fewer than one in 10 are widows. Among adults living alone, women aged 45 and older predominate; but the rate at which the practice has been adopted since 1960 has been greatest among those under age 45. Most of the growth in the number of one-person households occurred during the 1970s. The increase in cohabitation--most of it also in the 1970s--has similarly been concentrated in the younger age-groups. The living arrangements of children younger than 18 have changed accordingly over the two decades. Since 1960, the number of children living with two parents has declined by nearly one-fifth, and the number living with one parent--generally the mother--has more than doubled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  15. Removal of six pesticide residues in cowpea with alkaline electrolysed water.

    PubMed

    Han, Yongtao; Song, Le; An, Quanshun; Pan, Canping

    2017-06-01

    Reduction of six pesticide residues (isoprocarb, chlorpyrifos, bifenthrin, beta-cypermethrin, difenoconazole and azoxystrobin) in cowpea by alkaline electrolysed water (AlEW) solutions with different pH was investigated. The commonly used washing treatments in household processing were used for comparison. The residue magnitudes were determined by gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Results showed that the removal effect of AlEW solution on the six pesticides was superior to tap water, 5% sodium chloride, 5% sodium carbonate and 5% acetic acid solution. AlEW with pH 12.2 had more potential to eliminate the six pesticides in cowpeas. Moreover, the reduction of pesticide residues gradually increased with the increase of washing time. This study demonstrated that AlEW solution with pH of 12.2 could be used to reduce pesticide residues on fresh cowpea samples. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Phosphatidylinositol anchor of HeLa cell alkaline phosphatase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jemmerson, R.; Low, M.G.

    1987-09-08

    Alkaline phosphatase from cancer cells, HeLa TCRC-1, was biosynthetically labeled with either /sup 3/H-fatty acids or (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography of immunoprecipitated material. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) released a substantial proportion of the /sup 3/H-fatty acid label from immunoaffinity-purified alkaline phosphatase but had no effect on the radioactivity of (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine-labeled material. PI-PLC also liberated catalytically active alkaline phosphatase from viable cells, and this could be selectively blocked by monoclonal antibodies to alkaline phosphatase. However, the alkaline phosphatase released from /sup 3/H-fatty acid labeled cells by PI-PLC was not radioactive. By contrast,more » treatment with bromelain removed both the /sup 3/H-fatty acid and the (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine label from purified alkaline phosphatase. Subtilisin was also able to remove the (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine label from the purified alkaline phosphatase. The /sup 3/H radioactivity in alkaline phosphatase purified from (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine-labeled cells comigrated with authentic (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine by anion-exchange chromatography after acid hydrolysis. The data suggest that the /sup 3/H-fatty acid and (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine are covalently attached to the carboxyl-terminal segment since bromelain and subtilisin both release alkaline phosphatase from the membrane by cleavage at that end of the polypeptide chain. The data are consistent with findings for other proteins recently shown to be anchored in the membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol structure and indicate that a similar structure contributes to the membrane anchoring of alkaline phosphatase.« less

  17. Increased river alkalinization in the Eastern U.S.

    PubMed

    Kaushal, Sujay S; Likens, Gene E; Utz, Ryan M; Pace, Michael L; Grese, Melissa; Yepsen, Metthea

    2013-09-17

    The interaction between human activities and watershed geology is accelerating long-term changes in the carbon cycle of rivers. We evaluated changes in bicarbonate alkalinity, a product of chemical weathering, and tested for long-term trends at 97 sites in the eastern United States draining over 260,000 km(2). We observed statistically significant increasing trends in alkalinity at 62 of the 97 sites, while remaining sites exhibited no significant decreasing trends. Over 50% of study sites also had statistically significant increasing trends in concentrations of calcium (another product of chemical weathering) where data were available. River alkalinization rates were significantly related to watershed carbonate lithology, acid deposition, and topography. These three variables explained ~40% of variation in river alkalinization rates. The strongest predictor of river alkalinization rates was carbonate lithology. The most rapid rates of river alkalinization occurred at sites with highest inputs of acid deposition and highest elevation. The rise of alkalinity in many rivers throughout the Eastern U.S. suggests human-accelerated chemical weathering, in addition to previously documented impacts of mining and land use. Increased river alkalinization has major environmental implications including impacts on water hardness and salinization of drinking water, alterations of air-water exchange of CO2, coastal ocean acidification, and the influence of bicarbonate availability on primary production.

  18. Coupling alkaline pre-extraction with alkaline-oxidative post-treatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentability.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tongjun; Williams, Daniel L; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Li, Muyang; Hahn, Michael G; Hodge, David B

    2014-04-03

    A two-stage chemical pretreatment of corn stover is investigated comprising an NaOH pre-extraction followed by an alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) post-treatment. We propose that conventional one-stage AHP pretreatment can be improved using alkaline pre-extraction, which requires significantly less H2O2 and NaOH. To better understand the potential of this approach, this study investigates several components of this process including alkaline pre-extraction, alkaline and alkaline-oxidative post-treatment, fermentation, and the composition of alkali extracts. Mild NaOH pre-extraction of corn stover uses less than 0.1 g NaOH per g corn stover at 80°C. The resulting substrates were highly digestible by cellulolytic enzymes at relatively low enzyme loadings and had a strong susceptibility to drying-induced hydrolysis yield losses. Alkaline pre-extraction was highly selective for lignin removal over xylan removal; xylan removal was relatively minimal (~20%). During alkaline pre-extraction, up to 0.10 g of alkali was consumed per g of corn stover. AHP post-treatment at low oxidant loading (25 mg H2O2 per g pre-extracted biomass) increased glucose hydrolysis yields by 5%, which approached near-theoretical yields. ELISA screening of alkali pre-extraction liquors and the AHP post-treatment liquors demonstrated that xyloglucan and β-glucans likely remained tightly bound in the biomass whereas the majority of the soluble polymeric xylans were glucurono (arabino) xylans and potentially homoxylans. Pectic polysaccharides were depleted in the AHP post-treatment liquor relative to the alkaline pre-extraction liquor. Because the already-low inhibitor content was further decreased in the alkaline pre-extraction, the hydrolysates generated by this two-stage pretreatment were highly fermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that were metabolically engineered and evolved for xylose fermentation. This work demonstrates that this two-stage pretreatment process is well suited for

  19. Coupling alkaline pre-extraction with alkaline-oxidative post-treatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentability

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background A two-stage chemical pretreatment of corn stover is investigated comprising an NaOH pre-extraction followed by an alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) post-treatment. We propose that conventional one-stage AHP pretreatment can be improved using alkaline pre-extraction, which requires significantly less H2O2 and NaOH. To better understand the potential of this approach, this study investigates several components of this process including alkaline pre-extraction, alkaline and alkaline-oxidative post-treatment, fermentation, and the composition of alkali extracts. Results Mild NaOH pre-extraction of corn stover uses less than 0.1 g NaOH per g corn stover at 80°C. The resulting substrates were highly digestible by cellulolytic enzymes at relatively low enzyme loadings and had a strong susceptibility to drying-induced hydrolysis yield losses. Alkaline pre-extraction was highly selective for lignin removal over xylan removal; xylan removal was relatively minimal (~20%). During alkaline pre-extraction, up to 0.10 g of alkali was consumed per g of corn stover. AHP post-treatment at low oxidant loading (25 mg H2O2 per g pre-extracted biomass) increased glucose hydrolysis yields by 5%, which approached near-theoretical yields. ELISA screening of alkali pre-extraction liquors and the AHP post-treatment liquors demonstrated that xyloglucan and β-glucans likely remained tightly bound in the biomass whereas the majority of the soluble polymeric xylans were glucurono (arabino) xylans and potentially homoxylans. Pectic polysaccharides were depleted in the AHP post-treatment liquor relative to the alkaline pre-extraction liquor. Because the already-low inhibitor content was further decreased in the alkaline pre-extraction, the hydrolysates generated by this two-stage pretreatment were highly fermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that were metabolically engineered and evolved for xylose fermentation. Conclusions This work demonstrates that this two

  20. Displaying Now-Understanding: The Finnish Change-of-State Token "aa"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koivisto, Aino

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses the use of the Finnish change-of-state token "aa" that has previously not been identified. The central claim is that even though "aa" indicates a cognitive shift experienced by the speaker, it does not function as a receipt of new information. Instead, the token "aa" indicates that the speaker…

  1. The 9aaTAD Transactivation Domains: From Gal4 to p53.

    PubMed

    Piskacek, Martin; Havelka, Marek; Rezacova, Martina; Knight, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    The family of the Nine amino acid Transactivation Domain, 9aaTAD family, comprises currently over 40 members. The 9aaTAD domains are universally recognized by the transcriptional machinery from yeast to man. We had identified the 9aaTAD domains in the p53, Msn2, Pdr1 and B42 activators by our prediction algorithm. In this study, their competence to activate transcription as small peptides was proven. Not surprisingly, we elicited immense 9aaTAD divergence in hundreds of identified orthologs and numerous examples of the 9aaTAD species' convergence. We found unforeseen similarity of the mammalian p53 with yeast Gal4 9aaTAD domains. Furthermore, we identified artificial 9aaTAD domains generated accidentally by others. From an evolutionary perspective, the observed easiness to generate 9aaTAD transactivation domains indicates the natural advantage for spontaneous generation of transcription factors from DNA binding precursors.

  2. Dynamic Response and Microstructure Evolution of AA2219-T4 and AA2219-T6 Aluminum Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olasumboye, A.; Owolabi, G.; Odeshi, A.; Zeytinci, A.; Yilmaz, N.

    2018-02-01

    In this study, the dynamic deformation behavior of AA2219 aluminum alloy was investigated in two different temper conditions: T4 and T6, with a view to determining the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and flow behavior of the material under high strain rates. Split Hopkinson pressure bar experiment was used in determining the dynamic response of the alloy while a digital image correlation system was employed in visualizing and tracking the surface deformation of the specimens. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the microstructure of the material after following standard metallographic specimen preparation techniques. The results obtained showed heterogeneous deformation of the alloy in the two temper conditions. It was observed that the dynamic mechanical behavior of each sample preparation was dependent on its strength properties due to aging type, which in turn controls the metamorphosis of the strengthening precipitates and the initial microstructure. At the maximum strain rate of 3500 s-1, transformed bands leading to crack nucleation was observed in the AA2219-T4 aluminum alloy while AA2219-T6 had fractured at the same strain rate. The modes of crack formation and growth in the two alloys were found to be similar: nucleation, growth and coalescence of voids. However, shear band bifurcation phenomenon was observed only in the AA2219-T6 alloy.

  3. Dynamic Response and Microstructure Evolution of AA2219-T4 and AA2219-T6 Aluminum Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olasumboye, A.; Owolabi, G.; Odeshi, A.; Zeytinci, A.; Yilmaz, N.

    2018-06-01

    In this study, the dynamic deformation behavior of AA2219 aluminum alloy was investigated in two different temper conditions: T4 and T6, with a view to determining the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and flow behavior of the material under high strain rates. Split Hopkinson pressure bar experiment was used in determining the dynamic response of the alloy while a digital image correlation system was employed in visualizing and tracking the surface deformation of the specimens. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the microstructure of the material after following standard metallographic specimen preparation techniques. The results obtained showed heterogeneous deformation of the alloy in the two temper conditions. It was observed that the dynamic mechanical behavior of each sample preparation was dependent on its strength properties due to aging type, which in turn controls the metamorphosis of the strengthening precipitates and the initial microstructure. At the maximum strain rate of 3500 s-1, transformed bands leading to crack nucleation was observed in the AA2219-T4 aluminum alloy while AA2219-T6 had fractured at the same strain rate. The modes of crack formation and growth in the two alloys were found to be similar: nucleation, growth and coalescence of voids. However, shear band bifurcation phenomenon was observed only in the AA2219-T6 alloy.

  4. Identification and characterization of miRNAs and targets in flax (Linum usitatissimum) under saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses.

    PubMed

    Yu, Ying; Wu, Guangwen; Yuan, Hongmei; Cheng, Lili; Zhao, Dongsheng; Huang, Wengong; Zhang, Shuquan; Zhang, Liguo; Chen, Hongyu; Zhang, Jian; Guan, Fengzhi

    2016-05-27

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in responses to biotic and abiotic stress and have been characterized in a large number of plant species. Although flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the most important fiber and oil crops worldwide, no reports have been published describing flax miRNAs (Lus-miRNAs) induced in response to saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses. In this work, combined small RNA and degradome deep sequencing was used to analyze flax libraries constructed after alkaline-salt stress (AS2), neutral salt stress (NSS), alkaline stress (AS), and the non-stressed control (CK). From the CK, AS, AS2, and NSS libraries, a total of 118, 119, 122, and 120 known Lus-miRNAs and 233, 213, 211, and 212 novel Lus-miRNAs were isolated, respectively. After assessment of differential expression profiles, 17 known Lus-miRNAs and 36 novel Lus-miRNAs were selected and used to predict putative target genes. Gene ontology term enrichment analysis revealed target genes that were involved in responses to stimuli, including signaling and catalytic activity. Eight Lus-miRNAs were selected for analysis using qRT-PCR to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the miRNA-seq results. The qRT-PCR results showed that changes in stress-induced expression profiles of these miRNAs mirrored expression trends observed using miRNA-seq. Degradome sequencing and transcriptome profiling showed that expression of 29 miRNA-target pairs displayed inverse expression patterns under saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses. From the target prediction analysis, the miR398a-targeted gene codes for a copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and the miR530 has been shown to explicitly target WRKY family transcription factors, which suggesting that these two micRNAs and their targets may significant involve in the saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stress response in flax. Identification and characterization of flax miRNAs, their target genes, functional annotations, and gene

  5. Posttranslational heterogeneity of bone alkaline phosphatase in metabolic bone disease.

    PubMed

    Langlois, M R; Delanghe, J R; Kaufman, J M; De Buyzere, M L; Van Hoecke, M J; Leroux-Roels, G G

    1994-09-01

    Bone alkaline phosphatase is a marker of osteoblast activity. In order to study the posttranscriptional modification (glycosylation) of bone alkaline phosphatase in bone disease, we investigated the relationship between mass and catalytic activity of bone alkaline phosphatase in patients with osteoporosis and hyperthyroidism. Serum bone alkaline phosphatase activity was measured after lectin precipitation using the Iso-ALP test kit. Mass concentration of bone alkaline phosphatase was determined with an immunoradiometric assay (Tandem-R Ostase). In general, serum bone alkaline phosphatase mass and activity concentration correlated well. The activity : mass ratio of bone alkaline phosphatase was low in hyperthyroidism. Activation energy of the reaction catalysed by bone alkaline phosphatase was high in osteoporosis and in hyperthyroidism. Experiments with neuraminidase digestion further demonstrated that the thermodynamic heterogeneity of bone alkaline phosphatase can be explained by a different glycosylation of the enzyme.

  6. Spontaneous, Experimentally Induced, and Transmissible AA Amyloidosis in Japanese Quail ( Coturnix japonica).

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Yumi; Kamiie, Junichi; Watanabe, Gen; Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Murakami, Tomoaki

    2017-11-01

    The authors describe a spontaneous case of amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis in an adult female Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica). The bird developed AA amyloidosis secondary to chronic peritonitis caused by a Gram-negative bacillus infection. Mild amyloid deposition was also identified in the intestinal tract of apparently healthy adult individuals, suggesting that quail may develop intestinal amyloidosis with age. Based on these observations, it was hypothesized that quail can develop AA amyloidosis following inflammatory stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Therefore, adult quail were repeatedly injected with LPS and the development of AA amyloidosis was confirmed. The amyloid deposition in this model increased when quail amyloid was intravenously injected as an amyloid-enhancing factor. The experiments were repeated with young quail, but amyloid deposits were not observed following LPS injections. However, AA amyloidosis did develop when quail amyloid was injected in addition to LPS. These results indicated that adult quail develop AA amyloidosis after inflammatory stimulation with LPS. Furthermore, quail AA amyloidosis was shown to have transmissibility regardless of age. Interestingly, the authors found that administration of chicken amyloid fibrils also induced AA amyloidosis in young quail. This is the first report of cross-species transmission of avian AA amyloidosis.

  7. The Effect of Household Smoking Bans on Household Smoking

    PubMed Central

    Bleakley, Amy; Mallya, Giridhar; Romer, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. Because household smoking levels and adoption of domestic smoking rules may be endogenously related, we estimated a nonrecursive regression model to determine the simultaneous relationship between home smoking restrictions and household smoking. Methods. We used data from a May–June 2012 survey of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, households with smokers (n = 456) to determine the simultaneous association between smoking levels in the home and the presence of home restrictions on smoking. Results. We found that home smoking rules predicted smoking in the home but smoking in the home had no effect on home smoking restrictions. Conclusions. Absent in-home randomized experiments, a quasi-experimental causal inference suggesting that home smoking rules result in lower home smoking levels may be plausible. PMID:24524533

  8. High vulnerability to household food insecurity in a sample of Canadian renter households in government-subsidized housing.

    PubMed

    Fafard St-Germain, Andrée-Anne; Tarasuk, Valerie

    2017-06-16

    To determine the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity and examine household material circumstances related to food insecurity in a sample of renter households in government-subsidized housing. Cross-sectional data from the 2010 Survey of Household Spending were used to determine the food insecurity status of 455 renter households living in the 10 provinces and receiving a government housing subsidy. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between household characteristics describing material circumstances and food insecurity. One in two households was food insecure. Marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity affected 9.0%, 23.3% and 18.5% of households respectively. Household economic resources, as captured with after-tax income, after-rent income, or total expenditure, had an independent, inverse relationship with food insecurity. Among the other characteristics examined, more adults or children in the household, presence of a member with disability, and receipt of social assistance increased the odds of food insecurity, but receipt of social assistance lost statistical significance when controlling for total expenditure. Presence of a senior in the household was independently associated with lower odds of food insecurity. Our findings suggest that more effective income-based interventions are needed to address food insecurity among low-income households receiving government housing subsidies. A better integration of housing and income-based policies is necessary to support household food security among government-subsidized renter households.

  9. Alkaline polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cell applications.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan-Jie; Qiao, Jinli; Baker, Ryan; Zhang, Jiujun

    2013-07-07

    In this review, we examine the most recent progress and research trends in the area of alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) development in terms of material selection, synthesis, characterization, and theoretical approach, as well as their fabrication into alkaline PEM-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and the corresponding performance/durability in alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Respective advantages and challenges are also reviewed. To overcome challenges hindering alkaline PEM technology advancement and commercialization, several research directions are then proposed.

  10. Correlates of Intra-Household ITN Use in Liberia: A Multilevel Analysis of Household Survey Data.

    PubMed

    Babalola, Stella; Ricotta, Emily; Awantang, Grace; Lewicky, Nan; Koenker, Hannah; Toso, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Liberia. At the same time, insecticide-treated net (ITN) ownership and use remain low. Access is a key determinant of ITN use but it is not the only one; prior studies have identified factors that affect the use of ITNs in households with at least one ITN. These factors operate at the individual, household, and community levels. However, studies have generally not assessed the psychosocial or ideational determinants of ITN use. Using 2014 household survey data, this manuscript examines the socio-demographic, ideational, household, and community factors associated with household member use of ITNs in Liberia. Multilevel modeling was used to assess fixed effects at the individual, household, and community levels, and random effects at the household and cluster levels. The data showed significant residual clustering at the household level, indicating that there were unmeasured factors operating at this level that are associated with ITN use. The association of age with ITN use was moderated by sex such that men, older children, and teenagers were less likely to sleep under an ITN compared to women and children under five years old. Female caregivers' perceived severity of malaria, perceived self-efficacy to detect a complicated case of malaria, and exposure to the "Take Cover" communication campaign were positively associated with ITN use by members of her household. The association with household size was negative, while the relationship with the number of ITNs was positive. Programs should seek to achieve universal coverage (that is, one ITN for every two household members) and promote the notion that everyone needs to sleep under an ITN every night. Programs should also seek to strengthen perceived severity of malaria and educate intended audience groups on the signs of malaria complications. Given the significance of residual clustering at the household level, interventions that engage men as heads of

  11. Controlled release of bioactive PDGF-AA from a hydrogel/nanoparticle composite.

    PubMed

    Elliott Donaghue, Irja; Shoichet, Molly S

    2015-10-01

    Polymer excipients, such as low molar mass poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), have shown contradictory effects on protein stability when co-encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles. To gain further insight into these effects, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-AA) was encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles with vs. without PEG. PDGF-AA is a particularly compelling protein, as it has been demonstrated to promote cell survival and induce the oligodendrocyte differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) both in vitro and in vivo. Here we show, for the first time, the controlled release of bioactive PDGF-AA from an injectable nanoparticle/hydrogel drug delivery system (DDS). PDGF-AA was encapsulated, with high efficiency, in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles, and its release from the drug delivery system was followed over 21 d. Interestingly, the co-encapsulation of low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) increased the PDGF-AA loading but, unexpectedly, accelerated the aggregation of PDGF-AA, resulting in reduced activity and detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the absence of PEG, released PDGF-AA remained bioactive as demonstrated with NSPC oligodendrocyte differentiation, similar to positive controls, and significantly different from untreated controls. This work presents a novel delivery method for differentiation factors, such as PDGF-AA, and provides insights into the contradictory effects reported in the literature of excipients, such as PEG, on the loading and release of proteins from polymeric nanoparticles. Previously, the polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been used in many biomaterials applications, from surface coatings to the encapsulation of proteins. In this work, we demonstrate that, unexpectedly, low molecular weight PEG has a deleterious effect on the release of the encapsulated protein platelet-derived growth factor AA (PDGF-AA). We also demonstrate release of bioactive PDGF-AA (in the absence of PEG

  12. Incarceration in the household: academic outcomes of adolescents with an incarcerated household member.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Emily Bever; Loper, Ann Booker

    2012-11-01

    The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, yet there is relatively little information on how the removal of these adults from households impacts the youth who are left behind. This study used a child-centered lens to examine the impact of incarceration on the school outcomes of youth who resided with a family member or family associate who was incarcerated prior to the youth's 18th birthday. We used data from 11 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: Child and Young Adult (n = 3,338, 53 % female). Initial analyses indicated that youth who experienced a household members' incarceration evidenced more socioeconomic challenges, more frequent home adversities, and lower cognitive skills relative to youth who did not experience a household members' incarceration. Results also revealed that youth who had experienced a household member's incarceration were more likely to report extended absence from school and were less likely to graduate from high school relative to those youth who did not experience a household members' incarceration. Counter to our hypotheses, results revealed the incarceration of an extended family member being in the household was the only relation significantly associated with worse school outcomes. Plausibly, families who allow non-immediate criminally involved individuals to reside in the household are experiencing a more pervasive chaotic home environment than those with a parent or sibling incarcerated. Our study suggests that efforts to address the needs of children with incarcerated parents need to be widened to those who experience the loss of any household member due to incarceration.

  13. Household Hazardous Waste and Demolition

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Household wastes that are toxic, corrosive, ignitable, or reactive are known as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). Household Hazardous Waste may be found during residential demolitions, and thus require special handling for disposal.

  14. Household spending on health care.

    PubMed

    Chaplin, R; Earl, L

    2000-10-01

    This article examines changes in household spending on health care between 1978 and 1998. It also provides a detailed look at household spending on health care in 1998. Data on household spending are from Statistics Canada's Family Expenditure Survey for survey years between 1978 and 1996, and from the annual Survey of Household Spending for 1997 and 1998. Proportion of after-tax spending was calculated by subtracting average personal income taxes from average total expenditures and then dividing health care expenditures by this figure. Per capita spending was calculated by dividing average household spending by average household size. Constant dollar figures and adjustments for inflation were calculated using the Consumer Price Index (1998 = 100) to control for the effect of inflation over time. Almost every Canadian household (98.2%) reported health care expenditures in 1998, spending an average of close to $1,200, up from around $900 in 1978. In 1998, households dedicated a larger share of their average after-tax spending (2.9%) to health care than they did 20 years earlier (2.3%). Health insurance premiums claimed the largest share (29.8%) of average health care expenditures, followed by dental care, then prescription medications and pharmaceutical products.

  15. Comparison of ``AA`` nickel metal hydride cells with ``AA`` Ni-Cd cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alminauskas, V.; Johnson, W.

    1996-12-31

    This paper compares ``AA`` size nickel metal hydride (Ni-HM) cells with comparable ``AA;; nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) cells both of which were obtained in 1993. The Ni-MH cells were found to be a suitable substitute for conventional Ni-Cd cells. Both these cell types have similar voltages and discharge characteristics. The Ni-MH cells, though had nearly twice the capacity as comparable Ni-Cd cells. There was no significant difference in self discharge between the two types of cells. The Ni-MH cells also performed as well as Ni-Cd cells at rates lower than 5 amperes and at temperatures higher than 0 C (32 F).more » The most interesting finding is that the Ni-MH cells showed an irreversible decay of the discharge voltage with each cycle which was more noticeable during pulses. Eventually the Ni-MH packs fail, not because of loss of capacity, but because of low voltage during the pulse.« less

  16. Net alkalinity and net acidity 1: Theoretical considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

    2005-01-01

    Net acidity and net alkalinity are widely used, poorly defined, and commonly misunderstood parameters for the characterization of mine drainage. The authors explain theoretical expressions of 3 types of alkalinity (caustic, phenolphthalein, and total) and acidity (mineral, CO2, and total). Except for rarely-invoked negative alkalinity, theoretically defined total alkalinity is closely analogous to measured alkalinity and presents few practical interpretation problems. Theoretically defined "CO 2-acidity" is closely related to most standard titration methods with an endpoint pH of 8.3 used for determining acidity in mine drainage, but it is unfortunately named because CO2 is intentionally driven off during titration of mine-drainage samples. Using the proton condition/mass- action approach and employing graphs to illustrate speciation with changes in pH, the authors explore the concept of principal components and how to assign acidity contributions to aqueous species commonly present in mine drainage. Acidity is defined in mine drainage based on aqueous speciation at the sample pH and on the capacity of these species to undergo hydrolysis to pH 8.3. Application of this definition shows that the computed acidity in mg L -1 as CaCO3 (based on pH and analytical concentrations of dissolved FeII, FeIII, Mn, and Al in mg L -1):aciditycalculated=50{1000(10-pH)+[2(FeII)+3(FeIII)]/56+2(Mn)/ 55+3(Al)/27}underestimates contributions from HSO4- and H+, but overestimates the acidity due to Fe3+ and Al3+. However, these errors tend to approximately cancel each other. It is demonstrated that "net alkalinity" is a valid mathematical construction based on theoretical definitions of alkalinity and acidity. Further, it is shown that, for most mine-drainage solutions, a useful net alkalinity value can be derived from: (1) alkalinity and acidity values based on aqueous speciation, (2) measured alkalinity minus calculated acidity, or (3) taking the negative of the value obtained in a

  17. Inhibitory effect of propolis on the development of AA amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Harata, Daichi; Tsuchiya, Yuya; Miyoshi, Tomoyuki; Yanai, Tokuma; Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Murakami, Tomoaki

    2018-04-01

    In the several types of amyloidoses, participation of oxidative stresses in the pathogenesis and the effect of antioxidants on amyloidosis have been reported. Meanwhile, the relationship between oxidative stresses and pathogenesis of amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is still unclear. In this study, we used an antioxidant, Brazilian propolis, to investigate the inhibitory effects on AA amyloidosis. The results showed that AA deposition was inhibited by administration of propolis. Increased expression of antioxidant markers was detected in molecular biological examinations of mice treated with propolis. Although serum amyloid A (SAA) levels were strongly correlated with the immunoreactive area of AA deposits in the control group, the correlation was weaker in the propolis-treated groups. In addition, there were no changes in SAA levels between the control group and the propolis-treated groups. The results indicate that propolis, an antioxidant, may induce inhibitory effects against AA amyloidosis.

  18. Francisella DnaK Inhibits Tissue-nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase*

    PubMed Central

    Arulanandam, Bernard P.; Chetty, Senthilnath Lakshmana; Yu, Jieh-Juen; Leonard, Sean; Klose, Karl; Seshu, Janakiram; Cap, Andrew; Valdes, James J.; Chambers, James P.

    2012-01-01

    Following pulmonary infection with Francisella tularensis, we observed an unexpected but significant reduction of alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme normally up-regulated following inflammation. However, no reduction was observed in mice infected with a closely related Gram-negative pneumonic organism (Klebsiella pneumoniae) suggesting the inhibition may be Francisella-specific. In similar fashion to in vivo observations, addition of Francisella lysate to exogenous alkaline phosphatase (tissue-nonspecific isozyme) was inhibitory. Partial purification and subsequent proteomic analysis indicated the inhibitory factor to be the heat shock protein DnaK. Incubation with increasing amounts of anti-DnaK antibody reduced the inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DnaK contains an adenosine triphosphate binding domain at its N terminus, and addition of adenosine triphosphate enhances dissociation of DnaK with its target protein, e.g. alkaline phosphatase. Addition of adenosine triphosphate resulted in decreased DnaK co-immunoprecipitated with alkaline phosphatase as well as reduction of Francisella-mediated alkaline phosphatase inhibition further supporting the binding of Francisella DnaK to alkaline phosphatase. Release of DnaK via secretion and/or bacterial cell lysis into the extracellular milieu and inhibition of plasma alkaline phosphatase could promote an orchestrated, inflammatory response advantageous to Francisella. PMID:22923614

  19. Francisella DnaK inhibits tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Arulanandam, Bernard P; Chetty, Senthilnath Lakshmana; Yu, Jieh-Juen; Leonard, Sean; Klose, Karl; Seshu, Janakiram; Cap, Andrew; Valdes, James J; Chambers, James P

    2012-10-26

    Following pulmonary infection with Francisella tularensis, we observed an unexpected but significant reduction of alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme normally up-regulated following inflammation. However, no reduction was observed in mice infected with a closely related gram-negative pneumonic organism (Klebsiella pneumoniae) suggesting the inhibition may be Francisella-specific. In similar fashion to in vivo observations, addition of Francisella lysate to exogenous alkaline phosphatase (tissue-nonspecific isozyme) was inhibitory. Partial purification and subsequent proteomic analysis indicated the inhibitory factor to be the heat shock protein DnaK. Incubation with increasing amounts of anti-DnaK antibody reduced the inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DnaK contains an adenosine triphosphate binding domain at its N terminus, and addition of adenosine triphosphate enhances dissociation of DnaK with its target protein, e.g. alkaline phosphatase. Addition of adenosine triphosphate resulted in decreased DnaK co-immunoprecipitated with alkaline phosphatase as well as reduction of Francisella-mediated alkaline phosphatase inhibition further supporting the binding of Francisella DnaK to alkaline phosphatase. Release of DnaK via secretion and/or bacterial cell lysis into the extracellular milieu and inhibition of plasma alkaline phosphatase could promote an orchestrated, inflammatory response advantageous to Francisella.

  20. Let's think in alkaline phosphatase at heart function.

    PubMed

    Martins, Maria João; Azevedo, Isabel

    2010-10-08

    In their recent paper, Cheung et al [B.M. Cheung, K.L. Ong, L.Y. Wong, Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and peripheral arterial disease in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004. Int J Cardiol 2008 (Electronic publication ahead of print)] described a significant association between serum alkaline phosphatase levels and low ankle-brachial blood pressure index, a risk factor for cardiovascular pathology. We had verified that alkaline phosphatase is present at the rat heart, showing a distribution compatible with cardiomyocyte sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, several drugs with cardiac effect were shown to interfere with heart alkaline phosphatase activity. We therefore propose that alkaline phosphatase may be a local regulator at heart function and a putative target for therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Alkaline sorbent injection for mercury control

    DOEpatents

    Madden, Deborah A.; Holmes, Michael J.

    2003-01-01

    A mercury removal system for removing mercury from combustion flue gases is provided in which alkaline sorbents at generally extremely low stoichiometric molar ratios of alkaline earth or an alkali metal to sulfur of less than 1.0 are injected into a power plant system at one or more locations to remove at least between about 40% and 60% of the mercury content from combustion flue gases. Small amounts of alkaline sorbents are injected into the flue gas stream at a relatively low rate. A particulate filter is used to remove mercury-containing particles downstream of each injection point used in the power plant system.

  2. Alkaline sorbent injection for mercury control

    DOEpatents

    Madden, Deborah A.; Holmes, Michael J.

    2002-01-01

    A mercury removal system for removing mercury from combustion flue gases is provided in which alkaline sorbents at generally extremely low stoichiometric molar ratios of alkaline earth or an alkali metal to sulfur of less than 1.0 are injected into a power plant system at one or more locations to remove at least between about 40% and 60% of the mercury content from combustion flue gases. Small amounts of alkaline sorbents are injected into the flue gas stream at a relatively low rate. A particulate filter is used to remove mercury-containing particles downstream of each injection point used in the power plant system.

  3. Inorganic-organic separators for alkaline batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheibley, D. W. (Inventor)

    1978-01-01

    A flexible separator is reported for use between the electrodes of Ni-Cd and Ni-Zn batteries using alkaline electrolytes. The separator was made by coating a porous substrate with a battery separator composition. The coating material included a rubber-based resin copolymer, a plasticizer and inorganic and organic fillers which comprised 55% by volume or less of the coating as finally dried. One or more of the filler materials, whether organic or inorganic, is preferably active with the alkaline electrolyte to produce pores in the separator coating. The plasticizer was an organic material which is hydrolyzed by the alkaline electrolyte to improve conductivity of the separator coating.

  4. Oil recovery by alkaline waterflooding

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cooke, C.E. Jr.; Williams, R.E.; Kolodzie, P.A.

    1974-01-01

    Flooding of oil containing organic acids with alkaline water under favorable conditions can result in recovery of around 50% of the residual oil left in a watered-out model. A high recovery efficiency results from the formation of a bank of viscous water-in-oil emulsion as surface active agents (soaps) are created by reactions of base in the water with the organic acids in the oil. The type and amount of organic acids in the oil, the pH and salt content of the water, and the amount of fines in the porous medium are the primary factors which determine the amount ofmore » additional oil recovered by this method. Interaction of alkaline water with reservoir rock largely determines the amount of chemical needed to flood a reservoir. Laboratory investigations using synthetic oils and crude oils show the importance of oil-water and liquid-solid interfacial properties to the results of an alkaline waterflood. A small field test demonstrated that emulsion banks can be formed in the reservoir and that chemical costs can be reasonable in selected reservoirs. Although studies have provided many qualitative guide lines for evaluating the feasibility of alkaline waterflooding, the economic attractiveness of the process must be considered on an individual reservoir.« less

  5. Introducing the AAS Astronomy Ambassadors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gurton, S.; Fienberg, R. T.; Fraknoi, A.; Prather, E. E.

    2013-04-01

    Newly established by the American Astronomical Society (AAS), the Astronomy Ambassadors program is designed to support early-career AAS members with training in resources and techniques for effective outreach to students and/or the public. A pilot Astronomy Ambassadors workshop will be held at the January 2013 AAS meeting. Workshop participants will learn to communicate effectively with public and school audiences; find outreach opportunities and establish ongoing partnerships with local schools, science centers, museums, parks, and/or community centers; reach audiences with personal stories, hands-on activities, and jargon-free language; identify strategies and techniques to improve their presentation skills; gain access to a menu of outreach resources that work in a variety of settings; and become part of an active community of astronomers who do outreach. Applications are welcome from advanced undergraduates (those doing research and committed to continuing in astronomy), graduate students, and postdocs and new faculty in their first two years after receipt of the PhD. We especially encourage applications from members of groups that are presently underrepresented in science.

  6. Outcomes From AAS Hack Day at the 227th AAS Meeting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    Editors Note:This is a final post from the 227th AAS Meeting in Kissimmee, FL. This special summary of AAS Hack Day, a meeting of AAS members to collaboratively work on various small projects, was written by Meredith Rawls (@Merrdiff) and was originally posted on astrobites.com.As the 227thAmerican Astronomical Society meeting drew to a close (see highlights from Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4), a group of at least 50 attendees spent Day 4working on small projects fondly called hacks. Thanks to sponsorship from LSST and Northrup Grumman, the industrious hackers werewell-caffeinated and fed so we could devote time and energy toworking in groups on one-day projects.TheHack Day beganat 10am with pitches. Anybody with a project idea was welcome to briefly speak and try to convince others to work with them. Only someideas panned out, but the enthusiasm was palpable. Its not every day you get a full room of astronomers and affiliates eager to spend hours working on fun and useful projects to benefit the community.#hackAAS is getting underway! #aas227 pic.twitter.com/yX7jlOnSCK James R A Davenport (@jradavenport) January 8, 2016Here is a rundown of what we accomplished. Pretty impressive for a single day! Many thanks to fellow astrobiter Erika Nesvold (now at Carnegie DTM; @erikanesvold) whose hack was live-documenting all the other hacks. Her tweets as @astrobites appeared with the #hackaas hashtag, and her notes made this recap post infinitely easier to write.Interested in joining the fun? Sign up for Hack Day at the 2017 JanuaryAAS meeting (its free with meeting registration), and consider applying for the .Astronomy conference this summer.Towards Optimal Session Scheduling:Adrian Price-Whelan (Columbia), David Hogg (NYU), and Scott Idem (AAS) began writing a program to take all submitted abstracts to a conference like AAS and sort them using keywords to avoid scheduling similar talks in parallel sessions. Its impossible to make everyone happy, but minimizing conflicts

  7. DEVELOPMENTAL AND WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS OF ADOLESCENT AAS EXPOSURE ON THE GLUTAMATERGIC SYSTEM IN HAMSTERS

    PubMed Central

    Carrillo, Maria; Ricci, Lesley A.; Melloni, Richard H.

    2011-01-01

    In the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) glutamate activity has been implicated in the modulation of adolescent anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS)-induced aggression. The current study investigated the time course of adolescent AAS-induced neurodevelopmental and withdrawal effects on the glutamatergic system and examined whether these changes paralleled those of adolescent AAS-induced aggression. Glutamate activity in brain areas comprising the aggression circuit in hamsters and aggression were examined following 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of AAS treatment or 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks following the cessation of AAS exposure. In these studies glutamate activity was examined using vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2). The onset of aggression was observed following 2 weeks exposure to AAS and continued to increase showing maximal aggression levels after 4 weeks of AAS treatment. This aggressive phenotype was detected after 2 weeks of withdrawal from AAS. The time-course of AAS-induced changes in latero anterior hypothalamus (LAH)-VGLUT2 closely paralleled increases in aggression. Increases in LAH-VGLUT2 were first detected in animals exposed to AAS for 2 weeks and were maintained up to 3 weeks following the cessation of AAS treatment. AAS treatment also produced developmental and long-term alterations in VGLUT2 expression within other aggression areas. However, AAS-induced changes in glutamate activity within these regions did not coincide with changes in aggression. Together, these data indicate that adolescent AAS treatment leads to alterations in the glutamatergic system in brain areas implicated in aggression control, yet only alterations in LAH-glutamate parallel the time course of AAS-induced changes in the aggressive phenotype. PMID:21500881

  8. Alkaline Phosphatase: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

    MedlinePlus

    ... Test Information → Alkaline Phosphatase URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/alkalinephosphatase.html Alkaline Phosphatase To ... 2017 Mar 13]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/liverfunctiontests/ Centers for ...

  9. Parameters of Household Composition as Demographic Measures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akkerman, Abraham

    2005-01-01

    Cross-sectional data, such as Census statistics, enable the re-enactment of household lifecourse through the construction of the household composition matrix, a tabulation of persons in households by their age and by the age of their corresponding household-heads. Household lifecourse is represented in the household composition matrix somewhat…

  10. 21 CFR 862.1050 - Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system... Test Systems § 862.1050 Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system. (a) Identification. An alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system is a device intended to measure alkaline phosphatase or its isoenzymes...

  11. 40 CFR Table Aa-2 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O AA Table AA-2 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O Fuel Fossil fuel-based emissions...

  12. 40 CFR Table Aa-2 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O AA Table AA-2 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O Fuel Fossil fuel-based emissions...

  13. 40 CFR Table Aa-2 to Subpart Aa of... - Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Kraft Lime Kiln and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O AA Table AA-2 to Subpart AA of Part 98 Protection of Environment... and Calciner Emissions Factors for Fossil Fuel-Based CH4 and N2O Fuel Fossil fuel-based emissions...

  14. Head lice prevalence among households in Norway: importance of spatial variables and individual and household characteristics

    PubMed Central

    RUKKE, BJØRN ARNE; BIRKEMOE, TONE; SOLENG, ARNULF; LINDSTEDT, HEIDI HEGGEN; OTTESEN, PREBEN

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Head lice prevalence varies greatly between and within countries, and more knowledge is needed to approach causes of this variation. In the present study, we investigated head lice prevalence among elementary school students and their households in relation to individual and household characteristics as well as spatial variables. The investigation included households from 5 geographically separated municipalities. Present infestations among household members as well as previous infestations in the household were reported in a questionnaire. In elementary school students prevalence was low (1·63%), but more than one-third of the households (36·43%) had previously experienced pediculosis. Prevalence was higher in elementary school students than in other household members, and highest in third-grade children. Prevalence was also influenced by the school attended, which suggested that interactions between children in the same school are important for head lice transmission. Previous occurrence of head lice in homes also increased the risk of present infestation. Prevalence of previous infestations was higher in households with more children and in more densely populated municipalities, indicating that the density of hosts or groups of hosts influences transmission rates. These results demonstrate that information of hosts’ spatial distribution as well as household and individual characteristics is needed to better understand head lice population dynamics. PMID:21767439

  15. Head lice prevalence among households in Norway: importance of spatial variables and individual and household characteristics.

    PubMed

    Rukke, Bjørn Arne; Birkemoe, Tone; Soleng, Arnulf; Lindstedt, Heidi Heggen; Ottesen, Preben

    2011-09-01

    Head lice prevalence varies greatly between and within countries, and more knowledge is needed to approach causes of this variation. In the present study, we investigated head lice prevalence among elementary school students and their households in relation to individual and household characteristics as well as spatial variables. The investigation included households from 5 geographically separated municipalities. Present infestations among household members as well as previous infestations in the household were reported in a questionnaire. In elementary school students prevalence was low (1·63%), but more than one-third of the households (36·43%) had previously experienced pediculosis. Prevalence was higher in elementary school students than in other household members, and highest in third-grade children. Prevalence was also influenced by the school attended, which suggested that interactions between children in the same school are important for head lice transmission. Previous occurrence of head lice in homes also increased the risk of present infestation. Prevalence of previous infestations was higher in households with more children and in more densely populated municipalities, indicating that the density of hosts or groups of hosts influences transmission rates. These results demonstrate that information of hosts' spatial distribution as well as household and individual characteristics is needed to better understand head lice population dynamics.

  16. AA amyloidosis: Mount Sinai experience, 1997-2012.

    PubMed

    Bunker, Daniel; Gorevic, Peter

    2012-01-01

    AA amyloidosis is a systemic disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils derived from the acute-phase reactant serum amyloid A protein. It is typically a consequence of chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease, although more patients are being identified who have more unusual causes or no known inflammatory stimulus. We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients with AA amyloidosis seen at Mount Sinai during the period of 1997-2012. Particular attention was paid to the patients' underlying diseases, extent of organ involvement, levels of inflammatory markers and proinflammatory cytokines, presence of pyrin gene mutations, and outcomes. Forty-three patients were seen at Mount Sinai with AA amyloidosis during this period. The most common underlying diseases were rheumatoid arthritis (21%) and Crohn's disease (16%), though 21% of patients were considered to have idiopathic AA amyloid after an extensive search found no underlying inflammatory disease. Almost all patients (95%) had renal involvement based on biopsy or clinical criteria, with 19 patients (44%) eventually requiring dialysis and 5 (12%) undergoing renal transplantation. Inflammatory markers were elevated in most patients; however, interleukin-6 was the only consistently elevated cytokine. Three patients (of 9 tested) were found to be positive for the E148Q pyrin gene mutation. Our study confirms the increasing number of patients being seen with idiopathic AA amyloidosis. More research is needed to determine if these patients have an underlying genetic susceptibility encoded in pyrin or other genes. Our study also confirms the dominance of renal disease in this population. The elevated levels of interleukin-6, in comparison with other cytokines, could represent a therapeutic target. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

  17. Acidity and alkalinity in mine drainage: Theoretical considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kirby, Carl S.; Cravotta,, Charles A.

    2004-01-01

    Acidity, net acidity, and net alkalinity are widely used parameters for the characterization of mine drainage, but these terms are not well defined and are often misunderstood. Incorrect interpretation of acidity, alkalinity, and derivative terms can lead to inadequate treatment design or poor regulatory decisions. We briefly explain derivations of theoretical expressions of three types of alkalinities (caustic, phenolphthalein, and total) and acidities (mineral, CO2, and total). Theoretically defined total alkalinity is closely analogous to measured alkalinity and presents few practical interpretation problems. Theoretically defined “CO2- acidity” is closely related to most standard titration methods used for mine drainage with an endpoint pH of 8.3, but it presents numerous interpretation problems, and it is unfortunately named because CO2 is intentionally driven off during titration of mine-drainage samples. Using the proton condition/massaction approach and employing graphs for visualization, we explore the concept of principal components and how to assign acidity contributions to solution species, including aqueous complexes, commonly found in mine drainage. We define a comprehensive theoretical definition of acidity in mine drainage on the basis of aqueous speciation at the sample pH and the capacity of these species to undergo hydrolysis to pH 8.3. This definition indicates the computed acidity in milligrams per liter (mg L-1 ) as CaCO3 (based on pH and analytical concentrations of dissolved FeIII , FeII , Mn, and Al in mg L-1 ): Aciditycomputed = 50. (10(3-pH) + 3.CFeIII/55.8 + 2.CFeII/55.8 + 2.CMn/54.9 + 3.CAl/27.0) underestimates contributions from HSO4 - and H+ , but overestimates the acidity due to Fe3+. These errors tend to approximately cancel each other. We demonstrate that “net alkalinity” is a valid mathematical construction based on theoretical definitions of alkalinity and acidity. We demonstrate that, for most mine-drainage solutions, a

  18. Role and mechanism of AT1-AA in the pathogenesis of HELLP syndrome.

    PubMed

    Bu, Shurui; Wang, Yuxian; Sun, Shuqing; Zheng, Yanqian; Jin, Zhu; Zhi, Jianming

    2018-01-10

    HELLP syndrome remains a leading cause of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide, which symptoms include hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. The objective of this study was to determine whether HELLP is associated with AT1-AA. The positive rate and titer of AT1-AA in plasma from pregnant women were determined, and the correlation of AT1-AA titer with the grade of HELLP was analyzed. A HELLP rat model established by intravenous injection of AT1-AA. Our experimental results show the AT1-AA titer and positive rate were significantly higher in HELLP group, and AT1-AA titer were positively correlated with the level of TNF-α and ET-1 in plasma and the grade of HELLP syndrome. The results of animal experiments showed that the typical features of HELLP in the pregnant rats after AT1-AA injection. The levels of TNF-α and ET-1 in plasma and liver tissue were significantly increased in AT1-AA-treated rats compared with control rats. The HELLP syndrome induced by AT1-AA was attenuated markedly after administration of losartan. These data support the hypothesis that one the potential pathway that AT1-AA induce damage to capillary endothelial cells and liver during pregnancy is through activation of TNF-α and ET-1.

  19. Field measurement of alkalinity and pH

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barnes, Ivan

    1964-01-01

    The behavior of electrometric pH equipment under field conditions departs from the behavior predicted from Nernst's law. The response is a linear function of pH, and hence measured pH values may be corrected to true pH if the instrument is calibrated with two reference solutions for each measurement. Alkalinity titrations may also be made in terms of true pH. Standard methods, such as colorimetric titrations, were rejected as unreliable or too cumbersome for rapid field use. The true pH of the end point of the alkalinity titration as a function of temperature, ionic strength, and total alkalinity has been calculated. Total alkalinity in potable waters is the most important factor influencing the end point pH, which varies from 5.38 (0 ? C, 5 ppm (parts per million) HC0a-) to 4.32 (300 ppm HC0a-,35 ? C), for the ranges of variables considered. With proper precautions, the pH may be determined to =i:0.02 pH and the alkalinity to =i:0.6 ppm HCO3- for many naturally occurring bodies of fresh water.

  20. An Existential Approach: An Alternative to the AA Model of Recovery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Maria A.; Cobia, Debra

    2008-01-01

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely used organization for the treatment of alcoholism. AA's philosophy has changed how many people view themselves and their substance use. The majority of substance abuse programs in the United States use the 12 steps, either by making them the basis of their treatment program, or by introducing AA to…

  1. Diclofenac salts. III. Alkaline and earth alkaline salts.

    PubMed

    Fini, Adamo; Fazio, Giuseppe; Rosetti, Francesca; Angeles Holgado, M; Iruín, Ana; Alvarez-Fuentes, Josefa

    2005-11-01

    Diclofenac salts containing the alkaline and two earth alkaline cations have been prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDAX spectroscopy; and by thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA): all of them crystallize as hydrate when precipitated from water. The salts dehydrate at room temperature and more easily on heating, but recovery the hydration, when placed in a humid environment. X-ray diffraction spectra suggest that on dehydration new peaks appear on diffractograms and the lattice of the salts partially looses crystallinity. This phenomenon is readily visible in the case of the calcium and magnesium salts, whose thermograms display a crystallization exotherm, before melting or decomposing at temperatures near or above 200 degrees C; these last salts appear to form solvates, when prepared from methanol. The thermogram of each salt shows a complex endotherm of dehydration about 100 degrees C; the calcium salt displays two endotherms, well separated at about 120 and 160 degrees C, which disappear after prolonged heating. Decomposition exotherms, before or soon after the melting, appear below 300 degrees C. The ammonium salt is thermally unstable and, when heated to start dehydration, dissociates and leaves acidic diclofenac.

  2. Fecal transmission of AA amyloidosis in the cheetah contributes to high incidence of disease

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Beiru; Une, Yumi; Fu, Xiaoying; Yan, Jingmin; Ge, FengXia; Yao, Junjie; Sawashita, Jinko; Mori, Masayuki; Tomozawa, Hiroshi; Kametani, Fuyuki; Higuchi, Keiichi

    2008-01-01

    AA amyloidosis is one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), which are in danger of extinction, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Given the transmissible characteristics of AA amyloidosis, transmission between captive cheetahs may be a possible mechanism involved in the high incidence of AA amyloidosis. In this study of animals with AA amyloidosis, we found that cheetah feces contained AA amyloid fibrils that were different from those of the liver with regard to molecular weight and shape and had greater transmissibility. The infectious activity of fecal AA amyloid fibrils was reduced or abolished by the protein denaturants 6 M guanidine·HCl and formic acid or by AA immunodepletion. Thus, we propose that feces are a vehicle of transmission that may accelerate AA amyloidosis in captive cheetah populations. These results provide a pathogenesis for AA amyloidosis and suggest possible measures for rescuing cheetahs from extinction. PMID:18474855

  3. Temperature Dependence of Mineral Solubility in Water. Part 3. Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Sulfates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krumgalz, B. S.

    2018-06-01

    The databases of alkaline and alkaline earth sulfate solubilities in water at various temperatures were created using experimental data from the publications over about the last two centuries. Statistical critical evaluation of the created databases was produced since there were enough independent data sources to justify such evaluation. The reliable experimental data were adequately described by polynomial expressions over various temperature ranges. Using the Pitzer approach for ionic activity and osmotic coefficients, the thermodynamic solubility products for the discussed minerals have been calculated at various temperatures and represented by polynomial expressions.

  4. Temperature Dependence of Mineral Solubility in Water. Part 2. Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Bromides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krumgalz, B. S.

    2018-03-01

    Databases of alkaline and alkaline earth bromide solubilities in water at various temperatures were created using experimental data from publications over about the last two centuries. Statistical critical evaluation of the created databases was produced since there were enough independent data sources to justify such evaluation. The reliable experimental data were adequately described by polynomial expressions over various temperature ranges. Using the Pitzer approach for ionic activity and osmotic coefficients, the thermodynamic solubility products for the discussed bromide minerals have been calculated at various temperature intervals and also represented by polynomial expressions.

  5. Through-thickness recrystallization characteristics of a laminated AA3xxx–AA6xxx aluminum alloy system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liao, L.H., E-mail: l2liao@uwaterloo.ca; Jin, H.; Gallerneault, M.

    2015-03-15

    The through-thickness annealing behavior of a laminated AA3xxx–AA6xxx alloy system at 300 °C has been studied by scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction analysis, electron probe micro-analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and hardness measurement. Results show that the recrystallization process starts at the interface region between the AA3xxx (clad) and AA6xxx (core) layers. Subsequently, the recrystallization process front progresses into the core layer, while the clad layer is the last region to recrystallize. It is also found that precipitation precedes recrystallization in the entire laminate at the investigated temperature. The preferential onset of recrystallization at the interface region is attributed tomore » the net driving pressure being the highest in this region. The factors that lead to such enhanced net driving pressure are (a) deformation incompatibility between the two alloy layers, (b) lower solute content of the interface, which also leads to lower volume fraction of precipitates, and (c) an accelerated rate of precipitate coarsening due to the presence of a higher density of dislocations. The gradual progress of recrystallization from the interface towards the core layer is dictated by precipitate coarsening and the dependence of its rate on the density of deformation-induced dislocations. The lower driving pressure due to lower work hardening capacity, high solute drag pressure due to Mn, and additional Zener drag from precipitates that form due to solute redistribution during annealing explain the late initiation of recrystallization in the clad layer. - Highlights: • The through-thickness recrystallization of a laminated system is investigated. • The early onset of recrystallization at the interface is discussed. • The effects of precipitation and coarsening on recrystallization are analyzed.« less

  6. A Comparative Study: Taxonomic Grouping of Alkaline Protease Producing Bacilli.

    PubMed

    Tekin, Nilgun; Cihan, Arzu Coleri; Karaca, Basar; Cokmus, Cumhur

    2017-03-30

    Alkaline proteases have biotechnological importance due to their activity and stability at alkaline pH. 56 bacteria, capable of growing under alkaline conditions were isolated and their alkaline protease activities were carried out at different parameters to determine their optimum alkaline protease production conditions. Seven isolates were showed higher alkaline protease production capacity than the reference strains. The highest alkaline protease producing isolates (103125 U/g), E114 and C265, were identified as Bacillus licheniformis with 99.4% and Bacillus mojavensis 99.8% based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively. Interestingly, the isolates identified as Bacillus safensis were also found to be high alkaline protease producing strains. Genotypic characterizations of the isolates were also determined by using a wide range of molecular techniques (ARDRA, ITS-PCR, (GTG)5-PCR, BOX-PCR). These different techniques allowed us to differentiate the alkaliphilic isolates and the results were in concurrence with phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA genes. While ITS-PCR provided the highest correlation with 16S rRNA groups, (GTG)5-PCR showed the highest differentiation at species and intra-species level. In this study, each of the biotechnologically valuable alkaline protease producing isolates was grouped into their taxonomic positions with multi-genotypic analyses.

  7. COACTIVATOR ACTIVATOR (CoAA) PREVENTS THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL ACTIVITY OF RUNT DOMAIN TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xiaodong; Hoeppner, Luke H.; Jensen, Eric D.; Gopalakrishnan, Rajaram; Westendorf, Jennifer J.

    2013-01-01

    Runx proteins are essential for a number of developmental processes and are aberrantly expressed in many human cancers. Runx factors bind DNA and co-factors to activate or repress genes crucial for bone formation, hematopoiesis, and neuronal development. Co-activator activator (CoAA) is a nuclear protein that regulates gene expression, RNA splicing and is overexpressed in many human tumors. In this study, we identified CoAA as a Runx2 binding protein. CoAA repressed Runx factor-dependent activation of reporter genes in a histone deacetylase-independent manner. CoAA also blocked Runx2-mediated repression of the Axin2 promoter, a novel Runx target gene. The carboxy-terminus of CoAA is essential for binding the Runt domains of Runx1 and Runx2. In electophoretic mobility shift assays, CoAA inhibited Runx2 interactions with DNA. These data indicate that CoAA is an inhibitor of Runx factors and can negate Runx factor regulation of gene expression. CoAA is expressed at high levels in human fetal osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cell lines. Suppression of CoAA expression by RNA interference reduced osteosarcoma cell viability in vitro, suggesting that it contributes to the proliferation and/or survival of osteoblast lineage cells. PMID:19585539

  8. AaCAT1 of the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Immo A.; Boudko, Dmitri Y.; Shiao, Shin-Hong; Voronov, Dmitri A.; Meleshkevitch, Ella A.; Drake, Lisa L.; Aguirre, Sarah E.; Fox, Jeffrey M.; Attardo, Geoffrey M.; Raikhel, Alexander S.

    2011-01-01

    Insect yolk protein precursor gene expression is regulated by nutritional and endocrine signals. A surge of amino acids in the hemolymph of blood-fed female mosquitoes activates a nutrient signaling system in the fat bodies, which subsequently derepresses yolk protein precursor genes and makes them responsive to activation by steroid hormones. Orphan transporters of the SLC7 family were identified as essential upstream components of the nutrient signaling system in the fat body of fruit flies and the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. However, the transport function of these proteins was unknown. We report expression and functional characterization of AaCAT1, cloned from the fat body of A. aegypti. Expression of AaCAT1 transcript and protein undergoes dynamic changes during postembryonic development of the mosquito. Transcript expression was especially high in the third and fourth larval stages; however, the AaCAT1 protein was detected only in pupa and adult stages. Functional expression and analysis of AaCAT1 in Xenopus oocytes revealed that it acts as a sodium-independent cationic amino acid transporter, with unique selectivity to l-histidine at neutral pH (K0.5l-His = 0.34 ± 0.07 mm, pH 7.2). Acidification to pH 6.2 dramatically increases AaCAT1-specific His+-induced current. RNAi-mediated silencing of AaCAT1 reduces egg yield of subsequent ovipositions. Our data show that AaCAT1 has notable differences in its transport mechanism when compared with related mammalian cationic amino acid transporters. It may execute histidine-specific transport and signaling in mosquito tissues. PMID:21262963

  9. Zirconia coating stabilized super-iron alkaline cathodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Xingwen; Licht, Stuart

    A low-level zirconia coating significantly stabilizes high energy alkaline super-iron cathodes, and improves the energy storage capacity of super-iron batteries. Zirconia coating is derived from ZrCl 4 in an organic medium through the conversion of ZrCl 4 to ZrO 2. In alkaline battery system, ZrO 2 provides an intact shield for the cathode materials and the hydroxide shuttle through the coating sustains alkaline cathode redox chemistry. Most super-iron cathodes are solid-state stable, such as K 2FeO 4 and Cs 2FeO 4, but tend to be passivated in alkaline electrolyte due to the formation of Fe(III) over layer. Zirconia coating effectively enhances the stability of these super-iron cathodes. However, for solid-state unstable super-iron cathode (e.g. BaFeO 4), only a little stabilization effect of zirconia coating is observed.

  10. AA amyloidosis complicating the hereditary periodic fever syndromes.

    PubMed

    Lane, Thirusha; Loeffler, Jutta M; Rowczenio, Dorota M; Gilbertson, Janet A; Bybee, Alison; Russell, Tonia L; Gillmore, Julian D; Wechalekar, Ashutosh D; Hawkins, Philip N; Lachmann, Helen J

    2013-04-01

    AA amyloidosis is a life-threatening complication of the hereditary periodic fever syndromes (HPFS), which are otherwise often compatible with normal life expectancy. This study was undertaken to determine the characteristics, presentation, natural history, and response to treatment in 46 patients who had been referred for evaluation at the UK National Amyloidosis Centre. Disease activity was monitored by serial measurement of serum amyloid A. Renal function was assessed by measurement of serum creatinine and albumin levels, the estimated glomerular filtration rate, and proteinuria from 24-hour urine collections. The amyloid load was measured by serum amyloid P scintigraphy. Twenty-four patients had familial Mediterranean fever, 12 patients had tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome, 6 patients had cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, and 4 patients had mevalonate kinase deficiency. The median age at onset of HPFS was 5 years; median age at presentation with AA amyloidosis was 38 years. Diagnosis of an HPFS had not been considered prior to presentation with AA amyloidosis in 23 patients (50%). Eleven patients (24%) had end-stage renal failure (ESRF) at presentation; of these, 3 had received transplants prior to referral. A further 13 patients developed ESRF over the followup period, with 10 undergoing renal transplantation. The median time to progression to ESRF from onset of AA amyloidosis was 3.3 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2-8), with a median time to transplant of 4 years (IQR 3-6). Eleven patients (24%) died. The median survival in the entire cohort was 19 years from diagnosis of AA amyloidosis. Of the 37 patients who were treated successfully, or in whom at least partial suppression of the underlying HPFS was achieved, 17 (46%) showed amyloid regression, 14 (38%) showed a stable amyloid load, and 2 (5%) showed increased amyloid deposition over the followup period. AA amyloidosis remains a challenging and serious late complication

  11. Global Variability and Changes in Ocean Total Alkalinity from Aquarius Satellite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fine, R. A.; Willey, D. A.; Millero, F. J., Jr.

    2016-02-01

    To document effects of ocean acidification it is important to have an understanding of the processes and parameters that influence alkalinity. Alkalinity is a gauge on the ability of seawater to neutralize acids. We use Aquarius satellite data, which allow unprecedented global mapping of surface total alkalinity as it correlates strongly with salinity and to a lesser extent with temperature. Spatial variability in total alkalinity and salinity exceed temporal variability, the latter includes seasonal and differences compared to climatological data. The northern hemisphere has more spatial and monthly variability in total alkalinity and salinity, while less variability in Southern Ocean alkalinity is due to less salinity variability and upwelling of waters enriched in alkalinity. Satellite alkalinity data are providing a global baseline that can be used for comparing with future carbon data, and for evaluating spatial and temporal variability and past trends. For the first time it is shown that recent satellite derived total alkalinity in the subtropics have increased as compared with climatological data; this is reflective of large scale changes in the global water cycle. Total alkalinity increases imply increased dissolution of calcareous minerals and difficulty for calcifying organisms to make their shells.

  12. Household Structure and Living Conditions in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mberu, Blessing Uchenna

    2007-01-01

    Data on 7,632 households from the 1999 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey are used to examine household structure and living conditions in Nigeria. The study finds significant disadvantage in living conditions of single-adult, female- and single-adult, male-headed households relative to two-parent households. Extended households show no…

  13. Process for extracting technetium from alkaline solutions

    DOEpatents

    Moyer, Bruce A.; Sachleben, Richard A.; Bonnesen, Peter V.

    1995-01-01

    A process for extracting technetium values from an aqueous alkaline solution containing at least one alkali metal hydroxide and at least one alkali metal nitrate, the at least one alkali metal nitrate having a concentration of from about 0.1 to 6 molar. The solution is contacted with a solvent consisting of a crown ether in a diluent for a period of time sufficient to selectively extract the technetium values from the aqueous alkaline solution. The solvent containing the technetium values is separated from the aqueous alkaline solution and the technetium values are stripped from the solvent.

  14. Alkaline tolerant dextranase from streptomyces anulatus

    DOEpatents

    Decker, Stephen R.; Adney, William S.; Vinzant, Todd B.; Himmel, Michael E.

    2003-01-01

    A process for production of an alkaline tolerant dextranase enzyme comprises culturing a dextran-producing microorganism Streptomyces anulatus having accession no. ATCC PTA-3866 to produce an alkaline tolerant dextranase, Dex 1 wherein the protein in said enzyme is characterized by a MW of 63.3 kDa and Dex 2 wherein its protein is characterized by a MW of 81.8 kDa.

  15. 40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

  16. 40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

  17. 40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

  18. 40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

  19. 40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

  20. Which U.S. Households Use Education Loans?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsu, Chungwen; Fisher, Patti J.

    2016-01-01

    This empirical study uses the 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) to investigate the characteristics of households that hold at least one loan for educational expenses. The benefit of using household-level data is that a single household may have education loans for multiple people in the household, including the household head, spouse/partner,…

  1. Assessing ocean alkalinity for carbon sequestration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renforth, Phil; Henderson, Gideon

    2017-09-01

    Over the coming century humanity may need to find reservoirs to store several trillions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from fossil fuel combustion, which would otherwise cause dangerous climate change if it were left in the atmosphere. Carbon storage in the ocean as bicarbonate ions (by increasing ocean alkalinity) has received very little attention. Yet recent work suggests sufficient capacity to sequester copious quantities of CO2. It may be possible to sequester hundreds of billions to trillions of tons of C without surpassing postindustrial average carbonate saturation states in the surface ocean. When globally distributed, the impact of elevated alkalinity is potentially small and may help ameliorate the effects of ocean acidification. However, the local impact around addition sites may be more acute but is specific to the mineral and technology. The alkalinity of the ocean increases naturally because of rock weathering in which >1.5 mol of carbon are removed from the atmosphere for every mole of magnesium or calcium dissolved from silicate minerals (e.g., wollastonite, olivine, and anorthite) and 0.5 mol for carbonate minerals (e.g., calcite and dolomite). These processes are responsible for naturally sequestering 0.5 billion tons of CO2 per year. Alkalinity is reduced in the ocean through carbonate mineral precipitation, which is almost exclusively formed from biological activity. Most of the previous work on the biological response to changes in carbonate chemistry have focused on acidifying conditions. More research is required to understand carbonate precipitation at elevated alkalinity to constrain the longevity of carbon storage. A range of technologies have been proposed to increase ocean alkalinity (accelerated weathering of limestone, enhanced weathering, electrochemical promoted weathering, and ocean liming), the cost of which may be comparable to alternative carbon sequestration proposals (e.g., $20-100 tCO2-1). There are still many

  2. An Analysis of the Rise and Fall of the AA-MAS Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Thurlow, Martha L.; Ysseldyke, James E.; Edwards, Lynn M.

    2015-01-01

    In 2005, to address concerns about students who might fall in the "gap" between the regular assessment and the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS), the U.S. Department of Education announced that states could develop alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). This article…

  3. Recent trend in family households in Beijing.

    PubMed

    Guo, Z; Guo, L

    1997-01-01

    This study examined trends in household size and age structure in Beijing, China, in 1995. Data were reliably obtained from the 1% sample survey of China. Findings indicate that the average size of a family household was 3.15 persons, that is, 0.050 persons fewer than the 3.20 from the 1990 Census. Children aged 0-14 years in each household averaged 0.04 fewer children during 1990-95. 80% of the decline in household size was due to decreases in the number of children. The percentage of single-family and single-person households declined. Three-person households were the only size group that increased (23.2-40.7%). The household headship (HH) rate for males increased dramatically between the ages of 20 and 30 years and stabilized after 35 years. The HH rate for women grew slowly and continuously until age 50 years and then stabilized. The gender gap in HH appeared at an early age and remained thereafter. The HH rate declined at older ages. The HH rate in Beijing, compared to the national rate, suggests relative gender equity in Beijing. As a child ages, the percentage of three-generation households declines and the percentage of two-generation households rises. As a child becomes an adult, the percentages of single-person households and single-couple households increase. Single-couple households decreased among the middle-aged. 67.4% of the elderly lived in two- or three-generation households. 31.4% of elderly lived in single-person/couple households. The percentage of elderly living with their children declined by 2 points during 1990-95.

  4. Projection for household development in China.

    PubMed

    Guo, Z

    1991-01-01

    In traditional Chinese culture, marriage and setting up a new household is the most important event in life with the requisite purchases of real estate, furniture and other large items from years of savings. The development of the national economy depends on these households to as significant extent as they also provide microeconomic functions in society. The sex age-specific householder rate method was used for forecasting the number of future households. The UN medium projection of the population of China for the year 2000 indicated 1,285,000,000, the low projection showed 1,260,000,000 and the high projection came up with 1,300,000,000 with an essentially unchanged number of households and probably smaller average household size. The 1988, the China Population Statistics Almanac disclosed that in 1987 there was a total 258,340,000 households expected to increase according to the medium projection to 370,000,000 households expected to increase according to the medium projection to 370,640,000 by 2000. This annual growth rate of 2.8% exceeds the rate of 1.4% in the 1950s, 1.8% in the 1960s and early 1970s and 2.4% during 1975-87. The data of the Statistics Bureau and the Ministry of Public Security for 1985-89 yielded an annual household growth rate of 3.6%. This could be attributed to the increased number of births following the troublesome early 1960s who enter marriage age now. Based on the average household living space of 61.37 sq m there would be an additional 6,890,000,000 sq m of living space requirement for 112,300,000 new households. The proportion of urban population would rise from the level of 1987 when the agricultural population made up 80.1% and the nonagricultural segment comprised 19.8%. New household construction would require planning, raising funds, building materials, construction teams, and land.

  5. Electric-field-induced plasmon in AA-stacked bilayer graphene

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chuang, Y.C., E-mail: yingchih.chuang@gmail.com; Wu, J.Y., E-mail: yarst5@gmail.com; Lin, M.F., E-mail: mflin@mail.ncku.edu.tw

    2013-12-15

    The collective excitations in AA-stacked bilayer graphene for a perpendicular electric field are investigated analytically within the tight-binding model and the random-phase approximation. Such a field destroys the uniform probability distribution of the four sublattices. This drives a symmetry breaking between the intralayer and interlayer polarization intensities from the intrapair band excitations. A field-induced acoustic plasmon thus emerges in addition to the strongly field-tunable intrinsic acoustic and optical plasmons. At long wavelengths, the three modes show different dispersions and field dependence. The definite physical mechanism of the electrically inducible and tunable mode can be expected to also be present inmore » other AA-stacked few-layer graphenes. -- Highlights: •The analytical derivations are performed by the tight-binding model. •An electric field drives the non-uniformity of the charge distribution. •A symmetry breaking between the intralayer and interlayer polarizations is illustrated. •An extra plasmon emerges besides two intrinsic modes in AA-stacked bilayer graphene. •The mechanism of a field-induced mode is present in AA-stacked few-layer graphenes.« less

  6. Adolescent mothers leaving multigenerational households.

    PubMed

    Oberlander, Sarah E; Shebl, Fatma M; Magder, Laurence S; Black, Maureen M

    2009-01-01

    This study examined how the developmental processes of autonomy and relatedness are related to changes in the residential status of 181 first-time, adolescent, urban, low-income, African American mothers over the first 24 months postpartum. Although adolescent mothers were eager to live independently, few made a clear transition out of the multigenerational household; 56% lived in the household of origin continuously (IN), 21% left and never returned (OUT), and 23% had multiple moves in and out of the household (IN/OUT). Older adolescent maternal age, less supportive adolescent mother-grandmother relations, and high household density were associated with leaving the household of origin. The IN/OUT group had difficulty adopting the roles of adult and parent. Helping adolescent mothers and grandmothers negotiate roles to reduce conflict may promote autonomy and relatedness, allowing mothers to learn parenting skills, qualify for public assistance, and continue their education.

  7. Household products: a review.

    PubMed

    DiCarlo, Marc A

    2003-10-01

    Household products include detergents, cleaners and polishes, bleaches, disinfectants and sterilizers, dust removers, antistatics and deodorizers, office materials, removers, and products for clothing. Many of these contain chemicals that present a risk to those who come into contact with them. This contact may be through inhalation or dermal exposure for human adults, or by ingestion for children. Pets are exposed through ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. An emerging class of household products is the fabric refreshers, which may pose a hazard to humans and pets. This review explores the major chemicals expected in typical fabric refreshers, "and their potential hazards to household pets.

  8. Is the presence of AA amyloidosis associated with impaired coronary flow reserve?

    PubMed

    Bulut, Mustafa; Keles, Nursen; Caliskan, Zuhal; Kostek, Osman; Aksu, Feyza; Ozdil, Kamil; Akcakoyun, Mustafa; Demircioglu, Kenan; Yilmaz, Yusuf; Kanbay, Mehmet; Caliskan, Mustafa

    2016-08-01

    Systemic amyloid A protein (AA) amyloidosis may occur as a complication of many chronic inflammatory disorders. Patients receiving inadequate anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive therapies have an increased risk of developing systemic AA amyloidosis. Inflammation plays a role in all stages and the thrombotic complications of atherosclerosis. In the absence of epicardial coronary stenosis, coronary flow reserve (CFR) reflects coronary microvascular dysfunction. In the present study, we hypothesized that amyloid advanced subclinical inflammation in chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) patients may further affect coronary microcirculation. Thirty-two patients with biopsy-diagnosed renal AA, 73 patients with non-amyloid CID, and a group of healthy volunteers were included in the study. The measurements of coronary flow velocity were performed by a single investigator with expertise in transthoracic Doppler harmonic echocardiography (TTDE). The AA amyloidosis subgroup had significantly lower CFR values than other non-amyloid CID patients and the control individuals (1.8 (1.5-2.1) vs. 2.1 (2.0-2.4) and 3.0 (2.8-3.2), p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the presence of AA amyloidosis and elevated hs - CRP independently predict impairment of the CFR (p < 0.05). The presence of AA amyloidosis is related to decreased CFR values and the presence of AA amyloidosis and elevated hs - CRP independently predict impairment of the CFR. Therefore, patients with AA amyloidosis may have an increased risk of developing coronary artery diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. PDGF-AA-induced filamentous mitochondria benefit dermal papilla cells in cellular migration.

    PubMed

    Mifude, C; Kaseda, K

    2015-06-01

    Human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) play essential roles in hair follicular morphogenesis and postnatal hair growth cycles. Previous reports demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA) enhanced the formation of dermal condensates in hair follicular development. Additionally, PDGF-AA induces/maintains the anagen phase of the hair cycle. It is likely that mitochondrial morphology and functions are tightly coupled with maintenance of these energy-demanding activities. However, little is known about the mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. Thus, we investigated the PDGF-involved mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. The mitochondrial morphologies of HDPCs were examined in the presence or absence of PDGF-AA under a fluorescent microscope. ATP production and cellular motility were investigated. The relationship between mitochondrial morphology and the cellular functions was discussed. We observed that primary HDPCs contained mitochondria with filamentous and/or rounded morphologies. Both types of mitochondria showed similar membrane potentials. Interestingly, in the presence of PDGF-AA, but not PDGF-BB, the balance between the two morphologies shifted towards the filamentous form. Concomitantly, both mitochondrial enzymatic activity and total cellular ATP level were augmented by PDGF-AA. These two parameters were closely correlated, suggesting the mitochondrial involvement in the PDGF-augmented ATP production. Moreover, PDGF-AA accelerated the migration of HDPCs in a gap-filling assay, but did not change the rate of cellular proliferation. Notably, filamentous mitochondria dominated migrating HDPCs. PDGF-AA benefits HDPCs in the process of migration, by increasing the number of filamentous mitochondria. © 2014 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

  10. Alkaline quinone flow battery.

    PubMed

    Lin, Kaixiang; Chen, Qing; Gerhardt, Michael R; Tong, Liuchuan; Kim, Sang Bok; Eisenach, Louise; Valle, Alvaro W; Hardee, David; Gordon, Roy G; Aziz, Michael J; Marshak, Michael P

    2015-09-25

    Storage of photovoltaic and wind electricity in batteries could solve the mismatch problem between the intermittent supply of these renewable resources and variable demand. Flow batteries permit more economical long-duration discharge than solid-electrode batteries by using liquid electrolytes stored outside of the battery. We report an alkaline flow battery based on redox-active organic molecules that are composed entirely of Earth-abundant elements and are nontoxic, nonflammable, and safe for use in residential and commercial environments. The battery operates efficiently with high power density near room temperature. These results demonstrate the stability and performance of redox-active organic molecules in alkaline flow batteries, potentially enabling cost-effective stationary storage of renewable energy. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  11. Technetium recovery from high alkaline solution

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nash, Charles A.

    2016-07-12

    Disclosed are methods for recovering technetium from a highly alkaline solution. The highly alkaline solution can be a liquid waste solution from a nuclear waste processing system. Methods can include combining the solution with a reductant capable of reducing technetium at the high pH of the solution and adding to or forming in the solution an adsorbent capable of adsorbing the precipitated technetium at the high pH of the solution.

  12. [A review for recent advances in AA amyloid research and therapeutic approach to AA amyloidosis complicating rheumatoid arthritis].

    PubMed

    Tamura, Hiroaki; Hasegawa, Kiminori

    2009-02-01

    AA amyloidosis is a life threatening clinical complication of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It has been demonstrated biochemically that amyloidosis resulted from abnormal folding of proteins, which are deposited as insoluble fibrils in extracellular tissue, leading to the disruption of their normal function. In this regard, amyloidosis has been recognized as a conformation disorder. Interestingly, genetic polymorphisms of amyloid precursor protein (SAA) have been reported to associate with increased risk for AA amyloidosis. Also recent biochemical research revealed that SAA is synthesized under the influence of the proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1. Additionally, it was suggested that amyloid deposits in extracellular tissue could reflect to the serum level of SAA in the reversible fashion, leading to the hypothesis that the control of the SAA synthesis could be beneficial to the treatment of amyloidosis. In this context, anti-cytokine therapies may be most effective. Especially the inhibition of IL-6 is critical to suppression of SAA production, so treatment with a humanized monoclonal antibody against human IL-6 receptor may not only ameliorate RA disease activity but also pave the way for the treatment of AA amyloidosis.

  13. Ethanol production from bamboo using mild alkaline pre-extraction followed by alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Zhaoyang; Wen, Yangbing; Kapu, Nuwan Sella

    2018-01-01

    A sequential two-stage pretreatment process comprising alkaline pre-extraction and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHP) was investigated to convert bamboo carbohydrates into bioethanol. The results showed that mild alkaline pre-extraction using 8% (w/w) sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 100°C for 180min followed by AHP pretreatment with 4% (w/w) hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was sufficient to generate a substrate that could be efficiently digested with low enzyme loadings. Moreover, alkali pre-extraction enabled the use of lower H 2 O 2 charges in AHP treatment. Two-stage pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with only 9FPU/g cellulose led to the recovery of 87% of the original sugars in the raw feedstock. The use of the pentose-hexose fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8u strain enabled the utilization of 95.7% sugars in the hydrolysate to reach 4.6%w/v ethanol titer. The overall process also enabled the recovery of 62.9% lignin and 93.8% silica at high levels of purity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Calcic amphiboles in calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas: thermobarometric and chemometric empirical equations valid up to 1,130°C and 2.2 GPa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ridolfi, Filippo; Renzulli, Alberto

    2012-05-01

    The following article presents constraints of the stability of Mg-rich (Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) > 0.5) calcic amphibole in both calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas, testing of previous thermobarometers, and formulation of new empirical equations that take into consideration a large amount of literature data (e.g. more than one thousand amphibole compositions among experimental and natural crystals). Particular care has been taken in choosing a large number of natural amphiboles and selecting quality experimental data from literature. The final database of experimental data, composed of 61 amphiboles synthesized in the ranges of 800-1,130°C and 130-2,200 MPa, indicates that amphibole crystallization occurs in a horn-like P- T stability field limited by two increasing curves (i.e. the thermal stability and an upper limit), which should start to bend back to higher pressures. Among calcic amphiboles, magnesiohornblendes and tschermakitic pargasites are only found in equilibrium with calc-alkaline melts and crystallize at relatively shallow conditions ( P up to ~1 GPa). Kaersutite and pargasite are species almost exclusively found in alkaline igneous products, while magnesiohastingsite is equally distributed in calc-alkaline and alkaline rocks. The reliability of previous amphibole applications was checked using the selected experimental database. The results of this testing indicate that none of the previous thermobarometers can be successfully used to estimate the P, T and fO2 in a wide range of amphibole crystallization conditions. Multivariate least-square analyses of experimental amphibole compositions and physico-chemical parameters allowed us to achieve a new thermobarometric model that gives reasonably low uncertainties ( T ± 23.5°C, P ± 11.5%, H2Omelt ± 0.78wt%) for calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas in a wide range of P- T conditions (up to 1,130°C and 2,200 MPa) and ΔNNO values (±0.37 log units) up to 500 MPa. The AK-[4]Al relation in amphibole can be readily

  15. Household transmission of influenza virus

    PubMed Central

    Tsang, Tim K.; Lau, Lincoln L. H.; Cauchemez, Simon; Cowling, Benjamin J.

    2015-01-01

    Human influenza viruses cause regular epidemics and occasional pandemics with a substantial public health burden. Household transmission studies have provided valuable information on the dynamics of influenza transmission. We reviewed published studies and found that once one household member is infected with influenza, the risk of infection in a household contact can be up to 38%, and the delay between onset in index and secondary cases is around 3 days. Younger age was associated with higher susceptibility. In the future, household transmission studies will provide information on transmission dynamics including the correlation of virus shedding and symptoms with transmission, and the correlation of new measures of immunity with protection against infection. PMID:26612500

  16. Severity of household food insecurity and lifetime racial discrimination among African-American households in South Carolina.

    PubMed

    Burke, Michael P; Jones, Sonya J; Frongillo, Edward A; Fram, Maryah S; Blake, Christine E; Freedman, Darcy A

    2018-04-01

    In 2014, 30% of African-American households with children had low or very low food security, a rate double that of white households with children. A household has low food security if its members experience food shortages and reductions in food quality attributable to a lack of household resources or access and very low food security if its members also experience reductions in food intake and disrupted eating patterns. Households that are either low or very low food secure are known collectively as food insecure. We examined the association between the severity of household food insecurity and reports of lifetime racial discrimination among a sample of food-insecure African-American households in South Carolina. Data were collected from 154 African-American respondents. Food insecurity was measured using the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey Module. Lifetime racial discrimination was measured using the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire-Community Version (PEDQ-CV). We used logistic regression to test the association between severity of food insecurity (low vs. very low food secure), PEDQ-CV score and PEDQ-CV subscales. All models were adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic variables. A one-unit increase in the frequency of lifetime racial discrimination was associated with a 5% increase in the odds of being very low food secure (odds ratio (OR) 1.05, P < .05). More reports of discrimination that were stigmatizing or devaluing (OR 1.16, P < .05), took place at a workplace or school (OR 1.15, P < .05) or were threatening or aggressive (OR 1.39, P < .05) increased the odds of being very low food secure. More reports of racial discrimination that were excluding or rejecting did not significantly increase the odds of being very low food secure (OR 1.07, P > .05). Severity of household food insecurity is associated with lifetime racial discrimination among African-American households in South Carolina.

  17. AAS 228: Day 1 morning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-06-01

    extraterrestrial life. The jets are highly alkaline and may contain molecular hydrogen, which links the inorganic and living worlds as a reactant and energy source. Although Cassinis very fruitful mission will come to a close in 2017 with a death spiral into Saturn, the future is still bright for Enceladus. Glein closed with a preview of the next mission to this special moon: ELF, the Enceladus Life Finder, will fly through and analyze Enceladuss icy plume in unprecedented detail using state-of-the-art instruments and is predicted to fly in 2031. 102: The NASA K2 Mission (by Meredith Rawls)Everyones favorite planet finding telescope continues to impress. In this morning session, we heard highlights about how the repurposed Kepler mission (K2) is contributing to research in areas ranging from nearby brown dwarfs to extragalactic supernovae. The session kicked off with an overview by Knicole Colon, who happily reported extended funding for K2 through 2018, when its fuel is projected to run out. Colon: despite a glitch in the celebratory cake, #K2mission has been extended until the end of life! #aas228 pic.twitter.com/9umZozOy0n Geert Barentsen (@GeertHub) June 13, 2016Bradley Tucker discussed recent extragalactic results from K2, and supernovae in particular. So far, the Kepler Extragalactic Survey has found 17 supernovae and they hope to find at least 20 more in the next three years. Because Kepler observations are so frequent, they reveal previously hidden subtleties in how supernovae fade over time..@btucker22: #K2mission is providing a statistical sample of high-precision supernova lightcurves! #aas228 pic.twitter.com/GWZUJhtmRW Geert Barentsen (@GeertHub) June 13, 2016Of course, exoplanet science is still a primary goal for the K2 team. Matthew Penny updated us on the status of the in-progress microlensing campaign, which uses Kepler to search for one-off brightening events that indicate the presence of a planet due to gravitational microlensing. Work is also underway by

  18. Identification of AaCASPS7, an effector caspase in Aedes albopictus.

    PubMed

    Feng, Lingyan; Liu, Hao; Li, Xiaomei; Qiao, Jialu; Wang, Shengya; Guo, Deyin; Liu, Qingzhen

    2016-11-15

    Aedes albopictus mosquito is a vector of various arboviruses and is becoming a significant threat to public health due to its rapid global expansion. Several reports suggest that apoptosis could be a factor limiting arbovirus infection in mosquitoes. Thus, it is significant to identify apoptosis pathway and study the correlation between apoptosis and virus infection in mosquitoes. Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death that plays a vital role in immunity, development, and tissue homeostasis. Caspases are a family of conserved proteases playing important roles in apoptosis. In this study, we identified Aedes albopictus AaCASPS7, a caspase shared high identity with dipteran insect drICE orthologs. Phylogenetic analysis showed the closest relative of AaCASPS7 was Aedes aegypti AeCASPS7. AaCASPS7 displayed several features that were typical of an effector caspase and showed significant activity to effector caspase substrates. Aacasps7 transcripts were expressed ubiquitously in developmental and adult stages in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Transient expression of AaCASPS7 induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in C6/36 cells. Taken together the above data, this study identified a novel caspase, AaCASPS7, which might function as an apoptotic caspase. Further study the function of AaCASPS7 would facilitate better understanding the apoptotic mechanism in Aedes albopictus mosquito. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Discomfort from an Alkaline Formulation Delivered Subcutaneously in Humans

    PubMed Central

    Ward, W. Kenneth; Castle, Jessica R.; Branigan, Deborah L.; Massoud, Ryan G.; Youssef, Joseph El

    2013-01-01

    Background and Objective There is a paucity of data regarding tolerability of alkaline drugs administered subcutaneously. The aim of this study was to assess the tolerability of alkaline preparations of human albumin delivered subcutaneously to healthy humans. Methods We compared the tolerability of neutral versus alkaline (pH 10) formulations of human albumin in ten volunteers. With an intent to minimize the time required to reach physiological pH after injection, the alkaline formulation was buffered with a low concentration of glycine (20 mmol/L). Each formulation was given at two rates: over 5 seconds and over 60 seconds. A six-point scale was used to assess discomfort. Results For slow injections, there was a significant difference between pH 7.4 and pH 10 injections (0.4 ± 0.2 vs 1.1 ± 0.2, mean ± SEM; p = 0.025), though the degree of discomfort at pH 10 injections was only ‘mild or slight’. For fast injections, the difference between neutral and alkaline formulations was of borderline significance. Inflammation and oedema, as judged by a physician, were very minimal for all injections, irrespective of pH. Conclusion For subcutaneous drug administration (especially when delivered slowly), there was more discomfort associated with alkaline versus neutral formulations of albumin, though the discomfort was mild. This study suggests that there is little discomfort and inflammation resulting from subcutaneous administration of protein drugs formulated with weak buffers at alkaline pH. PMID:22568666

  20. Safety of an alkalinizing buffer designed for inhaled medications in humans.

    PubMed

    Davis, Michael D; Walsh, Brian K; Dwyer, Scott T; Combs, Casey; Vehse, Nico; Paget-Brown, Alix; Pajewski, Thomas; Hunt, John F

    2013-07-01

    Airway acidification plays a role in disorders of the pulmonary tract. We hypothesized that the inhalation of alkalinized glycine buffer would measurably alkalinize the airways without compromising lung function or causing adverse events. We evaluated the safety of an inhaled alkaline glycine buffer in both healthy subjects and in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease. This work includes 2 open-label safety studies. The healthy controls were part of a phase 1 safety study of multiple inhalations of low-dose alkaline glycine buffer; nebulized saline was used as a comparator in 8 of the healthy controls. Subsequently, a phase 2 study in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease was completed using a single nebulized higher-dose strategy of the alkaline inhalation. We studied 20 non-smoking adults (10 healthy controls and 10 subjects with obstructive airway disease), both at baseline and after inhalation of alkaline buffer. We used spirometry and vital signs as markers of clinical safety. We used changes in fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH as surrogate markers of airway pH modification. Alkaline glycine inhalation was tolerated by all subjects in both studies, with no adverse effects on spirometric parameters or vital signs. Airway alkalinization was confirmed by a median increase in EBC pH of 0.235 pH units (IQR 0.56-0.03, P = .03) in subjects after inhalation of the higher-dose alkaline buffer (2.5 mL of 100 mmol/L glycine). Alkalinization of airway lining fluid is accomplished with inhalation of alkaline glycine buffer and causes no adverse effects on pulmonary function or vital signs.

  1. Food Insecurity in Households with Children: Prevalence, Severity, and Household Characteristics. Economic Information Bulletin Number 56

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nord, Mark

    2009-01-01

    Eighty-four percent of U.S. households with children were food secure throughout 2007, meaning that they had consistent access to adequate food for active, healthy lives for all household members. Nearly 16 percent of households with children were food insecure sometime during the year, including 8.3 percent in which children were food insecure…

  2. AA Attendance and Abstinence for Dually Diagnosed Patients: A Meta-Analytic Review.

    PubMed

    Scott Tonigan, J; Pearson, Matthew R; Magill, Molly; Hagler, Kylee J

    2018-05-29

    There is consensus that best clinical practice for dual diagnosis (DD) is integrated mental health and substance use treatment augmented with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) attendance. This is the first quantitative review of the direction and magnitude of the association between AA attendance and alcohol abstinence for DD patients. A systematic literature search (1993-2017) identified 22 studies yielding 24 effect sizes that met our inclusion criteria (8,075 patients). Inverse-variance weighting of correlation coefficients (r) was used to aggregate sample-level findings and study aims were addressed using random and mixed effect models. Sensitivity and publication bias analyses were conducted to assess the likelihood of bias in the overall estimate of AA-related benefit. AA exposure and abstinence for DD patients were significantly and positively associated (r w =.249; 95% CI.203-.293; Tau=.097). There was also significant heterogeneity in the distribution of effect sizes, (Q(23)=90.714, p<.001), and high between-sample variance (I 2 =74.646). Subgroup analyses indicated that the magnitude of AA-related benefit did not differ between 6 (k=7) and 12 (k=12) month follow-up, (Q=.068, p<.794), type of treatment received (inpatient k=9; intensive outpatient, outpatient, community k=15; Q=2.057, p<.152), and whether a majority of patients in a sample had (k=11) or did not have (k=13) major depression (Q=.563, p<.453). Sensitivity analyses indicated that the overall meta-analytic estimate of AA benefit was not adversely or substantively impacted by pooling RCT and observational samples (Q=.763, p<.382), pooling count, binary, and ordinal-based AA (Q=.023, p<.879) and outcome data (Q=1.906, p<.167), and reversing direction of correlations extracted from studies (Q=.006, p<.937). No support was found for publication bias. Clinical referral of dual diagnosis (DD) patients to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is common and, in many cases, DD patients who attend AA will report higher

  3. Systemic AA amyloidosis in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

    PubMed

    Rising, Anna; Cederlund, Ella; Palmberg, Carina; Uhlhorn, Henrik; Gaunitz, Stefan; Nordling, Kerstin; Ågren, Erik; Ihse, Elisabet; Westermark, Gunilla T; Tjernberg, Lars; Jörnvall, Hans; Johansson, Jan; Westermark, Per

    2017-11-01

    Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis occurs spontaneously in many mammals and birds, but the prevalence varies considerably among different species, and even among subgroups of the same species. The Blue fox and the Gray fox seem to be resistant to the development of AA amyloidosis, while Island foxes have a high prevalence of the disease. Herein, we report on the identification of AA amyloidosis in the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Edman degradation and tandem MS analysis of proteolyzed amyloid protein revealed that the amyloid partly was composed of full-length SAA. Its amino acid sequence was determined and found to consist of 111 amino acid residues. Based on inter-species sequence comparisons we found four residue exchanges (Ser31, Lys63, Leu71, Lys72) between the Red and Blue fox SAAs. Lys63 seems unique to the Red fox SAA. We found no obvious explanation to how these exchanges might correlate with the reported differences in SAA amyloidogenicity. Furthermore, in contrast to fibrils from many other mammalian species, the isolated amyloid fibrils from Red fox did not seed AA amyloidosis in a mouse model. © 2017 The Protein Society.

  4. TMC-1 mediates alkaline sensation in C. elegans through nociceptive neurons

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiang; Li, Guang; Liu, Jie; Liu, Jianfeng; Xu, X.Z. Shawn

    2016-01-01

    Noxious pH triggers pungent taste and nocifensive behavior. While the mechanisms underlying acidic pH sensation has been extensively characterized, little is known about how animals sense alkaline pH in the environment. TMC genes encode a family of evolutionarily conserved membrane proteins, whose functions are largely unknown. Here, we characterize C. elegans TMC-1 which was suggested to form a Na+-sensitive channel mediating salt chemosensation. Interestingly, we find that TMC-1 is required for worms to avoid noxious alkaline environment. Alkaline pH evokes an inward current in nociceptive neurons, which is primarily mediated by TMC-1 and to a lesser extent by the TRP channel OSM-9. However, unlike OSM-9 which is sensitive to both acidic and alkaline pH, TMC-1 is only required for alkali-activated current, revealing a specificity for alkaline sensation. Ectopic expression of TMC-1 confers alkaline sensitivity to alkali-insensitive cells. Our results identify an unexpected role for TMCs in alkaline sensation and nociception. PMID:27321925

  5. Household demographic determinants of Ebola epidemic risk.

    PubMed

    Adams, Ben

    2016-03-07

    A salient characteristic of Ebola, and some other infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis, is intense transmission among small groups of cohabitants and relatively limited indiscriminate transmission in the wider population. Here we consider a mathematical model for an Ebola epidemic in a population structured into households of equal size. We show that household size, a fundamental demographic unit, is a critical factor that determines the vulnerability of a community to epidemics, and the effort required to control them. Our analysis is based on the household reproduction number, but we also consider the basic reproduction number, intrinsic growth rate and final epidemic size. We show that, when other epidemiological parameters are kept the same, all of these quantifications of epidemic growth and size are increased by larger households and more intense within-household transmission. We go on to model epidemic control by case detection and isolation followed by household quarantine. We show that, if household quarantine is ineffective, the critical probability with which cases must be detected to halt an epidemic increases significantly with each increment in household size and may be a very challenging target for communities composed of large households. Effective quarantine may, however, mitigate the detrimental impact of large household sizes. We conclude that communities composed of large households are fundamentally more vulnerable to epidemics of infectious diseases primarily transmitted by close contact, and any assessment of control strategies for these epidemics should take into account the demographic structure of the population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Changes in depression mediate the effects of AA attendance on alcohol use outcomes.

    PubMed

    Wilcox, Claire E; Tonigan, J Scott

    2018-01-01

    Depression may contribute to increased drinking in individuals with alcohol use disorder. Although Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) attendance predicts drinking reductions, there is conflicting information regarding the intermediary role played by reductions in depression. We explored whether AA attendance reduces depressive symptoms, the degree to which improvement in depression results in reductions in drinking, and in which subgroups these effects occur. 253 early AA affiliates (63% male) were recruited and assessed at baseline 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and was administered at baseline 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. AA attendance and alcohol use outcomes were obtained with the Form 90. Mediation analyses were performed at early (3, 6, and 9 months) and late (12, 18, and 24 months) follow-up to investigate the degree to which reductions in depression mediated the effect of AA attendance on drinking, controlling for concurrent drinking. In addition, a series of moderated mediation analyses were performed using baseline depression severity as a moderator. At early follow-up, reductions in depression (6 months) mediated the effects of AA attendance (3 months) on later drinking (drinks per drinking day) (9 months) (b = -0.02, boot CI [-0.055, -0.0004]), controlling for drinking at 6 months. Baseline depression severity did not moderate the degree to which BDI mediated the effects of AA attendance on alcohol use (ps > .05). These findings provide further evidence that depression reduction is a mechanism by which AA attendance leads to reductions in alcohol use. Improving depression may help reduce alcohol use in individuals with AUD, and AA attendance may be an effective way to achieve that goal.

  7. 40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

  8. 40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

  9. 40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

  10. 40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

  11. 40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

  12. Selection within households in health surveys

    PubMed Central

    Alves, Maria Cecilia Goi Porto; Escuder, Maria Mercedes Loureiro; Claro, Rafael Moreira; da Silva, Nilza Nunes

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To compare the efficiency and accuracy of sampling designs including and excluding the sampling of individuals within sampled households in health surveys. METHODS From a population survey conducted in Baixada Santista Metropolitan Area, SP, Southeastern Brazil, lowlands between 2006 and 2007, 1,000 samples were drawn for each design and estimates for people aged 18 to 59 and 18 and over were calculated for each sample. In the first design, 40 census tracts, 12 households per sector, and one person per household were sampled. In the second, no sampling within the household was performed and 40 census sectors and 6 households for the 18 to 59-year old group and 5 or 6 for the 18 and over age group or more were sampled. Precision and bias of proportion estimates for 11 indicators were assessed in the two final sets of the 1000 selected samples with the two types of design. They were compared by means of relative measurements: coefficient of variation, bias/mean ratio, bias/standard error ratio, and relative mean square error. Comparison of costs contrasted basic cost per person, household cost, number of people, and households. RESULTS Bias was found to be negligible for both designs. A lower precision was found in the design including individuals sampling within households, and the costs were higher. CONCLUSIONS The design excluding individual sampling achieved higher levels of efficiency and accuracy and, accordingly, should be first choice for investigators. Sampling of household dwellers should be adopted when there are reasons related to the study subject that may lead to bias in individual responses if multiple dwellers answer the proposed questionnaire. PMID:24789641

  13. Dynamic Properties of the Alkaline Vesicle Population at Hippocampal Synapses

    PubMed Central

    Röther, Mareike; Brauner, Jan M.; Ebert, Katrin; Welzel, Oliver; Jung, Jasmin; Bauereiss, Anna; Kornhuber, Johannes; Groemer, Teja W.

    2014-01-01

    In compensatory endocytosis, scission of vesicles from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm is a prerequisite for intravesicular reacidification and accumulation of neurotransmitter molecules. Here, we provide time-resolved measurements of the dynamics of the alkaline vesicle population which appears upon endocytic retrieval. Using fast perfusion pH-cycling in live-cell microscopy, synapto-pHluorin expressing rat hippocampal neurons were electrically stimulated. We found that the relative size of the alkaline vesicle population depended significantly on the electrical stimulus size: With increasing number of action potentials the relative size of the alkaline vesicle population expanded. In contrast to that, increasing the stimulus frequency reduced the relative size of the population of alkaline vesicles. Measurement of the time constant for reacification and calculation of the time constant for endocytosis revealed that both time constants were variable with regard to the stimulus condition. Furthermore, we show that the dynamics of the alkaline vesicle population can be predicted by a simple mathematical model. In conclusion, here a novel methodical approach to analyze dynamic properties of alkaline vesicles is presented and validated as a convenient method for the detection of intracellular events. Using this method we show that the population of alkaline vesicles is highly dynamic and depends both on stimulus strength and frequency. Our results implicate that determination of the alkaline vesicle population size may provide new insights into the kinetics of endocytic retrieval. PMID:25079223

  14. Alkaline β-fructofuranosidases of tuberous roots: Possible physiological function.

    PubMed

    Ricardo, C P

    1974-12-01

    Alkaline invertase of roots of carrot (Daucus carota L.) did not hydrolyze raffinose while the acid invertase from the same tissue showed with this sugar ca. 60% of the activity found with sucrose. The activity of the two invertases was inhibited by fructose to a different extent, the K i value being ca. 4×10(-2) M and 3×10(-1)M, respectively, for the alkaline and the acid invertases from the roots of both carrot and turnip (Brassica rapa L.). It is proposed that fructose inhibition of acid invertase is of no physiological significance but that, in contrast, hexoses might regulate the activity of alkaline invertase.Comparing several species and cultivars, it was found that the content of reducing sugars and the activity of alkaline invertase of mature tuberous roots showed a positive correlation. This indicates that alkaline invertase may participate in the regulation of the hexose level of the cell, as was previously suggested for sugar-cane. A scheme is presented which proposes a way of participation of alkaline invertase in such a regulation, assuming that this enzyme is located in the cytoplasm and acid invertase is membrane-bound and mainly located at the cell surface.

  15. Overexpression of Human Bone Alkaline Phosphatase in Pichia Pastoris

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karr, Laurel; Malone, Christine, C.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    The Pichiapastoris expression system was utilized to produce functionally active human bone alkaline phosphatase in gram quantities. Bone alkaline phosphatase is a key enzyme in bone formation and biomineralization, yet important questions about its structural chemistry and interactions with other cellular enzymes in mineralizing tissues remain unanswered. A soluble form of human bone alkaline phosphatase was constructed by deletion of the 25 amino acid hydrophobic C-terminal region of the encoding cDNA and inserted into the X-33 Pichiapastoris strain. An overexpression system was developed in shake flasks and converted to large-scale fermentation. Alkaline phosphatase was secreted into the medium to a level of 32mgAL when cultured in shake flasks. Enzyme activity was 12U/mg measured by a spectrophotometric assay. Fermentation yielded 880mgAL with enzymatic activity of 968U/mg. Gel electrophoresis analysis indicates that greater than 50% of the total protein in the fermentation is alkaline phosphatase. A purification scheme has been developed using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. We are currently screening crystallization conditions of the purified recombinant protein for subsequent X-ray diffraction analyses. Structural data should provide additional information on the role of alkaline phosphatase in normal bone mineralization and in certain bone mineralization anomalies.

  16. Overexpression of AaWRKY1 Leads to an Enhanced Content of Artemisinin in Artemisia annua.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Weimin; Fu, Xueqing; Pan, Qifang; Tang, Yueli; Shen, Qian; Lv, Zongyou; Yan, Tingxiang; Shi, Pu; Li, Ling; Zhang, Lida; Wang, Guofeng; Sun, Xiaofen; Tang, Kexuan

    2016-01-01

    Artemisinin is an effective component of drugs against malaria. The regulation of artemisinin biosynthesis is at the forefront of artemisinin research. Previous studies showed that AaWRKY1 can regulate the expression of ADS, which is the first key enzyme in artemisinin biosynthetic pathway. In this study, AaWRKY1 was cloned, and it activated ADSpro and CYPpro in tobacco using dual-LUC assay. To further study the function of AaWRKY1, pCAMBIA2300-AaWRKY1 construct under 35S promoter was generated. Transgenic plants containing AaWRKY1 were obtained, and four independent lines with high expression of AaWRKY1 were analyzed. The expression of ADS and CYP, the key enzymes in artemisinin biosynthetic pathway, was dramatically increased in AaWRKY1-overexpressing A. annua plants. Furthermore, the artemisinin yield increased significantly in AaWRKY1-overexpressing A. annua plants. These results showed that AaWRKY1 increased the content of artemisinin by regulating the expression of both ADS and CYP. It provides a new insight into the mechanism of regulation on artemisinin biosynthesis via transcription factors in the future.

  17. The Effectiveness of the AAS REU Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hemenway, M. K.; Boyce, P. B.; Milkey, R. W.

    1996-05-01

    In an attempt to address the particular needs of astronomy faculty and undergraduate students, in 1991 the Education Office of the American Astronomical Society approached the National Science Foundation with a unique proposal for funding through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. The goals of the AAS program were to "slow the hemorrhage of students out of science...", extend the REU program to non-NSF-funded scientists, to reach under-represented women and minority students particularly in small educational institutions, and to encourage research scientists there to mentor students. As this grant has now expired, the AAS has surveyed the 44 mentors and their students to assess the program's effect on the mentor and the mentor's career; the educational institution; and the student's education and career choices. More than half the mentors responded by the abstract deadline. The program clearly had an effect upon the individuals involved. The greatest effect (in 85% of the cases) was to develop more interest in the mentor's research project both among the students and among the mentor's faculty colleagues. The mentors rated the grant to be a medium or strong factor in their student's decision to pursue graduate study, which 90% of them did. All but one of the AAS-REU students attended an AAS meeting and 3/4 of those gave a paper on their project research. Over 90% of the mentors felt that the research experience strongly promoted a greater interest in science, a greater understanding of science and a desire to continue in science. According to the mentors, this was a very positive and beneficial program for the students as well as for themselves.

  18. Appliance Ownership and Household Work Time.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lovingood, Rebecca P.; McCullough, Jane L.

    1986-01-01

    Data from 2,100 two-parent, two-child households were analyzed to determine the relationships of demographic variables, ownership of 11 appliances, and time spent in four categories of household tasks. Little evidence was found that appliance ownership is related to less time being spent in household tasks. (Author/CT)

  19. Household and Family Characteristics: March 1985.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rawlings, Steve W.

    1986-01-01

    This annual report summarizes some of the notable recent trends in household and family characteristics and contains detailed demographic data from the March, 1985 "Current Population Survey." The households vary greatly in size and complexity. Some of the aspects of household demography that have important consequences for both consumer demand…

  20. Characterization of household waste in Greenland

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eisted, Rasmus, E-mail: raei@env.dtu.dk; Christensen, Thomas H.

    2011-07-15

    The composition of household waste in Greenland was investigated for the first time. About 2 tonnes of household waste was sampled as every 7th bag collected during 1 week along the scheduled collection routes in Sisimiut, the second largest town in Greenland with about 5400 inhabitants. The collection bags were sorted manually into 10 material fractions. The household waste composition consisted primarily of biowaste (43%) and the combustible fraction (30%), including anything combustible that did not belong to other clean fractions as paper, cardboard and plastic. Paper (8%) (dominated by magazine type paper) and glass (7%) were other important materialmore » fractions of the household waste. The remaining approximately 10% constituted of steel (1.5%), aluminum (0.5%), plastic (2.4%), wood (1.0%), non-combustible waste (1.8%) and household hazardous waste (1.2%). The high content of biowaste and the low content of paper make Greenlandic waste much different from Danish household waste. The moisture content, calorific value and chemical composition (55 elements, of which 22 were below detection limits) were determined for each material fraction. These characteristics were similar to what has been found for material fractions in Danish household waste. The chemical composition and the calorific value of the plastic fraction revealed that this fraction was not clean but contained a lot of biowaste. The established waste composition is useful in assessing alternative waste management schemes for household waste in Greenland.« less

  1. Contemporaneous eruption of calc-alkaline and alkaline lavas in a continental arc (Eastern Mexican Volcanic Belt): chemically heterogeneous but isotopically homogeneous source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carrasco-Núñez, Gerardo; Righter, Kevin; Chesley, John; Siebert, Lee; Aranda-Gómez, José Jorge

    2005-11-01

    Nearly contemporaneous eruption of alkaline and calc-alkaline lavas occurred about 900 years BP from El Volcancillo paired vent, located behind the volcanic front in the Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB). Emission of hawaiite (Toxtlacuaya) was immediately followed by calc-alkaline basalt (Río Naolinco). Hawaiites contain olivine microphenocrysts (Fo67-72), plagioclase (An56-60) phenocrysts, have 4-5 wt% MgO and 49.6-50.9 wt% SiO2. In contrast, calc-alkaline lavas contain plagioclase (An64-72) and olivine phenocrysts (Fo81-84) with spinel inclusions, and have 8-9 wt% MgO and 48.4-49.4 wt% SiO2. The most primitive lavas in the region (Río Naolinco and Cerro Colorado) are not as primitive as parental melts in other arcs, and could represent either (a) variable degrees of melting of a subduction modified, garnet-bearing depleted mantle source, followed by AFC process, or (b) melting of two distinct mantle sources followed by AFC processes. These two hypotheses are evaluated using REE, HFSE, and Sr, Os and Pb isotopic data. The Toxtlacuaya flow and the Y & I lavas can be generated by combined fractional crystallization and assimilation of gabbroic granulite, starting with a parental liquid similar to the Cerro Colorado basalt. Although calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas commonly occur together in other areas of the MVB, evidence for subduction component in El Volcancillo magmas is minimal and limited to <1%, which is a unique feature in this region further from the trench. El Volcancillo lavas were produced from two different magma batches: we surmise that the injection of calc-alkaline magma into an alkaline magma chamber triggered the eruption of hawaiites. Our results suggest that the subalkaline and hawaiitic lavas were formed by different degrees of partial melting of a similar, largely depleted mantle source, followed by later AFC processes. This model is unusual for arcs, where such diversity is usually explained by melting of heterogeneous (enriched and depleted) and

  2. Emergency Food Supplies in Food Secure Households.

    PubMed

    Golem, Devon L; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

    2015-08-01

    Introduction Limited food supply paired with reduced access to food during emergency disasters can lead to malnutrition. To date, research evaluating the adequacy of household emergency food supplies relies on self-reported data from surveys and has not been measured objectively in households in the United States. The main objective of this study was to describe household calorie availability and nutrient density in a normal situation and to project changes that could occur when emergencies (eg, natural disasters) restrict replenishment of food supplies and disrupt water and/or energy needed for food preparation and storage. Hypothesis The calorie availability of the food supply within households in New Jersey (USA) is anticipated to be well above the recommended 3-day period. However, it is anticipated that the nutritional density of the food supply within these households will be negative. Additionally, the disaster-related factors that diminish the ability to consume stored food (eg, lack of water, power for cooking, and/or proper storage) will further reduce the caloric and nutritional adequacy of the household food supply. The household food supplies of 100 food secure families in New Jersey were inventoried at a non-emergency point in time. The number of days that the inventoried food supply would provide all household members 100% of the daily value (DV) for calories and other nutrients was determined. Additionally, the effects of water and power shortages on nutritional availability of household food supply were estimated. The households had an average of 33.16 days (SD=21.97; range=8.14-125.17 days) of calories at 100% DV for all household members. Lack of water, energy for cooking, or both would render a decrease in the total household calories by 28%, 35%, or 38%, respectively. Loss of power for greater than five days would reduce availability of household calories by 27%. A positive nutrient density was observed with and without the food

  3. Estimating the absolute wealth of households.

    PubMed

    Hruschka, Daniel J; Gerkey, Drew; Hadley, Craig

    2015-07-01

    To estimate the absolute wealth of households using data from demographic and health surveys. We developed a new metric, the absolute wealth estimate, based on the rank of each surveyed household according to its material assets and the assumed shape of the distribution of wealth among surveyed households. Using data from 156 demographic and health surveys in 66 countries, we calculated absolute wealth estimates for households. We validated the method by comparing the proportion of households defined as poor using our estimates with published World Bank poverty headcounts. We also compared the accuracy of absolute versus relative wealth estimates for the prediction of anthropometric measures. The median absolute wealth estimates of 1,403,186 households were 2056 international dollars per capita (interquartile range: 723-6103). The proportion of poor households based on absolute wealth estimates were strongly correlated with World Bank estimates of populations living on less than 2.00 United States dollars per capita per day (R(2)  = 0.84). Absolute wealth estimates were better predictors of anthropometric measures than relative wealth indexes. Absolute wealth estimates provide new opportunities for comparative research to assess the effects of economic resources on health and human capital, as well as the long-term health consequences of economic change and inequality.

  4. Identifying a typology of men who use anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS).

    PubMed

    Zahnow, Renee; McVeigh, Jim; Bates, Geoff; Hope, Vivian; Kean, Joseph; Campbell, John; Smith, Josie

    2018-05-01

    Despite recognition that the Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) using population is diverse, empirical studies to develop theories to conceptualise this variance in use have been limited. In this study, using cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression, we identify typologies of people who use AAS and examine variations in motivations for AAS use across types in a sample of 611 men who use AAS. The cluster analysis identified four groups in the data with different risk profiles. These groups largely reflect the ideal types of people who use AAS proposed by Christiansen et al. (2016): Cluster 1 (You Only Live Once (YOLO) type, n = 68, 11.1%) were younger and motivated by fat loss; Cluster 2 (Well-being type, n = 236, 38.6%) were concerned with getting fit; Cluster 3 (Athlete type, n = 155, 25.4%) were motivated by muscle and strength gains; Cluster 4 (Expert type, n = 152, 24.9%) were focused on specific goals (i.e. not 'getting fit'). The results of this study demonstrate the need to make information about AAS accessible to the general population and to inform health service providers about variations in motivations and associated risk behaviours. Attention should also be given to ensuring existing harm minimisation services are equipped to disseminate information about safe intra-muscular injecting and ensuring needle disposal sites are accessible to the different types. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Long-term prognosis of AL and AA renal amyloidosis: a Japanese single-center experience.

    PubMed

    Ozawa, Masatoyo; Komatsuda, Atsushi; Ohtani, Hiroshi; Nara, Mizuho; Sato, Ryuta; Togashi, Masaru; Takahashi, Naoto; Wakui, Hideki

    2017-04-01

    Few studies have been conducted on the long-term prognosis of patients with amyloid light chain (AL) and amyloid A (AA) renal amyloidosis in the same cohort. We retrospectively examined 68 patients with biopsy-proven renal amyloidosis (38 AL and 30 AA). Clinicopathological findings at the diagnosis and follow-up data were evaluated in each patient. We analyzed the relationship between clinicopathological parameters and survival data. Significant differences were observed in several clinicopathological features, such as proteinuria levels, between the AL and AA groups. Among all patients, 84.2 % of the AL group and 93.3 % of the AA group received treatments for the underlying diseases of amyloidosis. During the follow-up period (median 18 months in AL and 61 months in AA), 36.8 % of the AL group and 36.7 % of the AA group developed end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis, while 71.1 % of the AL group and 56.7 % of the AA group died. Patient and renal survivals were significantly longer in the AA group than in the AL group. eGFR of >60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 at biopsy and an early histological stage of glomerular amyloid deposition were identified as low-risk factors. A multivariate analysis showed that cardiac amyloidosis and steroid therapy significantly influenced patient and renal survivals. Our results showed that heart involvement was the major predictor of poor outcomes in renal amyloidosis, and that the prognosis of AA renal amyloidosis was markedly better than that in previously reported cohorts. Therapeutic advances in inflammatory diseases are expected to improve the prognosis of AA amyloidosis.

  6. Hydroxide Self-Feeding High-Temperature Alkaline Direct Formate Fuel Cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Yinshi; Sun, Xianda; Feng, Ying

    2017-05-22

    Conventionally, both the thermal degradation of the anion-exchange membrane and the requirement of additional hydroxide for fuel oxidation reaction hinder the development of the high-temperature alkaline direct liquid fuel cells. The present work addresses these two issues by reporting a polybenzimidazole-membrane-based direct formate fuel cell (DFFC). Theoretically, the cell voltage of the high-temperature alkaline DFFC can be as high as 1.45 V at 90 °C. It has been demonstrated that a proof-of-concept alkaline DFFC without adding additional hydroxide yields a peak power density of 20.9 mW cm -2 , an order of magnitude higher than both alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells and alkaline direct methanol fuel cells, mainly because the hydrolysis of formate provides enough OH - ions for formate oxidation reaction. It was also found that this hydroxide self-feeding high-temperature alkaline DFFC shows a stable 100 min constant-current discharge at 90 °C, proving the conceptual feasibility. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. The Microjet of AA Tau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, A. W.; Hilton, G. M.; Williger, G. M.; Grady, C. A.; Woodgate, B.

    2005-12-01

    The microjet of AA Tau A.W. Cox (Atholton High School, Columbia MD), G.M. Hilton (SSAI and GSFC), G.M. Williger (JHU and U. Louisville), C.A. Grady (Eureka Scientific and GSFC) B.Woodgate (NASA's GSFC) AA Tau is a classical T Tauri star with a spatially resolved disk viewed at approximately 70 degrees from pole-on. Photo-polarimetric variability of the star has been interpreted as being caused by the stellar magnetic field being inclined at 30 degrees with respect to the stellar rotation axis, producing a warp in the inner disk. Under these conditions, any jet should be less collimated than typical of T Tauri microjets, and should show signs of the jet axis precessing around the stellar rotation axis. When compared with the microjets imaged in the HST/STIS coronagraphic imaging survey, the AA Tau jet has an opening half-angle of approximately 10-15 degrees rather than the 3-5 degrees typical of the other T Tauri stars which have been coronagraphically imaged by HST/STIS. Using the HST data with ultra-narrowband imagery and long slit spectroscopy obtained with the Goddard Fabry-Perot and the Dual Imaging Spectrograph at the Apache Point Observatory 3.5m telescope, we derive the jet inclination, knot ejection epochs, and ejection frequency. We also compare the jet opening angle with model predictions. Apache Point Observatory observations with the Goddard Fabry-Perot were made through a grant of Director's Discretionary Time. Apache Point Observatory is operated by the Astrophysical Research Consortium. The GFP was supported under NASA RTOP 51-188-01-22 to GSFC. Grady is supported under NASA contract NNH05CD30C to Eureka Scientific.

  8. Urban household energy use in Thailand

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tyler, S.R.

    Changes in household fuel and electricity use that accompany urbanization in Third World countries bear large economic and environmental costs. The processes driving the fuel transition, and the policy mechanisms by which it can be influenced, need to be better understood for the sake of forecasting and planning, especially in the case of electricity demand. This study examines patterns of household fuel use and electrical appliance utilization in Bangkok, Chieng Mai and Ayutthaya, Thailand, based on the results of a household energy survey. Survey data are statistically analyzed using a variety of multiple regression techniques to evaluate the relative influencemore » of various household and fuel characteristics on fuel and appliance choice. Results suggest that changes to the value of women's time in urban households, as women become increasingly active in the labor force, have a major influence on patterns of household energy use. The use of the home for small-scale commercial activities, particularly food preparation, also has a significant influence on fuel choice. In general, household income does not prove to be an important factor in fuel and appliance selection in these cities, although income is closely related to total electricity use. The electricity use of individual household appliances is also analyzed using statistical techniques as well as limited direct metering. The technology of appliance production in Thailand is evaluated through interviews with manufacturers and comparisons of product performance. These data are used to develop policy recommendations for improving the efficiency of electrical appliances in Thailand by relying principally on the dynamism of the consumer goods market, rather than direct regulation. The annual electricity savings from the recommended program for fostering rapid adoption of efficient technologies are estimated to reach 1800 GWh by the year 2005 for urban households alone.« less

  9. Information content of household-stratified epidemics.

    PubMed

    Kinyanjui, T M; Pellis, L; House, T

    2016-09-01

    Household structure is a key driver of many infectious diseases, as well as a natural target for interventions such as vaccination programs. Many theoretical and conceptual advances on household-stratified epidemic models are relatively recent, but have successfully managed to increase the applicability of such models to practical problems. To be of maximum realism and hence benefit, they require parameterisation from epidemiological data, and while household-stratified final size data has been the traditional source, increasingly time-series infection data from households are becoming available. This paper is concerned with the design of studies aimed at collecting time-series epidemic data in order to maximize the amount of information available to calibrate household models. A design decision involves a trade-off between the number of households to enrol and the sampling frequency. Two commonly used epidemiological study designs are considered: cross-sectional, where different households are sampled at every time point, and cohort, where the same households are followed over the course of the study period. The search for an optimal design uses Bayesian computationally intensive methods to explore the joint parameter-design space combined with the Shannon entropy of the posteriors to estimate the amount of information in each design. For the cross-sectional design, the amount of information increases with the sampling intensity, i.e., the designs with the highest number of time points have the most information. On the other hand, the cohort design often exhibits a trade-off between the number of households sampled and the intensity of follow-up. Our results broadly support the choices made in existing epidemiological data collection studies. Prospective problem-specific use of our computational methods can bring significant benefits in guiding future study designs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Size of households and income disparities.

    PubMed

    Kuznets, S

    1981-01-01

    The author examines "the relation between differentials in size of households, (preponderantly family households including one-person units) and disparities in income per household, per person, or per some version of consuming unit." The analysis is based on data for the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Thailand. excerpt

  11. When can ocean acidification impacts be detected from decadal alkalinity measurements?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carter, B. R.; Frölicher, T. L.; Dunne, J. P.; Rodgers, K. B.; Slater, R. D.; Sarmiento, J. L.

    2016-04-01

    We use a large initial condition suite of simulations (30 runs) with an Earth system model to assess the detectability of biogeochemical impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on the marine alkalinity distribution from decadally repeated hydrographic measurements such as those produced by the Global Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP). Detection of these impacts is complicated by alkalinity changes from variability and long-term trends in freshwater and organic matter cycling and ocean circulation. In our ensemble simulation, variability in freshwater cycling generates large changes in alkalinity that obscure the changes of interest and prevent the attribution of observed alkalinity redistribution to OA. These complications from freshwater cycling can be mostly avoided through salinity normalization of alkalinity. With the salinity-normalized alkalinity, modeled OA impacts are broadly detectable in the surface of the subtropical gyres by 2030. Discrepancies between this finding and the finding of an earlier analysis suggest that these estimates are strongly sensitive to the patterns of calcium carbonate export simulated by the model. OA impacts are detectable later in the subpolar and equatorial regions due to slower responses of alkalinity to OA in these regions and greater seasonal equatorial alkalinity variability. OA impacts are detectable later at depth despite lower variability due to smaller rates of change and consistent measurement uncertainty.

  12. AAS 227: Day 1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    Editors Note:This week were at the 227th AAS Meeting in Kissimmee, FL. Along with several fellow authors from astrobites.com, I will bewritingupdates on selectedevents at themeeting and posting at the end of each day. Follow along here or at astrobites.com, or catch ourlive-tweeted updates from the @astrobites Twitter account. The usual posting schedule for AAS Nova will resumenext week.Things kicked off last night at our undergraduate reception booth. Thanks to all of you who stopped by we were delightedto have so many people tell us that they already know about and useastrobites, and we were excited to introduce a new cohort of students at AAS to astrobites for the first time.Tuesday morning was the official start of the meeting. Here are just a few of the talks and workshops astrobiters attended today.Opening Address (by Becky Smethurst)The President of the AAS, aka our fearless leader Meg Urry kicked off the meeting this morning at the purely coffee powered hour of 8am this morning. She spoke about the importance of young astronomers at the meeting (heres looking at you reader!) and also the importance of the new Working Group for Accessibility and Disabilities (aka WGAD pronounced like wicked) at the AAS. The Society has made extra effort this year to make the conference accessible to all,a message which was very well received by everyone in attendance.Kavli Lecture: New Horizons Alan Stern (by Becky Smethurst)We were definitely spoilt with the first Plenary lecture at this years conference Alan Stern gave us a a review of the New Horizons mission of the Pluto Fly By (astrobites covered the mission back in July with this post). We were treated to beautiful images, wonderful results and a foray into geology.Before (Hubble) and after #NewHorizons. #thatisall #science #astro alanstern #aas227 pic.twitter.com/kkMt6RsSIR Science News (@topsciencething) January 5, 2016Some awesome facts from the lecture that blew my mind:New Horizons is now 2AU (!) beyond Pluto

  13. Firearm ownership in households with children.

    PubMed

    Drongowski, R A; Smith, S J; Coran, A G; Cullen, M L

    1998-04-01

    Increased morbidity and mortality rates in children injured by firearms has been well documented during this past decade. The aim of this study was to determine the socioeconomic factors affecting firearm ownership in families with children living in suburban/rural versus inner-city environments, and to identify predictors of firearm ownership in these families. Parents of children less than 19 years old seen in a suburban (n = 751) or inner-city hospital (n = 406) anonymously completed a questionnaire regarding firearm ownership. Firearm ownership was 54% in rural locations, versus 18% among inner-city residents (P< .05). Firearm ownership in white households was 45% versus 20% in African-American households (P< .05). Mean number of all types of firearms in white households was 3.38 versus 1.78 in black households (P< .001). Firearm ownership was 19% in the less than $20,000 income bracket, significantly lower than households with greater incomes, and was significantly lower in households in which parents had the least education (19.7%) versus those with college degrees (38.5%; P< .05). Firearm owners of rifles and shotguns significantly more often cited hunting, collection, and target shooting as reasons for owning firearms, in contrast to revolver owners who cited protection and collection as reasons for firearm ownership (P < .05). Firearm ownership is higher in rural, caucasian versus inner-city African-American residents and is significantly less in households with lower income and educational levels. Significant predictors for firearm ownership were number of parents in households, educational level of parents, and population of residence.

  14. Characterization of Human Bone Alkaline Phosphatase in Pichia Pastoris

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Malone, Christine C.; Ciszak, Eva; Karr, Laurel J.

    1999-01-01

    A soluble form of human bone alkaline phosphatase has been expressed in a recombinant strain of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. We constructed a plasmid containing cDNA encoding for human bone alkaline phosphatase, with the hydrophobic carboxyl terminal portion deleted. Alkaline phosphatase was secreted into the medium to a level of 32mg/L when cultured in shake flasks, and enzyme activity was 12U/mg, as measured by a spectrophotometric assay. By conversion to a fermentation system, a yield of 880mg/L has been achieved with an enzyme activity of 968U/mg. By gel electrophoresis analysis, it appears that greater than 50% of the total protein in the fermentation media is alkaline phosphatase. Although purification procedures are not yet completely optimized, they are expected to include filtration, ion exchange and affinity chromatography. Our presentation will focus on the purification and crystallization results up to the time of the conference. Structural data should provide additional information on the role of alkaline phosphatase in normal bone mineralization and in certain bone mineralization anomalies.

  15. Efficacy of etanercept in patients with AA amyloidosis secondary to rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, T; Higashi, S; Tomoda, K; Tsukano, M; Baba, S

    2007-01-01

    The efficacy of biological therapies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well known, but their hypothetical benefit in amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis secondary to RA still remains to be considered. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of etanercept in serum amyloid A (SAA) 1.3 allele Japanese patients with AA amyloidosis secondary to RA. Seven RA patients with histologically confirmed AA amyloidosis and renal involvement who were treated with etanercept were enrolled. They all had the SAA1.3 allele, which has been shown to be a risk factor not only for the association of AA amyloidosis but also for a poor prognosis in Japanese RA patients. Efficacy was assessed as a sustained decrease in RA inflammation and an amelioration of renal function. RA inflammation and AA amyloidosis were improved and stabilized after 43.4 +/- 16.5 weeks. At week 20 the number of tender (p = 0.017) and swollen (p = 0.017) joints, and levels of serum C-reactive protein (p = 0.018) and albumin (p = 0.045) had improved. The values for SAA, serum creatinine, calculated creatinine clearance, and proteinuria also ameliorated. No severe adverse events were observed. One patient eventually had to go on hemodialysis but her tolerance of etanercept remained stable. Etanercept can be used safely and effectively in AA amyloidosis secondary to RA with renal involvement, and is of clinical benefit in the short-term, even in patients on hemodialysis. It appears that SAA1.3 allele may be used as a clinical parameter for the introduction of etanercept in Japanese RA with AA amyloidosis.

  16. Contemporaneous alkaline and calc-alkaline series in Central Anatolia (Turkey): Spatio-temporal evolution of a post-collisional Quaternary basaltic volcanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dogan-Kulahci, Gullu Deniz; Temel, Abidin; Gourgaud, Alain; Varol, Elif; Guillou, Hervé; Deniel, Catherine

    2018-05-01

    This study focuses on spatio-temporal evolution of basaltic volcanism in the Central Anatolian post-collisional Quaternary magmatic province which developed along a NE-SW orientation in Turkey. This magmatic province consists of the stratovolcanoes Erciyes (ES) and Hasandag (HS), and the basaltic volcanic fields of Obruk-Zengen (OZ) and Karapınar (KA). The investigated samples range between basic to intermediate in composition (48-56 wt% SiO2), and exhibit calc-alkaline affinity at ES whereas HS, OZ and KA are alkaline in composition. Based on new Ksbnd Ar ages and major element data, the oldest basaltic rock of ES is 1700 ± 40 ka old and exhibits alkaline character, whereas the youngest basaltic trachyandesite is 12 ± 5 ka old and calc-alkaline in composition. Most ES basaltic rocks are younger than 350 ka. All samples dated from HS are alkaline basalts, ranging from 543 ± 12 ka to 2 ± 7 ka old. With the exception of one basalt, all HS basalts are 100 ka or younger in age. Ksbnd Ar ages range from 797 ± 20 ka to 66 ± 7 ka from OZ. All the basalt samples are alkaline in character and are older than the HS alkaline basalts, with the exception of the youngest samples. The oldest and youngest basaltic samples from KA are 280 ± 7 ka and 163 ± 10 ka, respectively, and are calc-alkaline in character. Based on thermobarometric estimates samples from OZ exhibit the highest cpx-liqidus temperature and pressure. For all centers the calculated crystallization depths are between 11 and 28 km and increase from NE to SW. Multistage crystallization in magma chamber(s) located at different depths can explain this range in pressure. Harker variation diagrams coupled with least-squares mass balance calculations support fractional crystallization for ES and, to lesser extend for HS, OZ and KA. All basaltic volcanic rocks of this study are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE). The lack of negative anomalies for high field

  17. Osteoblast Differentiation on Collagen Scaffold with Immobilized Alkaline Phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Jafary, F; Hanachi, P; Gorjipour, K

    2017-01-01

    In tissue engineering, scaffold characteristics play an important role in the biological interactions between cells and the scaffold. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and activation depend on material properties used for the fabrication of scaffolds. In the present investigation, we used collagen with proper characteristics including mechanically stability, biodegradability and low antigenicity. Optimization of the scaffold was done by immobilization of alkaline phosphatase on the collagen surface via cross-linking method, because this enzyme is one of the most important markers of osteoblast, which increases inorganic phosphate concentration and promote mineralization of bone formation. Alkaline phosphatase was immobilized on a collagen surface by 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride, as a reagent. Then, rat mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in osteogenic medium in control and treated groups. The osteogenesis-related genes were compared between treatments (differentiated cells with immobilized alkaline phosphatase/collagen scaffold) and control groups (differentiated cells on collagen surface without alkaline phosphatase) on days 3 and 7 by quantitative real-time PCR (QIAGEN software). Several genes, including alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I and osteocalcine associated with calcium binding and mineralization, showed upregulation in expression during the first 3 days, whereas tumor necrosis factor-α, acting as an inhibitor of differentiation, was down-regulated during osteogenesis. Collagen scaffold with immobilized alkaline phosphatase can be utilized as a good candidate for enhancing the differentiation of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells.

  18. Household pesticide usage in the United States.

    PubMed

    Savage, E P; Keefe, T J; Wheeler, H W; Mounce, L; Helwic, L; Applehans, F; Goes, E; Goes, T; Mihlan, G; Rench, J; Taylor, D K

    1981-01-01

    A total of 10,000 U.S. households in 25 standard metropolitan statistical areas and 25 counties were included in the United States. More than 8,200 households granted an interview. Nine of every ten households in the United States used some types of pesticide in their house, garden, or yard. Households in the southeastern United States used the most pesticides. Although more than 500 different pesticide formulations were used by the sampled households, 15 pesticides accounted for 65.5% of all pesticides reported in this study. Thirteen of these 15 pesticides were insecticides, one was a herbicide, and one was a rodenticide.

  19. Estimating the absolute wealth of households

    PubMed Central

    Gerkey, Drew; Hadley, Craig

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Objective To estimate the absolute wealth of households using data from demographic and health surveys. Methods We developed a new metric, the absolute wealth estimate, based on the rank of each surveyed household according to its material assets and the assumed shape of the distribution of wealth among surveyed households. Using data from 156 demographic and health surveys in 66 countries, we calculated absolute wealth estimates for households. We validated the method by comparing the proportion of households defined as poor using our estimates with published World Bank poverty headcounts. We also compared the accuracy of absolute versus relative wealth estimates for the prediction of anthropometric measures. Findings The median absolute wealth estimates of 1 403 186 households were 2056 international dollars per capita (interquartile range: 723–6103). The proportion of poor households based on absolute wealth estimates were strongly correlated with World Bank estimates of populations living on less than 2.00 United States dollars per capita per day (R2 = 0.84). Absolute wealth estimates were better predictors of anthropometric measures than relative wealth indexes. Conclusion Absolute wealth estimates provide new opportunities for comparative research to assess the effects of economic resources on health and human capital, as well as the long-term health consequences of economic change and inequality. PMID:26170506

  20. Household food insecurity and child health.

    PubMed

    Schmeer, Kammi K; Piperata, Barbara A

    2017-04-01

    Food insecurity, the lack of consistent access to sufficient quality and quantity of food, affects an estimated 800 million people around the world. Although household food insecurity is generally associated with poor child nutrition and health in the USA, we know less about household food insecurity and child health in developing countries. Particularly lacking is research assessing how associations between household food insecurity and children's health outcomes may differ by child age and among children beyond age 5 years in low-income settings. We use data from a population-based sample of households with children ages 3-11 years (N = 431) in León, Nicaragua to consider how household food insecurity is associated with three measures of child health: illness, anaemia and low height-for-age. Our results provide new evidence that even mild household food insecurity is detrimental to children's health; and that child age conditions the associations between household food insecurity and child health. We find that food insecurity is especially harmful to health during early childhood, but continues to have significant associations with health into middle childhood (up to ages 7-8 years). We discuss the potential implications of these results for future child health research and policies in low-income countries. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. AAS Oral History Project - Seeking Planetary Scientist

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Holbrook, Jarita

    2016-10-01

    Now in its fourth year, the AAS Oral History Project has interviewed over 100 space scientists from all over the world. Led by the AAS Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) and partially funded by the American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library and ongoing support from the AAS, volunteers have collected oral histories from space scientists at professional meetings starting in 2015, including AAS, DPS, and the IAU general assembly. Each interview lasts one and a half to two hours and focuses on interviewees' personal and professional lives. Questions include those about one's family, childhood, strong influences on one's scientific career, career path, successes and challenges, perspectives on how astronomy is changing as a field, and advice to the next generation. Each interview is audio recorded and transcribed, the content of which is checked with each interviewee. Once complete, interview transcripts are posted online as part of a larger oral history library at https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/oral-histories. We will present preliminary analysis of those interviewed including characterizing career status, age range, nationality, and primary field. Additionally, we will discuss trends beginning to emerge in analysis of participants' responses about data driven science and advice to the next generation. Future analysis will reveal a rich story of space scientists and will help the community address issues of diversity, controversies, and the changing landscape of science. We are actively recruiting individuals to be interviewed at this meeting from all stages of career from undergraduate students to retired and emeritus astronomers. We are especially interested in interviewing 40+E members of DPS. Contact Sanlyn Buxner to schedule an interview or to find out more information about the project (buxner@psi.edu). Contact Jarita Holbrook if you would like to become an interviewer for the project (astroholbrook@gmail.com).

  2. Structural Analysis of Alkaline β-Mannanase from Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5: Implications for Adaptation to Alkaline Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Yueju; Zhang, Yunhua; Cao, Yang; Qi, Jianxun; Mao, Liangwei; Xue, Yanfen; Gao, Feng; Peng, Hao; Wang, Xiaowei; Gao, George F.; Ma, Yanhe

    2011-01-01

    Significant progress has been made in isolating novel alkaline β-mannanases, however, there is a paucity of information concerning the structural basis for alkaline tolerance displayed by these β-mannanases. We report the catalytic domain structure of an industrially important β-mannanase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 (BSP165 MAN) at a resolution of 1.6 Å. This enzyme, classified into subfamily 8 in glycosyl hydrolase family 5 (GH5), has a pH optimum of enzymatic activity at pH 9.5 and folds into a classic (β/α)8-barrel. In order to gain insight into molecular features for alkaline adaptation, we compared BSP165 MAN with previously reported GH5 β-mannanases. It was revealed that BSP165 MAN and other subfamily 8 β-mannanases have significantly increased hydrophobic and Arg residues content and decreased polar residues, comparing to β-mannanases of subfamily 7 or 10 in GH5 which display optimum activities at lower pH. Further, extensive structural comparisons show alkaline β-mannanases possess a set of distinctive features. Position and length of some helices, strands and loops of the TIM barrel structures are changed, which contributes, to a certain degree, to the distinctly different shaped (β/α)8-barrels, thus affecting the catalytic environment of these enzymes. The number of negatively charged residues is increased on the molecular surface, and fewer polar residues are exposed to the solvent. Two amino acid substitutions in the vicinity of the acid/base catalyst were proposed to be possibly responsible for the variation in pH optimum of these homologous enzymes in subfamily 8 of GH5, identified by sequence homology analysis and pK a calculations of the active site residues. Mutational analysis has proved that Gln91 and Glu226 are important for BSP165 MAN to function at high pH. These findings are proposed to be possible factors implicated in the alkaline adaptation of GH5 β-mannanases and will help to further understanding of alkaline

  3. VSL#3 probiotic upregulates intestinal mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase and reduces inflammation.

    PubMed

    Soo, I; Madsen, K L; Tejpar, Q; Sydora, B C; Sherbaniuk, R; Cinque, B; Di Marzio, L; Cifone, M Grazia; Desimone, C; Fedorak, R N

    2008-03-01

    Alkaline sphingomyelinase, an enzyme found exclusively in bile and the intestinal brush border, hydrolyzes sphingomyelin into ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate, thereby inducing epithelial apoptosis. Reduced levels of alkaline sphingomyelinase have been found in premalignant and malignant intestinal epithelia and in ulcerative colitis tissue. Probiotic bacteria can be a source of sphingomyelinase. To determine the effect of VSL#3 probiotic therapy on mucosal levels of alkaline sphingomyelinase, both in a mouse model of colitis and in patients with ulcerative colitis. Interleukin-10 gene-deficient (IL10KO) and wild type control mice were treated with VSL#3 (10(9) colony-forming units per day) for three weeks, after which alkaline sphingomyelinase activity was measured in ileal and colonic tissue. As well, 15 patients with ulcerative colitis were treated with VSL#3 (900 billion bacteria two times per day for five weeks). Alkaline sphingomyelinase activity was measured through biopsies and comparison of ulcerative colitis disease activity index scores obtained before and after treatment. Lowered alkaline sphingomyelinase levels were seen in the colon (P=0.02) and ileum (P=0.04) of IL10KO mice, as compared with controls. Treatment of these mice with VSL#3 resulted in upregulation of mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity in both the colon (P=0.04) and the ileum (P=0.01). VSL#3 treatment of human patients who had ulcerative colitis decreased mean (+/- SEM) ulcerative colitis disease activity index scores from 5.3+/-1.8946 to 0.70+/-0.34 (P=0.02) and increased mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity. Mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity is reduced in the intestine of IL10KO mice with colitis and in humans with ulcerative colitis. VSL#3 probiotic therapy upregulates mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity.

  4. Alkaline nanoparticle coatings improve resin bonding of 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate-conditioned zirconia.

    PubMed

    Qian, Mengke; Lu, Zhicen; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Huaiqin; Xie, Haifeng

    Creating an alkaline environment prior to 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate (MDP) conditioning improves the resin bonding of zirconia. The present study evaluated the effects of four alkaline coatings with different water solubilities and pH values on resin bonding of MDP-conditioned zirconia. Two alkaline nanoparticle coatings were studied in particular. Thermodynamics calculations were performed to evaluate the strengths of MDP-tetragonal phase zirconia chemical bonds at different pH values. Zirconia surfaces with and without alkaline coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; alkaline coatings included NaOH, Ca(OH) 2 , nano-MgO, and nano-Zr(OH) 4 . A shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed to evaluate the effects of the four alkaline coatings on bonding; the alkaline coatings were applied to the surfaces prior to conditioning the zirconia with MDP-containing primers. Gibbs free energies of the MDP-tetragonal zirconia crystal model coordination reaction in different pH environments were -583.892 (NaOH), -569.048 [Ca(OH) 2 ], -547.393 (MgO), and -530.279 kJ/mol [Zr(OH) 4 ]. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the alkaline coatings improved bonding in the following order: NaOH > Ca(OH) 2 > MgO > Zr(OH) 4 . Statistical analysis of SBS tests showed a different result. SBSs were significantly different in groups that had different alkaline coatings, but it was not influenced by different primers. All four alkaline coatings increased SBS compared to control groups. Of the four coatings, nano-Zr(OH) 4 and -MgO showed higher SBS. Therefore, preparing nano-Zr(OH) 4 or -MgO coatings prior to conditioning with MDP-containing primers may potentially improve resin bonding of zirconia in the clinic.

  5. Alkaline nanoparticle coatings improve resin bonding of 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate-conditioned zirconia

    PubMed Central

    Qian, Mengke; Lu, Zhicen; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Huaiqin; Xie, Haifeng

    2016-01-01

    Creating an alkaline environment prior to 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate (MDP) conditioning improves the resin bonding of zirconia. The present study evaluated the effects of four alkaline coatings with different water solubilities and pH values on resin bonding of MDP-conditioned zirconia. Two alkaline nanoparticle coatings were studied in particular. Thermodynamics calculations were performed to evaluate the strengths of MDP-tetragonal phase zirconia chemical bonds at different pH values. Zirconia surfaces with and without alkaline coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; alkaline coatings included NaOH, Ca(OH)2, nano-MgO, and nano-Zr(OH)4. A shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed to evaluate the effects of the four alkaline coatings on bonding; the alkaline coatings were applied to the surfaces prior to conditioning the zirconia with MDP-containing primers. Gibbs free energies of the MDP-tetragonal zirconia crystal model coordination reaction in different pH environments were −583.892 (NaOH), −569.048 [Ca(OH)2], −547.393 (MgO), and −530.279 kJ/mol [Zr(OH)4]. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the alkaline coatings improved bonding in the following order: NaOH > Ca(OH)2 > MgO > Zr(OH)4. Statistical analysis of SBS tests showed a different result. SBSs were significantly different in groups that had different alkaline coatings, but it was not influenced by different primers. All four alkaline coatings increased SBS compared to control groups. Of the four coatings, nano-Zr(OH)4 and -MgO showed higher SBS. Therefore, preparing nano-Zr(OH)4 or -MgO coatings prior to conditioning with MDP-containing primers may potentially improve resin bonding of zirconia in the clinic. PMID:27785013

  6. Husband and Wife Perspectives on Farm Household Decision-making Authority and Evidence on Intra-household Accord in Rural Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Anderson, C Leigh; Reynolds, Travis W; Gugerty, Mary Kay

    2017-02-01

    We use OLS and logistic regression to investigate variation in husband and wife perspectives on the division of authority over agriculture-related decisions within households in rural Tanzania. Using original data from husbands and wives (interviewed separately) in 1,851 Tanzanian households, the analysis examines differences in the wife's authority over 13 household and farming decisions. The study finds that the level of decision-making authority allocated to wives by their husbands, and the authority allocated by wives to themselves, both vary significantly across households. In addition to commonly considered assets such as women's age and education, in rural agricultural households women's health and labor activities also appear to matter for perceptions of authority. We also find husbands and wives interviewed separately frequently disagree with each other over who holds authority over key farming, family, and livelihood decisions. Further, the results of OLS and logistic regression suggest that even after controlling for various individual, household, and regional characteristics, husband and wife claims to decision-making authority continue to vary systematically by decision-suggesting that decision characteristics themselves also matter. The absence of spousal agreement over the allocation of authority (i.e., a lack of "intra-household accord") over different farm and household decisions is problematic for interventions seeking to use survey data to develop and inform strategies for reducing gender inequalities or empowering women in rural agricultural households. Findings provide policy and program insights into when studies interviewing only a single spouse or considering only a single decision may inaccurately characterize intra-household decision-making dynamics.

  7. Treatment of AA amyloidosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Balakrishnan, C; Sule, A; Mittal, G; Gaitonde, S; Pathan, E; Rajadhyaksha, S; Deshpande, R B; Gurmeet, M; Samant, R; Joshi, V R

    2002-07-01

    Four patients of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biopsy confirmed AA amyloidosis were treated with chlorambucil. All had established but uncontrolled RA with a persistently raised ESR. Moderate (> 1 gm, < 3.5 gm/d) to nephrotic range (> 3.5 gm/d) proteinuria and a relatively well preserved renal function was noted in three patients. One patient had deranged renal function and required dialysis. On chlorambucil, there was complete recovery, partial improvement and no improvement in one patient each. The fourth patient required haemodialysis, did not tolerate chlorambucil and succumbed to the illness. Therapy with chlorambucil can benefit some patients of RA with AA amyloidosis. Leucopenia is the most important dose limiting side effect.

  8. Low-heat, mild alkaline pretreatment of switchgrass for anaerobic digestion.

    PubMed

    Jin, Guang; Bierma, Tom; Walker, Paul M

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the effectiveness of alkaline pretreatment under mild heat conditions (100°C or 212°F) on the anaerobic co-digestion of switchgrass. The effects of alkaline concentration, types of alkaline, heating time and rinsing were evaluated. In addition to batch studies, continuous-feed studies were performed in triplicate to identify potential digester operational problems caused by switchgrass co-digestion while accounting for uncertainty due to digester variability. Few studies have examined anaerobic digestion of switchgrass or the effects of mild heating to enhance alkaline pretreatment prior to biomass digestion. Results indicate that pretreatment can significantly enhance digestion of coarse-ground (≤ 0.78 cm particle size) switchgrass. Energy conversion efficiency as high as 63% was observed, and was comparable or superior to fine-grinding as a pretreatment method. The optimal NaOH concentration was found to be 5.5% (wt/wt alkaline/biomass) with a 91.7% moisture level. No evidence of operational problems such as solids build-up, poor mixing, or floating materials were observed. These results suggest the use of waste heat from a generator could reduce the concentration of alkaline required to adequately pretreat lignocellulosic feedstock prior to anaerobic digestion.

  9. Cation exchange properties of zeolites in hyper alkaline aqueous media.

    PubMed

    Van Tendeloo, Leen; de Blochouse, Benny; Dom, Dirk; Vancluysen, Jacqueline; Snellings, Ruben; Martens, Johan A; Kirschhock, Christine E A; Maes, André; Breynaert, Eric

    2015-02-03

    Construction of multibarrier concrete based waste disposal sites and management of alkaline mine drainage water requires cation exchangers combining excellent sorption properties with a high stability and predictable performance in hyper alkaline media. Though highly selective organic cation exchange resins have been developed for most pollutants, they can serve as a growth medium for bacterial proliferation, impairing their long-term stability and introducing unpredictable parameters into the evolution of the system. Zeolites represent a family of inorganic cation exchangers, which naturally occur in hyper alkaline conditions and cannot serve as an electron donor or carbon source for microbial proliferation. Despite their successful application as industrial cation exchangers under near neutral conditions, their performance in hyper alkaline, saline water remains highly undocumented. Using Cs(+) as a benchmark element, this study aims to assess the long-term cation exchange performance of zeolites in concrete derived aqueous solutions. Comparison of their exchange properties in alkaline media with data obtained in near neutral solutions demonstrated that the cation exchange selectivity remains unaffected by the increased hydroxyl concentration; the cation exchange capacity did however show an unexpected increase in hyper alkaline media.

  10. Preferences mapping of household biodigester in Bandung

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Humaira, S.; Rianawati, E.; Sagala, S.; Sasongko, M. A.

    2018-05-01

    Bandung city government implemented household biodigester grants in 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, there are some household biodigesters that still functioning well but not in use. Therefore, this study is an effort to improve the acceptance and usage rate of household biodigesters in Bandung. The purpose of this study is to know citizen’s preference when it comes to household biodigester. To get the picture, we conducted survey through online questionnaire based on eight dimension of quality defined by Garvin (1987) as basis to construct factors that might be favoured by current and potential users of household biodigesters. Based on result of cluster analysis, three clusters with different preferences were interpreted and profiled through Welch’s ANOVA and Games-Howell Test. This study reveals that the cluster with the largest number of members shows reliability and features as the key to determining current and potential user’s preference. This study suggests the developer of household biodigester to choose cluster 1 and prioritize the aspect of reliability and feature within the development of the next household biodigester product to get higher level of public acceptance.

  11. ASSESSMENT OF HOUSEHOLD CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION POTENTIALS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kramer, Klaas Jan; Homan, Greg; Brown, Rich

    2009-04-15

    The term ?household carbon footprint? refers to the total annual carbon emissions associated with household consumption of energy, goods, and services. In this project, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed a carbon footprint modeling framework that characterizes the key underlying technologies and processes that contribute to household carbon footprints in California and the United States. The approach breaks down the carbon footprint by 35 different household fuel end uses and 32 different supply chain fuel end uses. This level of end use detail allows energy and policy analysts to better understand the underlying technologies and processes contributing to the carbon footprintmore » of California households. The modeling framework was applied to estimate the annual home energy and supply chain carbon footprints of a prototypical California household. A preliminary assessment of parameter uncertainty associated with key model input data was also conducted. To illustrate the policy-relevance of this modeling framework, a case study was conducted that analyzed the achievable carbon footprint reductions associated with the adoption of energy efficient household and supply chain technologies.« less

  12. A macro-enzyme cause of an isolated increase of alkaline phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Cervinski, Mark A; Lee, Hong Kee; Martin, Isabella W; Gavrilov, Dimitar K

    2015-02-02

    Macroenzyme complexes of serum enzymes and antibody can increase the circulating enzymatic activity and may lead to unnecessary additional testing and procedures. Laboratory physicians and scientists need to be aware of techniques to identify macroenzyme complexes when suspected. To investigate the possibility of a macro-alkaline phosphatase in the serum of a 74 year old male with persistently increased alkaline phosphatase we coupled a protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography technique with isoenzyme electrophoresis to look for the presence of macro-alkaline phosphatase. The majority of the alkaline phosphatase activity in the patient's serum sample was bound to the column and only a minor fraction (25%) of alkaline phosphatase activity was present in the column flow-through. The alkaline phosphatase activity was also found to co-elute with the immunoglobulins in the patient sample. The alkaline phosphatase activity in a control serum sample concurrently treated in the same manner did not bind to the column and was found in the column flow-through. The use of protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography is a rapid and simple method that can be applied to the investigation of other macro-enzyme complexes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Alkalinity-salinity relationship in the Chesapeake Bay

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cintrón Del Valle, S. M.; Najjar, R.; Herrmann, M.; Goldberger, S.; Stets, E.

    2016-12-01

    Estuaries are a significant source of atmospheric CO2, a major greenhouse gas. However, it is not known whether the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, is a source or sink of CO2. Extensive pH measurements in the Bay offer the possibility of estimating the air-water CO2 flux if robust relationships between alkalinity, the acid neutralizing capacity of a water body, and salinity can be established. Here we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the alkalinity-salinity relationship in the Chesapeake Bay based on more than 18,000 alkalinity measurements made between 1985 and 2015. It was found that seven segments of the Bay could be grouped into three different linear functions, suggesting that alkalinity is conserved in the Bay and has properties that change depending on the freshwater endmember (the riverine source). The highest freshwater endmember was 1.21 mol m-3 for the Potomac River, the lowest one was 0.41 mol m-3 for the York and Rappahannock Rivers, and an intermediate freshwater endmember was 0.79 mol m-3 for the remaining four segments. For some segments, most notably the Potomac River, the scatter of the data increases with decreasing salinity, which is due, in part, to seasonal and interannual variations in the freshwater endmember.

  14. Alkaline Activator Impact on the Geopolymer Binders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Błaszczyński, Tomasz Z.; Król, Maciej R.

    2017-10-01

    Concrete structures are constantly moving in the direction of improving the durability. Durability depends on many factors, which are the composition of concrete mix, the usage of additives and admixtures and the place, where material will work and carry the load. The introduction of new geopolymer binders for geopolymer structures adds a new aspect that is type of used activator. This substance with strongly alkaline reaction is divided because of the physical state, the alkaline degree and above all the chemical composition. Taking into account, that at present the geopolymer binders are made essentially from waste materials or by-products from the combustion of coal or iron ore smelting, unambiguous determination of the effect of the activator on the properties of the geopolymer material requires a number of trials, researches and observation. This paper shows the influence of the most alkaline activators on the basic parameters of the durability of geopolymer binders. In this study there were used highly alkaline hydroxides, water glasses and granules, which are waste materials in a variety of processes taking place in chemical plants. As the substrate of geopolymer binders there were used fly ash which came from coal and high calcareous ash from the burning of lignite.

  15. Section AA through main entrance gates & west stairs. San ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Section AA through main entrance gates & west stairs. San Bernardino Valley Union Junior College, Science Building. Also includes plans and sections of boys' and girls' toilets. Howard E. Jones, Architect, San Bernardino, California. Sheet 5, job no. 311. Scales 1/4 inch to the foot (section AA) and 1/2 inch to the foot (toilet rooms). February 15, 1927. - San Bernardino Valley College, Life Science Building, 701 South Mount Vernon Avenue, San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA

  16. FOOD ACQUISITION AND INTRA-HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS: A STUDY OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN DELHI, INDIA.

    PubMed

    Pradhan, Mr; Taylor, Fc; Agrawal, S; Prabhakaran, D; Ebrahim, S

    2013-12-01

    Food habits and choices in India are shifting due to many factors: changing food markets, fast urbanization, food price inflation, uncertain food production and unequal distribution during the past decade. This study aims to explore food acquisition and intra-household consumption patterns in urban low and middle income (LMI) households in Delhi. Twenty households were randomly selected from the Center for Cardio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) surveillance study. Data were derived from 20 questionnaires administered to women responsible for food preparation, four key-informant-interviews, and 20 in-depth interviews with household heads during September-November 2011. STATA and ATLAS.ti software were used for data analysis. Half of the households spent at least two-thirds of their income on food. The major expenditures were on vegetables (22% of total food expenditure), milk and milk products (16%), and cereal and related products (15%). Income, food prices, food preferences, and seasonal variation influenced food expenditure. Adults usually ate two to three times a day while children ate more frequently. Eating sequence was based on the work pattern within the household and cultural beliefs. Contrary to previous evidence, there was no gender bias in intra-household food distribution. Women considered food acquisition, preparation and distribution part of their self-worth and played a major role in food related issues in the household. Women's key roles in food acquisition, preparation and intra household food consumption should be considered in formulating food policies and programs.

  17. A Status Report on the AAS Astronomy Ambassadors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fienberg, Richard Tresch; Fraknoi, Andrew; Gurton, Suzanne; Hurst, Anna; Schatz, Dennis L.

    2014-06-01

    The American Astronomical Society, in partnership with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), has launched a series of professional-development workshops and a community of practice designed to improve early-career astronomers’ ability to communicate effectively with students and the public. Called AAS Astronomy Ambassadors, the program provides training and mentoring for young astronomers, from advanced undergraduates to beginning faculty; it also provides them access to resources and a network of contacts within the astronomy education and public outreach (EPO) community. Ambassadors are provided with a library of outreach activities and resource materials suitable for a range of venues and audiences. For much of this library we are using resources developed by organizations such as the ASP, the Pacific Science Center, and the Center for Astronomy Education for other outreach programs, though some resources have been created by one of us (AF) specifically for this program. After a period of evaluation and revision, the program’s “Menu of Outreach Opportunities for Science Education” (MOOSE) is now posted on the AAS website at http://aas.org/outreach/moose-menu-outreach-opportunities-science-education.The first two Astronomy Ambassadors workshops were held at AAS meetings in January 2013 and January 2014; each served 30 young astronomers chosen from about twice that many applicants. Web-based follow-up activities are being provided through a website at the ASP designed to keep cohorts of educators trained in their programs in touch with one another. The AAS is exploring ways to fund additional workshops at future winter meetings; suggestions are most welcome. Meanwhile, the Astronomy Ambassadors trained to date have logged more than 150 outreach events, reaching many thousands of children and adults across the U.S. and Canada.

  18. A method for making an alkaline battery electrode plate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chida, K.; Ezaki, T.

    1983-01-01

    A method is described for making an alkaline battery electrode plate where the desired active substances are filled into a nickel foam substrate. In this substrate an electrolytic oxidation reduction occurs in an alkaline solution containing lithium hydroxide.

  19. Elevated serum level of human alkaline phosphatase in obesity.

    PubMed

    Khan, Abdul Rehman; Awan, Fazli Rabbi; Najam, Syeda Sadia; Islam, Mehboob; Siddique, Tehmina; Zain, Maryam

    2015-11-01

    To investigate a correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase level and body mass index in human subjects. The comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from April 2012 to June 2013. Blood serum alkaline phosphatase levels were estimated and the subjects were divided into three sub-groups on the basis of their body mass. normal weight (<25kg/m2), overweight (25-27kg/m2) and obese (>27kg/m2) subjects. The serum samples were used for the estimation of clinically important biochemical parameters, using commercial kits on clinical chemistry analyser. Of the 197 subjects, 97(49%) were obese and 100(51%) were non-obese. The serum alkaline phosphatase level increased in obese (214±6.4 IU/L) compared to the non-obese subjects (184.5±5 IU/L). Furthermore, a significant linear relationship (r=0.3;p-0.0001) was found between serum alkaline phosphatase and body mass index. Other biochemical variables were not correlated to the body mass index. Over activity and higher amounts of alkaline phosphatase were linked to the development of obesity.

  20. Astrocytes mediated the nootropic and neurotrophic effects of Sarsasapogenin-AA13 via upregulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    PubMed

    Dong, Dong; Mao, Yu; Huang, Cui; Jiao, Qian; Pan, Hui; Ma, Lei; Wang, Rui

    2017-01-01

    Rhizoma Anemarrhena , a widely used traditional Chinese medicine, has previously been shown to have neuroprotective effect. Sarsasapogenin-AA13 (AA13) is a novel synthetic derivative of Sarsasapogenin, which is extracted from Rhizoma Anemarrhena . The aim of this study is to investigate the nootropic and neurotrophic effects of AA13 and underlying mechanisms. In vitro , cell viability of rat primary astrocytes treated with AA13 and neurons cultured with conditioned medium of AA13-treated rat primary astrocytes was tested by MTT assays. In vivo , a pharmacological model of cognitive impairment induced by scopolamine was employed and spatial memory of the mice was assessed by Morris water maze. This study found that AA13 increased cell viability of primary astrocytes and AA13-treated astrocyte-conditioned medium enhanced the survival rate of primary neurons. Interestingly, AA13 markedly enhanced the level of BDNF in astrocytes. Furthermore, AA13 (6 mg/kg) improved the cognitive deficits in animal models (p<0.05) and BDNF and PSD95 levels were increased in brain. Therefore, we hypothesize that AA13 exerts nootropic and neurotrophic activities through astrocytes mediated upregulation of BDNF secretion. The results suggest that AA13 could be a potential compound for cognitive impairment after further research.

  1. Adverse effects of doping with anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) in competitive athletics, recreational sports and bodybuilding.

    PubMed

    Vorona, Elena; Nieschlag, Eberhard

    2018-02-19

    Despite the fact that sports organizations and legislators have introduced various mechanisms to discourage athletes from using performance and appearance enhancing substances a high percentage of athletes admits to their unabated application. In competitive athletics, bodybuilding and in recreational sports anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) continue to be the substances most abused. This review summarizes the side effects of AAS abuse on organs and system functions in both sexes. High doses of AAS cause a significant increase of erythrocytes und haemoglobin concentration, which may lead to thromboembolism, intracardiac thrombosis and stroke. Long-term AAS abusers have a higher incidence of arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, concentric left-ventricular myocardial hypertrophy with impaired diastolic function and also sudden cardiac death. Changes of liver function and structure, up to hepatocellular carcinoma, have been described, mainly in cases of chronic misuse of 17α-alkylated AAS. Sleeplessness, increased irritability, depressive mood status are often observed in AAS abuse. In former AAS abusers depression, anxiety and melancholy may persist for many years. Due to negative feedback in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis AAS can cause reversible suppression of spermatogenesis up to azoospermia. In women the changes most often caused by AAS abuse are hirsutism, irreversible deepening of voice, dysmenorrhoea, secondary amenorrhoea with anovulation and infertility. AAS abuse notwithstanding, under clinical conditions testosterone remains the most important hormone for substitution therapy of male hypogonadism.

  2. Household location choices: implications for biodiversity conservation.

    PubMed

    Peterson, M Nils; Chen, Xiaodong; Liu, Jianguo

    2008-08-01

    Successful conservation efforts require understanding human behaviors that directly affect biodiversity. Choice of household location represents an observable behavior that has direct effects on biodiversity conservation, but no one has examined the sociocultural predictors of this choice relative to its environmental impacts. We conducted a case study of the Teton Valley of Idaho and Wyoming (U.S.A.) that (1) explored relationships between sociodemographic variables, environmental attitudes, and the environmental impact of household location choices, (2) assessed the potential for small household sizes in natural areas to multiply the environmental impacts of household location decisions, and (3) evaluated how length of residency predicted the environmental attitudes of people living in natural areas. We collected sociodemographic data, spatial coordinates, and land-cover information in a survey of 416 households drawn from a random sample of Teton Valley residents (95% compliance rate). Immigrants (respondents not born in the study area) with the lowest education levels and least environmentally oriented attitudes lived in previously established residential areas in disproportionately high numbers, and older and more educated immigrants with the most environmentally oriented attitudes lived in natural areas in disproportionately high numbers. Income was not a significant predictor of household location decisions. Those living in natural areas had more environmental impact per person because of the location and because small households (<3 people/household) were 4 times as likely in natural areas as large households. Longer residency in natural areas predicted less environmentally oriented attitudes, suggesting that living in natural areas does not foster more concern for nature. Because populaces are rapidly aging, growing more educated, and potentially growing more environmentally oriented, these patterns are troubling for biodiversity conservation. Our results

  3. Household Schooling Behaviors and Decentralization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behrman, Jere R.; King, Elizabeth M.

    2001-01-01

    Presents a simple framework for (1) demonstrating how households determine schooling investments through choice and voice; and (2) considering effects of decentralization on household behaviors, given information problems. Some aspects of decentralization may increase efficiency; others may be neutral or decrease efficiency. Further research is…

  4. Polyvinyl alcohol battery separator containing inert filler. [alkaline batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheibley, D. W.; Hsu, L. C.; Manzo, M. A. (Inventor)

    1981-01-01

    A cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol battery separator is disclosed. A particulate filler, inert to alkaline electrolyte of an alkaline battery, is incorporated in the separator in an amount of 1-20% by weight, based on the weight of the polyvinyl alcohol, and is dispersed throughout the product. Incorporation of the filler enhances performance and increases cycle life of alkaline batteries when compared with batteries containing a similar separator not containing filler. Suitable fillers include titanates, silicates, zirconates, aluminates, wood floor, lignin, and titania. Particle size is not greater than about 50 microns.

  5. Household medical waste disposal policy in Israel.

    PubMed

    Barnett-Itzhaki, Zohar; Berman, Tamar; Grotto, Itamar; Schwartzberg, Eyal

    2016-01-01

    Large amounts of expired and unused medications accumulate in households. This potentially exposes the public to hazards due to uncontrolled use of medications. Most of the expired or unused medications that accumulate in households (household medical waste) is thrown to the garbage or flushed down to the sewage, potentially contaminating waste-water, water resources and even drinking water. There is evidence that pharmaceutical active ingredients reach the environment, including food, however the risk to public health from low level exposure to pharmaceuticals in the environment is currently unknown. In Israel, there is no legislation regarding household medical waste collection and disposal. Furthermore, only less than 14 % of Israelis return unused medications to Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) pharmacies. In this study, we investigated world-wide approaches and programs for household medical waste collection and disposal. In many countries around the world there are programs for household medical waste collection. In many countries there is legislation to address the issue of household medical waste, and this waste is collected in hospitals, clinics, law enforcement agencies and pharmacies. Furthermore, in many countries, medication producers and pharmacies pay for the collection and destruction of household medical waste, following the "polluter pays" principle. Several approaches and methods should be considered in Israel: (a) legislation and regulation to enable a variety of institutes to collect household medical waste (b) implementing the "polluter pays" principle and enforcing medical products manufactures to pay for the collection and destruction of household medical waste. (c) Raising awareness of patients, pharmacists, and other medical health providers regarding the health and environmental risks in accumulation of drugs and throwing them to the garbage, sink or toilet. (d) Adding specific instructions regarding disposal of the drug, in the

  6. 2012 California Household Travel Survey Supplement | Transportation Secure

    Science.gov Websites

    Data Center | NREL 2 California Household Travel Survey Supplement 2012 California Household Travel Survey Supplement The 2012 California Household Travel Survey Supplement focused on gathering . Called the "Augment Survey," it supplemented the 2010-2012 California Household Travel Survey

  7. Anthropogenic metal enrichment of snow and soil in north-eastern European Russia.

    PubMed

    Walker, T R; Young, S D; Crittenden, P D; Zhang, H

    2003-01-01

    Trace metal composition of winter snowpack, snow-melt filter residues and top-soil samples were determined along three transects through industrial towns in the Usa basin, North-East Russia: Inta, Usinsk and Vorkuta. Snow was analysed for Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn using ICP-MS (Ca and K by F-AAS for Vorkuta only), pH and acidity/alkalinity. Filter residues were analysed for: Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn using F-AAS and GF-AAS; top-soil samples were analysed for Ba, Cu, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn using F-AAS. Results indicate elevated concentrations of elements associated with alkaline combustion ash around the coal mining towns of Vorkuta and Inta. There is little evidence of deposition around the gas and oil town of Usinsk. Atmospheric deposition in the vicinity of Vorkuta, and to a lesser extent Inta, added significantly to the soil contaminant loading as a result of ash fallout. Acid deposition was associated with pristine areas whereas alkaline combustion ash near to emission sources more than compensated for the acidity caused by SO2.

  8. Unequal household carbon footprints in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiedenhofer, Dominik; Guan, Dabo; Liu, Zhu; Meng, Jing; Zhang, Ning; Wei, Yi-Ming

    2017-01-01

    Households' carbon footprints are unequally distributed among the rich and poor due to differences in the scale and patterns of consumption. We present distributional focused carbon footprints for Chinese households and use a carbon-footprint-Gini coefficient to quantify inequalities. We find that in 2012 the urban very rich, comprising 5% of population, induced 19% of the total carbon footprint from household consumption in China, with 6.4 tCO2/cap. The average Chinese household footprint remains comparatively low (1.7 tCO2/cap), while those of the rural population and urban poor, comprising 58% of population, are 0.5-1.6 tCO2/cap. Between 2007 and 2012 the total footprint from households increased by 19%, with 75% of the increase due to growing consumption of the urban middle class and the rich. This suggests that a transformation of Chinese lifestyles away from the current trajectory of carbon-intensive consumption patterns requires policy interventions to improve living standards and encourage sustainable consumption.

  9. 76 FR 6794 - 30-Day Submission Period for Requests for ONC-Approved Accreditor (ONC-AA) Status

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-08

    ... Accreditor (ONC-AA) Status AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology... submission of requests for ONC-Approved Accreditor (ONC-AA) status. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300jj-11. DATES: The... for ONC-AA status may be submitted. The 30-day period for submission of requests for ONC-AA status...

  10. Reframing Spirituality: AA, the 12 Steps, and the Mental Health Counselor.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanna, Fred J.

    1992-01-01

    Surveys literature and explores ways to understand spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Topics explored range from Jungian and Jamesian psychology, to Stoicism, the work of Bateson, and transpersonal psychology and therapy. Speculates that difficulty some mental health counselors have in accepting AA as therapy could be a result of…

  11. Production of bioethanol and value added compounds from wheat straw through combined alkaline/alkaline-peroxide pretreatment.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Zhaoyang; Wen, Yangbing; Li, Guodong

    2018-07-01

    An efficient scheme was developed for the conversion of wheat straw (WS) into bioethanol, silica and lignin. WS was pre-extracted with 0.2 mol/L sodium hydroxide at 30 °C for 5 h to remove about 91% of initial silica. Subsequently, the alkaline-pretreated solids were subjected to alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment with 40 mg hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )/g biomass at 50 °C for 7 h to prepare highly digestible substrate. The results of enzymatic hydrolysis demonstrated that the sequential alkaline-AHP pretreated WS was efficiently hydrolyzed at 10% (w/v) solids loading using an enzyme dosage of 10 mg protein/g glucan. The total sugar conversion of 92.4% was achieved. Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) was applied to produce ethanol from the two-stage pretreated substrate using Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8u strain. Ethanol with concentration of 31.1 g/L was produced. Through the proposed process, about 86.4% and 54.1% of the initial silica and lignin were recovered, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. 7 CFR 253.7 - Certification of households.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... or by mail. The State agency shall document the date the application was received. Each household has... cooperates. (5) Interviews. All applicant households, including those submitting applications by mail, shall... organization available which provides free legal representation, the notice shall also advise the household of...

  13. 7 CFR 253.7 - Certification of households.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... or by mail. The State agency shall document the date the application was received. Each household has... cooperates. (5) Interviews. All applicant households, including those submitting applications by mail, shall... organization available which provides free legal representation, the notice shall also advise the household of...

  14. 2017 National Household Travel Survey - California Add-On |

    Science.gov Websites

    Transportation Secure Data Center | NREL 7 National Household Travel Survey - California Add-On 2017 National Household Travel Survey - California Add-On The California add-on survey supplements the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) with additional household samples and detailed travel

  15. AAS 228: Day 3 afternoon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-06-01

    Editors Note:This week were at the 228th AAS Meeting in San Diego, CA. Along with a team ofauthors from astrobites.com, I will bewritingupdates on selectedevents at themeeting and posting twiceeach day. Follow along here or atastrobites.com, or catch ourlive-tweeted updates from the@astrobites Twitter account. The usual posting schedule for AAS Nova will resumenext week.Wikipedia Year of Science Editathon (by Meredith Rawls)Whats your first go-to source for an unfamiliar topic on the internet? If you said Wikipedia, youre not alone. For many people, Wikipedia is the primary source of information about astronomy and science. However, many Wikipedia articles about science topics are incomplete or missing, and women are underrepresented among scientists with biographies.To address this, the AAS Astronomy Education Board teamed up with the Wiki Education Foundation to host an edit-a-thon as part of the Wikipedia Year of Science. More than forty attendees spent the better part of three hours working through tutorials, creating new articles, and editing existing ones. The session was generously sponsored by the Simons Foundation.The Year of Science initiative seeks to bring Wikipedia editing skills to the classroom and help new editors find sustainable ways to contribute to Wikipedia in the long term. Anybody can create a free account and start editing!As a first-time Wikipedia contributor, I took the time to go through nearly all the tutorial exercises and familiarize myself with the process of editing a page. I decided to flesh out one section in an existing page about asteroseismology. Others created biography pages from scratch or selected various astronomical topics to write about. To me, the editing process felt like a cross between writing a blog post and a journal article, in a hack day type environment. Working through the tutorial and some examples renewed my empathy for learners who are tackling a new skill set for the first time. A full summary of our

  16. The Impact of Reclassification from Division II to DI-AA and from Division I-AA to I-A on NCAA Member Institutions from 1993 to 2003

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frieder, Laura L., Comp.; Fulks, Daniel L., Comp.

    2007-01-01

    Recent years have seen a number of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institutions seeking reclassification to Division I-AA and Division I-AA institutions moving to Division I-A. Yet, other schools that seem like natural candidates to reclassify have resisted. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the…

  17. Acid transformation of bauxite residue: Conversion of its alkaline characteristics.

    PubMed

    Kong, Xiangfeng; Li, Meng; Xue, Shengguo; Hartley, William; Chen, Chengrong; Wu, Chuan; Li, Xiaofei; Li, Yiwei

    2017-02-15

    Bauxite residue (BR) is a highly alkaline solid hazardous waste produced from bauxite processing for alumina production. Alkaline transformation appears to reduce the environmental risk of bauxite residue disposal areas (BRDAs) whilst potentially providing opportunities for the sustainable reuse and on-going management of BR. Mineral acids, a novel citric acid and a hybrid combination of acid-gypsum treatments were investigated for their potential to reduce residue pH and total alkalinity and transform the alkaline mineral phase. XRD results revealed that with the exception of andradite, the primary alkaline solid phases of cancrinite, grossular and calcite were transformed into discriminative products based on the transformation used. Supernatants separated from BR and transformed bauxite residue (TBR) displayed distinct changes in soluble Na, Ca and Al, and a reduction in pH and total alkalinity. SEM images suggest that mineral acid transformations promote macro-aggregate formation, and the positive promotion of citric acid, confirming the removal or reduction in soluble and exchangeable Na. NEXAFS analysis of Na K-edge revealed that the chemical speciation of Na in TBRs was consistent with BR. Three acid treatments and gypsum combination had no effect on Na speciation, which affects the distribution of Na revealed by sodium STXM imaging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. FOOD ACQUISITION AND INTRA-HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS: A STUDY OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN DELHI, INDIA

    PubMed Central

    Pradhan, MR; Taylor, FC; Agrawal, S; Prabhakaran, D; Ebrahim, S

    2014-01-01

    Background Food habits and choices in India are shifting due to many factors: changing food markets, fast urbanization, food price inflation, uncertain food production and unequal distribution during the past decade. This study aims to explore food acquisition and intra-household consumption patterns in urban low and middle income (LMI) households in Delhi. Methods Twenty households were randomly selected from the Center for Cardio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) surveillance study. Data were derived from 20 questionnaires administered to women responsible for food preparation, four key-informant-interviews, and 20 in-depth interviews with household heads during September-November 2011. STATA and ATLAS.ti software were used for data analysis. Results Half of the households spent at least two-thirds of their income on food. The major expenditures were on vegetables (22% of total food expenditure), milk and milk products (16%), and cereal and related products (15%). Income, food prices, food preferences, and seasonal variation influenced food expenditure. Adults usually ate two to three times a day while children ate more frequently. Eating sequence was based on the work pattern within the household and cultural beliefs. Contrary to previous evidence, there was no gender bias in intra-household food distribution. Women considered food acquisition, preparation and distribution part of their self-worth and played a major role in food related issues in the household. Conclusion Women’s key roles in food acquisition, preparation and intra household food consumption should be considered in formulating food policies and programs. PMID:25473147

  19. Estimating household and community transmission of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis.

    PubMed

    Blake, Isobel M; Burton, Matthew J; Bailey, Robin L; Solomon, Anthony W; West, Sheila; Muñoz, Beatriz; Holland, Martin J; Mabey, David C W; Gambhir, Manoj; Basáñez, María-Gloria; Grassly, Nicholas C

    2009-01-01

    Community-wide administration of antibiotics is one arm of a four-pronged strategy in the global initiative to eliminate blindness due to trachoma. The potential impact of more efficient, targeted treatment of infected households depends on the relative contribution of community and household transmission of infection, which have not previously been estimated. A mathematical model of the household transmission of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis was fit to detailed demographic and prevalence data from four endemic populations in The Gambia and Tanzania. Maximum likelihood estimates of the household and community transmission coefficients were obtained. The estimated household transmission coefficient exceeded both the community transmission coefficient and the rate of clearance of infection by individuals in three of the four populations, allowing persistent transmission of infection within households. In all populations, individuals in larger households contributed more to the incidence of infection than those in smaller households. Transmission of ocular C. trachomatis infection within households is typically very efficient. Failure to treat all infected members of a household during mass administration of antibiotics is likely to result in rapid re-infection of that household, followed by more gradual spread across the community. The feasibility and effectiveness of household targeted strategies should be explored.

  20. Coarsening of AA6013-T6 Precipitates During Sheet Warm Forming Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Ciano, M.; DiCecco, S.; Esmaeili, S.; Wells, M. A.; Worswick, M. J.

    2018-03-01

    The use of warm forming for AA6xxx-T6 sheet is of interest to improve its formability; however, the effect warm forming may have on the coarsening of precipitates and the mechanical strength of these sheets has not been well studied. In this research, the coarsening behavior of AA6013-T6 precipitates has been explored, in the temperature range of 200-300 °C, and time of 30 s up to 50 h. Additionally, the effect of warm deformation on coarsening behavior was explored using: (1) simulated warm forming tests in a Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator and (2) bi-axial warm deformation tests. Using a strong obstacle model to describe the yield strength (YS) evolution of the AA6013-T6 material, and a Lifshitz, Slyozov, and Wagner (LSW) particle coarsening law to describe the change in precipitate size with time, the coarsening kinetics were modeled for this alloy. The coarsening kinetics in the range of 220-300 °C followed a trend similar to that previously found for AA6111 for the 180-220 °C range. There was strong evidence that coarsening kinetics were not altered due to warm deformation above 220 °C. For warm forming between 200 and 220 °C, the YS of the AA6013-T6 material increased slightly, which could be attributed to strain hardening during warm deformation. Finally, a non-isothermal coarsening model was used to assess the potential reduction in the YS of AA6013-T6 for practical processing conditions related to auto-body manufacturing. The model calculations showed that 90% of the original AA6013-T6 YS could be maintained, for warm forming temperatures up to 280 °C, if the heating schedule used to get the part to the warm forming temperature was limited to 1 min.

  1. Doping with anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS): Adverse effects on non-reproductive organs and functions.

    PubMed

    Nieschlag, Eberhard; Vorona, Elena

    2015-09-01

    Since the 1970s anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) have been abused at ever increasing rates in competitive athletics, in recreational sports and in bodybuilding. Exceedingly high doses are often consumed over long periods, in particular by bodybuilders, causing acute or chronic adverse side effects frequently complicated by additional polypharmacy. This review summarizes side effects on non-reproductive organs and functions; effects on male and female reproduction have been recently reviewed in a parallel paper. Among the most striking AAS side effects are increases in haematocrit and coagulation causing thromboembolism, intracardiac thrombosis and stroke as well as other cardiac disturbances including arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies and possibly sudden death. 17α-alkylated AAS are liver toxic leading to cholestasis, peliosis, adenomas and carcinomas. Hyperbilirubinaemia can cause cholemic nephrosis and kidney failure. AAS abuse may induce exaggerated self-confidence, reckless behavior, aggressiveness and psychotic symptoms. AAS withdrawal may be accompanied by depression and suicidal intentions. Since AAS abuse is not or only reluctantly admitted physicians should be aware of the multitude of serious side effects when confronted with unclear symptoms.

  2. Michigan Household Hazardous Substance Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Senior, Janet; Stone Nancy

    Common household hazardous substances include cleansers, drain cleaners, automotive products, paints, solvents, and pesticides. This handbook was designed to serve as a resource for people frequently contacted by the public for information on household hazardous substances and wastes. Included in the handbook are: (1) an introduction to Michigan's…

  3. Household Products

    MedlinePlus

    The products you use for cleaning, carpentry, auto repair, gardening, and many other household uses can contain ingredients that ... Arts and craft supplies Toxic substances in these products can cause harm if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed ...

  4. Long-term biases in geomagnetic K and aa indices

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Love, J.J.

    2011-01-01

    Analysis is made of the geomagnetic-activity aa index and its source K-index data from groups of ground-based observatories in Britain, and Australia, 1868.0-2009.0, solar cycles 11-23. The K data show persistent biases, especially for high (low) K-activity levels at British (Australian) observatories. From examination of multiple subsets of the K data we infer that the biases are not predominantly the result of changes in observatory location, localized induced magnetotelluric currents, changes in magnetometer technology, or the modernization of K-value estimation methods. Instead, the biases appear to be artifacts of the latitude-dependent scaling used to assign K values to particular local levels of geomagnetic activity. The biases are not effectively removed by weighting factors used to estimate aa. We show that long-term averages of the aa index, such as annual averages, are dominated by medium-level geomagnetic activity levels having K values of 3 and 4. ?? 2011 Author(s).

  5. Alkaline and non-aqueous proton-conducting pouch-cell batteries

    DOEpatents

    Young, Kwo-hsiung; Nei, Jean; Meng, Tiejun

    2018-01-02

    Provided are sealed pouch-cell batteries that are alkaline batteries or non-aqueous proton-conducing batteries. A pouch cell includes a flexible housing such as is used for pouch cell construction where the housing is in the form of a pouch, a cathode comprising a cathode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an anode comprising an anode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an electrolyte that is optionally an alkaline or proton-conducting electrolyte, and wherein the pouch does not include or require a safety vent or other gas absorbing or releasing system as the anode active material and the cathode active material do not increase the internal atmospheric pressure any more than 2 psig during cycling. The batteries provided function contrary to the art recognized belief that such battery systems were impossible due to unacceptable gas production during cycling.

  6. Effects of household dynamics on resource consumption and biodiversity.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jianguo; Daily, Gretchen C; Ehrlich, Paul R; Luck, Gary W

    2003-01-30

    Human population size and growth rate are often considered important drivers of biodiversity loss, whereas household dynamics are usually neglected. Aggregate demographic statistics may mask substantial changes in the size and number of households, and their effects on biodiversity. Household dynamics influence per capita consumption and thus biodiversity through, for example, consumption of wood for fuel, habitat alteration for home building and associated activities, and greenhouse gas emissions. Here we report that growth in household numbers globally, and particularly in countries with biodiversity hotspots (areas rich in endemic species and threatened by human activities), was more rapid than aggregate population growth between 1985 and 2000. Even when population size declined, the number of households increased substantially. Had the average household size (that is, the number of occupants) remained static, there would have been 155 million fewer households in hotspot countries in 2000. Reduction in average household size alone will add a projected 233 million additional households to hotspot countries during the period 2000-15. Rapid increase in household numbers, often manifested as urban sprawl, and resultant higher per capita resource consumption in smaller households pose serious challenges to biodiversity conservation.

  7. Household organophosphorus pesticide use and Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Narayan, Shilpa; Liew, Zeyan; Paul, Kimberly; Lee, Pei-Chen; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Bronstein, Jeff M; Ritz, Beate

    2013-10-01

    Household pesticide use is widespread in the USA. Since the 1970s, organophosphorus chemicals (OPs) have been common active ingredients in these products. Parkinson's disease (PD) has been linked to pesticide exposures but little is known about the contributions of chronic exposures to household pesticides. Here we investigate whether long-term use of household pesticides, especially those containing OPs, increases the odds of PD. In a population-based case-control study, we assessed frequency of household pesticide use for 357 cases and 807 controls, relying on the California Department of Pesticide Regulation product label database to identify ingredients in reported household pesticide products and the Pesticide Action Network pesticide database of chemical ingredients. Using logistic regression we estimated the effects of household pesticide use. Frequent use of any household pesticide increased the odds of PD by 47% [odds ratio (OR)=1.47, (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.92)]; frequent use of products containing OPs increased the odds of PD more strongly by 71% [OR=1.71, (95% CI: 1.21, 2.41)] and frequent organothiophosphate use almost doubled the odds of PD. Sensitivity analyses showed that estimated effects were independent of other pesticide exposures (ambient and occupational) and the largest odds ratios were estimated for frequent OP users who were carriers of the 192QQ paraoxonase genetic variant related to slower detoxification of OPs. We provide evidence that household use of OP pesticides is associated with an increased risk of developing PD.

  8. Analysis of expired medications in Serbian households

    PubMed Central

    Tomas, Ana; Tomic, Zdenko; Bukumiric, Dragica; Corac, Aleksandar; Horvat, Olga; Sabo, Ana

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Introduction An ongoing issue of expired medications accumulating in some households is a universal problem around the world. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent and structure of expired medications in Serbian households, and to determine which therapeutic groups generated the most waste. Methods This was an observational, cross-sectional study conducted in households in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. The study had been performed over 8 month period (December 2011 - July 2012) and it consisted of personal insights into the medication inventory in households. Results Of 1008 families, 383 agreed to participate and complete the questionnaire (38.3% response rate). In almost a half of households (44.4%), expired medications were maintained. The amount of expired medications was 402 items, corresponding to 9.2% of total medications presented in surveyed households. The majority of expired medications (64.7%) was in solid dosage (tablets, capsules, granules, lozenges), following semisolid (ointments, creams, gel, suppositories) and liquid dosage forms (drops, syrups). Expired medications in the households belonged mostly to 3 categories: antimicrobials for systemic use (16.7%), dermatological preparation (15.9%) and medications for alimentary tract and metabolism (14.2%). Conclusions This study revealed that there were relatively large quantities of expired medications in Serbian households, with a high prevalence of antibiotics for systemic use, anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products, and medications for alimentary tract and metabolism. PMID:27703539

  9. AAS Publishing News: Astronomical Software Citation Workshop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2015-07-01

    Do you write code for your research? Use astronomical software? Do you wish there were a better way of citing, sharing, archiving, or discovering software for astronomy research? You're not alone! In April 2015, AAS's publishing team joined other leaders in the astronomical software community in a meeting funded by the Sloan Foundation, with the purpose of discussing these issues and potential solutions. In attendance were representatives from academic astronomy, publishing, libraries, for-profit software sharing platforms, telescope facilities, and grantmaking institutions. The goal of the group was to establish “protocols, policies, and platforms for astronomical software citation, sharing, and archiving,” in the hopes of encouraging a set of normalized standards across the field. The AAS is now collaborating with leaders at GitHub to write grant proposals for a project to develop strategies for software discoverability and citation, in astronomy and beyond. If this topic interests you, you can find more details in this document released by the group after the meeting: http://astronomy-software-index.github.io/2015-workshop/ The group hopes to move this project forward with input and support from the broader community. Please share the above document, discuss it on social media using the hashtag #astroware (so that your conversations can be found!), or send private comments to julie.steffen@aas.org.

  10. Households encountering with catastrophic health expenditures in Ferdows, Iran.

    PubMed

    Ghoddoosinejad, Javad; Jannati, Ali; Gholipour, Kamal; Baghban Baghestan, Elham

    2014-08-01

    Out-of-pocket payments are the main sources of healthcare financing in most developing countries. Healthcare services can impose a massive cost burden on households, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to calculate households encountered with catastrophic healthcare expenditures in Ferdows, Iran. The sample included 100 households representing 20% of all households in Ferdows, Iran. The data were collected using self-administered questionnaire. The ability to pay of households was calculated, and then if costs of household health were at least 40% of their ability to pay, it was considered as catastrophic expenditures. Rate of households encountered to catastrophic health expenditures was estimated to be 24%, of which dentistry services had the highest part in catastrophic health expenditures. Low ability to pay of households should be supported against these expenditures. More equitable health system would solve the problem, although more financial aid should be provided for households encountered to catastrophic costs.

  11. [Characterization of Mexican households with food insecurity].

    PubMed

    Mundo-Rosas, Verónica; Méndez-Gómez Humarán, Ignacio; Shamah-Levy, Teresa

    2014-01-01

    To describe the sociodemographic and health characteristics associated with food insecurity (FI) in Mexican households. The study included information about 40 809 households from the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012. The Latin American and Caribbean Scale Food Safety (ELCSA) was used to categorize households in terms of food insecurity. Classification and regression trees were used to identify the most significant characteristics in households with high prevalence of FI. The characteristics associated with higher prevalence of FI in homes were: lowest quintiles of welfare status, lack of education or walking or moving disability of household head, and not receiving money from social programmes, pension or remittances. Monitoring of the factors that favor the presence of FI is required to detect social groups being excluded from the right to food.

  12. 40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

  13. 40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

  14. 40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

  15. 40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

  16. 40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

  17. Orogenic potassic mafic magmatism, a product of alkaline-peraluminous mixing ? Variscan 'calc-alkaline' rocks from the Central Iberian and Ossa Morena Zones, Central Spain.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scarrow, Jane H.; Cambeses, Aitor; Bea, Fernando; Montero, Pilar; Molina, José F.; Moreno, Juan Antonio

    2013-04-01

    Orogenic magmatic rocks provide information about mantle and crust melt-generation and -interaction processes. In this context, minor potassic mafic stocks which are formed of enriched mantle and crustal components and are common as late-orogenic intrusions in granitic plutons give insight into the timing of new crust formation and crustal recycling. Potassic mafic stocks are prevalent, albeit low volume, constituents of granite batholiths all through the European Variscan (350-280 Ma). In the Central Iberia Zone, Spanish Central System, crustal-melt, S-type, granitoid plutons are intruded by minor concomitant ultramafic-intermediate appinitic-vaugneritic stocks. Notwithstanding their whole-rock calc-alkaline composition, the stocks apparently did not have a subduction-related origin. Recent studies have attributed their genesis to mixing of alkaline mantle and peraluminous crustal melts. Their primary alkaline character, as indicated by amphibole and biotite mineral chemistry data, points, rather, towards an extension-related genesis. In the Ossa Morena Zone, south of the Central Iberian Zone, the igneous rocks also have a whole-rock calc-alkaline composition which has been considered to be the result of northward subduction of the South Portuguese Zone. Nevertheless, identification of a 'sill' of significant volume of mafic magma in the middle crust, the ´IBERSEIS reflective body', in a seismic profile across the Ossa Morena and South Portuguese Zones has cast doubt upon the calc-alkaline magmatism-subduction model; leading, instead, to the magmatism being attributed to intra-orogenic extension related to a mantle plume active from 340 Ma to 330 Ma. The aim here, then, is to reinvestigate the petrogenesis and age of the calc-alkaline rocks of the Ossa Morena Zone to determine their tectonomagmatic context be it subduction-, plume- or extension-related, and establish what they may reveal about mantle-crust interactions. Focussing, initially, on the Valencia del

  18. Alkaline flooding for enhanced oil recovery

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gittler, W.E.

    1983-09-01

    There are over 12 active projects of varying size using one of 3 major types of alkaline agents. These include sodium silicate, caustic soda, and soda ash. Among the largest pilots currently is the THUMS project in the Wilmington field, California. Plans called for the injection of a 4% weight concentration of sodium orthosilicate over a 60% PV. Through the first 3 yr, over 27 million bbl of chemicals have been injected. Gulf Oil is operating several alkaline floods, one of which is located off shore in the Quarantine Bay field, Louisiana. In this pilot, sodium hydroxide in a weightmore » concentration of 5 to 12% is being injected. Belco Petroleum Corp. has reported that their pilot operating in the Isenhour Unit in Wyoming is using a .5% weight concentration of soda ash in conjunction with a polymer. Other uses for alkaline agents in chemical flooding include the use of silicate as a preflush or sacrificial agent in micellar/polymer and surfactant recovery systems. In addition, caustic has been tested in the surface-mixed caustic emulsion process while orthosilicate has been tested in a recovery method known as mobility-controlled caustic floods.« less

  19. Vitamin D supplementation reduces some AT1-AA-induced downstream targets implicated in preeclampsia including hypertension

    PubMed Central

    Faulkner, Jessica L.; Amaral, Lorena M.; Cornelius, Denise C.; Cunningham, Mark W.; Ibrahim, Tarek; Heep, Autumn; Campbell, Nathan; Usry, Nathan; Wallace, Kedra; Herse, Florian; Dechend, Ralf

    2017-01-01

    Autoantibodies to the ANG II type I receptor (AT1-AA) are associated with preeclampsia (PE). We found that vitamin D supplementation reduced AT1-AA and blood pressure (MAP) in the RUPP rat model of PE. However, it was undetermined whether the decrease in AT1-AA was the mechanism whereby vitamin D lowered MAP or if it were through factors downstream of AT1-AA. Uterine artery resistance index, placental ET-1, and soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 are increased with AT1-AA-induced hypertension and are considered markers of PE in pregnant women. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin D would reduce PE factors during AT1-AA-induced hypertension and could lower blood pressure in a model of hypertension during pregnancy without PE features. Either ANG II (50 ng·kg−1·day) or AT1-AA (1:40) was infused from gestational day (GD) 12–19. vitamin D2 (VD2, 270 IU/day) or vitamin D3 (VD3, 15 IU/day) was administered orally from GD14–GD18. MAP (mmHg) increased in AT1-AA (121 ± 4) and ANG II (113 ± 1)-infused pregnant rats compared with normal pregnant rats (NP) (101 ± 2) but was lower in AT1-AA+VD2 (105 ± 2), AT1-AA+VD3 (109 ± 2), ANG II+VD2 (104 ± 4), and ANG II+VD3 (104 ± 3). VD2 and/or VD3 improved PE features associated with AT1-AA during pregnancy, while ANG II did not induce such features, supporting the hypothesis that AT1-AA induces PE features during pregnancy, and these are improved with vitamin D. In this study, we demonstrate that vitamin D improved many factors associated with PE and reduced blood pressure in a hypertensive model without PE features, indicating that vitamin D could be beneficial for various hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. PMID:27903510

  20. Vitamin D supplementation reduces some AT1-AA-induced downstream targets implicated in preeclampsia including hypertension.

    PubMed

    Faulkner, Jessica L; Amaral, Lorena M; Cornelius, Denise C; Cunningham, Mark W; Ibrahim, Tarek; Heep, Autumn; Campbell, Nathan; Usry, Nathan; Wallace, Kedra; Herse, Florian; Dechend, Ralf; LaMarca, Babbette

    2017-01-01

    Autoantibodies to the ANG II type I receptor (AT 1 -AA) are associated with preeclampsia (PE). We found that vitamin D supplementation reduced AT 1 -AA and blood pressure (MAP) in the RUPP rat model of PE. However, it was undetermined whether the decrease in AT 1 -AA was the mechanism whereby vitamin D lowered MAP or if it were through factors downstream of AT 1 -AA. Uterine artery resistance index, placental ET-1, and soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 are increased with AT 1 -AA-induced hypertension and are considered markers of PE in pregnant women. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin D would reduce PE factors during AT 1 -AA-induced hypertension and could lower blood pressure in a model of hypertension during pregnancy without PE features. Either ANG II (50 ng·kg -1 ·day) or AT 1 -AA (1:40) was infused from gestational day (GD) 12-19. vitamin D 2 (VD2, 270 IU/day) or vitamin D 3 (VD3, 15 IU/day) was administered orally from GD14-GD18. MAP (mmHg) increased in AT 1 -AA (121 ± 4) and ANG II (113 ± 1)-infused pregnant rats compared with normal pregnant rats (NP) (101 ± 2) but was lower in AT 1 -AA+VD2 (105 ± 2), AT 1 -AA+VD3 (109 ± 2), ANG II+VD2 (104 ± 4), and ANG II+VD3 (104 ± 3). VD2 and/or VD3 improved PE features associated with AT 1 -AA during pregnancy, while ANG II did not induce such features, supporting the hypothesis that AT 1 -AA induces PE features during pregnancy, and these are improved with vitamin D. In this study, we demonstrate that vitamin D improved many factors associated with PE and reduced blood pressure in a hypertensive model without PE features, indicating that vitamin D could be beneficial for various hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  1. Alkaline Phosphatase, Soluble Extracellular Adenine Nucleotides, and Adenosine Production after Infant Cardiopulmonary Bypass

    PubMed Central

    Davidson, Jesse A.; Urban, Tracy; Tong, Suhong; Twite, Mark; Woodruff, Alan

    2016-01-01

    Rationale Decreased alkaline phosphatase activity after infant cardiac surgery is associated with increased post-operative cardiovascular support requirements. In adults undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, alkaline phosphatase infusion may reduce inflammation. Mechanisms underlying these effects have not been explored but may include decreased conversion of extracellular adenine nucleotides to adenosine. Objectives 1) Evaluate the association between alkaline phosphatase activity and serum conversion of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine after infant cardiac surgery; 2) assess if inhibition/supplementation of serum alkaline phosphatase modulates this conversion. Methods and Research Pre/post-bypass serum samples were obtained from 75 infants <4 months of age. Serum conversion of 13C5-adenosine monophosphate to 13C5-adenosine was assessed with/without selective inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and CD73. Low and high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (simulating normal/stress concentrations) were used. Effects of alkaline phosphatase supplementation on adenosine monophosphate clearance were also assessed. Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity were strongly correlated with changes in 13C5-adenosine production with or without CD73 inhibition (r = 0.83; p<0.0001). Serum with low alkaline phosphatase activity (≤80 U/L) generated significantly less 13C5-adenosine, particularly in the presence of high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (10.4μmol/L vs 12.9μmol/L; p = 0.0004). Inhibition of alkaline phosphatase led to a marked decrease in 13C5-adenosine production (11.9μmol/L vs 2.7μmol/L; p<0.0001). Supplementation with physiologic dose human tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase or high dose bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase doubled 13C5-adenosine monophosphate conversion to 13C5-adenosine (p<0.0001). Conclusions Alkaline phosphatase represents the primary serum ectonucleotidase after infant cardiac surgery and low post

  2. Alkaline Phosphatase, Soluble Extracellular Adenine Nucleotides, and Adenosine Production after Infant Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Jesse A; Urban, Tracy; Tong, Suhong; Twite, Mark; Woodruff, Alan; Wischmeyer, Paul E; Klawitter, Jelena

    2016-01-01

    Decreased alkaline phosphatase activity after infant cardiac surgery is associated with increased post-operative cardiovascular support requirements. In adults undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, alkaline phosphatase infusion may reduce inflammation. Mechanisms underlying these effects have not been explored but may include decreased conversion of extracellular adenine nucleotides to adenosine. 1) Evaluate the association between alkaline phosphatase activity and serum conversion of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine after infant cardiac surgery; 2) assess if inhibition/supplementation of serum alkaline phosphatase modulates this conversion. Pre/post-bypass serum samples were obtained from 75 infants <4 months of age. Serum conversion of 13C5-adenosine monophosphate to 13C5-adenosine was assessed with/without selective inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and CD73. Low and high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (simulating normal/stress concentrations) were used. Effects of alkaline phosphatase supplementation on adenosine monophosphate clearance were also assessed. Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity were strongly correlated with changes in 13C5-adenosine production with or without CD73 inhibition (r = 0.83; p<0.0001). Serum with low alkaline phosphatase activity (≤80 U/L) generated significantly less 13C5-adenosine, particularly in the presence of high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (10.4μmol/L vs 12.9μmol/L; p = 0.0004). Inhibition of alkaline phosphatase led to a marked decrease in 13C5-adenosine production (11.9μmol/L vs 2.7μmol/L; p<0.0001). Supplementation with physiologic dose human tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase or high dose bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase doubled 13C5-adenosine monophosphate conversion to 13C5-adenosine (p<0.0001). Alkaline phosphatase represents the primary serum ectonucleotidase after infant cardiac surgery and low post-operative alkaline phosphatase activity leads to

  3. The AAS Visiting Professor Programs: Three Anniversaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Philip, A. G. Davis

    2003-05-01

    The AAS Program of Visiting Professors was started in 1958 with three astronomers as lecturers. They were Paul Merrill (Mt. Wilson and Palomar Observatories), Seth Nicholson (Mt. Wilson and Palomar Observatories) and Harlow Shapley (Harvard College Observatory). The program was run by a Committee on Visiting Professors from 1958 through 1963. The program was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation. The Executive Officer of the AAS, Paul Routley headed the program from the 1963 - 64 academic year through the 1968 - 69 academic year. Larry Fredrick headed the program for 1969 - 70 and then Hank Gurin headed it through 1973 -74, the last year of the program. At the end of this summer meeting, the combined Visiting Professors Program and the Shapley Program will be starting their 47th year. The Shapley Visiting Lectureships in Astronomy Program was started in the 1974 - 75 academic year under the leadership of Hank Gurin. The original funding came from the Perkin Fund and a three year grant from the Research Corporation. In 1975 the Shapley Endowment fund was set up to help pay the expenses of the program. In 1976 there was support from the Slipher fund which lasted through the 1978 - 79 academic year. From 1979 to the present the program is financed by the Shapley Endowment Fund and by the contributions made by institutions which host the visits. In the fall of 1998 the fee that Institutions pay to the AAS in support of their Shapley visits was reduced from 300 to 250 to make it easier for them to apply for visits. Members of the AAS have made contributions to the program over the years and we are very appreciative of this support. In 1974 there were 42 lecturers in the program, of whom four are still active giving lectures (George Carruthers, Larry Fredrick, Arlo Landolt and Davis Philip). After the summer meeting, the Shapley Program will be embarking on its 30th year. Now there are 82 astronomers in the program and we get from 40 to 60 requests a year

  4. A Novel Colletotrichum graminicola Raffinose Oxidase in the AA5 Family

    PubMed Central

    Mollerup, Filip; Parikka, Kirsti; Koutaniemi, Sanna; Boer, Harry; Juvonen, Minna; Master, Emma; Tenkanen, Maija; Kruus, Kristiina

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT We describe here the identification and characterization of a copper radical oxidase from auxiliary activities family 5 (AA5_2) that was distinguished by showing preferential activity toward raffinose. Despite the biotechnological potential of carbohydrate oxidases from family AA5, very few members have been characterized. The gene encoding raffinose oxidase from Colletotrichum graminicola (CgRaOx; EC 1.1.3.−) was identified utilizing a bioinformatics approach based on the known modular structure of a characterized AA5_2 galactose oxidase. CgRaOx was expressed in Pichia pastoris, and the purified enzyme displayed the highest activity on the trisaccharide raffinose, whereas the activity on the disaccharide melibiose was three times lower and more than ten times lower activity was detected on d-galactose at a 300 mM substrate concentration. Thus, the substrate preference of CgRaOx was distinguished clearly from the substrate preferences of the known galactose oxidases. The site of oxidation for raffinose was studied by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry, and we confirmed that the hydroxyl group at the C-6 position was oxidized to an aldehyde and that in addition uronic acid was produced as a side product. A new electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method for the identification of C-6 oxidized products was developed, and the formation mechanism of the uronic acid was studied. CgRaOx presented a novel activity pattern in the AA5 family. IMPORTANCE Currently, there are only a few characterized members of the CAZy AA5 protein family. These enzymes are interesting from an application point of view because of their ability to utilize the cheap and abundant oxidant O2 without the requirement of complex cofactors such as FAD or NAD(P). Here, we present the identification and characterization of a novel AA5 member from Colletotrichum graminicola. As discussed in the present study, the bioinformatics approach using the modular structure of

  5. Migrant remittances and household wellbeing in urban Zimbabwe.

    PubMed

    Bracking, Sarah; Sachikonye, Lloyd

    2010-01-01

    Evidence from household surveying in December 2005 in Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, indicates that a wide network of international migrant remitters are ameliorating the economic crisis in Zimbabwe by sending monetary and in-kind transfers to over 50 per cent of urban households. The research combines quantitative measurement of scale and scope, with demographic and qualitative narrative to build a holistic picture of the typography of receiving and non-receiving households. A complex set of interrelated variables helps to explain why some households do and others do not receive income and goods from people who are away, and the economic and social extent of their subsequent benefit from them. Moreover, the mixed methods approach is designed to capture inter-household and likely macroeconomic effects of how households receive their goods and money; and of how they subsequently exchange (if applicable), store and spend it. Evidence emerges of a largely informal, international social welfare system, but one which is not without adverse inter-household effects for some. These include suffering exclusion from markets suffering from inflationary pressures, not least as a result of other people’s remittances. This paper explores the role of remittances, within this internationalised informal welfare system which we can map from our household survey, in reframing vulnerability and marginalization differentially among and between our subject households.

  6. The twelve-step recovery model of AA: a voluntary mutual help association.

    PubMed

    Borkman, Thomasina

    2008-01-01

    Alcoholism treatment has evolved to mean professionalized, scientifically based rehabilitation. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not a treatment method; it is far better understood as a Twelve-Step Recovery Program within a voluntary self-help/mutual aid organization of self-defined alcoholics. The Twelve-Step Recovery Model is elaborated in three sections, patterned on the AA logo (a triangle within a circle): The triangle's legs represent recovery, service, and unity; the circle represents the reinforcing effect of the three legs upon each other as well as the "technology" of the sharing circle and the fellowship. The first leg of the triangle, recovery, refers to the journey of individuals to abstinence and a new "way of living." The second leg, service, refers to helping other alcoholics which also connects the participants into a fellowship. The third leg, unity, refers to the fellowship of recovering alcoholics, their groups, and organizations. The distinctive AA organizational structure of an inverted pyramid is one in which the members in autonomous local groups direct input to the national service bodies creating a democratic, egalitarian organization maximizing recovery. Analysts describe the AA recovery program as complex, implicitly grounded in sound psychological principles, and more sophisticated than is typically understood. AA provides a nonmedicalized and anonymous "way of living" in the community and should probably be referred to as the Twelve-Step/Twelve Tradition Recovery Model in order to clearly differentiate it from professionally based twelve-step treatments. There are additional self-help/mutual aid groups for alcoholics who prefer philosophies other than AA.

  7. Alkaline Capacitors Based on Nitride Nanoparticles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aldissi, Matt

    2003-01-01

    High-energy-density alkaline electrochemical capacitors based on electrodes made of transition-metal nitride nanoparticles are undergoing development. Transition- metal nitrides (in particular, Fe3N and TiN) offer a desirable combination of high electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability in aqueous alkaline electrolytes like KOH. The high energy densities of these capacitors are attributable mainly to their high capacitance densities, which, in turn, are attributable mainly to the large specific surface areas of the electrode nanoparticles. Capacitors of this type could be useful as energy-storage components in such diverse equipment as digital communication systems, implanted medical devices, computers, portable consumer electronic devices, and electric vehicles.

  8. Multidimensional poverty, household environment and short-term morbidity in India.

    PubMed

    Dehury, Bidyadhar; Mohanty, Sanjay K

    2017-01-01

    Using the unit data from the second round of the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS-II), 2011-2012, which covered 42,152 households, this paper examines the association between multidimensional poverty, household environmental deprivation and short-term morbidities (fever, cough and diarrhoea) in India. Poverty is measured in a multidimensional framework that includes the dimensions of education, health and income, while household environmental deprivation is defined as lack of access to improved sanitation, drinking water and cooking fuel. A composite index combining multidimensional poverty and household environmental deprivation has been computed, and households are classified as follows: multidimensional poor and living in a poor household environment, multidimensional non-poor and living in a poor household environment, multidimensional poor and living in a good household environment and multidimensional non-poor and living in a good household environment. Results suggest that about 23% of the population belonging to multidimensional poor households and living in a poor household environment had experienced short-term morbidities in a reference period of 30 days compared to 20% of the population belonging to multidimensional non-poor households and living in a poor household environment, 19% of the population belonging to multidimensional poor households and living in a good household environment and 15% of the population belonging to multidimensional non-poor households and living in a good household environment. Controlling for socioeconomic covariates, the odds of short-term morbidity was 1.47 [CI 1.40-1.53] among the multidimensional poor and living in a poor household environment, 1.28 [CI 1.21-1.37] among the multidimensional non-poor and living in a poor household environment and 1.21 [CI 1.64-1.28] among the multidimensional poor and living in a good household environment compared to the multidimensional non-poor and living in a good household

  9. The Differentiation of Multigenerational Households.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenthal, Carolyn J.

    1986-01-01

    This analysis employs the distinction of parent's home versus child's home and investigates multigenerational households in a random sample of adults in Hamilton, Ontario. In a qualitative analysis, the two types of multigenerational households are shown to be related to different family life course phases and to differ on a number of dimensions.…

  10. Method of increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth sorbents

    DOEpatents

    Shearer, J.A.; Turner, C.B.; Johnson, I.

    1980-03-13

    A system and method for increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth carbonates to scrub sulfur dioxide produced during the fluidized bed combustion of coal in which partially sulfated alkaline earth carbonates are hydrated in a fluidized bed to crack the sulfate coating and convert the alkaline earth oxide to the hydroxide. Subsequent dehydration of the sulfate-hydroxide to a sulfate-oxide particle produces particles having larger pore size, increased porosity, decreased grain size and additional sulfation capacity. A continuous process is disclosed.

  11. Method of increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth sorbents

    DOEpatents

    Shearer, John A.; Turner, Clarence B.; Johnson, Irving

    1982-01-01

    A system and method for increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth carbonates to scrub sulfur dioxide produced during the fluidized bed combustion of coal in which partially sulfated alkaline earth carbonates are hydrated in a fluidized bed to crack the sulfate coating and convert the alkaline earth oxide to the hydroxide. Subsequent dehydration of the sulfate-hydroxide to a sulfate-oxide particle produces particles having larger pore size, increased porosity, decreased grain size and additional sulfation capacity. A continuous process is disclosed.

  12. Household energy consumption and expenditures 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-10-05

    This presents information about household end-use consumption of energy and expenditures for that energy. These data were collected in the 1993 Residential Energy Consumption Survey; more than 7,000 households were surveyed for information on their housing units, energy consumption and expenditures, stock of energy-consuming appliances, and energy-related behavior. The information represents all households nationwide (97 million). Key findings: National residential energy consumption was 10.0 quadrillion Btu in 1993, a 9% increase over 1990. Weather has a significant effect on energy consumption. Consumption of electricity for appliances is increasing. Houses that use electricity for space heating have lower overall energy expendituresmore » than households that heat with other fuels. RECS collected data for the 4 most populous states: CA, FL, NY, TX.« less

  13. Homocysteine induced cardiovascular events: a consequence of long term anabolic‐androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse

    PubMed Central

    Graham, M R; Grace, F M; Boobier, W; Hullin, D; Kicman, A; Cowan, D; Davies, B; Baker, J S

    2006-01-01

    Objectives The long term effects (>20 years) of anabolic‐androgenic steroid (AAS) use on plasma concentrations of homocysteine (HCY), folate, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index, urea, creatinine, haematocrit (HCT), vitamin B12, and urinary testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, were examined in a cohort of self‐prescribing bodybuilders. Methods Subjects (n = 40) were divided into four distinct groups: (1) AAS users still using AAS (SU; n = 10); (2) AAS users abstinent from AAS administration for 3 months (SA; n = 10); (3) non‐drug using bodybuilding controls (BC; n = 10); and (4) sedentary male controls (SC; n = 10). Results HCY levels were significantly higher in SU compared with BC and SC (p<0.01), and with SA (p<0.05). Fat free mass was significantly higher in both groups of AAS users (p<0.01). Daily energy intake (kJ) and daily protein intake (g/day) were significantly higher in SU and SA (p<0.05) compared with BC and SC, but were unlikely to be responsible for the observed HCY increases. HCT concentrations were significantly higher in the SU group (p<0.01). A significant linear inverse relationship was observed in the SU group between SHBG and HCY (r = −0.828, p<0.01), indicating a possible influence of the sex hormones in determining HCY levels. Conclusions With mounting evidence linking AAS to adverse effects on some clotting factors, the significantly higher levels of HCY and HCT observed in the SU group suggest long term AAS users have increased risk of future thromboembolic events. PMID:16488899

  14. Identification of a Unique Amyloid Sequence in AA Amyloidosis of a Pig Associated With Streptococcus Suis Infection.

    PubMed

    Kamiie, J; Sugahara, G; Yoshimoto, S; Aihara, N; Mineshige, T; Uetsuka, K; Shirota, K

    2017-01-01

    Here we report a pig with amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis associated with Streptococcus suis infection and identification of a unique amyloid sequence in the amyloid deposits in the tissue. Tissues from the 180-day-old underdeveloped pig contained foci of necrosis and suppurative inflammation associated with S. suis infection. Congo red stain, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy revealed intense AA deposition in the spleen and renal glomeruli. Mass spectrometric analysis of amyloid material extracted from the spleen showed serum AA 2 (SAA2) peptide as well as a unique peptide sequence previously reported in a pig with AA amyloidosis. The common detection of the unique amyloid sequence in the current and past cases of AA amyloidosis in pigs suggests that this amyloid sequence might play a key role in the development of porcine AA amyloidosis. An in vitro fibrillation assay demonstrated that the unique AA peptide formed typically rigid, long amyloid fibrils (10 nm wide) and the N-terminus peptide of SAA2 formed zigzagged, short fibers (7 nm wide). Moreover, the SAA2 peptide formed long, rigid amyloid fibrils in the presence of sonicated amyloid fibrils formed by the unique AA peptide. These findings indicate that the N-terminus of SAA2 as well as the AA peptide mediate the development of AA amyloidosis in pigs via cross-seeding polymerization.

  15. Consistency of Use and Effectiveness of Household Water Treatment among Indian Households Claiming to Treat Their Water.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Ghislaine; Clasen, Thomas

    2017-07-01

    Household water treatment (HWT) can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease if used correctly and consistently by populations at risk. Current international monitoring estimates by the Joint Monitoring Programme for water and sanitation suggest that at least 1.1 billion people practice HWT. These estimates, however, are based on surveys that may overstate the level of consistent use and do not address microbial effectiveness. We sought to assess how HWT is practiced among households identified as HWT users according to these monitoring standards. After a baseline survey (urban: 189 households, rural: 210 households) to identify HWT users, 83 urban and 90 rural households were followed up for 6 weeks. Consistency of reported HWT practices was high in both urban (100%) and rural (93.3%) settings, as was availability of treated water (based on self-report) in all three sampling points (urban: 98.8%, rural: 76.0%). Nevertheless, only 13.7% of urban and 25.8% of rural households identified at baseline as users of adequate HWT had water free of thermotolerant coliforms at all three water sampling points. Our findings raise questions about the value of the data gathered through the international monitoring of HWT as predictors of water quality in the home, as well as questioning the ability of HWT, as actually practiced by vulnerable populations, to reduce exposure to waterborne diseases.

  16. AAS 227: Day 2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    Editors Note:This week were at the 227th AAS Meeting in Kissimmee, FL. Along with several fellow authors from astrobites.com, I will bewritingupdates on selectedevents at themeeting and posting at the end of each day. Follow along here or atastrobites.com, or catch ourlive-tweeted updates from the@astrobites Twitter account. The usual posting schedule for AAS Nova will resumenext week.Welcome to Day 2 of the winter American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in Kissimmee! Several of us are attending the conference this year, and we will report highlights from each day here on astrobites. If youd like to see more timely updates during the day, we encourage you to follow @astrobites on twitter or search the #aas227 hashtag.Plenary Session: Black Hole Physics with the Event Horizon Telescope (by Susanna Kohler)If anyone needed motivation to wake up early this morning, they got it in the form of Feryal Ozel (University of Arizona) enthralling us all with exciting pictures, videos, and words about black holes and the Event Horizon Telescope. Ozel spoke to a packed room (at 8:30am!) about where the project currently stands, and where its heading in the future.The EHT has pretty much the coolest goal ever: actually image the event horizons of black holes in our universe. The problem is that the largest black hole we can look at (Sgr A*, in the center of our galaxy) has an event horizon size of 50 as. For this kind of resolution roughly equivalent to trying to image a DVD on the Moon! wed need an Earth-sized telescope. EHT has solved this problem by linking telescopes around the world, creating one giant, mm-wavelength effective telescope with a baseline the size of Earth.Besides producing awesome images, the EHT will be able to test properties of black-hole spacetime, the no-hair theorem, and general relativity (GR) in new regimes.Ozel walked us through some of the theory prep work we need to do now in order to get the most science out of the EHT, including devising new

  17. Spousal Employment and Intra-Household Bargaining Power.

    PubMed

    Antman, Francisca M

    2014-05-01

    This paper considers the relationship between work status and decision-making power of the head of household and his spouse. I use household fixed effects models to address the possibility that spousal work status maybe correlated with unobserved factors that also affect bargaining power within the home. Consistent with the hypothesis that greater economic resources yield greater bargaining power, I find that the spouse of the head of household is more likely to be involved in decisions when she has been employed. Similarly, the head of household is less likely to be the sole decision-maker when his spouse works.

  18. Spousal Employment and Intra-Household Bargaining Power*

    PubMed Central

    Antman, Francisca M.

    2014-01-01

    This paper considers the relationship between work status and decision-making power of the head of household and his spouse. I use household fixed effects models to address the possibility that spousal work status maybe correlated with unobserved factors that also affect bargaining power within the home. Consistent with the hypothesis that greater economic resources yield greater bargaining power, I find that the spouse of the head of household is more likely to be involved in decisions when she has been employed. Similarly, the head of household is less likely to be the sole decision-maker when his spouse works. PMID:25342928

  19. Increasing Alkalinity Export from Large Russian Arctic Rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drake, T.; Zhulidov, A. V.; Gurtovaya, T. Y.; Spencer, R. G.

    2017-12-01

    Riverine carbonate alkalinity (HCO3- and CO32-) sourced from chemical weathering of minerals on land represents a significant sink for atmospheric CO2 over geologic timescales. The flux of alkalinity from rivers in the Arctic depends on precipitation, permafrost extent and thaw, groundwater flow paths, and surface vegetation, all of which are changing under a warming climate. Here we show that over the past four decades, the export of alkalinity from the Ob' and Yenisei Rivers has more than doubled. The increase is likely due to a combination of increasing precipitation and permafrost thaw in the watersheds, which lengthens hydrologic flow paths and increases residence time in soils. These trends have broad implications for the rate of carbon sequestration on land and the delivery of buffering capacity to the Arctic Ocean.

  20. Serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels are associated with severe chronic periodontitis.

    PubMed

    Caúla, A L; Lira-Junior, R; Tinoco, E M B; Fischer, R G

    2015-12-01

    Periodontitis may alter systemic homeostasis and influence creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between severe chronic periodontitis and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. One hundred patients were evaluated, 66 with severe chronic periodontitis (test group) and 34 periodontally healthy controls (control group). Medical, demographic and periodontal parameters were registered. Blood sample was collected after an overnight fast and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels were determined. There were significant differences between test and control groups in ethnicity, gender and educational level (p < 0.05). Patients with periodontitis showed a lower mean creatinine level (p < 0.05) and higher mean alkaline phosphatase level (p < 0.001) than the control group. There were significant correlations between periodontal parameters and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. Severe chronic periodontitis was associated to lower creatinine and higher alkaline phosphatase levels. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Quantitation of Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzymes Using Agarose Containing Wheat Germ Lectin

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-07-01

    Gunshot M 40 179 150 16 13 0 Altered Mental Status M 39 1683 1650 0 33 0 Anemia, Chronic Dis. F 82 220 156 27 37 0 Arthritis , Rheumatoid M 70 79 26 0 53 0...34 5 Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzyme Study on 210 Patients with Elevated Total Alkaline Phosphatase...46 6 Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzyme Clinical Correlation Summary on 6 Distinct Disease Categories Containing 131 Patients

  2. Reconstructing householder vectors from Tall-Skinny QR

    DOE PAGES

    Ballard, Grey Malone; Demmel, James; Grigori, Laura; ...

    2015-08-05

    The Tall-Skinny QR (TSQR) algorithm is more communication efficient than the standard Householder algorithm for QR decomposition of matrices with many more rows than columns. However, TSQR produces a different representation of the orthogonal factor and therefore requires more software development to support the new representation. Further, implicitly applying the orthogonal factor to the trailing matrix in the context of factoring a square matrix is more complicated and costly than with the Householder representation. We show how to perform TSQR and then reconstruct the Householder vector representation with the same asymptotic communication efficiency and little extra computational cost. We demonstratemore » the high performance and numerical stability of this algorithm both theoretically and empirically. The new Householder reconstruction algorithm allows us to design more efficient parallel QR algorithms, with significantly lower latency cost compared to Householder QR and lower bandwidth and latency costs compared with Communication-Avoiding QR (CAQR) algorithm. Experiments on supercomputers demonstrate the benefits of the communication cost improvements: in particular, our experiments show substantial improvements over tuned library implementations for tall-and-skinny matrices. Furthermore, we also provide algorithmic improvements to the Householder QR and CAQR algorithms, and we investigate several alternatives to the Householder reconstruction algorithm that sacrifice guarantees on numerical stability in some cases in order to obtain higher performance.« less

  3. Cross-Cultural Household Influence on Vaccination Decisions.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Eric; Atkins, Katherine E; Medlock, Jan; Li, Meng; Chapman, Gretchen B; Galvani, Alison P

    2016-10-01

    Uptake of vaccination against seasonal influenza is suboptimal in most countries, and campaigns to promote vaccination may be weakened by clustering of opinions and decisions not to vaccinate. This clustering can occur at myriad interacting levels: within households, social circles, and schools. Given that influenza is more likely to be transmitted to a household contact than any other contact, clustering of vaccination decisions is arguably most problematic at the household level. We conducted an international survey study to determine whether household members across different cultures offered direct advice to each other regarding influenza vaccination and whether this advice was associated with vaccination decisions. The survey revealed that household members across the world advise one another to vaccinate, although to varying degrees, and that advice correlates with an increase in vaccination uptake. In addition, respondents in Japan, China, and the United States were less likely to offer advice to older adults than to the young, despite older adults' being the target age group for vaccination in both Far Eastern countries. Furthermore, advice was not primarily directed to household members within the age groups advised to vaccinate by national health policies. In Japan, advice was offered more to ages outside of the policy guidelines than inside. Harnessing the influence of household members may offer a novel strategy to improve vaccination coverage across cultures worldwide. © The Author(s) 2015.

  4. Experimental transmission of systemic AA amyloidosis in autoimmune disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus model mice.

    PubMed

    Maeda, Mayuko; Murakami, Tomoaki; Muhammad, Naeem; Inoshima, Yasuo; Ishiguro, Naotaka

    2016-11-01

    AA amyloidosis is a protein misfolding disease characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid A (AA) fibrils. AA amyloidosis has been identified in food animals, and it has been postulated that AA amyloidosis may be transmissible to different animal species. Since the precursor protein of AA fibrils is serum amyloid A (SAA), which is an inflammatory acute phase protein, AA amyloidosis is considered to be associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic diseases such as autoimmune disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus could be potential factors for AA amyloidosis. In this study, to examine the relationship between the induction of AA amyloidosis and chromic abnormalities such as autoimmune disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus, amyloid fibrils from mice, cattle, or chickens were experimentally injected into disease model mice. Wild-type mice were used as controls. The concentrations of SAA, IL-6, and IL-10 in autoimmune disease model mice were higher than those of control mice. However, induction of AA amyloidosis in autoimmune disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus model mice was lower than that in control mice, and the amount of amyloid deposits in the spleens of both mouse models was lower than that of control mice according to Congo red staining and immunohistochemistry. These results suggest that factors other than SAA levels, such as an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory environment in the immune response, may be involved in amyloid deposition.

  5. Transplantation of PDGF-AA-Overexpressing Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells Promotes Recovery in Rat Following Spinal Cord Injury.

    PubMed

    Yao, Zong-Feng; Wang, Ying; Lin, Yu-Hong; Wu, Yan; Zhu, An-You; Wang, Rui; Shen, Lin; Xi, Jin; Qi, Qi; Jiang, Zhi-Quan; Lü, He-Zuo; Hu, Jian-Guo

    2017-01-01

    Our previous study showed that Schwann cells (SCs) promote survival, proliferation and migration of co-transplanted oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and neurological recovery in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI). A subsequent in vitro study confirmed that SCs modulated OPC proliferation and migration by secreting platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF)-2. We also found that PDGF-AA stimulated OPC proliferation and their differentiation into oligodendrocytes (OLs) at later stages. We therefore speculated that PDGF-AA administration can exert the same effect as SC co-transplantation in SCI repair. To test this hypothesis, in this study we investigated the effect of transplanting PDGF-AA-overexpressing OPCs in a rat model of SCI. We found that PDGF-AA overexpression in OPCs promoted their survival, proliferation, and migration and differentiation into OLs in vivo . OPCs overexpressing PDGF-AA were also associated with increased myelination and tissue repair after SCI, leading to the recovery of neurological function. These results indicate that PDGF-AA-overexpressing OPCs may be an effective treatment for SCI.

  6. Vip3Aa induces apoptosis in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Kun; Mei, Si-Qi; Wang, Ting-Ting; Pan, Jin-Hua; Chen, Yue-Hua; Cai, Jun

    2016-09-15

    The vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip) secreted by many Bacillus thuringiensis strains during their vegetative growth stage are regarded as second generation insecticidal proteins, as they share no sequence or structural homology with known crystal insecticidal proteins (Cry) and have a broad insecticidal spectrum. Compared with insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs), the insecticidal mechanisms of Vips have been little studied. Here we investigated the mechanism responsible for Vip3Aa toxicity in cultured insect cells. Using, flow cytometry analyzes, TUNEL staining and DNA fragmentation assays, we show that Vip3Aa can induce apoptosis in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells and cause cells to arrest at the G2/M phase. We also show that Vip3Aa can disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), leading to the activation of Sf-caspase-1, suggesting that a mitochondrial mediated and caspase dependent pathway may be involved in Vip3Aa-induced apoptosis in Sf9 cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Ocean alkalinity and the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Caldeira, K. G.; Rampino, Michael R.

    1988-01-01

    A biogeochemical cycle model resolving ocean carbon and alkalinity content is applied to the Maestrichtian and Danian. The model computes oceanic concentrations and distributions of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Sigma-CO2. From these values an atmospheric pCO2 value is calculated, which is used to estimate rates of terrestrial weathering of calcite, dolomite, and calcium and magnesium silicates. Metamorphism of carbonate rocks and the subsequent outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere are parameterized in terms of carbonate rock reservoir sizes, total land area, and a measure of overall tectonic activity, the sea-floor generation rate. The ocean carbon reservoir computed by the model is used with Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) C-13 data to estimate organic detrital fluxes under a variety of ocean mixing rate assumptions. Using Redfield ratios, the biogenic detrital flux estimate is used to partition the ocean carbon and alkalinity reservoirs between the mixed layer and deep ocean. The calcite flux estimate and carbonate ion concentrations are used to determine the rate of biologically mediated CaCO3 titration. Oceanic productivity was severely limited for approximately 500 kyr following the K/T boundary resulting in significant increases in total ocean alkalinity. As productivity returned to the ocean, excess carbon and alkalinity was removed from the ocean as CaCO3. Model runs indicate that this resulted in a transient imbalance in the other direction. Ocean chemistry returned to near-equilibrium by about 64 mybp.

  8. Household ventilation and tuberculosis transmission in Kampala, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Chamie, G; Wandera, B; Luetkemeyer, A; Bogere, J; Mugerwa, R D; Havlir, D V; Charlebois, E D

    2013-06-01

    To test the feasibility of measuring household ventilation and evaluate whether ventilation is associated with tuberculosis (TB) in household contacts in Kampala, Uganda. Adults with pulmonary TB and their household contacts received home visits to ascertain social and structural household characteristics. Ventilation was measured in air changes per hour (ACH) in each room by raising carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels using dry ice, removing the dry ice, and measuring changes in the natural log of CO₂ (lnCO2) over time. Ventilation was compared in homes with and without co-prevalent TB. Members of 61 of 66 (92%) households approached were enrolled. Households averaged 5.4 residents/home, with a median of one room/home. Twelve homes (20%) reported co-prevalent TB in household contacts. Median ventilation for all rooms was 14 ACH (interquartile range [IQR] 10-18). Median ventilation was 12 vs. 15 ACH in index cases' sleeping rooms in households with vs. those without co-prevalent TB (P = 0.12). Among smear-positive indexes not infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), median ventilation was 11 vs. 17 ACH in index cases' sleeping rooms in homes with vs. those without co-prevalent TB (P = 0.1). Our findings provide evidence that a simple CO₂ decay method used to measure ventilation in clinical settings can be adapted to homes, adding a novel tool and a neglected variable, ventilation, to the study of household TB transmission.

  9. Block Copolymers for Alkaline Fuel Cell Membrane Materials

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-07-30

    temperature fuel cells including proton exchange membrane fuel cell ( PEMFC ) and alkaline fuel cell (AFC) with operation temperature usually lower than 120...advantages over proton exchange membrane fuel cells ( PEMFCs ) resulting in the popularity of AFCs in the US space program.[8-11] The primary benefit AFC...offered over PEMFC is better electrochemical kinetics on the anode and cathode under the alkaline environment, which results in the ability to use

  10. Rectification induced in N2AA-doped armchair graphene nanoribbon device

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Tong; Li, Xiao-Fei; Wang, Ling-Ling; Luo, Kai-Wu; Xu, Liang

    2014-07-01

    By using non-equilibrium Green function formalism in combination with density functional theory, we investigated the electronic transport properties of armchair graphene nanoribbon devices in which one lead is undoped and the other is N2AA-doped with two quasi-adjacent substitutional nitrogen atoms incorporating pairs of neighboring carbon atoms in the same sublattice A. Two kinds of N2AA-doped style are considered, for N dopants substitute the center or the edge carbon atoms. Our results show that the rectification behavior with a large rectifying ratio can be found in these devices and the rectifying characteristics can be modulated by changing the width of graphene nanoribbons or the position of the N2AA dopant. The mechanisms are revealed to explain the rectifying behaviors.

  11. The trajectory and atmospheric impact of asteroid 2014 AA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farnocchia, Davide; Chesley, Steven R.; Brown, Peter G.; Chodas, Paul W.

    2016-08-01

    Near-Earth asteroid 2014 AA entered the Earth's atmosphere on 2014 January 2, only 21 h after being discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey. In this paper we compute the trajectory of 2014 AA by combining the available optical astrometry, seven ground-based observations over 69 min, and the International Monitoring System detection of the atmospheric impact infrasonic airwaves in a least-squares orbit estimation filter. The combination of these two sources of observations results in a tremendous improvement in the orbit uncertainties. The impact time is 3:05 UT with a 1σ uncertainty of 6 min, while the impact location corresponds to a west longitude of 44.2° and a latitude of 13.1° with a 1σ uncertainty of 140 km. The minimum impact energy estimated from the infrasound data and the impact velocity result in an estimated minimum mass of 22.6 t. By propagating the trajectory of 2014 AA backwards we find that the only window for finding precovery observations is for the three days before its discovery.

  12. The Chemistry of Paper Preservation Part 4. Alkaline Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Henry A.

    1997-01-01

    Discusses the problem of the inherent instability of paper due to the presence of acids that catalyze the hydrolytic degradation of cellulose. Focuses on the chemistry involved in the sizing of both acid and alkaline papers and the types of fillers used. Discusses advantages and problems of alkaline papermaking. Contains 48 references. (JRH)

  13. Removal of plutonium and americium from alkaline waste solutions

    DOEpatents

    Schulz, Wallace W.

    1979-01-01

    High salt content, alkaline waste solutions containing plutonium and americium are contacted with a sodium titanate compound to effect removal of the plutonium and americium from the alkaline waste solution onto the sodium titanate and provide an effluent having a radiation level of less than 10 nCi per gram alpha emitters.

  14. The Acp26Aa seminal fluid protein is a modulator of early egg hatchability in Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Chapman, T; Herndon, L A; Heifetz, Y; Partridge, L; Wolfner, M F

    2001-08-22

    Drosophila melanogaster male accessory gland proteins (Acps) that are transferred in the ejaculate with sperm mediate post-mating competition for fertilizations between males. The actions of Acps include effects on oviposition and ovulation, receptivity and sperm storage. Two Acps that modulate egg production are Acp26Aa (ovulin) and Acp70A (the sex peptide). Acp26Aa acts specifically on the process of ovulation (the release of mature eggs from the ovaries), which is initiated 1.5 h after mating. In contrast, sperm storage can take as long as 6-9 h to complete. Initial ovulations after matings by virgin females will therefore occur before all sperm are fully stored and the extra eggs initially laid as a result of Acp26Aa transfer are expected to be inefficiently fertilized. Acp26Aa-mediated release of existing eggs should not cause a significant energetic cost or lead to a decrease in female lifespan assuming, as seems likely, that the energetic cost of egg laying comes from de novo egg synthesis (oogenesis) rather than from ovulation. We tested these predictions using Acp26Aa(1) mutant males that lack Acp26Aa but are normal for other Acps and Acp26Aa(2) males that transfer a truncated but fully functional Acp26Aa protein. Females mating with Acp26Aa(2) (truncation) males that received functional Acp26Aa produced significantly more eggs following their first matings than did mates of Acp26Aa(1) (null) males. However, as predicted above, these extra eggs, which were laid as a result of Acp26Aa transfer to virgin females, showed significantly lower egg hatchability. Control experiments indicated that this lower hatchability was due to lower rates of fertilization at early post-mating times. There was no drop in egg hatchability in subsequent non-virgin matings. In addition, as predicted above, females that did or did not receive Acp26Aa did not differ in survival, lifetime fecundity or lifetime progeny, indicating that Acp26Aa transfer does not represent a

  15. Alkaline earth filled nickel skutterudite antimonide thermoelectrics

    DOEpatents

    Singh, David Joseph

    2013-07-16

    A thermoelectric material including a body centered cubic filled skutterudite having the formula A.sub.xFe.sub.yNi.sub.zSb.sub.12, where A is an alkaline earth element, x is no more than approximately 1.0, and the sum of y and z is approximately equal to 4.0. The alkaline earth element includes guest atoms selected from the group consisting of Be, Mb, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra and combinations thereof. The filled skutterudite is shown to have properties suitable for a wide variety of thermoelectric applications.

  16. Somatic effects of AAS abuse: A 30-years follow-up study of male former power sports athletes.

    PubMed

    Lindqvist Bagge, A S; Rosén, T; Fahlke, C; Ehrnborg, C; Eriksson, B O; Moberg, T; Thiblin, I

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between somatic health and former abuse of AAS in former elite male athletes 30 years after the end of their active sports career. Retrospective follow-up study. N=996 former elite male athletes were sent a questionnaire concerning sociodemographic variables, previous and past sport activity and lifetime prevalence of seeking professional help for health problems. N=683 (68.6%) answered the questionnaire. The lifetime prevalence of AAS-abuse was 21% (n=143), while 79% (n=540) did not admit having ever used AAS. Former AAS-abuse was associated with tendon ruptures (p=0.01), depression (p=0.001), anxiety (p=0.01) and lower prevalence of prostate hypertrophy (p=0.01) and decreased libido (p=0.01). Former advanced AAS-abusers had higher anxiety (p=0.004) compared to the former less advanced AAS-abusers. Moreover, former advanced AAS-abusers, compared to AAS-naïves, reported more psychiatric problems (p=0.002), depression (p=0.003) and anxiety (p=0.00). A former AAS-abuse seems to be associated with some somatic and mental health problem, although a former less advanced AAS-abuse is related to lower incidence of prostate hypertrophy. The results raise the question whether some of these associations might be dose- and frequency dependent. These findings should however be seen as hypothesis generating and further studies are needed. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

  18. 40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

  19. 40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

  20. 40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

  1. 40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

  2. Break-up of New Orleans Households after Hurricane Katrina

    PubMed Central

    Rendall, Michael S.

    2011-01-01

    Theory and evidence on disaster-induced population displacement have focused on individual and population-subgroup characteristics. Less is known about impacts on households. I estimate excess incidence of household break-up due to Hurricane Katrina by comparing a probability sample of pre-Katrina New Orleans resident adult household heads and non–household heads (N = 242), traced just over a year later, with a matched sample from a nationally representative survey over an equivalent period. One in three among all adult non–household heads, and one in two among adult children of household heads, had separated from the household head 1 year post-Katrina. These rates were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.7 times higher than national rates. A 50% higher prevalence of adult children living with parents in pre-Katrina New Orleans than nationally increased the hurricane’s impact on household break-up. Attention to living arrangements as a dimension of social vulnerability in disaster recovery is suggested. PMID:21709733

  3. Transition from alkaline to calc-alkaline volcanism during evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Francevillian basin of eastern Gabon (Western Central Africa)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thiéblemont, Denis; Bouton, Pascal; Préat, Alain; Goujou, Jean-Christian; Tegyey, Monique; Weber, Francis; Ebang Obiang, Michel; Joron, Jean Louis; Treuil, Michel

    2014-11-01

    We report new geochemical data for the volcanic and subvolcanic rocks associated with the evolution of the Francevillian basin of eastern Gabon during Paleoproterozoic times (c. 2.1-2 Ga). Filling of this basin has proceeded through four main sedimentary or volcano-sedimentary episodes, namely FA, FB, FC and FD. Volcanism started during the FB episode being present only in the northern part of the basin (Okondja sub-basin). This volcanism is ultramafic to trachytic in composition and displays a rather constant alkaline geochemical signature. This signature is typical of a within-plate environment, consistent with the rift-setting generally postulated for the Francevillian basin during the FB period. Following FB, the FC unit is 10-20 m-thick silicic horizon (jasper) attesting for a massive input of silica in the basin. Following FC, the FD unit is a c. 200-400 m-thick volcano-sedimentary sequence including felsic tuffs and epiclastic rocks. The geochemical signatures of these rocks are totally distinct from those of the FB alkaline lavas. High Th/Ta and La/Ta ratios attest for a calc-alkaline signature and slight fractionation between heavy rare-earth suggests melting at a rather low pressure. Such characteristics are comparable to those of felsic lavas associated with the Taupo zone of New Zealand, a modern ensialic back-arc basin. Following FD, the FE detrital unit is defined only in the Okondja region, probably associated with a late-stage collapse of the northern part of the basin. It is suggested that the alkaline to calc-alkaline volcanic transition reflects the evolution of the Francevillian basin from a diverging to a converging setting, in response to the onset of converging movements in the Eburnean Belt of Central Africa.

  4. Dairy products and the French paradox: Could alkaline phosphatases play a role?

    PubMed

    Lallès, Jean-Paul

    2016-07-01

    The French paradox - high saturated fat consumption but low incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality - is still unresolved and continues to be a matter of debate and controversy. Recently, it was hypothesised that the high consumption of dairy products, and especially cheese by the French population might contribute to the explanation of the French paradox, in addition to the "(red) wine" hypothesis. Most notably this would involve milk bioactive peptides and biomolecules from cheese moulds. Here, we support the "dairy products" hypothesis further by proposing the "alkaline phosphatase" hypothesis. First, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), a potent endogenous anti-inflammatory enzyme, is directly stimulated by various components of milk (e.g. casein, calcium, lactose and even fat). This enzyme dephosphorylates and thus detoxifies pro-inflammatory microbial components like lipopolysaccharide, making them unable to trigger inflammatory responses and generate chronic low-grade inflammation leading to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, known risk factors for CVD. Various vitamins present in high amounts in dairy products (e.g. vitamins A and D; methyl-donors: folate and vitamin B12), and also fermentation products such as butyrate and propionate found e.g. in cheese, all stimulate intestinal alkaline phosphatase. Second, moulded cheeses like Roquefort contain fungi producing an alkaline phosphatase. Third, milk itself contains a tissue nonspecific isoform of alkaline phosphatase that may function as IAP. Milk alkaline phosphatase is present in raw milk and dairy products increasingly consumed in France. It is deactivated by pasteurization but it can partially reactivate after thermal treatment. Experimental consolidation of the "alkaline phosphatase" hypothesis will require further work including: systematic alkaline phosphatase activity measurements in dairy products, live dairy ferments and

  5. Relationship between patient-reported outcomes and clinical outcomes in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: post hoc analysis of COU-AA-301 and COU-AA-302.

    PubMed

    Cella, D; Traina, S; Li, T; Johnson, K; Ho, K F; Molina, A; Shore, N D

    2018-02-01

    Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are used to assess benefit-risk in drug development. The relationship between PROs and clinical outcomes is not well understood. We aim to elucidate the relationships between changes in PRO measures and clinical outcomes in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We investigated relationships between changes in self-reported fatigue, pain, functional well-being (FWB), physical well-being (PWB) and prostate cancer-specific symptoms with overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) after 6 and 12 months of treatment in COU-AA-301 (N = 1195) or COU-AA-302 (N = 1088). Eligible COU-AA-301 patients had progressed after docetaxel and had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≤ 2. Eligible COU-AA-302 patients had no prior chemotherapy and ECOG PS 0 or 1. Patients were treated with abiraterone acetate (1000 mg/day) plus prednisone (10 mg/day) or prednisone alone daily. Association between self-reported fatigue, pain and functional status, and OS and/or rPFS, using pooled data regardless of treatment, was assessed. Cox proportional hazard regression modeled time to death or radiographic progression. In COU-AA-301 patients, PRO improvements were associated with longer OS and longer time to radiographic progression versus worsening or stable PROs (P < 0.0001). In multivariate models, all except pain intensity remained associated with OS. Pain intensity, PWB and FWB improvements remained associated with rPFS. In COU-AA-302 patients, worsening PROs were associated with higher likelihood of radiographic progression (P ≤ 0.025) compared with improved or stable PROs. In multivariate models, worsening PWB remained associated with worse rPFS. The 12-month analysis confirmed the 6-month results. PROs are significantly associated with clinically relevant time-to-event efficacy outcomes in clinical trials and may complement and help predict traditional

  6. Alkalinity production in intertidal sands intensified by lugworm bioirrigation.

    PubMed

    Rao, Alexandra M F; Malkin, Sairah Y; Montserrat, Francesc; Meysman, Filip J R

    2014-07-05

    Porewater profiles and sediment-water fluxes of oxygen, nutrients, pH, calcium, alkalinity, and sulfide were measured in intertidal sandflat sediments from the Oosterschelde mesotidal lagoon (The Netherlands). The influence of bioturbation and bioirrigation by the deep-burrowing polychaete Arenicola marina on the rates and sources of benthic alkalinity generation was examined by comparing measurements in intact and defaunated sediment cores before and after the addition of A. marina in summer and fall 2011. Higher organic matter remineralization rates, shallower O 2 penetration, and greater sediment-water solute fluxes were observed in summer, consistent with higher sediment community metabolic rates at a higher temperature. Lugworm activity stimulated porewater exchange (5.1 × in summer, 1.9 × in fall), organic matter remineralization (6.2 × in summer, 1.9 × in fall), aerobic respiration (2.4 × in summer, 2.1 × in fall), alkalinity release (4.7 × in summer, 4.0 × in fall), nutrient regeneration, and iron cycling. The effects of lugworm activity on net sediment-water fluxes were similar but more pronounced in summer than in fall. Alkalinity release in fall was entirely driven by metabolic carbonate dissolution, while this process explained between 22 and 69% of total alkalinity production in summer, indicating the importance of other processes in this season. By enhancing organic matter remineralization and the reoxidation of reduced metabolites by the sediment microbial community, lugworm activity stimulated the production of dissolved inorganic carbon and metabolic acidity, which in turn enhanced metabolic CaCO 3 dissolution efficiency. In summer, evidence of microbial long distance electron transport (LDET) was observed in defaunated sediment. Thus, alkalinity production by net carbonate dissolution was likely supplemented by anaerobic respiration and LDET in summer.

  7. Chapter A6. Section 6.6. Alkalinity and Acid Neutralizing Capacity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rounds, Stewart A.; Wilde, Franceska D.

    2002-01-01

    Alkalinity (determined on a filtered sample) and Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) (determined on a whole-water sample) are measures of the ability of a water sample to neutralize strong acid. Alkalinity and ANC provide information on the suitability of water for uses such as irrigation, determining the efficiency of wastewater processes, determining the presence of contamination by anthropogenic wastes, and maintaining ecosystem health. In addition, alkalinity is used to gain insights on the chemical evolution of an aqueous system. This section of the National Field Manual (NFM) describes the USGS field protocols for alkalinity/ANC determination using either the inflection-point or Gran function plot methods, including calculation of carbonate species, and provides guidance on equipment selection.

  8. Three Essays Examining Household Energy Demand and Behavior

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murray, Anthony G.

    This dissertation consists of three essays examining household energy decisions and behavior. The first essay examines the adoption of energy efficient Energy Star home appliances by U.S. households. Program effectiveness requires that consumers be aware of the labeling scheme and also change their purchase decisions based on label information. The first essay examines the factors associated with consumer awareness of the Energy Star label of recently purchased major appliances and the factors associated with the choice of Energy Star labeled appliances. The findings suggest that eliminating identified gaps in Energy Star appliance adoption would result in house electricity cost savings of $164 million per year and associated carbon emission reductions of about 1.1 million metric tons per year. The second essay evaluates household energy security and the effectiveness of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the single largest energy assistance program available to poor households within the United States. Energy security is conceptually akin to the well-known concept of food security. Rasch models and household responses to energy security questions in the 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey are used to generate an energy insecurity index that is consistent with those found in the food insecurity literature. Participating in LIHEAP is found to significantly reduce household energy insecurity score in the index. Further, simulations show that the elimination of the energy assistance safety net currently available to households increases the number of energy insecure house- holds by over 16 percent. The third essay develops a five equation demand system to estimate household own-price, cross-price and income elasticities between electricity, natural gas, food at home, food away from home, and non-durable commodity groups. Household cross-price elasticities between energy and food commodities are of particular importance. Energy price shocks

  9. Maternal resources and household food security: evidence from Nicaragua.

    PubMed

    Schmeer, Kammi K; Piperata, Barbara A; Herrera Rodríguez, Andrés; Salazar Torres, Virgilio Mariano; Centeno Cárdenas, Francisco José

    2015-11-01

    Women (especially mothers) are theorized as critical to reducing household food insecurity through their work and caregiver roles. The present study tests these assumptions, assessing how maternal economic and social resources are associated with food insecurity in households with young children. Data from a population-based sample of households was collected in León, Nicaragua (n 443). Data include a newly validated measure of household food insecurity (ELCSA), maternal resource measures, and household economic status and demographics. Regression analysis tests the statistical associations (P<0·05) of maternal resources with household, adult-specific and child-specific food insecurity. Municipality of León, Nicaragua. Households with children aged 3-11 years in rural and urban León. Only 25% of households with young children were food secure, with 50% mildly food insecure and 25% moderately/severely food insecure. When mothers contributed substantially to household income, the odds of moderate/severe household food insecurity were 34% lower than when their spouse/partner was the main provider. The odds of food insecurity were 60% lower when mothers managed household money, 48% lower when mothers had a secondary (v. primary) education, 65% higher among single mothers and 16% lower with each indicator of social support. Results were similar for adult- and child-specific food insecurity. This research provides new evidence that maternal economic and social resources are important for reducing household food insecurity and adult- and child-specific food insecurity. Women's social status, social support and access to economic resources need to be enhanced as a part of policies aimed to reduce food insecurity in high-poverty settings.

  10. De Novo Transcriptional Analysis of Alfalfa in Response to Saline-Alkaline Stress.

    PubMed

    An, Yi-Min; Song, Li-Li; Liu, Ying-Rui; Shu, Yong-Jun; Guo, Chang-Hong

    2016-01-01

    Saline-alkaline stress, caused by high levels of harmful carbonate salts and high soil pH, is a major abiotic stress that affects crop productivity. Alfalfa is a widely cultivated perennial forage legume with some tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, especially to saline-alkaline stress. To elucidate the mechanism underlying plant saline-alkaline tolerance, we conducted transcriptome analysis of whole alfalfa seedlings treated with saline-alkaline solutions for 0 day (control), 1 day (short-term treatment), and 7 days (long-term treatment) using ion torrent sequencing technology. A transcriptome database dataset of 53,853 unigenes was generated, and 2,286 and 2,233 genes were differentially expressed in the short-term and long-term treatment, respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed 14 highly enriched pathways and demonstrated the differential response of metabolic pathways between the short-term and long-term treatment. The expression levels of 109 and 96 transcription factors were significantly altered significantly after 1 day and 7 days of treatment, respectively. Specific responses of peroxidase, flavonoids, and the light pathway component indicated that the antioxidant capacity was one of the central mechanisms of saline-alkaline stress tolerance response in alfalfa. Among the 18 differentially expressed genes examined by real time PCR, the expression levels of eight genes, including inositol transporter, DNA binding protein, raffinose synthase, ferritin, aldo/keto reductase, glutathione S-transferase, xyloglucan endotrans glucosylase, and a NAC transcription factor, exhibited different patterns in response to saline and alkaline stress. The expression levels of the NAC transcription factor and glutathione S-transferase were altered significantly under saline stress and saline-alkaline stress; they were upregulated under saline-alkaline stress and downregulated under salt stress. Physiology assays showed an increased concentration of reactive oxygen

  11. De Novo Transcriptional Analysis of Alfalfa in Response to Saline-Alkaline Stress

    PubMed Central

    An, Yi-Min; Song, Li-Li; Liu, Ying-Rui; Shu, Yong-Jun; Guo, Chang-Hong

    2016-01-01

    Saline-alkaline stress, caused by high levels of harmful carbonate salts and high soil pH, is a major abiotic stress that affects crop productivity. Alfalfa is a widely cultivated perennial forage legume with some tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, especially to saline-alkaline stress. To elucidate the mechanism underlying plant saline-alkaline tolerance, we conducted transcriptome analysis of whole alfalfa seedlings treated with saline-alkaline solutions for 0 day (control), 1 day (short-term treatment), and 7 days (long-term treatment) using ion torrent sequencing technology. A transcriptome database dataset of 53,853 unigenes was generated, and 2,286 and 2,233 genes were differentially expressed in the short-term and long-term treatment, respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed 14 highly enriched pathways and demonstrated the differential response of metabolic pathways between the short-term and long-term treatment. The expression levels of 109 and 96 transcription factors were significantly altered significantly after 1 day and 7 days of treatment, respectively. Specific responses of peroxidase, flavonoids, and the light pathway component indicated that the antioxidant capacity was one of the central mechanisms of saline-alkaline stress tolerance response in alfalfa. Among the 18 differentially expressed genes examined by real time PCR, the expression levels of eight genes, including inositol transporter, DNA binding protein, raffinose synthase, ferritin, aldo/keto reductase, glutathione S-transferase, xyloglucan endotrans glucosylase, and a NAC transcription factor, exhibited different patterns in response to saline and alkaline stress. The expression levels of the NAC transcription factor and glutathione S-transferase were altered significantly under saline stress and saline-alkaline stress; they were upregulated under saline-alkaline stress and downregulated under salt stress. Physiology assays showed an increased concentration of reactive oxygen

  12. AA9int: SNP Interaction Pattern Search Using Non-Hierarchical Additive Model Set.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hui-Yi; Huang, Po-Yu; Chen, Dung-Tsa; Tung, Heng-Yuan; Sellers, Thomas A; Pow-Sang, Julio; Eeles, Rosalind; Easton, Doug; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Amin Al Olama, Ali; Benlloch, Sara; Muir, Kenneth; Giles, Graham G; Wiklund, Fredrik; Gronberg, Henrik; Haiman, Christopher A; Schleutker, Johanna; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Travis, Ruth C; Hamdy, Freddie; Neal, David E; Pashayan, Nora; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Stanford, Janet L; Blot, William J; Thibodeau, Stephen N; Maier, Christiane; Kibel, Adam S; Cybulski, Cezary; Cannon-Albright, Lisa; Brenner, Hermann; Kaneva, Radka; Batra, Jyotsna; Teixeira, Manuel R; Pandha, Hardev; Lu, Yong-Jie; Park, Jong Y

    2018-06-07

    The use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) interactions to predict complex diseases is getting more attention during the past decade, but related statistical methods are still immature. We previously proposed the SNP Interaction Pattern Identifier (SIPI) approach to evaluate 45 SNP interaction patterns/patterns. SIPI is statistically powerful but suffers from a large computation burden. For large-scale studies, it is necessary to use a powerful and computation-efficient method. The objective of this study is to develop an evidence-based mini-version of SIPI as the screening tool or solitary use and to evaluate the impact of inheritance mode and model structure on detecting SNP-SNP interactions. We tested two candidate approaches: the 'Five-Full' and 'AA9int' method. The Five-Full approach is composed of the five full interaction models considering three inheritance modes (additive, dominant and recessive). The AA9int approach is composed of nine interaction models by considering non-hierarchical model structure and the additive mode. Our simulation results show that AA9int has similar statistical power compared to SIPI and is superior to the Five-Full approach, and the impact of the non-hierarchical model structure is greater than that of the inheritance mode in detecting SNP-SNP interactions. In summary, it is recommended that AA9int is a powerful tool to be used either alone or as the screening stage of a two-stage approach (AA9int+SIPI) for detecting SNP-SNP interactions in large-scale studies. The 'AA9int' and 'parAA9int' functions (standard and parallel computing version) are added in the SIPI R package, which is freely available at https://linhuiyi.github.io/LinHY_Software/. hlin1@lsuhsc.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  13. Extracellular Alkalinization as a Defense Response in Potato Cells.

    PubMed

    Moroz, Natalia; Fritch, Karen R; Marcec, Matthew J; Tripathi, Diwaker; Smertenko, Andrei; Tanaka, Kiwamu

    2017-01-01

    A quantitative and robust bioassay to assess plant defense response is important for studies of disease resistance and also for the early identification of disease during pre- or non-symptomatic phases. An increase in extracellular pH is known to be an early defense response in plants. In this study, we demonstrate extracellular alkalinization as a defense response in potatoes. Using potato suspension cell cultures, we observed an alkalinization response against various pathogen- and plant-derived elicitors in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also assessed the defense response against a variety of potato pathogens, such as protists ( Phytophthora infestans and Spongospora subterranea ) and fungi ( Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum coccodes ). Our results show that extracellular pH increases within 30 min in proportion to the number of pathogen spores added. Consistently with the alkalinization effect, the higher transcription level of several defense-related genes and production of reactive oxygen species was observed. Our results demonstrate that the alkalinization response is an effective marker to study early stages of defense response in potatoes.

  14. Community and household socioeconomic factors associated with pesticide-using, small farm household members' health: a multi-level, longitudinal analysis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Longitudinal studies using multi-level models to examine health inequalities in lower and middle income countries (LMICs) are rare. We explored socio-economic gradients in health among small farm members participating in a pesticide-related health and agriculture program in highland Ecuador. Methods We profiled 24 communities through key informant interviews, secondary data (percent of population with unsatisfied basic needs), and intervention implementation indicators. Pre (2005) and post (2007) surveys of the primary household and crop managers included common questions (education, age, and the health outcome - digit span scaled 0-10)) and pesticide-related practice questions specific to each. Household assets and pesticide use variables were shared across managers. We constructed multi-level models predicting 2007 digit span for each manager type, with staged introduction of predictor variables. Results 376 household managers (79% of 2005 participants) and 380 crop managers (76% of 2005 participants) had complete data for analysis. The most important predictor of 2007 digit span was 2005 digit span: β (Standard Error) of 0.31(0.05) per unit for household and 0.17(0.04) for crop managers. Household asset score was next most important: 0.14(0.06) per unit for household and 0.14(0.05) for crop managers. Community percent with unsatisfied basic needs was associated with reductions in 2007 digit span: -0.04(0.01) per percent for household and -0.03(0.01) for crop managers. Conclusions The important roles of life endowments and/or persistent neurotoxicity were exemplified by limited change in the health outcome. Gradients by household assets and community deprivation were indicative of ongoing, structural inequities within this LMIC. PMID:22094171

  15. Microstructure and hardness performance of AA6061 aluminium composite using friction stir processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marini, C. D.; Fatchurrohman, N.

    2018-04-01

    Rice husk ash (RHA) is an industrial waste that has become a potential reinforced material for aluminium matrix composite (AMCs) due to low cost and abundantly available resources. Friction stir processing (FSP) has been introduced as a method to modify surface properties of the metal and alloy including theirs composite as well. The present work reports the production and characterization of AA6061 and AA6061/5 vol% RHA using FSP using parameters rotation speed 1000 rpm and traversed speed 25 mm/min. The microstructure was studied using optical microscopy (OM). A homogenous dispersion of RHA particles was obtained in the composite. No agglomeration or segregation was observed. The produced composite exhibited a fine grain structure. An improvement in hardness profile was observed as AA6061/5 vol% RHA improves in hardness compared to FSPed of AA6061 without reinforcement.

  16. Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer.

    PubMed

    Fenton, Tanis R; Huang, Tian

    2016-06-13

    To evaluate the evidence for a causal relationship between dietary acid/alkaline and alkaline water for the aetiology and treatment of cancer. A systematic review was conducted on published and grey literature separately for randomised intervention and observational studies with either varying acid-base dietary intakes and/or alkaline water with any cancer outcome or for cancer treatment. Incidence of cancer and outcomes of cancer treatment. 8278 citations were identified, and 252 abstracts were reviewed; 1 study met the inclusion criteria and was included in this systematic review. No randomised trials were located. No studies were located that examined dietary acid or alkaline or alkaline water for cancer treatment. The included study was a cohort study with a low risk of bias. This study revealed no association between the diet acid load with bladder cancer (OR=1.15: 95% CI 0.86 to 1.55, p=0.36). No association was found even among long-term smokers (OR=1.72: 95% CI 0.96 to 3.10, p=0.08). Despite the promotion of the alkaline diet and alkaline water by the media and salespeople, there is almost no actual research to either support or disprove these ideas. This systematic review of the literature revealed a lack of evidence for or against diet acid load and/or alkaline water for the initiation or treatment of cancer. Promotion of alkaline diet and alkaline water to the public for cancer prevention or treatment is not justified. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. Health care expenditure of households in magway, myanmar.

    PubMed

    Khaing, Inn Kynn; Malik, Amonov; Oo, Myo; Hamajima, Nobuyuki

    2015-02-01

    Myanmar has a high proportion of out-of-pocket (OOP) health care expenditures with limited cost-sharing mechanisms. In Myanmar, there were limited data on the frequency of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) due to OOP payments, as well as on the factors associated with CHE. This study aimed to investigate health care expenditure, the frequency of CHE, and the factors influencing CHE among households in Magway, Myanmar. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in 2012 for 700 households (350 in urban areas and 350 in rural areas) in Magway. CHE was defined as a condition wherein the total amount of household health care expenditure was 40% or more of non-food expenditure in the past year. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confident intervals (CIs) of CHE. In the previous year, 28.3% of 350 urban households and 51.4% of 350 rural households utilized outpatient services. Households with at least one member admitted to a medical facility were 10.0% and 12.9%, respectively. Those with CHE were 25.2% in the urban areas and 22.7% in the rural areas. The adjusted OR of CHE was 7.79 (95% CI 3.73-16.26) for hospitalization and 1.08 (95% CI 0.36-3.23) for outpatient care, relative to no services used. These findings indicated that nearly one fourth of households in Magway faced CHE due to inpatient care. A safety-net mechanism to protect households from CHE in Myanmar seems essential.

  18. HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE OF HOUSEHOLDS IN MAGWAY, MYANMAR

    PubMed Central

    KHAING, INN KYNN; MALIK, AMONOV; OO, MYO; HAMAJIMA, NOBUYUKI

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Myanmar has a high proportion of out-of-pocket (OOP) health care expenditures with limited cost-sharing mechanisms. In Myanmar, there were limited data on the frequency of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) due to OOP payments, as well as on the factors associated with CHE. This study aimed to investigate health care expenditure, the frequency of CHE, and the factors influencing CHE among households in Magway, Myanmar. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in 2012 for 700 households (350 in urban areas and 350 in rural areas) in Magway. CHE was defined as a condition wherein the total amount of household health care expenditure was 40% or more of non-food expenditure in the past year. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confident intervals (CIs) of CHE. In the previous year, 28.3% of 350 urban households and 51.4% of 350 rural households utilized outpatient services. Households with at least one member admitted to a medical facility were 10.0% and 12.9%, respectively. Those with CHE were 25.2% in the urban areas and 22.7% in the rural areas. The adjusted OR of CHE was 7.79 (95% CI 3.73–16.26) for hospitalization and 1.08 (95% CI 0.36–3.23) for outpatient care, relative to no services used. These findings indicated that nearly one fourth of households in Magway faced CHE due to inpatient care. A safety-net mechanism to protect households from CHE in Myanmar seems essential. PMID:25797985

  19. Impact of Osteoarthritis on Household Catastrophic Health Expenditures in Korea.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyoungyoung; Cho, Soo-Kyung; Kim, Daehyun; Kim, Dalho; Jung, Sun-Young; Jang, Eun Jin; Sung, Yoon-Kyoung

    2018-05-21

    Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of old age whose prevalence is increasing. This study explored the impact of OA on household catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in Korea. We used data on 5,200 households from the Korea Health Panel Survey in 2013 and estimated annual living expenses and out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. Household CHE was defined when a household's total OOP health payments exceeded 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% of the household's capacity to pay. To compare the OOP payments of households with OA individuals and those without OA, OA households were matched 1:1 with households containing a member with other chronic disease such as neoplasm, hypertension, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, or osteoporosis. The impact of OA on CHE was determined by multivariable logistic analysis. A total of 1,289 households were included, and households with and without OA patients paid mean annual OOP payments of $2,789 and $2,607, respectively. The prevalence of household CHE at thresholds of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% were higher in households with OA patients than in those without OA patients ( P < 0.001). The presence of OA patients in each household contributed significantly to CHE at thresholds of 10% (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.87), 20% (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.01-1.66), and 30% (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.05-1.78), but not of 40% (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.87-1.57). The presence of OA patients in Korean households is significantly related to CHE. Policy makers should try to reduce OOP payments in households with OA patients.

  20. Reforming the household registration system: a preliminary glimpse of the blue chop household registration system in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    PubMed

    Wong, L; Wai-po, H

    1998-01-01

    "For decades, the household registration system has functioned as a powerful device in halting rural influxes into Chinese cities. The exigencies of the reform call for reform of the hukou system [China's household registration]. One of the many attempts is the blue chop household registration system. Both Shanghai and Shenzhen have introduced this practice. In addition to promotion of real estate and investment, it creams off those more desirable migrants into the permanent population of the two cities. In view of the present situation of linking welfare provision with household registration status, this selective migration policy seems to be a sensible step forward." excerpt

  1. Poverty and Material Hardship in Grandparent-Headed Households.

    PubMed

    Baker, Lindsey A; Mutchler, Jan E

    2010-08-01

    Using the 2001 Survey of Income and Program Participation, the current study examines poverty and material hardship among children living in 3-generation (n = 486), skipped-generation (n = 238), single-parent (n = 2,076), and 2-parent (n = 6,061) households. Multinomial and logistic regression models indicated that children living in grandparent-headed households experience elevated risk of health insecurity (as measured by receipt of public insurance and uninsurance)-a disproportionate risk given rates of poverty within those households. Children living with single parents did not share this substantial risk. Risk of food and housing insecurity did not differ significantly from 2-parent households once characteristics of the household and caregivers were taken into account.

  2. 33 CFR 110.72aa - Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 110.72aa Section 110.72aa Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.72aa Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth...

  3. 33 CFR 110.72aa - Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 110.72aa Section 110.72aa Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.72aa Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth...

  4. 33 CFR 110.72aa - Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 110.72aa Section 110.72aa Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.72aa Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth...

  5. 33 CFR 110.72aa - Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 110.72aa Section 110.72aa Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.72aa Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth...

  6. 33 CFR 110.72aa - Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 110.72aa Section 110.72aa Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.72aa Elizabeth River Spectator Vessel Anchorage Areas, between Norfolk and Portsmouth...

  7. Dual roles for CoAA and its counterbalancing isoform CoAM in human kidney cell tumorigenesis

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Yun Kyoung; Schiff, Rachel; Ko, Lan; Wang, Tao; Tsai, Sophia Y.; Tsai, Ming-Jer; W. O’Malley, Bert

    2008-01-01

    Co-Activator Activator (CoAA) has been reported to be a coactivator that regulates steroid receptor-mediated transcription and alternative RNA splicing. Herein we show that CoAA is a dual-function coregulator that inhibits G1/S transition in human kidney cells and suppresses anchorage independent growth and xenograft tumor formation. Suppression occurs in part by downregulating c-myc and its downstream effectors ccnd1 and skp2, and causing accumulation of p27/Kip1 protein. In this cellular setting, CoAA directly represses the proto-oncogene, c-myc by recruiting HDAC3 protein and decreasing both the acetylation of histone H3 and the presence of RNA polymerase II on the c-myc promoter. Interestingly, a splicing isoform of CoAA, Coactivator Modulator (CoAM), antagonizes CoAA-induced G1/S transition and growth inhibition by negatively regulating the mRNA levels of the endogenous CoAA isoform. In addition, we found that expression of CoAA protein is significantly decreased in human renal cell carcinoma as compared to normal kidney. Our study presents evidence that CoAA is a potential tumor suppressor in renal carcinoma and that CoAM is a counterbalancing splice-isoform. This is so far the only example of a nuclear receptor coregulator involved in suppression of kidney cancer, and suggests potentially significant new roles for coregulators in renal cancer biology. PMID:18829545

  8. Feasibility of the UV/AA process as a pretreatment approach for bioremediation of dye-laden wastewater.

    PubMed

    Yang, Minghui; Wu, Bingdang; Li, Qiuhao; Xiong, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Haoran; Tian, Yu; Xie, Jiawen; Huang, Ping; Tan, Suo; Wang, Guodong; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Shujuan

    2018-03-01

    Biodegradability and toxicity are two important indexes in considering the feasibility of a chemical process for environmental remediation. The acetylacetone (AA) mediated photochemical process has been proven as an efficient approach for dye decolorization. Both AA and its photochemical degradation products had a high bioavailability. However, the biocompatibility and ecotoxicology of the UV/AA treated solutions are unclear yet. In the present work, we evaluated the biocompatibility and toxicity of the UV/AA treated solutions at both biochemical and organismal levels. The biodegradability of the treated solution was evaluated with the ratio of 5-d biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and a 28-d activated sludge assay (Zahn-Wellens tests). The UV/AA process significantly improved the biodegradability of the tested dye solutions. Toxicity was assessed with responses of microorganisms (microbes in activated sludge and Daphnia magna) and plants (bok choy, rice seed, and Arabidopsis thaliana) to the treated solutions, which showed that the toxicity of the UV/AA treated solutions was lower or comparable to that of the UV/H 2 O 2 counterparts. The results are helpful for us to determine whether the UV/AA process is applicable to certain wastewaters and how the UV/AA process could be effectively combined into a sequential chemical-biological water treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 7 CFR 2902.48 - General purpose household cleaners.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... PROCUREMENT Designated Items § 2902.48 General purpose household cleaners. (a) Definition. Products designed... procurement preference for qualifying biobased general purpose household cleaners. By that date, Federal... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General purpose household cleaners. 2902.48 Section...

  10. Hydrothermal Alkalinity in Central Nepal Rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Evans, M. J.; Derry, L. A.

    2002-12-01

    Numerous hot springs flow along the base of the Himalayan front, at or near the Main Central Thrust, in the Narayani drainage of central Nepal. The springs are found in a narrow zone characterized by rapid uplift and high incision rates. In this zone, hot rocks are brought to the near-surface where they interact with meteoric waters to produce the hydrothermal system. Water-rock interaction produces springs with high solute loads (TDS up to 8000 mg/L.) The springs drive significant chemical anomalies (e.g. Cl, Na, K and Ge) in the rivers that flow through the hydrothermal zone In order to quantify the impact the springs have on the river chemistry, the spring discharge must be estimated. Direct measurement of the spring discharge is difficult, as the springs often flow within the stream bed itself or are inaccessible. We take advantage of the wide disparity in stream vs. hydrothermal [Ge] to calculate spring discharge by chemical mass balance. The hot springs have [Ge] up to 684 nmol/kg and Ge/Si ratios from 200 to 1000 μmol/mol while river waters have [Ge] near 0.15 nmol/kg and Ge/Si ratios near 0.5 μmol/mol, typical of non-polluted rivers. The discharge calculated from the Ge mass balance for individual springs ranges from 0.03 x 106 to 5.6 x 106 m3/yr, and accounts for a small percentage of the total river discharge (0.03% to 1.9%). The hot spring discharge for all of central Nepal is around 1.5x108 m3/yr, 0.5% of the Narayani river discharge. Distinguishing between silicate and carbonate sources is important to assessing the role of weathering on atmospheric CO2 levels and the relative contributions of silicate and carbonate alkalinity in central Nepal rivers are still not well resolved. The hot springs derive up to 100% of their alkalinity from silicate sources. Using the discharge estimates for the springs, we find that the sum of the silicate alkalinity fluxes from all the spring systems is 2.8 x 108 mol/yr. This implies that the hot springs deliver around

  11. Acidity and Alkalinity in mine drainage: Practical considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cravotta, III, Charles A.; Kirby, Carl S.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, we emphasize that the Standard Method hot peroxide treatment procedure for acidity determination (hot acidity) directly measures net acidity or net alkalinity, but that more than one water-quality measure can be useful as a measure of the severity of acid mine drainage. We demonstrate that the hot acidity is related to the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al in fresh mine drainage. We show that the hot acidity accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. We show that the hot acidity method gives consistent, interpretable results on fresh or aged samples. Regional data for mine-drainage quality in Pennsylvania indicated the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5 to 4) or near neutral (pH 6 to 7); approximately 25 percent of the samples had intermediate pH values. This bimodal frequency distribution of pH was distinctive for fully oxidized samples; oxidized samples had acidic or near-neutral pH, only. Samples that had nearneutral pH after oxidation had negative hot acidity; samples that had acidic pH after oxidation had positive hot acidity. Samples with comparable pH values had variable hot acidities owing to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. The hot acidity was comparable to net acidity computed on the basis of initial pH and concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the initial alkalinity. Acidity computed from the pH and dissolved metals concentrations, assuming equivalents of 2 per mole of Fe and Mn and 3 per mole of Al, was comparable to that computed on the basis of aqueous species and FeII/FeIII. Despite changes in the pH, alkalinity, and metals concentrations, the hot acidities were comparable for fresh and aged samples. Thus, meaningful “net” acidity can be determined from a measured hot acidity or by

  12. Education Financing of Rural Households in China

    PubMed Central

    Moll, Henk

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper was to examine children’s education financing alternatives among households in rural China. Data on education financing was from a household survey conducted in three poverty villages in Guizhou, China. The difference in financing education by households was verified through non-parametric testing. Findings show that private savings is dominant in financing education of children in school. Formal loans are almost absent even in the highest wealth group examined. The findings implied that the extension of financial services to children’s education could motivate parents to send their children for more education, increase disposable income of rural households by reducing precautionary savings, and provide better-educated labors in rural China. PMID:20835379

  13. The determinant of household tourism expenditure in Central Java Province, Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subanti, S.; Respatiwulan; Hakim, A. R.; Handajani, S. S.; Hakim, I. M.

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of our paper want to determine the factors of household tourism expenditure in Central Java Province, Indonesia. This paper used ordinary least squares regression. The findings from this paper, (1) the significant factors that affecting household tourism expenditure are marital status, sex, household income per capita, education for head of household, education for member of household, number of household, urbanrural, and industrial origin for head of household; (2) For variables which have positive relationship with household tourism expenditure, the variable of marital status has a biggest value from others; and (3) For variables which have negative relationship with household tourism expenditure, the variable of industrial origin for head household has a biggest value from others.

  14. Seroprevalence of SARS coronavirus antibody in household contacts.

    PubMed Central

    Lee, C-C; Chen, S-Y; Chang, I-J; Tsai, P-C; Lu, T-C; Wu, P-L; Chen, W-J; Huang, L-M; Chang, S-C

    2005-01-01

    Between March and July 2003, 671 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were diagnosed in Taiwan with a total of 84 fatalities. After the epidemic, a serological survey was conducted involving the asymptomatic household contacts. Household contacts of 13 index patients were enrolled in the study. Contact history and clinical symptoms of the household contacts were recorded by standardized questionnaires. Blood samples of patients and household contacts were collected at least 28 days after symptom onset in the index patients or household exposure in the contacts for SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) IgG testing. On the basis of this investigation, 29 persons (25 adults and 4 children) were identified as having had unprotected exposure to the index cases before infection-control practices were implemented. Laboratory evaluation of clinical specimens showed no evidence of transmission of SARS-CoV infection to any contacts. This investigation demonstrated that subclinical transmission among household contacts was low in the described setting. PMID:16274510

  15. The origin of life in alkaline hydrothermal vents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sojo, V.; Herschy, B.; Whicher, A.; Camprubí, E.; Lane, N.

    2016-12-01

    The origin of life remains one of Science's greatest unresolved questions. The answer will no doubt involve almost all the basic disciplines, including Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, and Biology. Chiefly, it is the link between the latter two that must be elucidated: how geochemistry gave rise to biochemistry. Serpentinizing systems such as alkaline hydrothermal vents offer the most robust combination of conditions to have hosted the origin of life on the early Earth, while bearing many parallels to modern living cells. Stark gradients of concentration, pH, oxidation/reduction, and temperature provided the ability to synthesise and concentrate organic products, drive polymerisation reactions, and develop an autotrophic lifestyle independent of foreign sources of organics. In the oxygen-depleted waters of the Hadean, alkaline vents would have acted as electrochemical flow reactors, in which alkaline fluids saturated in H2 mixed with the relatively acidic CO2-rich waters of the ocean, through interconnected micropores made of thin inorganic walls containing catalytic Fe(Ni)S minerals. Perhaps not coincidentally, the unit cells of these Fe(Ni)S minerals closely resemble the active sites of crucial ancestral bioenergetic enzymes. Meanwhile, differences in pH across the thin barriers produced natural proton gradients similar to those used for carbon fixation in modern archaea and bacteria. At the earliest stages, the problem of the origin of life is the problem of the origin of carbon fixation. I will discuss work over the last decade that suggests several possible hypotheses for how simple one-carbon molecules could have given rise to more complex organics, particularly within a serpentinizing alkaline hydrothermal vent. I will discuss the perplexing differences in carbon and energy metabolism in methanogenic archaea and acetogenic bacteria, thought to be the earliest representatives of each domain, to propose a possible ancestral mechanism of CO2 reduction in

  16. Bioinformatic flowchart and database to investigate the origins and diversity of Clan AA peptidases

    PubMed Central

    Llorens, Carlos; Futami, Ricardo; Renaud, Gabriel; Moya, Andrés

    2009-01-01

    Background Clan AA of aspartic peptidases relates the family of pepsin monomers evolutionarily with all dimeric peptidases encoded by eukaryotic LTR retroelements. Recent findings describing various pools of single-domain nonviral host peptidases, in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, indicate that the diversity of clan AA is larger than previously thought. The ensuing approach to investigate this enzyme group is by studying its phylogeny. However, clan AA is a difficult case to study due to the low similarity and different rates of evolution. This work is an ongoing attempt to investigate the different clan AA families to understand the cause of their diversity. Results In this paper, we describe in-progress database and bioinformatic flowchart designed to characterize the clan AA protein domain based on all possible protein families through ancestral reconstructions, sequence logos, and hidden markov models (HMMs). The flowchart includes the characterization of a major consensus sequence based on 6 amino acid patterns with correspondence with Andreeva's model, the structural template describing the clan AA peptidase fold. The set of tools is work in progress we have organized in a database within the GyDB project, referred to as Clan AA Reference Database . Conclusion The pre-existing classification combined with the evolutionary history of LTR retroelements permits a consistent taxonomical collection of sequence logos and HMMs. This set is useful for gene annotation but also a reference to evaluate the diversity of, and the relationships among, the different families. Comparisons among HMMs suggest a common ancestor for all dimeric clan AA peptidases that is halfway between single-domain nonviral peptidases and those coded by Ty3/Gypsy LTR retroelements. Sequence logos reveal how all clan AA families follow similar protein domain architecture related to the peptidase fold. In particular, each family nucleates a particular consensus motif in the sequence position

  17. Comparison between household budget survey and 24-hour recall data in a nationally representative sample of Polish households.

    PubMed

    Sekula, W; Nelson, M; Figurska, K; Oltarzewski, M; Weisell, R; Szponar, L

    2005-06-01

    Household budget survey (HBS) data are used regularly for nutritional epidemiological purposes. The validity of HBS data, however, is not well established. The aim of this project was to compare HBS and individual nutrition survey (INS) data in a nationally representative sample of Polish households. Estimates of food consumption and nutrient intake were compared between household food acquisition data collected over 1 month and a single 24-hour recall collected from every household member in a nationally representative sample of Polish households surveyed between September and November 2000. To facilitate the comparison, INS food consumption data excluded food eaten away from home and were modified using a computer program to estimate food 'as purchased' (including disaggregation of recipe data) and to allow for wastage. Poland. Participants were 3716 individuals in 1215 households (representing co-operation rates of 86.2% and 89.2%, respectively). Good agreement was shown between median estimates of foods such as potatoes, vegetables (including processed), meat, meat products and poultry, and animal fats (excluding butter), but agreement was poor for bread and rolls, fruit, vegetable fats and oils, eggs and six other food groups. Estimates of energy and nutrient intake were within +/-10% with the exceptions of polyunsaturated fats, potassium and vitamin C. Possible reasons for differences in findings between the two surveys include survey bias (e.g. social approval bias leading to overreporting of fruit), seasonal variations (e.g. high potato purchases between September and November) and aspects of the methodology (e.g. HBS data were based on records collected over 1 month, whereas 24-hour recall data were based on recalls collected from all household respondents on only 1 day and averaged for each household type). HBSs provide useful data for epidemiological research, but findings need to be interpreted in the light of other data regarding consumption, and

  18. Role of the Group 2 Mrp sodium/proton antiporter in rapid response to high alkaline shock in the alkaline- and salt-tolerant Dietzia sp. DQ12-45-1b.

    PubMed

    Fang, Hui; Qin, Xiao-Yu; Zhang, Kai-Duan; Nie, Yong; Wu, Xiao-Lei

    2018-04-01

    The six- and seven-subunit Na + /H + antiporters (Mrp) are widely distributed in bacteria. They are reported to be integral for pH homeostasis in alkaliphilic bacteria when adapting to high pH environments. In this study, operons encoding for the six-subunit Na + /H + antiporters were found in the genomes of all studied Dietzia strains, which have different alkaline-resistant abilities. Disruption of the operon in the strain Dietzia sp. DQ12-45-1b which leads to declined growth in presence of hypersaline and alkaline conditions suggested that the six-subunit Na + /H + antiporter played an important role in hypersaline and alkaline resistance. Although the complexes DqMrp from DQ12-45-1b (strain with high alkaline resistance) and DaMrp from D. alimentaria 72 T (strain with low alkaline resistance) displayed Na + (Li + )/H + antiport activities, they functioned optimally at different pH levels (9.0 for DQ12-45-1b and 8.0 for 72 T ). While both antiporters functioned properly to protect Escherichia coli cells from salt shock, only the DqMrp-containing strain survived the high alkaline shock. Furthermore, real-time PCR results showed that the expression of mrpA and mrpD induced only immediately after DQ12-45-1b cells were subjected to the alkaline shock. These results suggested that the expression of DqMrp might be induced by a pH gradient across the cell membrane, and DqMrp mainly functioned at an early stage to respond to the alkaline shock.

  19. Breakup of New Orleans Households after Hurricane Katrina

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rendall, Michael S.

    2011-01-01

    Theory and evidence on disaster-induced population displacement have focused on individual and population-subgroup characteristics. Less is known about impacts on households. I estimate excess incidence of household breakup resulting from Hurricane Katrina by comparing a probability sample of pre-Katrina New Orleans resident adult household heads…

  20. Household Chaos--Links with Parenting and Child Behaviour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coldwell, Joanne; Pike, Alison; Dunn, Judy

    2006-01-01

    Background: The study aimed to confirm previous findings showing links between household chaos and parenting in addition to examining whether household chaos was predictive of children's behaviour over and above parenting. In addition, we investigated whether household chaos acts as a moderator between parenting and children's behaviour. Method:…

  1. Household air pollution and its effects on health

    PubMed Central

    Apte, Komalkirti; Salvi, Sundeep

    2016-01-01

    Household air pollution is a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years in Southeast Asia and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years globally. There are at least sixty sources of household air pollution, and these vary from country to country. Indoor tobacco smoking, construction material used in building houses, fuel used for cooking, heating and lighting, use of incense and various forms of mosquito repellents, use of pesticides and chemicals used for cleaning at home, and use of artificial fragrances are some of the various sources that contribute to household air pollution. Household air pollution affects all stages of life with multi-systemic health effects, and its effects are evident right from pre-conception to old age. In utero exposure to household air pollutants has been shown to have health effects which resonate over the entire lifetime. Exposures to indoor air pollutants in early childhood also tend to have repercussions throughout life. The respiratory system bears the maximum brunt, but effects on the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and nervous system are largely underplayed. Household air pollutants have also been implicated in the development of various types of cancers. Identifying household air pollutants and their health implications helps us prepare for various health-related issues. However, the real challenge is adopting changes to reduce the health effects of household air pollution and designing innovative interventions to minimize the risk of further exposure. This review is an attempt to understand the various sources of household air pollution, the effects on health, and strategies to deal with this emergent risk factor of global mortality and morbidity. PMID:27853506

  2. Household air pollution and its effects on health.

    PubMed

    Apte, Komalkirti; Salvi, Sundeep

    2016-01-01

    Household air pollution is a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years in Southeast Asia and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years globally. There are at least sixty sources of household air pollution, and these vary from country to country. Indoor tobacco smoking, construction material used in building houses, fuel used for cooking, heating and lighting, use of incense and various forms of mosquito repellents, use of pesticides and chemicals used for cleaning at home, and use of artificial fragrances are some of the various sources that contribute to household air pollution. Household air pollution affects all stages of life with multi-systemic health effects, and its effects are evident right from pre-conception to old age. In utero exposure to household air pollutants has been shown to have health effects which resonate over the entire lifetime. Exposures to indoor air pollutants in early childhood also tend to have repercussions throughout life. The respiratory system bears the maximum brunt, but effects on the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and nervous system are largely underplayed. Household air pollutants have also been implicated in the development of various types of cancers. Identifying household air pollutants and their health implications helps us prepare for various health-related issues. However, the real challenge is adopting changes to reduce the health effects of household air pollution and designing innovative interventions to minimize the risk of further exposure. This review is an attempt to understand the various sources of household air pollution, the effects on health, and strategies to deal with this emergent risk factor of global mortality and morbidity.

  3. Isonicotinohydrazones as inhibitors of alkaline phosphatase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase.

    PubMed

    Channar, Pervaiz Ali; Shah, Syed Jawad Ali; Hassan, Sidra; Nisa, Zaib Un; Lecka, Joanna; Sévigny, Jean; Bajorath, Jürgen; Saeed, Aamer; Iqbal, Jamshed

    2017-03-01

    A series of isonicotinohydrazide derivatives was synthesized and tested against recombinant human and rat ecto-5'-nucleotidases (h-e5'NT and r-e5'NT) and alkaline phosphatase isozymes including both bovine tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (b-TNAP) and tissue-specific calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase (c-IAP). These enzymes are implicated in vascular calcifications, hypophosphatasia, solid tumors, and cancers, such as colon, lung, breast, pancreas, and ovary. All tested compounds were active against both enzymes. The most potent inhibitor of h-e5'NT was derivative (E)-N'-(1-(3-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3j), whereas derivative (E)-N'-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3g) exhibited significant inhibitory activity against r-e5'NT. In addition, the derivative (E)-N'-(4'-chlorobenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3a) was most potent inhibitor against calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase and the derivative (E)-N'-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3g) was found to be most potent inhibitor of bovine tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, putative binding modes of potent compounds against e5'NT (human and rat e5'NT) and AP (including b-TNAP and c-IAP) were determined computationally. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  4. Household response to environmental incentives for rain garden adoption

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Newburn, David A.; Alberini, Anna

    2016-02-01

    A decentralized approach to encourage the voluntary adoption of household stormwater management practices is increasingly needed to mitigate urban runoff and to comply with more stringent water quality regulations. We analyze the household response to a hypothetical rebate program to incentivize rain garden adoption using household survey data from the Baltimore-Washington corridor. We asked respondents whether the household would adopt a rain garden without a rebate or when offered a randomly assigned rebate. An interval-data model is used to estimate household demand on the willingness to pay (WTP) for a rain garden as a function of demographic factors, gardening activities, environmental attitudes, and other household characteristics. Estimation results indicate that mean WTP for a rain garden in our sample population is approximately $6.72 per square foot, corresponding to almost three-fourths of the installation cost. The expected adoption rate more than tripled when comparing no rebate versus a government rebate set at one-third of the installation cost, indicating that economic incentives matter. There is substantial heterogeneity in the WTP among households. Higher levels of WTP are estimated for households with higher environmental concern for the Chesapeake Bay and local streams, garden experience, higher income, and non-senior citizen adults. We conclude that a cost-share rebate approach is likely to significantly affect household adoption decisions, and the partial contributions paid by households can assist with lowering the substantial compliance costs for local governments to meet water quality requirements.

  5. [Effects of alkaline fertilizer on cadmium content in rice and paddy soil.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Liang Liang; Fan, Xiao Lin; Zhang, Li Dan; Liu, Fang

    2016-03-01

    A field plot trial was conducted at Songbai Village, Chenzhou, Hunan Province to exa-mine the effects of alkaline fertilizer with and without combination application of bacterial regent on cadmium accumulation in rice and paddy soil. Compared with the conventional fertilizer, the alkaline fertilizer reduced the available cadmium content in soil at the tillering, filling and the harvest stages by 8.3%, 6.7% and 16.4% respectively. Compared with the Cd content in soil before transplanting, it was reduced by 7.2% at harvest time in alkaline fertilizer treatment, while increased by 11.0% in the conventional fertilizer treatment. The available cadmium content in soil was increased by 1.2% to 23.3% by bacterial regent. Compared with the conventional fertilizer, the cadmium content of root, stem sheath, leaf, grain and brown rice of the alkaline fertilizer treatment reduced by 54.9%, 56.6%, 41.8%, 62.7% and 67.6% respectively. The alkaline fertilizer treatment combined with bacterial regent increased the cadmium content of brown rice by 63.2%. It was concluded that the alkaline fertilizer could significantly reduce the available cadmium content in both soil and the different organs of the rice, however, when it was combined with bacterial regent together, the effect of alkaline fertilizer to reduce Cd content of brown rice would be declined.

  6. Purification, biochemical characterization, and implications of an alkali-tolerant catalase from the spacecraft-associated and oxidation-resistant Acinetobacter gyllenbergii 2P01AA.

    PubMed

    Muster, N; Derecho, I; Dallal, F; Alvarez, R; McCoy, K B; Mogul, R

    2015-04-01

    Herein, we report on the purification, characterization, and sequencing of catalase from Acinetobacter gyllenbergii 2P01AA, an extremely oxidation-resistant bacterium that was isolated from the Mars Phoenix spacecraft assembly facility. The Acinetobacter are dominant members of the microbial communities that inhabit spacecraft assembly facilities and consequently may serve as forward contaminants that could impact the integrity of future life-detection missions. Catalase was purified by using a 3-step chromatographic procedure, where mass spectrometry provided respective subunit and intact masses of 57.8 and 234.6 kDa, which were consistent with a small-subunit tetrameric catalase. Kinetics revealed an extreme pH stability with no loss in activity between pH 5 and 11.5 and provided respective kcat/Km and kcat values of ∼10(7) s(-1) M(-1) and 10(6) s(-1), which are among the highest reported for bacterial catalases. The amino acid sequence was deduced by in-depth peptide mapping, and structural homology suggested that the catalases from differing strains of A. gyllenbergii differ only at residues near the subunit interfaces, which may impact catalytic stability. Together, the kinetic, alkali-tolerant, and halotolerant properties of the catalase from A. gyllenbergii 2P01AA are significant, as they are consistent with molecular adaptations toward the alkaline, low-humidity, and potentially oxidizing conditions of spacecraft assembly facilities. Therefore, these results support the hypothesis that the selective pressures of the assembly facilities impact the microbial communities at the molecular level, which may have broad implications for future life-detection missions.

  7. Recurrent AA Amyloidosis Combined With Chronic Active Antibody-mediated Rejection After Kidney Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Yeo, Min-Kyung; Ham, Young Rok; Choi, Song-Yi; Lee, Yong-Moon; Park, Moon Hyang; Suh, Kwang-Sun

    2017-07-01

    Kidney transplantation for amyloidosis remains a contentious issue. Recurrence of amyloidosis is one of the risks of transplantation. Chronic active antibody-mediated rejection is an important cause of chronic allograft dysfunction. A 47-year-old woman underwent kidney transplantation due to renal AA amyloidosis with unknown etiology. Six years posttransplantation, a kidney biopsy showed AA amyloidosis with chronic active antibody-mediated rejection. Donor-specific antibody class II was positive. The patient underwent intravenous plasmapheresis and treatment with rituximab and colchicine. The relationship between recurrence of amyloidosis and rejection was not obvious. Clinical characteristics of kidney transplantation for AA amyloidosis were subjected to literature review and 315 cases were identified. The incidence of amyloidosis recurrence and acute and chronic rejection rates were 15%, 15%, and 8%, respectively. Five-year patient and graft survival rates were 77% and 82%, respectively. Clinical courses of kidney transplantation in AA amyloidosis were, thus, identified.

  8. Healthier home food preparation methods and youth and caregiver psychosocial factors are associated with lower BMI in African American youth.

    PubMed

    Kramer, Rebecca F; Coutinho, Anastasia J; Vaeth, Elisabeth; Christiansen, Karina; Suratkar, Sonali; Gittelsohn, Joel

    2012-05-01

    Obesity disproportionately affects African American (AA) children and adolescents and leads to an increased risk of adult chronic diseases. Eating few meals at home has been implicated as a cause of obesity among youth, but to our knowledge, previous studies have not specifically investigated this relationship in AA adolescents or looked at both the healthfulness and frequency of home meals in AA households. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between home food preparation and adolescent BMI in a sample of 240 AA adolescents aged 10-15 y and their caregivers. Multiple linear regressions were used to model psychosocial characteristics, household factors, and adolescent and caregiver food preparation behaviors as predictors of adolescent BMI, and psychosocial and household factors as predictors of food preparation behavior. Adolescents in the sample had a mean BMI-for-age percentile of 70.4, and >90% of the sample families received at least one form of food assistance. Adolescent children of caregivers who used healthier cooking methods were more likely to use healthy cooking methods themselves (P = 0.02). Having more meals prepared by a caregiver was predictive of higher BMI-for-age percentile in adolescents (P = 0.02), but healthier cooking methods used by the caregiver was associated with reduced risk of adolescent overweight or obesity (P < 0.01). Meals prepared at home in AA households do not necessarily promote healthy BMI in youth. Family meals are a promising adolescent obesity prevention strategy, but it is important to target both frequency and healthfulness of meals prepared at home for effective health promotion in AA families.

  9. Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells stably working at 80 °C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Hanqing; Li, Qihao; Hu, Meixue; Xiao, Li; Lu, Juntao; Zhuang, Lin

    2018-06-01

    Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a new class of polymer electrolyte fuel cells that fundamentally enables the use of nonprecious metal catalysts. The cell performance mostly relies on the quality of alkaline polymer electrolytes, including the ionic conductivity and the chemical/mechanical stability. For a long time, alkaline polymer electrolytes are thought to be too weak in stability to allow the fuel cell to be operated at elevated temperatures, e.g., above 60 °C. In the present work, we report a progress in the state-of-the-art alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cell technology. By using a newly developed alkaline polymer electrolyte, quaternary ammonia poly (N-methyl-piperidine-co-p-terphenyl), which simultaneously possesses high ionic conductivity and excellent chemical/mechanical stability, the fuel cell can now be stably operated at 80 °C with high power density. The peak power density reaches ca. 1.5 W/cm2 at 80 °C with Pt/C catalysts used in both the anode and the cathode. The cell works stably in a period of study over 100 h.

  10. Heroin Use Is Associated with AA-Type Kidney Amyloidosis in the Pacific Northwest.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Arjun; Govindan, Priyanka; Toukatly, Mirna; Healy, Jack; Henry, Connor; Senter, Steve; Najafian, Behzad; Kestenbaum, Bryan

    2018-06-15

    AA-type kidney amyloidosis is classically associated with chronic autoimmune or inflammatory disorders. However, some urban centers have reported a high prevalence of injection drug use among patients with kidney AA amyloidosis. Previous reports lack control groups to quantify associations and most predate the opioid epidemic in the United States. We conducted a case-control study of 38 patients with biopsy-confirmed kidney AA amyloidosis and 72 matched control individuals without this condition from two large hospital systems in Seattle, Washington. We ascertained the pattern and duration of heroin use by medical chart review and determined associations using logistic regression. Among case patients, 95% had a prior history of heroin use, 87% had skin abscesses, and 76% and 27% had evidence of muscling and skin popping, respectively. After adjustment for age, race, sex, site, and year of biopsy, any heroin use (past or current) was associated with an estimated 170-times higher risk of kidney AA amyloidosis compared with no heroin use (95% confidence interval, 28 to 1018 times higher; P <0.001). Chronic autoimmune disorders were uncommon among case patients in this study. The median time to ESKD among patients with AA amyloidosis was 2.4 years (interquartile range, 0.5-7.5 years). Injection heroin use is strongly associated with kidney AA amyloidosis in the Pacific Northwest. Unique aspects of heroin use, in particular geographic regions or frequent associated soft-tissue infections, may be an important cause of this progressive kidney disease. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  11. Volatile pollutants emitted from selected liquid household products.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Ki-Dong; Jo, Wan-Kuen; Lim, Ho-Jin; Jeong, Woo-Sik

    2008-09-01

    To identify household products that may be potential sources of indoor air pollution, the chemical composition emitted from the products should be surveyed. Although this kind of survey has been conducted by certain research groups in Western Europe and the USA, there is still limited information in scientific literature. Moreover, chemical components and their proportions of household products are suspected to be different with different manufacturers. Consequently, the current study evaluated the emission composition for 42 liquid household products sold in Korea, focusing on five product classes (deodorizers, household cleaners, color removers, pesticides, and polishes). The present study included two phase experiments. First, the chemical components and their proportions in household products were determined using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer system. For the 19 target compounds screened by the first phase of the experiment and other selection criteria, the second phase was done to identify their proportions in the purged-gas phase. The number of chemicals in the household products surveyed ranged from 9 to 113. Eight (product class of pesticides) to 17 (product class of cleaning products) compounds were detected in the purged-gas phase of each product class. Several compounds were identified in more than one product class. Six chemicals (acetone, ethanol, limonene, perchloroethylene (PCE), phenol, and 1-propanol) were identified in all five product classes. There were 13 analytes occurring with a frequency of more than 10% in the household products: limonene (76.2%), ethanol (71.4%), PCE (66.7%), phenol (40.5%), 1-propanol (35.7%), decane (33%), acetone (28.6%), toluene (19.0%), 2-butoxy ethanol (16.7%), o-xylene (16.7%), chlorobenzene (14.3%), ethylbenzene (11.9%), and hexane (11.9%). All of the 42 household products analyzed were found to contain one or more of the 19 compounds. The chemical composition varied broadly along with the product

  12. Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and The Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

    2005-10-01

    Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or more efficient areal sweep efficiency for those with high permeability contrast ''thief zones''. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or those with thief zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. A priormore » fluid-fluid report discussed interaction of different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in the fluid-fluid analyses. Aluminum-polyacrylamide, flowing gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions of either pH 10.5 or 12.9. Chromium acetate-polyacrylamide flowing and rigid flowing gels are stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Rigid flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels maintained permeability reduction better than flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels. Silicate-polyacrylamide gels are not stable with subsequent injection of either a pH 10.5 or a 12.9 alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution. Chromium acetate-xanthan gum rigid gels are not stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. When evaluated in a dual core configuration, injected fluid flows into the core with the greatest effective permeability to the injected fluid. The same gel stability trends to

  13. Bacterial cellulose based hydrogel (BC-g-AA) and preliminary result of swelling behavior

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hakam, Adil; Lazim, Azwan Mat; Abdul Rahman, I. Irman

    2013-11-27

    In this study, hydrogel based on Bacterial cellulose (BC) or local known as Nata de Coco, which grafted with monomer: Acrylic acid (AA) is synthesis by using gamma radiation technique. These hydrogel (BC-g-AA) has unique characteristic whereby responsive to pH buffer solution.

  14. Four-point-bend fatigue of AA 2026 aluminum alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, J. X.; Zhai, T.; Garratt, M. D.; Bray, G. H.

    2005-09-01

    High-cycle fatigue tests were carried out on a newly developed high-strength AA 2026 Al alloy, which was in the form of extrusion bars with square and rectangular cross sections, using a self-aligning four-point-bend rig at room temperature, 15 Hz, and R = 0.1, in lab air. The fatigue strength of the square and rectangular bars was measured to be 85 and 90 pct of their yield strength, respectively, more than twice that of the predecessor to the 2026 alloy (the AA 2024 Al alloy). Fatigue cracks were found to be always initiated at large Θ' (Al7Cu2(Fe,Mn)) particles and to propagate predominantly in a crystallographic mode in the AA 2026 alloy. The fatigue fractographies of the square and rectangular extrusion bars were found to be markedly different, due to their different grain structures (fibril and layered, respectively). Fracture steps on the crack face were found in both of these extrusion bars. Since the 2026 alloy was purer in terms of Fe and Si content, it contained much less coarse particles than in a 2024 alloy. This partially accounted for the superior fatigue strength of the 2026 alloy.

  15. Dynamic Response of AA2519 Aluminum Alloy under High Strain Rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olasumboye, Adewale Taiwo

    Like others in the AA2000 series, AA2519 is a heat-treatable Al-Cu alloy. Its excellent ballistic properties and stress corrosion cracking resistance, combined with other properties, qualify it as a prime candidate for armored vehicle and aircraft applications. However, available data on its high strain-rate response remains limited. In this study, AA2519 aluminum alloy was investigated in three different temper conditions: T4, T6, and T8, to determine the effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and dynamic deformation behavior of the material at high strain rates ranging within 1000 ≤ epsilon ≤ 4000 s-1. Split Hopkinson pressure bar integrated with digital image correlation system was used for mechanical response characterization. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the microstructure of the material after following standard metallographic specimen preparation techniques. Results showed heterogeneous deformation in the three temper conditions. It was observed that dynamic behavior in each condition was dependent on strength properties due to the aging type controlling the strengthening precipitates produced and initial microstructure. At 1500 s -1, AA2519-T6 exhibited peak dynamic yield strength and flow stress of 509 and 667 MPa respectively, which are comparable with what were observed in T8 condition at higher rate of 3500 s-1 but AA2519-T4 showed the least strength and flow stress properties. Early stress collapse, dynamic strain aging, and higher susceptibility to shear band formation and fracture were observed in the T6 condition within the selected range of high strain rates. The alloy's general mode of damage evolution was by dispersoid particle nucleation, shearing and cracking.

  16. Selection and characterization of resistance to the Vip3Aa20 protein from Bacillus thuringiensis in Spodoptera frugiperda.

    PubMed

    Bernardi, Oderlei; Bernardi, Daniel; Horikoshi, Renato J; Okuma, Daniela M; Miraldo, Leonardo L; Fatoretto, Julio; Medeiros, Fernanda Cl; Burd, Tony; Omoto, Celso

    2016-09-01

    Spodoptera frugiperda is one the main target pests of maize events expressing Vip3Aa20 protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in Brazil. In this study, we selected a resistant strain of S. frugiperda on Bt maize expressing Vip3Aa20 protein and characterized the inheritance and fitness costs of the resistance. The resistance ratio of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain of S. frugiperda was >3200-fold. Neonates of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain were able to survive and emerge as fertile adults on Vip3Aa20 maize, while larvae from susceptible and heterozygous strains did not survive. The inheritance of Vip3Aa20 resistance was autosomal recessive and monogenic. Life history studies to investigate fitness cost revealed an 11% reduction in the survival rate until adult stage and a ∼50% lower reproductive rate of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain compared with susceptible and heterozygous strains. This is the first characterization of S. frugiperda resistance to Vip3Aa protein. Our results provide useful information for resistance management programs designed to prevent or delay resistance evolution to Vip3Aa proteins in S. frugiperda. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Household Transmission of Vibrio cholerae in Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Sugimoto, Jonathan D.; Koepke, Amanda A.; Kenah, Eben E.; Halloran, M. Elizabeth; Chowdhury, Fahima; Khan, Ashraful I.; LaRocque, Regina C.; Yang, Yang; Ryan, Edward T.; Qadri, Firdausi; Calderwood, Stephen B.; Harris, Jason B.; Longini, Ira M.

    2014-01-01

    Background Vibrio cholerae infections cluster in households. This study's objective was to quantify the relative contribution of direct, within-household exposure (for example, via contamination of household food, water, or surfaces) to endemic cholera transmission. Quantifying the relative contribution of direct exposure is important for planning effective prevention and control measures. Methodology/Principal Findings Symptom histories and multiple blood and fecal specimens were prospectively collected from household members of hospital-ascertained cholera cases in Bangladesh from 2001–2006. We estimated the probabilities of cholera transmission through 1) direct exposure within the household and 2) contact with community-based sources of infection. The natural history of cholera infection and covariate effects on transmission were considered. Significant direct transmission (p-value<0.0001) occurred among 1414 members of 364 households. Fecal shedding of O1 El Tor Ogawa was associated with a 4.9% (95% confidence interval: 0.9%–22.8%) risk of infection among household contacts through direct exposure during an 11-day infectious period (mean length). The estimated 11-day risk of O1 El Tor Ogawa infection through exposure to community-based sources was 2.5% (0.8%–8.0%). The corresponding estimated risks for O1 El Tor Inaba and O139 infection were 3.7% (0.7%–16.6%) and 8.2% (2.1%–27.1%) through direct exposure, and 3.4% (1.7%–6.7%) and 2.0% (0.5%–7.3%) through community-based exposure. Children under 5 years-old were at elevated risk of infection. Limitations of the study may have led to an underestimation of the true risk of cholera infection. For instance, available covariate data may have incompletely characterized levels of pre-existing immunity to cholera infection. Transmission via direct exposure occurring outside of the household was not considered. Conclusions Direct exposure contributes substantially to endemic transmission of symptomatic

  18. Household food insecurity during childhood and adolescent misconduct.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Dylan B; Vaughn, Michael G

    2017-03-01

    A large body of research has found that household food insecurity can interfere with the healthy development of children. The link between household food insecurity during childhood and misbehaviors during adolescence, however, is not commonly explored. The objective of the current study is to assess whether household food insecurity across childhood predicts four different forms of misconduct during early adolescence. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K), a nationally representative sample of U.S. children, were employed in the present study. Associations between household food insecurity during childhood and adolescent misconduct were examined using Logistic and Negative Binomial Regression. Analyses were performed separately for males and females. The results revealed that household food insecurity and food insecurity persistence were predictive of most forms of misconduct for males, and were consistently predictive of engagement in multiple forms of misconduct and a greater variety of forms of misconduct for males. For females, however, household food insecurity generally failed to predict adolescent misconduct. The behavioral development of males during adolescence appears to be sensitive to the presence and persistence of household food insecurity during childhood. Future research should seek to replicate and extend the present findings to late adolescence and adulthood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Cementitious porous pavement in stormwater quality control: pH and alkalinity elevation.

    PubMed

    Kuang, Xuheng; Sansalone, John

    2011-01-01

    A certain level of alkalinity acts as a buffer and maintains the pH value in a stable range in water bodies. With rapid urban development, more and more acidic pollutants flow to watersheds with runoff and drop alkalinity to a very low level and ultimately degrade the water environment. Cementitious porous pavement is an effective tool for stormwater acidic neutralization. When stormwater infiltrates cement porous pavement (CPP) materials, alkalinity and pH will be elevated due to the basic characteristics of cement concrete. The elevated alkalinity will neutralize acids in water bodies and maintain the pH in a stable level as a buffer. It is expected that CPP materials still have a certain capability of alkalinity elevation after years of service, which is important for CPP as an effective tool for stormwater management. However, few previous studies have reported on how CPP structures would elevate runoff alkalinity and pH after being exposed to rainfall-runoff for years. In this study, three groups of CPP specimens, all exposed to rainfall-runoff for 3 years, were used to test the pH and alkalinity elevation properties. It was found that runoff pH values were elevated from 7.4 to the range of 7.8-8.6 after infiltrating through the uncoated specimens, and from 7.4 to 8.5-10.7 after infiltrating through aluminum-coated specimens. Runoff alkalinity elevation efficiencies are 11.5-14.5% for uncoated specimens and 42.2% for coated specimens. The study shows that CPP is an effective passive unit operation for stormwater acid neutralization in our built environment.

  20. AA-PMe, a novel asiatic acid derivative, induces apoptosis and suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Jing, Yue; Wang, Gang; Ge, Ying; Xu, Minjie; Tang, Shuainan; Gong, Zhunan

    2016-01-01

    Asiatic acid (AA; 2α,3β,23-trihydroxyurs-12-ene-28-oic acid) is widely used for medicinal purposes in many Asian countries due to its various bioactivities. A series of AA derivatives has been synthesized in attempts to improve its therapeutic potencies. Herein we investigated the anti-tumor activities of N-(2α,3β,23-acetoxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-l-proline methyl ester (AA-PMe), a novel AA derivative. AA-PMe exhibited a stronger anti-cancer activity than its parent compound AA. AA-PMe inhibited the proliferation of SGC7901 and HGC27 human gastric cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner but had no significant toxicity in human gastric mucosa epithelial cells (GES-1). AA-PMe induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and blocked G1-S transition, which correlated well with marked decreases in levels of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase CKD4, and phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein, and increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P15. Further, AA-PMe induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells by affecting Bcl-2, Bax, c-Myc, and caspase-3. Moreover, AA-PMe suppressed the migration and invasion of human gastric cancer cells (SGC7901 and HGC27) cells by downregulating the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Overall, this study investigated the potential anti-cancer activities of AA-PMe including inducing apoptosis and suppressing proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms, suggesting that AA-PMe is a promising anti-cancer drug candidate in gastric cancer therapy.

  1. Anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues for methane production.

    PubMed

    Li, Guixia; Zhong, Weizhang; Wang, Rui; Chen, Jiaqi; Li, Zaixing

    2017-08-01

    Optimum anaerobic conditions of cephalosporin bacterial residues after thermal-alkaline pretreatment were determined by orthogonal experiments. And through biochemical methane potential tests (BMPs) for cephalosporin bacterial residues, the ability for bacterial degradation of cephalosporin was also evaluated. The thermal-alkaline pretreatment with the optimum values of 6% NaOH at 105 °C for 15 min significantly improved digestion performance. With the thermal-alkaline pretreatment, the specific methane yield of the pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residue increased by 254.79% compared with that of the un-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residue. The results showed that anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues could be one of the options for efficient methane production and waste treatment. This work investigates the thermal-alkaline pretreatment of cephalosporin bacterial residues, which can increase their methane yield by 254.79% compared with no pretreatment. The digestion performance is significantly improved under the condition of 6% NaOH at 105 °C for 15 min. The results show that anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues could be one of the options for efficient methane production and waste treatment.

  2. The household-level economic burden of heart disease in India.

    PubMed

    Karan, Anup; Engelgau, Michael; Mahal, Ajay

    2014-05-01

    To estimate healthcare use and financial burden associated with heart disease among Indian households. Data from the 2004 round household survey of the National Sample Survey in India were used to assess the implications of heart disease for out-of-pocket health spending, spending on items other than health care, employment and healthcare financing patterns, by matching households with a member self-reporting heart disease (cardiovascular disease (CVD)-affected households) to (control) households with similar socio-economic and demographic characteristics. Propensity score matching methods were used. Compared with control households, CVD-affected households had more outpatient visits and inpatient stays, spent an extra INT$ (International Dollars) 232 (P < 0.01) per member on inpatient care annually, had lower non-medical spending (by INT$5 (P < 0.01) per member for a 15-day reference period), had a share of out-of-pocket health spending in total household expenditure that was 16.5% higher (P < 0.01) and relied more on borrowing and asset sales to finance inpatient care (32.7% vs. 12.8%, P < 0.01). Members of CVD-affected households had lower employment rates than members of control households (43.6% vs. 46.4%, P < 0.01), and elderly members experienced larger declines in employment than younger adults. CVD-affected households with lower socio-economic status were at heightened financial risk. Non-communicable conditions such as CVD can impose a serious economic burden on Indian households. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Systemic AA amyloidosis in island foxes (Urocyon littoralis): Severity and risk factors

    PubMed Central

    Gaffney, Patricia M.; Witte, Carmel; Clifford, Deana L.; Imai, Denise M.; O’Brien, Timothy D.; Trejo, Margarita; Liberta, Falk; Annamalai, Karthikeyan; Fändrich, Marcus; Masliah, Eliezer; Munson, Linda; Sigurdson, Christina J.

    2016-01-01

    Systemic amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is highly prevalent (34%) in endangered island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) and poses a risk to species recovery. Although elevated serum amyloid A from prolonged or recurrent inflammation predisposes to AA amyloidosis, additional risk factors are poorly understood. Here we define the severity of glomerular and medullary renal amyloid and identify risk factors for AA amyloidosis in 321 island foxes necropsied from 1987 through 2010. In affected kidneys, amyloid more commonly accumulated in the medullary interstitium than in the glomeruli [98% (78/80) versus 56% (45/80), respectively, p < 0.0001], and medullary deposition was more commonly severe [19% (20/105)] as compared to glomeruli [7% (7/105), p = 0.01]. Univariate odds ratios (ORs) of severe renal AA amyloidosis were greater for short- and long-term captive foxes compared to free-ranging (OR=3.2, 3.7, respectively, overall p = 0.05) and females compared to males (OR = 2.9, p = 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression revealed independent risk factors for amyloid development were increasing age class (OR = 3.8, p < 0.0001), San Clemente Island subspecies compared to San Nicolas Island subspecies (OR = 5.3, p = 0.0003), captivity (OR = 5.1, p = 0.0001), and nephritis (OR = 2.3, p = 0.01). The increased risk associated with the San Clemente subspecies or captivity suggests roles for genetic as well as exogenous risk factors in the development of AA amyloidosis. PMID:26419399

  4. Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions.

    PubMed

    Rago, Laura; Baeza, Juan A; Guisasola, Albert

    2016-06-01

    This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH=9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L(-1)REACTOR·d(-1)). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Bone Morphogenic Protein 4-Smad-Induced Upregulation of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor AA Impairs Endothelial Function.

    PubMed

    Hu, Weining; Zhang, Yang; Wang, Li; Lau, Chi Wai; Xu, Jian; Luo, Jiang-Yun; Gou, Lingshan; Yao, Xiaoqiang; Chen, Zhen-Yu; Ma, Ronald Ching Wan; Tian, Xiao Yu; Huang, Yu

    2016-03-01

    Bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4) is an important mediator of endothelial dysfunction in cardio-metabolic diseases, whereas platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are major angiogenic and proinflammatory mediator, although the functional link between these 2 factors is unknown. The present study investigated whether PDGF mediates BMP4-induced endothelial dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. We generated Ad-Bmp4 to overexpress Bmp4 and Ad-Pdgfa-shRNA to knockdown Pdgfa in mice through tail intravenous injection. SMAD4-shRNA lentivirus, SMAD1-shRNA, and SMAD5 shRNA adenovirus were used for knockdown in human and mouse endothelial cells. We found that PDGF-AA impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in aortas and mesenteric resistance arteries. BMP4 upregulated PDGF-AA in human and mouse endothelial cells, which was abolished by BMP4 antagonist noggin or knockdown of SMAD1/5 or SMAD4. BMP4-impared relaxation in mouse aorta was also ameliorated by PDGF-AA neutralizing antibody. Tail injection of Ad-Pdgfa-shRNA ameliorates endothelial dysfunction induced by Bmp4 overexpression (Ad-Bmp4) in vivo. Serum PDGF-AA was elevated in both diabetic patients and diabetic db/db mice compared with nondiabetic controls. Pdgfa-shRNA or Bmp4-shRNA adenovirus reduced serum PDGF-AA concentration in db/db mice. PDGF-AA neutralizing antibody or tail injection with Pdgfa-shRNA adenovirus improved endothelial function in aortas and mesenteric resistance arteries from db/db mice. The effect of PDGF-AA on endothelial function in mouse aorta was also inhibited by Ad-Pdgfra-shRNA to inhibit PDGFRα. The present study provides novel evidences to show that PDGF-AA impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilation and PDGF-AA mediates BMP4-induced adverse effect on endothelial cell function through SMAD1/5- and SMAD4-dependent mechanisms. Inhibition of PGDF-AA ameliorates vascular dysfunction in diabetic mice. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  6. Endothelin-1, oxidative stress and endogenous ANGII: mechanisms of AT1-AA-enhanced Renal and Blood Pressure Response during pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Brewer, Justin; Liu, Ruisheng; Lu, Yan; Scott, Jeremy; Wallace, Kedra; Wallukat, Gerd; Moseley, Janae; Herse, Florian; Dechend, Ralf; Martin, James N.; LaMarca, Babbette

    2013-01-01

    Hypertension during preeclampsia is associated with increased maternal vascular sensitivity to angiotensin II (ANGII). This study was designed to determine mechanisms whereby agonistic autoantibodies to the ANGII type I receptor (AT1-AA) enhance blood pressure (MAP) and renal vascular sensitivity to ANGII during pregnancy. First, we examined MAP and renal artery resistance index (RARI) in response to chronic administration of ANGII or AT1-AA or AT1-AA+ANGII in pregnant rats compared to control pregnant rats. In order to examine mechanisms of heightened sensitivity in response to AT1-AA during pregnancy we examined the role of endogenous ANGII in AT1-AA infused pregnant rats, Endothelin-1 and oxidative stress in AT1-AA+ANGII treated rats. Chronic ANGII increased MAP from 95 +/−2 in NP rats to 115 +/−2 mmHg. Chronic AT1-AA increased MAP to 118+/−1 mmHg in NP rats which further increased to 123+/−2 with AT1-AA+ANGII. Increasing ANGII from (10−11-10−8) decreased Af-Art diameter 15-20% but sharply decreased Af-Art diameter 60% in AT1-AA pretreated vessels. RARI increased from 0.67 in NP rats to 0.70 with AT1-AA infusion, which was exacerbated to 0.74 in AT1-AA + ANGII infused rats. AT1-AA-induced hypertension decreased with Enalapril but was not attenuated. Both tissue ET-1 and ROS increased with AT1-AA+ANGII compared to AT1-AA alone and blockade of either of these pathways had significant effects on MAP or RARI. These data support the hypothesis that AT1-AA, via activation of ET-1 and oxidative stress and interaction with endogenous ANGII, are important mechanisms whereby MAP and renal vascular responses are enhanced during preeclampsia. PMID:24041954

  7. Determination of alkaline phosphatase based on affinity adsorption solid-substrate room temperature phosphorimetry using rhodamine 6G-dibromoluciferin luminescent nanoparticle to label lectin and prediction of diseases.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jia-Ming; Liu, Zhen-Bo; Hu, Li-Xiang; He, Hang-Xia; Yang, Min-Lan; Zhou, Ping; Chen, Xin-Hua; Zheng, Min-Min; Zeng, Xiao-Yi; Xu, Yue-Long

    2006-10-15

    In the presence of heavy atom perturber LiAc, the silicon dioxide nanoparticle containing rhodamine 6G (R) and dibromoluciferin (D) (R-D-SiO(2)) can emit strong and stable solid-substrate room temperature phosphorescence signal of R (lambda(ex)/lambda(em)=481/648 nm) and D (lambda(ex)/lambda(em)=457/622 nm) on the surface of acetyl cellulose membrane (ACM). R-D-SiO(2) is used to label triticum vulgare lectin (WGA). Then two types of affinity adsorption reactions, R-D-SiO(2)-WGA- alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (direct method) and WGA-ALP-WGA-R-D-SiO(2) (sandwich method), are carried out on ACM. The conditions and the analytical characteristics for the determination of ALP using affinity adsorption solid-substrate room temperature phosphorimetry (AA-SS-RTP) were studied. For a 0.40-microl drop of sample, results show that the detection limits of the sandwich method are 0.16 ag spot(-1)(457/622 nm) and 0.17 ag spot(-1)(481/648 nm), and the detection limits of the direct method are 0.41 ag spot(-1) (457/622 nm) and 0.44 ag spot(-1) (481/648 nm). The contents of ALP in human serum correlated well with those obtained by enzyme-linked immunoassay. This study shows that AA-SS-RTP whether by the sandwich method or the direct method, can combine very well the characteristics of both high sensitivity of SS-RTP and specificity of the immunoreaction. Simultaneously, whether the phosphorescence excitation/emission wavelength of either R or D in R-D-SiO(2) is chosen to determine ALP, this can promote the agility and widen the adaptability of AA-SS-RTP.

  8. HOUSEHOLD NUCLEATION, DEPENDENCY AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES IN GHANA.

    PubMed

    Annim, Samuel Kobina; Awusabo-Asare, Kofi; Amo-Adjei, Joshua

    2015-09-01

    This study uses three key anthropometric measures of nutritional status among children (stunting, wasting and underweight) to explore the dual effects of household composition and dependency on nutritional outcomes of under-five children in Ghana. The objective is to examine changes in household living arrangements of under-five children to explore the interaction of dependency and nucleation on child health outcomes. The concept of nucleation refers to the changing structure and composition of household living arrangements, from highly extended with its associated socioeconomic system of production and reproduction, social behaviour and values, towards single-family households - especially the nuclear family, containing a husband and wife and their children alone. A negative relationship between levels of dependency, as measured by the number of children in the household, and child health outcomes is premised on the grounds that high dependency depletes resources, both tangible and intangible, to the disadvantage of young children. Data were drawn from the last four rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHSs), from 1993 to 2008, for the first objective - to explore changes in household composition. For the second objective, the study used data from the 2008 GDHS. The results show that, over time, households in Ghana have been changing towards nucleation. The main finding is that in households with the same number of dependent children, in nucleated households children under age 5 have better health outcomes compared with children under age 5 in non-nucleated households. The results also indicate that the effect of dependency on child health outcomes is mediated by household nucleation and wealth status and that, as such, high levels of dependency do not necessarily translate into negative health outcomes for children under age 5, based on anthropometric measures.

  9. Energetics of Amino Acid Synthesis in Alkaline Hydrothermal Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kitadai, Norio

    2015-12-01

    Alkaline hydrothermal systems have received considerable attention as candidates for the origin and evolution of life on the primitive Earth. Nevertheless, sufficient information has not yet been obtained for the thermodynamic properties of amino acids, which are necessary components for life, at high temperatures and alkaline pH. These properties were estimated using experimental high-temperature volume and heat capacity data reported in the literature for several amino acids, together with correlation algorithms and the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers (HKF) equations of state. This approach enabled determination of a complete set of the standard molal thermodynamic data and the revised HKF parameters for the 20 protein amino acids in their zwitterionic and ionization states. The obtained dataset was then used to evaluate the energetics of amino acid syntheses from simple inorganic precursors (CO2, H2, NH3 and H2S) in a simulated alkaline hydrothermal system on the Hadean Earth. Results show that mixing between CO2-rich seawater and the H2-rich hydrothermal fluid can produce energetically favorable conditions for amino acid syntheses, particularly in the lower-temperature region of such systems. Together with data related to the pH and temperature dependences of the energetics of amino acid polymerizations presented in earlier reports, these results suggest the following. Hadean alkaline hydrothermal settings, where steep pH and temperature gradients may have existed between cool, slightly acidic Hadean ocean water and hot, alkaline hydrothermal fluids at the vent-ocean interface, may be energetically the most suitable environment for the synthesis and polymerization of amino acids.

  10. Energetics of Amino Acid Synthesis in Alkaline Hydrothermal Environments.

    PubMed

    Kitadai, Norio

    2015-12-01

    Alkaline hydrothermal systems have received considerable attention as candidates for the origin and evolution of life on the primitive Earth. Nevertheless, sufficient information has not yet been obtained for the thermodynamic properties of amino acids, which are necessary components for life, at high temperatures and alkaline pH. These properties were estimated using experimental high-temperature volume and heat capacity data reported in the literature for several amino acids, together with correlation algorithms and the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers (HKF) equations of state. This approach enabled determination of a complete set of the standard molal thermodynamic data and the revised HKF parameters for the 20 protein amino acids in their zwitterionic and ionization states. The obtained dataset was then used to evaluate the energetics of amino acid syntheses from simple inorganic precursors (CO2, H2, NH3 and H2S) in a simulated alkaline hydrothermal system on the Hadean Earth. Results show that mixing between CO2-rich seawater and the H2-rich hydrothermal fluid can produce energetically favorable conditions for amino acid syntheses, particularly in the lower-temperature region of such systems. Together with data related to the pH and temperature dependences of the energetics of amino acid polymerizations presented in earlier reports, these results suggest the following. Hadean alkaline hydrothermal settings, where steep pH and temperature gradients may have existed between cool, slightly acidic Hadean ocean water and hot, alkaline hydrothermal fluids at the vent-ocean interface, may be energetically the most suitable environment for the synthesis and polymerization of amino acids.

  11. Development of an alkaline/surfactant/polymer compositional reservoir simulator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhuyan, D.

    1989-01-01

    The mathematical formulation of a generalized three-dimensional compositional reservoir simulator for high-pH chemical flooding processes is presented in this work. The model assumes local thermodynamic equilibrium with respect to both reaction chemistry and phase behavior and calculates equilibrium electrolyte and phase compositions as a function of time and position. The reaction chemistry considers aqueous electrolytic chemistry, precipitation/dissolution of minerals, ion exchange reactions on matrix surface, reaction of acidic components of crude oil with the bases in the aqueous solution and cation exchange reactions with the micelles. The simulator combines this detailed reaction chemistry associated with these processes with the extensivemore » physical and flow property modeling schemes of an existing chemical flood simulator (UTCHEM) to model the multiphase, multidimensional displacement processes. The formulation of the chemical equilibrium model is quite general and is adaptable to simulate a variety of chemical descriptions. In addition to its use in the simulation of high-pH chemical flooding processes, the model will find application in the simulation of other reactive flow problems like the ground water contamination, reinjection of produced water, chemical waste disposal, etc. in one, two or three dimensions and under multiphase flow conditions. In this work, the model is used to simulate several hypothetical cases of high-pH chemical floods, which include cases from a simple alkaline preflush of a micellar/polymer flood to surfactant enhanced alkaline-polymer flooding and the results are analyzed. Finally, a few published alkaline, alkaline-polymer and surfactant-alkaline-polymer corefloods are simulated and compared with the experimental results.« less

  12. AAS Publishing News: Preparing Your Manuscript Just Got Easier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-03-01

    Watermarking using the command watermark{DRAFT, v2}.Are you an astronomer considering submitting a paper to an AAS journal (i.e., AJ, ApJ, ApJ Letters, or ApJ Supplements)? If so, this post is for you! Read on to find out about the exciting new things you can do with the AASs newest LaTeX class file, available for download now.Why the Update?AAS publishing has maintained a consistent class file for LaTeX manuscript preparation for the past decade. But academic publishing is changing rapidly in todays era of electronic journals! Since its journals went fully electronic, the AAS has been continuously adding new publishing capabilities based on the recommendations of the Journals Task Force and the needs and requests of AAS authors. The AASs manuscript preparation tools are now being updated accordingly.Whats New in AASTex 6.0?There are many exciting new features and capabilities in AASTex 6.0. Here are just a few:Tracking options for author revisions include added{text}, deleted{text}, replaced{old}{new}, and explain{text}.Based on emulateapjDo you use the popular class file emulateapj to prepare your manuscripts? AASTex 6.0 is based on emulateapj, rather than on the older AASTex 5.2 (though 5.2 is still supported). This means that it is easy to produce a double-columned, single-spaced, and astro-ph-ready manuscript. Since two thirds of the AAS journals authors use emulateapj, this transition was designed to make manuscript preparation and sharing an easier and more seamless process.Tools for collaborationsDo you work in a large collaboration? AASTex now includes new tools to make preparing a manuscript within a collaboration easier. Drafts can now be watermarked to differentiate between versions. New markup for large author lists streamlines the display so that readers can access article information immediately, yet they can still access the full author list and affiliations at the end of the paper. And author revision markup allows members of a collaboration to

  13. Fault-tolerant composite Householder reflection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torosov, Boyan T.; Kyoseva, Elica; Vitanov, Nikolay V.

    2015-07-01

    We propose a fault-tolerant implementation of the quantum Householder reflection, which is a key operation in various quantum algorithms, quantum-state engineering, generation of arbitrary unitaries, and entanglement characterization. We construct this operation using the modular approach of composite pulses and a relation between the Householder reflection and the quantum phase gate. The proposed implementation is highly insensitive to variations in the experimental parameters, which makes it suitable for high-fidelity quantum information processing.

  14. Analysis of serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases.

    PubMed

    Kojima, K; Ohno, K; Kanemoto, H; Goto-Koshino, Y; Fukushima, K; Tsujimoto, H

    2017-05-01

    To reveal the relationship between canine corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity and hepatobiliary diseases. Retrospective analysis of the relationship between serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase activity and diagnosis, serum cortisol concentration and alanine transferase activity in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. Dogs with a history of glucocorticoid administration were excluded. Seventy-two dogs with hepatobiliary diseases were analysed. The serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase concentration was increased in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. There was no correlation between serum cortisol concentration and serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase percentage or activity. Dogs with hepatobiliary disease can exhibit high serum alkaline phosphatase activity even if the dogs have not been administrated glucocorticoids and the serum cortisol concentration is normal. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

  15. Monetary and nonmonetary household consumption of health services and the role of insurance benefits: An analysis of the Mexico's National Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

    PubMed

    Serván-Mori, Edson; Wirtz, Veronika J

    2018-05-23

    To study the monetary and nonmonetary consumption of healthcare services at household level in Mexico and the magnitude of the contribution of public programs. By using the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2012, we performed a cross-sectional and observational analysis of actual household consumption of health services by insurance type (no insurance, social security, Seguro Popular (SP)). Household consumption was divided into 2 categories: consumption related to "monetary" expenditure in health care and "nonmonetary" consumption in health care by the household. Nonmonetary included self-consumption or gifts received from other households and institutional contributions such as government payments or private organization transfers. In SP households, monetary and nonmonetary consumption of health services represented the highest proportion of available household expenditure (11.2%) compared to uninsured (8.4%) and social security (5.9%) households. The prevalence of outpatient consultation and medicine use is the highest among the health service consumption categories regardless of insurance status. Distribution of nonmonetary versus monetary consumption of health services was pro-poor: The poorer the households, the larger the proportion of nonmonetary consumption. The higher probability of receiving nonmonetary resources as a component of health service consumption in SP households is likely to increase the affordability to health services and likely to reduce healthcare expenditures. Future research should focus on the type of nonmonetary consumption of health services at household level to better understand financial protection and access to health care in Mexico. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Analysis of differentially expressed genes and adaptive mechanisms of Prunus triloba Lindl. under alkaline stress.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jia; Wang, Yongqing; Li, Qingtian

    2017-01-01

    Prunus triloba Lindl. is a naturally salt-alkaline-tolerant plant with several unique characteristics, and it can be used as the rootstock of Chinese plum ( Prunus salicina Lindl.) in saline-alkaline soils. To comprehensively investigate the alkaline acclimation mechanisms in P. triloba , a series of analyses were conducted under alkaline stress, including analyses of the kinetics of molecular and physiological changes, and leaf microstructure. To understand the kinetics of molecular changes under short-term alkaline stress, we used Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform to identify alkaline stress-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in P. triloba . Approximately 53.0 million high-quality clean reads were generated from 59.6 million raw reads, and a total of 124,786 unigenes were obtained after de novo assembly of P. triloba transcriptome data. After alkaline stress treatment, a total of 8948 unigenes were identified as DEGs. Based on these DEGs, a Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted, suggesting that 28 genes may play an important role in the early alkaline stress response. In addition, analysis of DEGs with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that pathways were significant at different treatment time points. A significant positive correlation was found between the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results and the RNA-Seq data for seven alkaline-related genes, confirming the reliability of the RNA-Seq results. Based on physiological analysis of P. triloba in response to long-term alkaline stress, we found that the internal microstructures of the leaves of P. triloba changed to adapt to long-term alkaline stress. Various physiological indexes indicated that the degree of membrane injury increased with increasing duration of alkaline stress, affecting photosynthesis in P. triloba seedlings. This represents the first investigation into the physiology and transcriptome of P. triloba in response to alkaline stress. The results

  17. Proteomic analysis of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in neutral and alkaline conditions.

    PubMed

    Gonzales-Siles, Lucia; Karlsson, Roger; Kenny, Diarmuid; Karlsson, Anders; Sjöling, Åsa

    2017-01-07

    Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhea in children and travelers to endemic areas. Secretion of the heat labile AB 5 toxin (LT) is induced by alkaline conditions. In this study, we determined the surface proteome of ETEC exposed to alkaline conditions (pH 9) as compared to neutral conditions (pH 7) using a LPI Hexalane FlowCell combined with quantitative proteomics. Relative quantitation with isobaric labeling (TMT) was used to compare peptide abundance and their corresponding proteins in multiple samples at MS/MS level. For protein identification and quantification samples were analyzed using either a 1D-LCMS or a 2D-LCMS approach. Strong up-regulation of the ATP synthase operon encoding F1Fo ATP synthase and down-regulation of proton pumping proteins NuoF, NuoG, Ndh and WrbA were detected among proteins involved in regulating the proton and electron transport under alkaline conditions. Reduced expression of proteins involved in osmotic stress was found at alkaline conditions while the Sec-dependent transport over the inner membrane and outer membrane protein proteins such as OmpA and the β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (BAM) complex were up-regulated. ETEC exposed to alkaline environments express a specific proteome profile characterized by up-regulation of membrane proteins and secretion of LT toxin. Alkaline microenvironments have been reported close to the intestinal epithelium and the alkaline proteome may hence represent a better view of ETEC during infection.

  18. Distributions of households by size: differences and trends.

    PubMed

    Kuznets, S

    1982-01-01

    "This article deals with the distributions of households by size, that is, by number of persons, as they are observed in international comparisons, and for fewer countries, over time." The contribution of differentials in household size to inequality in income distribution among persons and households is discussed. Data are for both developed and developing countries. excerpt

  19. Resource allocation decisions in low-income rural households.

    PubMed

    Franklin, D L; Harrell, M W

    1985-05-01

    This paper is based on the theory that a society's nutritional well-being is both a cause and a consequence of the developmental process within that society. An approach to the choices made by poor rural households regarding food acquisition and nurturing behavior is emerging from recent research based on the new economic theory of household production. The central thesis of this approach is that household decisions related to the fulfillment of basic needs are strongly determined by decisions on the allocation of time to household production activities. Summarized are the results of the estimation of a model of household production and consumption behavior with data from a cross-sectional survey of 30 rural communities in Veraguas Province, Panama. The struture of the model consists of allocation of resources to nurturing activities and to production activities. The resources to be allocated are time and market goods, and in theory, these are allocated according to relative prices. The empirical results of this study are generally consistent with the predictions of the neoclassical economic model of household resource allocation. The major conclusions that time allocations and market price conditions matter in the determination of well-being in low-income rural households and, importantly, that nurturing decisions significantly affect the product and factor market behavior of these households form the basis for a discussion on implucations for agricultural and rural development. Programs and policies that seek nutritional improvement should be determined with explicit recognition of the value of time and the importance of timing in the decisions of the poor.

  20. Household safe water management in Kisii County, Kenya.

    PubMed

    Misati, A G

    2016-11-01

    Contaminated drinking water can lead to the risk of intestinal and other infectious diseases that lead to high morbidity. Therefore, determining household safe water management practices will benefit billions of people by ensuring there is no recontamination. A cross-sectional study design was used and a sample of 346 households was selected through systematic random sampling. A questionnaire was then used which was based on the core questions on drinking water and sanitation for household surveys and descriptive analyses were performed for the collected data using SPSS. Springs were predominantly used as the main source of water (97 %). Approximately, over half (58 %) of the sampled households never treated their drinking water to ensure that it was safe for drinking. Mostly (56 %), the households used jerricans for the storage of water with a majority of the households (95 %) covering their containers which were elevated from the reach of children in 52 % of the households. The risks included lack of water treatment, not covering the water container, risk of permitting dipping for those containers, lacking narrow neck and the risk of container being accessible to children. Basic treatment of the water at the household level by use of chemicals, filtration and boiling may have a great impact on the drinking water quality and health of the inhabitants of Kisii County. Also, creation of awareness on the possibilities of spring water being contaminated should be carried because of the assumption that spring water is safe and does not need to be treated.

  1. Household organophosphorus pesticide use and Parkinson’s disease

    PubMed Central

    Narayan, Shilpa; Liew, Zeyan; Paul, Kimberly; Lee, Pei-Chen; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Bronstein, Jeff M; Ritz, Beate

    2013-01-01

    Background Household pesticide use is widespread in the USA. Since the 1970s, organophosphorus chemicals (OPs) have been common active ingredients in these products. Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been linked to pesticide exposures but little is known about the contributions of chronic exposures to household pesticides. Here we investigate whether long-term use of household pesticides, especially those containing OPs, increases the odds of PD. Methods In a population-based case-control study, we assessed frequency of household pesticide use for 357 cases and 807 controls, relying on the California Department of Pesticide Regulation product label database to identify ingredients in reported household pesticide products and the Pesticide Action Network pesticide database of chemical ingredients. Using logistic regression we estimated the effects of household pesticide use. Results Frequent use of any household pesticide increased the odds of PD by 47% [odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.92)]; frequent use of products containing OPs increased the odds of PD more strongly by 71% [OR = 1.71, (95% CI: 1.21, 2.41)] and frequent organothiophosphate use almost doubled the odds of PD. Sensitivity analyses showed that estimated effects were independent of other pesticide exposures (ambient and occupational) and the largest odds ratios were estimated for frequent OP users who were carriers of the 192QQ paraoxonase genetic variant related to slower detoxification of OPs. Conclusions We provide evidence that household use of OP pesticides is associated with an increased risk of developing PD. PMID:24057998

  2. Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and the Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

    2005-12-01

    Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding froin swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction withmore » different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions

  3. The effects of household wealth on HIV prevalence in Manicaland, Zimbabwe – a prospective household census and population-based open cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Schur, Nadine; Mylne, Adrian; Mushati, Phyllis; Takaruza, Albert; Ward, Helen; Nyamukapa, Constance; Gregson, Simon

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Intensified poverty arising from economic decline and crisis may have contributed to reductions in HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe. Objectives To assess the impact of the economic decline on household wealth and prevalent HIV infection using data from a population-based open cohort. Methods Household wealth was estimated using data from a prospective household census in Manicaland Province (1998 to 2011). Temporal trends in summed asset ownership indices for sellable, non-sellable and all assets combined were compared for households in four socio-economic strata (small towns, agricultural estates, roadside settlements and subsistence farming areas). Multivariate logistic random-effects models were used to measure differences in individual-level associations between prevalent HIV infection and place of residence, absolute wealth group and occupation. Results Household mean asset scores remained similar at around 0.37 (on a scale of 0 to 1) up to 2007 but decreased to below 0.35 thereafter. Sellable assets fell substantially from 2004 while non-sellable assets continued increasing until 2008. Small-town households had the highest wealth scores but the gap to other locations decreased over time, especially for sellable assets. Concurrently, adult HIV prevalence fell from 22.3 to 14.3%. HIV prevalence was highest in better-off locations (small towns) but differed little by household wealth or occupation. Initially, HIV prevalence was elevated in women from poorer households and lower in men in professional occupations. However, most recently (2009 to 2011), men and women in the poorest households had lower HIV prevalence and men in professional occupations had similar prevalence to unemployed men. Conclusions The economic crisis drove more households into extreme poverty. However, HIV prevalence fell in all socio-economic locations and sub-groups, and there was limited evidence that increased poverty contributed to HIV prevalence decline. PMID:26593453

  4. Multigenerational Households in a Contemporary Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beland, Francois; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Used Canadian Census data on the elderly in Quebec to show that the frequency of multigenerational households did not vary with rural or urban location of the elderly. Age and sex of elderly and homeownership by their children were factors in explaining family living arrangements. Concludes that multigenerational households can be resource…

  5. Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and The Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

    2005-12-01

    Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction withmore » different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions

  6. Administrator Bolden Delivers Speech at AAS

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2010-01-05

    NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks at the 215th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2009. Throughout the meeting, NASA research and mission highlights will be presented from missions that include Kepler, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the newly launched Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  7. Tuberculosis attributed to household contacts in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Sia, I G; Orillaza, R B; St Sauver, J L; Quelapio, I D; Lahr, B D; Alcañeses, R S; Wilson, W R; Cockerill, F R; Balane, G I; Mangubat, N V; Wengenack, N L; Tupasi, T E

    2010-01-01

    Data on the burden of disease from tuberculosis (TB) in Filipino households are limited. To determine the magnitude of undiagnosed TB in TB households, and the demographic and socio-economic factors associated with TB in the Philippines, household contacts of adult smear-positive TB patients seen from July 2001 to June 2003 were assessed based on interview, chest X-ray, tuberculin skin test and sputum examination. History of TB and older age were independently associated with TB disease, and age and duration of cohabitation with TB infection. TB and TB infection are highly prevalent in TB households in the Philippines.

  8. AA-PMe, a novel asiatic acid derivative, induces apoptosis and suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Jing, Yue; Wang, Gang; Ge, Ying; Xu, Minjie; Tang, Shuainan; Gong, Zhunan

    2016-01-01

    Asiatic acid (AA; 2α,3β,23-trihydroxyurs-12-ene-28-oic acid) is widely used for medicinal purposes in many Asian countries due to its various bioactivities. A series of AA derivatives has been synthesized in attempts to improve its therapeutic potencies. Herein we investigated the anti-tumor activities of N-(2α,3β,23-acetoxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-l-proline methyl ester (AA-PMe), a novel AA derivative. AA-PMe exhibited a stronger anti-cancer activity than its parent compound AA. AA-PMe inhibited the proliferation of SGC7901 and HGC27 human gastric cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner but had no significant toxicity in human gastric mucosa epithelial cells (GES-1). AA-PMe induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and blocked G1-S transition, which correlated well with marked decreases in levels of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase CKD4, and phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein, and increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P15. Further, AA-PMe induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells by affecting Bcl-2, Bax, c-Myc, and caspase-3. Moreover, AA-PMe suppressed the migration and invasion of human gastric cancer cells (SGC7901 and HGC27) cells by downregulating the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Overall, this study investigated the potential anti-cancer activities of AA-PMe including inducing apoptosis and suppressing proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms, suggesting that AA-PMe is a promising anti-cancer drug candidate in gastric cancer therapy. PMID:27073325

  9. 7 CFR 273.10 - Determining household eligibility and benefit levels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Determining household eligibility and benefit levels... ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS Eligibility and Benefit Levels § 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels. (a) Month of application—(1) Determination of eligibility and benefit levels. (i) A household's...

  10. 7 CFR 273.10 - Determining household eligibility and benefit levels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Determining household eligibility and benefit levels... ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS Eligibility and Benefit Levels § 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels. (a) Month of application—(1) Determination of eligibility and benefit levels. (i) A household's...

  11. 7 CFR 273.10 - Determining household eligibility and benefit levels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Determining household eligibility and benefit levels... ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS Eligibility and Benefit Levels § 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels. (a) Month of application—(1) Determination of eligibility and benefit levels. (i) A household's...

  12. Effect of aluminum phosphate on alkaline phosphatase activity of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    Ramalingam, N; Prasanna, B Gowtham

    2006-09-01

    The impact of insoluble phosphorus such as aluminum and rock phosphate on alkaline phosphatase activity of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria was assessed. Polyurethane foam immobilized Nodularia recorded the highest alkaline phosphatase activity of 9.04 (m. mol p-nitrophenol released h(-1) mg(-1) protein) in vitro. A higher concentration of aluminum phosphate was recorded a 25% reduction in alkaline phosphatase activity, ammonia content, and available phosphorus in culture filtrate of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria. In general, immobilized cyanobacteria exhibited a higher alkaline phosphatase activity in rock phosphate than aluminum phosphate.

  13. Alternative Alkaline Conditioning of Amidoxime Based Adsorbent for Uranium Extraction from Seawater

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Das, S.; Liao, W. -P.; Flicker Byers, M.

    2016-04-20

    Alkaline conditioning of the amidoxime based adsorbents is a significant step in the preparation of the adsorbent for uranium uptake from seawater. The effects of various alkaline conditioning parameters such as the type of alkaline reagent, reaction temperature, and reaction time were investigated with respect to uranium adsorption capacity from simulated seawater (spiked with 8 ppm uranium) and natural seawater (from Sequim Bay, WA). An adsorbent (AF1) was prepared at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by radiation-induced graft polymerization (RIGP) with acrylonitrile and itaconic acid onto high-surface-area polyethylene fibers. For the AF1 adsorbent, sodium hydroxide emerged as a better reagentmore » for alkaline conditioning over potassium hydroxide, which has typically been used in previous studies, because of higher uranium uptake capacity and lower cost over the other candidate alkaline reagents investigated in this study. Use of sodium hydroxide in place of potassium hydroxide is shown to result in a 21-30% decrease in the cost of uranium recovery.« less

  14. [Exposure degree of important non-target arthropods to Cry2Aa in Bt rice fields].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qing-Ling; Li, Yun-He; Hua, Hong-Xia; Yang, Chang-Ju; Wu, Hong-Jin; Peng, Yu-Fa

    2013-06-01

    Based on the principle of "risk = hazard x exposure", the selected representative nontarget organisms in the assessment of the potential effects of insect-resistant genetically modified (GM) crops on non-target arthropods in laboratory are generally the arthropod species highly exposed to the insecticidal proteins expressed by the GM crops in farmland ecosystem. In order to understand the exposure degree of the important arthropod species to Cry proteins in Bt rice fields, and to select the appropriate non-target arthropods in the risk assessment of insect-resistant GM crops, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to measure the Cry2Aa protein concentration in the arthropods collected from the cry2Aa rice fields at different rice growth stages. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the Cry2Aa content protein concentration in different arthropod species. Some species did not contain Cry2Aa protein, while some species contained larger amounts of Cry2Aa protein. Relative to the arthropods colleted after rice anthesis, the arthropods colleted in rice anthesis contained relative higher concentrations of Cry2Aa protein, especially for the predacious arthropods. No Cry proteins were detected in parasitic arthropods. This study provided references for the laboratory assessment of the effects of GM rice on nontarget arthropods.

  15. [Household insecticides: pattern of use according to per capita income].

    PubMed

    Diel, Cristiane; Facchini, Luiz Augusto; Dall'Agnol, Marinel Mór

    2003-02-01

    Although insecticides are widely used in many countries, few studies of their use in households have been conducted. This study was carried out to describe the household use of insecticides according to per capita income. From October 1999 to January 2000, questionnaires on the use of household insecticides were applied to 2,039 households in the urban area of Pelotas, Brazil. Data was collected on income, use of insecticides in the 12 months prior to the interview, product type and chemical group of the insecticides found in the households and, mechanical protection used for insect control. Chi-square test for trends was used to assess relationships, prevalence rates and confidence intervals. Household insecticides were used in 89% of the households visited at least in one occasion in the 12 months prior to the interview. In 79% one or more units of insecticides were found in the household at the time of the interview. The most common types were aerosols and tablet refills for electric devices of the pyrethroid chemical group. Mechanical protection against insects was not widely used. Higher income households most frequently had insecticides in the form of pyrethroid aerosols while organophosphate sprays were more frequently found in lower income households.

  16. Household Food Insecurity in Southeastern Iran: Severity and Related Factors

    PubMed Central

    Eshraghian, Mohammad Reza; Ghaffari, Mohtasham; Ansari-Moghaddam, Alireza; Mohammadi, Mahdi

    2017-01-01

    Background Today, more than one billion people globally suffer from poverty and food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the severity of and factors related to household food insecurity in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 2,160 households between November 2014 and December 2015. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected through interviewing the household mothers. Household food security status was assessed through the USDA 18-item questionnaire. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression model. Results Total food insecurity in the households investigated was 58.8%. There were significant associations (P < 0.001) between household food insecurity status and the socioeconomic status of the households, ethnicity, education, age, and employment status of the head of the household and the mother of the household. Discussion The results showed that more than half of the households examined suffer from food insecurity. Interventions to improve the food security status of people should be designed and implemented to improve people's knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to healthy eating and food preparation. People's access to healthy foods and knowledge of how to select healthy foods (especially on a limited budget) should also be improved. PMID:29270423

  17. Ethanol-reinforced responding by AA and ANA rats following the sucrose-substitution initiation procedure.

    PubMed

    Files, F J; Denning, C E; Hyytia, P; Kiianmaa, K; Samson, H H

    1997-06-01

    Ethanol-reinforced responding was initiated in male AA and ANA rats using the sucrose-substitution procedure. Before the initiation procedure, a homecage, two-bottle preference test was conducted. The rats were then trained to respond on an Fixed-Ratio 1 schedule with sucrose reinforcement. Over sessions, ethanol was added gradually to the sucrose solution as the concentration of sucrose was reduced until 10% ethanol (v/v) alone functioned as the reinforcer for lever pressing. The schedule of reinforcement was then increased to Fixed-Ratio 4. Next, the ethanol concentration presented as the reinforcer was increased over weeks to 15%, 20%, 30%, and then returned to 10%. A second homecage test was then performed. The results showed that the AA and ANA lines differed significantly on preference and intake (g/kg) during the homecage preference tests. There was a significant increase in preference during the second homecage test. During sucrose substitution, initial large differences in responding were observed between the lines. When the ethanol concentration was increased, intake (grams per kilogram) increased for the AA line but not for the ANA line. These effects were a function of no change in responding by the AA rats as concentration was increased and a decrease in responding by the ANA rats at the higher concentrations (20% and 30%). Taken together, data indicate that ethanol can function as a positive reinforcer for the behavior of AA and ANA rats. Even though 10% ethanol functioned as a reinforcer similarly for the two lines, ethanol intake in the AA line was significantly greater at the higher concentrations of ethanol, suggesting that ethanol functioned as a qualitatively different reinforcer for the AA rats, compared with the ANA rats.

  18. Household income differences in food sources and food items purchased.

    PubMed

    French, Simone A; Wall, Melanie; Mitchell, Nathan R

    2010-10-26

    The present study examined income-related household food purchases among a sample of 90 households from the community. Annotated food purchase receipts were collected for a four-week period by the primary household shopper. Receipt food source and foods items were classified into specific categories, and food quantities in ounces were recorded by research staff. For home sources, a limited number of food/beverage categories were recorded. For eating out sources, all food/beverage items were recorded. Median monthly per person dollars spent and per person ounces purchased were computed. Food sources and food categories were examined by household income tertile. A community-based sample of 90 households. Higher income households spent significantly more dollars per person per month from both home and eating out sources compared with lower income households ($163 versus $100, p < .001). Compared with lower income households, higher income households spent significantly more home source dollars on both fruits/vegetables (21.5 versus 10.2, p < .001) and sweets/snacks (17.3 versus 8.3, p < .001), but did not differ on home dollars spent on sugar sweetened beverages (2.0 versus 1.7, p < .46). The proportion of home beverages that were sugar sweetened beverages was significantly higher among lower income households (45% versus 26%, p < .01). Within eating out sources, lower income households spent a significantly greater percent of dollars per person at carry out places (54% versus 37%, p < .01). No income differences were observed for dollars spent at discount grocery stores, small grocery stores or convenience stores. Higher income households spent more money on both healthy and less healthy foods from a wide range of sources. Lower income households spent a larger proportion of their eating out dollars at carry out places, and a larger proportion of their home beverage purchases were sugar sweetened beverages.

  19. The Influence of Household- and Community-Level Sanitation and Fecal Sludge Management on Urban Fecal Contamination in Households and Drains and Enteric Infection in Children

    PubMed Central

    Berendes, David; Kirby, Amy; Clennon, Julie A.; Raj, Suraja; Yakubu, Habib; Leon, Juan; Robb, Katharine; Kartikeyan, Arun; Hemavathy, Priya; Gunasekaran, Annai; Ghale, Ben; Kumar, J. Senthil; Mohan, Venkata Raghava; Kang, Gagandeep; Moe, Christine

    2017-01-01

    Urban sanitation necessitates management of fecal sludge inside and outside the household. This study examined associations between household sanitation, fecal contamination, and enteric infection in two low-income neighborhoods in Vellore, India. Surveys and spatial analysis assessed the presence and clustering of toilets and fecal sludge management (FSM) practices in 200 households. Fecal contamination was measured in environmental samples from 50 households and household drains. Enteric infection was assessed from stool specimens from children under 5 years of age in these households. The two neighborhoods differed significantly in toilet coverage (78% versus 33%) and spatial clustering. Overall, 49% of toilets discharged directly into open drains (“poor FSM”). Children in households with poor FSM had 3.78 times higher prevalence of enteric infection when compared with children in other households, even those without toilets. In the neighborhood with high coverage of household toilets, children in households with poor FSM had 10 times higher prevalence of enteric infection than other children in the neighborhood and drains in poor FSM clusters who had significantly higher concentrations of genogroup II norovirus. Conversely, children in households with a toilet that contained excreta in a tank onsite had 55% lower prevalence of enteric infection compared with the rest of the study area. Notably, households with a toilet in the neighborhood with low toilet coverage had more fecal contamination on floors where children played compared with those without a toilet. Overall, both toilet coverage levels and FSM were associated with environmental fecal contamination and, subsequently, enteric infection prevalence in this urban setting. PMID:28719269

  20. Hazards of household cleaning products.

    PubMed

    Edwards, J N; Jenkins, H L; Volans, G N

    1982-10-01

    1 All enquiries received by the London Centre of the National Poisons Information Service [NPIS(L)] relating to household cleaning products were followed up by questionnaire for a 4-month period from November 1978 to February 1979. 2 130 reports (43% of total followed-up) were received. 3 The incidence of misuse of household cleaning products has remained largely unchanged since a less detailed survey was performed in 1974-1975. 4 The source of enquiries, age groups and products involved were similar to the earlier survey. 5 Sixty-two per cent of cases were asymptomatic and no serious or life-threatening reactions were reported. 6 Although an increasing number of patients were admitted to hospital, little treatment was needed and the use of gastric lavage and aspiration had declined markedly. 7 Household cleaning products in the UK still cause no serious poisoning when misused or accidentally ingested.

  1. Heterologous expression, biochemical characterization, and overproduction of alkaline α-amylase from Bacillus alcalophilus in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Alkaline α-amylases have potential applications for hydrolyzing starch under high pH conditions in the starch and textile industries and as ingredients in detergents for automatic dishwashers and laundries. While the alkaline α-amylase gains increased industrial interest, the yield of alkaline α-amylases from wild-type microbes is low, and the combination of genetic engineering and process optimization is necessary to achieve the overproduction of alkaline α-amylase. Results The alkaline α-amylase gene from Bacillus alcalophilus JN21 (CCTCC NO. M 2011229) was cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis strain WB600 with vector pMA5. The recombinant alkaline α-amylase was stable at pH from 7.0 to 11.0 and temperature below 40°C. The optimum pH and temperature of alkaline α-amylase was 9.0 and 50°C, respectively. Using soluble starch as the substrate, the Km and Vmax of alkaline α-amylase were 9.64 g/L and 0.80 g/(L·min), respectively. The effects of medium compositions (starch, peptone, and soybean meal) and temperature on the recombinant production of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis were investigated. Under the optimal conditions (starch concentration 0.6% (w/v), peptone concentration 1.45% (w/v), soybean meal concentration 1.3% (w/v), and temperature 37°C), the highest yield of alkaline α-amylase reached 415 U/mL. The yield of alkaline α-amylase in a 3-L fermentor reached 441 U/mL, which was 79 times that of native alkaline α-amylase from B. alcalophilus JN21. Conclusions This is the first report concerning the heterologous expression of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis, and the obtained results make it feasible to achieve the industrial production of alkaline α-amylase with the recombinant B. subtilis. PMID:21978209

  2. Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolytes: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospective Solutions.

    PubMed

    Mahmood, Nasir; Yao, Yunduo; Zhang, Jing-Wen; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen; Zou, Ji-Jun

    2018-02-01

    Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium is currently a point of focus for sustainable development of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel for various energy systems, but suffers from sluggish reaction kinetics due to additional water dissociation step. So, the state-of-the-art catalysts performing well in acidic media lose considerable catalytic performance in alkaline media. This review summarizes the recent developments to overcome the kinetics issues of alkaline HER, synthesis of materials with modified morphologies, and electronic structures to tune the active sites and their applications as efficient catalysts for HER. It first explains the fundamentals and electrochemistry of HER and then outlines the requirements for an efficient and stable catalyst in alkaline medium. The challenges with alkaline HER and limitation with the electrocatalysts along with prospective solutions are then highlighted. It further describes the synthesis methods of advanced nanostructures based on carbon, noble, and inexpensive metals and their heterogeneous structures. These heterogeneous structures provide some ideal systems for analyzing the role of structure and synergy on alkaline HER catalysis. At the end, it provides the concluding remarks and future perspectives that can be helpful for tuning the catalysts active-sites with improved electrochemical efficiencies in future.

  3. Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolytes: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospective Solutions

    PubMed Central

    Mahmood, Nasir; Yao, Yunduo; Zhang, Jing‐Wen; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium is currently a point of focus for sustainable development of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel for various energy systems, but suffers from sluggish reaction kinetics due to additional water dissociation step. So, the state‐of‐the‐art catalysts performing well in acidic media lose considerable catalytic performance in alkaline media. This review summarizes the recent developments to overcome the kinetics issues of alkaline HER, synthesis of materials with modified morphologies, and electronic structures to tune the active sites and their applications as efficient catalysts for HER. It first explains the fundamentals and electrochemistry of HER and then outlines the requirements for an efficient and stable catalyst in alkaline medium. The challenges with alkaline HER and limitation with the electrocatalysts along with prospective solutions are then highlighted. It further describes the synthesis methods of advanced nanostructures based on carbon, noble, and inexpensive metals and their heterogeneous structures. These heterogeneous structures provide some ideal systems for analyzing the role of structure and synergy on alkaline HER catalysis. At the end, it provides the concluding remarks and future perspectives that can be helpful for tuning the catalysts active‐sites with improved electrochemical efficiencies in future. PMID:29610722

  4. 78 FR 71725 - Household Movers' Disclosure Requirements

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board Household Movers' Disclosure Requirements AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT. ACTION: Notice of OMB approval of information... approval for its information collection, Household Movers' Disclosure Requirements. See 78 FR 18421-01 (Mar...

  5. 1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study : household travel

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-07-01

    This report is one of a series prepared from the findings of the 1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS). The report examines the relationship between household travel patterns and characteristics of the household. Vehicle trips and vehi...

  6. Household Behavior with Respect to Meat Consumption: Differences between Households with and without Children.

    PubMed

    Maria, Merlino Valentina; Danielle, Borra; Tibor, Verduna; Stefano, Massaglia

    2017-10-31

    Meat consumers around the world are increasingly paying attention to product quality and safety, and are starting to reduce their meat consumption, especially with regard to red meat. This trend is prevalent in households with children who prefer health-certified meat products. Our study compares meat consumption habits in households with and without children or adolescences (0-18 years). A structured questionnaire was distributed to 401 retail purchasers at 12 different points of sales of meat in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy. Socio-demographic variables and quantitative-qualitative meat consumption habits of retail purchasers were investigated. One part of the questionnaire analyzed the relative importance of 12 meat choice purchasing attributes by employing the Best-Worst scaling methodology, a type of choice experiment. Our research found that households without children (subset B) have higher weekly meat consumption habits than those with children (subset A). Alternatively, the households with children (subset A) have a diet characterized by a greater variety of protein sources, such as legumes and fish. Both of the considered subsets preferred trusted butchers for meat buying, with supermarkets as a second choice. However, only consumers of subset A bought meat from farm butchers. Our team performed a consumer analysis to identify meat consumption patterns in the two considered subsets. Simultaneously, a Best-Worst analysis evidenced several choice attributes with different relevance for the two investigated samples segmentation in three clusters of purchase.

  7. Household Behavior with Respect to Meat Consumption: Differences between Households with and without Children

    PubMed Central

    Danielle, Borra; Tibor, Verduna; Stefano, Massaglia

    2017-01-01

    Meat consumers around the world are increasingly paying attention to product quality and safety, and are starting to reduce their meat consumption, especially with regard to red meat. This trend is prevalent in households with children who prefer health-certified meat products. Our study compares meat consumption habits in households with and without children or adolescences (0–18 years). A structured questionnaire was distributed to 401 retail purchasers at 12 different points of sales of meat in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy. Socio-demographic variables and quantitative-qualitative meat consumption habits of retail purchasers were investigated. One part of the questionnaire analyzed the relative importance of 12 meat choice purchasing attributes by employing the Best-Worst scaling methodology, a type of choice experiment. Our research found that households without children (subset B) have higher weekly meat consumption habits than those with children (subset A). Alternatively, the households with children (subset A) have a diet characterized by a greater variety of protein sources, such as legumes and fish. Both of the considered subsets preferred trusted butchers for meat buying, with supermarkets as a second choice. However, only consumers of subset A bought meat from farm butchers. Our team performed a consumer analysis to identify meat consumption patterns in the two considered subsets. Simultaneously, a Best-Worst analysis evidenced several choice attributes with different relevance for the two investigated samples segmentation in three clusters of purchase. PMID:29088120

  8. Interfacial behavior of alkaline protease at the air-water and oil-water interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jian; Li, Yanyan; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Yue

    2018-03-01

    The interfacial behavior of alkaline protease at the air-water and n-hexane-water interfaces was investigated using interfacial tension, dilatational rheology and dynamic light scattering. Additionally, different adsorption models which are Langmuir, Frumkin, Reorientation-A and Reorientation-R were used to fitting the data of equilibrium interfacial tension for further understanding the interfacial behavior of alkaline protease. Data fitting of the equilibrium interfacial tension was achieved by IsoFit software. The results show that the molecules arrangement of the alkaline protease at the n-hexane-water interface is more tightly than at the air-water interface. The data were further analyzed to indicate that the hydrophobic chains of alkaline protease penetrate into oil phase deeper than the air phase. Also data indicate that the electrostatic interactions and hydrophobic interactions at the n-hexane-water interface are stronger than at the air-water interface within molecules of the alkaline protease. Based on comprehensive analysis of the adsorption kinetics and interfacial rheological properties, interfacial structures mechanism of alkaline protease at n-hexane-water and air-water interfaces was proposed.

  9. Experimental Investigation on Friction Stir Welding of Cryorolled AA2219 Aluminum Alloy Joints

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babu, K. Kamal; Panneerselvam, K.; Sathiya, P.; Haq, A. Noorul; Sundarrajan, S.; Mastanaiah, P.; Murthy, C. V. Srinivasa

    2017-07-01

    In this paper, experimental investigation on cryorolled aluminum AA2219-T87 plate by using friction stir welding (FSW) process is carried out. AA2219-T87 plates with a size of 200×100×22.4 mm were rolled and reduced to 12.2mm thickness (more than 45% of reduction in total thickness of the base material) at cryogenic temperature (operating temperature range -90--30∘C). The cryorolled (CR) plates have reduced grain size, improved hardness and increased corrosion resistance property compared with the uncryorolled AA2219-T87 plates. FSW joints of cryorolled AA2219-T87 plates were prepared using cylindrical threaded FSW tool pin profile. Mechanical and metallurgical behaviors of friction stir welded joints were analyzed and the effects of the FSW process parameters are discussed in this paper. The variation of microhardness in the FSW joint regions were correlated with the microstructure of FSW joints. Cryorolled plate and FSW joints were tested for corrosion resistance using potentiodynamic polarization test. FSW joints shows better result during the corrosion resistance analysis compared to base AA2219-T87. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) test results showed that fine α-Al grains with eutectic phase (Al2Cu) were present in the weld nugget (WN). The large clusters of strengthening precipitates were reduced in size and merged with the weld nugget portion.

  10. Association of Dietary Factors with Progression of AA in Stroke/TIA Patients.

    PubMed

    Kodumuri, Nishanth; Giamberardino, Lauren; Hinderliter, Alan; Sen, Souvik

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the effect of dietary factors such as calorie intake and dietary fats on the progression of aortic arch atheroma (AA). In stroke/TIA patients, progression of AA is associated with recurrent vascular events. Consecutive patients with measurable (>1 mm) AA atheroma on baseline transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) evaluation consented to a protocol mandated follow-up TEE at 12 months. Patients that had adequate paired AA images were assessed for progression, defined as Δ ≥ 1 grade worsening (based on plaque thickness over 12 months). Stroke risk factors and fasting lipid profile were assessed at baseline. The patient's nutritional intake was measured at baseline using the Gladys Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. One-hundred-nine patients (70 strokes, 33 TIAs) had sequential TEEs, of whom 27% (N=30) progressed and 73% (N=79) did not. Patients with progression had higher daily calorie (1778 ± 623 vs. 1378 ± 406 Calories, p=0.008), fat (76 ± 33 vs. 52 ± 23 grams, p=0.0002), carbohydrate (208 ± 78 vs. 169 ± 57 grams, p=0.01) and protein (73 ± 26 vs. 57 ± 21 grams, p=0.005) intake. On Further analysis among different fats showed a higher consumption of saturated fats (25 ± 12 vs. 17 ±8 grams, p=0.00051) as well as unsaturated fats (44 ± 20 vs. 30 ± 13 grams, p=0.002). These differences remained significant after we adjusted for the medication use. However the significance of these differences was attenuated after adjusting for the calorie intake. Cholesterol consumption did not differ between the progression and no-progression group (262 ± 125 vs. 213 ± 149 mg, p=0.2). Calorie intake plays a significant role in the progression of AA. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the specific dietary modifications that may prevent AA progression and associated recurrent vascular events.

  11. AR, HEA and AAS in Rural Development Projects--Benchmarking towards the Best Processes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westermarck, Harri

    In most countries, agricultural research (AR), institutions of higher education in agriculture (HEA), and agricultural advisory services (AAS) function as separate agencies. So far, in most countries, AR, HEA, and AAS have not had a common vision for rural development. In Finland, domination of agricultural production in Finland has led to a lack…

  12. Raising household saving: does financial education work?

    PubMed

    Gale, William G; Harris, Benjamin H; Levine, Ruth

    2012-01-01

    This article highlights the prevalence and economic outcomes of financial illiteracy among American households, and reviews previous research that examines how improving financial literacy affects household saving. Analysis of the research literature suggests that previous financial literacy efforts have yielded mixed results. Evidence suggests that interventions provided for employees in the workplace have helped increase household saving, but estimates of the magnitude of the impact vary widely. For financial education initiatives targeted to other groups, the evidence is much more ambiguous, suggesting a need for more econometrically rigorous evaluations.

  13. A woman's place: household labour allocation in rural Kenya.

    PubMed

    Neitzert, M

    1994-01-01

    This article synthesizes the literature on household labor allocation. The review reveals that development policies impacting on the labor market favor men over women. Male favoritism also occurs in household decision-making. Data from the 1988 Rural Labor Force Survey were used to examine rural household labor allocation in 1988 and the extent of female and male participation in home and market production and the degree of labor market discrimination against women. It is argued that the standard neoclassical model of economics does not recognize the unequal bargaining power of each member of the household in arriving at a solution to the joint welfare maximization problem. Women's position is expected to worsen during economic development. Women will have less than full participation in the labor market. Women's distinct role in household welfare provision is often disregarded. Development policy mainly focuses on market activities where women hold few positions. Labor allocation in the empirical analysis pertains to the mean hours per week in farm activities, household activities, schooling, and paid or unpaid non-farm work. Findings indicate that average earnings were lower for females than males and that returns to education and training were higher for males than females. Wage discrimination accounted for 30-66% of the earnings gap between rural men and women. Women faced discrimination on their returns to human capital and occupational choices. The concentration of women in low-paying jobs accounted for 21% of the wage gap. Women's lower education accounted for over 10%. Findings suggest that Kenyan households respond to market incentives. Women worked longer hours than men and contributed more to household welfare. Policy should focus on models of household provisioning and not on a joint utility function. Policy should encourage households to revise labor allocation strategies.

  14. Household Costs of Leprosy Reactions (ENL) in Rural India

    PubMed Central

    Chandler, David J.; Hansen, Kristian S.; Mahato, Bhabananda; Darlong, Joydeepa; John, Annamma; Lockwood, Diana N. J.

    2015-01-01

    Background Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is a common immune-mediated complication of lepromatous (LL) and borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy. Most patients experience chronic or multiple acute ENL over many years during an economically active period of their lives. Understanding the economic burden of ENL is essential to provide effective patient support, yet this area has not been investigated. Methods Ninety-one patients with LL or BL leprosy attending a leprosy hospital in Purulia district of West Bengal, India, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Cases (n = 53) were identified as those who had one or more episodes of ENL within the last 3 years. Controls (n = 38) had LL or BL leprosy but no history of ENL. Data were collected on household income, direct and indirect costs, and coping strategies. Findings The total household cost was Rs 1543 per month or 27.9% (IQR 13.2-52.6) of monthly household income for cases, and Rs 237 per month or 4.9% (IQR 1.7-13.4) of monthly household income for controls. Indirect costs accounted for 65% of total household costs for cases. Direct costs accounted for the remaining 35% of household costs, and resulted almost entirely from treatment-seeking in the private sector. Total household costs exceeded 40% of household income for 37.7% of cases (n = 20) and 2.6% of controls (n = 1) [1 USD = 59 INR]. Interpretation Households affected by ENL face significant economic burden and are at risk of being pushed further into poverty. Health policy should acknowledge the importance of private sector provision and the significant contribution to total household costs of lost productivity (indirect cost). Further work is needed to explore this area and identify solutions. PMID:25590638

  15. “Raising Him … to Pull His Own Weight”: Boys’ Household Work in Single- Mother Households

    PubMed Central

    Berridge, Clara W.; Romich, Jennifer L.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, the authors examine boys’ household work in low- and moderate-income single-mother families. Through describing the work that boys do, why they do this work, and the meaning that they and their mothers give to this work, they add to the understanding of housework as an arena for gender role reproduction or interruption. Their data reveal that adolescent boys did a significant amount of work and took pride in their competence. Mothers grounded their expectations of boys’ household contributions in life experience. They both needed their sons’ day-to-day contributions and wanted their sons to grow into men who were competent around the house and good partners. In demanding household work from their sons, these single mothers themselves work to undermine the traditional gendered division of such labor. PMID:22773881

  16. Systemic and local effects of long-term exposure to alkaline drinking water in rats

    PubMed Central

    Merne, Marina ET; Syrjänen, Kari J; Syrjänen, Stina M

    2001-01-01

    Alkaline conditions in the oral cavity may be caused by a variety of stimuli, including tobacco products, antacids, alkaline drinking water or bicarbonate toothpaste. The effects of alkaline pH on oral mucosa have not been systematically studied. To assess the systemic (organ) and local (oral mucosal) effects of alkalinity, drinking water supplemented with Ca(OH)2 or NaOH, with pH 11.2 or 12 was administered to rats (n = 36) for 52 weeks. Tissues were subjected to histopathological examination; oral mucosal biopsy samples were also subjected to immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses for pankeratin, CK19, CK5, CK4, PCNA, ICAM-1, CD44, CD68, S-100, HSP 60, HSP70, and HSP90. At completion of the study, animals in the study groups had lower body weights (up to 29% less) than controls despite equal food and water intake, suggesting a systemic response to the alkaline treatment. The lowest body weight was found in rats exposed to water with the highest pH value and starting the experiment when young (6 weeks). No histological changes attributable to alkaline exposure occurred in the oral mucosa or other tissues studied. Alkaline exposure did not affect cell proliferation in the oral epithelium, as shown by the equal expression of PCNA in groups. The up-regulation of HSP70 protein expression in the oral mucosa of rats exposed to alkaline water, especially Ca(OH)2 treated rats, may indicate a protective response. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) positivity was lost in 6/12 rats treated with Ca(OH)2 with pH 11.2, and loss of CD44 expression was seen in 3/6 rats in both study groups exposed to alkaline water with pH 12. The results suggest that the oral mucosa in rats is resistant to the effects of highly alkaline drinking water. However, high alkalinity may have some unknown systemic effects leading to growth retardation, the cause of which remains to be determined. PMID:11493345

  17. Systemic and local effects of long-term exposure to alkaline drinking water in rats.

    PubMed

    Merne, M E; Syrjänen, K J; Syrjänen, S M

    2001-08-01

    Alkaline conditions in the oral cavity may be caused by a variety of stimuli, including tobacco products, antacids, alkaline drinking water or bicarbonate toothpaste. The effects of alkaline pH on oral mucosa have not been systematically studied. To assess the systemic (organ) and local (oral mucosal) effects of alkalinity, drinking water supplemented with Ca(OH)2 or NaOH, with pH 11.2 or 12 was administered to rats (n = 36) for 52 weeks. Tissues were subjected to histopathological examination; oral mucosal biopsy samples were also subjected to immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses for pankeratin, CK19, CK5, CK4, PCNA, ICAM-1, CD44, CD68, S-100, HSP 60, HSP70, and HSP90. At completion of the study, animals in the study groups had lower body weights (up to 29% less) than controls despite equal food and water intake, suggesting a systemic response to the alkaline treatment. The lowest body weight was found in rats exposed to water with the highest pH value and starting the experiment when young (6 weeks). No histological changes attributable to alkaline exposure occurred in the oral mucosa or other tissues studied. Alkaline exposure did not affect cell proliferation in the oral epithelium, as shown by the equal expression of PCNA in groups. The up-regulation of HSP70 protein expression in the oral mucosa of rats exposed to alkaline water, especially Ca(OH)2 treated rats, may indicate a protective response. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) positivity was lost in 6/12 rats treated with Ca(OH)2 with pH 11.2, and loss of CD44 expression was seen in 3/6 rats in both study groups exposed to alkaline water with pH 12. The results suggest that the oral mucosa in rats is resistant to the effects of highly alkaline drinking water. However, high alkalinity may have some unknown systemic effects leading to growth retardation, the cause of which remains to be determined.

  18. Pediatric Toxicology: Household Product Ingestions.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, Katherine A

    2017-12-01

    Nonpharmaceutical household products are the most common substances involved in exploratory ingestions in young children. Fortunately, most of these products are not toxic if ingested in small volumes. However, there are several household products that have the potential to cause significant toxicity and, rarely, fatalities in young children. Key products reviewed in this article include alcohols, button batteries, corrosive cleaning products, laundry detergent pods, hydrocarbons, and magnets. [Pediatr Ann. 2017;46(12):e449-e453.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  19. A Novel Tenebrio molitor Cadherin Is a Functional Receptor for Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa Toxin*

    PubMed Central

    Fabrick, Jeff; Oppert, Cris; Lorenzen, Marcé D.; Morris, Kaley; Oppert, Brenda; Jurat-Fuentes, Juan Luis

    2009-01-01

    Cry toxins produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis are effective biological insecticides. Cadherin-like proteins have been reported as functional Cry1A toxin receptors in Lepidoptera. Here we present data that demonstrate that a coleopteran cadherin is a functional Cry3Aa toxin receptor. The Cry3Aa receptor cadherin was cloned from Tenebrio molitor larval midgut mRNA, and the predicted protein, TmCad1, has domain structure and a putative toxin binding region similar to those in lepidopteran cadherin B. thuringiensis receptors. A peptide containing the putative toxin binding region from TmCad1 bound specifically to Cry3Aa and promoted the formation of Cry3Aa toxin oligomers, proposed to be mediators of toxicity in lepidopterans. Injection of TmCad1-specific double-stranded RNA into T. molitor larvae resulted in knockdown of the TmCad1 transcript and conferred resistance to Cry3Aa toxicity. These data demonstrate the functional role of TmCad1 as a Cry3Aa receptor in T. molitor and reveal similarities between the mode of action of Cry toxins in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. PMID:19416969

  20. Sequential eruption of alkaline and sub-alkaline magmas from a small monogenetic volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Needham, A. J.; Lindsay, J. M.; Smith, I. E. M.; Augustinus, P.; Shane, P. A.

    2011-04-01

    Rangitoto Volcano is the youngest and largest eruptive centre in the monogenetic intraplate Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF). The stratigraphy of Rangitoto pyroclastic deposits that have been preserved in swamps on nearby Motutapu Island and in Lake Pupuke on the mainland reveals that the volcano erupted twice; radiocarbon dating of 10 samples from the two tephra units in the swamps indicates eruption ages of 553 ± 7 and 504 ± 5 Cal years BP, for the lower and upper tephra layers, respectively. Geochemistry of the lava field and various scoria cones on Rangitoto Island itself reveals two distinct compositional groups: an alkaline olivine basalt group (that correlates geochemically with the lower tephra layer) and a group that is sub-alkaline and transitional to tholeiite (that correlates geochemically with the upper tephra layer). Based on this data, we infer that, following a phreatomagmatic vent-clearing phase, the early magmatic eruption of Rangitoto Volcano was Strombolian in character and produced an alkaline olivine basalt scoria cone and an associated thick ash deposit on nearby Motutapu Island. This was followed by a time gap of up to several decades, after which a second eruptive phase built the current summit scoria cone together with an encircling lava field. We suggest this later, sub-alkaline eruptive period was associated with the deposition of the thin upper tephra layer on Motutapu Island. The two suites of Rangitoto samples are chemically quite distinct, and each is associated with a distinct parental composition. Trace element modelling indicates the alkaline and sub-alkaline parental melts could have been derived by ~ 1 and 6 wt.% partial melting of an anhydrous garnet peridotite source at ~ 80 and 65 km depth, respectively. The compositional range within each suite is similar, and can be explained by mainly olivine together with minor clinopyroxene fractionation within a relatively simple conduit system in which mixing and mingling were not

  1. Experimental study on joining of AA6063 and AISI 1040 steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hynes, N. Rajesh Jesudoss; Raja, S.

    2018-05-01

    Feasibility of joining of dissimilar metals with different physical, chemical and thermal properties such as AA6063 alloy and AISI 1040 steel is worthwhile study, since it has tremendous applications in all most of all engineering domains. The mechanism of bonding is studied using scanning electron microscopy. Impact strength of AA2024/AISI joints, axial shortening distance, micro hardness distribution and joint strength are determined. Micro hardness profile shows increased hardness value at the joint interface, due to grain refinement.

  2. The economic effects of supporting tuberculosis-affected households in Peru

    PubMed Central

    Tovar, Marco A.; Huff, Doug; Boccia, Delia; Montoya, Rosario; Ramos, Eric; Lewis, James J.; Gilman, Robert H.; Evans, Carlton A.

    2016-01-01

    The End TB Strategy mandates that no tuberculosis (TB)-affected households face catastrophic costs due to TB. However, evidence is limited to evaluate socioeconomic support to achieve this change in policy and practice. The objective of the present study was to investigate the economic effects of a TB-specific socioeconomic intervention. The setting was 32 shantytown communities in Peru. The participants were from households of consecutive TB patients throughout TB treatment administered by the national TB programme. The intervention consisted of social support through household visits and community meetings, and economic support through cash transfers conditional upon TB screening in household contacts, adhering to TB treatment/chemoprophylaxis and engaging with social support. Data were collected to assess TB-affected household costs. Patient interviews were conducted at treatment initiation and then monthly for 6 months. From February 2014 to June 2015, 312 households were recruited, of which 135 were randomised to receive the intervention. Cash transfer total value averaged US$173 (3.5% of TB-affected households' average annual income) and mitigated 20% of households' TB-related costs. Households randomised to receive the intervention were less likely to incur catastrophic costs (30% (95% CI 22–38%) versus 42% (95% CI 34–51%)). The mitigation impact was higher among poorer households. The TB-specific socioeconomic intervention reduced catastrophic costs and was accessible to poorer households. Socioeconomic support and mitigating catastrophic costs are integral to the End TB strategy, and our findings inform implementation of these new policies. PMID:27660507

  3. The economic effects of supporting tuberculosis-affected households in Peru.

    PubMed

    Wingfield, Tom; Tovar, Marco A; Huff, Doug; Boccia, Delia; Montoya, Rosario; Ramos, Eric; Lewis, James J; Gilman, Robert H; Evans, Carlton A

    2016-11-01

    The End TB Strategy mandates that no tuberculosis (TB)-affected households face catastrophic costs due to TB. However, evidence is limited to evaluate socioeconomic support to achieve this change in policy and practice. The objective of the present study was to investigate the economic effects of a TB-specific socioeconomic intervention.The setting was 32 shantytown communities in Peru. The participants were from households of consecutive TB patients throughout TB treatment administered by the national TB programme. The intervention consisted of social support through household visits and community meetings, and economic support through cash transfers conditional upon TB screening in household contacts, adhering to TB treatment/chemoprophylaxis and engaging with social support. Data were collected to assess TB-affected household costs. Patient interviews were conducted at treatment initiation and then monthly for 6 months.From February 2014 to June 2015, 312 households were recruited, of which 135 were randomised to receive the intervention. Cash transfer total value averaged US$173 (3.5% of TB-affected households' average annual income) and mitigated 20% of households' TB-related costs. Households randomised to receive the intervention were less likely to incur catastrophic costs (30% (95% CI 22-38%) versus 42% (95% CI 34-51%)). The mitigation impact was higher among poorer households.The TB-specific socioeconomic intervention reduced catastrophic costs and was accessible to poorer households. Socioeconomic support and mitigating catastrophic costs are integral to the End TB strategy, and our findings inform implementation of these new policies. Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  4. Food insecurity in veteran households: findings from nationally representative data.

    PubMed

    Miller, Daniel P; Larson, Mary Jo; Byrne, Thomas; DeVoe, Ellen

    2016-07-01

    The present study is the first to use nationally representative data to compare rates of food insecurity among households with veterans of the US Armed Forces and non-veteran households. We used data from the 2005-2013 waves of the Current Population Survey - Food Security Supplement to identify rates of food insecurity and very low food security in veteran and non-veteran households. We estimated the odds and probability of food insecurity in veteran and non-veteran households in uncontrolled and controlled models. We replicated these results after separating veteran households by their most recent period of service. We weighted models to create nationally representative estimates. Nationally representative data from the 2005-2013 waves of the Current Population Survey - Food Security Supplement. US households (n 388 680). Uncontrolled models found much lower rates of food insecurity (8·4 %) and very low food security (3·3 %) among veteran households than in non-veteran households (14·4 % and 5·4 %, respectively), with particularly low rates among households with older veterans. After adjustment, average rates of food insecurity and very low food security were not significantly different for veteran households. However, the probability of food insecurity was significantly higher among some recent veterans and significantly lower for those who served during the Vietnam War. Although adjusting eliminated many differences between veteran and non-veteran households, veterans who served from 1975 and onwards may be at higher risk for food insecurity and should be the recipients of targeted outreach to improve nutritional outcomes.

  5. Alkaline Earth Core Level Photoemission Spectroscopy of High-Temperature Superconductors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vasquez, R.

    1993-01-01

    This paper examines photoemission measurements of the alkaline Earth core levels of high-temperature superconductors and related materials, models that seek to explain the large negative shifts observed relative to the corresponding alkaline Earth metals, and the effect of lattice site disorder on the core level spectra and the presence or absence of intrinsic surface peaks.

  6. Racial and demographic differences in household travel and fuel purchase behavior

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gur, Y.; Millar, M.

    1987-01-01

    Monthly fuel purchase logs from the Residential Energy Consumption Survey's Household Transportation Panel (TP) were analyzed to determine the relationship between various household characteristics and purchase frequency, tank inventories, vehicle-miles traveled, and fuel expenditures. Multiple classification analysis (MCA) was used to relate observed differences in dependent variables to such index-type household characteristics as income and residence location, and sex, race and age of household head. Because it isolates the net effect of each parameter, after accounting for the effects of all other parameters, MCA is particularly appropriate for this type of analysis. Results reveal clear differences in travel and fuelmore » purchase behavior for four distinct groups of vehicle-owning households. Black households tend to own far fewer vehicles with lower fuel economy, to use them more intensively, to purchase fuel more frequently, and to maintain lower fuel inventories than white households. Similarly, poor households own fewer vehicles with lower fuel economy, but they drive them less intensively, purchase fuel more frequently, and maintain lower fuel inventories than nonpoor households. Elderly households also own fewer vehicles with lower fuel economy. But since they drive them much less intensively, their fuel purchases are much less frequent and their fuel inventories are higher than nonelderly households. Female-headed households also own fewer vehicles but with somewhat higher fuel economy. They drive them less intensively, maintain higher fuel inventories, and purchase fuel less frequently than male-headed households. 13 refs., 8 tabs.« less

  7. CARINA alkalinity data in the Atlantic Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Velo, A.; Perez, F. F.; Brown, P.; Tanhua, T.; Schuster, U.; Key, R. M.

    2009-08-01

    Data on carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from previously non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged to a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the measured parameters in the CARINA data base were objectively examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Systematic biases found in the data have been corrected in the data products, i.e. three merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated data for each of the three CARINA regions; Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Out of a total of 188 cruise entries in the CARINA database, 98 were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and of these, 75 cruises report alkalinity values. Here we present details of the secondary QC on alkalinity for the Atlantic Ocean part of CARINA. Procedures of quality control, including crossover analysis between cruises and inversion analysis of all crossover data are briefly described. Adjustments were applied to the alkalinity values for 16 of the cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. With these adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic Program in the 1990s. Based on our analysis we estimate the internal accuracy of the CARINA-ATL alkalinity data to be 3.3 μmol kg-1. The CARINA data are now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation.

  8. CARINA alkalinity data in the Atlantic Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Velo, A.; Perez, F. F.; Brown, P.; Tanhua, T.; Schuster, U.; Key, R. M.

    2009-11-01

    Data on carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from previously non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged to a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the measured parameters in the CARINA data base were objectively examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Systematic biases found in the data have been corrected in the data products, i.e. three merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated data for each of the three CARINA regions; Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Out of a total of 188 cruise entries in the CARINA database, 98 were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and of these, 75 cruises report alkalinity values. Here we present details of the secondary QC on alkalinity for the Atlantic Ocean part of CARINA. Procedures of quality control, including crossover analysis between cruises and inversion analysis of all crossover data are briefly described. Adjustments were applied to the alkalinity values for 16 of the cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. With these adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic Program in the 1990s. Based on our analysis we estimate the internal accuracy of the CARINA-ATL alkalinity data to be 3.3 μmol kg-1. The CARINA data are now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation.

  9. The Role of Second Phase Hard Particles on Hole Stretchability of two AA6xxx Alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hu, Xiaohua; Sun, Xin; Golovashchenko, Sergey F.

    The hole stretchability of two Aluminum Alloys (AA6111 and AA6022) are studied by using a two stages integrated finite element framework where the edge geometry and edge damages from the hole piercing processes were considered in the subsequent hole expansion processes. Experimentally it has been found that AA6022 has higher hole expansion ratios than those of AA6111. This observation has been nicely captured by finite element simulations. The main cause of differences have been identified to the volume fractions of the random distributed second phase hard particles which play a critical role in determining the fracture strains of the materials.

  10. Revealing the unequal household health footprints in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Zhang, Q.

    2017-12-01

    Household consumption scale and patterns varies among rural and urban, rich and poor households across regions and nations, these bring uneven direct and indirect production related pollutant emissions and related health footprint. Here, by integrating four stat-of-the-art social-economical and physical models, we quantify PM2.5 related health burden from consumption of 12 income groups for rural and urban households in seven regions of China. We show that, despite earn and spend far less than urban residents, rural households show similar health footprints (3.4×10-4 deaths per capita) with that of urban (3.2×10-4 deaths per capita), primarily because 50% of its consumption related deaths were contributed by the less controlled direct biofuel consumption emissions. Income or expenditure is a main contributor of household health footprints, national averagely, the highest income brackets in rural and urban is 1.8 and 3.4 times of their lowest income groups, respectively. From regions perspective, the household in east coast regions show higher footprint than that of central and western regions, and part of their footprint were occurred in central and west regions through trade or atmospheric transportation. Our results indicate that urbanization will not solve the pollution effects, and efforts to reduce the household health impact should focus on the mitigation of the biofuel consumption emissions in rural area and encourage sustainable consumption in urban area.

  11. ORBITAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE σ Ori Aa, Ab, B TRIPLE SYSTEM

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Simón-Díaz, S.; Caballero, J. A.; Apellániz, J. Maíz

    2015-02-01

    We provide a complete characterization of the astrophysical properties of the σ Ori Aa, Ab, B hierarchical triple system and an improved set of orbital parameters for the highly eccentric σ Ori Aa, Ab spectroscopic binary. We compiled a spectroscopic data set comprising 90 high-resolution spectra covering a total time span of 1963 days. We applied the Lehman-Filhés method for a detailed orbital analysis of the radial velocity curves and performed a combined quantitative spectroscopic analysis of the σ Ori Aa, Ab, B system by means of the stellar atmosphere code FASTWIND. We used our own plus other available information onmore » photometry and distance to the system for measuring the radii, luminosities, and spectroscopic masses of the three components. We also inferred evolutionary masses and stellar ages using the Bayesian code BONNSAI. The orbital analysis of the new radial velocity curves led to a very accurate orbital solution of the σ Ori Aa, Ab pair. We provided indirect arguments indicating that σ Ori B is a fast-rotating early B dwarf. The FASTWIND+BONNSAI analysis showed that the Aa, Ab pair contains the hottest and most massive components of the triple system while σ Ori B is a bit cooler and less massive. The derived stellar ages of the inner pair are intriguingly younger than the one widely accepted for the σ Orionis cluster, at 3 ± 1 Ma. The outcome of this study will be of key importance for a precise determination of the distance to the σ Orionis cluster, the interpretation of the strong X-ray emission detected for σ Ori Aa, Ab, B, and the investigation of the formation and evolution of multiple massive stellar systems and substellar objects.« less

  12. Household energy use in Asian cities: Responding to development success

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tyler, Stephen R.

    In the past 10-15 years, gains in household income and urban development in many countries in Asia have led to significant shifts in household use of fuels away from traditional, biomass-based household fuels to modern, fossil fuels. These results suggest that, while the global atmospheric emissions implications need further analysis, the local air quality effects of urban household fuel use changes have been positive. These changes also demonstrate improvements in living conditions, particularly for poor women and children most affected by indoor air quality. However, for electricity use, where there is evidence of dramatic increases in household consumption, the longer term implications for atmospheric emissions are more troubling. Rapid demand growth in the urban household sector is contributing to huge increases in thermal electric generating capacity needs in Asia. Improving technologies of electricity use in the household sector appears to be easily achievable and could be stimulated through market and policy mechanisms which have been used elsewhere. These measures offer the prospect of real environmental and economic gains without sacrificing lifestyle advantages of electrical appliance use in households.

  13. [Comparison of texture distribution of cold rolled DC and CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy at different positions through thickness direction by XRD].

    PubMed

    Chen, Ming-biao; Ma, Min; Yang, Qing-xiang; Wang, Shan; Liu, Wen-chang; Zhao, Ying-mei

    2013-09-01

    To provide gist of DC AA 5052 and CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy to industry production and application, the texture variation of cold rolled sheets through thickness direction was studied by X-ray diffraction method, and the difference in texture at surface, quarter and center layer was analyzed. The hot plates of direct chill cast (DC) AA 5052 and continuous cast (CC) AA 5052 aluminum alloy were annealed at 454 degrees C for 4 hours and then cold rolled to different reductions. The strength and volume fraction of the fiber in CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is larger than in DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy after same rolling reduction The volume fraction of the recrystallization texture cube in the CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is less than in the DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy, which result in that CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy needs less cold rolling reduction than DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy for generating the texture with same intensity and volume fraction at surface layer, quarter layer and center layer. The manufacturability and performance of CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is superior to DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy for use in stamping.

  14. 16 CFR 303.12 - Trimmings of household textile articles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Trimmings of household textile articles. 303... household textile articles. (a) Trimmings incorporated in articles of wearing apparel and other household textile articles may, among other forms of trim, include: (1) Rick-rack, tape, belting, binding, braid...

  15. 16 CFR 303.12 - Trimmings of household textile articles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Trimmings of household textile articles. 303... household textile articles. (a) Trimmings incorporated in articles of wearing apparel and other household textile articles may, among other forms of trim, include: (1) Rick-rack, tape, belting, binding, braid...

  16. 16 CFR 303.12 - Trimmings of household textile articles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Trimmings of household textile articles. 303... household textile articles. (a) Trimmings incorporated in articles of wearing apparel and other household textile articles may, among other forms of trim, include: (1) Rick-rack, tape, belting, binding, braid...

  17. 16 CFR 303.12 - Trimmings of household textile articles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Trimmings of household textile articles. 303... household textile articles. (a) Trimmings incorporated in articles of wearing apparel and other household textile articles may, among other forms of trim, include: (1) Rick-rack, tape, belting, binding, braid...

  18. 16 CFR 303.12 - Trimmings of household textile articles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Trimmings of household textile articles. 303... CONGRESS RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER THE TEXTILE FIBER PRODUCTS IDENTIFICATION ACT § 303.12 Trimmings of household textile articles. (a) Trimmings incorporated in articles of wearing apparel and other household...

  19. Ethylene Inhibits Root Elongation during Alkaline Stress through AUXIN1 and Associated Changes in Auxin Accumulation.

    PubMed

    Li, Juan; Xu, Heng-Hao; Liu, Wen-Cheng; Zhang, Xiao-Wei; Lu, Ying-Tang

    2015-08-01

    Soil alkalinity causes major reductions in yield and quality of crops worldwide. The plant root is the first organ sensing soil alkalinity, which results in shorter primary roots. However, the mechanism underlying alkaline stress-mediated inhibition of root elongation remains to be further elucidated. Here, we report that alkaline conditions inhibit primary root elongation of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings by reducing cell division potential in the meristem zones and that ethylene signaling affects this process. The ethylene perception antagonist silver (Ag(+)) alleviated the inhibition of root elongation by alkaline stress. Moreover, the ethylene signaling mutants ethylene response1-3 (etr1-3), ethylene insensitive2 (ein2), and ein3-1 showed less reduction in root length under alkaline conditions, indicating a reduced sensitivity to alkalinity. Ethylene biosynthesis also was found to play a role in alkaline stress-mediated root inhibition; the ethylene overproducer1-1 mutant, which overproduces ethylene because of increased stability of 1-AMINOCYCLOPROPANE-1-CARBOXYLIC ACID SYNTHASE5, was hypersensitive to alkaline stress. In addition, the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor cobalt (Co(2+)) suppressed alkaline stress-mediated inhibition of root elongation. We further found that alkaline stress caused an increase in auxin levels by promoting expression of auxin biosynthesis-related genes, but the increase in auxin levels was reduced in the roots of the etr1-3 and ein3-1 mutants and in Ag(+)/Co(2+)-treated wild-type plants. Additional genetic and physiological data showed that AUXIN1 (AUX1) was involved in alkaline stress-mediated inhibition of root elongation. Taken together, our results reveal that ethylene modulates alkaline stress-mediated inhibition of root growth by increasing auxin accumulation by stimulating the expression of AUX1 and auxin biosynthesis-related genes. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  20. Household food waste collection: Building service networks through neighborhood expansion.

    PubMed

    Armington, William R; Chen, Roger B

    2018-04-17

    In this paper we develop a residential food waste collection analysis and modeling framework that captures transportation costs faced by service providers in their initial stages of service provision. With this framework and model, we gain insights into network transportation costs and investigate possible service expansion scenarios faced by these organizations. We solve a vehicle routing problem (VRP) formulated for the residential neighborhood context using a heuristic approach developed. The scenarios considered follow a narrative where service providers start with an initial neighborhood or community and expands to incorporate other communities and their households. The results indicate that increasing household participation, decreases the travel time and cost per household, up to a critical threshold, beyond which we see marginal time and cost improvements. Additionally, the results indicate different outcomes in expansion scenarios depending on the household density of incorporated neighborhoods. As household participation and density increases, the travel time per household in the network decreases. However, at approximately 10-20 households per km 2 , the decrease in travel time per household is marginal, suggesting a lowerbound household density threshold. Finally, we show in food waste collection, networks share common scaling effects with respect to travel time and costs, regardless of the number of nodes and links. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The global household: toward a feminist postcapitalist international political economy.

    PubMed

    Safri, Maliha; Graham, Julie

    2010-01-01

    The goal of this article is to introduce a new category into international political economy-the global household-and to begin to widen the focus of international political economy to include nonmarket transactions and noncapitalist production. As an economic institution composed of transnational extended families and codwellers (including international migrants and family members left behind in countries of origin), the global household is engaged in coordinating international migration, sending and receiving billions of dollars in remittances, and organizing and conducting market- and non-market-oriented production on an international scale. We first trace the discursive antecedents of the global household concept to theories of the household as a site of noncapitalist production and to feminist ethnographies of transnational families. In order to demonstrate the potential significance and effect of this newly recognized institution, we estimate the aggregate population of global households, the size and distribution of remittances, and the magnitude and sectoral scope of global household production. We then examine the implications of the global household concept for three areas of inquiry: globalization, economic development, and the household politics of economic transformation. Finally, we briefly explore the possibilities for research and activism opened up by a feminist, postcapitalist international political economy centered on the global household.

  2. Survival and stress responses of E. coli exposed to alkaline cleaners

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Studies were undertaken to evaluate the effects of alkaline cleaners commonly used in food processing environments on survival and stress responses of the foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7. Alkaline cleaners containing either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide and hypochlorite had gre...

  3. Alternative alkaline conditioning of amidoxime based adsorbent for uranium extraction from seawater

    DOE PAGES

    Das, Sadananda; Liao, Wei -Po; Byers, Maggie Flicker; ...

    2015-10-18

    Alkaline conditioning of the amidoxime based adsorbents is a significant step in the preparation of the adsorbent for uranium uptake from seawater. The effects of various alkaline conditioning parameters such as the type of alkaline reagent, reaction temperature, and reaction time were investigated with respect to uranium adsorption capacity from simulated seawater (spiked with 8 ppm uranium) and natural seawater (from Sequim Bay, WA). An adsorbent (AF1) was prepared at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by radiation-induced graft polymerization (RIGP) with acrylonitrile and itaconic acid onto high-surface-area polyethylene fibers. For the AF1 adsorbent, sodium hydroxide emerged as a better reagentmore » for alkaline conditioning over potassium hydroxide, which has typically been used in previous studies, because of higher uranium uptake capacity and lower cost over the other candidate alkaline reagents investigated in this study. Furthermore, the use of sodium hydroxide in place of potassium hydroxide is shown to result in a 21–30% decrease in the cost of uranium recovery.« less

  4. Alternative alkaline conditioning of amidoxime based adsorbent for uranium extraction from seawater

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Das, Sadananda; Liao, Wei -Po; Byers, Maggie Flicker

    Alkaline conditioning of the amidoxime based adsorbents is a significant step in the preparation of the adsorbent for uranium uptake from seawater. The effects of various alkaline conditioning parameters such as the type of alkaline reagent, reaction temperature, and reaction time were investigated with respect to uranium adsorption capacity from simulated seawater (spiked with 8 ppm uranium) and natural seawater (from Sequim Bay, WA). An adsorbent (AF1) was prepared at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by radiation-induced graft polymerization (RIGP) with acrylonitrile and itaconic acid onto high-surface-area polyethylene fibers. For the AF1 adsorbent, sodium hydroxide emerged as a better reagentmore » for alkaline conditioning over potassium hydroxide, which has typically been used in previous studies, because of higher uranium uptake capacity and lower cost over the other candidate alkaline reagents investigated in this study. Furthermore, the use of sodium hydroxide in place of potassium hydroxide is shown to result in a 21–30% decrease in the cost of uranium recovery.« less

  5. The viability of MCM-41 as separator in secondary alkaline cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meskon, S. R.; Othman, R.; Ani, M. H.

    2018-01-01

    The viability of MCM-41 membrane as a separator material in secondary alkaline cell is investigated. The inorganic membrane was employed in an alkaline nickel-zinc system. MCM-41 mesoporous material consists of arrays of hexagonal nano-pore channels. The membrane was synthesized using sol-gel route from parent solution comprising of quarternary ammonium surfactant, cethyltrimethylammonium bromide C16H33(CH3)3NBr (CTAB), hydrochloric acid (HCl), deionized water (H2O), ethanol (C2H5OH), and tetraethylortosilicate (TEOS). Both the anodic zinc/zinc oxide and cathodic nickel hydroxide electrodeposited film were coated with MCM-41 membrane. The Ni/MCM-41/Zn alkaline cell was then subjected to 100-cycle durability test and the structural stability of MCM-41 separator throughout the progression of the charge-discharge cycles is studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the dismantled cell shows that MCM-41 began to transform to lamellar MCM-50 on the 5th cycle and transformed almost completely on the 25th cycle. The phase transformation of MCM-41 hexagonal structure into gel-like MCM-50 prevents the mesoporous cell separator from diminished in the caustic alkaline surround. This work has hence demonstrated MCM-41 membrane is viable to be employed in secondary alkaline cells.

  6. Root Damage under Alkaline Stress Is Associated with Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hui; Liu, Xiao-Long; Zhang, Rui-Xue; Yuan, Hai-Yan; Wang, Ming-Ming; Yang, Hao-Yu; Ma, Hong-Yuan; Liu, Duo; Jiang, Chang-Jie; Liang, Zheng-Wei

    2017-01-01

    Alkaline stress (high pH) severely damages root cells, and consequently, inhibits rice ( Oryza sativa L.) seedling growth. In this study, we demonstrate the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in root cells under alkaline stress. Seedlings of two rice cultivars with different alkaline tolerances, 'Dongdao-4' (moderately alkaline-tolerant) and 'Jiudao-51' (alkaline-sensitive), were subjected to alkaline stress simulated by 15 mM sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ). Alkaline stress greatly reduced seedling survival rate, shoot and root growth, and root vigor. Moreover, severe root cell damage was observed under alkaline stress, as shown by increased membrane injury, malondialdehyde accumulation, and Evan's Blue staining. The expression of the cell death-related genes OsKOD1 , OsHsr203j , OsCP1 , and OsNAC4 was consistently upregulated, while that of a cell death-suppressor gene, OsBI1 , was downregulated. Analysis of the ROS contents revealed that alkaline stress induced a marked accumulation of superoxide anions ([Formula: see text]) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in rice roots. The application of procyanidins (a potent antioxidant) to rice seedlings 24 h prior to alkaline treatment significantly alleviated alkalinity-induced root damage and promoted seedling growth inhibition, which were concomitant with reduced ROS accumulation. These results suggest that root cell damage, and consequently growth inhibition, of rice seedlings under alkaline stress is closely associated with ROS accumulation. The antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase increased under alkaline stress in the roots, probably in response to the cellular damage induced by oxidative stress. However, this response mechanism may be overwhelmed by the excess ROS accumulation observed under stress, resulting in oxidative damage to root cells. Our findings provide physiological insights into the molecular mechanisms of alkalinity-induced damage to

  7. Priming effect of abscisic acid on alkaline stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings.

    PubMed

    Wei, Li-Xing; Lv, Bing-Sheng; Wang, Ming-Ming; Ma, Hong-Yuan; Yang, Hao-Yu; Liu, Xiao-Long; Jiang, Chang-Jie; Liang, Zheng-Wei

    2015-05-01

    Saline-alkaline stress is characterized by high salinity and high alkalinity (high pH); alkaline stress has been shown to be the primary factor inhibiting rice seedling growth. In this study, we investigated the potential priming effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on tolerance of rice seedlings to alkaline stress simulated by Na2CO3. Seedlings were pretreated with ABA at concentrations of 0 (control), 10, and 50 μM by root-drench for 24 h and then transferred to a Na2CO3 solution that did not contain ABA. Compared to control treatment, pretreatment with ABA substantially improved the survival rate of rice seedlings and increased biomass accumulation after 7 days under the alkaline condition. ABA application at 10 μM also alleviated the inhibitory effects of alkaline stress on the total root length and root surface area. Physiologically, ABA increased relative water content (RWC) and decreased cell membrane injury degree (MI) and Na(+)/K(+) ratios. In contrast, fluridone (an ABA biosynthesis inhibitor) decreased the RWC and increased MI in shoots under the alkaline conditions. These data suggest that ABA has a potent priming effect on the adaptive response to alkaline stress in rice and may be useful for improving rice growth in saline-alkaline paddy fields. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Determining Equity in Household's Health Care Payments in Hamedan Province, Iran.

    PubMed

    Rezapour, Aziz; Arabloo, Jalal; Tofighi, Shahram; Alipour, Vahid; Sepandy, Mojtaba; Mokhtari, Payam; Ghanbary, Abbas

    2016-07-01

    Financial protection of household against the consequences of the health care expenditures is one of the most important functions of health care systems. The objective of this study was to determine the equity in health care payments and determining factors among households in Hamedan, a province in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 772 families of patients, who were being discharged from hospitals in Hamedan, were selected for study by using a stratified random sampling method. Required data regarding households' health and non-health expenditures were collected through World Health Organization standard questionnaire by interviews and observation method. According to the findings, 20.7% of households experienced catastrophic health expenditure. The incidence of impoverishment due to out-of-pocket payments for health care was 2.8% among studied households. The highest incidence rate of out-of-pocket health payment indices occurred in the first quintile (poorest or Q1). Variables such as having members under 6 years or over 60 years in household, household size, employment of household head, households' income quintile, existence of the disabled member in households and the education level of the household's head are the most important factors that affect the incidence of out-of-pocket health payment indices. There is considerable inequity in health care financing as well as households' health payments. This requires designing and implementing the operative and protective programs for understanding the important factors that affect equity in health financing, especially for poor households, against the unexpected health expenditures through the health care system.

  9. Clinical implications of eicosapentaenoic acid/arachidonic acid ratio (EPA/AA) in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

    PubMed

    Kanoh, Miki; Inai, Kei; Shinohara, Tokuko; Tomimatsu, Hirofumi; Nakanishi, Toshio

    2017-12-01

    Recent studies showed that a low ratio between the levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and those of arachidonic acid (EPA/AA) is associated with higher incidence of coronary artery disease and poor prognosis of heart failure, arrhythmia, and cardiac sudden death. However, the clinical implications of EPA/AA in adult patients with congenital heart disease remain unclear. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of EPA/AA regarding cardiac events in adult patients with congenital heart disease. We measured the serum levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid in 130 adult patients (median age, 31 years) stratified into two groups according to their EPA/AA (low, ≤0.22; high, >0.22). We prospectively analyzed the association between EPA/AA and incidence of cardiac events during a mean observation period of 15 months, expressed in terms of hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). In the subgroup of patients with biventricular circulation (2VC) (n = 76), we analyzed the same clinical endpoints. In our study population, EPA/AA was not associated with the incidence of arrhythmic events (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.82-2.85; p = 0.19), but low EPA/AA was a predictor of heart failure hospitalization (HR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.35-6.30; p < 0.01). Among patients with 2VC, an EPA/AA of ≤0.25 was associated with a significantly higher risk of arrhythmic events (HR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.11-6.41; p = 0.03) and heart failure hospitalization (HR, 5.20; 95% CI, 1.78-18.1; p < 0.01). EPA/AA represents a useful predictor of cardiac events in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

  10. Household instability and self-regulation among poor children.

    PubMed

    McCoy, Dana Charles; Raver, C Cybele

    Past research suggests that poverty may negatively influence children's psychological and behavioral health by increasing their exposure to chaotic living conditions in the household. The present study provides a descriptive 'snapshot' of instability in low-income households, and examines the associations between exposure to major destabilizing events over the course of a year and three domains of poor urban children's self-regulation. Descriptive analyses suggest that although caregivers from unstable households report higher average levels of health problems and depression, they also have greater assets/savings, are more educated, and are less likely to be immigrants than caregivers from stable households. Results of propensity score-matched regression analyses reveal that high levels of household instability are significantly and negatively associated with preschoolers' effortful control and global attention/impulsivity control, but not with their executive function. Children from mildly unstable homes (i.e., those who had experienced a single destabilizing event in the past year) showed no significant differences in any domain of self-regulation relative to their peers from stable households, suggesting a dose-response relationship between the number of destabilizing events experienced by children and their outcomes. Implications for theories of poverty-related adversity, stress, and parenting are discussed in addition to future directions for research.

  11. Household instability and self-regulation among poor children

    PubMed Central

    McCoy, Dana Charles; Raver, C. Cybele

    2015-01-01

    Past research suggests that poverty may negatively influence children’s psychological and behavioral health by increasing their exposure to chaotic living conditions in the household. The present study provides a descriptive ‘snapshot’ of instability in low-income households, and examines the associations between exposure to major destabilizing events over the course of a year and three domains of poor urban children’s self-regulation. Descriptive analyses suggest that although caregivers from unstable households report higher average levels of health problems and depression, they also have greater assets/savings, are more educated, and are less likely to be immigrants than caregivers from stable households. Results of propensity score-matched regression analyses reveal that high levels of household instability are significantly and negatively associated with preschoolers’ effortful control and global attention/impulsivity control, but not with their executive function. Children from mildly unstable homes (i.e., those who had experienced a single destabilizing event in the past year) showed no significant differences in any domain of self-regulation relative to their peers from stable households, suggesting a dose-response relationship between the number of destabilizing events experienced by children and their outcomes. Implications for theories of poverty-related adversity, stress, and parenting are discussed in addition to future directions for research. PMID:26924923

  12. Grace DAKASEP alkaline battery separator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giovannoni, R. T.; Lundquist, J. T.; Choi, W. M.

    1987-01-01

    The Grace DAKASEP separator was originally developed as a wicking layer for nickel-zinc alkaline batteries. The DAKASEP is a filled non-woven separator which is flexible and heat sealable. Through modification of formulation and processing variables, products with a variety of properties can be produced. Variations of DAKASEP were tested in Ni-H2, Ni-Zn, Ni-Cd, and primary alkaline batteries with good results. The properties of DAKASEP which are optimized for Hg-Zn primary batteries are shown in tabular form. This separator has high tensile strength, 12 micron average pore size, relatively low porosity at 46-48 percent, and consequently moderately high resistivity. Versions were produced with greater than 70 percent porosity and resistivities in 33 wt percent KOH as low as 3 ohm cm. Performance data for Hg-Zn E-1 size cells containing DAKASEP with the properties shown in tabular form, are more reproducible than data obtained with a competitive polypropylene non-woven separator. In addition, utilization of active material is in general considerably improved.

  13. The Origin of Life in Alkaline Hydrothermal Vents.

    PubMed

    Sojo, Victor; Herschy, Barry; Whicher, Alexandra; Camprubí, Eloi; Lane, Nick

    2016-02-01

    Over the last 70 years, prebiotic chemists have been very successful in synthesizing the molecules of life, from amino acids to nucleotides. Yet there is strikingly little resemblance between much of this chemistry and the metabolic pathways of cells, in terms of substrates, catalysts, and synthetic pathways. In contrast, alkaline hydrothermal vents offer conditions similar to those harnessed by modern autotrophs, but there has been limited experimental evidence that such conditions could drive prebiotic chemistry. In the Hadean, in the absence of oxygen, alkaline vents are proposed to have acted as electrochemical flow reactors, in which alkaline fluids saturated in H2 mixed with relatively acidic ocean waters rich in CO2, through a labyrinth of interconnected micropores with thin inorganic walls containing catalytic Fe(Ni)S minerals. The difference in pH across these thin barriers produced natural proton gradients with equivalent magnitude and polarity to the proton-motive force required for carbon fixation in extant bacteria and archaea. How such gradients could have powered carbon reduction or energy flux before the advent of organic protocells with genes and proteins is unknown. Work over the last decade suggests several possible hypotheses that are currently being tested in laboratory experiments, field observations, and phylogenetic reconstructions of ancestral metabolism. We analyze the perplexing differences in carbon and energy metabolism in methanogenic archaea and acetogenic bacteria to propose a possible ancestral mechanism of CO2 reduction in alkaline hydrothermal vents. Based on this mechanism, we show that the evolution of active ion pumping could have driven the deep divergence of bacteria and archaea.

  14. Alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells using an anion exchange membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsuoka, Koji; Iriyama, Yasutoshi; Abe, Takeshi; Matsuoka, Masao; Ogumi, Zempachi

    Alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells using an OH-form anion exchange membrane and polyhydric alcohols were studied. A high open circuit voltage of ca. 800 mV was obtained for a cell using Pt-Ru/C (anode) and Pt/C (cathode) at 323 K, which was about 100-200 mV higher than that for a DMFC using Nafion ®. The maximum power densities were in the order of ethylene glycol > glycerol > methanol > erythritol > xylitol. Silver catalysts were used as a cathode catalyst to fabricate alkaline fuel cells, since silver catalyst is almost inactive in the oxidation of polyhydric alcohols. Alkaline direct ethylene glycol fuel cells using silver as a cathode catalyst gave excellent performance because higher concentrations of fuel could be supplied to the anode.

  15. Elucidating Performance Limitations in Alkaline-Exchange- Membrane Fuel Cells

    DOE PAGES

    Shiau, Huai-Suen; Zenyuk, Iryna V.; Weber, Adam Z.

    2017-07-15

    Water management is a serious concern for alkaline-exchange-membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) because water is a reactant in the alkaline oxygen-reduction reaction and hydroxide conduction in alkaline-exchange membranes is highly hydration dependent. Here in this article, we develop and use a multiphysics, multiphase model to explore water management in AEMFCs. We demonstrate that the low performance is mostly caused by extremely non-uniform distribution of water in the ionomer phase. A sensitivity analysis of design parameters including humidification strategies, membrane properties, and water transport resistance was undertaken to explore possible optimization strategies. Furthermore, the strategy and issues of reducing bicarbonate/carbonate buildup inmore » the membrane-electrode assembly with CO 2 from air is demonstrated based on the model prediction. Overall, mathematical modeling is used to explore trends and strategies to overcome performance bottlenecks and help enable AEMFC commercialization.« less

  16. Bonding strength and durability of alkaline-treated titanium to veneering resin.

    PubMed

    Ban, Seiji; Kadokawa, Akihiko; Kanie, Takahito; Arikawa, Hiroyuki; Fujii, Koichi; Tanaka, Takuo

    2004-09-01

    The shear bonding strengths of a veneering resin to polished, sandblasted, and retention bead-cast commercially pure titanium (cpTi) plates with and without alkaline treatment were measured before and after thermal cycling. The bonding strengths to polished cpTi with and without alkaline treatment decreased remarkably with thermal cycling (p<0.01). The bonding strength to sandblasted cpTi with alkaline treatment at 5,000 thermal cycles showed no significant differences from those before thermal cycling (p>0.05), and those at 20,000 thermal cycles showed values which were quite small (p<0.01). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the bonding strengths of veneering resin to retention bead-cast cpTi in all conditions (p>0.05). These results suggested that although alkaline treatment is a simple and effective surface modification technique for titanium improving adhesion to resin due to formation of tight-fine rutile particles, it does not provide sufficient bonding durability for long-period restorations.

  17. Factors associated with child hunger among food insecure households in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Haque, Md Ahshanul; Farzana, Fahmida Dil; Sultana, Sabiha; Raihan, Mohammad Jyoti; Rahman, Ahmed Shafiqur; Waid, Jillian L; Choudhury, Nuzhat; Ahmed, Tahmeed

    2017-02-16

    Hunger is associated with food insecurity at the household level and is considered as a global public health problem with long term adverse consequences on children's health. This study aims to determine the factors associated with child hunger from a nationally representative sample in Bangladesh among food insecure households. Data was derived from the Food Security and Nutritional Surveillance Project; 14,712 children aged 6-59 months belonging to food insecure households contributed to the analysis. Information on food security at the household level was collected for 30 days preceding the survey. Descriptive statistics served to illustrate the variables studied and multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the significant risk factors for child hunger. Overall 10% of the children were found to be hungry. After adjusting for seasonality, residence type and education level of household head, the variables - female headed households [OR: 1.87 (1.43-2.45); p < 0.001], severely food insecure households [OR: 10.5 (1.43-76.6); p < 0.05], households having women with no education [OR: 1.56 (1.27-1.92); p < 0.05], poorest asset quintile [OR: 1.50 (1.11-2.15); p < 0.05] and the amount of rice consumed per household per week [OR: 0.94 (0.92-0.96); p < 0.001] were found to be significantly and independently associated with child hunger. Out of the potential risk factors examined, our study found significant and independent association of five variables with child hunger: sex of the household head, household food insecurity status, educational status of household women and asset index. Despite all sampled household being food insecure, degree of household food insecurity status appeared to be the strongest predictor of child hunger.

  18. Amyloid fibril protein AA in Papua New Guinean amyloidosis.

    PubMed Central

    Anders, R F; Price, M A; Wilkey, I S; Husby, G; Takitaki, F; Natvig, J B; McAdam, K P

    1976-01-01

    In this study of protein composition of amyloid fibrils isolated from eight patients representative of the spectrum of amyloidosis found in Papua New Guinea has been investigated. All fibril preparations, including three from patients with amyloidosis secondary to lepromatous leprosy and one from an unusual juvenile case of primary amyloidosis, contained the non-immunogobulin amyloid protein, protein AA. However, only 44% of thirty-six amyloid patients had detectable levels of the protein AA-related serum component, protein SAA. Alkali-degraded material from each of the fibril preparations failed to react in double immunodiffusion test with antiserum to the amyloid-related light chain VgammaV, but evidence was found for this immunoglobulin light chain-specificity in the serum of one patient. Images FIG. 1 PMID:820500

  19. Amyloid fibril protein AA in Papua New Guinean amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Anders, R F; Price, M A; Wilkey, I S; Husby, G; Takitaki, F; Natvig, J B; McAdam, K P

    1976-04-01

    In this study of protein composition of amyloid fibrils isolated from eight patients representative of the spectrum of amyloidosis found in Papua New Guinea has been investigated. All fibril preparations, including three from patients with amyloidosis secondary to lepromatous leprosy and one from an unusual juvenile case of primary amyloidosis, contained the non-immunogobulin amyloid protein, protein AA. However, only 44% of thirty-six amyloid patients had detectable levels of the protein AA-related serum component, protein SAA. Alkali-degraded material from each of the fibril preparations failed to react in double immunodiffusion test with antiserum to the amyloid-related light chain VgammaV, but evidence was found for this immunoglobulin light chain-specificity in the serum of one patient.

  20. 2010-2012 California Household Travel Survey | Transportation Secure Data

    Science.gov Websites

    Center | NREL 0-2012 California Household Travel Survey 2010-2012 California Household Travel Survey The 2010-2012 California Household Travel Survey (CHTS) collected demographics and travel behavior regional or statewide survey ever conducted in the United States. Data Collection Agency The California

  1. Household Expenditures on Private Tutoring: Emerging Evidence from Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenayathulla, Husaina Banu

    2013-01-01

    Private tutoring has been a burgeoning phenomenon in Malaysia for decades. This study examines the determinants of private tutoring expenditures in Malaysia using the 2004/2005 Household Expenditures Survey and applies hurdle regression models to the data. The results indicate that total household expenditures, household head's level of education,…

  2. Comparison of preliminary results from Airborne Aster Simulator (AAS) with TIMS data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kannari, Yoshiaki; Mills, Franklin; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Ezaka, Teruya; Narita, Tatsuhiko; Chang, Sheng-Huei

    1992-01-01

    The Japanese Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER), being developed for a NASA EOS-A satellite, will have 3 VNIR, 6 SWIR, and 5 TIR (8-12 micron) bands. An Airborne ASTER Simulator (AAS) was developed for Japan Resources Observation System Organization (JAROS) by the Geophysical Environmental Research Group (GER) Corp. to research surface temperature and emission features in the MWIR/TIR, to simulate ASTER's TIR bands, and to study further possibility of MWIR/TIR bands. ASTER Simulator has 1 VNIR, 3 MWIR (3-5 microns), and 20 (currently 24) TIR bands. Data was collected over 3 sites - Cuprite, Nevada; Long Valley/Mono Lake, California; and Death Valley, California - with simultaneous ground truth measurements. Preliminary data collected by AAS for Cuprite, Nevada is presented and AAS data is compared with Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data.

  3. [Food availability according to food security-insecurity among Mexican households].

    PubMed

    Valencia-Valero, Reyna Guadalupe; Ortiz-Hernández, Luis

    2014-04-01

    To know the differences in food availability according to food insecurity level among the Mexican households. We analyzed the database of the National Survey of Household's Incomes and Expenditures (n=27 445 households). Households were classified according to the Latin American and Caribbean Inventory of Food Security. The availability of each food group was estimated as grams per day per equivalent adult. 50.0% of Mexican households experienced some degree of food insecurity. Among households with food insecurity there was high availability of corn, wheat, egg, and sugars; but there was low availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, poultry, seafood, milk, cheeses, and sweetened beverages. Although in households with food insecurity there is lower availability of most food groups (both with high nutrient density and with high energy density); they have higher availability of cheap foods, which in some cases are only source of energy but do not provide nutrients.

  4. Extended Household Transitions, Race/Ethnicity, and Early Childhood Cognitive Outcomes*

    PubMed Central

    Mollborn, Stefanie; Fomby, Paula; Dennis, Jeff A.

    2012-01-01

    Beyond mothers’ union status transitions, other adults’ transitions into and out of the household contribute to family instability, particularly in early childhood. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (N≅8,550), this study examines associations between extended household transitions and age 2 cognitive development. A substantial minority of toddlers experiences these transitions, and their consequences vary by household member type, entry versus exit, and race/ethnicity. Extended household transitions predict lower cognitive scores for white children, but the selection of low-socioeconomic status families into extended households explains these disparities. Grandparent transitions predict significantly higher cognitive scores for African American and Latino children than whites, and some “other adult” transitions predict higher scores for Latinos than African Americans and whites. Extended household transitions’ consequences are independent of co-occurring residential moves and partner transitions. Findings suggest that studying extended household transitions is useful for understanding children’s early development, and their consequences vary by race/ethnicity. PMID:23017924

  5. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Aa of... - Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. AA, App. A Appendix A to...

  6. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Aa of... - Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. AA, App. A Appendix A to...

  7. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Aa of... - Applicability of General Provisions (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart A) to Subpart AA

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. AA, App. A Appendix A to...

  8. COUPLING THE ALKALINE-SURFACTANT-POLYMER TECHNOLOGY AND THE GELATION TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE OIL PRODUCTION

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

    2005-04-01

    Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or more efficient areal sweep efficiency for those with high permeability contrast ''thief zones''. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or those with thief zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. A priormore » fluid-fluid report discussed interaction of different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in the fluid-fluid analyses. Aluminum-polyacrylamide, flowing gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions of either pH 10.5 or 12.9. Chromium acetate-polyacrylamide flowing and rigid flowing gels are stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Rigid flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels maintained permeability reduction better than flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels. Silicate-polyacrylamide gels are not stable with subsequent injection of either a pH 10.5 or a 12.9 alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution. Chromium acetate-xanthan gum rigid gels are not stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. When evaluated in a dual core configuration, injected fluid flows into the core with the greatest effective permeability to the injected fluid. The same gel stability trends to

  9. Kidney biopsy in AA amyloidosis: impact of histopathology on prognosis.

    PubMed

    Kendi Celebi, Zeynep; Kiremitci, Saba; Ozturk, Bengi; Akturk, Serkan; Erdogmus, Siyar; Duman, Neval; Ates, Kenan; Erturk, Sehsuvar; Nergizoglu, Gokhan; Kutlay, Sim; Sengul, Sule; Ensari, Arzu; Keven, Kenan

    2017-09-01

    In AA amyloidosis, while kidney biopsy is widely considered for diagnosis by clinicians, there is no evidence that the detailed investigation of renal histopathology can be utilized for the prognosis and clinical outcomes. In this study, we aimed to obtain whether histopathologic findings in kidney biopsy of AA amyloidosis might have prognostic and clinical value. This is a retrospective cohort study that included 38 patients who were diagnosed with AA amyloidosis by kidney biopsy between 2005 and 2013.The kidney biopsy specimens of patients were evaluated and graded for several characteristics of histopathological lesions and their relationship with renal outcomes. Segmental amyloid deposition in the kidney biopsy was seen in 29%, global amyloid deposition in 71, diffuse involvement of glomeruli in 84.2%, focal involvement in 7%, glomerular enlargement in 53%, tubular atrophy in 75% and interstitial fibrosis in 78% of patients. Histopathologically, glomerular enlargement, interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, interstitial inflammation and global amyloid deposition were significantly associated with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p = .02, p < .001, p = .001, p = .009, p = .002, respectively) in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, tubular atrophy was the only predictor of eGFR (p = .019 B = -20.573). In the follow-up at an average of 27 months, 18 patients developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Among them, global amyloid deposition was the only risk factor for the development of ESRD (p = .01, OR = 18.750, %95 CI= 2.021-173.942). This is the first study showing that the histopathological findings in kidney biopsy of AA amyloidosis might have a prognostic and clinical value for renal outcomes.

  10. Family Meal Frequency and Association with Household Food Availability in United States Multi-Person Households: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010.

    PubMed

    Newman, Sarah L; Tumin, Rachel; Andridge, Rebecca; Anderson, Sarah E

    2015-01-01

    Family meals are associated with a healthier diet among children and adolescents, but how family meal frequency varies in the U.S. population overall by household food availability and sociodemographic characteristics is not well characterized. The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010 assessed the frequency of family meals eaten at home in the past week and the household availability of fruits, dark green vegetables, salty snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Computer-assisted face-to-face interviews with a selected adult (≥18 years) who owned or rented the home (i.e., the household reference person). We analyzed information on family meal frequency for 18,031 participants living in multi-person households in relation to sociodemographic characteristics and food availability. Among the U.S. population living in households of two or more individuals, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of having 0-2, 3-6 and ≥7 family meals/week was 18.0% (16.6-19.3), 32.4% (31.0-33.9), and 49.6% (47.8-51.4), respectively. Greater household availability of fruits and dark green vegetables and less availability of salty snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with more frequent family meals. Family meals were more prevalent in low-income households and those in which the reference person was ≥65 years, married, or had less than high school education. About half of the US population living in households of 2 or more people shares meals frequently with their family at home. Family meal frequency was positively associated with a healthier pattern of household food availability.

  11. Family Meal Frequency and Association with Household Food Availability in United States Multi-Person Households: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010

    PubMed Central

    Newman, Sarah L.; Tumin, Rachel; Andridge, Rebecca; Anderson, Sarah E.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Family meals are associated with a healthier diet among children and adolescents, but how family meal frequency varies in the U.S. population overall by household food availability and sociodemographic characteristics is not well characterized. Design The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2010 assessed the frequency of family meals eaten at home in the past week and the household availability of fruits, dark green vegetables, salty snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Setting Computer-assisted face-to-face interviews with a selected adult (≥18 years) who owned or rented the home (i.e., the household reference person). Subjects We analyzed information on family meal frequency for 18,031 participants living in multi-person households in relation to sociodemographic characteristics and food availability. Results Among the U.S. population living in households of two or more individuals, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of having 0–2, 3–6 and ≥7 family meals/week was 18.0% (16.6–19.3), 32.4% (31.0–33.9), and 49.6% (47.8–51.4), respectively. Greater household availability of fruits and dark green vegetables and less availability of salty snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with more frequent family meals. Family meals were more prevalent in low-income households and those in which the reference person was ≥65 years, married, or had less than high school education. Conclusions About half of the US population living in households of 2 or more people shares meals frequently with their family at home. Family meal frequency was positively associated with a healthier pattern of household food availability. PMID:26636976

  12. Advanced technology for extended endurance alkaline fuel cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheibley, D. W.; Martin, R. A.

    1987-01-01

    Advanced components have been developed for alkaline fuel cells with a view to the satisfaction of NASA Space Station design requirements for extended endurance. The components include a platinum-on-carbon catalyst anode, a potassium titanate-bonded electrolyte matrix, a lightweight graphite electrolyte reservoir plate, a gold-plated nickel-perforated foil electrode substrate, a polyphenylene sulfide cell edge frame material, and a nonmagnesium cooler concept. When incorporated into the alkaline fuel cell unit, these components are expected to yield regenerative operation in a low earth orbit Space Station with a design life greater than 5 years.

  13. A&A Painting and Restoration Co., Inc. Information Sheet

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    A&A Painting and Restoration Co., Inc. (the Company) is located in Great Mills, Maryland. The settlement involves renovation activities conducted at properties constructed prior to 1978, located in Drayden, Maryland.

  14. Household Hazardous Waste: Everyone's Problem--Everyone's Solution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evenson, Linda

    1985-01-01

    Examines the household hazardous waste problem, addressing several areas related to regulation, disposal, and control. Also gives a list of safer alternatives for household cleaners/disinfectants, paint products, and pesticides. Indicates that individuals can collectively make a difference in public exposure by changing purchases and practices.…

  15. Environmental Contamination in Households of Patients with Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection

    PubMed Central

    Bobr, Aleh; Kuskowski, Michael A.; Johnston, Brian D.; Sadowsky, Michael J.; Khoruts, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (R-CDI) is common and difficult to treat, potentially necessitating fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Although C. difficile spores persist in the hospital environment and cause infection, little is known about their potential presence or importance in the household environment. Households of R-CDI subjects in the peri-FMT period and of geographically matched and age-matched controls were analyzed for the presence of C. difficile. Household environmental surfaces and fecal samples from humans and pets in the household were examined. Households of post-FMT subjects were also examined (environmental surfaces only). Participants were surveyed regarding their personal history and household cleaning habits. Species identity and molecular characteristics of presumptive C. difficile isolates from environmental and fecal samples were determined by using the Pro kit (Remel, USA), Gram staining, PCR, toxinotyping, tcdC gene sequencing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Environmental cultures detected C. difficile on ≥1 surface in 8/8 (100%) peri-FMT households, versus 3/8 (38%) post-FMT households and 3/8 (38%) control households (P = 0.025). The most common C. difficile-positive sites were the vacuum (11/27; 41%), toilet (8/30; 27%), and bathroom sink (5/29; 17%). C. difficile was detected in 3/36 (8%) fecal samples (two R-CDI subjects and one household member). Nine (90%) of 10 households with multiple C. difficile-positive samples had a single genotype present each. In conclusion, C. difficile was found in the household environment of R-CDI patients, but whether it was found as a cause or consequence of R-CDI is unknown. If household contamination leads to R-CDI, effective decontamination may be protective. PMID:26921425

  16. Investigation of Microstructure and Microhardness in Self-Reacting Friction Stir Welded AA2014-T6 and AA2219-T87

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Horton, K. Renee; McGill, Preston; Barkey, Mark

    2011-01-01

    Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state welding process with potential advantages for aerospace and automotive industries dealing with light alloys. Self-reacting friction stir welding (SR-FSW) is one variation of the FSW process being developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for use in the fabrication of propellant tanks. This work reports on the microstructure and microhardness of SR-FSW between two dissimilar aluminum alloys. Specifically, the study examines the cross section of the weld joint formed between an AA2014-T6 plate on the advancing side and an AA2219-T87 plate on the retreating side. The microstructural analysis shows an irregularly displaced weld seam from the advancing side past the thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ) into the weld nugget region. There are sharp variations in the microhardness across the weld. These variations are described in the paper and mechanisms for their formation are discussed.

  17. Household wealth and child health in India.

    PubMed

    Chalasani, Satvika; Rutstein, Shea

    2014-03-01

    Using data from the Indian National Family Health Surveys (1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-06), this study examined how the relationship between household wealth and child health evolved during a time of significant economic change in India. The main predictor was an innovative measure of household wealth that captures changes in wealth over time. Discrete-time logistic models (with community fixed effects) were used to examine mortality and malnutrition outcomes: infant, child, and under-5 mortality; stunting, wasting, and being underweight. Analysis was conducted at the national, urban/rural, and regional levels, separately for boys and girls. The results indicate that the relationship between household wealth and under-5 mortality weakened over time but this result was dominated by infant mortality. The relationship between wealth and child mortality stayed strong for girls. The relationship between household wealth and malnutrition became stronger over time for boys and particularly for girls, in urban and (especially) rural areas.

  18. Response to alkaline stress by root canal bacteria in biofilms.

    PubMed

    Chávez de Paz, L E; Bergenholtz, G; Dahlén, G; Svensäter, G

    2007-05-01

    To determine whether bacteria isolated from infected root canals survive alkaline shifts better in biofilms than in planktonic cultures. Clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Olsenella uli, Streptococcus anginosus, S. gordonii, S. oralis and Fusobacterium nucleatum in biofilm and planktonic cultures were stressed at pH 10.5 for 4 h, and cell viability determined using the fluorescent staining LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability kit. In addition, proteins released into extracellular culture fluids were identified by Western blotting. Enterococcus faecalis, L. paracasei, O. uli and S. gordonii survived in high numbers in both planktonic cultures and in biofilms after alkaline challenge. S. anginosus, S. oralis and F. nucleatum showed increased viability in biofilms compared with planktonic cultures. Alkaline exposure caused all planktonic cultures to aggregate into clusters and resulted in a greater extrusion of cellular proteins compared with cells in biofilms. Increased levels of DnaK, HPr and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase were observed in culture fluids, especially amongst streptococci. In general, bacteria isolated from infected roots canals resisted alkaline stress better in biofilms than in planktonic cultures, however, planktonic cells appeared to use aggregation and the extracellular transport of specific proteins as survival mechanisms.

  19. Household out-of-pocket payments for illness: Evidence from Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Thuan, Nguyen Thi Bich; Lofgren, Curt; Chuc, Nguyen Thi Kim; Janlert, Urban; Lindholm, Lars

    2006-01-01

    Background In Vietnam, illnesses create high out-of-pocket health care expenditures for households. In this study, the burden of illness in the Bavi district, Vietnam is measured based upon individual household health expenditures for communicable and non-communicable illnesses. The focus of the paper is on the relative effect of different illnesses on the total economic burden of health care on households in general and on households that have catastrophic health care spending in particular. Methods The study was performed by twelve monthly follow-up interviews of 621 randomly selected households. The households are part of the FilaBavi project sample – Health System Research Project. The heads of household were interviewed at monthly intervals from July 2001 to June 2002. Results For the population in the Bavi district, communicable illnesses predominate among the episodes of illness and are the reason for most household health care expenditure. This is the case for almost all groups within the study and for the study population as a whole. However, communicable illnesses are more dominant in the poor population compared to the rich population, and are more dominant in households that have very large, or catastrophic, health care expenditure, compared to those without such expenditures. Conclusion The main findings indicate that catastrophic health care spending for a household is not usually the result of one single disastrous event, but rather a series of events and is related more to "every-day illnesses" in a developing country context than to more spectacular events such as injuries or heart illnesses. PMID:17107619

  20. Xylan extraction from pretreated sugarcane bagasse using alkaline and enzymatic approaches.

    PubMed

    Sporck, Daniele; Reinoso, Felipe A M; Rencoret, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Ana; Del Rio, José C; Ferraz, André; Milagres, Adriane M F

    2017-01-01

    New biorefinery concepts are necessary to drive industrial use of lignocellulose biomass components. Xylan recovery before enzymatic hydrolysis of the glucan component is a way to add value to the hemicellulose fraction, which can be used in papermaking, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Hemicellulose removal can also facilitate subsequent cellulolytic glucan hydrolysis. Sugarcane bagasse was pretreated with an alkaline-sulfite chemithermomechanical process to facilitate subsequent extraction of xylan by enzymatic or alkaline procedures. Alkaline extraction methods yielded 53% (w/w) xylan recovery. The enzymatic approach provided a limited yield of 22% (w/w) but produced the xylan with the lowest contamination with lignin and glucan components. All extracted xylans presented arabinosyl side groups and absence of acetylation. 2D-NMR data suggested the presence of O -methyl-glucuronic acid and p -coumarates only in enzymatically extracted xylan. Xylans isolated using the enzymatic approach resulted in products with molecular weights (Mw) lower than 6 kDa. Higher Mw values were detected in the alkali-isolated xylans. Alkaline extraction of xylan provided a glucan-enriched solid readily hydrolysable with low cellulase loads, generating hydrolysates with a high glucose/xylose ratio. Hemicellulose removal before enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic fraction proved to be an efficient manner to add value to sugarcane bagasse biorefining. Xylans with varied yield, purity, and structure can be obtained according to the extraction method. Enzymatic extraction procedures produce high-purity xylans at low yield, whereas alkaline extraction methods provided higher xylan yields with more lignin and glucan contamination. When xylan extraction is performed with alkaline methods, the residual glucan-enriched solid seems suitable for glucose production employing low cellulase loadings.