Sample records for acc coolen kcl

  1. HMSN/ACC truncation mutations disrupt brain-type creatine kinase-dependant activation of K+/Cl- co-transporter 3.

    PubMed

    Salin-Cantegrel, Adèle; Shekarabi, Masoud; Holbert, Sébastien; Dion, Patrick; Rochefort, Daniel; Laganière, Janet; Dacal, Sandra; Hince, Pascale; Karemera, Liliane; Gaspar, Claudia; Lapointe, Jean-Yves; Rouleau, Guy A

    2008-09-01

    The potassium-chloride co-transporter 3 (KCC3) is mutated in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum (HMSN/ACC); however, the molecular mechanisms of HMSN/ACC pathogenesis and the exact role of KCC3 in the development of the nervous system remain poorly understood. The functional regulation of this transporter by protein partners is also largely unknown. Using a yeast two-hybrid approach, we discovered that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of KCC3, which is lost in most HMSN/ACC-causing mutations, directly interacts with brain-specific creatine kinase (CK-B), an ATP-generating enzyme that is also a partner of KCC2. The interaction of KCC3 with CK-B was further confirmed by in vitro glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay, followed by sequencing of the pulled-down complexes. In transfected cultured cells, immunofluorescence labeling showed that CK-B co-localizes with wild-type KCC3, whereas the kinase fails to interact with the inactive truncated KCC3. Finally, CK-B's inhibition by DNFB results in reduction of activity of KCC3 in functional assays using Xenopus laevis oocytes. This physical and functional association between the co-transporter and CK-B is, therefore, the first protein-protein interaction identified to be potentially involved in the pathophysiology of HMSN/ACC.

  2. Genetic Profiling Reveals Cross-Contamination and Misidentification of 6 Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cell Lines: ACC2, ACC3, ACCM, ACCNS, ACCS and CAC2

    PubMed Central

    Phuchareon, Janyaporn; Ohta, Yoshihito; Woo, Jonathan M.; Eisele, David W.; Tetsu, Osamu

    2009-01-01

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common malignant neoplasm of the salivary glands. Most patients survive more than 5 years after surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. The 10 year survival rate, however, drops to 40%, due to locoregional recurrences and distant metastases. Improving long-term survival in ACC requires the development of more effective systemic therapies based on a better understanding of the biologic behavior of ACC. Much preclinical research in this field involves the use of cultured cells and, to date, several ACC cell lines have been established. Authentication of these cell lines, however, has not been reported. We performed DNA fingerprint analysis on six ACC cell lines using short tandem repeat (STR) examinations and found that all six cell lines had been contaminated with other cells. ACC2, ACC3, and ACCM were determined to be cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells), whereas the ACCS cell line was composed of T24 urinary bladder cancer cells. ACCNS and CAC2 cells were contaminated with cells derived from non-human mammalian species: the cells labeled ACCNS were mouse cells and the CAC2 cells were rat cells. These observations suggest that future studies using ACC cell lines should include cell line authentication to avoid the use of contaminated or non-human cells. PMID:19557180

  3. A colorimetric assay of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) based on ninhydrin reaction for rapid screening of bacteria containing ACC deaminase.

    PubMed

    Li, Z; Chang, S; Lin, L; Li, Y; An, Q

    2011-08-01

    1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity is an efficient marker for bacteria to promote plant growth by lowering ethylene levels in plants. We aim to develop a method for rapidly screening bacteria containing ACC deaminase, based on a colorimetric ninhydrin assay of ACC. A reliable colorimetric ninhydrin assay was developed to quantify ACC using heat-resistant polypropylene chimney-top 96-well PCR plates, having the wells evenly heated in boiling water, preventing accidental contamination from boiling water and limiting evaporation. With this method to measure bacterial consumption of ACC, 44 ACC-utilizing bacterial isolates were rapidly screened out from 311 bacterial isolates that were able to grow on minimal media containing ACC as the sole nitrogen source. The 44 ACC-utilizing bacterial isolates showed ACC deaminase activities and belonged to the genus Burkholderia, Pseudomonas or Herbaspirillum. Determination of bacterial ACC consumption by the PCR-plate ninhydrin-ACC assay is a rapid and efficient method for screening bacteria containing ACC deaminase from a large number of bacterial isolates. The PCR-plate ninhydrin-ACC assay extends the utility of the ninhydrin reaction and enables a rapid screening of bacteria containing ACC deaminase from large numbers of bacterial isolates. © 2011 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  4. The taste of KCl - What a difference a sugar makes.

    PubMed

    Ben Abu, Natalie; Harries, Daniel; Voet, Hillary; Niv, Masha Y

    2018-07-30

    Dramatic increase in NaCl consumption lead to sodium intake beyond health guidelines. KCl substitution helps reduce sodium intake but results in a bitter-metallic off-taste. Two disaccharides, trehalose and sucrose, were tested in order to untangle the chemical (increase in effective concentration of KCl due to sugar addition) from the sensory effects. The bitter-metallic taste of KCl was reduced by these sugars, while saltiness was enhanced or unaltered. The perceived sweetness of sugar, regardless of its type and concentration, was an important factor in KCl taste modulation. Though KCl was previously shown to increase the chemical activity of trehalose but not of sucrose, we found that it suppressed the perceived sweetness of both sugars. Therefore, sensory integration was the dominant factor in the tested KCl-sugar combinations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. ACC Effectiveness Review, 1999-2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace, Roslyn, Ed.

    2002-01-01

    These newsletters on Institutional Effectiveness (IE) at Austin Community College (ACC) in Texas include the following articles: (1) "The 'Fast Track'...Students Say It Works!" (2) "Are Students Successfully Completing Distance Learning Courses at ACC?" (3) "Tracking Transfers"; (4) "Math Pilot: Study Skills…

  6. KCl stimulation increases norepinephrine transporter function in PC12 cells.

    PubMed

    Mandela, Prashant; Ordway, Gregory A

    2006-09-01

    The norepinephrine transporter (NET) plays a pivotal role in terminating noradrenergic signaling and conserving norepinephrine (NE) through the process of re-uptake. Recent evidence suggests a close association between NE release and regulation of NET function. The present study evaluated the relationship between release and uptake, and the cellular mechanisms that govern these processes. KCl stimulation of PC12 cells robustly increased [3H]NE uptake via the NET and simultaneously increased [3H]NE release. KCl-stimulated increases in uptake and release were dependent on Ca2+. Treatment of cells with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or okadaic acid decreased [3H]NE uptake but did not block KCl-stimulated increases in [3H]NE uptake. In contrast, PMA increased [3H]NE release and augmented KCl-stimulated release, while okadaic acid had no effects on release. Inhibition of Ca2+-activated signaling cascades with KN93 (a Ca2+ calmodulin-dependent kinase inhibitor), or ML7 and ML9 (myosin light chain kinase inhibitors), reduced [3H]NE uptake and blocked KCl-stimulated increases in uptake. In contrast, KN93, ML7 and ML9 had no effect on KCl-stimulated [3H]NE release. KCl-stimulated increases in [3H]NE uptake were independent of transporter trafficking to the plasma membrane. While increases in both NE release and uptake mediated by KCl stimulation require Ca2+, different intracellular mechanisms mediate these two events.

  7. 24 CFR 982.154 - ACC reserve account.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC reserve account. 982.154... and PHA Administration of Program § 982.154 ACC reserve account. (a) HUD may establish and maintain an unfunded reserve account for the PHA program from available budget authority under the consolidated ACC...

  8. 24 CFR 982.154 - ACC reserve account.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false ACC reserve account. 982.154... and PHA Administration of Program § 982.154 ACC reserve account. (a) HUD may establish and maintain an unfunded reserve account for the PHA program from available budget authority under the consolidated ACC...

  9. Lattice QCD simulations using the OpenACC platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majumdar, Pushan

    2016-10-01

    In this article we will explore the OpenACC platform for programming Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). The OpenACC platform offers a directive based programming model for GPUs which avoids the detailed data flow control and memory management necessary in a CUDA programming environment. In the OpenACC model, programs can be written in high level languages with OpenMP like directives. We present some examples of QCD simulation codes using OpenACC and discuss their performance on the Fermi and Kepler GPUs.

  10. Platelet-derived growth factor regulates K-Cl cotransport in vascular smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jing; Lauf, Peter K; Adragna, Norma C

    2003-03-01

    Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a potent serum mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), plays an important role in membrane transport regulation and in atherosclerosis. K-Cl cotransport (K-Cl COT/KCC), the coupled-movement of K and Cl, is involved in ion homeostasis. VSMCs possess K-Cl COT activity and the KCC1 and KCC3 isoforms. Here, we report on the effect of PDGF on K-Cl COT activity and mRNA expression in primary cultures of rat VSMCs. K-Cl COT was determined as the Cl-dependent Rb influx and mRNA expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Twenty four-hour serum deprivation inhibited basal K-Cl COT activity. Addition of PDGF increased total protein content and K-Cl COT activity in a time-dependent manner. PDGF activated K-Cl COT in a dose-dependent manner, both acutely (10 min) and chronically (12 h). AG-1296, a selective inhibitor of the PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase, abolished these effects. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide had no effect on the acute PDGF activation of K-Cl COT, suggesting posttranslational regulation by the drug. Furthermore, PDGF increased KCC1 and decreased KCC3 mRNA expression in a time-dependent manner. These results indicate that chronic activation of K-Cl COT activity by PDGF may involve regulation of the two KCC mRNA isoforms, with KCC1 playing a dominant role in the mechanism of PDGF-mediated activation.

  11. KCl cotransport regulation and protein kinase G in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Adragna, N C; Zhang, J; Di Fulvio, M; Lincoln, T M; Lauf, P K

    2002-05-15

    K-Cl cotransport is activated by vasodilators in erythrocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells and its regulation involves putative kinase/phosphatase cascades. N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) activates the system presumably by inhibiting a protein kinase. Nitrovasodilators relax smooth muscle via cGMP-dependent activation of protein kinase G (PKG), a regulator of membrane channels and transporters. We investigated whether PKG regulates K-Cl cotransport activity or mRNA expression in normal, PKG-deficient-vector-only-transfected (PKG-) and PKG-catalytic-domain-transfected (PKG+) rat aortic smooth muscle cells. K-Cl cotransport was calculated as the Cl-dependent Rb influx, and mRNA was determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Baseline K-Cl cotransport was higher in PKG+ than in PKG- cells (p <0.01). At 0.5 mM, NEM stimulated K-Cl cotransport by 5-fold in PKG- but not in PKG+ cells. However, NEM was more potent although less effective to activate K-Cl cotransport in normal (passage 1-3) and PKG+ than in PKG- cells. In PKG- cells, [(dihydroindenyl) oxy] alkanoic acid (300 mM) but not furosemide (1 mM) inhibited K-Cl cotransport. Furthermore, no difference in K-Cl cotransport mRNA expression was observed between these cells. In conclusion, this study shows that manipulation of PKG expression in vascular smooth muscle cells affects K-Cl cotransport activity and its activation by NEM.

  12. Radiation effects on beta /10.6/ of pure and europium doped KCl

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grimes, H. H.; Maisel, J. E.; Hartford, R. H.

    1975-01-01

    Changes in the optical absorption coefficient as the result of X-ray and electron bombardment of pure monocrystalline and polycrystalline KCl and of divalent europium doped polycrystalline KCl were determined. A constant heat flow calorimetric method was used to measure the optical absorption coefficients. Both 300 kV X-ray irradiation and 2 MeV electron irradiation produced increases in the optical absorption coefficient at room temperature. X-ray irradiation produced more significant changes in pure monocrystalline KCl than equivalent amounts of electron irradiation. Electron irradiation of pure and Eu-doped polycrystalline KCl produced increases in the absorption by as much as a factor of 20 over untreated material. Bleaching of the electron-irradiated doped KCl with 649 millimicron light produced a further increase.

  13. Radiation effects on beta 10.6 of pure and europium doped KCl

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grimes, H. H.; Maisel, J. E.; Hartford, R. H.

    1975-01-01

    Changes in the optical absorption coefficient as a result of X-ray and electron bombardment of pure KCl (monocrystalline and polycrystalline), and divalent europium doped polycrystalline KCl were determined. The optical absorption coefficients were measured by a constant heat flow calorimetric method. Both 300 KV X-irradiation and 2 MeV electron irradiation produced significant increases in beta 10.6, measured at room temperature. The X-irradiation of pure moncrystalline KCl increased beta 10.6 by 0.005/cm for a 113 MR dose. For an equivalent dose, 2 MeV electrons were found less efficient in changing beta 10.6. However, electron irradiation of pure and Eu-doped polycrystalline KCl produced marked increases in adsorption. Beta increased to over 0.25/cm in Eu-doped material for a 30 x 10 to the 14th power electrons/sq cm dose, a factor of 20 increase over unirradiated material. Moreover, bleaching the electron irradiated doped KCl with 649 m light produced and additional factor of 1.5 increase. These findings will be discussed in light of known defect-center properties in KCl.

  14. Identification of a copper(I) intermediate in the conversion of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) into ethylene by Cu(II)-ACC complexes and hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Ghattas, Wadih; Giorgi, Michel; Mekmouche, Yasmina; Tanaka, Tsunehiro; Rockenbauer, Antal; Réglier, Marius; Hitomi, Yutaka; Simaan, A Jalila

    2008-06-02

    Several Cu(II) complexes with ACC (=1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid) or AIB (=aminoisobutyric acid) were prepared using 2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, and 2-picolylamine ligands: [Cu(2,2'-bipyridine)(ACC)(H2O)](ClO4) (1a), [Cu(1,10-phenanthroline)(ACC)](ClO4) (2a), [Cu(2-picolylamine)(ACC)](ClO4) (3a), and [Cu(2,2'-bipyridine)(AIB)(H2O)](ClO4) (1b). All of the complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The Cu(II)-ACC complexes are able to convert the bound ACC moiety into ethylene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, in an "ACC-oxidase-like" activity. A few equivalents of base are necessary to deprotonate H2O2 for optimum activity. The presence of dioxygen lowers the yield of ACC conversion into ethylene by the copper(II) complexes. During the course of the reaction of Cu(II)-ACC complexes with H2O2, brown species (EPR silent and lambda max approximately 435 nm) were detected and characterized as being the Cu(I)-ACC complexes that are obtained upon reduction of the corresponding Cu(II) complexes by the deprotonated form of hydrogen peroxide. The geometry of the Cu(I) species was optimized by DFT calculations that reveal a change from square-planar to tetrahedral geometry upon reduction of the copper ion, in accordance with the observed nonreversibility of the redox process. In situ prepared Cu(I)-ACC complexes were also reacted with hydrogen peroxide, and a high level of ethylene formation was obtained. We propose Cu(I)-OOH as a possible active species for the conversion of ACC into ethylene, the structure of which was examined by DFT calculation.

  15. Theoretical and empirical investigations of KCl:Eu2+ for nearly water-equivalent radiotherapy dosimetry

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Yuanshui; Han, Zhaohui; Driewer, Joseph P.; Low, Daniel A.; Li, H. Harold

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The low effective atomic number, reusability, and other computed radiography-related advantages make europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) a promising dosimetry material. The purpose of this study is to model KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters with a Monte Carlo (MC) method and, using this model, to investigate the dose responses of two-dimensional (2D) KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor films (SPFs). Methods: KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters were irradiated using a 6 MV beam at four depths (5–20 cm) for each of five square field sizes (5×5–25×25 cm2). The dose measured by KCl:Eu2+ was compared to that measured by an ionization chamber to obtain the magnitude of energy dependent dose measurement artifact. The measurements were simulated using DOSXYZnrc with phase space files generated by BEAMnrcMP. Simulations were also performed for KCl:Eu2+ films with thicknesses ranging from 1 μm to 1 mm. The work function of the prototype KCl:Eu2+ material was determined by comparing the sensitivity of a 150 μm thick KCl:Eu2+ film to a commercial BaFBr0.85I0.15:Eu2+-based SPF with a known work function. The work function was then used to estimate the sensitivity of a 1 μm thick KCl:Eu2+ film. Results: The simulated dose responses of prototype KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters agree well with measurement data acquired by irradiating the dosimeters in the 6 MV beam with varying field size and depth. Furthermore, simulations with films demonstrate that an ultrathin KCl:Eu2+ film with thickness of the order of 1 μm would have nearly water-equivalent dose response. The simulation results can be understood using classic cavity theories. Finally, preliminary experiments and theoretical calculations show that ultrathin KCl:Eu2+ film could provide excellent signal in a 1 cGy dose-to-water irradiation. Conclusions: In conclusion, the authors demonstrate that KCl:Eu2+-based dosimeters can be accurately modeled by a MC method and that 2D KCl:Eu2+ films of the order of 1 μm thick would have

  16. Signal transduction mechanisms of K+-Cl- cotransport regulation and relationship to disease.

    PubMed

    Adragna, N C; Ferrell, C M; Zhang, J; Di Fulvio, M; Temprana, C F; Sharma, A; Fyffe, R E W; Cool, D R; Lauf, P K

    2006-01-01

    The K+-Cl- cotransport (COT) regulatory pathways recently uncovered in our laboratory and their implication in disease state are reviewed. Three mechanisms of K+-Cl- COT regulation can be identified in vascular cells: (1) the Li+-sensitive pathway, (2) the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-sensitive pathway and (3) the nitric oxide (NO)-dependent pathway. Ion fluxes, Western blotting, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were used. Li+, used in the treatment of manic depression, stimulates volume-sensitive K+-Cl- COT of low K+ sheep red blood cells at cellular concentrations <1 mM and inhibits at >3 mM, causes cell swelling, and appears to regulate K+-Cl- COT through a protein kinase C-dependent pathway. PDGF, a potent serum mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), regulates membrane transport and is involved in atherosclerosis. PDGF stimulates VSM K+-Cl- COT in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, both acutely and chronically, through the PDGF receptor. The acute effect occurs at the post-translational level whereas the chronic effect may involve regulation through gene expression. Regulation by PDGF involves the signalling molecules phosphoinositides 3-kinase and protein phosphatase-1. Finally, the NO/cGMP/protein kinase G pathway, involved in vasodilation and hence cardiovascular disease, regulates K+-Cl- COT in VSMCs at the mRNA expression and transport levels. A complex and diverse array of mechanisms and effectors regulate K+-Cl- COT and thus cell volume homeostasis, setting the stage for abnormalities at the genetic and/or regulatory level thus effecting or being affected by various pathological conditions.

  17. Regulation of K-Cl cotransport: from function to genes.

    PubMed

    Adragna, N C; Di Fulvio, M; Lauf, P K

    2004-10-01

    This review intends to summarize the vast literature on K-Cl cotransport (COT) regulation from a functional and genetic viewpoint. Special attention has been given to the signaling pathways involved in the transporter's regulation found in several tissues and cell types, and more specifically, in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The number of publications on K-Cl COT has been steadily increasing since its discovery at the beginning of the 1980s, with red blood cells (RBCs) from different species (human, sheep, dog, rabbit, guinea pig, turkey, duck, frog, rat, mouse, fish, and lamprey) being the most studied model. Other tissues/cell types under study are brain, kidney, epithelia, muscle/smooth muscle, tumor cells, heart, liver, insect cells, endothelial cells, bone, platelets, thymocytes and Leishmania donovani. One of the salient properties of K-Cl-COT is its activation by cell swelling and its participation in the recovery of cell volume, a process known as regulatory volume decrease (RVD). Activation by thiol modification with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has spawned investigations on the redox dependence of K-Cl COT, and is used as a positive control for the operation of the system in many tissues and cells. The most accepted model of K-Cl COT regulation proposes protein kinases and phosphatases linked in a chain of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation events. More recent studies include regulatory pathways involving the phosphatidyl inositol/protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated pathway for regulation by lithium (Li) in low-K sheep red blood cells (LK SRBCs), and the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP/protein kinase G (PKG) pathway as well as the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated mechanism in VSMCs. Studies on VSM transfected cells containing the PKG catalytic domain demonstrated the participation of this enzyme in K-Cl COT regulation. Commonly used vasodilators activate K-Cl COT in a dose-dependent manner through the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway. Interaction between the

  18. Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence

    PubMed Central

    Alexander, William H.; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W.

    2015-01-01

    The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed. PMID:26106528

  19. Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence.

    PubMed

    Alexander, William H; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W

    2015-01-01

    The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed.

  20. Genetic profile of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) with high-grade transformation versus solid type.

    PubMed

    Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

    2010-01-01

    ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features and to compare results to solid ACC. genome-wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, 4 with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), 5 solid ACC. In addition, Ki-67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC.

  1. Genetic profile of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) with high-grade transformation versus solid type.

    PubMed

    Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

    2011-08-01

    ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features, and to compare results to solid ACC. Genome wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, four with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), and five solid ACC. In addition, Ki67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC.

  2. Genotype-specific enrichment of ACC deaminase-positive bacteria in winter wheat rhizospheres

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacteria that produce ACC deaminase promote plant growth and development by lowering levels of the stress hormone ethylene through deamination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the immediate precursor of ethylene. Therefore, it is hypothesized that ACC deaminase positive (ACC+) bacteri...

  3. Preparation and Humidity Sensing Properties of KCl/MCM-41 Composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Li; Kou, Li-Ying; Zhong, Zhi-Cheng; Wang, Lian-Yuan; Liu, Li-Fang; Li, Wei

    2010-05-01

    KCl/mobil composition of matter-41 (MCM-41) composite has been synthesized via a heat-treating process and characterized by x-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. In contrast with pure MCM-41, KCl/MCM-41 composite exhibits improved humidity sensing properties within the relative humidity range of 11-95%. The impedance of KCl/MCM-41 composite changes by about four orders of magnitude over the whole humidity range with the response time and the recovery times are about 30 s and 35 s, respectively. Small humidity hysteresis and good stability are also observed based on our product. These results make our product a good candidate in fabricating humidity sensors with high performances and low synthetic complexity.

  4. Genetic Profile of Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas (ACC) with High-Grade Transformation versus Solid Type

    PubMed Central

    Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

    2010-01-01

    Background: ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features and to compare results to solid ACC. Methods: Genome-wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, 4 with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), 5 solid ACC. In addition, Ki-67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. Results: ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. Conclusion: ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC. PMID:20978318

  5. Asian Care Certificate (ACC): a care quality assurance framework.

    PubMed

    Talaie, Tony

    2018-04-16

    Purpose Quality assuring elderly care through a viable and feasible standard framework is a major challenge for Asian governments. Although several attempts have been made to tackle foreign care worker (FCW) shortage, assuring the quality of the care they provide has been overlooked. The original framework allowed a better control over service quality to assure the elderly about their care according to the agreed standards. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Through several Japanese Governmental meetings, a new Asian Care Certificate (ACC) program is discussed based on the Japanese Care Certificate (JCC). The governments' representatives adopted the JCC to form the ACC, which enables the ACC board to evaluate care workers and to intervene whenever the desired quality level is not achieved. Findings The author describes a new program. The findings of this paper will be confirmed when the ACC is implemented. Practical implications Using the ACC framework, the challenge in providing a high-quality care service using FCWs across Asia would be partly resolved. FCWs' quality of life might also gradually improve especially regarding to their human rights. Originality/value The ACC provides a new framework. Its value is recognized if one considers that many Asian populations are rapidly aging and many governments compromise quality by employing overseas workers to solve care worker shortages.

  6. 24 CFR 985.109 - Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Contributions Contract (ACC). 985.109 Section 985.109 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO... § 985.109 Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). HUD may determine that an PHA's failure... required by HUD constitutes a default under the ACC. ...

  7. 24 CFR 985.109 - Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Contributions Contract (ACC). 985.109 Section 985.109 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... § 985.109 Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). HUD may determine that an PHA's failure... required by HUD constitutes a default under the ACC. ...

  8. 24 CFR 969.105 - Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Extension of ACC upon payment of... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.105 Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy. (a) ACC amendment... projects under a particular ACC for a PHA fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this part, the...

  9. 24 CFR 969.105 - Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Extension of ACC upon payment of... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.105 Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy. (a) ACC amendment... projects under a particular ACC for a PHA fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this part, the...

  10. 24 CFR 882.403 - ACC, housing assistance payments contract, and lease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC, housing assistance payments... Procedures for Moderate Rehabilitation-Basic Policies § 882.403 ACC, housing assistance payments contract, and lease. (a) Maximum Total ACC Commitments. The maximum total annual contribution that may be...

  11. Portable LQCD Monte Carlo code using OpenACC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonati, Claudio; Calore, Enrico; Coscetti, Simone; D'Elia, Massimo; Mesiti, Michele; Negro, Francesco; Fabio Schifano, Sebastiano; Silvi, Giorgio; Tripiccione, Raffaele

    2018-03-01

    Varying from multi-core CPU processors to many-core GPUs, the present scenario of HPC architectures is extremely heterogeneous. In this context, code portability is increasingly important for easy maintainability of applications; this is relevant in scientific computing where code changes are numerous and frequent. In this talk we present the design and optimization of a state-of-the-art production level LQCD Monte Carlo application, using the OpenACC directives model. OpenACC aims to abstract parallel programming to a descriptive level, where programmers do not need to specify the mapping of the code on the target machine. We describe the OpenACC implementation and show that the same code is able to target different architectures, including state-of-the-art CPUs and GPUs.

  12. Microneedle crystals of cyano-substituted thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer epitaxially grown on KCl surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torii, Kazuki; Dokiya, Shohei; Tanaka, Yosuke; Yoshinaga, Shohei; Yanagi, Hisao

    2017-06-01

    A cyno-substituted thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer (TPCO), 5,5‧-bis(4‧-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)-2,2‧-bithiophene (BP2T-CN), is vapor-deposited on KCl (001) surface kept at 220 °C by the mask-shadowing method. Transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy reveal that the deposited BP2T-CN crystallizes in two types of morphologies: microneedles and thin film crystallites. In particular, the predominant microneedles epitaxially grow in four directions in the manner that the BP2T-CN molecules align along the [110]KCl or [-110]KCl. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the BP2T-CN molecules in the microneedle lie parallel while those in the thin film crystallite obliquely stand on the KCl surface.

  13. Supercrystallization of KCl from solution irradiated by soft X-rays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janavičius, A. J.; Rinkūnas, R.; Purlys, R.

    2016-10-01

    The X-rays influence on KCl crystallization in a saturated water solution has been investigated for the aim of comparing it with previously considered NaCl crystallization. The rate of crystallization has been measured in the drying drop in the solution activated by the irradiation. We have measured the influence of the irradiation time of the solution on the rates of KCl crystallization as well as the beginning of the crystallization processes on drying drops. For a longer irradiation time of the solution early crystallization in the drops occurs. A saturated water solution of KCl was irradiated with the diffractometer DRON-3M (Russian device) and this had a great influence on the two-step processes of crystallization. The ionization of the solution by soft X-rays can produce ions, metastable radicals in water, excited crystals' seeds and vacancies in growing crystals by Auger's effect. The X-rays generate a very fast crystallization in the drying drop.

  14. ACC Study Guide Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Austin Community Coll., TX. Rio Grande Campus.

    Ten one-page instructional guides designed to assist Austin Community College (ACC) students in using the library and in writing research papers are presented in this series. The titles of the guides are: (1) "The Media Collection (We have more than books in the LRC)"; (2) "Encyclopedias"; (3) "Finding Books"; (4)…

  15. Electrical conductivity of low-temperature NaCl-KCl-ZrCl4 melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salyulev, A. B.; Khokhlov, V. A.; Red'kin, A. A.

    2014-08-01

    The dependences of the electrical conductivity of NaCl-KCl-ZrCl4 molten mixtures with a molar ratio NaCl : KCl = 8 : 29 on the temperature (temperature range of 300-540°C) and the ZrCl4 concentration (54.3-75.2 mol %) have been measured for the first time using unique cells.

  16. Calcium-independent phospholipase A2 participates in KCl-induced calcium sensitization of vascular smooth muscle.

    PubMed

    Ratz, Paul H; Miner, Amy S; Barbour, Suzanne E

    2009-07-01

    In vascular smooth muscle, KCl not only elevates intracellular free Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)), myosin light chain kinase activity and tension (T), but also can inhibit myosin light chain phosphatase activity by activation of rhoA kinase (ROCK), resulting in Ca(2+) sensitization (increased T/[Ca(2+)](i) ratio). Precisely how KCl causes ROCK-dependent Ca(2+) sensitization remains to be determined. Using Fura-2-loaded isometric rings of rabbit artery, we found that the Ca(2+)-independent phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)) inhibitor, bromoenol lactone (BEL), reduced the KCl-induced tonic but not early phasic phase of T and potentiated [Ca(2+)](i), reducing Ca(2+) sensitization. The PKC inhibitor, GF-109203X (> or =3 microM) and the pseudo-substrate inhibitor of PKCzeta produced a response similar to BEL. BEL reduced basal and KCl-stimulated myosin phosphatase phosphorylation. Whereas BEL and H-1152 produced strong inhibition of KCl-induced tonic T (approximately 50%), H-1152 did not induce additional inhibition of tissues already inhibited by BEL, suggesting that iPLA(2) links KCl stimulation with ROCK activation. The cPLA(2) inhibitor, pyrrolidine-1, inhibited KCl-induced tonic increases in [Ca(2+)](i) but not T, whereas the inhibitor of 20-HETE production, HET0016, acted like the ROCK inhibitor H-1152 by causing Ca(2+) desensitization. These data support a model in which iPLA(2) activity regulates Ca(2+) sensitivity.

  17. Ethylene and 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) in Plant–Bacterial Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Nascimento, Francisco X.; Rossi, Márcio J.; Glick, Bernard R.

    2018-01-01

    Ethylene and its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) actively participate in plant developmental, defense and symbiotic programs. In this sense, ethylene and ACC play a central role in the regulation of bacterial colonization (rhizospheric, endophytic, and phyllospheric) by the modulation of plant immune responses and symbiotic programs, as well as by modulating several developmental processes, such as root elongation. Plant-associated bacterial communities impact plant growth and development, both negatively (pathogens) and positively (plant-growth promoting and symbiotic bacteria). Some members of the plant-associated bacterial community possess the ability to modulate plant ACC and ethylene levels and, subsequently, modify plant defense responses, symbiotic programs and overall plant development. In this work, we review and discuss the role of ethylene and ACC in several aspects of plant-bacterial interactions. Understanding the impact of ethylene and ACC in both the plant host and its associated bacterial community is key to the development of new strategies aimed at increased plant growth and protection. PMID:29520283

  18. 24 CFR 969.107 - HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC expiration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... disposition before ACC expiration. 969.107 Section 969.107 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating... before ACC expiration. This part is not intended to preclude or restrict the demolition or disposition of... before the ACC Expiration Date. ...

  19. Tone-Evoked Acoustic Change Complex (ACC) Recorded in a Sedated Animal Model.

    PubMed

    Presacco, Alessandro; Middlebrooks, John C

    2018-05-10

    The acoustic change complex (ACC) is a scalp-recorded cortical evoked potential complex generated in response to changes (e.g., frequency, amplitude) in an auditory stimulus. The ACC has been well studied in humans, but to our knowledge, no animal model has been evaluated. In particular, it was not known whether the ACC could be recorded under the conditions of sedation that likely would be necessary for recordings from animals. For that reason, we tested the feasibility of recording ACC from sedated cats in response to changes of frequency and amplitude of pure-tone stimuli. Cats were sedated with ketamine and acepromazine, and subdermal needle electrodes were used to record electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Tones were presented from a small loudspeaker located near the right ear. Continuous tones alternated at 500-ms intervals between two frequencies or two levels. Neurometric functions were created by recording neural response amplitudes while systematically varying the magnitude of steps in frequency centered in octave frequency around 2, 4, 8, and 16 kHz, all at 75 dB SPL, or in decibel level around 75 dB SPL tested at 4 and 8 kHz. The ACC could be recorded readily under this ketamine/azepromazine sedation. In contrast, ACC could not be recorded reliably under any level of isoflurane anesthesia that was tested. The minimum frequency (expressed as Weber fractions (df/f)) or level steps (expressed in dB) needed to elicit ACC fell in the range of previous thresholds reported in animal psychophysical tests of discrimination. The success in recording ACC in sedated animals suggests that the ACC will be a useful tool for evaluation of other aspects of auditory acuity in normal hearing and, presumably, in electrical cochlear stimulation, especially for novel stimulation modes that are not yet feasible in humans.

  20. 24 CFR 969.106 - ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false ACC extension in absence of current... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.106 ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy. Where Operating Subsidy under an ACC is not approved for payment during a time period which results in extension of the...

  1. 24 CFR 969.106 - ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC extension in absence of current... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.106 ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy. Where Operating Subsidy under an ACC is not approved for payment during a time period which results in extension of the...

  2. OpenARC: Extensible OpenACC Compiler Framework for Directive-Based Accelerator Programming Study

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

    Lee, Seyong; Vetter, Jeffrey S

    2014-01-01

    Directive-based, accelerator programming models such as OpenACC have arisen as an alternative solution to program emerging Scalable Heterogeneous Computing (SHC) platforms. However, the increased complexity in the SHC systems incurs several challenges in terms of portability and productivity. This paper presents an open-sourced OpenACC compiler, called OpenARC, which serves as an extensible research framework to address those issues in the directive-based accelerator programming. This paper explains important design strategies and key compiler transformation techniques needed to implement the reference OpenACC compiler. Moreover, this paper demonstrates the efficacy of OpenARC as a research framework for directive-based programming study, by proposing andmore » implementing OpenACC extensions in the OpenARC framework to 1) support hybrid programming of the unified memory and separate memory and 2) exploit architecture-specific features in an abstract manner. Porting thirteen standard OpenACC programs and three extended OpenACC programs to CUDA GPUs shows that OpenARC performs similarly to a commercial OpenACC compiler, while it serves as a high-level research framework.« less

  3. Steady-state kinetics of substrate binding and iron release in tomato ACC oxidase.

    PubMed

    Thrower, J S; Blalock, R; Klinman, J P

    2001-08-14

    1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACC oxidase) catalyzes the last step in the biosynthetic pathway of the plant hormone, ethylene. This unusual reaction results in the oxidative ring cleavage of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylate (ACC) into ethylene, cyanide, and CO2 and requires ferrous ion, ascorbate, and molecular oxygen for catalysis. A new purification procedure and assay method have been developed for tomato ACC oxidase that result in greatly increased enzymatic activity. This method allowed us to determine the rate of iron release from the enzyme and the effect of the activator, CO2, on this rate. Initial velocity studies support an ordered kinetic mechanism where ACC binds first followed by O2; ascorbate can bind after O2 or possibly before ACC. This kinetic mechanism differs from one recently proposed for the ACC oxidase from avocado.

  4. K-Cl cotransport function and its potential contribution to cardiovascular disease.

    PubMed

    Adragna, Norma C; Lauf, Peter K

    2007-12-01

    K-Cl cotransport is the coupled electroneutral movement of K and Cl ions carried out by at least four protein isoforms, KCC1-4. These transporters belong to the SLC12A family of coupled cotransporters and, due to their multiple functions, play an important role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Significant information exists on the overall function of these transporters, but less is known about the role of the specific isoforms. Most functional studies were done on K-Cl cotransport fluxes without knowing the molecular details, and only recently attention has been paid to the isoforms and their individual contribution to the fluxes. This review summarizes briefly and updates the information on the overall functions of this transporter, and offers some ideas on its potential contribution to the pathophysiological basis of cardiovascular disease. By virtue of its properties and the cellular ionic distribution, K-Cl cotransport participates in volume regulation of the nucleated and some enucleated cells studied thus far. One of the hallmarks in cardiovascular disease is the inability of the organism to maintain water and electrolyte balance in effectors and/or target tissues. Oxidative stress is another compounding factor in cardiovascular disease and of great significance in our modern life styles. Several functions of the transporter are modulated by oxidative stress, which in turn may cause the transporter to operate in either "overdrive" with the purpose to counteract homeostatic changes, or not to respond at all, again setting the stage for pathological changes leading to cardiovascular disease. Intracellular Mg, a second messenger, acts as an inhibitor of K-Cl cotransport and plays a crucial role in regulating the activity of protein kinases and phosphatases, which, in turn, regulate a myriad of cellular functions. Although the role of Mg in cardiovascular disease has been dealt with for several decades, this chapter is evolving nowadays at a faster

  5. Phase relations in the system NaCl-KCl-H2O: IV. Differential thermal analysis of the sylvite liquidus in the KCl-H2O binary, the liquidus in the NaCl-KCl-H2O ternary, and the solidus in the NaCl-KCl binary to 2 kb pressure, and a summary of experimental data for thermodynamic-PTX analysis of solid-liquid equilibria at elevated P-T conditions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chou, I.-Ming; Sterner, S.M.; Pitzer, Kenneth S.

    1992-01-01

    The sylvite liquidus in the binary system KCl-H2O and the liquidus in the ternary system NaCl-KCl-H2O were determined by using isobaric differential thermal analysis (DTA) cooling scans at pressures up to 2 kbars. Sylvite solubilities along the three-phase curve in the binary system KCl-H2O were obtained by the intersection of sylvite-liquidus isopleths with the three-phase curve in a P-T plot. These solubility data can be represented by the equation Wt.% KCl (??0.2) = 12.19 + 0.1557T - 5.4071 ?? 10-5 T2, where 400 ??? T ??? 770??C. These data are consistent with previous experimental observations. The solidus in the binary system NaCl-KCl was determined by using isobaric DTA heating scans at pressures up to 2 kbars. Using these liquidus and solidus data and other published information, a thermodynamic-PTX analysis of solid-liquid equilibria at high pressures and temperatures for the ternary system has been performed and is presented in an accompanying paper (Part V of this series). However, all experimental liquidus, solidus, and solvus data used in this analysis are summarized in this report (Part IV) and they are compared with the calculated values based on the analysis. ?? 1992.

  6. Performance of KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor dosimeters for low dose measurements

    PubMed Central

    Li, H. Harold; Hansel, Rachael; Knutson, Nels; Yang, Deshan

    2013-01-01

    Recent research has demonstrated that europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) storage phosphor material has the potential to become the physical foundation of a novel and reusable dosimetry system using either film-like devices or devices similar to thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) chips. The purposes of this work are to quantify the performance of KCl:Eu2+ prototype dosimeters for low dose measurements and to demonstrate how it can be incorporated into clinical application for in vivo peripheral dose measurements. Pellet-style KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters, 6 mm in diameter, and 1 mm thick, were fabricated in-house for this study. The dosimeters were read using a laboratory photostimulated luminescence detection system. KCl:Eu2+ prototype storage phosphor dosimeter was capable of measuring a dose-to-water as low as 0.01 cGy from a 6 MV photon beam with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 6. A pre-readout thermal annealing procedure enabled the dosimeter to be read within an hour post irradiation. After receiving large accumulated doses (~10 kGy), the dosimeters retained linear response in the low dose region with only a 20 percent loss of sensitivity comparing to a fresh sample (zero Gy history). The energy-dependence encountered during low dose peripheral measurements could be accounted for via a single point outside-field calibration per each beam quality. With further development the KCl:Eu2+− based dosimeter could become a versatile and durable dosimetry tool with large dynamic range (sub-cGy to 100 Gy). PMID:23735856

  7. Quantitative megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry using the storage phosphor KCl:Eu2+

    PubMed Central

    Han, Zhaohui; Driewer, Joseph P.; Zheng, Yuanshui; Low, Daniel A.; Li, H. Harold

    2009-01-01

    This work, for the first time, reports the use of europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) storage phosphor for quantitative megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry. In principle, KCl:Eu2+ functions using the same photostimulatated luminescence (PSL) mechanism as commercially available BaFBr0.85I0.15:Eu2+ material that is used for computed radiography (CR) but features a significantly smaller effective atomic number—18 versus 49—making it a potentially useful material for nearly tissue-equivalent radiation dosimetry. Cylindrical KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters, 7 mm in diameter and 1 mm thick, were fabricated in-house. Dosimetric properties, including radiation hardness, response linearity, signal fading, dose rate sensitivity, and energy dependence, were studied with a laboratory optical reader after irradiation by a linear accelerator. The overall experimental uncertainty was estimated to be within ±2.5%. The findings were (1) KCl:Eu2+ showed satisfactory radiation hardness. There was no significant change in the stimulation spectra after irradiation up to 200 Gy when compared to a fresh dosimeter, indicating that this material could be reused at least 100 times if 2 Gy per use was assumed, e.g., for patient-specific IMRT QA. (2) KCl:Eu2+ exhibited supralinear response to dose after irradiation from 0 to 800 cGy. (3) After x ray irradiation, the PSL signal faded with time and eventually reached a fading rate of about 0.1%∕h after 12 h. (4) The sensitivity of the dosimeter was independent of the dose rate ranging from 15 to 1000 cGy∕min. (5) The sensitivity showed no beam energy dependence for either open x ray or megavoltage electron fields. (6) Over-response to low-energy scattered photons was comparable to radiographic film, e.g., Kodak EDR2 film. By sandwiching dosimeters between low-energy photon filters (0.3 mm thick lead foils) during irradiation, the over-response was reduced. The authors have demonstrated that KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters have many desirable

  8. 24 CFR 882.805 - HA application process, ACC execution, and pre-rehabilitation activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false HA application process, ACC... § 882.805 HA application process, ACC execution, and pre-rehabilitation activities. (a) Review. When... applications in accordance with the guidelines, rating criteria, and procedures published in the NOFA. (b) ACC...

  9. In vitro synthesis and stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) nanoparticles within liposomes

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

    Tester, Chantel C.; Brock, Ryan E.; Wu, Ching-Hsuan

    2012-02-07

    We show that amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) can be synthesized in phospholipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes). Liposome-encapsulated ACC nanoparticles are stable against aggregation, do not crystallize for at least 20 h, and are ideally suited to investigate the influence of lipid chemistry, particle size, and soluble additives on ACC in situ.

  10. 24 CFR 969.107 - HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC expiration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... disposition before ACC expiration. 969.107 Section 969.107 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING... HOUSING AFTER COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.107 HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC..., HUD may authorize a PHA to demolish or dispose of public housing at any time before the ACC Expiration...

  11. The Repeat Sequences and Elevated Substitution Rates of the Chloroplast accD Gene in Cupressophytes

    PubMed Central

    Li, Jia; Su, Yingjuan; Wang, Ting

    2018-01-01

    The plastid accD gene encodes a subunit of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) enzyme. The length of accD gene has been supposed to expand in Cryptomeria japonica, Taiwania cryptomerioides, Cephalotaxus, Taxus chinensis, and Podocarpus lambertii, and the main reason for this phenomenon was the existence of tandemly repeated sequences. However, it is still unknown whether the accD gene length in other cupressophytes has expanded. Here, in order to investigate how widespread this phenomenon was, 18 accD sequences and its surrounding regions of cupressophyte were sequenced and analyzed. Together with 39 GenBank sequence data, our taxon sampling covered all the extant gymnosperm orders. The repetitive elements and substitution rates of accD among 57 gymnosperm species were analyzed, the results show: (1) Reading frame length of accD gene in 18 cupressophytes species has also expanded. (2) Many repetitive elements were identified in accD gene of cupressophyte lineages. (3) The synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates of accD were accelerated in cupressophytes. (4) accD was located in rearrangement endpoints. These results suggested that repetitive elements may mediate the chloroplast genome rearrangement and accelerated the substitution rates. PMID:29731764

  12. Characteristics of YBa2Cu3O7 high-Tc superconductor with KCl

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Ki Hyun; Chang, Sung Sik

    1990-03-01

    The lattice parameters, microstructural change, transition temperature, and electrical properties of the YBa2-xKxCu3O7 high-Tc superconductor in the range from x=0 to x=0.25 have been investigated. The high-Tc orthorhombic phase increases with increasing KCl up to x=0.20, above which it decreases. The lattice parameters decrease with increasing KCl up to x=0.10, and then become nearly uniform. The grain size increases with increasing KCl up to x=0.20 due to its role as sintering agent. The specimens with x=0.2 have transition temperatures of 96 K and high magnetic susceptibility due to the contraction of lattice parameters a and b and the increase of orthorhombic distortion.

  13. Recalibration of the ACC/AHA Risk Score in Two Population-Based German Cohorts

    PubMed Central

    de las Heras Gala, Tonia; Geisel, Marie Henrike; Peters, Annette; Thorand, Barbara; Baumert, Jens; Lehmann, Nils; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Erbel, Raimund; Meisinger, Christine

    2016-01-01

    Background The 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines introduced an algorithm for risk assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) within 10 years. In Germany, risk assessment with the ESC SCORE is limited to cardiovascular mortality. Applicability of the novel ACC/AHA risk score to the German population has not yet been assessed. We therefore sought to recalibrate and evaluate the ACC/AHA risk score in two German cohorts and to compare it to the ESC SCORE. Methods We studied 5,238 participants from the KORA surveys S3 (1994–1995) and S4 (1999–2001) and 4,208 subjects from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) Study (2000–2003). There were 383 (7.3%) and 271 (6.4%) first non-fatal or fatal ASCVD events within 10 years in KORA and in HNR, respectively. Risk scores were evaluated in terms of calibration and discrimination performance. Results The original ACC/AHA risk score overestimated 10-year ASCVD rates by 37% in KORA and 66% in HNR. After recalibration, miscalibration diminished to 8% underestimation in KORA and 12% overestimation in HNR. Discrimination performance of the ACC/AHA risk score was not affected by the recalibration (KORA: C = 0.78, HNR: C = 0.74). The ESC SCORE overestimated by 5% in KORA and by 85% in HNR. The corresponding C-statistic was 0.82 in KORA and 0.76 in HNR. Conclusions The recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score showed strongly improved calibration compared to the original ACC/AHA risk score. Predicting only cardiovascular mortality, discrimination performance of the commonly used ESC SCORE remained somewhat superior to the ACC/AHA risk score. Nevertheless, the recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score may provide a meaningful tool for estimating 10-year risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Germany. PMID:27732641

  14. Recalibration of the ACC/AHA Risk Score in Two Population-Based German Cohorts.

    PubMed

    de Las Heras Gala, Tonia; Geisel, Marie Henrike; Peters, Annette; Thorand, Barbara; Baumert, Jens; Lehmann, Nils; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Erbel, Raimund; Meisinger, Christine; Mahabadi, Amir Abbas; Koenig, Wolfgang

    2016-01-01

    The 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines introduced an algorithm for risk assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) within 10 years. In Germany, risk assessment with the ESC SCORE is limited to cardiovascular mortality. Applicability of the novel ACC/AHA risk score to the German population has not yet been assessed. We therefore sought to recalibrate and evaluate the ACC/AHA risk score in two German cohorts and to compare it to the ESC SCORE. We studied 5,238 participants from the KORA surveys S3 (1994-1995) and S4 (1999-2001) and 4,208 subjects from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) Study (2000-2003). There were 383 (7.3%) and 271 (6.4%) first non-fatal or fatal ASCVD events within 10 years in KORA and in HNR, respectively. Risk scores were evaluated in terms of calibration and discrimination performance. The original ACC/AHA risk score overestimated 10-year ASCVD rates by 37% in KORA and 66% in HNR. After recalibration, miscalibration diminished to 8% underestimation in KORA and 12% overestimation in HNR. Discrimination performance of the ACC/AHA risk score was not affected by the recalibration (KORA: C = 0.78, HNR: C = 0.74). The ESC SCORE overestimated by 5% in KORA and by 85% in HNR. The corresponding C-statistic was 0.82 in KORA and 0.76 in HNR. The recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score showed strongly improved calibration compared to the original ACC/AHA risk score. Predicting only cardiovascular mortality, discrimination performance of the commonly used ESC SCORE remained somewhat superior to the ACC/AHA risk score. Nevertheless, the recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score may provide a meaningful tool for estimating 10-year risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Germany.

  15. Driver's behavioral adaptation to adaptive cruise control (ACC): the case of speed and time headway.

    PubMed

    Bianchi Piccinini, Giulio Francesco; Rodrigues, Carlos Manuel; Leitão, Miguel; Simões, Anabela

    2014-06-01

    The Adaptive Cruise Control is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that allows maintaining given headway and speed, according to settings pre-defined by the users. Despite the potential benefits associated to the utilization of ACC, previous studies warned against negative behavioral adaptations that might occur while driving with the system activated. Unfortunately, up to now, there are no unanimous results about the effects induced by the usage of ACC on speed and time headway to the vehicle in front. Also, few studies were performed including actual users of ACC among the subjects. This research aimed to investigate the effect of the experience gained with ACC on speed and time headway for a group of users of the system. In addition, it explored the impact of ACC usage on speed and time headway for ACC users and regular drivers. A matched sample driving simulator study was planned as a two-way (2×2) repeated measures mixed design, with the experience with ACC as between-subjects factor and the driving condition (with ACC and manually) as within-subjects factor. The results show that the usage of ACC brought a small but not significant reduction of speed and, especially, the maintenance of safer time headways, being the latter result greater for ACC users, probably as a consequence of their experience in using the system. The usage of ACC did not cause any negative behavioral adaptations to the system regarding speed and time headway. Based on this research work, the Adaptive Cruise Control showed the potential to improve road safety for what concerns the speed and the time headway maintained by the drivers. The speed of the surrounding traffic and the minimum time headway settable through the ACC seem to have an important effect on the road safety improvement achievable with the system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Supercooling of aqueous NaCl and KCl solutions under acoustic levitation.

    PubMed

    Lü, Y J; Wei, B

    2006-10-14

    The supercooling capability of aqueous NaCl and KCl solutions is investigated at containerless state by using acoustic levitation method. The supercooling of water is obviously enhanced by the alkali metal ions and increases linearly with the augmentation of concentrations. Furthermore, the supercooling depends on the nature of ions and is 2-3 K larger for NaCl solution than that for KCl solution in the present concentration range: Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to reveal the intrinsic correlation between supercoolability and microstructure. The translational and orientational order parameters are applied to quantitatively demonstrate the effect of ionic concentration on the hydrogen-bond network and ice melting point. The disrupted hydrogen-bond structure determines essentially the concentration dependence of supercooling. On the other hand, the introduced acoustic pressure suppresses the increase of supercooling by promoting the growth and coalescence of microbubbles, the effective nucleation catalysts, in water. However, the dissolved ions can weaken this effect, and moreover the degree varies with the ion type. This results in the different supercoolability for NaCl and KCl solutions under the acoustic levitation conditions.

  17. Microstructural study of codeposited pentacene:perfluoropentacene grown on KCl by TEM techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Félix, Rocío; Breuer, Tobias; Witte, Gregor; Volz, Kerstin; Gries, Katharina I.

    2017-08-01

    Transmission electron microscopy techniques have been used as a research tool to derive information on structure and orientation of organic semiconductor blends. Within this work, we have studied the structure and morphology of pentacene (PEN, C22H14) and perfluoropentacene (PFP, C22F14) blends grown with [2:1] and [1:2] mixing ratios on KCl substrates. The [2:1] mixture exhibits a uniform layer on the substrate with domains that are rotated in-plane by 90° towards each other. Electron diffraction experiments revealed that these domains are formed by a crystalline mixed phase (consisting of PEN and PFP) and a PEN phase in excess whose lattice parameters are rather similar. By contrast, in the [1:2] blend, two different arrangements were found. The majority of the sample exhibits some spicular fibers on a background layer lying on top of the KCl substrate. The microstructural characterization revealed that these fibers consist of pure PFP in excess while the background layer is formed by the mixed phase. The other arrangement, which is present to a lesser extent, consists of a PFP film that is in direct contact with the KCl substrate. Using electron diffraction experiments, the orientation of the different phases with respect to each other and in some cases relative to the KCl substrate has been determined.

  18. Phase relations in the hydrous CMAS pyrolite in presence of KCl at 2 GPa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Safonov, O.

    2012-04-01

    In the upper mantle, chlorides are constituents of concentrated aqueous solutions (brines), as well as chloride-carbonate and carbonatite melts. Mineral assemblages coming from diverse depth levels show that mobile (K, Na)Cl-bearing fluids are able to provoke intensive metasomatism of the peridotitic mantle accompanied by melting. Scarce experimental studies on influence of brines on mineral equilibria in the peridotitic mantle (Stalder et al., 2008; Chu et al., 2011) indicate that influence of chlorides on water activity in a fluid equilibrated with forsterite enstatite at pressures above 2 GPa is very similar to their effect at lower "crustal" pressures (e.g. Aranovich, Newton, 1997): decrease of the H2O activity with an increase of the salt content results in an increase of the melting temperature of silicates. Nevertheless, these experiments were performed in the Al-free systems. Presence of Al would provoke an active interaction of alkali chlorides, namely KCl, with silicates with formation of new K-Al-bearing phases, such as phlogopite (in presence of H2O), which would influence on the melting of complex assemblages. In order to investigate an effect of KCl on phase relations in the Al2O3, CaO, Na2O-rich hydrous peridotite and on stability of garnet, pyroxenes, and amphiboles, in particular, experiments on interaction of the model CMAS pyrolite Fo57En17Prp14Di12 (+0.3 wt. % of Na2O) with the H2O-KCl fluid were performed at 2 GPa in the temperature interval 900-1200. Mixtures of synthetic forsterite, diopside, enstatite and pyrope in the above weight ratio were mixed with 14 wt. % of Mg(OH)2 corresponding to 4.4 wt. % of H2O in the system. 2.4, 3.7, 5 and 10 wt. % of KCl were added to silicate-H2O mixture. Experiments were performed using a piston-cylinder apparatus with ½-inch talc high-pressure cells calibrated via brucite = periclase + H2O and albite = jadeite + quartz equilibria curves. Temperature was controlled with accuracy ?1 with the W95Re5/W80Re20

  19. Properties of the LiCl-KCl-Li2O system as operating medium for pyro-chemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mullabaev, Albert; Tkacheva, Olga; Shishkin, Vladimir; Kovrov, Vadim; Zaikov, Yuriy; Sukhanov, Leonid; Mochalov, Yuriy

    2018-03-01

    Crystallization temperatures (liquidus and solidus) in the LiCl-Li2O and (LiCl-KCl)-Li2O systems with the KCl content of 10 and 20 mol.% were obtained with independent methods of thermal analysis using cooling curves, isothermal saturation, and differential scanning calorimetry. The linear sweep voltammetry was applied to control the time of the equilibrium establishment in the molten system after the Li2O addition, which depended on the composition of the base melt and the concentration of Li2O. The fragments of the binary LiCl-Li2O and quazi-binary [LiCl-KCl(10 mol.%)]-Li2O and [LiCl-KCl(20 mol.%)]-Li2O phase diagrams in the Li2O concentration range from 0 to 12 mol.% were obtained. The KCl presence in the LiCl-KCl-Li2O molten mixture in the amount of 10 and 20 mol.% reduces the liquidus temperature by 30 and 80°, respectively, but the region of the homogeneous molten state of the system is considerably narrowed, which complicates its practical application. The Li2O solubility in the molten LiCl, LiCl-KCl(10 mol.%) and LiCl-KCl(20 mol.%) decreases with increasing the KCl content and is equal to 11.5, 7.7 and 3.9 mol.% at 650°С, respectively. The LiCl-KCl melt with 10 mol.% KCl can be recommended for practical use as a medium for the SNF pyro-chemical reprocessing at temperature below 700 °C.

  20. PDGF activates K-Cl cotransport through phosphoinositide 3-kinase and protein phosphatase-1 in primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jing; Lauf, Peter K; Adragna, Norma C

    2005-07-15

    K-Cl cotransport (K-Cl COT, KCC) is an electroneutrally coupled movement of K and Cl present in most cells. In this work, we studied the pathways of regulation of K-Cl COT by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Wortmannin and LY 294002 blocked the PDGF-induced K-Cl COT activation, indicating that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K) pathway is involved. However, PD 98059 had no effect on K-Cl COT activation by PDGF, suggesting that the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is not involved under the experimental conditions tested. Involvement of phosphatases was also examined. Sodium orthovanadate, cyclosporin A and okadaic acid had no effect on PDGF-stimulated K-Cl COT. Calyculin A blocked the PDGF-stimulated K-Cl COT by 60%, suggesting that protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) is a mediator in the PDGF signaling pathway/s. In conclusion, our results indicate that the PDGF-mediated pathways of K-Cl COT regulation involve the signaling molecules PI 3-K and PP-1.

  1. The deformation stimulated luminescence in KCl, KBr and KI crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shunkeyev, K.; Sergeyev, D.; Drozdowski, W.; Brylev, K.; Myasnikova, L.; Barmina, A.; Zhanturina, N.; Sagimbaeva, Sh; Aimaganbetova, Z.

    2017-05-01

    Currently, strengthening of the intensity of luminescence in alkali halide crystals (AHC) at lattice symmetry lowering is discussed as a promising direction for the development of scintillation detectors [1-3]. In this regard, for the study of anion excitons and radiation defects in the AHC anion sublattice at deformation, the crystals with the same sizes of cations and different sizes of anions were chosen. In the X-ray spectra of KCl at 10 K, the luminescence at 3.88 eV; 3.05 eV and 2.3 eV is clearly visible. The luminescence at 3.05 eV corresponds to the tunneling recharge [F*, H]. Luminescence at 3.88 eV is quenched in the region of thermal destruction of F‧-centers and characterizes tunneling recharge of F‧, VK-centers. In KCl at 90 K, the luminescence of self-trapped excitons (STE) is completely absent. In KBr at deformation not only STE luminescence, but also deformation stimulated luminescence at 3.58 eV were recorded, the last one corresponds to tunneling recharge of F‧, VK-centers. In KI crystal at 10 K and 90 K at deformation, only STE luminescence is enhanced. There are no deformation luminescence bands in KI compares with KBr and KCl crystals.

  2. The ACC strategy in biomineralization: the case of earthworm's amorphous spherulites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briones, Maria J. I.; Alvarez-Otero, Rosa; Méndez, Jesús; Gago Duport, Luis

    2010-05-01

    The occurrence of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), an hydrated and highly soluble form of solid CaCO3, seems to be a common feature in all carbonate forming organisms such as mollusks, corals, echinoderms and crustaceans. The ubiquity of ACC in these Ca-carbonate biomineralizing systems, as a precursor of further crystalline phases, has recently open the interesting question about if the formation of an amorphous phase is a necessary step in the calcification process of all organisms and consequently, whether it would be possible to define the "amorphous precursor estategy" as a general mechanism in biomineralization. Neverthelees, although ACC appears to be widespread in these organisms very little is known about its particular role in the biomineralization scheme of the different phyla. The formation of CaCO3 spherulites in the calciferous glands of earthworms is a particular case of calcareous biomineralization involving the presence of ACC as a transient precursor phase [2]. Interestingly, the formation of crystalline carbonates via ACC in these organisms is not connected with skeleton building so it must play another functional role. In addition, the transient transformation stages can be followed by in situ spectrometric techniques and therefore, earthworms provide and adequate model to analyse the mutual interactions between ACC-solvent-and crystalline phases. In this study, we have analysed the morphological and structural transformations from the initial ACC spherulites until the formation of the crystalline phases: vaterite (and/or aragonite) and finally calcite, is accomplished. The characterization of ACC was done by performing in situ FT-IR, together with and HREM and Debye scherrer -XRD. The structural results were interpreted in the light of the histological study of the gland. The geometry of the secretory epithelium of the calciferous gland, as evidenced by TEM [2], shows the presence of irregulary shaped cells with their apical surface

  3. Characterization of glial cell K-Cl cotransport.

    PubMed

    Gagnon, Kenneth B E; Adragna, Norma C; Fyffe, Robert E W; Lauf, Peter K

    2007-01-01

    The molecular mechanism of K-Cl cotransport (KCC) consists of at least 4 isoforms, KCC 1, 2, 3, and 4 which, in multiple combinations, exist in most cells, including erythrocytes and neuronal cells. We utilized reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and ion flux studies to characterize KCC activity in an immortalized in vitro cell model for fibrous astrocytes, the rat C6 glioblastoma cell. Isoform-specific sets of oligonucleotide primers were synthesized for NKCC1, KCC1, KCC2, KCC3, KCC4, and also for NKCC1 and actin. K-Cl cotransport activity was determined by measuring either the furosemide-sensitive, or the Cl(-)-dependent bumetanide-insensitive Rb(+) (a K(+) congener) influx in the presence of the Na/K pump inhibitor ouabain. Rb(+) influx was measured at a fixed external Cl concentrations, [Cl(-)](e), as a function of varying external Rb concentrations, [Rb(+)](e), and at a fixed [Rb(+)](e) as a function of varying [Cl(-)](e), and with equimolar Cl replacement by anions of the chaotropic series. RT-PCR of C6 glioblastoma (C6) cells identified mRNA for three KCC isoforms (1, 3, and 4). NKCC1 mRNA was also detected. The apparent K(m) for KCC-mediated Rb(+) influx was 15 mM [Rb(+)](e), and V(max) 12.5 nmol Rb(+) * mg protein(-1) * minute(-1). The calculated apparent K(m) for external Cl(-) was 13 mM and V(max) 14.4 nmol Rb(+) * mg protein(-1) * minute(-1). The anion selectivity sequence of the furosemide-sensitive Rb(+) influx was Cl(-)>Br-=NO(3)(-)>I(-)=SCN(-)>Sfm(-) (sulfamate). Established activators of K-Cl cotransport, hyposmotic shock and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) pretreatment, stimulated furosemide-sensitive Rb(+) influx. A ñ50% NEM-induced loss of intracellular K(+) was prevented by furosemide. We have identified by RT-PCR the presence of three distinct KCC isoforms (1, 3, and 4) in rat C6 glioblastoma cells, and functionally characterized the anion selectivity and kinetics of their collective sodium-independent cation-chloride cotransport

  4. Minimal impact of age and housing temperature on the metabolic phenotype of Acc2-/- mice.

    PubMed

    Brandon, Amanda E; Stuart, Ella; Leslie, Simon J; Hoehn, Kyle L; James, David E; Kraegen, Edward W; Turner, Nigel; Cooney, Gregory J

    2016-03-01

    An important regulator of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is the allosteric inhibition of CPT-1 by malonyl-CoA produced by the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2). Initial studies suggested that deletion of Acc2 (Acacb) increased fat oxidation and reduced adipose tissue mass but in an independently generated strain of Acc2 knockout mice we observed increased whole-body and skeletal muscle FAO and a compensatory increase in muscle glycogen stores without changes in glucose tolerance, energy expenditure or fat mass in young mice (12-16 weeks). The aim of the present study was to determine whether there was any effect of age or housing at thermoneutrality (29 °C; which reduces total energy expenditure) on the phenotype of Acc2 knockout mice. At 42-54 weeks of age, male WT and Acc2(-/-) mice had similar body weight, fat mass, muscle triglyceride content and glucose tolerance. Consistent with younger Acc2(-/-) mice, aged Acc2(-/-) mice showed increased whole-body FAO (24 h average respiratory exchange ratio=0.95±0.02 and 0.92±0.02 for WT and Acc2(-/-) mice respectively, P<0.05) and skeletal muscle glycogen content (+60%, P<0.05) without any detectable change in whole-body energy expenditure. Hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp studies revealed no difference in insulin action between groups with similar glucose infusion rates and tissue glucose uptake. Housing Acc2(-/-) mice at 29 °C did not alter body composition, glucose tolerance or the effects of fat feeding compared with WT mice. These results confirm that manipulation of Acc2 may alter FAO in mice, but this has little impact on body composition or insulin action. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

  5. Skeletal muscle ACC2 S212 phosphorylation is not required for the control of fatty acid oxidation during exercise.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Hayley M; Lally, James S; Galic, Sandra; Pulinilkunnil, Thomas; Ford, Rebecca J; Dyck, Jason R B; van Denderen, Bryce J; Kemp, Bruce E; Steinberg, Gregory R

    2015-07-01

    During submaximal exercise fatty acids are a predominant energy source for muscle contractions. An important regulator of fatty acid oxidation is acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), which exists as two isoforms (ACC1 and ACC2) with ACC2 predominating in skeletal muscle. Both ACC isoforms regulate malonyl-CoA production, an allosteric inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1); the primary enzyme controlling fatty acyl-CoA flux into mitochondria for oxidation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a sensor of cellular energy status that is activated during exercise or by pharmacological agents such as metformin and AICAR. In resting muscle the activation of AMPK with AICAR leads to increased phosphorylation of ACC (S79 on ACC1 and S221 on ACC2), which reduces ACC activity and malonyl-CoA; effects associated with increased fatty acid oxidation. However, whether this pathway is vital for regulating skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation during conditions of increased metabolic flux such as exercise/muscle contractions remains unknown. To examine this we characterized mice lacking AMPK phosphorylation sites on ACC2 (S212 in mice/S221 in humans-ACC2-knock-in [ACC2-KI]) or both ACC1 (S79) and ACC2 (S212) (ACC double knock-in [ACCD-KI]) during submaximal treadmill exercise and/or ex vivo muscle contractions. We find that surprisingly, ACC2-KI mice had normal exercise capacity and whole-body fatty acid oxidation during treadmill running despite elevated muscle ACC2 activity and malonyl-CoA. Similar results were observed in ACCD-KI mice. Fatty acid oxidation was also maintained in muscles from ACC2-KI mice contracted ex vivo. These findings indicate that pathways independent of ACC phosphorylation are important for regulating skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation during exercise/muscle contractions. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

  6. Electrochemical extraction of neodymium by co-reduction with aluminum in LiCl-KCl molten salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Yong-De; Xu, Yan-Lu; Zhang, Mi-Lin; Xue, Yun; Han, Wei; Huang, Ying; Chen, Qiong; Zhang, Zhi-Jian

    2013-02-01

    The electrochemical behavior of Nd(III) ions in LiCl-KCl and LiCl-KCl-AlCl3 melts on a Mo electrode at 723 K was studied by various electrochemical techniques. The results showed that Nd(III) ions are reduced to Nd(0) through two consecutive steps, and the underpotential deposition of neodymium on pre-deposited Al electrode formed two kinds of Al-Nd intermetallic compounds in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3 solutions. The electrochemical extraction of neodymium was carried out in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3 melts on a Mo electrode at 873 K by potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrolysis. The extraction efficiency was 99.25% after potentiostatic electrolysis for 30 h. Al-Li-Nd bulk alloy was obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) suggested that Al2Nd and Al3Nd phases were formed in Al-Li-Nd alloy. The microstructure and micro-zone chemical analysis of Al-Li-Nd alloy were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), respectively.

  7. Phase relations in the system NaCl-KCl-H2O. Part I: Differential thermal analysis of the NaCl-KCl liquidas at 1 atmosphere and 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 bars

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chou, I.-Ming

    1982-01-01

    A simple differential thermal analysis (DTA) technique has been developed to study phase relations of various chemical systems at elevated pressures and temperatures. The DTA system has been calibrated against known melting temperatures in the system NaCl-KCl. Isobaric sections of the liquidus in the system NaCl-KCl have been determined at pressures of 1 atmosphere and 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 bars. Using the least-squares method, the following equation was used to fit the experimental data: T(??C)= ??? i=0 6aiXiKCl where T is the liquidus temperature, XKCl is mole fraction of KCl, and ai (listed below) are the derived empirical constants. {A table is presented}. The liquidus temperatures estimated from these equations are within ??3??C of experimental values. The measured liquidus temperatures at 1 atmosphere agree with the best available data to within 5??C. The melting temperatures for pure end members at higher pressures agree with the values calculated from the Simon equation (Clark, 1959) to within 3??C. No previous melting data are available for the intermediate compositions at elevated pressures. Using the data in both heating and cooling scans, the minimum melting temperature at 1 atmosphere in the system was located at 658?? ?? 3??C where the sample has an equimolar composition. ?? 1982.

  8. ACC Study Guide Series (Revised Edition).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Staples, Katherine; And Others

    Designed for the beginning college student who needs to search for information, prepare written assignments, or take tests, the ACC (Austin Community College) Study Guide Series comprises 17 one-page study guides. Printed on card stock with colored headings, the guides are highlighted with cartoon illustrations and are intended to provide…

  9. 24 CFR 884.105 - Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maximum total ACC commitment and..., Scope and Basic Policies § 884.105 Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects). (a) Maximum total ACC commitment. The maximum total annual contribution that may be contracted...

  10. 24 CFR 884.105 - Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Maximum total ACC commitment and..., Scope and Basic Policies § 884.105 Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects). (a) Maximum total ACC commitment. The maximum total annual contribution that may be contracted...

  11. Extradural Spinal Metastasis of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC): A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Nair, Rajesh; Upadhyaya, Sunil; Nayal, Bhavna; Shetty, Arjun

    2015-01-01

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumour of the major salivary glands. It accounts for 10-15% of all salivary gland tumours and 1% of all head and neck tumours. Surgical resection followed by radiation is the choice of treatment for ACC. However, late loco-regional recurrence and metastasis is often seen emphasizing the importance of long-term follow-up. We report an unusual case of extradural metastasis of ACC in the dorsal spine. The primary submandibular gland tumour was resected 11 y back. A recurrence had been detected two years prior to the occurrence of spinal metastasis. Surgical decompression was done which was followed by palliative radiotherapy. Patient is symptomatically better, ambulant and on regular follow-up. PMID:25738073

  12. OpenACC performance for simulating 2D radial dambreak using FVM HLLE flux

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gunawan, P. H.; Pahlevi, M. R.

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this paper is to investigate the performances of openACC platform for computing 2D radial dambreak. Here, the shallow water equation will be used to describe and simulate 2D radial dambreak with finite volume method (FVM) using HLLE flux. OpenACC is a parallel computing platform based on GPU cores. Indeed, from this research this platform is used to minimize computational time on the numerical scheme performance. The results show the using OpenACC, the computational time is reduced. For the dry and wet radial dambreak simulations using 2048 grids, the computational time of parallel is obtained 575.984 s and 584.830 s respectively for both simulations. These results show the successful of OpenACC when they are compared with the serial time of dry and wet radial dambreak simulations which are collected 28047.500 s and 29269.40 s respectively.

  13. Further studies of auxin and ACC induced feminization in the cucumber plant using ethylene inhibitors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Takahashi, H.; Jaffe, M. J.

    1984-01-01

    The present study was designed to establish the role of an essential hormone controlling sex expression in cucumber. A potent anti-ethylene agent, AgNO3, completely inhibited pistillate flower formation caused by IAA, ACC or ethephon. Inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis, AVG and CoCl2 also suppressed feminization due to exogenous IAA or ACC. Though AVG also suppressed ethephon-induced feminization, this may be due to the second effect of AVG rather than the effect on ACC biosynthesis. These results confirm that ethylene is a major factor regulating feminization and that exogenous auxin induces pistillate flower formation through its stimulation of ethylene production, rather than ACC production.

  14. Reduced heart size and increased myocardial fuel substrate oxidation in ACC2 mutant mice

    PubMed Central

    Essop, M. Faadiel; Camp, Heidi S.; Choi, Cheol Soo; Sharma, Saumya; Fryer, Ryan M.; Reinhart, Glenn A.; Guthrie, Patrick H.; Bentebibel, Assia; Gu, Zeiwei; Shulman, Gerald I.; Taegtmeyer, Heinrich; Wakil, Salih J.; Abu-Elheiga, Lutfi

    2008-01-01

    The cardiac-enriched isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC2) is a key regulator of mitochondrial fatty acid (FA) uptake via carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1). To test the hypothesis that oxidative metabolism is upregulated in hearts from animals lacking ACC2 (employing a transgenic Acc2-mutant mouse), we assessed cardiac function in vivo and determined rates of myocardial substrate oxidation ex vivo. When examined by echocardiography, there was no difference in systolic function, but left ventricular mass of the Acc2-mutant (MUT) mouse was significantly reduced (∼25%) compared with wild-types (WT). Reduced activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its downstream target p70S6K was found in MUT hearts. Exogenous oxidation rates of oleate were increased ∼22%, and, unexpectedly, exogenous glucose oxidation rates were also increased in MUT hearts. Using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, we found that glucose uptake in MUT hearts was increased by ∼83%. Myocardial triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in MUT vs. WT while glycogen content was the same. In parallel, transcript levels of PPARα and its target genes, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4 (PDK-4), malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD), and mCPT1, were downregulated in MUT mice. In summary, we report that 1) Acc2-mutant hearts exhibit a marked preference for the oxidation of both glucose and FAs coupled with greater utilization of endogenous fuel substrates (triglycerides), 2) attenuated mTOR signaling may result in reduced heart sizes observed in Acc2-mutant mice, and 3) Acc2-mutant hearts displayed normal functional parameters despite a significant decrease in size. PMID:18487439

  15. Accumulation and Transport of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid (ACC) in Plants: Current Status, Considerations for Future Research and Agronomic Applications

    PubMed Central

    Vanderstraeten, Lisa; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

    2017-01-01

    1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is a non-protein amino acid acting as the direct precursor of ethylene, a plant hormone regulating a wide variety of vegetative and developmental processes. ACC is the central molecule of ethylene biosynthesis. The rate of ACC formation differs in response to developmental, hormonal and environmental cues. ACC can be conjugated to three derivatives, metabolized in planta or by rhizobacteria using ACC deaminase, and is transported throughout the plant over short and long distances, remotely leading to ethylene responses. This review highlights some recent advances related to ACC. These include the regulation of ACC synthesis, conjugation and deamination, evidence for a role of ACC as an ethylene-independent signal, short and long range ACC transport, and the identification of a first ACC transporter. Although unraveling the complex mechanism of ACC transport is in its infancy, new questions emerge together with the identification of a first transporter. In the light of the future quest for additional ACC transporters, this review presents perspectives of the novel findings and includes considerations for future research toward applications in agronomy. PMID:28174583

  16. Accumulation and Transport of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid (ACC) in Plants: Current Status, Considerations for Future Research and Agronomic Applications.

    PubMed

    Vanderstraeten, Lisa; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

    2017-01-01

    1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is a non-protein amino acid acting as the direct precursor of ethylene, a plant hormone regulating a wide variety of vegetative and developmental processes. ACC is the central molecule of ethylene biosynthesis. The rate of ACC formation differs in response to developmental, hormonal and environmental cues. ACC can be conjugated to three derivatives, metabolized in planta or by rhizobacteria using ACC deaminase, and is transported throughout the plant over short and long distances, remotely leading to ethylene responses. This review highlights some recent advances related to ACC. These include the regulation of ACC synthesis, conjugation and deamination, evidence for a role of ACC as an ethylene-independent signal, short and long range ACC transport, and the identification of a first ACC transporter. Although unraveling the complex mechanism of ACC transport is in its infancy, new questions emerge together with the identification of a first transporter. In the light of the future quest for additional ACC transporters, this review presents perspectives of the novel findings and includes considerations for future research toward applications in agronomy.

  17. Preliminary results from DIMES: Dispersion in the ACC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balwada, D.; Speer, K.; LaCasce, J. H.; Owens, B.

    2012-04-01

    The Diapycnal and Isopynal Mixing Experiment in the Southern Ocean (DIMES) is a CLIVAR process study designed to study mixing in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The experiment includes tracer release, float, and small-scale turbulence components. This presentation will report on some results of the float component, from floats deployed across the ACC in the Southeast Pacific Ocean. These are the first subsurface Lagrangian trajectories from the ACC. Floats were deployed to follow approximately a constant density surface for a period of 1-3 years. To help aid the experimental results virtual floats were advected using AVISO data and basic statistics were derived from both deployed and virtual float trajectories. Experimental design, initial results, comparison to virtual floats and single particle and relative dispersion calculations will be presented.

  18. Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program--KClO 4/Dodecane Mixture

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

    Sandstrom, Mary M.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Preston, Daniel N.

    The Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program is conducting a proficiency study for Small- Scale Safety and Thermal (SSST) testing of homemade explosives (HMEs). Described here are the results for impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, and differential scanning calorimetry analysis of a mixture of KClO 4 and dodecane—KClO 4/dodecane mixture. This material was selected because of the challenge of performing SSST testing of a mixture of solid and liquid materials. The mixture was found to: 1) be less sensitive to impact than RDX, and PETN, 2) less sensitive to friction than RDX and PETN, and 3) less sensitive to spark thanmore » RDX and PETN. The thermal analysis showed little or no exothermic features suggesting that the dodecane volatilized at low temperatures. A prominent endothermic feature was observed and assigned to a phase transition of KClO 4. This effort, funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ultimately will put the issues of safe handling of these materials in perspective with standard military explosives. The study is adding SSST testing results for a broad suite of different HMEs to the literature. Ultimately the study has the potential to suggest new guidelines and methods and possibly establish the SSST testing accuracies needed to develop safe handling practices for HMEs. Each participating testing laboratory uses identical test materials and preparation methods wherever possible. Note, however, the test procedures differ among the laboratories. The results are compared among the laboratories and then compared to historical data from various sources. The testing performers involved for the KClO 4/dodecane mixture are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, (NSWC IHD), and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RXQL). These tests are conducted as a proficiency study in order to establish some consistency in test protocols

  19. KCl-Induced High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of HVAF-Sprayed Ni-Based Coatings in Ambient Air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jafari, Reza; Sadeghimeresht, Esmaeil; Farahani, Taghi Shahrabi; Huhtakangas, Matti; Markocsan, Nicolaie; Joshi, Shrikant

    2018-02-01

    KCl-induced high-temperature corrosion behavior of four HVAF-sprayed Ni-based coatings (Ni21Cr, Ni5Al, Ni21Cr7Al1Y and Ni21Cr9Mo) under KCl deposit has been investigated in ambient air at 600 °C up to 168 h. The coatings were deposited onto 16Mo3 steel—a widely used boiler tube material. Uncoated substrate, 304L and Sanicro 25 were used as reference materials in the test environment. SEM/EDS and XRD techniques were utilized to characterize the as-sprayed and exposed samples. The results showed that the small addition of KCl significantly accelerated degradation to the coatings. All coatings provided better corrosion resistance compared to the reference materials. The alumina-forming Ni5Al coating under KCl deposit was capable of forming a more protective oxide scale compared to the chromia-forming coatings as penetration of Cl through diffusion paths was hindered. Both active corrosion and chromate formation mechanisms were found to be responsible for the corrosion damages. The corrosion resistance of the coatings based on the microstructure analysis and kinetics had the following ranking (from the best to worst): Ni5Al > Ni21Cr > Ni21Cr7Al1Y > Ni21Cr9Mo.

  20. Influence of partial replacement of NaCl with KCl on profiles of volatile compounds in dry-cured bacon during processing.

    PubMed

    Wu, Haizhou; Zhuang, Hong; Zhang, Yingyang; Tang, Jing; Yu, Xiang; Long, Men; Wang, Jiamei; Zhang, Jianhao

    2015-04-01

    This study investigated the influence of partial substitution of NaCl with KCl on the formation of volatile compounds in bacons during processing using a purge and trap dynamic headspace GC/MS system. Three substitutions were 0% KCl (I), 40% KCl (II), and 70% KCl (III). The profiles of the volatile compounds significantly changed during processing, particularly during the drying/ripening. At the end of process, the bacons from substitution III formed significantly higher levels of lipid-derived volatiles, such as straight chain aldehydes, hydrocarbons than bacons from substitution I and II, whereas the latter formed higher levels of volatiles from amino acid degradation such as 3-methylbutanal. There were very few differences in volatile formation between 0% and 40% KCl application. These results suggest that K(+) substitution of Na(+) by more than 40% may significantly change profiles of volatiles in finished dry-cured bacons and therefore would result in changes in the product aroma and/or flavour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Solubility of NaCl and KCl in aqueous HCl from 20 to 85°C

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Potter, Robert W.; Clynne, Michael A.

    1980-01-01

    The solubilities of NaCl and KCl in aqueous HCl solutions were determined from 20 to 85°C at concentrations ranging from 0 to 20 g of HCl/100 g of solution. Equations are given that describe the solubilities over the range of conditions studied. For NaCl and KCl respectively measured solubilities show an average deviation from these equations of ??0.10 and ??0.08 g/100 g of saturated solution.

  2. Abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China.

    PubMed

    Song, Zhao-Qi; Wang, Li; Wang, Feng-Ping; Jiang, Hong-Chen; Chen, Jin-Quan; Zhou, En-Min; Liang, Feng; Xiao, Xiang; Li, Wen-Jun

    2013-09-01

    It has been suggested that archaea carrying the accA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of the acetyl CoA carboxylase, autotrophically fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway in low-temperature environments (e.g., soils, oceans). However, little new information has come to light regarding the occurrence of archaeal accA genes in high-temperature ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China, using DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that archaeal accA genes were present and expressed in the investigated Yunnan hot springs with a wide range of temperatures (66-96 °C) and pH (4.3-9.0). The majority of the amplified archaeal accA gene sequences were affiliated with the ThAOA/HWCG III [thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA)/hot water crenarchaeotic group III]. The archaeal accA gene abundance was very close to that of AOA amoA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia monooxygenase. These data suggest that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.

  3. An OpenACC-Based Unified Programming Model for Multi-accelerator Systems

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

    Kim, Jungwon; Lee, Seyong; Vetter, Jeffrey S

    2015-01-01

    This paper proposes a novel SPMD programming model of OpenACC. Our model integrates the different granularities of parallelism from vector-level parallelism to node-level parallelism into a single, unified model based on OpenACC. It allows programmers to write programs for multiple accelerators using a uniform programming model whether they are in shared or distributed memory systems. We implement a prototype of our model and evaluate its performance with a GPU-based supercomputer using three benchmark applications.

  4. Airborne Cloud Computing Environment (ACCE)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hardman, Sean; Freeborn, Dana; Crichton, Dan; Law, Emily; Kay-Im, Liz

    2011-01-01

    Airborne Cloud Computing Environment (ACCE) is JPL's internal investment to improve the return on airborne missions. Improve development performance of the data system. Improve return on the captured science data. The investment is to develop a common science data system capability for airborne instruments that encompasses the end-to-end lifecycle covering planning, provisioning of data system capabilities, and support for scientific analysis in order to improve the quality, cost effectiveness, and capabilities to enable new scientific discovery and research in earth observation.

  5. Distal truncation of KCC3 in non-French Canadian HMSN/ACC families.

    PubMed

    Salin-Cantegrel, A; Rivière, J-B; Dupré, N; Charron, F M; Shekarabi, M; Karéméra, L; Gaspar, C; Horst, J; Tekin, M; Deda, G; Krause, A; Lippert, M M; Willemsen, M A A P; Jarrar, R; Lapointe, J-Y; Rouleau, G A

    2007-09-25

    Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum (HMSN/ACC) is a severe and progressive autosomal recessive polyneuropathy. Mutations in the potassium-chloride cotransporter 3 gene (KCC3) were identified as responsible for HMSN/ACC in the French Canadian (FC) population. In the present study, the authors were interested in finding new mutations in non-FC populations, assessing the activity of mutant proteins and refining genotype-phenotype correlations. The authors screened KCC3 for mutations using direct sequencing in six non-FC HMSN/ACC families. They then assessed the functionality of the most common mutant protein using a flux assay in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The authors identified mutations in exon 22 of KCC3: a novel mutation (del + 2994-3003; E1015X) in one family, as well as a known mutation (3031C-->T; R1011X) found in five unrelated families and associated with two different haplotypes. The function of the cotransporter was abolished, although a limited amount of mutant proteins were correctly localized at the membrane. KCC3 mutations in exon 22 constitute a recurrent mutation site for hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum (HMSN/ACC), regardless of ethnic origin, and are the most common cause of HMSN/ACC in the non-French Canadian (FC) families analyzed so far. Therefore, for genetic analysis, exon 22 screening should be prioritized in non-FC populations. Finally, the R1011X mutation leads to the abrogation of KCC3's function in Xenopus laevis oocytes, likely due to impaired transit of the cotransporter.

  6. Electrochemical Formation of Divalent Samarium Cation and Its Characteristics in LiCl-KCl Melt.

    PubMed

    Bae, Sang-Eun; Jung, Tae Sub; Cho, Young-Hwan; Kim, Jong-Yun; Kwak, Kyungwon; Park, Tae-Hong

    2018-06-28

    The electrochemical reduction of trivalent samarium in a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt produced highly stable divalent samarium, whose electrochemical properties and electronic structure in the molten salt were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, laser-induced emission spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Diffusion coefficients of Sm 2+ and Sm 3+ were electrochemically measured to be 0.92 × 10 -5 and 1.10 × 10 -5 cm 2 /s, respectively, and the standard apparent potential of the Sm 2+/3+ couple was estimated to be -0.82 V vs Ag|Ag + at 450 °C. The spectroelectrochemical study demonstrated that the redox behavior of the samarium cations obeys the Nernst equation ( E°' = -0.83 V, n = 1) and the trivalent samarium cation was successfully converted to the divalent cation having characteristic absorption bands at 380 and 530 nm with molar absorptivity values of 1470 and 810 M -1 cm -1 , respectively. Density function theory calculations for the divalent samarium complex revealed that the absorption signals originated from the 4f 6 to 4f 5 5d 1 transitions. Additionally, laser-induced emission measurements for the Sm cations in the LiCl-KCl matrix showed that the Sm 3+ ion in the LiCl-KCl melt at 450 °C emitted an orange color of fluorescence, whereas a red colored emission was observed from the Sm 2+ ion in the solidified LCl-KCl salt at room temperature.

  7. A reactive distillation process for the treatment of LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt containing rare earth chlorides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eun, H. C.; Choi, J. H.; Kim, N. Y.; Lee, T. K.; Han, S. Y.; Lee, K. R.; Park, H. S.; Ahn, D. H.

    2016-11-01

    The pyrochemical process, which recovers useful resources (U/TRU metals) from used nuclear fuel using an electrochemical method, generates LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt containing radioactive rare earth chlorides (RECl3). It is necessary to develop a simple process for the treatment of LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt in a hot-cell facility. For this reason, a reactive distillation process using a chemical agent was achieved as a method to separate rare earths from the LiCl-KCl waste salt. Before conducting the reactive distillation, thermodynamic equilibrium behaviors of the reactions between rare earth (Nd, La, Ce, Pr) chlorides and the chemical agent (K2CO3) were predicted using software. The addition of the chemical agent was determined to separate the rare earth chlorides into an oxide form using these equilibrium results. In the reactive distillation test, the rare earth chlorides in LiCl-KCl eutectic salt were decontaminated at a decontamination factor (DF) of more than 5000, and were mainly converted into oxide (Nd2O3, CeO2, La2O3, Pr2O3) or oxychloride (LaOCl, PrOCl) forms. The LiCl-KCl was purified into a form with a very low concentration (<1 ppm) for the rare earth chlorides.

  8. Les grands accélérateurs de particules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patoux, A.; Perot, J.

    1991-02-01

    The different types of accelerators are recalled with emphasis on the most powerful : the synchrotron particle colliders. The use of superconductors in accelerator magnets as well as in RF cavities is discussed. The characteristics of the large accelerators, existing and planned, are given together with the level of industry involvement in their construction. Details concerning superconducting magnets and cryogenic plants are investigated. Finally, detectors, the most important tool for physics, are mentionned. Après avoir rappelé les différents types d'accélérateurs utilisés, l'accent est mis sur les plus puissants, c'est-à-dire les synchrotrons fonctionnant en anneaux de collision. Le rôle des supraconducteurs est analysé aussi bien pour les aimants que pour les cavités accélératrices. Les caractéristiques des principaux accélérateurs existants ou en projet sont données ainsi que l'implication de l'industrie dans leur fabrication. On insiste plus particulièrement sur les aimants supraconducteurs et les installations cryogéniques. Enfin les détecteurs, éléments indispensables à la physique, sont également évoqués.

  9. Precipitation of ACC in liposomes-a model for biomineralization in confined volumes

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

    Tester, Chantel C; Wu, Ching-Hsuan; Weigand, Steven

    2013-01-10

    Biomineralizing organisms frequently precipitate minerals in small phospholipid bilayer-delineated compartments. We have established an in vitro model system to investigate the effect of confinement in attoliter to femtoliter volumes on the precipitation of calcium carbonate. In particular, we analyze the growth and stabilization of liposome-encapsulated amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) nanoparticles using a combination of in situ techniques, cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM), and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Herein, we discuss ACC nanoparticle growth rate as a function of liposome size, carbon dioxide flux across the liposome membrane, pH, and osmotic pressure. Based on these experiments, we argue that the stabilizationmore » of ACC nanoparticles in liposomes is a consequence of a low nucleation rate (high activation barrier) of crystalline polymorphs of calcium carbonate.« less

  10. Impaired Voluntary Control in PTSD: Probing Self-Regulation of the ACC With Real-Time fMRI

    PubMed Central

    Zweerings, Jana; Pflieger, Eliza M.; Mathiak, Krystyna A.; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Kacela, Anastasia; Flatten, Guido; Mathiak, Klaus

    2018-01-01

    Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by deficits in the self-regulation of cognitions and emotions. Neural networks of emotion regulation may exhibit reduced control mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), contributing to aberrant limbic responses in PTSD. Methods: Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI NF) assessed self-regulation of the ACC in nine patients with PTSD after single trauma exposure and nine matched healthy controls. All participants were instructed to train ACC upregulation on three training days. Results: Both groups achieved regulation, which was associated with wide-spread brain activation encompassing the ACC. Compared to the controls, regulation amplitude and learning rate was lower in patients, correlating with symptom severity. In addition, a frontopolar activation cluster was associated with self-regulation efforts in patients. Conclusions: For the first time, we tested self-regulation of the ACC in patients with PTSD. The observed impairment supports models of ACC-mediated regulation deficits that may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD. Controlled trials in a larger sample are needed to confirm our findings and to directly investigate whether training of central regulation mechanisms improves emotion regulation in PTSD. PMID:29899712

  11. Impaired Voluntary Control in PTSD: Probing Self-Regulation of the ACC With Real-Time fMRI.

    PubMed

    Zweerings, Jana; Pflieger, Eliza M; Mathiak, Krystyna A; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Kacela, Anastasia; Flatten, Guido; Mathiak, Klaus

    2018-01-01

    Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by deficits in the self-regulation of cognitions and emotions. Neural networks of emotion regulation may exhibit reduced control mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), contributing to aberrant limbic responses in PTSD. Methods: Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI NF) assessed self-regulation of the ACC in nine patients with PTSD after single trauma exposure and nine matched healthy controls. All participants were instructed to train ACC upregulation on three training days. Results: Both groups achieved regulation, which was associated with wide-spread brain activation encompassing the ACC. Compared to the controls, regulation amplitude and learning rate was lower in patients, correlating with symptom severity. In addition, a frontopolar activation cluster was associated with self-regulation efforts in patients. Conclusions: For the first time, we tested self-regulation of the ACC in patients with PTSD. The observed impairment supports models of ACC-mediated regulation deficits that may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD. Controlled trials in a larger sample are needed to confirm our findings and to directly investigate whether training of central regulation mechanisms improves emotion regulation in PTSD.

  12. [Isolation, identification and characterization of ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria from halophyte Suaeda salsa].

    PubMed

    Teng, Songshan; Liu, Yanping; Zhao, Lei

    2010-11-01

    We Isolated and characterized 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria from halophyte Suaeda salsa to understand the interactions between endophytes and halophyte. ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria were isolated from root, stalk and leaf of Suaeda salsa and were identified based on morphological, physiological-biochemical properties, API and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Isolates were evaluated for their ACC deaminase, antifungal, protease activity, siderophores and phytohormones, such as indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and abscisic acid production, as well as atmospheric nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization. Four ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria strains named as LP11, SS12, TW1 and TW2 were isolated and identified as Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas putida respectively. All the strains possessed the phosphate-solubilizing ability and could produce siderophores and phytohormones more or less. None of them could fix atmospheric nitrogen or produce protease. Only strain SS12 showed antagonism against two phytopathogenic fungi viz Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans and F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria of Pseudomonas sp. and Pantoea sp. isolated from halophyte Suaeda salsa have abundant biological characteristics related to plant growth promotion, stress homeostasis regulation and biocontrol activity.

  13. Effects of KCl substitution on textural properties of Queso Fresco

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Partial substitution of KCl for NaCl has been attempted in some common cheese varieties because of restrictions on sodium in the diets of some consumers. The changes in texture of Queso Fresco, a popular Hispanic cheese, were monitored during refrigerated storage after replacing some of the NaCl wi...

  14. An ACC Design Method for Achieving Both String Stability and Ride Comfort

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamamura, Yoshinori; Seto, Yoji; Nishira, Hikaru; Kawabe, Taketoshi

    An investigation was made of a method for designing adaptive cruise control (ACC) so as to achieve a headway distance response that feels natural to the driver while at the same time obtaining high levels of both string stability and ride comfort. With this design method, the H∞ norm is adopted as the index of string stability. Additionally, two norms are introduced for evaluating ride comfort and natural vehicle behavior. The relationship between these three norms and headway distance response characteristics was analyzed, and an evaluation method was established for achieving high levels of the various performance characteristics required of ACC. An ACC system designed with this method was evaluated in driving tests conducted on a proving ground course, and the results confirmed that it achieved the targeted levels of string stability, ride comfort and natural vehicle behavior.

  15. Effectiveness of rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase for growth promotion of peas (Pisum sativum) under drought conditions.

    PubMed

    Zahir, Z A; Munir, A; Asghar, H N; Shaharoona, B; Arshad, M

    2008-05-01

    A series of experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of rhizobacteria containing 1-aminocyclopropane- 1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase for growth promotion of peas under drought conditions. Ten rhizobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of different crops (peas, wheat, and maize) were screened for their growth promoting ability in peas under axenic condition. Three rhizobacterial isolates, Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G (ACC-5), P. fluorescens (ACC-14), and P. putida biotype A (Q-7), were selected for pot trial on the basis of their source, ACC deaminase activity, root colonization, and growth promoting activity under axenic conditions. Inoculated and uninoculated (control) seeds of pea cultivar 2000 were sown in pots (4 seeds/pot) at different soil moisture levels (25, 50, 75, and 100% of field capacity). Results revealed that decreasing the soil moisture levels from 100 to 25% of field capacity significantly decreased the growth of peas. However, inoculation of peas with rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase significantly decreased the "drought stress imposed effects" on growth of peas, although with variable efficacy at different moisture levels. At the lowest soil moisture level (25% field capacity), rhizobacterial isolate Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G (ACC-5) was found to be more promising compared with the other isolates, as it caused maximum increases in fresh weight, dry weight, root length, shoot length, number of leaves per plant, and water use efficiency on fresh and dry weight basis (45, 150, 92, 45, 140, 46, and 147%, respectively) compared with respective uninoculated controls. It is highly likely that rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase might have decreased the drought-stress induced ethylene in inoculated plants, which resulted in better growth of plants even at low moisture levels. Therefore, inoculation with rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase could be helpful in eliminating the inhibitory effects of drought stress on the

  16. A feasibility study on porting the community land model onto accelerators using OpenACC

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Dali; Wu, Wei; Winkler, Frank; ...

    2014-01-01

    As environmental models (such as Accelerated Climate Model for Energy (ACME), Parallel Reactive Flow and Transport Model (PFLOTRAN), Arctic Terrestrial Simulator (ATS), etc.) became more and more complicated, we are facing enormous challenges regarding to porting those applications onto hybrid computing architecture. OpenACC appears as a very promising technology, therefore, we have conducted a feasibility analysis on porting the Community Land Model (CLM), a terrestrial ecosystem model within the Community Earth System Models (CESM)). Specifically, we used automatic function testing platform to extract a small computing kernel out of CLM, then we apply this kernel into the actually CLM dataflowmore » procedure, and investigate the strategy of data parallelization and the benefit of data movement provided by current implementation of OpenACC. Even it is a non-intensive kernel, on a single 16-core computing node, the performance (based on the actual computation time using one GPU) of OpenACC implementation is 2.3 time faster than that of OpenMP implementation using single OpenMP thread, but it is 2.8 times slower than the performance of OpenMP implementation using 16 threads. On multiple nodes, MPI_OpenACC implementation demonstrated very good scalability on up to 128 GPUs on 128 computing nodes. This study also provides useful information for us to look into the potential benefits of “deep copy” capability and “routine” feature of OpenACC standards. In conclusion, we believe that our experience on the environmental model, CLM, can be beneficial to many other scientific research programs who are interested to porting their large scale scientific code using OpenACC onto high-end computers, empowered by hybrid computing architecture.« less

  17. Molecular dynamics study of a heteroditopic-calix[4]diquinone-assisted transfer of KCl and dopamine through a water-chloroform liquid-liquid interface.

    PubMed

    Santos, Sérgio M; Costa, Paulo J; Lankshear, Michael D; Beer, Paul D; Félix, Vítor

    2010-09-02

    The ability of two heteroditopic calix[4]diquinone receptors to transport a KCl ion-pair and a dopamine zwitterion through a water-chloroform interface was investigated via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Gas-phase conformational analysis has been carried on KCl and dopamine receptor binding associations and the lowest energy structures found in both cases show that the recognition of KCl and dopamine zwitterion occurs through multiple and cooperative N-H...anion and O...cation bonding interactions, with the receptor adopting equivalent folded conformations stabilized by pi-stacking interactions. The unconstrained MD simulations performed on KCl and dopamine complexes inserted in either the chloroform or water phase revealed that receptors are preferentially located at the interface with the hydrophobic tert-butyl groups of the calix[4]diquinone moiety immersed in the chloroform bulk while the polar anion binding cavity is directed toward the water phase. When the KCl complex is placed in chloroform, the release of the ion-pair occurs only after the first contact with the water interface, being a nonsimultaneous event, with the chloride anion leaving the receptor before the potassium cation. The dopamine, via the -NH(3)(+) binding entity, remains bound to the receptor during the entire time of the MD simulation (10 ns). In contrast, when both complexes were inserted in the water bulk, the full release of KCl and dopamine are fast events. The potentials of mean force (PMFs), associated with the migration of the complexes from chloroform to water through the interface, were calculated from steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations. The PMFs for the free KCl and zwitterionic dopamine migrations were also obtained for comparison purposes. The transport of KCl from water to chloroform (the reverse path) mediated by the receptor has a free energy barrier estimated in 6.50 kcal mol(-1), which is 3.0 kcal mol(-1) smaller than that found for the free KCl. The

  18. [Cloning, expression and transcriptional analysis of biotin carboxyl carrier protein gene (accA) from Amycolatopsis mediterranei U32 ].

    PubMed

    Lu, Jie; Yao, Yufeng; Jiang, Weihong; Jiao, Ruishen

    2003-02-01

    Acetyl CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2, ACC) catalyzes the ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl CoA to yield malonyl CoA, which is the first committed step in fatty acid synthesis. A pair of degenerate PCR primers were designed according to the conserved amino acid sequence of AccA from M. tuberculosis and S. coelicolor. The product of the PCR amplification, a DNA fragment of 250bp was used as a probe for screening the U32 genomic cosmid library and its gene, accA, coding the biotinylated protein subunit of acetyl CoA carboxylase, was successfully cloned from U32. The accA ORF encodes a 598-amino-acid protein with the calculated molecular mass of 63.7kD, with 70.1% of G + C content. A typical Streptomyces RBS sequence, AGGAGG, was found at the - 6 position upstream of the start codon GTG. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence showed the presence of biotin-binding site and putative ATP-bicarbonate interaction region, which suggested the U32 AccA may act as a biotin carboxylase as well as a biotin carrier protein. Gene accA was then cloned into the pET28 (b) vector and expressed solubly in E. coli BL21 (DE3) by 0.1 mmol/L IPTG induction. Western blot confirmed the covalent binding of biotin with AccA. Northern blot analyzed transcriptional regulation of accA by 5 different nitrogen sources.

  19. The transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, to crystalline phases as function of time and temperature.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gies, Hermann; Happel, Marian; Niedermayr, Andrea; Immenhauser, Adrian

    2017-04-01

    We present results from a structural study of the transformation of freeze dried amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, in crystalline material using pair distribution function analysis, PDF analysis, of X-ray powder diffraction data, XPD data. PDF analysis allows for the analysis of local order of structural subunit in the range between molecular unit (1. and 2. coordination sphere) and long range periodicity as in crystalline materials. ACC was precipitated from aqueous solutions at 298 K and 278 K using different amounts of Mg cations as stabilizer. The samples were immediately separated from the solution and freeze dried. For the transformation study, the samples were heated and analysed using XPD until they were crystallized. The radial distribution obtained from the XPD data were compared to simulated radial distributions of the calcium carbonate polymorphs and their hydrated phases. An ACC precipitated from a solution with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:5:4 at 298 K (ration in mmol, pH = 8.2) and freeze dried right after isolation from the solution revealed a close resemblance with ikaite in its local order. Another ACC with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:10:1.4 (T = 298, pH = 8.7) showed distinctly different local order resembling monohydrocalcite. Both ACC, however, still had considerable amounts of water dominating the Ca-coordination sphere. During the transformation to calcite, the structural changes in the sample concerned the hydrate water coordinating Ca which was removed and replaced by the carbonate oxygens. The study shows that ACC obtained from different starting solutions show specific local order. Freeze drying leads to solid ACC powder which still contain considerable amounts of hydrate water. Structural subunits are distinct in ACC and different from the crystalline phase. The study supplements recent reports presented by Konrad et al., Purgstaller et al., and Tobler et al.. F. Konrad et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 6310-6317(2016) B. Purgstaller et al., Geochimica et Cosmochimica

  20. Molecular cloning, expression, and stress response of the estrogen-related receptor gene (AccERR) from Apis cerana cerana

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Weixing; Zhu, Ming; Zhang, Ge; Liu, Feng; Wang, Hongfang; Guo, Xingqi; Xu, Baohua

    2016-04-01

    Estrogen-related receptor (ERR), which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been implicated in diverse physiological processes involving the estrogen signaling pathway. However, little information is available on ERR in Apis cerana cerana. In this report, we isolated the ERR gene and investigated its involvement in antioxidant defense. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed that the highest mRNA expression occurred in eggs during different developmental stages. The expression levels of AccERR were highest in the muscle, followed by the rectum. The predicted transcription factor binding sites in the promoter of AccERR suggested that AccERR potentially functions in early development and in environmental stress responses. The expression of AccERR was induced by cold (4 °C), heat (42 °C), ultraviolet light (UV), HgCl2, and various types of pesticides (phoxim, deltamethrin, triadimefon, and cyhalothrin). Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of AccERR protein. These data suggested that AccERR might play a vital role in abiotic stress responses.

  1. Monitoring apoptosis of TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M cells induced by ACV using FRET technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Tao; Zhang, Zhihong; Lin, Juqiang; Yang, Jie; Zeng, Shaoqun; Luo, Qingming

    2006-05-01

    Apoptosis is an evolutionary conserved cellular process that plays an important role during development, but it is also involved in tissue homeostasis and in many diseases. To study the characteristics of suicide gene system of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene in tumor cells and explore the apoptosis phenomena in this system and its effect on the human adenoid cystic carcinoma line ACC-M cell, we detected apoptosis of CD3- (ECFP-CRS-DsRed) and TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M (ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3) cells induced by acyclovir (ACV) using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. CD3 is a FRET-based indicator for activity of caspase-3, which is composed of an enhanced cyan fluorescent protein, a caspase-3 sensitive linker, and a red fluorescent protein from Discosoma with efficient maturation property. FRET from ECFP to DsRed could be detected in normal ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells, and the FRET efficient was remarkably decreased and then disappeared during the cells apoptosis induced by ACV. It was due to the activated caspase-3 cleaved the CD3 fusion protein. In this study, the results suggested that the ACV-induced apoptosis of ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells was through caspase-3 pathway.

  2. Monitoring apoptosis of TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M cells induced by ACV using FRET technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Tao; Zhang, Zhihong; Lin, Juqiang; Yang, Jie; Zeng, Shaoqun; Luo, Qingming

    2006-09-01

    Apoptosis is an evolutionary conserved cellular process that plays an important role during development, but it is also involved in tissue homeostasis and in many diseases. To study the characteristics of suicide gene system of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene in tumor cells and explore the apoptosis phenomena in this system and its effect on the human adenoid cystic carcinoma line ACC-M cell, we detected apoptosis of CD3- (ECFP-CRS-DsRed) and TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M (ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3) cells induced by acyclovir (ACV) using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. CD3 is a FRET-based indicator for activity of caspase-3, which is composed of an enhanced cyan fluorescent protein, a caspase-3 sensitive linker, and a red fluorescent protein from Discosoma with efficient maturation property. FRET from ECFP to DsRed could be detected in normal ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells, and the FRET efficient was remarkably decreased and then disappeared during the cells apoptosis induced by ACV. It was due to the activated caspase-3 cleaved the CD3 fusion protein. In this study, the results suggested that the AVC-induced apoptosis of ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells was through caspase-3 pathway.

  3. A halotolerant Enterobacter sp. displaying ACC deaminase activity promotes rice seedling growth under salt stress.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, Anumita; Ghosh, Pallab Kumar; Pramanik, Krishnendu; Mitra, Soumik; Soren, Tithi; Pandey, Sanjeev; Mondal, Monohar Hossain; Maiti, Tushar Kanti

    2018-01-01

    Agricultural productivity is proven to be hampered by the synthesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and production of stress-induced ethylene under salinity stress. One-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is the direct precursor of ethylene synthesized by plants. Bacteria possessing ACC deaminase activity can use ACC as a nitrogen source preventing ethylene production. Several salt-tolerant bacterial strains displaying ACC deaminase activity were isolated from rice fields, and their plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties were determined. Among them, strain P23, identified as an Enterobacter sp. based on phenotypic characteristics, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry data and the 16S rDNA sequence, was selected as the best-performing isolate for several PGP traits, including phosphate solubilization, IAA production, siderophore production, HCN production, etc. Enterobacter sp. P23 was shown to promote rice seedling growth under salt stress, and this effect was correlated with a decrease in antioxidant enzymes and stress-induced ethylene. Isolation of an acdS mutant strain enabled concluding that the reduction in stress-induced ethylene content after inoculation of strain P23 was linked to ACC deaminase activity. Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Densities of L-Glutamic Acid HCl Drug in Aqueous NaCl and KCl Solutions at Different Temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ryshetti, Suresh; Raghuram, Noothi; Rani, Emmadi Jayanthi; Tangeda, Savitha Jyostna

    2016-04-01

    Densities (ρ ) of (0.01 to 0.07) {mol}{\\cdot } {kg}^{-1} L-Glutamic acid HCl (L-HCl) drug in water, and in aqueous NaCl and KCl (0.5 and 1.0) {mol}{\\cdot } {kg}^{-1} solutions have been reported as a function of temperature at T = (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15) K and atmospheric pressure. The accurate density (ρ ) values are used to estimate the various parameters such as the apparent molar volume (V_{2,{\\upphi }}), the partial molar volume (V2^{∞}), the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient (α 2), the partial molar expansion (E2^{∞}), and Hepler's constant (partial 2V2^{∞}/partial T2)P. The Cosphere overlap model is used to understand the solute-solvent interactions in a ternary mixture (L-HCl drug + NaCl or KCl + water). Hepler's constant (partial 2V2^{∞}/partial T2)_P is utilized to interpret the structure-making or -breaking ability of L-HCl drug in aqueous NaCl and KCl solutions, and the results are inferred that L-HCl drug acts as a structure maker, i.e., kosmotrope in aqueous NaCl solutions and performs as a structure breaker, i.e., chaotrope in aqueous KCl solutions.

  5. Evaluation of the KCl Denuder Method for Gaseous Oxidized Mercury using HgBr2 at an In-Service AMNet Site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McClure, Crystal

    During the summer of 2013, we examined the performance of KCl-coated denuders for measuring gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) by calibrating with a known source of GOM (i.e., HgBr2) at the North Birmingham SouthEastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) site. We found that KCl-coated denuders have near 95% collection efficiency for HgBr2 in zero air (i.e., air scrubbed of mercury and ozone). However, in ambient air, the efficiency of KCl-coated denuders in capturing HgBr2 dropped to 20-54%. We also found that absolute humidity and ozone each demonstrate a significant inverse correlation with HgBr2 recovery in ambient air. Subsequent laboratory tests with HgBr2 and the KCl-coated denuder show that ozone and absolute humidity cause the release of gaseous elemental Hg from the denuder and thus appear to explain the low recovery in ambient air. Based on these findings, we infer that the KCl denuder method underestimates atmospheric GOM concentrations. A calibration system is needed to accurately measure GOM. The system described in this paper for HgBr2 could be implemented with existing mercury speciation instrumentation and this would improve our knowledge of the response to one potentially important GOM compound.

  6. Design and optimization of a portable LQCD Monte Carlo code using OpenACC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonati, Claudio; Coscetti, Simone; D'Elia, Massimo; Mesiti, Michele; Negro, Francesco; Calore, Enrico; Schifano, Sebastiano Fabio; Silvi, Giorgio; Tripiccione, Raffaele

    The present panorama of HPC architectures is extremely heterogeneous, ranging from traditional multi-core CPU processors, supporting a wide class of applications but delivering moderate computing performance, to many-core Graphics Processor Units (GPUs), exploiting aggressive data-parallelism and delivering higher performances for streaming computing applications. In this scenario, code portability (and performance portability) become necessary for easy maintainability of applications; this is very relevant in scientific computing where code changes are very frequent, making it tedious and prone to error to keep different code versions aligned. In this work, we present the design and optimization of a state-of-the-art production-level LQCD Monte Carlo application, using the directive-based OpenACC programming model. OpenACC abstracts parallel programming to a descriptive level, relieving programmers from specifying how codes should be mapped onto the target architecture. We describe the implementation of a code fully written in OpenAcc, and show that we are able to target several different architectures, including state-of-the-art traditional CPUs and GPUs, with the same code. We also measure performance, evaluating the computing efficiency of our OpenACC code on several architectures, comparing with GPU-specific implementations and showing that a good level of performance-portability can be reached.

  7. Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) Program - KClO 4/Carbon Mixture

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

    Sandstrom, Mary M.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Preston, Daniel N.

    The Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program is conducting a proficiency study for Small- Scale Safety and Thermal (SSST) testing of homemade explosives (HMEs). Described here are the results for impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, and differential scanning calorimetry analysis of a mixture of KClO 4 and activated carbon—KClO 4/C mixture. This material was selected because of the challenge of performing SSST testing of a mixture of two solids. The mixture was found to be insensitive to impact, friction, and thermal stimulus, and somewhat sensitive to spark discharge. This effort, funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ultimately will putmore » the issues of safe handling of these materials in perspective with standard military explosives. The study is adding SSST testing results for a broad suite of different HMEs to the literature. Ultimately the study has the potential to suggest new guidelines and methods and possibly establish the SSST testing accuracies needed to develop safe handling practices for HMEs. Each participating testing laboratory uses identical test materials and preparation methods wherever possible. Note, however, the test procedures differ among the laboratories. The results are compared among the laboratories and then compared to historical data from various sources. The testing performers involved for the KClO 4/carbon mixture are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, (NSWC IHD), and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RXQL). These tests are conducted as a proficiency study in order to establish some consistency in test protocols, procedures, and experiments and to understand how to compare results when these testing variables cannot be made consistent.« less

  8. Uncertainties of Gaseous Oxidized Mercury Measurements Using KCl-Coated Denuders, Cation-Exchange Membranes, and Nylon Membranes: Humidity Influences.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jiaoyan; Gustin, Mae Sexauer

    2015-05-19

    Quantifying the concentration of gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) and identifying the chemical compounds in the atmosphere are important for developing accurate local, regional, and global biogeochemical cycles. The major hypothesis driving this work was that relative humidity affects collection of GOM on KCl-coated denuders and nylon membranes, both currently being applied to measure GOM. Using a laboratory manifold system and ambient air, GOM capture efficiency on 3 different collection surfaces, including KCl-coated denuders, nylon membranes, and cation-exchange membranes, was investigated at relative humidity ranging from 25 to 75%. Recovery of permeated HgBr2 on KCl-coated denuders declined by 4-60% during spikes of relative humidity (25 to 75%). When spikes were turned off GOM recoveries returned to 60 ± 19% of permeated levels. In some cases, KCl-coated denuders were gradually passivated over time after additional humidity was applied. In this study, GOM recovery on nylon membranes decreased with high humidity and ozone concentrations. However, additional humidity enhanced GOM recovery on cation-exchange membranes. In addition, reduction and oxidation of elemental mercury during experiments was observed. The findings in this study can help to explain field observations in previous studies.

  9. Identification and characterization of an Apis cerana cerana Delta class glutathione S-transferase gene ( AccGSTD) in response to thermal stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Huiru; Jia, Haihong; Wang, Xiuling; Gao, Hongru; Guo, Xingqi; Xu, Baohua

    2013-02-01

    Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are members of a multifunctional enzyme super family that plays a pivotal role in both insecticide resistance and protection against oxidative stress. In this study, we identified a single-copy gene, AccGSTD, as being a Delta class GST in the Chinese honey bee ( Apis cerana cerana). A predicted antioxidant response element, CREB, was found in the 1,492-bp 5'-flanking region, suggesting that AccGSTD may be involved in oxidative stress response pathways. Real-time PCR and immunolocalization studies demonstrated that AccGSTD exhibited both developmental- and tissue-specific expression patterns. During development, AccGSTD transcript was increased in adults. The AccGSTD expression level was the highest in the honey bee brain. Thermal stress experiments demonstrated that AccGSTD could be significantly upregulated by temperature changes in a time-dependent manner. It is hypothesized that high expression levels might be due to the increased levels of oxidative stress caused by the temperature challenges. Additionally, functional assays of the recombinant AccGSTD protein revealed that AccGSTD has the capability to protect DNA from oxidative damage. Taken together, these data suggest that AccGSTD may be responsible for antioxidant defense in adult honey bees.

  10. Sulcal Polymorphisms of the IFC and ACC Contribute to Inhibitory Control Variability in Children and Adults

    PubMed Central

    Linzarini, Adriano; Dollfus, Sonia; Etard, Olivier; Orliac, François; Houdé, Olivier

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function that enables humans to resist habits, temptations, or distractions. IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional success later in life. Based on analysis of the sulcal pattern, a qualitative feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable during development, we searched for evidence that interindividual differences in IC partly trace back to prenatal processes. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we analyzed the sulcal pattern of two key regions of the IC neural network, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal cortex (IFC), which limits the inferior frontal gyrus. We found that the sulcal pattern asymmetry of both the ACC and IFC contributes to IC (Stroop score) in children and adults: participants with asymmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns had better IC efficiency than participants with symmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns. Such additive effects of IFC and ACC sulcal patterns on IC efficiency suggest that distinct early neurodevelopmental mechanisms targeting different brain regions likely contribute to IC efficiency. This view shares some analogies with the “common variant–small effect” model in genetics, which states that frequent genetic polymorphisms have small effects but collectively account for a large portion of the variance. Similarly, each sulcal polymorphism has a small but additive effect: IFC and ACC sulcal patterns, respectively, explained 3% and 14% of the variance of the Stroop interference scores. PMID:29527565

  11. Sulcal Polymorphisms of the IFC and ACC Contribute to Inhibitory Control Variability in Children and Adults.

    PubMed

    Tissier, Cloélia; Linzarini, Adriano; Allaire-Duquette, Geneviève; Mevel, Katell; Poirel, Nicolas; Dollfus, Sonia; Etard, Olivier; Orliac, François; Peyrin, Carole; Charron, Sylvain; Raznahan, Armin; Houdé, Olivier; Borst, Grégoire; Cachia, Arnaud

    2018-01-01

    Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function that enables humans to resist habits, temptations, or distractions. IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional success later in life. Based on analysis of the sulcal pattern, a qualitative feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable during development, we searched for evidence that interindividual differences in IC partly trace back to prenatal processes. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we analyzed the sulcal pattern of two key regions of the IC neural network, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal cortex (IFC), which limits the inferior frontal gyrus. We found that the sulcal pattern asymmetry of both the ACC and IFC contributes to IC (Stroop score) in children and adults: participants with asymmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns had better IC efficiency than participants with symmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns. Such additive effects of IFC and ACC sulcal patterns on IC efficiency suggest that distinct early neurodevelopmental mechanisms targeting different brain regions likely contribute to IC efficiency. This view shares some analogies with the "common variant-small effect" model in genetics, which states that frequent genetic polymorphisms have small effects but collectively account for a large portion of the variance. Similarly, each sulcal polymorphism has a small but additive effect: IFC and ACC sulcal patterns, respectively, explained 3% and 14% of the variance of the Stroop interference scores.

  12. Influence of Tl+ activator ions on the luminescence characteristics of KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors.

    PubMed

    Nagarajan, S; Sudarkodi, R

    2009-01-01

    Photoluminescence (PL) of thallium co-doped with KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors display emission bands at 320 and 370 nm attributable to centres involving Tl+ ions in addition to characteristic Eu2+ emission around 420 nm. Additional PL excitation and emission bandS observed around 260 and 380 nm, respectively, were observed in the double-doped KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+, Tl+ powder phosphors and are attributed to complex centres involving Tl+ and Eu2+ ions. The enhancement observed in the intensity of Eu2+ emission around 420 nm with the addition of TlBr in KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors is attributed to the energy transfer from Tl+ --> Eu2+ ions. Photostimulated luminescence (PSL) studies of gamma-irradiated KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+, Tl+ mixed phosphors are reported and a tentative PSL mechanism in the phosphors has been suggested.

  13. ACLY and ACC1 Regulate Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis by Modulating ETV4 via α-ketoglutarate.

    PubMed

    Keenan, Melissa M; Liu, Beiyu; Tang, Xiaohu; Wu, Jianli; Cyr, Derek; Stevens, Robert D; Ilkayeva, Olga; Huang, Zhiqing; Tollini, Laura A; Murphy, Susan K; Lucas, Joseph; Muoio, Deborah M; Kim, So Young; Chi, Jen-Tsan

    2015-10-01

    In order to propagate a solid tumor, cancer cells must adapt to and survive under various tumor microenvironment (TME) stresses, such as hypoxia or lactic acidosis. To systematically identify genes that modulate cancer cell survival under stresses, we performed genome-wide shRNA screens under hypoxia or lactic acidosis. We discovered that genetic depletion of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA or ACC1) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) protected cancer cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the loss of ACLY or ACC1 reduced levels and activities of the oncogenic transcription factor ETV4. Silencing ETV4 also protected cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and led to remarkably similar transcriptional responses as with silenced ACLY or ACC1, including an anti-apoptotic program. Metabolomic analysis found that while α-ketoglutarate levels decrease under hypoxia in control cells, α-ketoglutarate is paradoxically increased under hypoxia when ACC1 or ACLY are depleted. Supplementation with α-ketoglutarate rescued the hypoxia-induced apoptosis and recapitulated the decreased expression and activity of ETV4, likely via an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, ACC1 and ACLY regulate the levels of ETV4 under hypoxia via increased α-ketoglutarate. These results reveal that the ACC1/ACLY-α-ketoglutarate-ETV4 axis is a novel means by which metabolic states regulate transcriptional output for life vs. death decisions under hypoxia. Since many lipogenic inhibitors are under investigation as cancer therapeutics, our findings suggest that the use of these inhibitors will need to be carefully considered with respect to oncogenic drivers, tumor hypoxia, progression and dormancy. More broadly, our screen provides a framework for studying additional tumor cell stress-adaption mechanisms in the future.

  14. ACLY and ACC1 Regulate Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis by Modulating ETV4 via α-ketoglutarate

    PubMed Central

    Keenan, Melissa M.; Liu, Beiyu; Tang, Xiaohu; Wu, Jianli; Cyr, Derek; Stevens, Robert D.; Ilkayeva, Olga; Huang, Zhiqing; Tollini, Laura A.; Murphy, Susan K.; Lucas, Joseph; Muoio, Deborah M.; Kim, So Young; Chi, Jen-Tsan

    2015-01-01

    In order to propagate a solid tumor, cancer cells must adapt to and survive under various tumor microenvironment (TME) stresses, such as hypoxia or lactic acidosis. To systematically identify genes that modulate cancer cell survival under stresses, we performed genome-wide shRNA screens under hypoxia or lactic acidosis. We discovered that genetic depletion of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA or ACC1) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) protected cancer cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the loss of ACLY or ACC1 reduced levels and activities of the oncogenic transcription factor ETV4. Silencing ETV4 also protected cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and led to remarkably similar transcriptional responses as with silenced ACLY or ACC1, including an anti-apoptotic program. Metabolomic analysis found that while α-ketoglutarate levels decrease under hypoxia in control cells, α-ketoglutarate is paradoxically increased under hypoxia when ACC1 or ACLY are depleted. Supplementation with α-ketoglutarate rescued the hypoxia-induced apoptosis and recapitulated the decreased expression and activity of ETV4, likely via an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, ACC1 and ACLY regulate the levels of ETV4 under hypoxia via increased α-ketoglutarate. These results reveal that the ACC1/ACLY-α-ketoglutarate-ETV4 axis is a novel means by which metabolic states regulate transcriptional output for life vs. death decisions under hypoxia. Since many lipogenic inhibitors are under investigation as cancer therapeutics, our findings suggest that the use of these inhibitors will need to be carefully considered with respect to oncogenic drivers, tumor hypoxia, progression and dormancy. More broadly, our screen provides a framework for studying additional tumor cell stress-adaption mechanisms in the future. PMID:26452058

  15. Potential US Population Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guideline.

    PubMed

    Muntner, Paul; Carey, Robert M; Gidding, Samuel; Jones, Daniel W; Taler, Sandra J; Wright, Jackson T; Whelton, Paul K

    2018-01-09

    The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults provides recommendations for the definition of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) thresholds for initiation of antihypertensive medication, and BP target goals. This study sought to determine the prevalence of hypertension, implications of recommendations for antihypertensive medication, and prevalence of BP above the treatment goal among US adults using criteria from the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7). The authors analyzed data from the 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 9 623). BP was measured 3 times following a standardized protocol and averaged. Results were weighted to produce US population estimates. According to the 2017 ACC/AHA and JNC7 guidelines, the crude prevalence of hypertension among US adults was 45.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 43.6% to 47.6%) and 31.9% (95% CI: 30.1% to 33.7%), respectively, and antihypertensive medication was recommended for 36.2% (95% CI: 34.2% to 38.2%) and 34.3% (95% CI: 32.5% to 36.2%) of US adults, respectively. Nonpharmacological intervention is advised for the 9.4% of US adults with hypertension who are not recommended for antihypertensive medication according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. Among US adults taking antihypertensive medication, 53.4% (95% CI: 49.9% to 56.8%) and 39.0% (95% CI: 36.4% to 41.6%) had BP above the treatment goal according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and JNC7 guidelines, respectively. Compared with the JNC7 guideline, the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline results in a substantial increase in the prevalence of hypertension, a small increase in the percentage of US adults recommended for antihypertensive medication, and more intensive BP lowering for many

  16. Influence of Magnesium Content on the Local Structure of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC): Real Time Determination by In Situ PDF Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mergelsberg, S. T.; Ulrich, R. N.; Michel, F. M.; Dove, P. M.

    2016-12-01

    Calcium carbonate minerals are an essential component in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and mollusks. The onset of exoskeleton mineralization includes the precipitation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a reactive intermediate that later transforms to produce diverse structures. Despite the importance of ACC as a critical phase during skeleton formation, the chemical and physical properties are not well characterized at conditions that approximate biological environments. Of particular interest are the solubility of ACC, the short-range structure at the time of formation, and the evolution of ACC structure to final products. Recent advances showing the widespread occurrence of multistep pathways to mineralization in biological and geological settings (De Yoreo et al., 2015) underline the importance of understanding amorphous intermediates. Using quantitative laboratory techniques developed by our research group (Blue et al., 2013; Blue and Dove, 2015; Blue et al., in press), this experimental study quantifies the solubility of ACC in parallel with the physical characterization of the corresponding structure. We measured ACC solubility at specific time points during the precipitation and during its subsequent evolution under the mild pH conditions that approximate biological and environmental conditions. In parallel experiments, structural data were collected from in situ pair distribution function (PDF) analyses were conducted to follow the evolution of individual samples from initial precipitation to final product. The measurements are leading to a quantitative solubility function for ACC with variable Mg contents and an x-ray based understanding of ACC structure in the same particles. We are also finding temporal changes in the short-range order of ACC after precipitation and this order is dependent upon Mg content. Moreover, the data show Mg distribution through the ACC particles is dependent upon total alkalinity. Insights from this study hold promise

  17. Representation of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the AHA / ACC guidelines.

    PubMed

    von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Florian; Pilz, Guenter; Schulz-Menger, Jeanette

    2017-09-25

    Whereas evidence supporting the diagnostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has increased, there exists significant worldwide variability in the clinical utilization of CMR. A recent study demonstrated that CMR is represented in the majority of European Society for Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, with a large number of specific recommendations in particular regarding coronary artery disease. To further investigate the gap between the evidence and clinical use of CMR, this study analyzed the role of CMR in the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA). Twenty-four AHA/ACC original guidelines, updates and new editions, published between 2006 and 2017, were screened for the terms "magnetic", "MRI", "CMR", "MR" and "imaging". Non-cardiovascular MR examinations were excluded. All CMR-related paragraphs and specific recommendations for CMR including the level of evidence (A, B, C) and the class of recommendation (I, IIa, IIb, III) were extracted. Twelve of the 24 guidelines (50.0%) contain specific recommendations regarding CMR. Four guidelines (16.7%) mention CMR in the text only, and 8 (33.3%) do not mention CMR. The 12 guidelines with recommendations for CMR contain in total 65 specific recommendations (31 class-I, 23 class-IIa, 6 class-IIb, 5 class-III). Most recommendations have evidence level C (44/65; 67.7%), followed by level B (21/65; 32.3%). There are no level A recommendations. 22/65 recommendations refer to vascular imaging, 17 to congenital heart disease, 8 to cardiomyopathies, 8 to myocardial stress testing, 5 to left and right ventricular function, 3 to viability, and 2 to valvular heart disease. CMR is represented in two thirds of the AHA/ACC guidelines, which contain a number of specific recommendations for the use of CMR. In a simplified comparison with the ESC guidelines, CMR is less represented in the AHA/ACC guidelines in particular in the field of coronary artery disease.

  18. 24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

  19. 24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

  20. 24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

  1. 24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

  2. 24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

  3. Separation of Cs and Sr from LiCl-KCl eutectic salt via a zone-refining process for pyroprocessing waste salt minimization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shim, Moonsoo; Choi, Ho-Gil; Choi, Jeong-Hun; Yi, Kyung-Woo; Lee, Jong-Hyeon

    2017-08-01

    The purification of a LiCl-KCl salt mixture was carried out by a zone-refining process. To improve the throughput of zone refining, three heaters were installed in the zone refiner. The zone-refining method was used to grow pure LiCl-KCl salt ingots from a LiCl-KCl-CsCl-SrCl2 salt mixture. The main investigated parameters were the heater speed and the number of passes. From each zone-refined salt ingot, samples were collected axially along the salt ingot and the concentrations of Sr and Cs were determined. Experimental results show that the Sr and Cs concentrations at the initial region of the ingot were low and increased to a maximum at the final freezing region of the salt ingot. Concentration results of the zone-refined salt were compared with theoretical results furnished by the proposed model to validate its predictions. The keff values for Sr and Cs were 0.55 and 0.47, respectively. The correlation between the salt composition and separation behavior was also investigated. The keff values of the Sr in LiCl-KCl-SrCl2 and the Cs in LiCl-KCl-CsCl were found to be 0.53 and 0.44, respectively, by fitting the experimental data into the proposed model.

  4. ACCE/ACS National Educator and Leader of the Year Winners: AEC Congratulates These Outstanding Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Australian Educational Computing, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This article presents the ACCE/ACS National Educator and Leader of the Year winners. Anne Mirtschin is the recipient of the ACCE/ACS 2012 Educator of the Year Award. Mirtschin is an innovative teacher at Hawkesdale P-12 College a small rural school that is isolated culturally and geographically. She uses online tools and technology to create…

  5. An optimal method for phosphorylation of rare earth chlorides in LiCl-KCl eutectic based waste salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eun, H. C.; Kim, J. H.; Cho, Y. Z.; Choi, J. H.; Lee, T. K.; Park, H. S.; Park, G. I.

    2013-11-01

    A study on an optimal method for the phosphorylation of rare earth chlorides in LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt generated the pyrochemical process of spent nuclear fuel was performed. A reactor with a pitched four blade impeller was designed to create a homogeneous mixing zone in LiCl-KCl eutectic salt. A phosphorylation test of NdCl3 in the salt was carried out by changing the operation conditions (operation temperature, stirring rate, agent injection amount). Based on the results of the test, a proper operation condition (450 °C, 300 rpm, 1 eq. of phosphorylation agent) for over a 0.99 conversion ratio of NdCl3 to NdPO4 was determined. Under this condition, multi-component rare earth (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Y) chlorides were effectively converted into phosphate forms. It was confirmed that the existing regeneration process of LiCl-KCl eutectic waste salt can be greatly improved and simplified through these phosphorylation test results.

  6. Application of the rotating cylinder electrode in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic containing uranium(III)- and magnesium(II)-chloride

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rappleye, Devin; Simpson, Michael F.

    2017-04-01

    The application of the rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) to molten LiCl-KCl eutectic mixtures for electroanalytical measurements is presented. This enabled the measurement of the limiting current which was observed to follow a linear trend with the rotational rate raised to 0.64-0.65 power on average, which closely agrees with existing RCE mass-transfer correlations. This is the first publication of electroanalytical RCE measurements in LiCl-KCl eutectic based molten salt mixtures, to our knowledge. These measurements were made in mixtures of molten LiCl-KCl eutectic containing UCl3 and MgCl2. Kinetic parameters were calculated for Mg2+ in LiCl-KCl eutectic. The exchange current density (io) of Mg2+ deposition varied with mole fraction (x) according to io(A cm-2) = 1.64x0.689. The parameters from RCE measurements were also applied in an electrochemical co-deposition model entitled DREP to detect and predict the deposition rate of U and Mg. DREP succeeded in detecting the co-deposition of U and Mg, even when Mg constituted less than 0.5 wt% of the deposit.

  7. Development of an EMG-ACC-Based Upper Limb Rehabilitation Training System.

    PubMed

    Ling Liu; Xiang Chen; Zhiyuan Lu; Shuai Cao; De Wu; Xu Zhang

    2017-03-01

    This paper focuses on the development of an upper limb rehabilitation training system designed for use by children with cerebral palsy (CP). It attempts to meet the requirements of in-home training by taking advantage of the combination of portable accelerometers (ACC) and surface electromyography (SEMG) sensors worn on the upper limb to capture functional movements. In the proposed system, the EMG-ACC acquisition device works essentially as wireless game controller, and three rehabilitation games were designed for improving upper limb motor function under a clinician's guidance. The games were developed on the Android platform based on a physical engine called Box2D. The results of a system performance test demonstrated that the developed games can respond to the upper limb actions within 210 ms. Positive questionnaire feedbacks from twenty CP subjects who participated in the game test verified both the feasibility and usability of the system. Results of a long-term game training conducted with three CP subjects demonstrated that CP patients could improve in their game performance through repetitive training, and persistent training was needed to improve and enhance the rehabilitation effect. According to our experimental results, the novel multi-feedback SEMG-ACC-based user interface improved the users' initiative and performance in rehabilitation training.

  8. Developmental characterization and environmental stress responses of Y-box binding protein 1 gene (AccYB-1) from Apis cerana cerana.

    PubMed

    Li, Guilin; Wang, Lijun; Wang, Ying; Li, Han; Liu, Zhenguo; Wang, Hongfang; Xu, Baohua; Guo, Xingqi

    2018-06-22

    Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) is a member of the cold shock domain protein superfamily and is involved in development, environmental stresses and DNA oxidative damage in many organisms. However, the precise functions of YB-1 are still not well understood in various insects, including bees. In the current study, we identified a YB-1 gene in Apis cerana cerana (AccYB-1). The predicted cis-acting elements in the promoter sequence of AccYB-1 indicated its possible roles in development and stress responses. AccYB-1 expression was higher in one-day-old larvae and dark-eyed pupae than in other development stages. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that the mRNA level of AccYB-1 was higher in the thorax and midgut than in other tissues. The results from real-time PCR showed that AccYB-1 was induced by many environmental stresses. Silencing AccYB-1 downregulated the transcriptional level of some growth- and development-related genes and antioxidant genes and decreased the enzyme activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes, further indicating a possible function of AccYB-1 in growth, development and stress responses. Taken together, our findings suggest that AccYB-1 may play an indispensable role in growth and development and environmental stress responses in Apis cerana cerana. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to explore the role of YB-1 in bees. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. A thermodynamic study of electroneutral K-Cl cotransport in pH- and volume-clamped low K sheep erythrocytes with normal and low internal magnesium.

    PubMed

    Lauf, P K; Adragna, N C

    1996-10-01

    Swelling-induced human erythrocyte K-Cl cotransport is membrane potential independent and capable of uphill transport. However, a complete thermodynamic analysis of basal and stimulated K-Cl cotransport, at constant cell volume, is missing. This study was performed in low K sheep red blood cells before and after reducing cellular free Mg into the nanomolar range with the divalent cation ionophore A23187 and a chelator, an intervention known to stimulate K-Cl cotransport. The anion exchange inhibitor 4,4'diisothiocyanato-2,2'disulfonic stilbene was used to clamp intracellular pH and Cl or NO3 concentrations. Cell volume was maintained constant as external and internal pH differed by more than two units. K-Cl cotransport was calculated from the K effluxes and Rb (as K congener) influxes measured in Cl and NO3, at constant internal K and external anions, and variable concentrations of extracellular Rb and internal anions, respectively. The external Rb concentration at which net K-Cl cotransport is zero was defined as flux reversal point which changed with internal pH and hence Cl. Plots of the ratio of external Rb concentrations corresponding to the flux reversal points and the internal K concentration versus the ratio of the internal and external Cl concentrations (i.e., the Donnan ratio of the transported ions) yielded slopes near unity for both control and low internal Mg cells. Thus, basal as well as low internal Mg-stimulated net K-Cl cotransport depends on the electrochemical potential gradient of KCl.

  10. AccR Is a Master Regulator Involved in Carbon Catabolite Repression of the Anaerobic Catabolism of Aromatic Compounds in Azoarcus sp. CIB*

    PubMed Central

    Valderrama, J. Andrés; Shingler, Victoria; Carmona, Manuel; Díaz, Eduardo

    2014-01-01

    Here we characterized the first known transcriptional regulator that accounts for carbon catabolite repression (CCR) control of the anaerobic catabolism of aromatic compounds in bacteria. The AccR response regulator of Azoarcus sp. CIB controls succinate-responsive CCR of the central pathways for the anaerobic catabolism of aromatics by this strain. Phosphorylation of AccR to AccR-P triggers a monomer-to-dimer transition as well as the ability to bind to the target promoter and causes repression both in vivo and in vitro. Substitution of the Asp60 phosphorylation target residue of the N-terminal receiver motif of AccR to a phosphomimic Glu residue generates a constitutively active derivative that behaves as a superrepressor of the target genes. AccR-P binds in vitro to a conserved inverted repeat (ATGCA-N6-TGCAT) present at two different locations within the PN promoter of the bzd genes for anaerobic benzoate degradation. Because the DNA binding-proficient C-terminal domain of AccR is monomeric, we propose an activation mechanism in which phosphorylation of Asp60 of AccR alleviates interdomain repression mediated by the N-terminal domain. The presence of AccR-like proteins encoded in the genomes of other β-proteobacteria of the Azoarcus/Thauera group further suggests that AccR constitutes a master regulator that controls anaerobic CCR in these bacteria. PMID:24302740

  11. Galvanic reduction of uranium(III) chloride from LiCl-KCl eutectic salt using gadolinium metal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bagri, Prashant; Zhang, Chao; Simpson, Michael F.

    2017-09-01

    The drawdown of actinides is an important unit operation to enable the recycling of electrorefiner salt and minimization of waste. A new method for the drawdown of actinide chlorides from LiCl-KCl molten salt has been demonstrated here. Using the galvanic interaction between the Gd/Gd(III) and U/U(III) redox reactions, it is shown that UCl3 concentration in eutectic LiCl-KCl can be reduced from 8.06 wt.% (1.39 mol %) to 0.72 wt.% (0.12 mol %) in about an hour via plating U metal onto a steel basket. This is a simple process for returning actinides to the electrorefiner and minimizing their loss to the salt waste stream.

  12. Engineered ACC deaminase-expressing free-living cells of Mesorhizobium loti show increased nodulation efficiency and competitiveness on Lotus spp.

    PubMed

    Conforte, Valeria P; Echeverria, Mariela; Sánchez, Cintia; Ugalde, Rodolfo A; Menéndez, Ana B; Lepek, Viviana C

    2010-08-01

    Ethylene inhibits the establishment of symbiosis between rhizobia and legumes. Several rhizobia species express the enzyme ACC deaminase, which degrades the ethylene precursor 1-cyclopropane-1-carboxilate (ACC), leading to reductions in the amount of ethylene evolved by the plant. M. loti has a gene encoding ACC deaminase, but this gene is under the activity of the NifA-RpoN-dependent promoter; thus, it is only expressed inside the nodule. The M. loti structural gene ACC deaminase (acdS) was integrated into the M. loti chromosome under a constitutive promoter activity. The resulting strain induced the formation of a higher number of nodules and was more competitive than the wild-type strain on Lotus japonicus and L. tenuis. These results suggest that the introduction of the ACC deaminase activity within M. loti in a constitutive way could be a novel strategy to increase nodulation competitiveness of the bacteria, which could be useful for the forage inoculants industry.

  13. Reaction-induced porosity fingering: Replacement dynamic and porosity evolution in the KBr-KCl system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beaudoin, Nicolas; Hamilton, Andrea; Koehn, Daniel; Shipton, Zoe Kai; Kelka, Ulrich

    2018-07-01

    In this contribution, we use X-ray computed micro-tomography (X-CT) to observe and quantify dynamic pattern and porosity formation in a fluid-mediated replacement reaction. The evolution of connected porosity distribution helps to understand how fluid can migrate through a transforming rock, for example during dolomitization, a phenomenon extensively reported in sedimentary basins. Two types of experiment were carried out, in both cases a single crystal of KBr was immersed in a static bath of saturated aqueous KCl at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and in both cases the replacement process was monitored in 3D using X-CT. In the first type of experiment a crystal of KBr was taken out, scanned, and returned to the solution in cycles (discontinuous replacement). In the second type of experiment, 3 samples of KBr were continuously reacted for 15, 55 min and 5.5 h respectively, with the latter being replaced completely (continuous replacement). X-CT of KBr-KCl replacement offers new insights into dynamic porosity development and transport mechanisms during replacement. As the reaction progresses the sample composition changes from KBr to KCl via a K(Br, Cl) solid solution series which generates porosity in the form of fingers that account for a final molar volume reduction of 13% when pure KCl is formed. These fingers form during an initial and transient advection regime followed by a diffusion dominated system, which is reflected by the reaction propagation, front morphology, and mass evolution. The porosity develops as fingers perpendicular to the sample walls, which allow a faster transport of reactant than in the rest of the crystal, before fingers coarsen and connect laterally. In the continuous experiment, finger coarsening has a dynamic behaviour consistent with fingering processes observed in nature. In the discontinuous experiment, which can be compared to rock weathering or to replacement driven by intermittent fluid contact, the pore structure

  14. Establishing the solubility and local structure(s) of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC): Toward an understanding of invertebrate biomineralization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mergelsberg, S. T.; Ulrich, R. N.; Michel, F. M.; Dove, P. M.

    2017-12-01

    Recent advances in high-resolution imaging show the widespreadd occurrence of multistep pathways to mineralization in biological and geological settings (De Yoreo et al., 2015, Science). For example, carbonate biomineralization often involves precipitation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a reactive intermediate that subsequently transforms to crystalline products with diverse structures. Although current carbonate mineral proxies are based upon the composition of final crystalline products, the final signatures may be recording the properties of the initial amorphous phase. Thus, it is critical to establish the physical properties of ACC and understand the factors that influence its evolution to final products at conditions that approximate biological environments. This disconnect limits our ability to build a process-based understanding of when/how minor and trace elements are recorded in mineral composition proxies. In this experimental study, we quantified the chemical and physical properties of ACC and its evolution to final products. We first determined ACC solubility under controlled chemical conditions using a new type of flow-through reactor developed by our research group (Blue and Dove, 2015, GCA; Blue et al., 2017, GCA). The experimental design varied Mg concentration and total alkalinity while maintaining a mild pH that approximates biological environments. ACC solubility was measured at specific time points during the precipitation (from super- and undersaturated conditions) and during its subsequent evolution. Parallel experiments characterized the structure of the corresponding amorphous products using in situ pair distribution function (PDF) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses. The measurements demonstrate at least two types of ACC can be produced by tuning Mg concentration and alkalinity. Each "phase" exhibits distinct short-range ordering that demonstrates structure-specific solubility. We also find temporal changes in the

  15. Pressure induced structural phase transition in solid oxidizer KClO3: A first-principles study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yedukondalu, N.; Ghule, Vikas D.; Vaitheeswaran, G.

    2013-05-01

    High pressure behavior of potassium chlorate (KClO3) has been investigated from 0 to 10 GPa by means of first principles density functional theory calculations. The calculated ground state parameters, transition pressure, and phonon frequencies using semiempirical dispersion correction scheme are in excellent agreement with experiment. It is found that KClO3 undergoes a pressure induced first order phase transition with an associated volume collapse of 6.4% from monoclinic (P21/m) → rhombohedral (R3m) structure at 2.26 GPa, which is in good accord with experimental observation. However, the transition pressure was found to underestimate (0.11 GPa) and overestimate (3.57 GPa) using local density approximation and generalized gradient approximation functionals, respectively. Mechanical stability of both the phases is explained from the calculated single crystal elastic constants. In addition, the zone center phonon frequencies have been calculated using density functional perturbation theory at ambient as well as at high pressure and the lattice modes are found to soften under pressure between 0.6 and 1.2 GPa. The present study reveals that the observed structural phase transition leads to changes in the decomposition mechanism of KClO3 which corroborates with the experimental results.

  16. Pressure induced structural phase transition in solid oxidizer KClO3: a first-principles study.

    PubMed

    Yedukondalu, N; Ghule, Vikas D; Vaitheeswaran, G

    2013-05-07

    High pressure behavior of potassium chlorate (KClO3) has been investigated from 0 to 10 GPa by means of first principles density functional theory calculations. The calculated ground state parameters, transition pressure, and phonon frequencies using semiempirical dispersion correction scheme are in excellent agreement with experiment. It is found that KClO3 undergoes a pressure induced first order phase transition with an associated volume collapse of 6.4% from monoclinic (P2(1)/m) → rhombohedral (R3m) structure at 2.26 GPa, which is in good accord with experimental observation. However, the transition pressure was found to underestimate (0.11 GPa) and overestimate (3.57 GPa) using local density approximation and generalized gradient approximation functionals, respectively. Mechanical stability of both the phases is explained from the calculated single crystal elastic constants. In addition, the zone center phonon frequencies have been calculated using density functional perturbation theory at ambient as well as at high pressure and the lattice modes are found to soften under pressure between 0.6 and 1.2 GPa. The present study reveals that the observed structural phase transition leads to changes in the decomposition mechanism of KClO3 which corroborates with the experimental results.

  17. Carrageenan :the difference between PNG and KCL gel precipitation method as Lactobacillus acidophilus encapsulation material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Setijawati, D.; Nursyam, H.; Salis, H.

    2018-04-01

    The study on the effects of using of materials and methods in the preparation of the microcapsules Lactobacillus acidophilus towards the viability has been done. The research method used is experimental laboratory design. Variable research was kind of material (A) as the first factor with sub factor (A1 = Eucheuma cottonii) (A2 = Eucheuma spinosum) (A3 = mixture of Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum 1:1 ratio), while the second factor is a method of extraction to produce caragenan (B) with sub factor (B1 = Philipine Natural Grade modification) (B2 = KCl gel Press Precipitation). Analysis of different influences uses Analysis Of Varians followed by Fisher’s test. Analysis of data uses Mini tab 16. The results shows that the kind of extraction factors and methods gave significantly different effects on the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus. The highest mean of Viablity obtained in the treatment of materials with a mixture of Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum and used KCl Gel Press method is equal to 7.14 log (CFU / mL). It is ssuggested using of kappa-iota carrageenanmixture asencapsulation material with KCl Gel Press method on Lactobacillus acidophilus microencapsulation process because it treatment gavethe highest average of Lactobacillus acidophilus viability.

  18. WE-AB-BRB-05: Toward a 2D Water-Equivalent Dosimetry Panel Using KCl:Eu2+

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

    Mazur, T; Wang, Y; Li, H

    Purpose: KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor shows promise for radiation therapy dosimetry. The purpose of this work is to investigate several important aspects of this material for potential commercial use. Methods: KCl:Eu2+ chips were fabricated and a conformal coating using Parylene was applied. Material’s dose response in a 6 MV beam was investigated using Monte-Carlo simulations. We attempted to micronize the materials using a spiral jet mill. As we did not have a water-free glovebox, we used commercially available non-hygroscopic BaFBr0.85I0.15:Eu2+ computed radiography material to test if a homogeneous panel can be made using micron-sized phosphors. Results: Dosimeters remained intact and showedmore » no change in PSL intensity after eight hrs of submersion in water. We then optically bleached the samples for reuse, irradiated and immersed for another 24 hrs. We observed marginal worsening of the PSL signal for both the soaked and un-soaked chips. By contrast, we were unable to measure PSL intensity of the un-coated pellets due to these pellets dissolving within minutes of being immersed in water. MC data indicate that the micron-sized KCl:Eu2+ is predicted to have a nearly water-equivalent response. KCl:Eu2+ particles with a median size of 3 microns can be produced using a jet mill, which could be reduced further if necessary. While the particles tend to agglomerate over time when stored in a desiccator, they still possess favorable d50’s and d99’s even after 100 minutes, providing an adequate time window for making a panel via tape casting. A panel cast using optimized methods exhibits nearly perfect particle arrangement. Conclusions: Data shown here support ongoing efforts in fabricating a reusable, high resolution dosimetry panel in a water-free glovebox using micron-sized KCl:Eu2+ particles separated by water-equivalent polymers. The conformal coating thereafter will provide good humidity resistance. HL is the founder of DoseImaging, LLC that is

  19. Portable multi-node LQCD Monte Carlo simulations using OpenACC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonati, Claudio; Calore, Enrico; D'Elia, Massimo; Mesiti, Michele; Negro, Francesco; Sanfilippo, Francesco; Schifano, Sebastiano Fabio; Silvi, Giorgio; Tripiccione, Raffaele

    This paper describes a state-of-the-art parallel Lattice QCD Monte Carlo code for staggered fermions, purposely designed to be portable across different computer architectures, including GPUs and commodity CPUs. Portability is achieved using the OpenACC parallel programming model, used to develop a code that can be compiled for several processor architectures. The paper focuses on parallelization on multiple computing nodes using OpenACC to manage parallelism within the node, and OpenMPI to manage parallelism among the nodes. We first discuss the available strategies to be adopted to maximize performances, we then describe selected relevant details of the code, and finally measure the level of performance and scaling-performance that we are able to achieve. The work focuses mainly on GPUs, which offer a significantly high level of performances for this application, but also compares with results measured on other processors.

  20. Report of the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2018, Orlando.

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Takuya; Ako, Junya

    2018-04-28

    The 67 th Annual Scientific Session and Expo of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) were held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, from March 10-12, 2018. This meeting offered 2,700 accepted abstracts presented in oral and poster sessions by 2,100 experts and 37 Late-Breaking Clinical Trials and Featured Clinical Research presentations. This report introduces the key presentations and highlights from the ACC 2018 Scientific Session.

  1. Preparation of Al-La Master Alloy by Thermite Reaction in NaF-NaCl-KCl Molten Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Poknam; Li, Hyonmo; Kim, Wenjae; Wang, Zhaowen; Liu, Fengguo

    2015-05-01

    A NaF-NaCl-KCl ternary system containing La2O3 was investigated for the preparation of Al-La master alloy by the thermite reaction method. The solubility of La2O3 in NaF-NaCl-KCl molten salt was determined by the method of isothermal solution saturation. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were used to consider the content of La2O3 in molten salt and the supernatant composition of molten salt after dissolution of La2O3, respectively. The results showed that the content of NaF had a positive influence on the solubility of La2O3 in NaF-NaCl-KCl molten salts, and the solubility of La2O3 could reach 8.71 wt.% in molten salts of 50 wt.%NaF-50 wt.% (44 wt.%NaCl + 56 wt.%KCl). The XRD pattern of cooling molten salt indicated the formation of LaOF in molten salt, which was probably obtained by the reaction between NaF and La2O3. The kinetic study showed that the thermite reaction was in accord with a first-order reaction model. The main influence factors on La content in the Al-La master alloy product, including molten salt composition, amount of Al, concentration of La2O3, stirring, reduction time and temperature, were investigated by single-factor experimentation. The content of La in the Al-La master alloy could be reached to 10.1 wt.%.

  2. Distillation and condensation of LiCl-KCl eutectic salts for a separation of pure salts from salt wastes from an electrorefining process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eun, Hee Chul; Yang, Hee Chul; Lee, Han Soo; Kim, In Tae

    2009-12-01

    Salt separation and recovery from the salt wastes generated from a pyrochemical process is necessary to minimize the high-level waste volumes and to stabilize a final waste form. In this study, the thermal behavior of the LiCl-KCl eutectic salts containing rare earth oxychlorides or oxides was investigated during a vacuum distillation and condensation process. LiCl was more easily vaporized than the other salts (KCl and LiCl-KCl eutectic salt). Vaporization characteristics of LiCl-KCl eutectic salts were similar to that of KCl. The temperature to obtain the vaporization flux (0.1 g min -1 cm -2) was decreased by much as 150 °C by a reduction of the ambient pressure from 5 Torr to 0.5 Torr. Condensation behavior of the salt vapors was different with the ambient pressure. Almost all of the salt vapors were condensed and were formed into salt lumps during a salt distillation at the ambient pressure of 0.5 Torr and they were collected in the condensed salt storage. However, fine salt particles were formed when the salt distillation was performed at 10 Torr and it is difficult for them to be recovered. Therefore, it is thought that a salt vacuum distillation and condensation should be performed to recover almost all of the vaporized salts at a pressure below 0.5 Torr.

  3. The ACCE 2012 Study Tour: Reflections on Reoccurring Themes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clements, Di; Grover, David; Grover, Pam; Hearne, Dominic; Knipe, Steven; Martin, Kim; Pazzi, Georgina; Pollard, Edward; Prestridge, Sarah

    2012-01-01

    Transformational leadership is essential in education as it empowers educators to make positive changes to the way they think, feel and act in improving learning for all. Reflection is a vital element of leading the change process. In relation to participating in the ACCE study tour experience, reflection allows one to sit and think about the…

  4. Molecular Characterization of Lactobacillus plantarum Genes for β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III (fabH) and Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase (accBCDA), Which Are Essential for Fatty Acid Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Kiatpapan, Pornpimon; Kobayashi, Hajime; Sakaguchi, Maki; Ono, Hisayo; Yamashita, Mitsuo; Kaneko, Yoshinobu; Murooka, Yoshikatsu

    2001-01-01

    Genes for subunits of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), which is the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of fatty acids in Lactobacillus plantarum L137, were cloned and characterized. We identified six potential open reading frames, namely, manB, fabH, accB, accC, accD, and accA, in that order. Nucleotide sequence analysis suggested that fabH encoded β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III, that the accB, accC, accD, and accA genes encoded biotin carboxyl carrier protein, biotin carboxylase, and the β and α subunits of carboxyltransferase, respectively, and that these genes were clustered. The organization of acc genes was different from that reported for Escherichia coli, for Bacillus subtilis, and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli accB and accD mutations were complemented by the L. plantarum accB and accD genes, respectively. The predicted products of all five genes were confirmed by using the T7 expression system in E. coli. The gene product of accB was biotinylated in E. coli. Northern and primer extension analyses demonstrated that the five genes in L. plantarum were regulated polycistronically in an acc operon. PMID:11133475

  5. Phase relations in the system NaCl-KCl-H2O: V. Thermodynamic-PTX analysis of solid-liquid equilibria at high temperatures and pressures

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sterner, S.M.; Chou, I.-Ming; Downs, R.T.; Pitzer, Kenneth S.

    1992-01-01

    The Gibbs energies of mixing for NaCl-KCl binary solids and liquids and solid-saturated NaCl-KCl-H2O ternary liquids were modeled using asymmetric Margules treatments. The coefficients of the expressions were calibrated using an extensive array of binary solvus and solidus data, and both binary and ternary liquidus data. Over the PTX range considered, the system exhibits complete liquid miscibility among all three components and extensive solid solution along the anhydrous binary. Solid-liquid and solid-solid phase equilibria were calculated by using the resulting equations and invoking the equality of chemical potentials of NaCl and KCl between appropriate phases at equilibrium. The equations reproduce the ternary liquidus and predict activity coefficients for NaCl and KCl components in the aqueous liquid under solid-saturation conditions between 673 and 1200 K from vapor saturation up to 5 kbar. In the NaCl-KCl anhydrous binary system, the equations describe phase equilibria and predict activity coefficients of the salt components for all stable compositions of solid and liquid phases between room temperature and 1200 K and from 1 bar to 5 kbar. ?? 1992.

  6. Population impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines compared with the 2013 ESH/ESC guidelines for hypertension management.

    PubMed

    Vaucher, Julien; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Waeber, Gérard; Vollenweider, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Background The 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on hypertension management recommend the introduction of antihypertensive treatment for patients with new stage 1 hypertension thresholds (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) and with a cardiovascular disease or related condition. We compared the Swiss population and economic impact of antihypertensive treatment of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines with the 2013 European guidelines. Methods Analyses were based on 4438 participants (aged 45-85 years; 2448 women) of the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study recruited between 2014-2017. Participants eligible for antihypertensive treatment according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and 2013 European guidelines were sex and age standardised using the Swiss population for 2016. In addition, we estimated the population-wide annual costs of antihypertensive treatment. Results Individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment were 40.3% (95% confidence interval 38.5-42.1) and 31.3% (29.7-32.9) according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and 2013 European guidelines, respectively. That difference would translate into approximately 250,000 additional individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment, corresponding to an additional annual cost of 72.5 million CHF (63.0 million EUR). Conclusion The 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on the management of hypertension substantially increase the number of individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment compared to the 2013 European guidelines. While implementation of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines is expected to lead to cost reduction by preventing cardiovascular diseases, that reduction might be mitigated by the costs incurred by antihypertensive treatments in a larger proportion of the population.

  7. Increased statin eligibility based on ACC/AHA versus NCEP guidelines for high cholesterol management in Chile.

    PubMed

    Echeverría, Guadalupe; Dussaillant, Catalina; Villarroel, Luis; Rigotti, Attilio

    2016-01-01

    In 2013, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) jointly released new guidelines for cardiovascular risk assessment and cholesterol management that substantially modified the previous recommendations proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in 2001. The relative impact of these new guidelines on potential statin use has not been estimated in Latin American populations. To estimate and compare eligibility for statin therapy based on ACC/AHA and NCEP guidelines in adult Chilean population. Using data from the last National Health Survey (2009-2010 NHS), we conducted a cross-sectional analysis in a ​representative sample of the Chilean adult population and calculated the proportion of individuals that would receive statins under each set of guidelines. According to ACC/AHA guidelines, the population eligible for statin treatment increased from 21.7% (NCEP guidelines) to 33.2% (overall 53% increase). This effect was more pronounced among women (29.6% under ACC/AHA vs 15.6% under NCEP) and with those of advanced age (75% of the subjects >60 years of age compared with 46% under NCEP). The newly eligible group included more women and older subjects and individuals with lower LDL cholesterol levels. Compared with NCEP recommendations, the new ACC/AHA guidelines significantly increased the number of Chilean adults eligible for statin therapy. Full implementation of the new recommendations may have important public health implications in Chile and other Latin American countries, as more women and older subjects without cardiovascular disease would qualify for statin treatment. Copyright © 2016 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Study on garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M].

    PubMed

    Wu, Fayin; Zhou, Hefeng; Fan, Zhiying; Zhu, Yawen; Li, Yongye; Yao, Yukun; Ran, Dan

    2014-02-01

    To observe the effect of garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M. Human salivary in adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line AC-M was cultured, divided into the experimental group (5-FU group, garlic oil group, garlic oil + 5-FU group) and the control group, to observe the growth activity of tumor cells by MTT methods; to analyse the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry. MTT experiments showed that 5-FU, garlic oil, garlic oil and 5-FU on ACC-M cells have inhibition in different concentration, with the increase of concentration and action time of the rise; Cell cycle analysis showed significant changes in flow cytometry. With the increase of concentration and the acting time, the G0/G1, phase of the cell ratio increased, S had no significant change, but G2/M phase cells decreased. Apoptosis rate display showed garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of ACC-M cells was significantly stronger than single group. Garlic oil can effectively induce the apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M. The effect of garlic oil combined with 5-FU on ACC-M cells was stronger than the garlic oil, 5-FU used alone.

  9. Rapid increase in red blood cell density driven by K:Cl cotransport in a subset of sickle cell anemia reticulocytes and discocytes.

    PubMed

    Fabry, M E; Romero, J R; Buchanan, I D; Suzuka, S M; Stamatoyannopoulos, G; Nagel, R L; Canessa, M

    1991-07-01

    We have previously demonstrated that young normal (AA) and sickle cell anemia (SS) red blood cells are capable of a volume regulatory decrease response (VRD) driven by a K:Cl cotransporter that is activated by low pH or hypotonic conditions. We now report on the characteristics of young SS cells (SS2, discocytes) capable of rapid increase in density in response to swelling. We have isolated cells with high VRD response (H-VRD) and low VRD response (L-VRD) cells by incubation and density-gradient centrifugation under hypotonic conditions. Comparison of these cells in patients homozygous for hemoglobin (Hb)S indicated that H-VRD cells have 91% more reticulocytes (P less than 9 x 10(-9) than L-VRD cells, 25% less HbF (P less than 5.5 x 10(-5), 106% more NEM (N-methylmaleimide)-stimulated K:Cl cotransport activity (P less than 2 x 10(-4), and 86% more volume-stimulated K:Cl cotransport activity (P less than 1.8 x 10(-3). H-VRD and L-VRD cells have similar G-6-PD and Na+/H+ antiport activity. In agreement with the reduced percent HbF in H-VRD cells, F cells (red blood cells that contain fetal Hb) are depleted from the H-VRD population; however, F reticulocytes are enriched in the H-VRD population to the same extent as non-F reticulocytes, which suggests that both F and non-F reticulocytes have a similar initial distribution of volume-sensitive K:Cl cotransport activity but that it may be more rapidly inactivated in F than in S reticulocytes. We find that H-VRD cells consist of 20% reticulocytes (or 79% of all reticulocytes in SS2) and 80% more mature cells. This study demonstrates the role of K:Cl cotransport in determining red blood cell density, the heterogeneity of K:Cl cotransport activity in reticulocytes, and the capacity for rapid change in the density of reticulocytes with high K:Cl cotransport activity. We speculate that the H-VRD population may be more susceptible to generation of dense and irreversibly sickled cells.

  10. A thermodynamic study of electroneutral K-Cl cotransport in pH- and volume-clamped low K sheep erythrocytes with normal and low internal magnesium

    PubMed Central

    1996-01-01

    Swelling-induced human erythrocyte K-Cl cotransport is membrane potential independent and capable of uphill transport. However, a complete thermodynamic analysis of basal and stimulated K-Cl cotransport, at constant cell volume, is missing. This study was performed in low K sheep red blood cells before and after reducing cellular free Mg into the nanomolar range with the divalent cation ionophore A23187 and a chelator, an intervention known to stimulate K- Cl cotransport. The anion exchange inhibitor 4,4'diisothiocyanato- 2,2'disulfonic stilbene was used to clamp intracellular pH and Cl or NO3 concentrations. Cell volume was maintained constant as external and internal pH differed by more than two units. K-Cl cotransport was calculated from the K effluxes and Rb (as K congener) influxes measured in Cl and NO3, at constant internal K and external anions, and variable concentrations of extracellular Rb and internal anions, respectively. The external Rb concentration at which net K-Cl cotransport is zero was defined as flux reversal point which changed with internal pH and hence Cl. Plots of the ratio of external Rb concentrations corresponding to the flux reversal points and the internal K concentration versus the ratio of the internal and external Cl concentrations (i.e., the Donnan ratio of the transported ions) yielded slopes near unity for both control and low internal Mg cells. Thus, basal as well as low internal Mg-stimulated net K-Cl cotransport depends on the electrochemical potential gradient of KCl. PMID:8894982

  11. XAFS Study on Chlorination of Y2O3 in LiCl-KCl-ZrCl4 Melt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Yoshihiro; Yaita, Tsuyoshi; Shiwaku, Hideaki; Suzuki, Shinichi

    2008-11-01

    The chlorination reaction of Y2O3 with ZrCl4 in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt was investigated by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) technique. The chlorination reaction was observed between 773 K and 823 K as the 1st peak shift of the Fourier transform magnitude function |FT(k3χ(k))|. The peak corresponding to the nearest Y3+-Cl- correlation was observed in the XAFS analysis at 823 K as the result of the chlorination. It was confirmed that the mixture melts after the reaction is almost equivalent to a molten 5% YCl3-(LiCl-KCl eutectic) mixture.

  12. Impact of lysine and liquid smoke as flavor enhancers on the quality of low-fat Bologna-type sausages with 50% replacement of NaCl by KCl.

    PubMed

    Dos Santos Alves, Larissa Aparecida Agostinho; Lorenzo, José Manuel; Gonçalves, Carlos Antonio Alvarenga; Dos Santos, Bibiana Alves; Heck, Rosane Teresinha; Cichoski, Alexandre José; Campagnol, Paulo Cezar Bastianello

    2017-01-01

    Low-fat Bologna-type sausages were produced with 50% of NaCl replaced by KCl and with addition of lysine and/or liquid smoke as flavor enhancers. The influence of sodium reduction on technological, physicochemical, and microbiological properties was determined. In addition, the sensory properties were evaluated using a Check all that apply questionnaire (CATA) and a consumer study. The partial replacement of NaCl by KCl did not have negative impacts on physicochemical, technological, and microbiological properties. However, the addition of KCl affected the sensory acceptance, as consumers identified by CATA questionnaire a reduction in salty taste and an increase in bitter, astringent, and metallic taste. The isolated or combined addition of lysine and liquid smoke reduced the sensory quality defects caused by the addition of KCl. Therefore, high quality low-fat Bologna-type sausages with sodium reduction close to 50% can be produced by replacing 50% NaCl by KCl and with addition of 1% lysine and/or 0.1% liquid smoke. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Obesity Drives Th17 Cell Differentiation by Inducing the Lipid Metabolic Kinase, ACC1.

    PubMed

    Endo, Yusuke; Asou, Hikari K; Matsugae, Nao; Hirahara, Kiyoshi; Shinoda, Kenta; Tumes, Damon J; Tokuyama, Hirotake; Yokote, Koutaro; Nakayama, Toshinori

    2015-08-11

    Chronic inflammation due to obesity contributes to the development of metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Reciprocal interactions between metabolic systems and immune cells have pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of obesity-associated diseases, although the mechanisms regulating obesity-associated inflammatory diseases are still unclear. In the present study, we performed transcriptional profiling of memory phenotype CD4 T cells in high-fat-fed mice and identified acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1, the gene product of Acaca) as an essential regulator of Th17 cell differentiation in vitro and of the pathogenicity of Th17 cells in vivo. ACC1 modulates the DNA binding of RORγt to target genes in differentiating Th17 cells. In addition, we found a strong correlation between IL-17A-producing CD45RO(+)CD4 T cells and the expression of ACACA in obese subjects. Thus, ACC1 confers the appropriate function of RORγt through fatty acid synthesis and regulates the obesity-related pathology of Th17 cells. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Effects of the inoculations using bacteria producing ACC deaminase on ethylene metabolism and growth of wheat grown under different soil water contents.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Guozhuang; Sun, Yonglin; Sheng, Hao; Li, Haichao; Liu, Xiping

    2018-04-01

    Crop growth and productivity are often impacted by the increased ethylene content induced by adverse environmental conditions such drought. Inoculations with bacteria producing ACC deaminase is considered as a potential biological approach to improve the growth and tolerance of stressed plants by lowering endogenous ethylene level. In this study, germinated wheat seeds were inoculated using three species of the rhizobacteria, which were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat growing in dryland, and sown in pots. After three weeks, wheat seedlings were exposed to non-limiting water condition, medium drought and severe drought, respectively, for six weeks. The results showed that, irrespective of rhizobacterial inoculations, decreased soil water contents stimulated wheat ethylene metabolism, which was reflected by the significantly increased activity of ACC synthetase and ACC oxidase, besides an increased content of ACC both in the roots and leaves, and an enhanced capacity of leaves to release ethylene, concomitant with a significant decline in shoot and roots biomass. The inoculations of all three rhizobacterial species under each water condition reduced ACC content in wheat leaves, but effects of the inoculations on ACC synthase and ACC oxidase activity in the leaves and roots, ACC content in the roots, the capacity of leaves to release ethylene, and wheat growth varied with water conditions and bacterial species. Hence, both soil water conditions and rhizobacterial inoculations acted on all the processes of ethylene metabolism, with the former being dominant. The inoculations under non-limiting water condition and medium drought promoted shoot and root growth of wheat plants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Overexpression of ACC gene from oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi enhanced the lipid accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with increased levels of glycerol 3-phosphate substrates.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jiancai; Xu, Ronghua; Wang, Ruling; Haque, Mohammad Enamul; Liu, Aizhong

    2016-06-01

    The conversion of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting step in fatty acid biosynthesis. In this study, a gene coding for ACC was isolated and characterized from an oleaginous yeast, Lipomyces starkeyi. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of L. starkeyi acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene (LsACC1) showed that the expression levels were upregulated with the fast accumulation of lipids. The LsACC1 was co-overexpressed with the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GPD1), which regulates lipids biosynthesis by supplying another substrates glycerol 3-phosphate for storage lipid assembly, in the non-oleaginous yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Further, the S. cerevisiae acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ScACC1) was transferred with GPD1 and its function was analyzed in comparison with LsACC1. The results showed that overexpressed LsACC1 and GPD1 resulted in a 63% increase in S. cerevisiae. This study gives new data in understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of fatty acids and lipid biosynthesis in yeasts.

  16. Variable responses of two VlMYBA gene promoters to ABA and ACC in Kyoho grape berries.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Xiawan; Zhang, Yushu; Kai, Wenbin; Liang, Bin; Jiang, Li; Du, Yangwei; Wang, Juan; Sun, Yufei; Leng, Ping

    2017-04-01

    The VlMYBA subfamily of transcription factors has been known to be the functional regulators in anthocyanin biosynthesis in red grapes. In this study, the expressions of the VlMYBA1-2 and VlMYBA 2 genes, and the responses of the VlMYBA1-2/2 promoters to ABA and ACC treatments in Kyoho grape berries are examined through quantitative real-time PCR analysis and the transient expression assay. The results show that the expressions of VlMYBA1-2/2 increase dramatically after véraison and reach their highest levels when the berries are nearly fully ripe. Exogenous ABA promotes the expressions of VlMYBA1-2/2, whereas the ACC treatment increases the expression of VlMYBA2, however, it has no effect on VlMYBA1-2. The ABA treatment has a faster and stronger effect on berry pigmentation than ACC does. The VlMYBA1-2 promoter sequence contains two ABA response elements (ABRE) but no ethylene response element (ERE), whereas the VlMYBA2 promoter sequence contains two ABRE and one ERE in the upstream region of the start codon. The VlMYBA2 promoter can be activated by both ABA (more effective) and ACC, whereas the VlMYBA1-2 promoter can be activated by ABA only. In sum, ABA can promote the coloring of Kyoho grape by the promotion of VlMYBA1-2/2 transcriptions via activating the response of their promoters to ABA, whereas ethylene only regulates VlMYBA2 through the response activation of its promoter to ACC which partially enhances the coloring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. Transport of sup 14 C-IAA and sup 14 C-ACC within floral organs of Ipomoea nil

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

    Kiss, H.G.; Maurice, H.R.; Koning, R.E.

    1989-04-01

    The transport of {sup 14}C-IAA {sup 14}C-ACC from agarose donor blocks applied to I. nil filaments their recovery as {sup 14}C-accumulation into floral organs was examined. The accumulation of the isotopes in the corolla tissue was greater when {sup 14}C-ACC was applied than {sup 14}C-IAA in intact isolated flower buds. Greater levels of the isotopes accumulated in the pistil, with minimal levels in receptacle and calyx tissues from isolated buds. With intact buds, greater levels of the isotopes were recovered in pistil, calyx receptacle tissues. This study provides further evidence for the role of the filaments as transport vectors formore » IAA ACC for the production of ethylene.« less

  18. Cyclic Corrosion and Chlorination of an FeCrAl Alloy in the Presence of KCl

    DOE PAGES

    Israelsson, Niklas; Unocic, Kinga A.; Hellström, K.; ...

    2015-05-30

    The KCl-induced corrosion of the FeCrAl alloy Kanthal® APMT in an O 2 + N 2 + H 2O environment was studied at 600 °C. The samples were pre-oxidized prior to exposure in order to investigate the protective nature of alumina scales in the present environment. The microstructure and composition of the corroded surface was investigated in detail. Corrosion started at flaws in the pre-formed α-alumina scales, i.e. α-alumina was protective in itself. Consequently, KCl-induced corrosion started locally and, subsequently, spread laterally. An electrochemical mechanism is proposed here by which a transition metal chloride forms in the alloy and Kmore » 2CrO 4 forms at the scale/gas interface. Scale de-cohesion is attributed to the formation of a sub-scale transition metal chloride.« less

  19. Health Literacy: Readability of ACC/AHA Online Patient Education Material.

    PubMed

    Kapoor, Karan; George, Praveen; Evans, Matthew C; Miller, Weldon J; Liu, Stanley S

    To determine whether the online patient education material offered by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) is written at a higher level than the 6th-7th grade level recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Online patient education material from each website was subjected to reading grade level (RGL) analysis using the Readability Studio Professional Edition. One-sample t testing was used to compare the mean RGLs obtained from 8 formulas to the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean. In total, 372 articles from the ACC website and 82 from the AHA were studied. Mean (±SD) RGLs for the 454 articles were 9.6 ± 2.1, 11.2 ± 2.1, 11.9 ± 1.6, 10.8 ± 1.6, 9.7 ± 2.1, 10.8 ± 0.8, 10.5 ± 2.6, and 11.7 ± 3.5 according to the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG Index), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Gunning-Fog Index (GFI), New Dale-Chall reading level formula (NDC), FORCAST, Raygor Readability Estimate (RRE), and Fry Graph (Fry), respectively. All analyzed articles had significantly higher RGLs than both the NIH-recommended grade level of 6.5 and the national mean grade level of 8 (p < 0.00625). Patient education material provided on the ACC and AHA websites is written above the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean reading level. Additional studies are required to demonstrate whether lowering the RGL of this material improves outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Generation of (F+2)_AH Centres in Sodium Ion Doped KCl:CO^{2-3}

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diaf, M.; Chihi, I.; Hamaïdia, A.; Akrmi, El.

    1996-01-01

    We demonstrate that (F+2)AH centres of KCl may be obtained from crystals doped with K{2}CO{3} and NaCl, grown by the Czochralski method in open atmosphere. The optical properties of (F+2)AH centres thus produced are exactly the same as those of (F+2)AH centres prepared by the usual technique, which involves superoxide doping and a controlled atmosphere. Nous montrons que les centres (F+2)AH de KCl peuvent être obtenus à partir de cristaux dopés par K{2}CO{3} et NaCl, fabriqués par la méthode de Czochralski à l'air libre. Les propriétés optiques des centres (F+2)AH ainsi produits sont exactement les mêmes que celles des centres (F+2)AH préparés par la technique habituelle, qui comporte le dopage par un superoxyde et l'emploi d'une atmosphère contrôlée.

  1. Development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS): An observation-based tool for assessing cognitive behavioral therapy competence.

    PubMed

    Muse, Kate; McManus, Freda; Rakovshik, Sarah; Thwaites, Richard

    2017-05-01

    This article outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) rating scale. The ACCS aims to provide a novel assessment framework to deliver formative and summative feedback regarding therapists' performance within observed cognitive-behavioral treatment sessions, and for therapists to rate and reflect on their own performance. Findings from 3 studies are outlined: (a) a feedback study (n = 66) examining content validity, face validity and usability; (b) a focus group (n = 9) evaluating usability and utility; and (c) an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the ACCS in real world cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training and routine clinical practice contexts. Results suggest that the ACCS has good face validity, content validity, and usability and provides a user-friendly tool that is useful for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. Scores on both the self and assessor-rated versions of the ACCS demonstrate good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity. In addition, ACCS scores were found to be correlated with, but distinct from, the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) and were comparable to CTS-R scores in terms of internal consistency and discriminant validity. In addition, the ACCS may have advantages over the CTS-R in terms of interrater reliability of scores. The studies also provided insight into areas for refinement and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the scale. In summary, the ACCS is an appropriate and useful measure of CBT competence that can be used to promote self-reflection and provide therapists with formative and summative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Sorption isotherms of salted minced pork and of lean surface of dry-cured hams at the end of the resting period using KCl as substitute for NaCl.

    PubMed

    Comaposada, J; Arnau, J; Gou, P

    2007-12-01

    The effect of KCl on sorption isotherms was determined on salted minced meat (with 0%, 30% and 100% molar substitution of NaCl by KCl) at 5°C and 25°C and meat from a 3mm thick slice from the surface of dry-cured hams (with 0% and 35% molar substitution of NaCl by KCl) held at 70-75%, 75-80% and 80-85% air relative humidity during the resting period. The sorption isotherms were determined gravimetrically by exposing the meat samples to several atmospheres of known relative humidity controlled by different saturated salts according to the COST90 method. The sorption equipment consisted of a chamber containing 11 containers, covering the water activity (a(w)) range from 0.112 to 0.946 at 25°C. The hermetically closed sorption containers filled with KCl and minced meat samples were irradiated at 3kGrey (gamma irradiation (60)Co). The water content at equilibrium was higher in minced meat with NaCl than in minced meat with KCl (100% molar substitution of NaCl by KCl) at 5°C within the range of 0.4313 and 0.7565 a(w). However, when substitution was 30% in minced meat and 35% in hams the isotherms were similar to isotherm without substitution.

  3. Waste management facility accident analysis (WASTE ACC) system: software for analysis of waste management alternatives

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

    Kohout, E.F.; Folga, S.; Mueller, C.

    1996-03-01

    This paper describes the Waste Management Facility Accident Analysis (WASTE{underscore}ACC) software, which was developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to support the US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Waste Management (WM) Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). WASTE{underscore}ACC is a decision support and database system that is compatible with Microsoft{reg_sign} Windows{trademark}. It assesses potential atmospheric releases from accidents at waste management facilities. The software provides the user with an easy-to-use tool to determine the risk-dominant accident sequences for the many possible combinations of process technologies, waste and facility types, and alternative cases described in the WM PEIS. In addition, its structure willmore » allow additional alternative cases and assumptions to be tested as part of the future DOE programmatic decision-making process. The WASTE{underscore}ACC system demonstrates one approach to performing a generic, systemwide evaluation of accident risks at waste management facilities. The advantages of WASTE{underscore}ACC are threefold. First, the software gets waste volume and radiological profile data that were used to perform other WM PEIS-related analyses directly from the WASTE{underscore}MGMT system. Second, the system allows for a consistent analysis across all sites and waste streams, which enables decision makers to understand more fully the trade-offs among various policy options and scenarios. Third, the system is easy to operate; even complex scenario runs are completed within minutes.« less

  4. Physicochemical properties of low sodium frankfurter with added walnut: effect of transglutaminase combined with caseinate, KCl and dietary fibre as salt replacers.

    PubMed

    Colmenero, F Jiménez; Ayo, M J; Carballo, J

    2005-04-01

    This study compares the effects of combinations of microbial transglutaminase (TGase) and various non-meat ingredients (caseinate, KCl and wheat fibre) used as salt replacers, with the effects of NaCl on the physicochemical properties (cooking loss, emulsion stability, texture and colour) of frankfurters with added walnuts. The combination of TGase with caseinate, KCl or fibre led to harder, springier and chewier (P<0.05) frankfurters with better water- and fat-binding properties (emulsion stability and cooking loss) (P<0.05) than those made with TGase only. Ranking of ingredient efficiency in combination with TGase showed that caseinate>KCl>fibre. Frankfurters with caseinate presented the highest lightness and the lowest redness values. Frankfurter with NaCl had a harder, springier and chewier gel/emulsion network with lower cooking loss than those NaCl free.

  5. The ability of the 2013 ACC/AHA cardiovascular risk score to identify rheumatoid arthritis patients with high coronary artery calcification scores

    PubMed Central

    Kawai, Vivian K.; Chung, Cecilia P.; Solus, Joseph F.; Oeser, Annette; Raggi, Paolo; Stein, C. Michael

    2014-01-01

    Objective Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) that is underestimated by the Framingham risk score (FRS). We hypothesized that the 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year risk score would perform better than the FRS and the Reynolds risk score (RRS) in identifying RA patients known to have elevated cardiovascular risk based on high coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores. Methods Among 98 RA patients eligible for risk stratification using the ACC/AHA score we identified 34 patients with high CAC (≥ 300 Agatston units or ≥75th percentile) and compared the ability of the 10-year FRS, RRS and the ACC/AHA risk scores to correctly assign these patients to an elevated risk category. Results All three risk scores were higher in patients with high CAC (P values <0.05). The percentage of patients with high CAC correctly assigned to the elevated risk category was similar among the three scores (FRS 32%, RRS 32%, ACC/AHA 41%) (P=0.233). The c-statistics for the FRS, RRS and ACC/AHA risk scores predicting the presence of high CAC were 0.65, 0.66, and 0.65, respectively. Conclusions The ACC/AHA 10-year risk score does not offer any advantage compared to the traditional FRS and RRS in the identification of RA patients with elevated risk as determined by high CAC. The ACC/AHA risk score assigned almost 60% of patients with high CAC into a low risk category. Risk scores and standard risk prediction models used in the general population do not adequately identify many RA patients with elevated cardiovascular risk. PMID:25371313

  6. Adolescents with current major depressive disorder show dissimilar patterns of age-related differences in ACC and thalamus

    PubMed Central

    Hagan, Cindy C.; Graham, Julia M.E.; Tait, Roger; Widmer, Barry; van Nieuwenhuizen, Adrienne O.; Ooi, Cinly; Whitaker, Kirstie J.; Simas, Tiago; Bullmore, Edward T.; Lennox, Belinda R.; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Goodyer, Ian M.; Suckling, John

    2015-01-01

    Objective There is little understanding of the neural system abnormalities subserving adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD). In a cross-sectional study we compare currently unipolar depressed with healthy adolescents to determine if group differences in grey matter volume (GMV) were influenced by age and illness severity. Method Structural neuroimaging was performed on 109 adolescents with current MDD and 36 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and handedness. GMV differences were examined within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and across the whole-brain. The effects of age and self-reported depressive symptoms were also examined in regions showing significant main or interaction effects. Results Whole-brain voxel based morphometry revealed no significant group differences. At the whole-brain level, both groups showed a main effect of age on GMV, although this effect was more pronounced in controls. Significant group-by-age interactions were noted: A significant regional group-by-age interaction was observed in the ACC. GMV in the ACC showed patterns of age-related differences that were dissimilar between adolescents with MDD and healthy controls. GMV in the thalamus showed an opposite pattern of age-related differences in adolescent patients compared to healthy controls. In patients, GMV in the thalamus, but not the ACC, was inversely related with self-reported depressive symptoms. Conclusions The depressed adolescent brain shows dissimilar age-related and symptom-sensitive patterns of GMV differences compared with controls. The thalamus and ACC may comprise neural markers for detecting these effects in youth. Further investigations therefore need to take both age and level of current symptoms into account when disaggregating antecedent neural vulnerabilities for MDD from the effects of MDD on the developing brain. PMID:25685707

  7. Adolescents with current major depressive disorder show dissimilar patterns of age-related differences in ACC and thalamus.

    PubMed

    Hagan, Cindy C; Graham, Julia M E; Tait, Roger; Widmer, Barry; van Nieuwenhuizen, Adrienne O; Ooi, Cinly; Whitaker, Kirstie J; Simas, Tiago; Bullmore, Edward T; Lennox, Belinda R; Sahakian, Barbara J; Goodyer, Ian M; Suckling, John

    2015-01-01

    There is little understanding of the neural system abnormalities subserving adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD). In a cross-sectional study we compare currently unipolar depressed with healthy adolescents to determine if group differences in grey matter volume (GMV) were influenced by age and illness severity. Structural neuroimaging was performed on 109 adolescents with current MDD and 36 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and handedness. GMV differences were examined within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and across the whole-brain. The effects of age and self-reported depressive symptoms were also examined in regions showing significant main or interaction effects. Whole-brain voxel based morphometry revealed no significant group differences. At the whole-brain level, both groups showed a main effect of age on GMV, although this effect was more pronounced in controls. Significant group-by-age interactions were noted: A significant regional group-by-age interaction was observed in the ACC. GMV in the ACC showed patterns of age-related differences that were dissimilar between adolescents with MDD and healthy controls. GMV in the thalamus showed an opposite pattern of age-related differences in adolescent patients compared to healthy controls. In patients, GMV in the thalamus, but not the ACC, was inversely related with self-reported depressive symptoms. The depressed adolescent brain shows dissimilar age-related and symptom-sensitive patterns of GMV differences compared with controls. The thalamus and ACC may comprise neural markers for detecting these effects in youth. Further investigations therefore need to take both age and level of current symptoms into account when disaggregating antecedent neural vulnerabilities for MDD from the effects of MDD on the developing brain.

  8. [A novel gene (Aa-accA ) encoding acetyl-CoA carboxyltransferase alpha-subunit of Alkalimonas amylolytica N10 enhances salt and alkali tolerance of Escherichia coli and tobacco BY-2 cells].

    PubMed

    Xian, Mingjie; Zhai, Lei; Zhong, Naiqin; Ma, Yiwei; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

    2013-08-04

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) catalyzes the first step of fatty acid synthesis. In most bacteria, ACC is composed of four subunits encoded by accA, accB, accC, and accD. Of them, accA encodes acetyl-CoA carboxyltransferase alpha-subunit. Our prior work on proteomics of Alkalimonas amylolytica N10 showed that the expression of the Aa-accA has a remarkable response to salt and alkali stress. This research aimed to find out the Aa-accA gene contributing to salt and alkali tolerance. The Aa-accA was amplified by PCR from A. amylolytica N10 and expressed in E. coli K12 host. The effects of Aa-accA expression on the growth of transgenic strains were examined under different NaCl concentration and pH conditions. Transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells harboring Aa-accA were also generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The viability of BY-2 cells was determined with FDA staining method after salt and alkali shock. The Aa-accA gene product has 318 amino acids and is homologous to the carboxyl transferase domain of acyl-CoA carboxylases. It showed 76% identity with AccA (acetyl-CoA carboxylase carboxyltransferase subunit alpha) from E. coli. Compared to the wild-type strains, transgenic E. coli K12 strain containing Aa-accA showed remarkable growth superiority when grown in increased NaCl concentrations and pH levels. The final cell density of the transgenic strains was 2.6 and 3.5 times higher than that of the control type when they were cultivated in LB medium containing 6% (W/V) NaCl and at pH 9, respectively. Complementary expression of Aa-accA in an accA-depletion E. coli can recover the tolerance of K12 delta accA to salt and alkali stresses to some extent. Similar to the transgenic E. coli, transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells showed higher percentages of viability compared to the wild BY-2 cells under the salt or alkali stress condition. We found that Aa-accA from A. amylolytica N10 overexpression enhances the tolerance of both transgenic E. coli and tobacco BY-2 cells to

  9. XAFS Study of Molten ZrCl4 in LiCl-KCl Eutectic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Yoshihiro; Motohashi, Haruhiko

    2002-05-01

    The local structure of motlen ZrCl4 in LiCl-KCl eutectic was investigated by using an X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) of the Zr K-absorption edge. The nearest Zr4+-Cl- distance and coordination number from the curve fitting analysis were (2.51±0.02) Å and 5.9±0.6, respectively. These suggest that a 6-fold coordination (ZrCl6)2- is predominant in the molten mixture.

  10. Recycling of LiCl-KCl eutectic based salt wastes containing radioactive rare earth oxychlorides or oxides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eun, H. C.; Cho, Y. Z.; Son, S. M.; Lee, T. K.; Yang, H. C.; Kim, I. T.; Lee, H. S.

    2012-01-01

    Recycling of LiCl-KCl eutectic salt wastes containing radioactive rare earth oxychlorides or oxides was studied to recover renewable salts from the salt wastes and to minimize the radioactive wastes by using a vacuum distillation method. Vaporization of the LiCl-KCl eutectic salt was effective above 900 °C and at 5 Torr. The condensations of the vaporized salt were largely dependent on temperature gradient. Based on these results, a recycling system of the salt wastes as a closed loop type was developed to obtain a high efficiency of the salt recovery condition. In this system, it was confirmed that renewable salt was recovered at more than 99 wt.% from the salt wastes, and the changes in temperature and pressure in the system could be utilized to understand the present condition of the system operation.

  11. Transmission Line Modeling Applied to Hot Corrosion of Fe-40at.pctAl in Molten LiCl-KCl

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barraza-Fierro, Jesus Israel; Espinosa-Medina, Marco Antonio; Castaneda, Homero

    2015-12-01

    The effect of Cu and Li additions to the intermetallic alloy Fe-40at.pctAl on the corrosion performance in an LiCl-55wtpctKCl molten eutectic salt was studied by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transmission line modeling (TLM), and cathodic polarization. The tests were done at 723 K, 773 K, and 823 K (450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C), for 60 and 720 minutes. The element additions could improve the corrosion resistance of Fe-40at.pctAl in molten LiCl-KCl, while TLM could characterize and quantify the interfacial processes in hot corrosion. The polarization curves helped to establish the possible cathodic reactions in the experimental conditions.

  12. Short communication: Effect of storage temperature on the solubility of milk protein concentrate 80 (MPC80) treated with NaCl or KCl.

    PubMed

    Sikand, V; Tong, P S; Walker, J; Wang, T; Rodriguez-Saona, L E

    2016-03-01

    A previous study in our laboratory showed that addition of 150 mM NaCl or KCl into diafiltration water improved the solubility of freshly made milk protein concentrate 80 (MPC80). In the present study, the objectives were (1) to evaluate the solubility of NaCl- or KCl-treated MPC80 samples kept at varying temperatures and then stored for extensive periods at room temperature (21 °C ± 1 °C); and (2) to determine if MPC80 samples stored at different temperatures and protein conformation can be grouped or categorized together. Freshly manufactured MPC80 samples were untreated (control), processed with NaCl, or processed with KCl. One set of sample bags was stored at 4 °C; second and third sets of bags were kept at 25 °C and 55 °C for 1 mo (31 d) and then transferred to room temperature (21 °C ± 1 °C) storage conditions for 1 yr (365 d). Samples were tested for nitrogen solubility index (NSI) and for protein changes by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Analysis of variance results for NSI showed 2 significantly different groupings of MPC80 samples. The more soluble group contained samples treated with NaCl or KCl and stored at either 4 °C or 25 °C. These samples had mean NSI >97.5%. The less soluble groups contained all control samples, regardless of storage temperature, and NaCl- or KCl-treated samples stored at 55 °C. These samples had mean NSI from 39.5 to 58%. Within each of these groups (more soluble and less soluble), no significant differences in solubility were detected. Pattern recognition analysis by soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) was used to assess protein changes during storage by monitoring the amide I and amide II (1,700(-1) to 1,300 cm(-1)) regions. Dominant bands were observed at 1,385 cm(-1) for control, 1,551 cm(-1) for KCl-treated samples, and 1,694 cm(-1) for NaCl-treated samples. Moreover, SIMCA clustered the MPC80 samples stored at 4 °C separately from samples stored at 25 °C and 55 °C. This study

  13. Theoretical studies of the defect structures for the two Cr3+ centers in KCl

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xu-Sheng; Wu, Shao-Yi; Wu, Li-Na; Zhang, Li-Juan; Guo, Jia-Xing; Dong, Hui-Ning

    2017-06-01

    The spin Hamiltonian (SH) parameters (i.e. the zero-field splitting parameters (ZFSPs) and g factors) and local structures of the two Cr3+ centers I and II at room temperature in KCl single crystals are theoretically investigated from the perturbation calculations for a rhombically distorted octahedral 3d3 cluster. The impurity systems are attributed to the doped Cr(CN)63- groups into KCl replacing the host KCl65- ones, associated with two nearest neighbor potassium vacancies VK in [011] and [ 0 1 bar 1 bar ] axes in center I and one nearest neighbor VK along [ 0 1 bar 1 ] and another next-nearest neighbor VK along [100] axis in center II, respectively. In center I, the four coplanar and two axial ligands CN- undergo the shifts ∆R1 (≈0.0044 nm) away from the VK and ∆R2‧ (≈0.0144 nm) away from the central ion along Z axis, respectively, because of the electrostatic interactions. In center II, the impurity Cr3+ is found to undergo the shift ∆RC (≈0.0063 nm) towards the nearest neighbor VK along [ 0 1 bar 1 ] axis, while the two ligands in [001] and [ 0 1 bar 0 ] axes closest to the VK undergo the shifts ∆R1 (≈0.0081 nm) away from the respective VK, and the ligand intervening in the VK and the central ion experiences the shift ∆R2 (≈0.0238 nm) away from the VK along [100] axis. The charge-transfer (CT) contributions to g-shifts are found to be opposite in sign and more than half (characterized by the ratios |ΔgCT/ΔgCF|>50%) in magnitude compared with the CF ones for both centers. The local structures and the microscopic mechanisms of the relevant impurity and ligand shifts are discussed for the two centers.

  14. Conversion of KCl into KBH4 by Mechano-Chemical Reaction and its Catalytic Decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilen, Murat; Gürü, Metin; Çakanyildirim, Çetin

    2017-07-01

    Production of KBH4, in the presence of KCl, B2O3 and MgH2 by means of a mechanical reaction and a dehydrogenation kinetic, constitute the main parts of this study. Operating time and reactant ratio are considered as two parameters for the mechanical reaction to obtain the maximum yield. The production process was carried out in a ball milling reactor, and the product residue was purified with ethylene diamine (EDA) and subsequently characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and x-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. Optimum time for mechano-chemical treatment and reactant ratio (MgH2/KCl) were obtained as 1000 min and 1.0, respectively. Synthesized and commercial KBH4 were compared by hydrolysis tests in the presence of Co1-xNix/Al2O3 heterogeneous catalyst. Hydrogen generation rates, activation energy and order of the KBH4 decomposition reaction were obtained as 1578 {mL}_{{{{H}}2 }} \\min^{ - 1} {g}_{{catalyst}}^{ - 1}, 39.2 kJ mol-1 and zero order, respectively.

  15. Potential U.S. Population Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guideline.

    PubMed

    Muntner, Paul; Carey, Robert M; Gidding, Samuel; Jones, Daniel W; Taler, Sandra J; Wright, Jackson T; Whelton, Paul K

    2018-01-16

    The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults provides recommendations for the definition of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) thresholds for initiation of antihypertensive medication, and BP target goals. This study sought to determine the prevalence of hypertension, implications of recommendations for antihypertensive medication, and prevalence of BP above the treatment goal among U.S. adults using criteria from the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7). The authors analyzed data from the 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 9,623). BP was measured 3 times following a standardized protocol and averaged. Results were weighted to produce U.S. population estimates. According to the 2017 ACC/AHA and JNC7 guidelines, the crude prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults was 45.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 43.6% to 47.6%) and 31.9% (95% CI: 30.1% to 33.7%), respectively, and antihypertensive medication was recommended for 36.2% (95% CI: 34.2% to 38.2%) and 34.3% (95% CI: 32.5% to 36.2%) of U.S. adults, respectively. Nonpharmacological intervention is advised for the 9.4% of U.S. adults with hypertension who are not recommended for antihypertensive medication according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. Among U.S. adults taking antihypertensive medication, 53.4% (95% CI: 49.9% to 56.8%) and 39.0% (95% CI: 36.4% to 41.6%) had BP above the treatment goal according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and JNC7 guidelines, respectively. Compared with the JNC7 guideline, the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline results in a substantial increase in the prevalence of hypertension, a small increase in the percentage of U.S. adults recommended for antihypertensive medication, and more intensive BP

  16. Primary Prevention With Statins: ACC/AHA Risk-Based Approach Versus Trial-Based Approaches to Guide Statin Therapy.

    PubMed

    Mortensen, Martin B; Afzal, Shoaib; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Falk, Erling

    2015-12-22

    Guidelines recommend initiating primary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) with statins based on absolute ASCVD risk assessment. Recently, alternative trial-based and hybrid approaches were suggested for statin treatment eligibility. This study compared these approaches in a direct head-to-head fashion in a contemporary population. The study used the CGPS (Copenhagen General Population Study) with 37,892 subjects aged 40 to 75 years recruited in 2003 to 2008, all free of ASCVD, diabetes, and statin use at baseline. Among the population studied, 42% were eligible for statin therapy according to the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) risk assessment and cholesterol treatment guidelines approach, versus 56% with the trial-based approach and 21% with the hybrid approach. Among these statin-eligible subjects, the ASCVD event rate per 1,000 person-years was 9.8, 6.8, and 11.2, respectively. The ACC/AHA-recommended absolute risk score was well calibrated around the 7.5% 10-year ASCVD risk treatment threshold and discriminated better than the trial-based or hybrid approaches. Compared with the ACC/AHA risk-based approach, the net reclassification index for eligibility for statin therapy among 40- to 75-year-old subjects from the CGPS was -0.21 for the trial-based approach and -0.13 for the hybrid approach. The clinical performance of the ACC/AHA risk-based approach for primary prevention of ASCVD with statins was superior to the trial-based and hybrid approaches. Our results indicate that the ACC/AHA guidelines will prevent more ASCVD events than the trial-based and hybrid approaches, while treating fewer people compared with the trial-based approach. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Identification of vascular patients at very high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events: validation of the current ACC/AHA very high risk criteria.

    PubMed

    van den Berg, M Johanneke; Bhatt, Deepak L; Kappelle, L Jaap; de Borst, Gert J; Cramer, Maarten J; van der Graaf, Yolanda; Steg, Ph Gabriel; Visseren, Frank L J

    2017-11-14

    To validate and assess performance of the current ACC/AHA very high risk criteria in patients with clinically manifest arterial disease. Data were used from the SMART study (n = 7216) and REACH Registry (n = 48 322), two prospective cohorts of patients with manifest atherosclerotic arterial disease. Prevalence and incidence rates of recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were calculated, according to the ACC/AHA VHR criteria (cardiovascular disease combined with diabetes, smoking, dyslipidaemia, and/or recent recurrent coronary events). Performance of the ACC/AHA criteria was compared with single very high risk factors in terms of C-statistics and Net Reclassification Index. All patients were at VHR according to the ESC guidelines (incidence of recurrent MACE in SMART was 2.4/100PY, with 95% CI 2.3-2.5/100PY and in REACH 5.1/100PY with 95% CI 5.0-5.3/100PY). In SMART 57% of the patients were at VHR according to the ACC/AHA criteria (incidence of recurrent MACE 2.7/100PY, 95% CI 2.5-2.9/100PY) and in REACH this was 64% (5.9/100PY, 95% CI 5.7-6.1/100PY). The C-statistic for the ACC/AHA VHR criteria was 0.53 in REACH and 0.54 in SMART. Very high risk factors with comparable or slightly better performance were eGFR < 45, polyvascular disease and age >70 years. Around two third of the patients meeting the ACC/AHA VHR criteria had a predicted 10-year risk of recurrent MACE <30%. The ACC/AHA VHR criteria have limited discriminative power. Identifying patients with clinically manifest arterial disease at VHR for recurrent vascular events using eGFR <45, polyvascular disease, or age >70 years performs as well as the ACC/AHA VHR criteria. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. GAD65 Promoter Polymorphism rs2236418 Modulates Harm Avoidance in Women via Inhibition/Excitation Balance in the Rostral ACC.

    PubMed

    Colic, Lejla; Li, Meng; Demenescu, Liliana Ramona; Li, Shija; Müller, Iris; Richter, Anni; Behnisch, Gusalija; Seidenbecher, Constanze I; Speck, Oliver; Schott, Björn H; Stork, Oliver; Walter, Martin

    2018-05-30

    Anxiety disorders are common and debilitating conditions with higher prevalence in women. However, factors that predispose women to anxiety phenotypes are not clarified. Here we investigated potential contribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs2236418 in GAD2 gene to changes in regional inhibition/excitation balance, anxiety-like traits, and related neural activity in both sexes. One hundred and five healthy individuals were examined with high-field (7T) multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); including resting-state functional MRI in combination with assessment of GABA and glutamate (Glu) levels via MR spectroscopy. Regional GABA/Glu levels in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) subregions were assessed as mediators of gene-personality interaction for the trait harm avoidance and moderation by sex was tested. In AA homozygotes, with putatively lower GAD2 promoter activity, we observed increased intrinsic neuronal activity and higher inhibition/excitation balance in pregenual ACC (pgACC) compared with G carriers. The pgACC drove a significant interaction of genotype, region, and sex, where inhibition/excitation balance was significantly reduced only in female AA carriers. This finding was specific for rs2236418 as other investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms of the GABA synthesis related enzymes ( GAD1 , GAD2 , and GLS ) were not significant. Furthermore, only in women there was a negative association of pgACC GABA/Glu ratios with harm avoidance. A moderated-mediation model revealed that pgACC GABA/Glu also mediated the association between the genotype variant and level of harm avoidance, dependent on sex. Our data thus provide new insights into the neurochemical mechanisms that control emotional endophenotypes in humans and constitute predisposing factors for the development of anxiety disorders in women. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Anxiety disorders are among the most common and burdensome psychiatric disorders, with higher prevalence rates in women

  19. Partially dissociable roles of OFC and ACC in stimulus-guided and action-guided decision making.

    PubMed

    Khani, Abbas

    2014-05-01

    Recently, the functional specialization of prefrontal areas of the brain, and, specifically, the functional dissociation of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), during decision making have become a particular focus of research. A number of neuropsychological and lesion studies have shown that the OFC and ACC have dissociable functions in various dimensions of decision making, which are supported by their different anatomical connections. A recent single-neuron study, however, described a more complex picture of the functional dissociation between these two frontal regions during decision making. Here, I discuss the results of that study and consider alternative interpretations in connection with other findings.

  20. Doctors' knowledge, attitudes, and compliance with 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Setia, Sajita; Fung, Selwyn Sze-Wang; Waters, David D

    2015-01-01

    There is an unmet need for strategies to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Singapore. The main objective of this study was to investigate Singapore physicians' response to the 2013 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for treatment of cholesterol and their impact on clinical practice. This survey was conducted in two stages, qualitative and quantitative. Physicians were initially screened on the basis of an initial screener questionnaire, and eligible physicians were then included in the study. Qualitative (n=19) and quantitative (n=66) surveys were completed by eligible physicians from Singapore. Physicians were less familiar with the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines (35%) as compared with the Singapore Ministry of Health (MoH) lipid guidelines 2006 (49%). Of the physicians whose opinion was sought on the ACC/AHA guidelines, more than 50% disagreed with the definition of high-, moderate-, and low-intensity statin therapy; recommendation of atorvastatin 40-80 mg and rosuvastatin 20-40 mg as medications for high-intensity statin therapy; and classification of individuals who would benefit from moderate- to high-intensity statin therapy. Most physicians assumed that Asians may be intolerant to high-intensity statin therapy. Although embracing the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines in clinical practice is expected to provide better clinical care to patients, our study revealed high reluctance by physicians, especially in the use of high-dose statins. However, ACC/AHA guidelines can be easily adopted in Asia as there is a wealth of data available for atorvastatin in primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with similar efficacy and safety profiles in the white and Asian populations.

  1. The ACC/AHA 2013 pooled cohort equations compared to a Korean Risk Prediction Model for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

    PubMed

    Jung, Keum Ji; Jang, Yangsoo; Oh, Dong Joo; Oh, Byung-Hee; Lee, Sang Hoon; Park, Seong-Wook; Seung, Ki-Bae; Kim, Hong-Kyu; Yun, Young Duk; Choi, Sung Hee; Sung, Jidong; Lee, Tae-Yong; Kim, Sung Hi; Koh, Sang Baek; Kim, Moon Chan; Chang Kim, Hyeon; Kimm, Heejin; Nam, Chungmo; Park, Sungha; Jee, Sun Ha

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the performance of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2013 Pooled Cohort Equations in the Korean Heart Study (KHS) population and to develop a Korean Risk Prediction Model (KRPM) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. The KHS cohort included 200,010 Korean adults aged 40-79 years who were free from ASCVD at baseline. Discrimination, calibration, and recalibration of the ACC/AHA Equations in predicting 10-year ASCVD risk in the KHS cohort were evaluated. The KRPM was derived using Cox model coefficients, mean risk factor values, and mean incidences from the KHS cohort. In the discriminatory analysis, the ACC/AHA Equations' White and African-American (AA) models moderately distinguished cases from non-cases, and were similar to the KRPM: For men, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCs) were 0.727 (White model), 0.725 (AA model), and 0.741 (KRPM); for women, the corresponding AUROCs were 0.738, 0.739, and 0.745. Absolute 10-year ASCVD risk for men in the KHS cohort was overestimated by 56.5% (White model) and 74.1% (AA model), while the risk for women was underestimated by 27.9% (White model) and overestimated by 29.1% (AA model). Recalibration of the ACC/AHA Equations did not affect discriminatory ability but improved calibration substantially, especially in men in the White model. Of the three ASCVD risk prediction models, the KRPM showed best calibration. The ACC/AHA Equations should not be directly applied for ASCVD risk prediction in a Korean population. The KRPM showed best predictive ability for ASCVD risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Doctors’ knowledge, attitudes, and compliance with 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Setia, Sajita; Fung, Selwyn Sze-Wang; Waters, David D

    2015-01-01

    Purpose There is an unmet need for strategies to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Singapore. The main objective of this study was to investigate Singapore physicians’ response to the 2013 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for treatment of cholesterol and their impact on clinical practice. Methods This survey was conducted in two stages, qualitative and quantitative. Physicians were initially screened on the basis of an initial screener questionnaire, and eligible physicians were then included in the study. Results Qualitative (n=19) and quantitative (n=66) surveys were completed by eligible physicians from Singapore. Physicians were less familiar with the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines (35%) as compared with the Singapore Ministry of Health (MoH) lipid guidelines 2006 (49%). Of the physicians whose opinion was sought on the ACC/AHA guidelines, more than 50% disagreed with the definition of high-, moderate-, and low-intensity statin therapy; recommendation of atorvastatin 40–80 mg and rosuvastatin 20–40 mg as medications for high-intensity statin therapy; and classification of individuals who would benefit from moderate- to high-intensity statin therapy. Most physicians assumed that Asians may be intolerant to high-intensity statin therapy. Conclusion Although embracing the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines in clinical practice is expected to provide better clinical care to patients, our study revealed high reluctance by physicians, especially in the use of high-dose statins. However, ACC/AHA guidelines can be easily adopted in Asia as there is a wealth of data available for atorvastatin in primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with similar efficacy and safety profiles in the white and Asian populations. PMID:26082642

  3. Mentoring in 2 + 2 Programs: LISD/ACC 2 + 2 Articulation Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Occupational Research and Development, Inc., Waco, TX.

    The role of mentoring in the 2 + 2 Instrumentation and Control (I&C) articulation project between the Leander Independent School District (LISD) and Austin Community College (ACC) is discussed in this document. Following a brief history of the origin and function of the mentor, the paper explains the need for the mentoring system in the I&C…

  4. Sound the Alarm: The Effect of Narcissism on Retaliatory Aggression is Moderated by dACC Reactivity to Rejection

    PubMed Central

    Chester, David S.; DeWall, C. Nathan

    2015-01-01

    Objective Narcissists behave aggressively when their egos are threatened by interpersonal insults. This effect has been explained in terms of narcissist’s motivation to reduce the discrepancy between their grandiose self and its threatened version, though no research has directly tested this hypothesis. If this notion is true, the link between narcissism and retaliatory aggression should be moderated by neural structures that subserve discrepancy detection, such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). This study tested the hypothesis that narcissism would only predict greater retaliatory aggression in response to social rejection when the dACC was recruited by the threat. Method Thirty participants (15 females; MAge=18.86, SD=1.25; 77% White) completed a trait narcissism inventory, were socially accepted and then rejected while undergoing fMRI, and then could behave aggressively towards one of the rejecters by blasting them with unpleasant noise. Results When narcissists displayed greater dACC activation during rejection, they behaved aggressively. But there was only a weak or nonsignificant relation between narcissism and aggression among participants with a blunted dACC response. Conclusions Narcissism’s role in aggressive retaliation to interpersonal threats is likely determined by the extent to which the brain’s discrepancy detector registers the newly-created gap between the grandiose and threatened selves. PMID:25564936

  5. Parametric modulation of reward sequences during a reversal task in ACC and VMPFC but not amygdala and striatum.

    PubMed

    Becker, Michael P I; Nitsch, Alexander M; Hewig, Johannes; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Straube, Thomas

    2016-12-01

    Several regions of the frontal cortex interact with striatal and amygdala regions to mediate the evaluation of reward-related information and subsequent adjustment of response choices. Recent theories discuss the particular relevance of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) for switching behavior; consecutively, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) is involved in mediating exploitative behaviors by tracking reward values unfolding after the behavioral switch. Amygdala, on the other hand, has been implied in coding the valence of stimulus-outcome associations and the ventral striatum (VS) has consistently been shown to code a reward prediction error (RPE). Here, we used fMRI data acquired in humans during a reversal task to parametrically model different sequences of positive feedback in order to unravel differential contributions of these brain regions to the tracking and exploitation of rewards. Parameters from an Optimal Bayesian Learner accurately predicted the divergent involvement of dACC and VMPFC during feedback processing: dACC signaled the first, but not later, presentations of positive feedback, while VMPFC coded trial-by-trial accumulations in reward value. Our results confirm that dACC carries a prominent confirmatory signal during processing of first positive feedback. Amygdala coded positive feedbacks more uniformly, while striatal regions were associated with RPE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Identification of a melatonin receptor type 1A gene ( AccMTNR1A) in Apis cerana cerana and its possible involvement in the response to low temperature stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Guilin; Zhang, Yanming; Ni, Yong; Wang, Ying; Xu, Baohua; Guo, Xingqi

    2018-04-01

    It is known that melatonin plays an indispensable role in the defense against some environment-induced stresses. The melatonin receptor (MTNR) is also closely linked to the environmental stress response in mammals. However, little is known about the function of the MTNR in insects, including honeybees. In this study, we identified a MTNR from Apis cerana cerana named AccMTNR1A, which contained a typical seven-transmembrane domain common to this family of receptors. A subcellular localization analysis showed that AccMTNR1A was localized in the cytomembrane. Additionally, we found that cold stress apparently boosted AccMTNR1A transcription, indicating that AccMTNR1A possibly connects to the cold stress response. The knockdown of AccMTNR1A attenuated the expression level of some genes associated with the cold stress response, suggesting that AccMTNR1A likely plays an analogous role with these genes during low temperature stress response. Moreover, silencing of AccMTNR1A also suppressed the transcription of some antioxidant genes, prompting the possibility that the response of AccMTNR1A to cold stress response may be related to antioxidant signaling pathways. Collectively, the findings presented here provide evidence that AccMTNR1A may play essential roles in protecting Apis cerana cerana from cold stress.

  7. Comparison of the ACC/AHA and Framingham algorithms to assess cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients.

    PubMed

    Pinto Neto, Lauro Ferreira da Silva; Dias, Fernanda Rezende; Bressan, Flavia Feres; Santos, Carolina Rocio Oliveira

    The aim of this study was to compare the predictions of Framingham cardiovascular (CV) risk score (FRS) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) risk score in an HIV outpatient clinic in the city of Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil. In a cross-sectional study 341 HIV infected patients over 40 years old consecutively recruited were interviewed. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to assess agreement between the two algorithms. 61.3% were stratified as low risk by Framingham score, compared with 54% by ACC/AHA score (Spearman correlation 0.845; p<0.000). Only 26.1% were classified as cardiovascular high risk by Framingham compared to 46% by ACC/AHA score (Kappa=0.745; p<0.039). Only one out of eight patients had cardiovascular high risk by Framingham at the time of a myocardial infarction event registered up to five years before the study period. Both cardiovascular risk scores but especially Framingham underestimated high-risk patients in this HIV-infected population. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  8. Applicability of the 2013 ACC/AHA Risk Assessment and Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines in the real world: results from a multiethnic case-control study.

    PubMed

    Magnoni, Marco; Berteotti, Martina; Norata, Giuseppe Danilo; Limite, Luca Rosario; Peretto, Giovanni; Cristell, Nicole; Maseri, Attilio; Cianflone, Domenico

    2016-01-01

    The 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines have introduced a new cardiovascular risk assessment approach (PCE) and have revisited the threshold for prescribing statins. This study aims to compare the ex ante application of the ACC/AHA and the ATP-III guideline models by using a multiethnic case-control study. ATP-III-FRS and PCE were assessed in 739 patients with first STEMI and 739 age- and gender-matched controls; the proportion of cases and controls that would have been eligible for statin as primary prevention therapy and the discriminatory ability of both models were evaluated. The application of the ACC/AHA compared to the ATP-III model, resulted in an increase in sensitivity [94% (95%CI: 91%-95%) vs. 65% (61%-68%), p< 0.0001], a reduction in specificity [19% (15%-22%) vs. 55% (51%-59%), p< 0.0001] with similar global accuracy [0.56 (0.53-0.59) vs.0.59 (0.57-0.63), p ns]. When stratifying for ethnicity, the accuracy of the ACC/AHA model was higher in Europeans than in Chinese (p = 0.003) and to identified premature STEMI patients within Europeans much better compared to the ATP-III model (p = 0.0289). The application of the ACC/AHA model resulted in a significant reduction of first STEMI patients who would have escaped from preventive treatment. Age and ethnicity affected the accuracy of the ACC/AHA model improving the identification of premature STEMI among Europeans only. Key messages According to the ATP-III guideline model, about one-third of patients with STEMI would not be eligible for primary preventive treatment before STEMI. The application of the new ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guideline model leads to a significant reduction of the percentage of patients with STEMI who would have been considered at lower risk before the STEMI. The global accuracy of the new ACC/AHA model is higher in the Europeans than in the Chinese and, moreover, among the Europeans, the application of the new ACC/AHA guideline model also improved

  9. An investigation of the critical liquid-vapor properties of dilute KCl solutions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Potter, R.W.; Babcock, R.S.; Czamanske, G.K.

    1976-01-01

    The three parameters that define the critical point, temperature, pressure, and volume have been experimentally determined by means of filling studies in a platinum-lined system for five KCl solutions ranging from 0.006 to 0.568 m. The platinum-lined vessels were used to overcome the problems with corrosion experienced by earlier workers. The critical temperature (tc), pressure (Pc), and volume (Vc) were found to fit the equations {Mathematical expression} from infinite dilution to 1.0 m. ?? 1976 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

  10. Interplay between structure and transport properties of molten salt mixtures of ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl: A molecular dynamics study.

    PubMed

    Manga, Venkateswara Rao; Swinteck, Nichlas; Bringuier, Stefan; Lucas, Pierre; Deymier, Pierre; Muralidharan, Krishna

    2016-03-07

    Molten mixtures of network-forming covalently bonded ZnCl2 and network-modifying ionically bonded NaCl and KCl salts are investigated as high-temperature heat transfer fluids for concentrating solar power plants. Specifically, using molecular dynamics simulations, the interplay between the extent of the network structure, composition, and the transport properties (viscosity, thermal conductivity, and diffusion) of ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl molten salts is characterized. The Stokes-Einstein/Eyring relationship is found to break down in these network-forming liquids at high concentrations of ZnCl2 (>63 mol. %), while the Eyring relationship is seen with increasing KCl concentration. Further, the network modification due to the addition of K ions leads to formation of non-bridging terminal Cl ions, which in turn lead to a positive temperature dependence of thermal conductivity in these melts. This new understanding of transport in these ternary liquids enables the identification of appropriate concentrations of the network formers and network modifiers to design heat transfer fluids with desired transport properties for concentrating solar power plants.

  11. Carbonate mineralization via an amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) pathway: Tuning polymorph selection by Mg, pH, and mixing environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dove, P. M.; Blue, C.; Mergelsberg, S. T.; Giuffre, A. J.; Han, N.; De Yoreo, J. J.

    2017-12-01

    Mineral formation by nonclassical processes is widespread with many pathways that include aggregation of nanoparticles, oriented attachment of fully formed crystals, and sequential nucleation/transformation of amorphous phases (De Yoreo et al., 2015, Science). Field observations indicate amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) can be the initial precipitate when local conditions promote high supersaturations for short time periods. Examples include microbial mats, marine porewaters that undergo pulses of increased alkalinity, closed basin lakes, and sabkhas. The crystalline products exhibit diverse morphologies and complex elemental and isotopic signatures. This study quantifies relationships between solution composition and the crystalline polymorphs that transform from ACC (Blue et al., GCA, 2017). Our experimental design synthesized ACC under controlled conditions for a suite of compositions by tuning input pH, Mg/Ca, and total carbonate concentration. ACC products were allowed to transform within output suspensions under stirred or quiescent mixing while characterizing the polymorph and composition of evolving solutions and solids. We find that ACC transforms to crystalline polymorphs with a systematic relationship to solution composition to give a quantitative framework based upon solution aMg2+/aCa2+ and aCO32-/aCa2+. We also measure a polymorph-specific evolution of pH and Mg/Ca during the transformation that indicates the initial polymorph to form. Pathway is further modulated by stirring versus quiescent conditions. The findings reconcile discrepancies among previous studies of ACC to crystalline products and supports claims that monohydrocalcite may be an overlooked, transient phase during formation of some aragonite and calcite deposits. Organic additives and extreme pH are not required to tune composition and polymorph. Insights from this study reiterate the need to revisit long-standing dogmas regarding controls on CaCO3 polymorph selection. Classical models

  12. GATEWAY Report Brief: Tunable-White Lighting at the ACC Care Center

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

    None, None

    Summary of a GATEWAY program report that documented the performance of tunable-white LED lighting systems installed in several spaces within the ACC Care Center, a senior-care facility in Sacramento, CA. The project results included energy savings and improved lighting quality, as well as other possible health-related benefits that may have been attributable, at least in part, to the lighting changes.

  13. [Serial change of perilymphatic potassium ion concentration in the scala tympani after introducing KCl-solution into the guinea pigs' tympanic cavity].

    PubMed

    Ikeno, K

    1990-09-01

    Characteristic nystagmus similar to the Meniere's attack could be observed after introducing KCl solution into the tympanic cavity of guinea pigs. To confirm the fact that this nystagmus was provoked by the high perilymphatic potassium ion concentration, the K+ activity of perilymph was recorded serially through the K+ specific microelectrode inserted into the scala tympani. The rapid increment of K+ activity reached maximum at 120 minutes after introducing KCl solution, and then it decreased gradually to a half of the maximum activity. However, such change of perilymphatic potassium ion concentration was not observed by introducing sucrose solution as control.

  14. Sound the Alarm: The Effect of Narcissism on Retaliatory Aggression Is Moderated by dACC Reactivity to Rejection.

    PubMed

    Chester, David S; DeWall, C Nathan

    2016-06-01

    Narcissists behave aggressively when their egos are threatened by interpersonal insults. This effect has been explained in terms of narcissists' motivation to reduce the discrepancy between their grandiose self and its threatened version, though no research has directly tested this hypothesis. If this notion is true, the link between narcissism and retaliatory aggression should be moderated by neural structures that subserve discrepancy detection, such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). This study tested the hypothesis that narcissism would only predict greater retaliatory aggression in response to social rejection when the dACC was recruited by the threat. Thirty participants (15 females; Mage  = 18.86, SD = 1.25; 77% White) completed a trait narcissism inventory, were socially accepted and then rejected while undergoing fMRI, and then could behave aggressively toward one of the rejecters by blasting him or her with unpleasant noise. When narcissists displayed greater dACC activation during rejection, they behaved aggressively. But there was only a weak or nonsignificant relation between narcissism and aggression among participants with a blunted dACC response. Narcissism's role in aggressive retaliation to interpersonal threats is likely determined by the extent to which the brain's discrepancy detector registers the newly created gap between the grandiose and threatened selves. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. ACCE Study Tour to ISTE2011 (San Francisco, New York, Washington, Philadelphia)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gronn, Donna; Romeo, Geoff

    2011-01-01

    In June/July this year a group of 28 educators from across Australia travelled to the US on the 2011 ACCE ISTE Study Tour. The group comprised a very broad section of educators--primary, secondary and tertiary classroom teachers, ICT coordinators, managers, private consultants and regional office managers. The government, catholic and independent…

  16. How effective are the ESC/EAS and 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines in treating dyslipidemia? Lessons from a lipid clinic.

    PubMed

    Barkas, Fotios; Milionis, Haralampos; Kostapanos, Michael S; Mikhailidis, Dimitri P; Elisaf, Moses; Liberopoulos, Evangelos

    2015-02-01

    There is a paucity of data regarding the attainment of lipid-lowering treatment goals according to the recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines. The aim of the present study was to assess how applicable these 2013 recommendations are in the setting of an Outpatient University Hospital Lipid Clinic. This was a retrospective (from 1999 to 2013) observational study including 1000 consecutive adults treated for hyperlipidemia and followed up for ≥3 years. Comparisons for the applicability of current European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) and recent ACC/AHA guidelines were performed. Achievement rates of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets set by ESC/EAS were 21%, 44% and 62% among patients at very high, high and moderate cardiovascular risk, respectively, receiving statin monotherapy. Among individuals on high-intensity statins only 47% achieved the anticipated ≥50% LDL-C reduction, i.e. the ACC/AHA target. The corresponding rate was significantly greater among those on statin + ezetimibe (76%, p < 0.05). Likewise, higher rates of LDL-C target attainment according to ESC/EAS guidelines were observed in patients on statin + ezetimibe compared with statin monotherapy (37, 50 and 71% for the three risk groups, p < 0.05 for the very high risk group). The application of the ACC/AHA guidelines may be associated with undertreatment of high risk patients due to suboptimal LDL-C response to high-intensity statins in clinical practice. Adding ezetimibe substantially increases the rate of the ESC/EAS LDL-C target achievement together with the rate of LDL-C lowering response suggested by the ACC/AHA.

  17. The Allende multicompound chondrule (ACC)—Chondrule formation in a local super-dense region of the early solar system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bischoff, Addi; Wurm, Gerhard; Chaussidon, Marc; Horstmann, Marian; Metzler, Knut; Weyrauch, Mona; Weinauer, Julia

    2017-05-01

    In Allende, a very complex compound chondrule (Allende compound chondrule; ACC) was found consisting of at least 16 subchondrules (14 siblings and 2 independents). Its overall texture can roughly be described as a barred olivine object (BO). The BO texture is similar in all siblings, but does not exist in the two independents, which appear as relatively compact olivine-rich units. Because of secondary alteration of pristine Allende components and the ACC in particular, only limited predictions can be made concerning the original compositions of the colliding melt droplets. Based on textural and mineralogical characteristics, the siblings must have been formed on a very short time scale in a dense, local environment. This is also supported by oxygen isotope systematics showing similar compositions for all 16 subchondrules. Furthermore, the ACC subchondrules are isotopically distinct from typical Allende chondrules, indicating formation in or reaction with a more 16O-poor reservoir. We modeled constraints on the particle density required at the ACC formation location, using textural, mineral-chemical, and isotopic observations on this multicompound chondrule to define melt droplet collision conditions. In this context, we discuss the possible relationship between the formation of complex chondrules and the formation of macrochondrules and cluster chondrites. While macrochondrules may have formed under similar or related conditions as complex chondrules, cluster chondrites certainly require different formation conditions. Cluster chondrites represent a mixture of viscously deformed, seemingly young chondrules of different chemical and textural types and a population of older chondrules. Concerning the formation of ACC calculations suggest the existence of very local, kilometer-sized, and super-dense chondrule-forming regions with extremely high solid-to-gas mass ratios of 1000 or more.

  18. Tuning the light in senior care: Evaluating a trial LED lighting system at the ACC Care Center in Sacramento, CA

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

    Davis, Robert G.; Wilkerson, Andrea M.

    This report summarizes the results from a trial installation of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems in several spaces within the ACC Care Center in Sacramento, CA. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) coordinated the project and invited the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to document the performance of the LED lighting systems as part of a GATEWAY evaluation. DOE tasked the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to conduct the investigation. SMUD and ACC staff coordinated and completed the design and installation of the LED systems, while PNNL and SMUD staff evaluated the photometric performance of the systems. ACC staff alsomore » track behavioral and health measures of the residents; some of those results are reported here, although PNNL staff were not directly involved in collecting or interpreting those data. The trial installation took place in a double resident room and a single resident room, and the corridor that connects those (and other) rooms to the central nurse station. Other spaces in the trial included the nurse station, a common room called the family room located near the nurse station, and the ACC administrator’s private office.« less

  19. Reduced AMPK-ACC and mTOR signaling in muscle from older men, and effect of resistance exercise

    PubMed Central

    Li, Mengyao; Verdijk, Lex B.; Sakamoto, Kei; Ely, Brian; van Loon, Luc J.C.; Musi, Nicolas

    2012-01-01

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key energy-sensitive enzyme that controls numerous metabolic and cellular processes. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is another energy/nutrient-sensitive kinase that controls protein synthesis and cell growth. In this study we determined whether older versus younger men have alterations in the AMPK and mTOR pathways in skeletal muscle, and examined the effect of a long term resistance type exercise training program on these signaling intermediaries. Older men had decreased AMPKα2 activity and lower phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream signaling substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). mTOR phosphylation also was reduced in muscle from older men. Exercise training increased AMPKα1 activity in older men, however, AMPKα2 activity, and the phosphorylation of AMPK, ACC and mTOR, were not affected. In conclusion, older men have alterations in the AMPK-ACC and mTOR pathways in muscle. In addition, prolonged resistance type exercise training induces an isoform-selective up regulation of AMPK activity. PMID:23000302

  20. Reduced AMPK-ACC and mTOR signaling in muscle from older men, and effect of resistance exercise.

    PubMed

    Li, Mengyao; Verdijk, Lex B; Sakamoto, Kei; Ely, Brian; van Loon, Luc J C; Musi, Nicolas

    2012-01-01

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key energy-sensitive enzyme that controls numerous metabolic and cellular processes. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is another energy/nutrient-sensitive kinase that controls protein synthesis and cell growth. In this study we determined whether older versus younger men have alterations in the AMPK and mTOR pathways in skeletal muscle, and examined the effect of a long term resistance type exercise training program on these signaling intermediaries. Older men had decreased AMPKα2 activity and lower phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream signaling substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). mTOR phosphylation also was reduced in muscle from older men. Exercise training increased AMPKα1 activity in older men, however, AMPKα2 activity, and the phosphorylation of AMPK, ACC and mTOR, were not affected. In conclusion, older men have alterations in the AMPK-ACC and mTOR pathways in muscle. In addition, prolonged resistance type exercise training induces an isoform-selective up regulation of AMPK activity. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  1. 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-containing rhizobacteria protect Ocimum sanctum plants during waterlogging stress via reduced ethylene generation.

    PubMed

    Barnawal, Deepti; Bharti, Nidhi; Maji, Deepamala; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Kalra, Alok

    2012-09-01

    Ocimum sanctum grown as rain-fed crop, is known to be poorly adapted to waterlogged conditions. Many a times the crop suffers extreme damages because of anoxia and excessive ethylene generation due to waterlogging conditions present under heavy rain. The usefulness of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria was investigated under waterlogging stress. The comparison of herb yield and stress induced biochemical changes of waterlogged and non-waterlogged plants with and without ACC deaminase-containing microbiological treatments were monitored in this study. Ten plant growth promoting rhizobacteria strains containing ACC-deaminase were isolated and characterized. Four selected isolates Fd2 (Achromobacter xylosoxidans), Bac5 (Serratia ureilytica), Oci9 (Herbaspirillum seropedicae) and Oci13 (Ochrobactrum rhizosphaerae) had the potential to protect Ocimum plants from flood induced damage under waterlogged glass house conditions. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of these ACC deaminase-containing selected strains for reducing the yield losses caused by waterlogging conditions. Bacterial treatments protected plants from waterlogging induced detrimental changes like stress ethylene production, reduced chlorophyll concentration, higher lipid peroxidation, proline concentration and reduced foliar nutrient uptake. Fd2 (A. xylosoxidans) induced maximum waterlogging tolerance as treated waterlogged plants recorded maximum growth and herb yield (46.5% higher than uninoculated waterlogged plants) with minimum stress ethylene levels (53% lower ACC concentration as compared to waterlogged plants without bacterial inoculation) whereas under normal non-waterlogged conditions O. rhizosphaerae was most effective in plant growth promotion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Comparative effectiveness of ACC-deaminase and/or nitrogen-fixing rhizobacteria in promotion of maize (Zea mays L.) growth under lead pollution.

    PubMed

    Hassan, Waseem; Bano, Rizwana; Bashir, Farhat; David, Julie

    2014-09-01

    Lead (Pb) pollution is appearing as an alarming threat nowadays. Excessive Pb concentrations in agricultural soils result in minimizing the soil fertility and health which affects the plant growth and leads to decrease in crop production. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial bacteria which can protect the plants against many abiotic stresses, and enhance the growth. The study aimed to identify important rhizobacterial strains by using the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) enrichment technique and examine their inoculation effects in the growth promotion of maize, under Pb pollution. A pot experiment was conducted and six rhizobacterial isolates were used. Pb was added to 2 kg soil in each pot (with 4 seeds/pot) using Pb(NO3)2 at the rate of 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg kg(-1) Pb with three replications in completely randomized design. Rhizobacterial isolates performed significantly better under all Pb levels, i.e., 100 to 400 Pb mg kg(-1) soil, compared to control. Comparing the efficacy of the rhizobacterial isolates under different Pb levels, rhizobacterial isolates having both ACC-deaminase and nitrogen-fixing activities (AN8 and AN12) showed highest increase in terms of the physical, chemical and enzymatic growth parameters of maize, followed by the rhizobacterial isolates having ACC-deaminase activity only (ACC5 and ACC8), and then the nitrogen-fixing rhizobia (Azotobacter and RN5). However, the AN8 isolate showed maximum efficiency, and highest shoot and root length (14.2 and 6.1 cm), seedling fresh and dry weights (1.91 and 0.14 g), chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids (24.1, 30.2 and 77.7 μg/l), protein (0.82 mg/g), proline (3.42 μmol/g), glutathione S-transferase, peroxidase and catalase (12.3, 4.2 and 7.2 units/mg protein), while the lowest Pb uptake in the shoot and root (0.83 and 0.48 mg/kg) were observed under this rhizobial isolate at the highest Pb level (i.e., 400 Pb mg kg(-1) soil). The results revealed that PGPR

  3. The 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk index is better than SCORE and QRisk II in rheumatoid arthritis: is it enough?

    PubMed

    Ozen, Gulsen; Sunbul, Murat; Atagunduz, Pamir; Direskeneli, Haner; Tigen, Kursat; Inanc, Nevsun

    2016-03-01

    To determine the ability of the new American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk algorithm in detecting high cardiovascular (CV) risk, RA patients identified by carotid ultrasonography (US) were compared with Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and QRisk II algorithms. SCORE, QRisk II, 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk and EULAR recommended modified versions were calculated in 216 RA patients. In sonographic evaluation, carotid intima-media thickness >0.90 mm and/or carotid plaques were used as the gold standard test for subclinical atherosclerosis and high CV risk (US+). Eleven (5.1%), 15 (6.9%) and 44 (20.4%) patients were defined as having high CV risk according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. Fifty-two (24.1%) patients were US + and of those, 8 (15.4%), 7 (13.5%) and 23 (44.2%) patients were classified as high CV risk according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. The ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk index better identified US + patients than SCORE and QRisk II (P < 0.0001). With EULAR modification, reclassification from moderate to high risk occurred only in two, five and seven patients according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. The 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk estimator was better than the SCORE and QRisk II indices in RA, but still failed to identify 55% of high risk patients. Furthermore adjustment of threshold and EULAR modification did not work well. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Rheed Investigation of Pd/Al Bimetallic System on KCl(001) Substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masek, K.; Moroz, V.; Matolín, V.

    Pd/Al alloys have very interesting properties from the point of view of their possible application in heterogeneous catalysis. Preparation of small heteroepitaxial Pd/Al alloy particles opens a new way in studies of the influence of Pd/Al crystallographic structure on the alloy catalytic properties. Pd/Al alloy particles were grown by the molecular beam epitaxy method. Their crystallographical structure was controlled by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). It was found that Pd deposited on epitaxial 3D Al particles grown on KCl is intermixing with Al. This process is accompanied by the variation of lattice parameter from the Al value to the Pd one.

  5. K-Cl cotransporters, cell volume homeostasis, and neurological disease.

    PubMed

    Kahle, Kristopher T; Khanna, Arjun R; Alper, Seth L; Adragna, Norma C; Lauf, Peter K; Sun, Dandan; Delpire, Eric

    2015-08-01

    K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporters (KCCs) were originally characterized as regulators of red blood cell (RBC) volume. Since then, four distinct KCCs have been cloned, and their importance for volume regulation has been demonstrated in other cell types. Genetic models of certain KCCs, such as KCC3, and their inhibitory WNK-STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) serine-threonine kinases, have demonstrated the evolutionary necessity of these molecules for nervous system cell volume regulation, structure, and function, and their involvement in neurological disease. The recent characterization of a swelling-activated dephosphorylation mechanism that potently stimulates the KCCs has pinpointed a potentially druggable switch of KCC activity. An improved understanding of WNK/SPAK-mediated KCC cell volume regulation in the nervous system might reveal novel avenues for the treatment of multiple neurological diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) contributes to neuropathic spontaneous pain-related aversion via NR2B receptors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Le; Wang, Gongming; Ma, Jinben; Liu, Chengxiao; Liu, Xijiang; Zhan, Yufeng; Zhang, Mengyuan

    2016-10-01

    The rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays an important role in pain affect. Previous investigations have reported that the rACC mediates the negative affective component of inflammatory pain and contributed to the aversive state of nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an activity-dependent neuromodulator in the adult brain, is believed to play a role in the development and maintenance of inflammatory and neuropathic pain in the spinal cord. However, whether and how BDNF in the rACC regulates pain-related aversion due to peripheral nerve injury is largely unknown. Behaviorally, using conditioned place preference (CPP) training in rats, which is thought to reveal spontaneous pain-related aversion, we found that CPP was acquired following spinal clonidine in rats with partial sciatic nerve transection. Importantly, BDNF was upregulated within the rACC in of rats with nerve injury and enhanced the CPP acquisition, while a local injection of a BDNF-tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) antagonist into the rACC completely blocked this process. Finally, we demonstrated that the BDNF/TrkB pathway exerted its function by activating the NR2B receptor, which is widely accepted to be a crucial factor contributing to pain affect. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the BDNF/TrkB-mediated signaling pathway in the rACC is involved in the development of neuropathic spontaneous pain-related aversion and that this process is dependent upon activation of NR2B receptors. These findings suggest that suppression of the BDNF-related signaling pathway in the rACC may provide a novel strategy to overcome pain-related aversion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Electrolysis of plutonium nitride in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirai, O.; Iwai, T.; Shiozawa, K.; Suzuki, Y.; Sakamura, Y.; Inoue, T.

    2000-01-01

    The electrolysis of plutonium nitride, PuN, was investigated in the LiCl-KCl eutectic salt with 0.54 wt% PuCl 3 at 773 K in order to understand the dissolution of PuN at the anode and the deposition of metal at the cathode from the viewpoint of the application of a pyrochemical process to nitride fuel cycle. It was found from cyclic voltammetry that the electrochemical dissolution of PuN began nearly at the theoretically evaluated potential and this reaction was irreversible. Several grams of plutonium metal were successfully recovered at the molybdenum electrode as a deposit with a current efficiency of about 90%, although some fractions of the deposited plutonium often fell from the molybdenum electrode.

  8. Corrosion resistance of steel materials in LiCl-KCl melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Le; Li, Bing; Shen, Miao; Li, Shi-yan; Yu, Jian-guo

    2012-10-01

    The corrosion behaviors of 304SS, 316LSS, and Q235A in LiCl-KCl melts were investigated at 450°C by Tafel curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). 316LSS shows the best corrosion resistance behaviors among the three materials, including the most positive corrosion potential and the smallest corrosion current from the Tafel curves and the largest electron transfer resistance from the Nyquist plots. The results are in good agreement with the weight losses in the static corrosion experiments for 45 h. This may be attributed to the better corrosion resistance of Mo and Ni existing as alloy elements in 316LSS, which exhibit the lower corrosion current densities and more positive corrosion potentials than 316LSS in the same melts.

  9. Vapor-liquid phase equilibria of potassium chloride-water mixtures: Equation-of-state representation for KCl-H2O and NaCl-H2O

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hovey, J.K.; Pitzer, Kenneth S.; Tanger, J.C.; Bischoff, J.L.; Rosenbauer, R.J.

    1990-01-01

    Measurements of isothermal vapor-liquid compositions for KCl-H2O as a function of pressure are reported. An equation of state, which was originally proposed by Pitzer and was improved and used by Tanger and Pitzer to fit the vapor-liquid coexistence surface for NaCl-H2O, has been used for representation of the KCl-H2O system from 300 to 410??C. Improved parameters are also reported for NaCl-H2O from 300 to 500??C. ?? 1990 American Chemical Society.

  10. A Microstructural and Kinetic Investigation of the KCl-Induced Corrosion of an FeCrAl Alloy at 600 °C

    DOE PAGES

    Israelsson, Niklas; Unocic, Kinga A.; Hellström, K.; ...

    2015-03-18

    In this paper, the corrosion behaviour of a FeCrAl alloy was investigated at 600 °C in O 2 + H 2O with solid KCl applied. A kinetics and microstructural investigation showed that KCl accelerates corrosion and that potassium chromate formation depletes the protective scale in Cr, thus triggering the formation of a fast-growing iron-rich scale. Iron oxide was found to grow both inward and outward, on either side of the initial oxide. A chromia layer is formed with time underneath the iron oxide. Finally, it was found that although the alloy does not form a continuous pure alumina scale atmore » the investigated temperature, aluminium is, however, always enriched at the oxide/alloy interface.« less

  11. A comparison of native GPU computing versus OpenACC for implementing flow-routing algorithms in hydrological applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rueda, Antonio J.; Noguera, José M.; Luque, Adrián

    2016-02-01

    In recent years GPU computing has gained wide acceptance as a simple low-cost solution for speeding up computationally expensive processing in many scientific and engineering applications. However, in most cases accelerating a traditional CPU implementation for a GPU is a non-trivial task that requires a thorough refactorization of the code and specific optimizations that depend on the architecture of the device. OpenACC is a promising technology that aims at reducing the effort required to accelerate C/C++/Fortran code on an attached multicore device. Virtually with this technology the CPU code only has to be augmented with a few compiler directives to identify the areas to be accelerated and the way in which data has to be moved between the CPU and GPU. Its potential benefits are multiple: better code readability, less development time, lower risk of errors and less dependency on the underlying architecture and future evolution of the GPU technology. Our aim with this work is to evaluate the pros and cons of using OpenACC against native GPU implementations in computationally expensive hydrological applications, using the classic D8 algorithm of O'Callaghan and Mark for river network extraction as case-study. We implemented the flow accumulation step of this algorithm in CPU, using OpenACC and two different CUDA versions, comparing the length and complexity of the code and its performance with different datasets. We advance that although OpenACC can not match the performance of a CUDA optimized implementation (×3.5 slower in average), it provides a significant performance improvement against a CPU implementation (×2-6) with by far a simpler code and less implementation effort.

  12. RESIDENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2007 ACC/AHA GUIDELINES ON PREOPERATIVE CARDIAC EVALUATION IN NON-CARDIAC SURGERY PATIENTS: IS CLINICAL EXPERIENCE ENOUGH?

    PubMed

    Amhaz, Hassan H; Kuo, Ruth; Chidiac, Elie J; Pallekonda, Vinay; Fuleihan, Samir F; McKelvey, George; Kaddoum, Romeo N

    2015-06-01

    Preoperative evaluation of surgical patients is important, as perioperative complications are associated with increased mortality. Specialties including anesthesiology, internal medicine, cardiology, and surgery are involved in the evaluation and management of these patients. This institutional study investigated the residents' knowledge of the 2007 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on perioperative evaluation of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. This pilot study used a web-based survey questionnaire to assess resident's knowledge of the 2007 ACC/AHA guidelines through individual steps and corresponding branch point(s) in twelve clinical scenarios. Additionally, residents were asked if they were aware of, or if they had received lectures on ACC/AHA guidelines. Staff anesthesiologists with training in cardiac and intensive care medicine validated the scenarios. A total of 104 resident participants were surveyed including 35 anesthesiology residents, 41 internal medicine residents, 20 surgery residents, and 8 cardiology fellows. Awareness of the 2007 ACC/AHA guidelines by specialty was: anesthesiology (85%), internal medicine (97.6%), cardiology (100%), and surgery (70%). Only 54.3% of anesthesiology, 31.7% of internal medicine, 100% of cardiology, and 10% of surgery residents stated they received lectures. The overall mean score achieved on the eleven scenarios was 50.4% for anesthesiology, 47.0% for internal medicine, 55.7% for cardiology, and 42.3% for surgery. Although the majority of residents were aware of the 2007 ACC/AHA guidelines, fewer received lectures and regardless of specialty, implementation of these guidelines was poor. There exists significant room for improvement in the understanding of preoperative assessment of non-cardiac surgery patients.

  13. Effects of Partial Substitutions of NaCl with KCl, CaSO4 and MgSO4 on the Quality and Sensorial Properties of Pork Patties.

    PubMed

    Davaatseren, Munkhtugs; Chun, Ji-Yeon; Cho, Hyung-Yong; Min, Sang-Gi; Choi, Mi-Jung

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of NaCl replacers (KCl, CaSO4, and MgSO4) on the quality and sensorial properties of pork patty. In the characteristics of spray-dried salt particles, KCl showed the largest particle size with low viscosity in solution. Meanwhile CaSO4 treatment resulted in the smallest particle size and the highest viscosity (p<0.05). In comparison of the qualities of pork patties manufactured by varying level of Na replacers, MgSO4 treatment exhibited low cooking loss comparing to control (p<0.05). Textural properties of KCl and MgSO4 treatments showed similar pattern, i.e., low level of the replacers caused harder and less adhesive texture than those of control (p<0.05), whereas the hardness of these products was not different with control when the replacers were added more than 1.0%. The addition of CaSO4 also manifested harder and less adhesive than control (p<0.05), but the textural properties of CaSO4 treatment was not affected by level of Ca-salt. Eventually, sensorial properties indicated that KCl and CaSO4 influenced negative effects on pork patties. In contrast, MgSO4 showed better sensorial properties in juiciness intensity, tenderness intensity as well as overall acceptability than control, reflecting that MgSO4 was an effective Na-replacer in meat product formulation.

  14. Absorption characteristics of anions (I-, Br-, and Te2-) into zeolite in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uozumi, Koichi; Sugihara, Kei; Kinoshita, Kensuke; Koyama, Tadafumi; Tsukada, Takeshi; Terai, Takayuki; Suzuki, Akihiro

    2014-04-01

    The behaviors of anion fission product (FP) elements to be absorbed into zeolite in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt were studied using iodine, bromine, and tellurium. First, the type-A zeolite was selected as the most suitable type of zeolite among type-A, type-X, and type-Y zeolites through experiments in which zeolites were heated together with LiCl-KCl-KI salt. As the next step, experiments in which the type-A zeolite was immersed in molten LiCl-KCl salt containing various concentrations of iodine, bromine, or tellurium were performed. The degree of absorption of the anion FP elements was evaluated using the separation factor (SF) value versus chlorine. Although the SF values for iodine and tellurium were higher than 1.0, which meant that these elements were absorbed into the type-A zeolite more intensively than chlorine in the salt, the corresponding value for bromine was approximately 1.0. The effects of coexisting cation FPs were also examined using cesium, strontium, and neodymium, and it was revealed that the SF values for iodine were less than those in the case without cation addition. On the other hand, the SF values for tellurium were not affected by the coexistence of cesium and strontium. Finally, the feasibility of the present pyroprocess flowsheet was evaluated by calculating the inventory of each anion FP in an electrorefiner based on the obtained SF values instead of temporary values for the anion FPs absorption, which were set due to lack of experimental data.

  15. HCl, KCl and KOH solvation resolved solute-solvent interactions and solution surface stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xi; Xu, Yan; Zhou, Yong; Gong, Yinyan; Huang, Yongli; Sun, Chang Q.

    2017-11-01

    An incorporation of the hydrogen bond (O:Hsbnd O or HB) cooperativity notion, contact angle detection, and the differential phonon spectrometrics (DPS) has enabled us to gain refined information on the HCl, KCl and KOH solvation resolved solute-solvent molecular interactions and the solution surface stresses. Results show that ionic polarization stiffens the solvent Hsbnd O bond phonon from 3200 to 3480 cm-1 in the hydration shells. The HO- in alkaline solution, however, shares not only the same Hsbnd O phonon redshift of compressed water from 3200 to < 3100 cm-1 but also the dangling bonds of H2O surface featured at 3610 cm-1. Salt and alkaline solvation enhances the solution surface stress by K+ and Cl- ionic polarization. The excessive H+ proton in acid solution forms a H↔H anti-HB that depresses the solution surface stress, instead. The solute capability of transforming the fraction of the O:Hsbnd O bonds of the solvent matrix is featured by: fH = 0 and fx ∝ 1-exp(-C/C0) (x = HO-, K+ and Cl-) towards saturation. Exercises not only confirm the presence of the H↔H anti-HB point fragilization, the O:⇔:O super-HB point compression, and ionic polarization dominating the performance of the respective HCl, KOH, and KCl solutions, but also demonstrate the power of the DPS that enables high resolution of solute-solute-solvent interactions and correlation between HB relaxation and solution surface stress.

  16. Variations of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) in the Kerguelen Sector during the Last Deglaciation : sedimentological and geochemical evidences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bout-Roumazeilles, V.; Beny, F.; Mazaud, A.; Michel, E.; Crosta, X.; Davies, G. R.; Bory, A. J. M.

    2017-12-01

    High-resolution sedimentological and geochemical records were obtained from two sediment cores recovered by the French R/V Marion Dufresne during the INDIEN-SUD-ACC cruises near the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands (49°S). This area is ideal to record past oceanic and atmospheric changes in the Southern Ocean because they are currently located in the northern branch of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and under the direct influence of Southern Hemisphere Westerly wind belt. This study focuses on the last termination, with specific emphasis on the impact of severe climatic events (Heinrich Stadial 1, Antarctic Cold Reversal, Younger Dryas) onto the ocean-atmospheric exchange. Results indicates that most of the sediment is derived from the Kerguelen Plateau, characterized by high smectite content. Periodically, a minor contribution of Antarctica is noticeable. In particular, illite variations suggest fast and short northward incursions of Antarctic Bottom Water, probably formed in the Prydz Bay during the last glaciation. Grainsize repartition combined to magnetic parameters show a southward migration of the ACC and the fronts associated from the beginning of the deglaciation, which is consistent with Southern Hemisphere climate variations. On the opposite, it highlights an asynchronous decrease of the ACC strength, with a large drop during the Antarctic Cold Reversal when atmospheric CO2 increase was slowed down. Thus, at least in the studied area, the ACC strength and the Antarctic Climate were not synchronous during the last deglaciation.

  17. Corrosion and Microstructure Correlation in Molten LiCl-KCl Medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ravi Shankar, A.; Mathiya, S.; Thyagarajan, K.; Kamachi Mudali, U.

    2010-07-01

    Pyrochemical reprocessing in molten chloride salt medium has been considered as one of the best options for the reprocessing of spent metallic fuels of future fast breeder reactors. The unit operations such as salt preparation, electrorefining, and cathode processing involve the presence of molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt from 673 to 1373 K (400 to 1100 °C). The present work discusses the corrosion behavior of electroformed nickel (EF Ni) without and with nickel-tungsten (Ni-W) coating, 316L SS, and INCONEL 625 alloy in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt at 673 K, 773 K, and 873 K (400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C) in the presence of air. The weight percent loss of the exposed samples was determined by the weight loss method and surface morphology of the salt exposed, and product layers were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis were also carried out on the exposed and corrosion product layers to understand the phases present and the corrosion mechanism involved. The results of the present study indicated that INCONEL 625 alloy showed superior corrosion resistance compared to electroformed nickel (EF Ni), EF Ni with nickel-tungsten (Ni-W) coating (EF Ni-W), and 316L SS. The EF Ni with Ni-W coating exhibits better corrosion resistance than EF Ni without tungsten coating. Based on the surface morphology, XRD, and EDX analysis of corrosion product layers, the mechanism of corrosion of INCONEL 625 and 316L involves formation of chromium-rich compound at the surface and subsequent spallation. For the EF Ni, the porous thick NiO corrosion product allows the penetration of salt, thus accelerating the corrosion. Improved corrosion resistance of EF Ni-W was attributed to the W-rich NiO layer, while for INCONEL 625, the adherent and protective NiO layer improved the corrosion resistance. The article highlights the results of the present investigation.

  18. A type III ACC synthase, ACS7, is involved in root gravitropism in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Ing-Feng

    2013-01-01

    Ethylene is an important plant hormone that regulates developmental processes in plants. The ethylene biosynthesis pathway is a highly regulated process at both the transcriptional and post-translational level. The transcriptional regulation of these ethylene biosynthesis genes is well known. However, post-translational modifications of the key ethylene biosynthesis enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (ACS) are little understood. In vitro kinase assays were conducted on the type III ACS, AtACS7, fusion protein and peptides to determine whether the AtACS7 protein can be phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). AtACS7 was phosphorylated at Ser216, Thr296, and Ser299 by AtCDPK16 in vitro. To investigate further the function of the ACS7 gene in Arabidopsis, an acs7-1 loss-of-function mutant was isolated. The acs7-1 mutant exhibited less sensitivity to the inhibition of root gravitropism by treatment with the calcium chelator ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Seedlings were treated with gradient concentrations of ACC. The results showed that a certain concentration of ethylene enhanced the gravity response. Moreover, the acs7-1 mutant was less sensitive to inhibition of the gravity response by treatment with the auxin polar transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid, but exogenous ACC application recovered root gravitropism. Altogether, the results indicate that AtACS7 is involved in root gravitropism in a calcium-dependent manner in Arabidopsis. PMID:23943848

  19. A type III ACC synthase, ACS7, is involved in root gravitropism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shih-Jhe; Chang, Chia-Lun; Wang, Po-Hsun; Tsai, Min-Chieh; Hsu, Pang-Hung; Chang, Ing-Feng

    2013-11-01

    Ethylene is an important plant hormone that regulates developmental processes in plants. The ethylene biosynthesis pathway is a highly regulated process at both the transcriptional and post-translational level. The transcriptional regulation of these ethylene biosynthesis genes is well known. However, post-translational modifications of the key ethylene biosynthesis enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (ACS) are little understood. In vitro kinase assays were conducted on the type III ACS, AtACS7, fusion protein and peptides to determine whether the AtACS7 protein can be phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). AtACS7 was phosphorylated at Ser216, Thr296, and Ser299 by AtCDPK16 in vitro. To investigate further the function of the ACS7 gene in Arabidopsis, an acs7-1 loss-of-function mutant was isolated. The acs7-1 mutant exhibited less sensitivity to the inhibition of root gravitropism by treatment with the calcium chelator ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Seedlings were treated with gradient concentrations of ACC. The results showed that a certain concentration of ethylene enhanced the gravity response. Moreover, the acs7-1 mutant was less sensitive to inhibition of the gravity response by treatment with the auxin polar transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid, but exogenous ACC application recovered root gravitropism. Altogether, the results indicate that AtACS7 is involved in root gravitropism in a calcium-dependent manner in Arabidopsis.

  20. Electrochemical measurements of diffusion coefficients and activity coefficients for MnCl2 in molten eutectic LiCl-KCl

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horvath, D.; Rappleye, D.; Bagri, P.; Simpson, M. F.

    2017-09-01

    An electrochemical study of manganese chloride in molten salt mixtures of eutectic LiCl-KCl was carried out using a variety of electrochemical methods in a high temperature cell including cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CP), chronoamperometry (CA), and open circuit potentiometry. Single step reduction from Mn2+ to Mn(0) was observed on both W and Mo working electrodes. Using a combination of these methods, measurements were made of activity coefficient and diffusion coefficient for MnCl2 in LiCl-KCl as a function of concentration (3.54 × 10-4 to 3.60 × 10-3 mol fraction of MnCl2) at 773K. From OCP measurements, values for activity coefficient varied from 0.014 to 0.0071. Diffusion coefficients varied with concentration and differed based on measurement method (CV, CA, or CP). Based on cyclic Mn(II) ranged from 1.1 to 2.8 × 10-5 cm2/s depending on concentration.

  1. Potentiation of motor sub-networks for motor control but not working memory: Interaction of dACC and SMA revealed by resting-state directed functional connectivity

    PubMed Central

    Diwadkar, Vaibhav A.; Asemi, Avisa; Burgess, Ashley; Chowdury, Asadur; Bressler, Steven L.

    2017-01-01

    The dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC) and the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) are known to interact during motor coordination behavior. We previously discovered that the directional influences underlying this interaction in a visuo-motor coordination task are asymmetric, with the dACC→SMA influence being significantly greater than that in the reverse direction. To assess the specificity of this effect, here we undertook an analysis of the interaction between dACC and SMA in two distinct contexts. In addition to the motor coordination task, we also assessed these effects during a (n-back) working memory task. We applied directed functional connectivity analysis to these two task paradigms, and also to the rest condition of each paradigm, in which rest blocks were interspersed with task blocks. We report here that the previously known asymmetric interaction between dACC and SMA, with dACC→SMA dominating, was significantly larger in the motor coordination task than the memory task. Moreover the asymmetry between dACC and SMA was reversed during the rest condition of the motor coordination task, but not of the working memory task. In sum, the dACC→SMA influence was significantly greater in the motor task than the memory task condition, and the SMA→dACC influence was significantly greater in the motor rest than the memory rest condition. We interpret these results as suggesting that the potentiation of motor sub-networks during the motor rest condition supports the motor control of SMA by dACC during the active motor task condition. PMID:28278267

  2. Electrochemical Behaviour and Electrorefining of Cobalt in NaCl-KCl-K2TiF6 Melt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuznetsov, Sergey A.; Kazakova, Olga S.; Makarova, Olga V.

    2009-08-01

    The electrorefining of cobalt in NaCl-KCl-K2TiF6 (20 wt%) melt has been investigated. It was shown that complexes of Ti(III) and Co(II) appeared in the melt due to the reaction 2Ti(IV) + Co → 2Ti(III) + Co(II) and this reaction was entirely shifted to the right hand side. On the base of linear sweep voltammetry diagnostic criteria it was found that the discharge of Co(II) to Co metal is controlled by diffusion. The limiting current density of discharge Co(II) to metal in NaCl-KCl-K2TiF6 (20 wt%) melt was determined by steady-state voltammetry. The electrorefining of cobalt was carried out in hermetic electrolyser under argon atmosphere. Initial cathodic current density was changed from 0.2 Acm-2 up to 0.7 Acm-2, the electrolysis temperature varied within 973 - 1123 K. Behaviour of impurities during cobalt electrorefining was discussed. It was shown that electrorefining led to the elimination of most of the interstitial impurities (H2, N2, O2, C), with the result that the remaining impurity levels below 10 ppm impart high ductility to cobalt.

  3. Vacuum distillation of a mixture of LiCl-KCl eutectic salts and RE oxidative precipitates and a dechlorination and oxidation of RE oxychlorides.

    PubMed

    Eun, Hee Chul; Yang, Hee Chul; Cho, Yung Zun; Lee, Han Soo; Kim, In Tae

    2008-12-30

    In this study, a vacuum distillation of a mixture of LiCl-KCl eutectic salt and rare-earth oxidative precipitates was performed to separate a pure LiCl-KCl eutectic salt from the mixture. Also, a dechlorination and oxidation of the rare-earth oxychlorides was carried out to stabilize a final waste form. The mixture was distilled under a range of 710-759.5Torr of a reduced pressure at a fixed heating rate of 4 degrees C/min and the LiCl-KCl eutectic salt was completely separated from the mixture. The required time for the salt distillation and the starting temperature for the salt vaporization were lowered with a reduction in the pressure. Dechlorination and oxidation of the rare-earth oxychlorides was completed at a temperature below 1300 degrees C and this was dependent on the partial pressure of O2. The rare-earth oxychlorides (NdOCl/PrOCl) were transformed to oxides (Nd2O3/PrO2) during the dechlorination and oxidation process. These results will be utilized to design a concept for a process for recycling the waste salt from an electrorefining process.

  4. What's next for dyslipidemia management? The 2013 ACC/AHA Guidelines, the NLA recommendations, and beyond.

    PubMed

    Waite, Laura H; Phan, Yvonne L; Spinler, Sarah A

    2016-01-01

    To compare and contrast the 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines and the 2014/2015 National Lipid Association (NLA) Recommendations for Management of Dyslipidemia in the context of evolving evidence. Guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), ACC/AHA, and NLA; recent clinical trials involving non-statin therapies. Not applicable. At the authors' discretion, preference was given to references focusing on guidelines and recent clinical trials involving dyslipidemia management. In late 2013, the ACC/AHA released guidelines on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in adults. Reflecting contemporary evidence-based literature, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) numeric treatment goals were eliminated, and a new method of risk assessment (the Pooled Cohort Equations) was recommended. The guidelines emphasized lipid lowering in 4 patient populations proven to benefit from statin therapy, recommending moderate to high-intensity statin dosing, with no additional drug therapies and limited ongoing monitoring. Clinical controversies ignited by these guidelines led to the publication of recommendations by the NLA in 2014 and 2015. Part 1 of the NLA recommendations incorporated parts of both the ATP III guidelines and the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines along with updated original recommendations. These recommendations provided numeric LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and apolipoprotein B treatment goals and potential additional ASCVD risk factors, with stepwise risk assessment based on traditional cardiac risk factors and multiple assessment tools. In addition to statins, the 2014 NLA recommendations highlighted the benefit of additional or alternative lipid-lowering therapies. Part 2 of the NLA recommendations expanded the guidance for treatment of special populations and prioritized ezetimibe as a

  5. Investigation of concentration-dependence of thermodynamic properties of lanthanum, yttrium, scandium and terbium in eutectic LiCl-KCl molten salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yafei; Zhou, Wentao; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2016-09-01

    Thermodynamic properties of rare earth metals in LiCl-KCl molten salt electrolyte are crucial to the development of electrochemical separation for the treatment of used nuclear fuels. In the present study, activity coefficient, apparent potential, and diffusion coefficient of lanthanum, yttrium, scandium, and terbium in the molten salt (58 at% LiCl and 42 at% KCl) were calculated by the method of molecular dynamics simulation up to a concentration around 3 at% at temperatures of 723 K and 773 K. It was found that the activity coefficient and the apparent potential increase with the species concentration while diffusion coefficient shows a trend of increase followed by decrease. The calculated results were validated by available measurement data of dilution cases. This research extends the range of data to a wide component and would provide further insight to the pyroprocessing design and safeguards.

  6. Volatile products from the interaction of KCl(g) with Cr2O3 and LaCrO3 in oxidizing environments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kohl, F. J.; Miller, R. A.; Stearns, C. A.; Fryburg, G. C.; Dillard, J. G.

    1977-01-01

    Cooled target collection techniques and high pressure mass spectrometric sampling were used to measure the relative rates of oxidative vaporization and to identify the volatile products emanating from samples of chromia and Mg-doped lanthanum chromite. The materials were exposed to partial pressures of KCl with and without H2O in one atmosphere of slowly flowing oxygen at elevated temperatures. Chromia and fresh samples of lanthanum chromite exhibited enhanced rates of oxidative vaporization upon exposure to these reactants. Mass spectrometric identification showed that the enhancements resulted from the heterogeneous formation of complex molecules of the type KCl sub 1,2,3 CrO3 and KOH sub l,2 CrO3. Lanthanum chromite that had undergone prolonged oxidative vaporization exhibited no enhanced oxidation upon exposure to the reactants.

  7. 2013 ACC/AHA versus 2004 NECP ATP III Guidelines in the Assignment of Statin Treatment in a Korean Population with Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis.

    PubMed

    Jung, Chang Hee; Lee, Min Jung; Kang, Yu Mi; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kang, Joon-Won; Kim, Eun Hee; Park, Duk-Woo; Park, Joong-Yeol; Kim, Hong-Kyu; Lee, Woo Je

    2015-01-01

    The usefulness of the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of blood cholesterol in the Asian population remains controversial. In this study, we investigated whether eligibility for statin therapy determined by the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines is better aligned with the presence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected by CCTA (coronary computed tomography angiography) compared to the previously recommended 2004 NCEP ATP III guidelines. We collected the data from 5,837 asymptomatic subjects who underwent CCTA using MDCT during routine health examinations. Based on risk factor assessment and lipid data, we determined guideline-based eligibility for statin therapy according to the 2013 ACC/AHA and 2004 NCEP ATP III guidelines. We defined the presence and severity of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected in CCTA according to the presence of significant coronary artery stenosis (defined as >50% stenosis), plaques, and the degree of coronary calcification. As compared to the 2004 ATP III guidelines, a significantly higher proportion of subjects with significant coronary stenosis (61.8% vs. 33.8%), plaques (52.3% vs. 24.7%), and higher CACS (CACS >100, 63.6% vs. 26.5%) was assigned to statin therapy using the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines (P < .001 for all variables). The area under the curves of the pooled cohort equation of the new guidelines in detecting significant stenosis, plaques, and higher CACS were significantly higher than those of the Framingham risk calculator. Compared to the previous ATP III guidelines, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines were more sensitive in identifying subjects with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected by CCTA in an Asian population.

  8. The 2013 ACC/AHA cardiovascular prevention guidelines improve alignment of statin therapy with coronary atherosclerosis as detected by coronary computed tomography angiography.

    PubMed

    Pursnani, Amit; Mayrhofer, Thomas; Ferencik, Maros; Hoffmann, Udo

    2014-11-01

    The recently released 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for management of blood cholesterol have substantially increased the number of adults who are eligible for preventive statin therapy. We sought to determine whether eligibility for statin therapy as determined by the 2013 ACC/AHA guideline recommendation is better aligned with the actual presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as detected by coronary CT angiography (CCTA) when compared to prior guidelines including the 2004 NCEP ATP III and 2011 ESC/EAS guidelines. In this secondary analysis of the prospective observational ROMICAT I (Rule Out Myocardial Infarction with Computer Assisted Tomography) cohort study, we included all men and women aged 40-79 years presenting with acute chest pain but not diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome nor on admission statin. Based on risk factor assessment and lipid data, we determined guideline-based eligibility for statin therapy by the 2013 ACC/AHA, the 2004 NCEP ATP III, and the 2011 ESC/EAS guidelines. We determined the presence and severity of CAD as detected by CCTA. The 2013 ACC/AHA algorithm identified nearly twice as many individuals as eligible for statins (n = 77/189; 41%) as compared to the 2004 ATP III criteria: (n = 41/189; 22%), (p < .0001) In addition, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines were more sensitive for treatment of CCTA-detected CAD than the 2004 ATP III guidelines [53.4% (42.5-64.1) vs 27.3% (18.3-37.8), p < .001] and the 2011 ESC/EAE guidelines [53.4% (42.5-64.1) vs 34.1% (24.3-45.0), p < .001]. However, the specificity of these guidelines was modestly reduced compared to the 2004 ATP III guidelines [70.3 (60.4-79.0) vs 83.2 (74.4-89.9), p < .001] and the 2011 ESC/EAE guidelines [70.3 (60.4-79.0) vs 86.1 (77.8-92.2), p < .001], suggesting increased treatment of subjects without CCTA-detected CAD. Overall, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines are more sensitive to identify patients who have CAD detected by CCTA eligible for statin therapy as compared with prior

  9. The 2013 ACC/AHA Cardiovascular Prevention Guidelines Improve Alignment of Statin Therapy with Coronary Atherosclerosis As Detected by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

    PubMed Central

    Pursnani, Amit; Mayrhofer, Thomas; Ferencik, Maros; Hoffmann, Udo

    2018-01-01

    The recently released 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for management of blood cholesterol have substantially increased the number of adults who are eligible for preventive statin therapy. We sought to determine whether eligibility for statin therapy as determined by the 2013 ACC/AHA guideline recommendation is better aligned with the actual presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as detected by coronary CT angiography (CCTA) when compared to prior guidelines including the 2004 NCEP ATP III and 2011 ESC/EAS guidelines. In this secondary analysis of the prospective observational ROMICAT I (Rule Out Myocardial Infarction with Computer Assisted Tomography) cohort study, we included all men and women aged 40–79 years presenting with acute chest pain but not diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome nor on admission statin. Based on risk factor assessment and lipid data, we determined guideline-based eligibility for statin therapy by the 2013 ACC/AHA, the 2004 NCEP ATP II, and the 2011 ESC/EAS guidelines. We determined the presence and severity of CAD as detected by CCTA. The 2013 ACC/AHA algorithm identified nearly twice as many individuals as eligible for statins (n=77/189; 41%) as compared to the 2004 ATPIII criteria: (n=41/189; 22%), (P<.0001) In addition, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines were more sensitive for treatment of CCTA-detected CAD than the 2004 ATP III guidelines [53.4% (42.5–64.1) vs 27.3% (18.3–37.8), p<.001] and the 2011 ESC/EAE guidelines [53.4% (42.5–64.1) vs 34.1% (24.3–45.0), p<.001]. However, the specificity of these guidelines was modestly reduced compared to the 2004 ATP III guidelines [70.3 (60.4–79.0) vs 83.2 (74.4–89.9), p<.001] and the 2011 ESC/EAE guidelines [70.3 (60.4–79.0) vs 86.1 (77.8–92.2), p<.001], suggesting increased treatment of subjects without CCTA-detected CAD. Overall, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines are more sensitive to identify patients who have CAD detected by CCTA eligible for statin therapy as compared with prior

  10. CE-ACCE: The Cloud Enabled Advanced sCience Compute Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cinquini, L.; Freeborn, D. J.; Hardman, S. H.; Wong, C.

    2017-12-01

    Traditionally, Earth Science data from NASA remote sensing instruments has been processed by building custom data processing pipelines (often based on a common workflow engine or framework) which are typically deployed and run on an internal cluster of computing resources. This approach has some intrinsic limitations: it requires each mission to develop and deploy a custom software package on top of the adopted framework; it makes use of dedicated hardware, network and storage resources, which must be specifically purchased, maintained and re-purposed at mission completion; and computing services cannot be scaled on demand beyond the capability of the available servers.More recently, the rise of Cloud computing, coupled with other advances in containerization technology (most prominently, Docker) and micro-services architecture, has enabled a new paradigm, whereby space mission data can be processed through standard system architectures, which can be seamlessly deployed and scaled on demand on either on-premise clusters, or commercial Cloud providers. In this talk, we will present one such architecture named CE-ACCE ("Cloud Enabled Advanced sCience Compute Environment"), which we have been developing at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory over the past year. CE-ACCE is based on the Apache OODT ("Object Oriented Data Technology") suite of services for full data lifecycle management, which are turned into a composable array of Docker images, and complemented by a plug-in model for mission-specific customization. We have applied this infrastructure to both flying and upcoming NASA missions, such as ECOSTRESS and SMAP, and demonstrated deployment on the Amazon Cloud, either using simple EC2 instances, or advanced AWS services such as Amazon Lambda and ECS (EC2 Container Services).

  11. Optimization of ACC system spacing policy on curved highway

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Jun; Qian, Kun; Gong, Zaiyan

    2017-05-01

    The paper optimizes the original spacing policy when adopting VTH (Variable Time Headway), proposes to introduce the road curve curvature K to the spacing policy to cope with following the wrong vehicle or failing to follow the vehicle owing to the radar limitation of curve in ACC system. By utilizing MATLAB/Simulink, automobile longitudinal dynamics model is established. At last, the paper sets up such three common cases as the vehicle ahead runs at a uniform velocity, an accelerated velocity and hits the brake suddenly, simulates these cases on the curve with different curvature, analyzes the curve spacing policy in the perspective of safety and vehicle following efficiency and draws the conclusion whether the optimization scheme is effective or not.

  12. Electrical Conductivities of Low-Temperature KCl-ZrCl4 and CsCl-ZrCl4 Molten Mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salyulev, Alexander B.; Potapov, Alexei M.

    2018-02-01

    The electrical conductivities of molten KCl-ZrCl4 and CsCl-ZrCl4 mixtures, including their heterogeneous (melt+crystals) ranges, were measured for the first time. The concentration ranges were 65-72 and 66-75 mol.% of ZrCl4, and the temperature ranges were 482-711 and 548-735 K, respectively. The measurements were carried out in cells of an original design.

  13. 2013 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guideline Versus 2004 NCEP ATP III Guideline in the Prediction of Coronary Artery Calcification Progression in a Korean Population.

    PubMed

    Cho, Yun Kyung; Jung, Chang Hee; Kang, Yu Mi; Hwang, Jenie Yoonoo; Kim, Eun Hee; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kang, Joon-Won; Park, Joong-Yeol; Kim, Hong-Kyu; Lee, Woo Je

    2016-08-19

    Since the release of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines, significant controversy has surrounded the applicability of the new cholesterol guidelines and the Pooled Cohort Equations. In this present study, we investigated whether eligibility for statin therapy determined by the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines on the management of blood cholesterol is better aligned with the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) than the previously recommended 2004 National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III guidelines. We enrolled 1246 asymptomatic participants who underwent repeated CAC score measurement during routine health examinations. The CAC score progression was defined as either incident CAC in a population free of CAC at baseline or increase ≥2.5 units between the baseline and final square root of CAC scores participants who had detectable CAC at baseline examination. Application of the ACC/AHA guidelines to the study population increased the proportion of statin-eligible subjects from 20.5% (according to ATP III) to 54.7%. Statin-eligible subjects, as defined by ACC/AHA guidelines, showed a higher odds ratio for CAC score progression than those considered statin eligible according to ATP III guidelines (2.73 [95% CI, 2.07-3.61] vs 2.00 [95% CI, 1.49-2.68]). Compared with the ATP III guidelines, the new ACC/AHA guidelines result in better discrimination of subjects with cardiovascular risk detected by CAC score progression in an Asian population. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  14. 2013 ACC/AHA versus 2004 NECP ATP III Guidelines in the Assignment of Statin Treatment in a Korean Population with Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Yu Mi; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kang, Joon-Won; Kim, Eun Hee; Park, Duk-Woo; Park, Joong-Yeol; Kim, Hong-Kyu; Lee, Woo Je

    2015-01-01

    Background The usefulness of the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of blood cholesterol in the Asian population remains controversial. In this study, we investigated whether eligibility for statin therapy determined by the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines is better aligned with the presence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected by CCTA (coronary computed tomography angiography) compared to the previously recommended 2004 NCEP ATP III guidelines. Methods We collected the data from 5,837 asymptomatic subjects who underwent CCTA using MDCT during routine health examinations. Based on risk factor assessment and lipid data, we determined guideline-based eligibility for statin therapy according to the 2013 ACC/AHA and 2004 NCEP ATP III guidelines. We defined the presence and severity of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected in CCTA according to the presence of significant coronary artery stenosis (defined as >50% stenosis), plaques, and the degree of coronary calcification. Results As compared to the 2004 ATP III guidelines, a significantly higher proportion of subjects with significant coronary stenosis (61.8% vs. 33.8%), plaques (52.3% vs. 24.7%), and higher CACS (CACS >100, 63.6% vs. 26.5%) was assigned to statin therapy using the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines (P < .001 for all variables). The area under the curves of the pooled cohort equation of the new guidelines in detecting significant stenosis, plaques, and higher CACS were significantly higher than those of the Framingham risk calculator. Conclusions Compared to the previous ATP III guidelines, the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines were more sensitive in identifying subjects with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected by CCTA in an Asian population. PMID:26372638

  15. Assessing driver's mental representation of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and its possible effects on behavioural adaptations.

    PubMed

    Piccinini, Giulio Francesco; Simões, Anabela; Rodrigues, Carlos Manuel; Leitão, Miguel

    2012-01-01

    The introduction of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) could be very helpful for making the longitudinal driving task more comfortable for the drivers and, as a consequence, it could have a global beneficial effect on road safety. However, before or during the usage of the device, due to several reasons, drivers might generate in their mind incomplete or flawed mental representations about the fundamental operation principles of ACC; hence, the resulting usage of the device might be improper, negatively affecting the human-machine interaction and cooperation and, in some cases, leading to negative behavioural adaptations to the system that might neutralise the desirable positive effects on road safety. Within this context, this paper will introduce the methodology which has been developed in order to analyse in detail the topic and foresee, in the future, adequate actions for the recovery of inaccurate mental representations of the system.

  16. The Burden of Statin Therapy based on ACC/AHA and NCEP ATP-III Guidelines: An Iranian Survey of Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors.

    PubMed

    Asgari, Samaneh; Abdi, Hengameh; Hezaveh, Alireza Mahdavi; Moghisi, Alireza; Etemad, Koorosh; Beni, Hassan Riahi; Khalili, Davood

    2018-03-21

    To compare the burden of statin therapy according to the Third Adult Treatment Panel (ATP-III) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines the Survey of Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Disease (SuRFNCD)-2011of Iran was used. A survey analysis associated with sex and age categorization was run. Of total 3496 persons (1322 men) aged 40-70 years, based on the ACC/AHA guidelines, about 46.5% were eligible to receive moderate- to high-intensity statin therapy. Based on the ATP-III guidelines, 17.0% were considered as needing statin drugs. Among adults aged <60 years, the proportion of those who were eligible for statin therapy was higher (38.3%) according to the ACC/AHA guidelines compared to the ATP-III guidelines (15.2%), a difference more prominent in adults aged ≥60 years (85.2% versus 25.0%). Agreement between the two guidelines was low (kappa: 0.32). Compared to the ATP-III guidelines, the ACC/AHA guidelines increase the number of adults eligible for statin therapy in an Iraninan population from 2.5 million to 7.0 million people according to the 2011 census, specifically in those aged ≥ 60 years, a finding in agreement with those of studies from different countries.

  17. Expression of recombinant AccMRJP1 protein from royal jelly of Chinese honeybee in Pichia pastoris and its proliferation activity in an insect cell line

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Main royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) is the most abundant member of the main royal jelly protein (MRJP) family among honeybees. Mature MRJP1 cDNA of the Chinese honeybee (Apis cerana cerana MRJP1, or AccMRJP1) was expressed in Pichia pastoris. SDS-PAGE showed that recombinant AccMRJP1 was identical in...

  18. Potential Functional Replacement of the Plastidic Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunit (accD) Gene by Recent Transfers to the Nucleus in Some Angiosperm Lineages1[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Rousseau-Gueutin, Mathieu; Huang, Xun; Higginson, Emily; Ayliffe, Michael; Day, Anil; Timmis, Jeremy N.

    2013-01-01

    Eukaryotic cells originated when an ancestor of the nucleated cell engulfed bacterial endosymbionts that gradually evolved into the mitochondrion and the chloroplast. Soon after these endosymbiotic events, thousands of ancestral prokaryotic genes were functionally transferred from the endosymbionts to the nucleus. This process of functional gene relocation, now rare in eukaryotes, continues in angiosperms. In this article, we show that the chloroplastic acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunit (accD) gene that is present in the plastome of most angiosperms has been functionally relocated to the nucleus in the Campanulaceae. Surprisingly, the nucleus-encoded accD transcript is considerably smaller than the plastidic version, consisting of little more than the carboxylase domain of the plastidic accD gene fused to a coding region encoding a plastid targeting peptide. We verified experimentally the presence of a chloroplastic transit peptide by showing that the product of the nuclear accD fused to green fluorescent protein was imported in the chloroplasts. The nuclear gene regulatory elements that enabled the erstwhile plastidic gene to become functional in the nuclear genome were identified, and the evolution of the intronic and exonic sequences in the nucleus is described. Relocation and truncation of the accD gene is a remarkable example of the processes underpinning endosymbiotic evolution. PMID:23435694

  19. Assessment of Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) and Left Cerebellar Metabolism in Asperger's Syndrome with Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS).

    PubMed

    Goji, Aya; Ito, Hiromichi; Mori, Kenji; Harada, Masafumi; Hisaoka, Sonoka; Toda, Yoshihiro; Mori, Tatsuo; Abe, Yoko; Miyazaki, Masahito; Kagami, Shoji

    2017-01-01

    Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) is a noninvasive neuroimaging method to quantify biochemical metabolites in vivo and it can serve as a powerful tool to monitor neurobiochemical profiles in the brain. Asperger's syndrome (AS) is a type of autism spectrum disorder, which is characterized by impaired social skills and restrictive, repetitive patterns of interest and activities, while intellectual levels and language skills are relatively preserved. Despite clinical aspects have been well-characterized, neurometabolic profiling in the brain of AS remains to be clear. The present study used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to investigate whether pediatric AS is associated with measurable neurometabolic abnormalities that can contribute new information on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder. Study participants consisted of 34 children with AS (2-12 years old; mean age 5.2 (±2.0); 28 boys) and 19 typically developed children (2-11 years old; mean age 5.6 (±2.6); 12 boys) who served as the normal control group. The 1H MRS data were obtained from two regions of interest: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left cerebellum. In the ACC, levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (tCr), total choline-containing compounds (tCho) and myo-Inositol (mI) were significantly decreased in children with AS compared to controls. On the other hand, no significant group differences in any of the metabolites were found in the left cerebellum. Neither age nor sex accounted for the metabolic findings in the regions. The finding of decreased levels of NAA, tCr, tCho, and mI in the ACC but not in left cerebellar voxels in the AS, suggests a lower ACC neuronal density in the present AS cohort compared to controls.

  20. CAC Score Improves Coronary and CV Risk Assessment Above Statin Indication by ESC and AHA/ACC Primary Prevention Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Mahabadi, Amir A; Möhlenkamp, Stefan; Lehmann, Nils; Kälsch, Hagen; Dykun, Iryna; Pundt, Noreen; Moebus, Susanne; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Erbel, Raimund

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the difference in indication for statin therapy by European Society of Cardiology (ESC) versus American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) guidelines and to quantify the potential additional role of coronary artery calcification (CAC) score over updated guidelines in a primary prevention cohort. Recently, ESC and AHA/ACC updated the guidelines regarding statin therapy in primary prevention. In 3,745 subjects (59 ± 8 years of age, 47% men) from the population based longitudinal Heinz Nixdorf Recall cohort study without cardiovascular disease or lipid-lowering therapy at baseline CAC score was assessed between 2000 and 2003. Subjects remained unaware of their initial CAC score. Statin indication was determined according to 2012 ESC and 2013 AHA/ACC guidelines based on subjects individual baseline characteristics. The frequency of statin recommendation was lower according to ESC compared to AHA/ACC guidelines (34% vs. 56%; p < 0.0001), whereas low CAC score (<100) was common in subjects with statin indication by both guidelines (59% for ESC, 62% for AHA/ACC). During 10.4 ± 2.0 years of follow-up, 131 myocardial infarctions occurred. For ESC recommendations, CAC score differentiated risk for subjects without (1.0 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4 to 1.5] vs. 6.5 [95% CI: 4.1 to 8.9] coronary events per 1,000 person-years for CAC 0 vs. ≥100) and with statin indication (2.6 [95% CI: 0.6 to 4.7] vs. 9.9 [95% CI: 7.3 to 12.5] per 1,000 person-years for CAC 0 vs. ≥100). Likewise, CAC score stratified proportions experiencing events subjects with statin indication according to AHA/ACC (2.7 [95% CI: 1.1 to 4.2] vs. 9.1 [95% CI: 7.0 to 11.0] per 1,000 person-years for CAC 0 vs. ≥100), whereas event rate in subjects without statin indication was low (1.1 [95% CI: 0.65 to 1.68] per 1,000 person-years). Current ESC and AHA/ACC guidelines lead to markedly different recommendation regarding statin therapy in a

  1. Characterization of an extracellular epitope antibody to the neuronal K-Cl cotransporter, KCC2.

    PubMed

    Gagnon, Kenneth Be; Fyffe, Robert Ew; Adragna, Norma C; Lauf, Peter K

    2007-07-01

    1. Ion gradients across the cell membrane are important for proper cellular communication and homeostasis. With the exception of erythrocytes, chloride (Cl), one of the most important free anions in animal cells, is not distributed at thermodynamic equilibrium across the plasma membrane. The K-Cl cotransporter (COT), consisting of at least four isoforms, utilizes the larger outwardly directed chemical driving force of K to expel Cl from the cell against its inwardly directed chemical gradient and has been implicated recently as one of the main Cl extruders in developing neurons. 2. Previous in situ hybridization studies have indicated widespread mRNA distribution of the neuronal-specific K-Cl COT isoform (KCC2) throughout the rat central nervous system (CNS). However, immunohistochemical studies have been limited owing to the availability of a more selective antibody to KCC2. The goal of the present study was to develop a new molecular tool for the immunohistochemical identification and neuronal distribution of KCC2. 3. Herein, we present evidence of immunohistochemical corroboration of the widespread KCC2 mRNA expression using a novel extracellular anti-peptide antibody directed against the second extracellular loop (ECL2) of KCC2. Immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent labelling revealed widespread post-synaptic somatic and dendritic localization of KCC2 in multiple neuronal populations in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, lumbar spinal cord and cerebellum. We also demonstrate that binding of the antibody to an extracellular epitope within ECL2 does not alter cotransporter function. In essence, the present study reports on a new molecular tool for structural and functional studies of KCC2.

  2. Comparison of Recommended Eligibility for Primary Prevention Statin Therapy Based on the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations vs the ACC/AHA Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Pagidipati, Neha J; Navar, Ann Marie; Mulder, Hillary; Sniderman, Allan D; Peterson, Eric D; Pencina, Michael J

    2017-04-18

    There are important differences among guideline recommendations for using statin therapy in primary prevention. New recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) emphasize therapy based on the presence of 1 or more cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and a 10-year global CVD risk of 10% or greater. To determine the difference in eligibility for primary prevention statin treatment among US adults, assuming full application of USPSTF recommendations compared with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (2009-2014) were used to assess statin eligibility under the 2016 USPSTF recommendations vs the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines among a nationally representative sample of 3416 US adults aged 40 to 75 years with fasting lipid data and triglyceride levels of 400 mg/dL or less, without prior CVD. The 2016 USPSTF recommendations vs 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. Eligibility for primary prevention statin therapy. Among the US primary prevention population represented by 3416 individuals in NHANES, the median weighted age was 53 years (interquartile range, 46-61), and 53% (95% CI, 52%-55%) were women. Along with the 21.5% (95% CI, 19.3%-23.7%) of patients who reported currently taking lipid-lowering medication, full implementation of the USPSTF recommendations would be associated with initiation of statin therapy in an additional 15.8% (95% CI, 14.0%-17.5%) of patients, compared with an additional 24.3% (95% CI, 22.3%-26.3%) of patients who would be recommended for statin initiation under full implementation of the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. Among the 8.9% of individuals in the primary prevention population who would be recommended for statins by ACC/AHA guidelines but not by USPSTF recommendations, 55% would be adults aged 40 to 59 years with a mean 30-year cardiovascular risk greater than 30%, and 28% would have diabetes. In this sample of US

  3. Use of bacterial acc deaminase to increase oil (especially poly aromatic hydrocarbons) phytoremediation efficiency for maize (zea mays) seedlings.

    PubMed

    Rezvani Borujeni, Samira; Khavazi, Kazem; Asgharzadeh, Ahmad; Rezvani Borujeni, Iraj

    2018-04-16

    Oil presence in soil, as a stressor, reduces phytoremediation efficiency through an increase in the plant stress ethylene. Bacterial 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, as a plant stress ethylene reducer, was employed to increase oil phytoremediation efficiency. For this purpose, the ability of ACC deaminase-producing Pseudomonas strains to grow in oil-polluted culture media and withstand various concentrations of oil and also their ability to reduce plant stress ethylene and enhance some growth characteristics of maize and finally their effects on increasing phytoremediation efficiency of poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil were investigated. Based on the results, of tested strains just P9 and P12 were able to perform oil degradation. Increasing oil concentration from 0 to 10% augmented these two strains population, 15.7% and 12.9%, respectively. The maximum increase in maize growth was observed in presence of P12 strain. Results of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that PAHs phytoremediation efficiency was higher for inoculated seeds than uninoculated. The highest plant growth and PAHs removal percentage (74.9%) from oil-polluted soil was observed in maize inoculated with P12. These results indicate the significance of ACC deaminase producing bacteria in alleviation of plant stress ethylene in oil-polluted soils and increasing phytoremediation efficiency of such soils.

  4. Temperature dependence of fluorescence for EuCl3 in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt.

    PubMed

    Im, Hee-Jung; Kim, Tack-Jin; Song, Kyuseok

    2010-08-15

    The fluorescence of EuCl(3) in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt according to temperature changes was investigated, and the spontaneous partial reduction of Eu(3+) to Eu(2+) at high temperature was confirmed by the fluorescence results. The fluorescence decreases when the temperature increases, and this was examined in detail. The studies of fluorescence provided information regarding the chemical and physical behavior of europium ions in the molten salt according to the temperature changes. It is applicable for monitoring species and concentrations and estimating the approximate chemical structure of the ions in molten salts. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. The rhizobacterium Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2, containing ACC deaminase, promotes growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana via an ethylene-dependent pathway

    PubMed Central

    Dodd, Ian C.

    2013-01-01

    Many plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) associated with plant roots contain the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase and can metabolize ACC, the immediate precursor of the plant hormone ethylene, thereby decreasing plant ethylene production and increasing plant growth. However, relatively few studies have explicitly linked ethylene emission and/or action to growth promotion in these plant–microbe interactions. This study examined effects of the PGPR Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2 containing ACC deaminase on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana using wild-type (WT) plants and several ethylene-related mutants (etr1-1, ein2-1, and eto1-1). Soil inoculation with V. paradoxus 5C-2 promoted growth (leaf area and shoot biomass) of WT plants and the ethylene-overproducing mutant eto1-1, and also enhanced floral initiation of WT plants by 2.5 days. However, these effects were not seen in ethylene-insensitive mutants (etr1-1 and ein2-1) even though bacterial colonization of the root system was similar. Furthermore, V. paradoxus 5C-2 decreased ACC concentrations of rosette leaves of WT plants by 59% and foliar ethylene emission of both WT plants and eto1-1 mutants by 42 and 37%, respectively. Taken together, these results demonstrate that a fully functional ethylene signal transduction pathway is required for V. paradoxus 5C-2 to stimulate leaf growth and flowering of A. thaliana. PMID:23404897

  6. The rhizobacterium Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2, containing ACC deaminase, promotes growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana via an ethylene-dependent pathway.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lin; Dodd, Ian C; Theobald, Julian C; Belimov, Andrey A; Davies, William J

    2013-04-01

    Many plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) associated with plant roots contain the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase and can metabolize ACC, the immediate precursor of the plant hormone ethylene, thereby decreasing plant ethylene production and increasing plant growth. However, relatively few studies have explicitly linked ethylene emission and/or action to growth promotion in these plant-microbe interactions. This study examined effects of the PGPR Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2 containing ACC deaminase on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana using wild-type (WT) plants and several ethylene-related mutants (etr1-1, ein2-1, and eto1-1). Soil inoculation with V. paradoxus 5C-2 promoted growth (leaf area and shoot biomass) of WT plants and the ethylene-overproducing mutant eto1-1, and also enhanced floral initiation of WT plants by 2.5 days. However, these effects were not seen in ethylene-insensitive mutants (etr1-1 and ein2-1) even though bacterial colonization of the root system was similar. Furthermore, V. paradoxus 5C-2 decreased ACC concentrations of rosette leaves of WT plants by 59% and foliar ethylene emission of both WT plants and eto1-1 mutants by 42 and 37%, respectively. Taken together, these results demonstrate that a fully functional ethylene signal transduction pathway is required for V. paradoxus 5C-2 to stimulate leaf growth and flowering of A. thaliana.

  7. Effects of temperature, concentration, and uranium chloride mixture on zirconium electrochemical studies in LiClsbnd KCl eutectic salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoover, Robert O.; Yoon, Dalsung; Phongikaroon, Supathorn

    2016-08-01

    Experimental studies were performed to provide measurement and analysis of zirconium (Zr) electrochemistry in LiClsbnd KCl eutectic salt at different temperatures and concentrations using cyclic voltammetry (CV). An additional experimental set with uranium chloride added into the system forming UCl3sbnd ZrCl4sbnd LiClsbnd KCl was performed to explore the general behavior of these two species together. Results of CV experiments with ZrCl4 show complicated cathodic and anodic peaks, which were identified along with the Zr reactions. The CV results reveal that diffusion coefficients (D) of ZrCl4 and ZrCl2 as the function of temperature can be expressed as DZr(IV) = 0.00046exp(-3716/T) and DZr(II) = 0.027exp(-5617/T), respectively. The standard rate constants and apparent standard potentials of ZrCl4 at different temperatures were calculated. Furthermore, the results from the mixture of UCl3 and ZrCl4 indicate that high concentrations of UCl3 hide the features of the smaller concentration of ZrCl4 while Zr peaks become prominent as the concentration of ZrCl4 increases.

  8. A Comparative Analysis of the Integration of Faith and Learning between ACSI and ACCS Accredited Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Daniel Carl

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to analyze and compare the integration of faith and learning occurring in Christian schools accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and classical Christian schools accredited by the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS). ACSI represents the…

  9. Comparison of gaseous oxidized Hg measured by KCl-coated denuders, and nylon and cation exchange membranes.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jiaoyan; Miller, Matthieu B; Weiss-Penzias, Peter; Gustin, Mae Sexauer

    2013-07-02

    The chemical compounds that make up gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) in the atmosphere, and the reactions responsible for their formation, are not well understood. The limitations and uncertainties associated with the current method applied to measure these compounds, the KCl-coated denuder, are not known due to lack of calibration and testing. This study systematically compared the uptake of specific GOM compounds by KCl-coated denuders with that collected using nylon and cation exchange membranes in the laboratory and field. In addition, a new method for identifying different GOM compounds using thermal desorption is presented. Different GOM compounds (HgCl2, HgBr2, and HgO) were found to have different affinities for the denuder surface and the denuder underestimated each of these compounds. Membranes measured 1.3 to 3.7 times higher GOM than denuders in laboratory and field experiments. Cation exchange membranes had the highest collection efficiency. Thermodesorption profiles for the release of GOM compounds from the nylon membrane were different for HgO versus HgBr2 and HgCl2. Application of the new field method for collection and identification of GOM compounds demonstrated these vary as a function of location and time of year. Understanding the chemistry of GOM across space and time has important implications for those developing policy regarding this environmental contaminant.

  10. The new "intermediate risk" group: a comparative analysis of the new 2013 ACC/AHA risk assessment guidelines versus prior guidelines in men.

    PubMed

    Blaha, Michael J; Dardari, Zeina A; Blumenthal, Roger S; Martin, Seth S; Nasir, Khurram; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H

    2014-11-01

    The 2013 ACC/AHA Report on the Assessment of Cardiovascular (CVD) Risk redefined "intermediate risk". We sought to critically compare the intermediate risk groups identified by prior guidelines and the new ACC/AHA guidelines. We analyzed data from 30,005 adult men free of known CVD from a large, multi-ethnic study of middle-aged adults. The Framingham Risk Score was calculated using published equations, and CVD risk was calculated using the new ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations Risk Estimator. We first compared the size and characteristics of the intermediate risk group identified by the old (ATP III, 10-20% 10-year CHD risk) and new guidelines (5-7.4% 10-year CVD risk). We then defined time-to-high-risk as the length of time an individual patient resides in the intermediate risk group before progressing to high risk status based on advancing age alone. The mean age of the study population was 53 ± 13 years, and 24% were African-American. Patients identified as intermediate risk by the new ACC/AHA Guidelines were younger and more likely to be African-American and have lower risk factor burden (all p < 0.05). The new intermediate risk group was just 37% the size of the traditional ATP III intermediate risk group, while the new high risk group was 103% larger. Under the new guidelines, men remain intermediate risk for an average of just 3 years, compared to 8 years under the prior guidelines (63% shorter time-to-high-risk, p < 0.05), before progressing to high risk based on advancing age alone. The new 2013 ACC/AHA risk assessment guidelines produce a markedly smaller, lower absolute risk, and more temporary "intermediate risk" group. These findings reshape the modern understanding of "intermediate risk", and have distinct implications for risk assessment, clinical decision making, and pharmacotherapy in primary prevention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. ACC/AHA guidelines superior to ESC/EAS guidelines for primary prevention with statins in non-diabetic Europeans: the Copenhagen General Population Study.

    PubMed

    Mortensen, Martin Bødtker; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Afzal, Shoaib; Falk, Erling

    2017-02-21

    We compared the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the 2016 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) guidelines on prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) using different risk prediction models [US Pooled Cohort Equations (US-PCE for any ASCVD) and European Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation system (European-SCORE for fatal ASCVD)] and different statin eligibility criteria. We examined 44 889 individuals aged 40-75 recruited in 2003-09 in the Copenhagen General Population Study, all free of ASCVD, diabetes, and statin use at baseline. We detected 2217 any ASCVD events and 199 fatal ASCVD events through 2014. The predicted-to-observed event ratio was 1.2 using US-PCE for any ASCVD and 5.0 using European-SCORE for fatal ASCVD. The US-PCE, but not the European-SCORE, was well-calibrated around decision thresholds for statin therapy. For a Class I recommendation, 42% of individuals qualified for statins using the ACC/AHA guidelines vs. 6% with the ESC/EAS guidelines. Using ACC/AHA- vs. ESC/EAS-defined statin eligibility led to a substantial gain in sensitivity (+62% for any ASCVD and +76% for fatal ASCVD) with a smaller loss in specificity (-35% for any ASCVD and -36% for fatal ASCVD). Similar differences between the ACC/AHA and ESC/EAS guidelines were found for men and women separately, and for Class IIa recommendations. The sensitivity and specificity of a US-PCE risk of 5% were similar to those of a European-SCORE risk of 1.4%, whereas a US-PCE risk of 7.5% was similar to a European-SCORE risk of 2.4%. The ACC/AHA guidelines were superior to the ESC/EAS guidelines for primary prevention of ASCVD, that is, for accurately assigning statin therapy to those who would benefit. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology

  12. ACC/AHA guidelines superior to ESC/EAS guidelines for primary prevention with statins in non-diabetic Europeans: the Copenhagen General Population Study

    PubMed Central

    Mortensen, Martin Bødtker; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Afzal, Shoaib; Falk, Erling

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Aim We compared the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the 2016 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) guidelines on prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) using different risk prediction models [US Pooled Cohort Equations (US-PCE for any ASCVD) and European Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation system (European-SCORE for fatal ASCVD)] and different statin eligibility criteria. Methods and results We examined 44 889 individuals aged 40–75 recruited in 2003–09 in the Copenhagen General Population Study, all free of ASCVD, diabetes, and statin use at baseline. We detected 2217 any ASCVD events and 199 fatal ASCVD events through 2014. The predicted-to-observed event ratio was 1.2 using US-PCE for any ASCVD and 5.0 using European-SCORE for fatal ASCVD. The US-PCE, but not the European-SCORE, was well-calibrated around decision thresholds for statin therapy. For a Class I recommendation, 42% of individuals qualified for statins using the ACC/AHA guidelines vs. 6% with the ESC/EAS guidelines. Using ACC/AHA- vs. ESC/EAS-defined statin eligibility led to a substantial gain in sensitivity (+62% for any ASCVD and +76% for fatal ASCVD) with a smaller loss in specificity (−35% for any ASCVD and −36% for fatal ASCVD). Similar differences between the ACC/AHA and ESC/EAS guidelines were found for men and women separately, and for Class IIa recommendations. The sensitivity and specificity of a US-PCE risk of 5% were similar to those of a European-SCORE risk of 1.4%, whereas a US-PCE risk of 7.5% was similar to a European-SCORE risk of 2.4%. Conclusions The ACC/AHA guidelines were superior to the ESC/EAS guidelines for primary prevention of ASCVD, that is, for accurately assigning statin therapy to those who would benefit. PMID:28363217

  13. Comparison of Adherence to the 2013 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guideline in a Teaching Versus Nonteaching Outpatient Clinic.

    PubMed

    Cheng-Lai, Angela; Snead, Jessica; Ng, Christina; Verges, Caroline; Chung, Philip

    2018-04-01

    Little information is available regarding prescribers' adherence rate to the 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) cholesterol guideline, especially that from a teaching versus a nonteaching setting. We aim to evaluate adherence rates to the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline in a teaching versus a nonteaching practice site. In addition, the impact of a pharmacist-led seminar on adherence rate to the guideline was assessed. This study is a 2-part retrospective chart review. Part 1 consists of patients who were initiated on statin therapy between December 2013 and November 2014. Patients were analyzed to determine if they received concordant statin therapy as recommended by the guideline. For the second part, we evaluated the impact of a seminar on the adherence rate to the guideline. Of the 325 patients who received a statin prescription, 233 were included in the study. Prescriber adherence to the guideline was 42.9%, which was significantly lower than the 65.8% observed in a study previously conducted at a teaching outpatient clinic ( P < 0.0001). For the second part of our study, prescriber adherence to the guideline 3 months before the pharmacist-led seminar was 53.5%, and this adherence rate remained virtually unchanged at 54.2% at 3 months after the educational session. The overall adherence rate to the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline from this nonteaching outpatient clinic was significantly lower than that previously observed in a teaching outpatient clinic. The single pharmacist-led seminar did not significantly affect prescribers' adherence rate to the guideline.

  14. Expected impact of applying new 2013 AHA/ACC cholesterol guidelines criteria on the recommended lipid target achievement after acute coronary syndromes.

    PubMed

    Gencer, Baris; Auer, Reto; Nanchen, David; Räber, Lorenz; Klingenberg, Roland; Carballo, David; Blum, Manuel; Vogt, Pierre; Carballo, Sebastian; Meyer, Philippe; Matter, Christian M; Windecker, Stephan; Lüscher, Thomas F; Mach, François; Rodondi, Nicolas

    2015-03-01

    2013 AHA/ACC guidelines on the treatment of cholesterol advised to tailor high-intensity statin after ACS, while previous ATP-III recommended titration of statin to reach low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. We simulated the impact of this change of paradigm on the achievement of recommended targets. Among a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients hospitalized for ACS from 2009 to 2012 at four Swiss university hospitals, we analyzed 1602 patients who survived one year after recruitment. Targets based on the previous guidelines approach was defined as (1) achievement of LDL-C target < 1.8 mmol/l, (2) reduction of LDL-C ≥ 50% or (3) intensification of statin in patients who did not reach LDL-C targets. Targets based on the 2013 AHA/ACC guidelines approach was defined as the maximization of statin therapy at high-intensity in patients aged ≤75 years and moderate- or high-intensity statin in patients >75 years. 1578 (99%) patients were prescribed statin at discharge, with 1120 (70%) at high-intensity. 1507 patients (94%) reported taking statin at one year, with 909 (57%) at high-intensity. Among 482 patients discharged with sub-maximal statin, intensification of statin was only observed in 109 patients (23%). 773 (47%) patients reached the previous LDL-C targets, while 1014 (63%) reached the 2013 AHA/ACC guidelines targetsone year after ACS (p value < 0.001). The application of the new 2013 AHA/ACC guidelines criteria would substantially increase the proportion of patients achieving recommended lipid targets one year after ACS. Clinical trial number, NCT01075868. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Comparison of KCl denuders with the pyrolysis method and calibration using HgBr2 at an in-service AMNET site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McClure, C.; Jaffe, D. A.; Edgerton, E.; Jansen, J. J.

    2013-12-01

    During the summer of 2013, we initiated a project to examine the performance of Tekran measurements of Gaseous Oxidized Mercury (GOM) with a pyrolysis method at the North Birmingham SEARCH site. Measurements started in June 2013 and will run until September 2013. This project responds to recent studies that indicate problems with the KCl denuder method for collection of GOM (e.g. Lyman et al., 2010; Gustin et al., 2013; Ambrose et al., 2013). For this project, we compared two GOM measurement systems, one using the KCl denuder method and a second method using high temperature pyrolysis of Hg compounds and detection of the resulting Hg0 vapors. Both instruments were also calibrated using an HgBr2 source to understand the recovery of one possible atmospheric GOM constituent. Both instruments sampled from a common, heated manifold. Past work has shown that in order to fully transmit HgBr2 sample lines must be made from PFA lines and heated to 100 °C. The transmission rate of HgBr2 during this project is approximately 90% over 25 feet of sample tubing at this temperature. Very preliminary results from this study have found that the transmitted HgBr2 is captured with 95% efficiency in carbon-scrubbed ambient air for both the KCl denuder and the pyrolysis method. However, the denuder method appears to be significantly less efficient in the capture of GOM when sampling unaltered ambient air versus the pyrolysis validation of total Hg0. Therefore, calibration of GOM measurements is essential in order to accurately correct for fluctuations in the GOM capture efficiency. We have also found that calibrations for GOM can be done routinely in the field and that these are essential to fully understand the GOM measurements. At present our calibration system is performed manually, but in principle this method could be readily automated.

  16. Impact of the New ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in a Managed Care Setting.

    PubMed

    Tran, Josephine N; Caglar, Toros; Stockl, Karen M; Lew, Heidi C; Solow, Brian K; Chan, Paul S

    2014-11-01

    In November 2013, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) together issued new guidelines for the treatment of patients with high cholesterol, providing a new paradigm for the management of cholesterol in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. To examine the impact of the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines on pharmacy utilization of cholesterol-lowering drugs in a real-world managed care setting. Pharmacy claims from OptumRx, a national pharmacy benefit management provider, for the period between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013 (baseline period), were used to identify candidates for cholesterol-lowering therapy and to estimate the number of potential patients who will be starting or intensifying statin therapy based on the updated cholesterol treatment guidelines. Potential candidates for cholesterol-lowering treatments included patients with diabetes or hypertension aged 40 to 75 years who were not already receiving a cholesterol-lowering medication, as well as patients receiving cholesterol-lowering therapies during the baseline period. The baseline cholesterol-lowering medication market share was used to project changes in pharmacy utilization over the next 3 years. Based on the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines, there will be a 25% increase in the proportion of the overall population that is treated with statins over the next 3 years, increasing from 3,909,407 (27.7%) patients to 4,892,668 (34.7%) patients. The largest proportion of the increase in statin utilization is projected to be for primary prevention in patients aged 40 to 75 years who were not receiving any cholesterol-lowering treatment at baseline. These projected changes will increase the overall number of statin prescriptions by 25% and will decrease the number of nonstatin cholesterol-lowering medication prescriptions by 68% during the next 3 years. The new 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines

  17. INTERACTION OF LASER RADIATION WITH MATTER: Influence of Ca and Pb impurities on the bulk optical strength of ultrapure NaCl and KCl crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vinogradov, An V.; Voszka, R.; Kovalev, Valerii I.; Faĭzullov, F. S.; Janszky, J.

    1987-06-01

    A significant increase (by a factor of about 3) of the bulk damage threshold in the case of interaction of CO2 laser radiation pulses with ultrapure NaCl and KCl crystals grown in a reactive atmosphere was observed on introduction of divalent metal ions Ca and Pb in concentrations of 10-5-10-6 mol/mol. Impurities were introduced in concentrations of 10-8-10-3 and 2×10-7-10-4 mol/mol into the melts of KCl and NaCl, respectively. The concentration of other impurities (including OH) did not exceed ~10-6 mol/mol. A physical model was developed to account for the observed dependence on the basis of an analogy between a system of colloidal particles and F centers in a crystal and a liquid-vapor system.

  18. Electroanalytical measurements of binary-analyte mixtures in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic: Uranium(III)- and Magnesium(II)-Chloride

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rappleye, Devin; Newton, Matthew L.; Zhang, Chao; Simpson, Michael F.

    2017-04-01

    The electrochemical behavior of MgCl2 in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic was investigated to evaluate its suitability as a surrogate for PuCl3 in studies related to the eletrorefining of used nuclear fuel. The reduction of Mg2+ was found to be electrochemically reversible up to 300 mV s-1 at 773 K. The diffusion coefficient for Mg2+ was calculated to be 1.74 and 2.17 × 10-5 cm2 s-1 with and without U3+ present, respectively, at 773 K using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Upon comparison to literature data, the diffusion coefficient of Mg2+ differs by only 8.8% (with U3+ present) from that of Pu3+ and the difference in peak potentials was only 79 mV. Binary-analyte mixtures of UCl3 and MgCl2 in eutectic LiCl-KCl were further investigated using CV, normal pulse voltammetry (NPV), chronoamperometry (CA) and open-circuit potential (OCP) measurements for the purpose of comparing each technique's accuracy in measuring U3+ and Mg2+ concentrations. Of all the techniques tested, NPV resulted in the lowest error which was, on average, 11.4% and 9.81% for U3+ and Mg2+, respectively.

  19. Baseline Blood Pressure, the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines, and Long-Term Cardiovascular Risk in SPRINT.

    PubMed

    Vaduganathan, Muthiah; Pareek, Manan; Qamar, Arman; Pandey, Ambarish; Olsen, Michael H; Bhatt, Deepak L

    2018-02-05

    The 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines include lower thresholds to define hypertension than previous guidelines. Little is known about the impact of these guideline changes in patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease. In this exploratory analysis using baseline blood pressure assessments in Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), we evaluated the prevalence and associated cardiovascular prognosis of patients newly reclassified with hypertension based on the 2017 ACC/AHA (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg) compared with the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) guidelines (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg). The primary endpoint was the composite of myocardial infarction, other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular death. In 4683 patients assigned to the standard treatment arm of SPRINT, 2328 (49.7%) met hypertension thresholds by JNC 7 guidelines, and another 1424 (30.4%) were newly reclassified as having hypertension based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines. Over 3.3-year median follow-up, 319 patients experienced the primary endpoint (87 of whom were newly reclassified with hypertension based on the revised guidelines). Patients with hypertension based on prior guidelines compared with those newly identified with hypertension based on the new guidelines had similar risk of the primary endpoint (2.3 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.0-2.7] vs 2.0 [95% CI, 1.6-2.4] events per 100 patient-years; adjusted HR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.84-1.44]; P = .48). The 2017 ACC/AHA high blood pressure guidelines are expected to significantly increase the prevalence of patients with hypertension (perhaps to a greater extent in higher-risk patient cohorts compared with the general population) and

  20. Implications of the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines on contemporary clinical practice for patients with atherosclerotic coronary and peripheral arterial disease.

    PubMed

    Gunasekaran, Prasad; Jeevanantham, Vinodh; Sharma, Suresh; Thapa, Rashmi; Gupta, Kamal

    Cholesterol management guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA-2013) recommend fixed statin dosing (dose depends on age ≤ or >75years) compared to the earlier adult treatment panel III (ATPIII) guidelines which recommended specific low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. Clinical implications of this recommendation are not known. We retrospectively compared cholesterol levels and statin utilization across cohorts with coronary artery disease (CAD) (n=9563), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (n=596) and CAD+PAD (n=975) by applying both guidelines. The percentage of patients who achieved guideline-specific targets using 2013 ACC/AHA (use of moderate/high intensity statins) or ATPIII guidelines (LDL-C<100mg/dl) was compared between all groups. Using both guidelines, the PAD only group demonstrated lower utilization and lower statin doses than the CAD or CAD+PAD groups. When applying the ACC/AHA guidelines, more patients in the CAD only group (age ≤75 years) were considered at goal as compared to the ATPIII guidelines (92.2% vs. 75%), primarily driven by the group placed on moderate/high intensity statins but had an LDL-C level >100mg/dl. Application of the ACC/AHA guidelines results in a higher percentage of patients considered to be 'at goal' when compared to the ATP III guidelines without changes in clinical practice. This is due to patients ≤75 years old on adequate statin doses but still have LDL-C levels >100mg/dl, thereby raising concerns that physicians may not pursue alternate LDL reduction strategies since they are now considered at goal despite LDL-C >100mg/dl. Lipid management of PAD patients remains sub-optimal as compared to CAD and CAD+PAD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Modeling the adsorption of metal ions (Cu 2+, Ni 2+, Pb 2+) onto ACCs using surface complexation models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faur-Brasquet, Catherine; Reddad, Zacaria; Kadirvelu, Krishna; Le Cloirec, Pierre

    2002-08-01

    Activated carbon cloths (ACCs), whose efficiency has been demonstrated for microorganics adsorption from water, were here studied in the removal of metal ions from aqueous solution. Two ACCs are investigated, they are characterized in terms of porosity parameters (BET specific surface area, percentage of microporosity) and chemical characteristics (acidic surface groups, acidity constants, point of zero charge). A first part consists in the experimental study of three metal ions removal (Cu 2+, Ni 2+ and Pb 2+) in a batch reactor. Isotherms modeling by Freundlich and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) equations enables the following adsorption order: Cu 2+>Ni 2+>Pb 2+ to be determined for adsorption capacities on a molar basis. It may be related to adsorbates characteristics in terms of electronegativity and ionic radius. The influence of adsorbent's microporosity is also shown. Adsorption experiments carried out for pH values ranging from 2 to 10 demonstrate: (i) an adsorption occurring below the precipitation pH; (ii) the strong influence of pH, with a decrease of electrostatic repulsion due to the formation of less charged hydrolyzed species coupled with a decrease of activated carbon surface charge as pH increases. The second part focuses on the modeling of adsorption versus the pH experimental data by the diffuse layer model (DLM) using Fiteql software. The model is efficient to describe the system behavior in the pH range considered. Regarding complexation constants, they show the following affinity for ACC: Pb 2+>Cu 2+>Ni 2+. They are related to initial concentrations used for the three metal ions.

  2. Support for a history-dependent predictive model of dACC activity in producing the bivalency effect: an event-related potential study.

    PubMed

    Grundy, John G; Shedden, Judith M

    2014-05-01

    In the present study, we examine electrophysiological correlates of factors influencing an adjustment in cognitive control known as the bivalency effect. During task-switching, the occasional presence of bivalent stimuli in a block of univalent trials is enough to elicit a response slowing on all subsequent univalent trials. Bivalent stimuli can be congruent or incongruent with respect to the response afforded by the irrelevant stimulus feature. Here we show that the incongruent bivalency effect, the congruent bivalency effect, and an effect of a simple violation of expectancy are captured at a frontal ERP component (between 300 and 550ms) associated with ACC activity, and that the unexpectedness effect is distinguished from both congruent and incongruent bivalency effects at an earlier component (100-120ms) associated with the temporal parietal junction. We suggest that the frontal component reflects the dACC's role in predicting future cognitive load based on recent history. In contrast, the posterior component may index early visual feature extraction in response to bivalent stimuli that cue currently ongoing tasks; dACC activity may trigger the temporal parietal activity only when specific task cueing is involved and not for simple violations of expectancy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparison of statin eligibility according to the Adult Treatment Panel III, ACC/AHA blood cholesterol guideline, and presence of carotid plaque by ultrasound in Mexican mestizo patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Galarza-Delgado, Dionicio A; Azpiri-Lopez, Jose R; Colunga-Pedraza, Iris J; Cardenas-de la Garza, Jesus A; Vera-Pineda, Raymundo; Garcia-Colunga, Judith I; Arvizu-Rivera, Rosa I; Martinez-Moreno, Adrian; Villarreal-Perez, Jesus Z; Elizondo-Riojas, Guillermo; Garza Elizondo, Mario A

    2016-11-01

    Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Guidelines of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2013 and the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) differ in their strategies to recommend initiation of statin therapy. The presence of carotid plaque (CP) by carotid ultrasound is an indication to begin statin therapy. We aimed to compare the recommendation to initiate statin therapy according to the ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and CP by carotid ultrasound. We then carried out an observational, cross-sectional study of 62 statin-naive Mexican mestizo RA patients, aged 40 to 75, who fulfilled the 1987 or 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. CP was evaluated with B-mode ultrasound. Cohen's kappa (k) was used to assess agreement between ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and the presence of CP, considering a p < 0.05 as statistically significant. Agreement was classified as slight (0.01-0.20), fair (0.21-0.40), moderate (0.41-0.60), substantial (0.61-0.80), and an almost perfect agreement (0.81-1.00). Slight agreement (k = 0.096) was found when comparing statin recommendation between CP and ATP-III. Fair agreement (k = 0.242) was revealed between ACC/AHA 2013 and ATP-III. Comparison between ACC/AHA 2013 and CP showed moderate agreement (k = 0.438). ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines could be an adequate and cost-effective tool to evaluate the need of statin therapy in Mexican mestizo RA patients, with moderate agreement with the presence of CP by ultrasound.

  4. Annual Outcomes With Transcatheter Valve Therapy: From the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

    PubMed

    Holmes, David R; Nishimura, Rick A; Grover, Frederick L; Brindis, Ralph G; Carroll, John D; Edwards, Fred H; Peterson, Eric D; Rumsfeld, John S; Shahian, David M; Thourani, Vinod H; Tuzcu, E Murat; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Hewitt, Kathleen; Michaels, Joan; Fitzgerald, Susan; Mack, Michael J

    2016-02-01

    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry has been a joint initiative of the STS and the ACC in concert with multiple stakeholders. The TVT Registry has important information regarding patient selection, delivery of care, science, education, and research in the field of structural valvular heart disease. This report provides an overview on current U.S. TVT practice and trends. The emphasis is on demographics, in-hospital procedural characteristics, and outcomes of patients having transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) performed at 348 U.S. centers. The TVT Registry captured 26,414 TAVR procedures as of December 31, 2014. Temporal trends between 2012 and 2013 versus 2014 were compared. Comparison of the 2 time periods reveals that TAVR patients remain elderly (mean age 82 years), with multiple comorbidities, reflected by a high mean STS predicted risk of mortality (STS PROM) for surgical valve replacement (8.34%), were highly symptomatic (New York Heart Association functional class III/IV in 82.5%), frail (slow 5-m walk test in 81.6%), and have poor self-reported health status (median baseline Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score of 39.1). Procedure performance is changing, with an increased use of moderate sedation (from 1.6% to 5.1%) and increase in femoral access using percutaneous techniques (66.8% in 2014). Vascular complication rates are decreasing (from 5.6% to 4.2%), whereas site-reported stroke rates remain stable at 2.2%. The TVT Registry provides important information on characteristics and outcomes of TAVR in contemporary U.S. clinical practice. It can be used to identify trends in practice and opportunities for quality improvement.

  5. Behavior in the open field predicts the number of KCl-induced cortical spreading depressions in rats.

    PubMed

    Bogdanov, Volodymyr Borysovych; Bogdanova, Olena Viktorivna; Koulchitsky, Stanislav Vladimirovich; Chauvel, Virginie; Multon, Sylvie; Makarchuk, Mykola Yukhymovych; Brennan, Kevin Christopher; Renshaw, Perry Franklin; Schoenen, Jean

    2013-01-01

    Anxiety disorders are known to be comorbid with migraine, and cortical spreading depression (CSD) is the most likely cause of the migraine aura. To search for possible correlations between susceptibility to CSD and anxiety we used the open field test in male Sprague-Dawley rats chronically treated with the preventive anti-migraine drugs valproate or riboflavin. Animals avoiding the central area of the open field chamber and those with less exploratory activity (i.e. rearing) were considered more anxious. After 4 weeks of treatment CSDs were elicited by application of 1M KCl over the occipital cortex and the number of CSDs occurring over a 2h period was compared to the previously assessed open field behavior. Higher anxiety-like behavior was significantly correlated with a higher frequency of KCl-induced CSDs. In saline-treated animals, fewer rearings were found in animals with more frequent CSDs (R=-1.00). The duration of ambulatory episodes in the open field center correlated negatively with number of CSDs in the valproate group (R=-0.83; p<0.005) and in riboflavin treated group (R=-0.69; p<0.05) as well as total time spent in the open field center in both groups (R=-0.75; p<0.05 and R=-0.58; p<0.1 respectively). These results suggest that anxiety symptoms are associated with susceptibility to CSD and might explain why it can be an aggravating factor in migraine with aura. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Deficiency of electroneutral K+-Cl- cotransporter 3 causes a disruption in impulse propagation along peripheral nerves.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yuan-Ting; Lin, Thy-Sheng; Tzeng, Shun-Fen; Delpire, Eric; Shen, Meng-Ru

    2010-10-01

    Nerve conduction requires the fine tuning of ionic currents through delicate interactions between axons and Schwann cells. The K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter (KCC) family includes four isoforms (KCC1-4) that play an important role in the maintenance of cellular osmotic homeostasis via the coupled electroneutral movement of K(+) and Cl(-) with concurrent water flux. Mutation in SLC12A6 gene encoding KCC3 results in an autosomal recessive disease, known as agenesis of the corpus callosum associated with peripheral neuropathy. Nevertheless, the role of KCC3 in nerve function remains a puzzle. In this study, the microscopic examination of KCC isoforms expressed in peripheral nerves showed high expression of KCC2-4 in nodal segments of the axons and in the perinucleus and microvilli of Schwann cells. The KCC inhibitor [[(dihydroindenyl)oxy]alkanoic acid] but not the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-)-cotransport inhibitor (bumetanide) dose-dependently suppressed the amplitude and area of compound muscle action potential, indicating the involvement of KCC activity in peripheral nerve conduction. Furthermore, the amplitude and area under the curve were smaller, and the nerve conduction velocity was slower in nerves from KCC3(-/-) mice than in nerves from wild-type mice, while the expression pattern of KCC2 and KCC4 was similar in KCC3 kockout and wild-type strains. KCC3(-/-) mice also manifested a prominent motor deficit in the beam-walking test. This is the first study to demonstrate that the K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter activity of KCC3 contributes to the propagation of action potentials along peripheral nerves. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Electrodeposition of Mg-Li-Al-La Alloys on Inert Cathode in Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Wei; Chen, Qiong; Sun, Yi; Jiang, Tao; Zhang, Milin

    2011-12-01

    Electrochemical preparation of Mg-Li-Al-La alloys on inert electrodes was investigated in LiCl-KCl melt at 853 K (580 °C). Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and square wave voltammograms (SWVs) show that the existence of AlCl3 or AlF3 could promote La deposition on an active Al substrate, which is predeposited on inert electrodes. All electrochemical tests show that the reduction of La3+ is a one-step reduction process with three electrons exchanged. The reduction of La(III)→La(0) occurred at -2.04 V, and the underpotential deposition (UPD) of La was detected at -1.55 V ( vs Ag/AgCl). The same phenomena concerning La UPD were observed on two inert cathodes, W and Mo. In addition, Mg-Li-Al-La alloys were obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis on the W cathode from La2O3 in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2-KF melts with aluminum as the anode. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated that various phases like the Al2La, Al12Mg17, and βLi phase (LiMg/Li3Mg7) existed in the Mg-Li-Al-La alloys. The distribution of Mg, Al, and La in Mg-Li-Al-La alloys from the analysis of a scan electron micrograph (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) indicated that the elements Mg, Al, and La distributed homogeneously in the alloys.

  8. Identification of genes involved in the ACC-mediated control of root cell elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Along the root axis of Arabidopsis thaliana, cells pass through different developmental stages. In the apical meristem repeated cycles of division increase the numbers of cells. Upon leaving the meristem, these cells pass the transition zone where they are physiologically and mechanically prepared to undergo subsequent rapid elongation. During the process of elongation epidermal cells increase their length by 300% in a couple of hours. When elongation ceases, the cells acquire their final size, shape and functions (in the differentiation zone). Ethylene administered as its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is capable of inhibiting elongation in a concentration-dependent way. Using a microarray analysis, genes and/or processes involved in this elongation arrest are identified. Results Using a CATMA-microarray analysis performed on control and 3h ACC-treated roots, 240 differentially expressed genes were identified. Quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR analysis of the 10 most up and down regulated genes combined with literature search confirmed the accurateness of the analysis. This revealed that inhibition of cell elongation is, at least partly, caused by restricting the events that under normal growth conditions initiate elongation and by increasing the processes that normally stop cellular elongation at the end of the elongation/onset of differentiation zone. Conclusions ACC interferes with cell elongation in the Arabidopsis thaliana roots by inhibiting cells from entering the elongation process and by immediately stimulating the formation of cross-links in cell wall components, diminishing the remaining elongation capacity. From the analysis of the differentially expressed genes, it becomes clear that many genes identified in this response, are also involved in several other kind of stress responses. This suggests that many responses originate from individual elicitors, but that somewhere in the downstream signaling cascade, these are

  9. Relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular risk scores including Framingham risk score and ACC/AHA risk score.

    PubMed

    Lee, Bora; Lee, Sang Wook; Kang, Hye Rim; Kim, Dae In; Sun, Hwa Yeon; Kim, Jae Heon

    2018-01-01

    This study attempted to investigate the association between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and CVD risk scores and to overcome the limitations of previous relevant studies. A total of 2994 ostensibly healthy males, who participated in a voluntary health check in a health promotion center from January 2010 to December 2014, were reviewed. CVD risk scores were calculated using Framingham risk score and American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) score. Correlation and multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict the CVD risk severity were performed. Correlation between total IPSS with CVD risk scores demonstrated significant positive associations, which showed higher correlation with ACC/AHA score than the Framingham score (r = 0.18 vs 0.09, respectively). For ACC/AHA score, the partial correlation after adjustment of body mass index (BMI) showed significant positive correlations between all LUTS parameters and PSA. For the Framingham score, all variables, except IPSS Q2 and IPSS Q6, showed significant positive correlations. After adjustment of BMI, prostate volume and PSA, only the severe LUTS group showed significant relationship with intermediate-high CVD risk severity, as compared with normal LUTS group (OR = 2.97, 95%CI (1.35-6.99)). Using two validated CVD risk calculators, we observed that LUTS is closely associated with future CVD risk. To predict the intermediate-high CVD risk severity, severe LUTS was a sentinel sign, the presence of which warrants the importance of an earlier screening for CVD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Supercomputer modelling of an electronic structure for KCl nanocrystal with edge dislocation with the use of semiempirical and nonempirical models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Timoshenko, Yu K.; Shunina, V. A.; Shashkin, A. I.

    2018-03-01

    In the present work we used semiempirical and non-empirical models for electronic states of KCl nanocrystal containing edge dislocation for comparison of the obtained results. Electronic levels and local densities of states were calculated. As a result we found a reasonable qualitative correlation of semiempirical and non-empirical results. Using the results of computer modelling we discuss the problem of localization of electronic states near the line of edge dislocation.

  11. Annual Outcomes With Transcatheter Valve Therapy: From the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

    PubMed

    Holmes, David R; Nishimura, Rick A; Grover, Frederick L; Brindis, Ralph G; Carroll, John D; Edwards, Fred H; Peterson, Eric D; Rumsfeld, John S; Shahian, David M; Thourani, Vinod H; Tuzcu, E Murat; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Hewitt, Kathleen; Michaels, Joan; Fitzgerald, Susan; Mack, Michael J

    2015-12-29

    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry has been a joint initiative of the STS and the ACC in concert with multiple stakeholders. The TVT Registry has important information regarding patient selection, delivery of care, science, education, and research in the field of structural valvular heart disease. This report provides an overview on current U.S. TVT practice and trends. The emphasis is on demographics, in-hospital procedural characteristics, and outcomes of patients having transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) performed at 348 U.S. centers. The TVT Registry captured 26,414 TAVR procedures as of December 31, 2014. Temporal trends between 2012 and 2013 versus 2014 were compared. Comparison of the 2 time periods reveals that TAVR patients remain elderly (mean age 82 years), with multiple comorbidities, reflected by a high mean STS predicted risk of mortality (STS PROM) for surgical valve replacement (8.34%), were highly symptomatic (New York Heart Association functional class III/IV in 82.5%), frail (slow 5-m walk test in 81.6%), and have poor self-reported health status (median baseline Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score of 39.1). Procedure performance is changing, with an increased use of moderate sedation (from 1.6% to 5.1%) and increase in femoral access using percutaneous techniques (66.8% in 2014). Vascular complication rates are decreasing (from 5.6% to 4.2%), whereas site-reported stroke rates remain stable at 2.2%. The TVT Registry provides important information on characteristics and outcomes of TAVR in contemporary U.S. clinical practice. It can be used to identify trends in practice and opportunities for quality improvement. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Real time expression of ACC oxidase and PR-protein genes mediated by Methylobacterium spp. in tomato plants challenged with Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria.

    PubMed

    Yim, W J; Kim, K Y; Lee, Y W; Sundaram, S P; Lee, Y; Sa, T M

    2014-07-15

    Biotic stress like pathogenic infection increases ethylene biosynthesis in plants and ethylene inhibitors are known to alleviate the severity of plant disease incidence. This study aimed to reduce the bacterial spot disease incidence in tomato plants caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (XCV) by modulating stress ethylene with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity of Methylobacterium strains. Under greenhouse condition, Methylobacterium strains inoculated and pathogen challenged tomato plants had low ethylene emission compared to pathogen infected ones. ACC accumulation and ACC oxidase (ACO) activity with ACO related gene expression increased in XCV infected tomato plants over Methylobacterium strains inoculated plants. Among the Methylobacterium spp., CBMB12 resulted lowest ACO related gene expression (1.46 Normalized Fold Expression), whereas CBMB20 had high gene expression (3.42 Normalized Fold Expression) in pathogen challenged tomato. But a significant increase in ACO gene expression (7.09 Normalized Fold Expression) was observed in the bacterial pathogen infected plants. In contrast, Methylobacterium strains enhanced β-1,3-glucanase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme activities in pathogen challenged tomato plants. The respective increase in β-1,3-glucanase related gene expressions due to CBMB12, CBMB15, and CBMB20 strains were 66.3, 25.5 and 10.4% higher over pathogen infected plants. Similarly, PAL gene expression was high with 0.67 and 0.30 Normalized Fold Expression, in pathogen challenged tomato plants inoculated with CBMB12 and CBMB15 strains. The results suggest that ethylene is a crucial factor in bacterial spot disease incidence and that methylobacteria with ACC deaminase activity can reduce the disease severity with ultimate pathogenesis-related protein increase in tomato. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Expression of ACC oxidase promoter-GUS fusions in tomato and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia regulated by developmental and environmental stimuli.

    PubMed

    Blume, B; Grierson, D

    1997-10-01

    The enzyme ACC oxidase, catalysing the last step in the biosynthesis of the plant hormone ethylene, is encoded by a small multigene family in tomato, comprising three members, LEACO1, LEACO2 and LEACO3. LEACO1 is the major gene expressed during ripening, leaf senescence, and wounding (Barry et al., 1996). To investigate the transcriptional regulation of ACC oxidase gene expression, chimeric fusions between the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene and 97 bp of 5' UTR plus 124, 396 and 1825 bp, respectively, of 5' untranscribed LEACO1 sequence were constructed and introduced into Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill cv. Ailsa Craig) and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. Analysis of transgenic tomatoes indicated that the region containing nucleotides -124 to +97 of the LEACO1 gene is sufficient to confer a marked increase in GUS activity during fruit ripening, albeit at very low levels. Fusion of 396 and 1825 bp of LEACO1 upstream sequence resulted in strong and specific induction of GUS expression in situations known to be accompanied by enhanced ethylene production. Reporter gene expression was similar to that of the endogenous LEACO1 gene, with major increases especially during fruit ripening, senescence and abscission of leaves and, to a lesser extent, of flowers. Analysis of transgenic N. plumbaginifolia plants confirmed the pattern of LEACO1 promoter activity detected in tomato leaves and flowers. Reporter gene expression was also induced following wounding, treatment with ethylene, and pathogen infection. Histochemical analysis illustrated localized GUS activity in the pericarp of ripening fruit, abscission zones of senescent petioles and unfertilized flowers, and at wound sites. These results demonstrate that ACC oxidase is regulated at the transcriptional level in a wide range of cell types at different developmental stages and in response to several external stimuli.

  14. Specification of Dendritogenesis Site in Drosophila aCC Motoneuron by Membrane Enrichment of Pak1 through Dscam1.

    PubMed

    Kamiyama, Daichi; McGorty, Ryan; Kamiyama, Rie; Kim, Michael D; Chiba, Akira; Huang, Bo

    2015-10-12

    Precise positioning of dendritic branches is a critical step in the establishment of neuronal circuitry. However, there is limited knowledge on how environmental cues translate into dendrite initiation or branching at a specific position. Here, through a combination of mutation, RNAi, and imaging experiments, we found that a Dscam-Dock-Pak1 hierarchical interaction defines the stereotypical dendrite growth site in the Drosophila aCC motoneuron. This interaction localizes the Cdc42 effector Pak1 to the plasma membrane at the dendrite initiation site before the activation of Cdc42. Ectopic expression of membrane-anchored Pak1 overrides this spatial specification of dendritogenesis, confirming its function in guiding Cdc42 signaling. We further discovered that Dscam1 localization in aCC occurs through an inter-neuronal contact that involves Dscam1 in the partner MP1 neuron. These findings elucidate a mechanism by which Dscam1 controls neuronal morphogenesis through spatial regulation of Cdc42 signaling and, subsequently, cytoskeletal remodeling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Corrosion Behavior of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia-Coated 9Cr-1Mo Steel in Molten UCl3-LiCl-KCl Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jagadeeswara Rao, Ch.; Venkatesh, P.; Prabhakara Reddy, B.; Ningshen, S.; Mallika, C.; Kamachi Mudali, U.

    2017-02-01

    For the electrorefining step in the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic fuels of future sodium cooled fast breeder reactors, 9Cr-1Mo steel has been proposed as the container material. The electrorefining process is carried out using 5-6 wt.% UCl3 in LiCl-KCl molten salt as the electrolyte at 500 °C under argon atmosphere. In the present study, to protect the container vessel from hot corrosion by the molten salt, 8-9% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic coating was deposited on 9Cr-1Mo steel by atmospheric plasma spray process. The hot corrosion behavior of YSZ-coated 9Cr-1Mo steel specimen was investigated in molten UCl3-LiCl-KCl salt at 600 °C for 100-, 500-, 1000- and 2000-h duration. The results revealed that the weight change in the YSZ-coated specimen was insignificant even after exposure to molten salt for 2000 h, and delamination of coating did not occur. SEM examination showed the lamellar morphology of the YSZ coating after the corrosion test with occluded molten salt. The XRD analysis confirmed the presence of tetragonal and cubic phases of ZrO2, without any phase change. Formation of UO2 in some regions of the samples was evident from XRD results.

  16. The multidrug resistance pumps are inhibited by silibinin and apoptosis induced in K562 and KCL22 leukemia cell lines.

    PubMed

    Noori-Daloii, Mohammad Reza; Saffari, Mojtaba; Raoofian, Reza; Yekaninejad, Mirsaeed; Dinehkabodi, Orkideh Saydi; Noori-Daloii, Ali Reza

    2014-05-01

    Silibinin have been introduced for several years as a potent antioxidant in the field of nutraceuticals. Based on wide persuasive effects of this drug, we have decided to investigate the effects of silibinin on chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in vitro models, K562 and KCL22 cell lines. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, microculture tetrazolium test (MTT assay) and real-time PCR were employed to evaluate the effects of silibinin on cell cytotoxicity, cell proliferation and expression of various multidrug resistance genes in these cell lines, respectively. Our results have shown that presence of silibinin has inhibitory effects on cell proliferation of K562 and KCL22 cell lines. Also, our data indicated that silibinin, in a dose-dependent manner with applying no cytotoxic effects, inhibited cell proliferation and reduced mRNA expression levels of some transporter genes e.g. MDR1, MRP3, MRP2, MRP1, MRP5, MRP4, ABCG2, ABCB11, MRP6 and MRP7. The multifarious in vitro inhibitory effects of silibinin are in agreement with growing body of evidence that silibinin would be an efficient anticancer agent in order to be used in multi-target therapy to prevail the therapeutic hold backs against CML. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Assessment of Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring for Statin Treatment Strategy according to ACC/AHA Guidelines in Asymptomatic Korean Adults.

    PubMed

    Han, Donghee; Ó Hartaigh, Bríain; Lee, Ji Hyun; Rizvi, Asim; Park, Hyo Eun; Choi, Su Yeon; Sung, Jidong; Chang, Hyuk Jae

    2017-01-01

    The 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) cholesterol management guidelines advocate the use of statin treatment for prevention of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to assess the usefulness of coronary artery calcium (CAC) for stratifying potential candidates of statin use among asymptomatic Korean individuals. A total of 31375 subjects who underwent CAC scoring as part of a general health examination were enrolled in the current study. Statin eligibility was categorized as statin recommended (SR), considered (SC), and not recommended (SN) according to ACC/AHA guidelines. Cox regression analysis was employed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidential intervals (CI) after stratifying the subjects according to CAC scores of 0, 1-100, and >100. Number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one mortality event during study follow up was calculated for each group. Mean age was 54.4±7.5 years, and 76.3% were male. During a 5-year median follow-up (interquartile range; 3-7), there were 251 (0.8%) deaths from all-causes. A CAC >100 was independently associated with mortality across each statin group after adjusting for cardiac risk factors (e.g., SR: HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.07-2.38; SC: HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.09-8.13, and SN: HR, 3.14; 95% CI, 1.08-9.17). Notably, patients with CAC >100 displayed a lower NNT in comparison to the absence of CAC or CAC 1-100 in SC and SN groups. In Korean asymptomatic individuals, CAC scoring might prove useful for reclassifying patient eligibility for receiving statin therapy based on updated 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines.

  18. A first insight into the occurrence and expression of functional amoA and accA genes of autotrophic and ammonia-oxidizing bathypelagic Crenarchaeota of Tyrrhenian Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yakimov, Michail M.; Cono, Violetta La; Denaro, Renata

    2009-05-01

    The autotrophic and ammonia-oxidizing crenarchaeal assemblage at offshore site located in the deep Mediterranean (Tyrrhenian Sea, depth 3000 m) water was studied by PCR amplification of the key functional genes involved in energy (ammonia mono-oxygenase alpha subunit, amoA) and central metabolism (acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha subunit, accA). Using two recently annotated genomes of marine crenarchaeons, an initial set of primers targeting archaeal accA-like genes was designed. Approximately 300 clones were analyzed, of which 100% of amoA library and almost 70% of accA library were unambiguously related to the corresponding genes from marine Crenarchaeota. Even though the acetyl-CoA carboxylase is phylogenetically not well conserved and the remaining clones were affiliated to various bacterial acetyl-CoA/propionyl-CoA carboxylase genes, the pool of archaeal sequences was applied for development of quantitative PCR analysis of accA-like distribution using TaqMan ® methodolgy. The archaeal accA gene fragments, together with alignable gene fragments from the Sargasso Sea and North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (ALOHA Station) metagenome databases, were analyzed by multiple sequence alignment. Two accA-like sequences, found in ALOHA Station at the depth of 4000 m, formed a deeply branched clade with 64% of all archaeal Tyrrhenian clones. No close relatives for residual 36% of clones, except of those recovered from Eastern Mediterranean, was found, suggesting the existence of a specific lineage of the crenarchaeal accA genes in deep Mediterranean water. Alignment of Mediterranean amoA sequences defined four cosmopolitan phylotypes of Crenarchaeota putative ammonia mono-oxygenase subunit A gene occurring in the water sample from the 3000 m depth. Without exception all phylotypes fell into Deep Marine Group I cluster that contain the vast majority of known sequences recovered from global deep-sea environment. Remarkably, three phylotypes accounted for 91% of all Mediterranean

  19. Comparison of application of 2013 ACC/AHA guideline and 2011 European Society of Cardiology guideline for the management of dyslipidemias for primary prevention in a Turkish cohort.

    PubMed

    Yılmaz, Mustafa; Atar, İlyas; Hasırcı, Senem; Akyol, Kadirhan; Tekin, Abdullah; Karaçağlar, Emir; Çiftçi, Orçun; Müderrisoğlu, Haldun

    2017-02-01

    Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major global cause of death. The common approach in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is to identify patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease. This article analyzes and compares the application of 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline and the 2011 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline for the management of dyslipidemias for primary prevention in Turkish population. The study included 833 patients (482 women and 351 men). Risk scores were calculated according to both guidelines and indications for statin treatment were determined according to sex and age group. Variables are presented as mean±SD or median with interquartile range for continuous data and as proportions for categorical data. Variables were analyzed by unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square or Fischer's exact test as appropriate. The ACC/AHA would suggest statin treatment in 415 patients out of 833 (49.5%), while ESC would recommend statin for 193 patients out of 833 (23.1%)(p<0.001). Statins would be recommended for 40.4% of women and 62.6% of men for primary prevention by the ACC/AHA, while this figure was 12% for women and 38.4% for men according to the ESC guideline (p<0.001 for both). When compared to the ESC guideline, the ACC/AHA guideline suggests augmented statin treatment for primary prevention in Turkish population.

  20. Comparison of application of 2013 ACC/AHA guideline and 2011 European Society of Cardiology guideline for the management of dyslipidemias for primary prevention in a Turkish cohort

    PubMed Central

    Yılmaz, Mustafa; Atar, İlyas; Hasırcı, Senem; Akyol, Kadirhan; Tekin, Abdullah; Karaçağlar, Emir; Çiftçi, Orçun; Müderrisoğlu, Haldun

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major global cause of death. The common approach in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is to identify patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease. This article analyzes and compares the application of 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline and the 2011 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline for the management of dyslipidemias for primary prevention in Turkish population. Methods: The study included 833 patients (482 women and 351 men). Risk scores were calculated according to both guidelines and indications for statin treatment were determined according to sex and age group. Variables are presented as mean±SD or median with interquartile range for continuous data and as proportions for categorical data. Variables were analyzed by unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square or Fischer’s exact test as appropriate. Results: The ACC/AHA would suggest statin treatment in 415 patients out of 833 (49.5%), while ESC would recommend statin for 193 patients out of 833 (23.1%) (p<0.001). Statins would be recommended for 40.4% of women and 62.6% of men for primary prevention by the ACC/AHA, while this figure was 12% for women and 38.4% for men according to the ESC guideline (p<0.001 for both). Conclusion: When compared to the ESC guideline, the ACC/AHA guideline suggests augmented statin treatment for primary prevention in Turkish population. PMID:27684519

  1. GIFAD for He/KCl(001). Structure in the pattern for 〈 110 〉 incidence as a measure of the projectile-cation interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bocan, G. A.; Gravielle, M. S.

    2018-04-01

    In this article we address grazing incidence fast atom diffraction (GIFAD) for the He/KCl(001) system, for which a systematic experimental study was recently reported [E. Meyer, Ph.D dissertation, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany, 2015]. Our theoretical model is built from a projectile-surface interaction obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and the Surface Initial-Value Representation (SIVR), which is a semi-quantum approach to describe the scattering process. For incidence along the 〈 100 〉 and 〈 110 〉 directions, we present and discuss the main features of our interaction potential, the dependence of the rainbow angle with the impact energy normal to the surface, and the simulated GIFAD patterns, which reproduce the main aspects of the reported experimental charts. The features of the diffraction charts for He/KCl(001) are related to the averaged equipotential curves of the system and a comparison is established with the case of He/LiF(001). The marked differences observed for 〈 110 〉 incidence are explained as due to the much larger size of the K+ ion relative to that of Li+.

  2. Implications of the New ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines for Primary Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Event Prevention in a Multi- Ethnic Cohort: MESA

    PubMed Central

    Yeboah, Joseph; Sillau, Stefan; Delaney, Joseph C; Blaha, Michael J.; Michos, Erin D; Young, Rebekah; Qureshi, Waqas T; McClelland, Robyn; Burke, Gregory L; Psaty, Bruce M; Herrington, David M

    2015-01-01

    Background The impact of replacing the NCEP/ ATPIII cholesterol guidelines with the new 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is unclear. Methods We used risk factor and 10-year clinical event rate data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), combined with estimates of efficacy of moderate and high intensity statin therapy from meta-analyses of statin primary prevention trials to estimate 1.) the change in number of subjects eligible for drug therapy, and 2.) the anticipated reduction in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events and increment in Type II diabetes (T2DM) associated with the change in cholesterol guidelines. Results Of the 6814 MESA participants, 5437 were not on statins at baseline and had complete data for analysis (mean age 61.4 ±10.3). Using the NCEP/ATP III guidelines 1334 (24.5%) would have been eligible for statin therapy compared with 3015 (55.5%) under the new ACC/AHA guidelines. Among the subset of newly eligible, 127/1742 (7.3%) had an ASCVD event during 10 years of follow-up. Assuming 10 years of moderate intensity statin therapy, the estimated absolute reduction in ASCVD events for the newly eligible group was 2.06% (NNT: 48.6) and the estimated absolute increase in T2DM was 0.90% (NNH: 110.7). Assuming 10 years of high intensity statin therapy, the corresponding estimates for reductions in ASCVD and increases in T2DM were: ASCVD; 2.70% (NNT: 37.5) and T2DM: 2.60% (NNH: 38.6). The estimated effects of moderate intensity statins on 10 year risk for ASCVD and T2DM in participants eligible for statins under the NCEP/ATP III were: 3.20% (NNT: 31.5) and 1.06% (NNH: 94.2) respectively. Conclusion Substituting the NCEP/ATP III cholesterol guidelines with the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines in MESA more than doubled the number of participants eligible for statin therapy. If the new ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines are adopted and extend the primary prevention population eligible for

  3. Drought response of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. inoculated with ACC deaminase and IAA producing rhizobacteria.

    PubMed

    Saleem, Aansa Rukya; Brunetti, Cecilia; Khalid, Azeem; Della Rocca, Gianni; Raio, Aida; Emiliani, Giovanni; De Carlo, Anna; Mahmood, Tariq; Centritto, Mauro

    2018-01-01

    Drought is one of the major constraints limiting agricultural production worldwide and is expected to increase in the future. Limited water availability causes significant effects to plant growth and physiology. Plants have evolved different traits to mitigate the stress imposed by drought. The presence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could play an important role in improving plant performances and productivity under drought. These beneficial microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere of plants and increase drought tolerance by lowering ethylene formation. In the present study, we demonstrate the potential to improve the growth of velvet bean under water deficit conditions of two different strains of PGPR with ACCd (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate deaminase) activity isolated from rainfed farming system. We compared uninoculated and inoculated plants with PGPR to assess: a) photosynthetic performance and biomass; b) ACC content and ethylene emission from leaves and roots; c) leaf isoprene emission. Our results provided evidence that under drought conditions inoculation with PGPR containing the ACCd enzyme could improve plant growth compared to untreated plants. Ethylene emission from roots and leaves of inoculated velvet bean plants was significantly lower than uninoculated plants. Moreover, isoprene emission increased with drought stress progression and was higher in inoculated plants compared to uninoculated counterparts. These findings clearly illustrate that selected PGPR strains isolated from rainfed areas could be highly effective in promoting plant growth under drought conditions by decreasing ACC and ethylene levels in plants.

  4. Drought response of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. inoculated with ACC deaminase and IAA producing rhizobacteria

    PubMed Central

    Khalid, Azeem; Raio, Aida; Emiliani, Giovanni; De Carlo, Anna; Mahmood, Tariq

    2018-01-01

    Drought is one of the major constraints limiting agricultural production worldwide and is expected to increase in the future. Limited water availability causes significant effects to plant growth and physiology. Plants have evolved different traits to mitigate the stress imposed by drought. The presence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could play an important role in improving plant performances and productivity under drought. These beneficial microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere of plants and increase drought tolerance by lowering ethylene formation. In the present study, we demonstrate the potential to improve the growth of velvet bean under water deficit conditions of two different strains of PGPR with ACCd (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate deaminase) activity isolated from rainfed farming system. We compared uninoculated and inoculated plants with PGPR to assess: a) photosynthetic performance and biomass; b) ACC content and ethylene emission from leaves and roots; c) leaf isoprene emission. Our results provided evidence that under drought conditions inoculation with PGPR containing the ACCd enzyme could improve plant growth compared to untreated plants. Ethylene emission from roots and leaves of inoculated velvet bean plants was significantly lower than uninoculated plants. Moreover, isoprene emission increased with drought stress progression and was higher in inoculated plants compared to uninoculated counterparts. These findings clearly illustrate that selected PGPR strains isolated from rainfed areas could be highly effective in promoting plant growth under drought conditions by decreasing ACC and ethylene levels in plants. PMID:29447189

  5. The CEOS Atmospheric Composition Constellation (ACC), an Integrated Observing System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hilsenrath, E.; Langen, J.; Zehner, C.

    2008-05-01

    The Atmospheric Composition (AC) Constellation is one of four pilot projects initiated by the Committee for Earth Observations Systems (CEOS) to bring about technical/scientific cooperation among space agencies that meet the goals of GEO and comply with the CEOS member agencies national programs. The Constellation concept has been endorsed in the GEO Work Plan, 2007-2009. The AC Constellation goal is to collect and deliver data to develop and improve monitoring, assessment and predictive capabilities for changes in the ozone layer, air quality and climate forcing associated with changes in the environment. These data will support five of the nine GEO SBAs: Health, Energy, Climate, Hazards, and Ecosystems. At the present time ESA, EC, CSA, CNES, JAXA, DLR, NIVR, NASA, NOAA and Eumetsat are participating in the Constellation study, and have major assets in orbit including 17 instruments on seven platforms. One goal of the Constellation study is to identify missing capabilities that will result when the present orbiting research satellites missions end and those not included in the next generation operational missions. Missing observations include very accurate and high spatial resolution measurements needed to be to track trends in atmospheric composition and understand their relationship to climate change. The following are the top level objectives for the AC Constellation Concept Study: • Develop a virtual constellation of existing and upcoming missions using synergies among the instruments and identify missing capabilities. • Study advanced architecture with new space assets and varying orbits with expectations that new technology could also be brought forward to best meet user requirements • Data system interoperability to insure that data are useful, properly targeted, and easily accessible. To demonstrate that the Constellation concept can provide value added data products, the ACC has initiated the three projects that are being supported by the

  6. Report of the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), Washington DC.

    PubMed

    Hiro, Takafumi

    2017-05-25

    The 66 th Annual Scientific Sessions and Expo of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) were held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington DC, from March 17 th to 19 th , 2017. This meeting offered 23 Late-Breaking Clinical Trial (LBCT) presentations, 17 Featured Clinical Research presentations with and without LBCT, and 2,572 abstracts presented in oral and poster sessions by over 2,000 experts. This report presents the highlights of this meeting, including the opening showcase, several important LBCTs and some international joint symposiums.

  7. Temperature Dependence of Behavior of Interface Between Molten Sn and LiCl-KCl Eutectic Melt Due to Rising Gas Bubble

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Natsui, Shungo; Nashimoto, Ryota; Takai, Hifumi; Kumagai, Takehiko; Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

    2016-06-01

    The behavior of the interface between molten Sn and the LiCl-KCl eutectic melt system was observed directly. We found that the transient behavior of the interface exhibits considerable temperature dependence through a change in its physical properties. The "metal film" generated in the upper molten salt phase significantly influences the shape of the interface. Although the lifetime of the metal film depends on the gas flow rate, it is not affected by the buoyancy if the interfacial tension is dominant.

  8. Processes of Molecular Relaxation in Binary Crystalline Systems KNO3-KClO4, KNO3-KNO2, and K2CO3-K2SO4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliev, A. R.; Akhmedov, I. R.; Kakagasanov, M. G.; Aliev, Z. A.; Gafurov, M. M.; Rabadanov, K. Sh.; Amirov, A. M.

    2018-03-01

    The processes of molecular relaxation in binary crystalline systems KNO3-KClO4, KNO3-KNO2, and K2CO3-K2SO4 are studied via differential thermal analysis and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the relaxation time of the vibrations ν1( A) of anions NO- 3 and CO2- 3 in systems KNO3-KClO4, KNO3-KNO2, and K2CO3-K2SO4 is less than that in KNO3 and K2CO3, respectively. It is shown that the increased rate of relaxation is explained by an additional relaxation mechanism presented in the system. This mechanism is associated with the excitation of vibrations of anions ClO- 4, NO- 2, and SO2- 4 and the lattice phonons that emerge. It is found that this relaxation mechanism requires correspondence of the frequency difference of these vibrations to the region of sufficiently high density of states of the phonon spectrum.

  9. Factors associated with compliance to AHA/ACC performance measures in a myocardial infarction system of care in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Lana, Maria Letícia L; Beaton, Andrea Z; Brant, Luisa C C; Bozzi, Isadora C R S; de Magalhães, Osias; Castro, Luiz Ricardo de A; da Silva Júnior, Francisco César T; da Silva, José Luiz P; Ribeiro, Antonio Luiz P; Nascimento, Bruno R

    2017-08-01

    To evaluate compliance with American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) performance measures for adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to investigate the factors associated with compliance, in an AMI System of Care in Brazil. Observational longitudinal study. A high-complexity University Hospital, part of the AMI System of Care implemented in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 2010. Of note, 1129 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) admitted to a single center over 36 months (between 2011 and 2014). Compliance with 13 pre-specified AHA/ACC AMI performance measures was evaluated for patients with AMI, observing exclusion criteria and appropriate numerators and denominators. Median compliance was calculated and variables independently associated with compliance rates were evaluated. Median age was 60 (51/68) years, 67.7% male, 69.8% presented with STEMI and hospital mortality was 8.7%. Median compliance with performance measures was 83% (75/88). Among patients with STEMI, 56% received reperfusion therapy. Overall, 67.3% of patients complied with ≥80% of quality measures. Factors independently associated with better compliance were later date of presentation (semester), likely reflecting ongoing training (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10-1.28, P < 0.001), male gender (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.00-1.76, P < 0.046), Killip I/II on admission (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.36-2.80, P < 0.001) and diagnosis of NSTEMI (OR = 5.0, 95% CI: 3.51-7.11, P < 0.001). Compliance with AHA/ACC AMI performance measures remains below target in Brazil, but the time trends observed suggest improvement. Continuing education, reduction of system delays and prioritizing high-risk groups are needed to optimize AMI systems of care and improve patient outcomes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For

  10. FGF21 does not require adipocyte AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or the phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) to mediate improvements in whole-body glucose homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Mottillo, Emilio P; Desjardins, Eric M; Fritzen, Andreas M; Zou, Vito Z; Crane, Justin D; Yabut, Julian M; Kiens, Bente; Erion, Derek M; Lanba, Adhiraj; Granneman, James G; Talukdar, Saswata; Steinberg, Gregory R

    2017-06-01

    Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) shows great potential for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, as its long-acting analogue reduces body weight and improves lipid profiles of participants in clinical studies; however, the intracellular mechanisms mediating these effects are poorly understood. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important energy sensor of the cell and a molecular target for anti-diabetic medications. This work examined the role of AMPK in mediating the glucose and lipid-lowering effects of FGF21. Inducible adipocyte AMPK β1β2 knockout mice (iβ1β2AKO) and littermate controls were fed a high fat diet (HFD) and treated with native FGF21 or saline for two weeks. Additionally, HFD-fed mice with knock-in mutations on the AMPK phosphorylation sites of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)1 and ACC2 (DKI mice) along with wild-type (WT) controls received long-acting FGF21 for two weeks. Consistent with previous studies, FGF21 treatment significantly reduced body weight, adiposity, and liver lipids in HFD fed mice. To add, FGF21 improved circulating lipids, glycemic control, and insulin sensitivity. These effects were independent of adipocyte AMPK and were not associated with changes in browning of white (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). Lastly, we assessed whether FGF21 exerted its effects through the AMPK/ACC axis, which is critical in the therapeutic benefits of the anti-diabetic medication metformin. ACC DKI mice had improved glucose and insulin tolerance and a reduction in body weight, body fat and hepatic steatosis similar to WT mice in response to FGF21 administration. These data illustrate that the metabolic improvements upon FGF21 administration are independent of adipocyte AMPK, and do not require the inhibitory action of AMPK on ACC. This is in contrast to the anti-diabetic medication metformin and suggests that the treatment of obesity and diabetes with the combination of FGF21 and AMPK activators merits consideration.

  11. Comparison of ACC/AHA and ESC Guideline Recommendations Following Trial Evidence for Statin Use in Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Results From the Population-Based Rotterdam Study.

    PubMed

    Pavlovic, Jelena; Greenland, Philip; Deckers, Jaap W; Brugts, Jasper J; Kavousi, Maryam; Dhana, Klodian; Ikram, M Arfan; Hofman, Albert; Stricker, Bruno H; Franco, Oscar H; Leening, Maarten J G

    2016-09-01

    The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines both recommend lipid-lowering treatment for primary prevention based on global risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) for statin use have included participants with specific risk-factor profiles. To evaluate the overlap between the ACC/AHA and ESC guideline recommendations and available evidence from RCTs for statin use in primary prevention of CVD. We calculated the 10-year risk for hard atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) following the ACC/AHA guideline, 10-year risk of CVD mortality following the ESC guideline, and we determined eligibility for each of 10 major RCTs for primary prevention of CVD. Conducted from July 2014 to August 2015, this study included 7279 individuals free of CVD, aged 45 to 75 years, examined between 1997 and 2008 for the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based cohort. Proportions of individuals qualifying for lipid-lowering treatment per guidelines, proportions of individuals eligible for any of the 10 RCTs, overlap between these groups, and corresponding ASCVD incidence rates. Of the 7279 individuals included in the study, 58.2% were women (n = 4238) and had a mean (SD) age of 61.1 (6.9) years. The ACC/AHA guidelines would recommend statin initiation in 4284 participants (58.9%), while the ESC guidelines would in 2399 participants (33.0%) (overlapping by 95.8% with ACC/AHA). A total of 3857 participants (53.0%) met eligibility criteria for at least 1 RCT. Recommendations from both guidelines and trial evidence overlapped for 1546 participants (21.2%), who were at high risk for ASCVD (21.5 per 1000 person-years). A further 1703 participants (23.4%) would be recommended for statins by the guidelines in the absence of direct trial evidence, while 1176 (16.2%) would have been eligible for at least 1 trial without being recommended statin treatment by any guideline

  12. Comparison of application of the ACC/AHA guidelines, Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, and European Society of Cardiology guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention in a European cohort.

    PubMed

    Kavousi, Maryam; Leening, Maarten J G; Nanchen, David; Greenland, Philip; Graham, Ian M; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Ikram, M Arfan; Stricker, Bruno H; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H

    2014-04-09

    The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines introduced a prediction model and lowered the threshold for treatment with statins to a 7.5% 10-year hard atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Implications of the new guideline's threshold and model have not been addressed in non-US populations or compared with previous guidelines. To determine population-wide implications of the ACC/AHA, the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines using a cohort of Dutch individuals aged 55 years or older. We included 4854 Rotterdam Study participants recruited in 1997-2001. We calculated 10-year risks for "hard" ASCVD events (including fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease [CHD] and stroke) (ACC/AHA), hard CHD events (fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, CHD mortality) (ATP-III), and atherosclerotic CVD mortality (ESC). Events were assessed until January 1, 2012. Per guideline, we calculated proportions of individuals for whom statins would be recommended and determined calibration and discrimination of risk models. The mean age was 65.5 (SD, 5.2) years. Statins would be recommended for 96.4% (95% CI, 95.4%-97.1%; n = 1825) of men and 65.8% (95% CI, 63.8%-67.7%; n = 1523) of women by the ACC/AHA, 52.0% (95% CI, 49.8%-54.3%; n = 985) of men and 35.5% (95% CI, 33.5%-37.5%; n = 821) of women by the ATP-III, and 66.1% (95% CI, 64.0%-68.3%; n = 1253) of men and 39.1% (95% CI, 37.1%-41.2%; n = 906) of women by ESC guidelines. With the ACC/AHA model, average predicted risk vs observed cumulative incidence of hard ASCVD events was 21.5% (95% CI, 20.9%-22.1%) vs 12.7% (95% CI, 11.1%-14.5%) for men (192 events) and 11.6% (95% CI, 11.2%-12.0%) vs 7.9% (95% CI, 6.7%-9.2%) for women (151 events). Similar overestimation occurred with the ATP-III model (98 events in men and 62 events in women) and ESC model (50 events in men and 37 events in women). The C

  13. ACC deaminase and IAA producing growth promoting bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of tropical rice plants.

    PubMed

    Bal, Himadri Bhusan; Das, Subhasis; Dangar, Tushar K; Adhya, Tapan K

    2013-12-01

    Beneficial plant-associated bacteria play a key role in supporting and/or promoting plant growth and health. Plant growth promoting bacteria present in the rhizosphere of crop plants can directly affect plant metabolism or modulate phytohormone production or degradation. We isolated 355 bacteria from the rhizosphere of rice plants grown in the farmers' fields in the coastal rice field soil from five different locations of the Ganjam district of Odisha, India. Six bacteria producing both ACC deaminase (ranging from 603.94 to 1350.02 nmol α-ketobutyrate mg(-1)  h(-1) ) and indole acetic acid (IAA; ranging from 10.54 to 37.65 μM ml(-1) ) in pure cultures were further identified using polyphasic taxonomy including BIOLOG((R)) , FAME analysis and the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses of the isolates resulted into five major clusters to include members of the genera Bacillus, Microbacterium, Methylophaga, Agromyces, and Paenibacillus. Seed inoculation of rice (cv. Naveen) by the six individual PGPR isolates had a considerable impact on different growth parameters including root elongation that was positively correlated with ACC deaminase activity and IAA production. The cultures also had other plant growth attributes including ammonia production and at least two isolates produced siderophores. Study indicates that presence of diverse rhizobacteria with effective growth-promoting traits, in the rice rhizosphere, may be exploited for a sustainable crop management under field conditions. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Anti-tumorigenic effect of nano formulated peptide pACC1 by diminishing de novo lipogenisis in DMBA induced mammary carcinoma rat model.

    PubMed

    Kaliaperumal, Jagatheesh; Padarthi, Pavankumar; Elangovan, Namasivayam; Hari, Natarajan

    2014-07-01

    At present, the majority of established treatments for breast cancer are based on clinical manifestations, some fundamental of molecular and cellular biology of cancer. In recent times, the therapy is moving towards personalized medicines. Nevertheless, both the methodologies have own demerits. In the present study, we proposed a novel idea of targeted therapy with twin pharmacological potential by a peptide pACC1. The peptide was formulated with chitosan and evaluated with DMBA induced mammary carcinoma. Results suggest that the peptide holds great control on tumor cell multiplication, fatty acid synthesis and lactate levels. In addition, peptide also brings normal metabolic signs in glycolytic and glycogenic pathways. Histological studies confirm the dual pharmacological actions. Further, it is also proven that the peptide controls membrane receptor levels of HER2 and EGFR. In conclusion, that the peptide pACC1 could be employed as greater therapeutic adjuvant with currently established drugs without considering the stage of the cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Development of high temperature transport technology for LiCl-KCl eutectic salt in pyroprocessing

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

    Lee, Sung Ho; Lee, Hansoo; Kim, In Tae

    The development of high-temperature transport technologies for molten salt is a prerequisite and a key issue in the industrialization of pyro-reprocessing for advanced fuel cycle scenarios. The solution of a molten salt centrifugal pump was discarded because of the high corrosion power of a high temperature molten salt, so the suction pump solution was selected. An apparatus for salt transport experiments by suction was designed and tested using LiC-KCl eutectic salt. The experimental results of lab-scale molten salt transport by suction showed a 99.5% transport rate (ratio of transported salt to total salt) under a vacuum range of 100 mtorrmore » - 10 torr at 500 Celsius degrees. The suction system has been integrated to the PRIDE (pyroprocessing integrated inactive demonstration) facility that is a demonstrator using non-irradiated materials (natural uranium and surrogate materials). The performance of the suction pump for the transport of molten salts has been confirmed.« less

  16. Molten salt corrosion behavior of structural materials in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 by thermogravimetric study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rao, Ch Jagadeeswara; Ningshen, S.; Mallika, C.; Mudali, U. Kamachi

    2018-04-01

    The corrosion resistance of structural materials has been recognized as a key issue in the various unit operations such as salt purification, electrorefining, cathode processing and injection casting in the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic nuclear fuels. In the present work, the corrosion behavior of the candidate materials of stainless steel (SS) 410, 2.25Cr-1Mo and 9Cr-1Mo steels was investigated in molten LiCl-KCl-UCl3 salt by thermogravimetric analysis under inert and reactive atmospheres at 500 and 600 °C, for 6 h duration. Insignificant weight gain (less than 1 mg/cm2) in the inert atmosphere and marginal weight gain (maximum 5 mg/cm2) in the reactive atmosphere were observed at both the temperatures. Chromium depletion rates and formation of Cr-rich corrosion products increased with increasing temperature of exposure in both inert and reactive atmospheres as evidenced by SEM and EDS analysis. The corrosion attack by LiCl-KCl-UCl3 molten salt, under reactive atmosphere for 6 h duration was more in the case of SS410 than 9Cr-1Mo steel followed by 2.25Cr-1Mo steel at 500 °C and the corrosion attack at 600 °C followed the order: 9Cr-1Mo steel >2.25Cr-1Mo steel > SS410. Outward diffusion of the minor alloying element, Mo was observed in 9Cr-1Mo and 2.25Cr-1Mo steels at both temperatures under reactive atmosphere. Laser Raman spectral analysis of the molten salt corrosion tested alloys under a reactive atmosphere at 500 and 600 °C for 6 h revealed the formation of unprotected Fe3O4 and α-as well as γ-Fe2O3. The results of the present study facilitate the selection of structural materials for applications in the corrosive molten salt environment at high temperatures.

  17. Ethylene emission and PR protein synthesis in ACC deaminase producing Methylobacterium spp. inoculated tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) challenged with Ralstonia solanacearum under greenhouse conditions.

    PubMed

    Yim, Woojong; Seshadri, Sundaram; Kim, Kiyoon; Lee, Gillseung; Sa, Tongmin

    2013-06-01

    Bacteria of genus Methylobacterium have been found to promote plant growth and regulate the level of ethylene in crop plants. This work is aimed to test the induction of defense responses in tomato against bacterial wilt by stress ethylene level reduction mediated by the ACC deaminase activity of Methylobacterium strains. Under greenhouse conditions, the disease index value in Methylobacterium sp. inoculated tomato plants was lower than control plants. Plants treated with Methylobacterium sp. challenge inoculated with Ralstonia solanacearum (RS) showed significantly reduced disease symptoms and lowered ethylene emission under greenhouse condition. The ACC and ACO (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase) accumulation in tomato leaves were significantly reduced with Methylobacterium strains inoculation. While ACC oxidase gene expression was found higher in plants treated with R. solanacearum than Methylobacterium sp. treatment, PR proteins related to induced systemic resistance like β-1,3-glucanase, PAL, PO and PPO were increased in Methylobacterium sp. inoculated plants. A significant increase in β-1,3-glucanase and PAL gene expression was found in all the Methylobacterium spp. treatments compared to the R. solanacearum treatment. This study confirms the activity of Methylobacterium sp. in increasing the defense enzymes by modulating the ethylene biosynthesis pathway and suggests the use of methylotrophic bacteria as potential biocontrol agents in tomato cultivation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Determination of ACC-induced cell-programmed death in roots of Vicia faba ssp. minor seedlings by acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining.

    PubMed

    Byczkowska, Anna; Kunikowska, Anita; Kaźmierczak, Andrzej

    2013-02-01

    Fluorescence staining with acridine orange (AO) and ethidium bromide (EB) showed that nuclei of cortex root cells of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)-treated Vicia faba ssp. minor seedlings differed in color. Measurement of resultant fluorescence intensity (RFI) showed that it increased when the color of nuclear chromatin was changed from green to red, indicating that EB moved to the nuclei via the cell membrane which lost its integrity and stained nuclei red. AO/EB staining showed that changes in color of the nuclear chromatin were accompanied by DNA condensation, nuclei fragmentation, and chromatin degradation which were also shown after 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindol staining. These results indicate that ACC induced programmed cell death. The increasing values of RFI together with the corresponding morphological changes of nuclear chromatin were the basis to prepare the standard curve; cells with green unchanged nuclear chromatin were alive while those with dark orange and bright red nuclei were dead. The cells with nuclei with green-yellow, yellow-orange, and bright orange chromatin with or without their condensation and fragmentation chromatin were dying. The prepared curve has became the basis to draw up the digital method for detection and determination of the number of living, dying, and dead cells in an in planta system and revealed that ACC induced death in about 20% of root cortex cells. This process was accompanied by increase in ion leakage, shortening of cells and whole roots, as well as by increase in weight and width of the apical part of roots and appearance of few aerenchymatic spaces while not by internucleosomal DNA degradation.

  19. Various effects of fluorescent bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas containing ACC deaminase on wheat seedling growth.

    PubMed

    Magnucka, Elżbieta G; Pietr, Stanisław J

    2015-12-01

    The study evaluates the effect of rhizobacteria having 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACCd) on the development of wheat seedlings. This enzyme has been proposed to play a key role in microbe-plant association. Three fluorescent pseudomonads containing this deaminase were selected from 70 strains of pseudomonads isolated from rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rape (Brassica napus L.). These bacteria, varied significantly in the ability to both biosynthesize auxins and hydrolyze ACC. Among them, Pseudomonas brassicacearum subsp. brassicacearum strain RZ310 presented the highest activities of ACC deaminase during 96h of growth in liquid Dworkin and Foster (DF) salt medium. Additionally, this rape rhizosphere strain did not produce indoles. Two other isolates, Pseudomonas sp. PO283 and Pseudomonas sp. PO366, secreted auxins only in the presence of their precursor. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and four other protein-encoding genes indicated that these wheat rhizosphere isolates belonged to the fluorescent Pseudomonas group. Moreover, the effects of these strains on wheat seedling growth under in vitro conditions were markedly dependent on both their cell suspensions used to grain inoculation and nutrient conditions. Strains tested had beneficial influence on wheat seedlings mainly at low cell densities. In addition, access to nutrients markedly changed bacteria action on cereal growth. Their presence generally favored the positive effects of pseudomonads on length and the estimated biomasses of wheat coleoptiles. Despite these general rules, impacts of each isolate on the growth parameters of cereal seedlings were unique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. A kinetic study on the catalysis of KCl, K2SO4, and K2CO3 during oxy-biomass combustion.

    PubMed

    Deng, Shuanghui; Wang, Xuebin; Zhang, Jiaye; Liu, Zihan; Mikulčić, Hrvoje; Vujanović, Milan; Tan, Houzhang; Duić, Neven

    2018-07-15

    Biomass combustion under the oxy-fuel conditions (Oxy-biomass combustion) is one of the approaches achieving negative CO 2 emissions. KCl, K 2 CO 3 and K 2 SO 4 , as the major potassium species in biomass ash, can catalytically affect biomass combustion. In this paper, the catalysis of the representative potassium salts on oxy-biomass combustion was studied using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Effects of potassium salt types (KCl, K 2 CO 3 and K 2 SO 4 ), loading concentrations (0, 1, 3, 5, 8 wt%), replacing N 2 by CO 2 , and O 2 concentrations (5, 20, 30 vol%) on the catalysis degree were discussed. The comparison between TG-DTG curves of biomass combustion before and after water washing in both the 20%O 2 /80%N 2 and 20%O 2 /80%CO 2 atmospheres indicates that the water-soluble minerals in biomass play a role in promoting the devolatilization and accelerating the char-oxidation; and the replacement of N 2 by CO 2 inhibits the devolatilization and char-oxidation processes during oxy-biomass combustion. In the devolatilization stage, the catalysis degree of potassium monotonously increases with the increase of potassium salt loaded concentration. The catalysis degree order of the studied potassium salts is K 2 CO 3  > KCl > K 2 SO 4 . In the char-oxidation stage, with the increase of loading concentration the three kinds of potassium salts present inconsistent change tendencies of the catalysis degree. In the studied loading concentrations from 0 to 8 wt%, there is an optimal loading concentration for KCl and K 2 CO 3 , at 3 and 5 wt%, respectively; while for K 2 SO 4 , the catalysis degree on char-oxidation monotonically increases with the loading potassium concentration. For most studied conditions, regardless of the potassium salt types or the loading concentrations or the combustion stages, the catalysis degree in the O 2 /CO 2 atmosphere is stronger than that in the O 2 /N 2 atmosphere. The catalysis degree is also affected by the O 2

  1. 4D porosity evolution during solid-solid replacement reaction in mineral system (KBr, KCl)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beaudoin, Nicolas; Hamilton, Andrea; Koehn, Daniel; Shipton, Zoe

    2017-04-01

    An extensive understanding of the controlling mechanisms of phase transformation is key in geosciences to better predicting the evolution of the physical parameters of rocks (porosity, permeability, and rheology) from centimetre-scale (e.g. fingering in siltstones) to kilometer-scale (e.g. Dolostone geobodies), in both the diagenetic and metamorphic domains. This contribution reports the 4D monitoring of a KBr crystal at different time steps during an experimental, fluid-mediated replacement reaction with KCl. Volumes are reconstructed based on density contrast using non-destructive X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) at a resolution of 3 microns. A sample of KBr was immersed in a static bath of saturated KCl at room temperature and pressure. 5 scans were performed during the reaction at 5, 10, 20, 35 and 55 minutes, until 50% of the original crystal was replaced. As a control experiment, two samples reacted continuously for 15 and 55 minutes, respectively. Each 3D dataset was reconstructed to visualize and quantify the different mineral phases, the porosity distribution and connectivity, along with the reaction front morphology. In the case of successive baths, results show that the front morphology evolves from rough with small fingers to flat and thick during the reaction, suggesting a switch between advection and diffusion controlled reactant distribution through time. This switch is also reflected in the mass evolution and the rate of propagation of the replaced zone, being rapid in the first 20 minutes before reaching steady state. The porosity develops perpendicular to the crystal wall, suggesting a self-organization process governed by advection, before connecting laterally. While the reaction changes from advection controlled to diffusion controlled, the direction of the connected pores becomes parallel to the crystal walls. This phenomenon is not observed when the crystal is reacting discontinuously for 55 minutes. In the latter case, self

  2. OpenACC acceleration of an unstructured CFD solver based on a reconstructed discontinuous Galerkin method for compressible flows

    DOE PAGES

    Xia, Yidong; Lou, Jialin; Luo, Hong; ...

    2015-02-09

    Here, an OpenACC directive-based graphics processing unit (GPU) parallel scheme is presented for solving the compressible Navier–Stokes equations on 3D hybrid unstructured grids with a third-order reconstructed discontinuous Galerkin method. The developed scheme requires the minimum code intrusion and algorithm alteration for upgrading a legacy solver with the GPU computing capability at very little extra effort in programming, which leads to a unified and portable code development strategy. A face coloring algorithm is adopted to eliminate the memory contention because of the threading of internal and boundary face integrals. A number of flow problems are presented to verify the implementationmore » of the developed scheme. Timing measurements were obtained by running the resulting GPU code on one Nvidia Tesla K20c GPU card (Nvidia Corporation, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and compared with those obtained by running the equivalent Message Passing Interface (MPI) parallel CPU code on a compute node (consisting of two AMD Opteron 6128 eight-core CPUs (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA)). Speedup factors of up to 24× and 1.6× for the GPU code were achieved with respect to one and 16 CPU cores, respectively. The numerical results indicate that this OpenACC-based parallel scheme is an effective and extensible approach to port unstructured high-order CFD solvers to GPU computing.« less

  3. Validation of a simple method of estimating plasma free cortisol: role of cortisol binding to albumin.

    PubMed

    Dorin, Richard I; Pai, Hemanth K; Ho, Jui T; Lewis, John G; Torpy, David J; Urban, Frank K; Qualls, Clifford R

    2009-01-01

    To develop, optimize, and validate a generalized mass action, equilibrium solution that incorporates measured concentrations of albumin as well as cortisol binding globulin (CBG) to estimate free cortisol. Free cortisol was estimated by Coolens method or by cubic equilibrium equation and compared to measured free cortisol, determined by ultrafiltration method, in subjects with septic shock (n=45), sepsis (n=19), and healthy controls (n=10) at 0, 30, and 60 min following administration of cosyntropin (250 mcg). The data set also included repeat testing in 30 subjects following recovery from sepsis/septic shock. The equilibrium dissociation constant for cortisol binding to albumin (K(A)) was optimized by non-linear regression. The cubic equilibrium solution was also used to model the influence of cortisol, CBG, and albumin concentration on free cortisol. Compared to measured free cortisol, the cubic solution, using an optimized K(A) of 137,800 nM, was less biased than Coolens solution, with mean percent error of -23.0% vs. -41.1% (paired t test, P<0.001). Standard deviation values were also significantly lower (Wilks' test, P<0.001) for the cubic solution (SD 35.8% vs. 40.8% for cubic vs. Coolens, respectively). Modeling studies using the cubic solution suggest an interaction effect by which low concentrations of CBG and albumin contribute to a greater increase in free cortisol than the sum of their independent effects. Mass action solutions that incorporate the measured concentration of albumin as well as CBG provide a reasonably accurate estimate of free cortisol that generalizes to conditions of health as well as a setting of hypercortisolism and low CBG and albumin concentrations associated with septic shock. Modeling studies emphasize the significant contribution of albumin deficiency and albumin-bound cortisol under conditions of CBG-deficiency, and identify a synergistic effect by which combined CBG and albumin deficiency contribute to elevation of free

  4. Zirconium behaviour during electrorefining of actinide-zirconium alloy in molten LiCl-KCl on aluminium cathodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meier, R.; Souček, P.; Malmbeck, R.; Krachler, M.; Rodrigues, A.; Claux, B.; Glatz, J.-P.; Fanghänel, Th.

    2016-04-01

    A pyrochemical electrorefining process for the recovery of actinides from metallic nuclear fuel based on actinide-zirconium alloys (An-Zr) in a molten salt is being investigated. In this process actinides are group-selectively recovered on solid aluminium cathodes as An-Al alloys using a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt at a temperature of 450 °C. In the present study the electrochemical behaviour of zirconium during electrorefining was investigated. The maximum amount of actinides that can be oxidised without anodic co-dissolution of zirconium was determined at a selected constant cathodic current density. The experiment consisted of three steps to assess the different stages of the electrorefining process, each of which employing a fresh aluminium cathode. The results indicate that almost a complete dissolution of the actinides without co-dissolution of zirconium is possible under the applied experimental conditions.

  5. Melting of KCl and pressure calibration from in situ ionic conductivity measurements in a multi-anvil apparatus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, J.; Dong, J.; Zhu, F.

    2017-12-01

    Melting plays an unparalleled role in planetary differentiation processes including the formation of metallic cores, basaltic crusts, and atmospheres. Knowledge of the melting behavior of Earth materials provides critical constraints for establishing the Earth's thermal structure, interpreting regional seismic anomalies, and understanding the nature of chemical heterogeneity. Measuring the melting points of compressed materials, however, have remained challenging mainly because melts are often mobile and reactive, and temperature and pressure gradients across millimeter or micron-sized samples introduce large uncertainties in melting detection. Here the melting curve of KCl was determined through in situ ionic conductivity measurements, using the multi-anvil apparatus at the University of Michigan. The method improves upon the symmetric configuration that was used recently for studying the melting behaviors of NaCl, Na2CO3, and CaCO3 (Li and Li 2015 American Mineralogist, Li et al. 2017 Earth and Planetary Science Letters). In the new configuration, the thermocouple and electrodes are placed together with the sample at the center of a cylindrical heater where the temperature is the highest along the axis, in order to minimize uncertainties in temperature measurements and increase the stability of the sample and electrodes. With 1% reproducibility in melting point determination at pressures up to 20 GPa, this method allows us to determine the sample pressure to oil load relationship at high temperatures during multiple heating and cooling cycles, on the basis of the well-known melting curves of ionic compounds. This approach enables more reliable pressure measurements than relying on a small number of fixed-point phase transitions. The new data on KCl bridge the gap between the piston-cylinder results up to 4 GPa (Pistorius 1965 J. of Physics and Chemistry of Solids) and several diamond-anvil cell data points above 20 GPa (Boehler et al. 1996 Physical Review). We

  6. GATEWAY Demonstrations: Tuning the Light in Senior Care: Evaluating a Trial LED Lighting System at the ACC Care Center in Sacramento, CA

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

    Davis, Robert G.; Wilkerson, Andrea M.; Samla, Connie

    The GATEWAY program documented the performance of tunable-white LED lighting systems installed in several spaces within the ACC Care Center, a senior-care facility in Sacramento, CA. The project results included energy savings and improved lighting quality, as well as other possible health-related benefits that may have been attributable, at least in part, to the lighting changes.

  7. Separation of CsCl from a Ternary CsCl-LiCl-KCl Salt via a Melt Crystallization Technique for Pyroprocessing Waste Minimization

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

    Ammon Williams; Supathorn Phongikaroon; Michael Simpson

    A parametric study has been conducted to identify the effects of several parameters on the separation of CsCl from molten LiCl-KCl salt via a melt crystallization process. A reverse vertical Bridgman technique was used to grow the salt crystals. The investigated parameters were: (1) the advancement rate, (2) the crucible lid configuration, (3) the amount of salt mixture, (4) the initial composition of CsCl, and (5) the temperature difference between the high and low furnace zones. From each grown crystal, samples were taken axially and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results show that CsCl concentrations at themore » top of the crystals were low and increased to a maximum at the bottom of the salt. Salt (LiCl-KCl) recycle percentages for the experiments ranged from 50% to 75% and the CsCl composition in the waste salt was low. To increase the recycle percentage and the concentration of CsCl in the waste form, the possibility of using multiple crystallization stages was explored to further optimize the process. Results show that multiple crystallization stages are practical and the optimal experimental conditions should be operated at 5.0 mm/hr rate with a lid configuration and temperature difference of 200 °C for a total of five crystallization stages. Under these conditions, up to 88% of the salt can be recycled.« less

  8. Electrodeposition of Al-Ta alloys in NaCl-KCl-AlCl3 molten salt containing TaCl5

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sato, Kazuki; Matsushima, Hisayoshi; Ueda, Mikito

    2016-12-01

    To form Al-Ta alloys for high temperature oxidation resistance components, molten salt electrolysis was carried out in an AlCl3-NaCl-KCl melt containing TaCl5 at 423 K. The voltammogram showed two cathodic waves at 0.45 V and 0.7 V vs. Al/Al(III), which may correspond to reduction from Ta(V) to Ta(III) and from Ta(III) to tantalum metal, respectively. Electrodeposits of Al and Ta were obtained in the range from -0.05 to 0.3 V and the highest concentration of Ta in the electrodeposit was 72 at% at 0.3 V. With increasing Ta content in the alloy, the morphology of the electrodeposits became powdery and the particle size smaller.

  9. Analysis of nodule senescence in pea (Pisum sativum L.) using laser microdissection, real-time PCR, and ACC immunolocalization.

    PubMed

    Serova, Tatiana A; Tikhonovich, Igor A; Tsyganov, Viktor E

    2017-05-01

    A delay in the senescence of symbiotic nodules could prolong active nitrogen fixation, resulting in improved crop yield and a reduced need for chemical fertilizers. The molecular genetic mechanisms underlying nodule senescence have not been extensively studied with a view to breeding varieties with delayed nodule senescence. In such studies, plant mutants with the phenotype of premature degradation of symbiotic structures are useful models to elucidate the genetic basis of nodule senescence. Using a dataset from transcriptome analysis of Medicago truncatula Gaertn. nodules and previous studies on pea (Pisum sativum L.) nodules, we developed a set of molecular markers based on genes that are known to be activated during nodule senescence. These genes encode cysteine proteases, a thiol protease, a bZIP transcription factor, enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ethylene (ACS2 for ACC synthase and ACO1 for ACC oxidase) and ABA (AO3 for aldehyde oxidase), and an enzyme involved in catabolism of gibberellins (GA 2-oxidase). We analyzed the transcript levels of these genes in the nodules of two pea wild-types (cv. Sparkle and line Sprint-2) and two mutant lines, one showing premature nodule senescence (E135F (sym13)) and one showing no morphological signs of symbiotic structure degradation (Sprint-2Fix - (sym31)). Real-time PCR analyses revealed that all of the selected genes showed increased transcript levels during nodule aging in all phenotypes. Remarkably, at 4 weeks after inoculation (WAI), the transcript levels of all analyzed genes were significantly higher in the early senescent nodules of the mutant line E135F (sym13) and in nodules of the mutant Sprint-2Fix - (sym31) than in the active nitrogen-fixing nodules of wild-types. In contrast, the transcript levels of the same genes of both wild-types were significantly increased only at 6 WAI. We evaluated the expression of selected markers in the different histological nodule zones of pea cv. Sparkle and its

  10. Volumetric, rheological, and optical properties of hydroxylamine hydrochloride aqueous solutions containing NaCl, KCl, and NH4Cl at 30°C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deosarkar, S. D.; Puyad, A. L.; Shaikh, U. B.; Solanke, S. S.

    2014-04-01

    Densities, viscosities, and refractive indices of aqueous solutions of hydroxylamine hydrochloride containing 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 mol/dm3 NaCl, KCl, and NH4Cl were measured at different concentrations of hydroxylamine hydrochloride at 30°C. Viscosity coefficients A and B representing ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions were determined from Jones-Dole equation. Experimental properties and viscosity coefficients have been interpreted in terms of ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions. Ion-solvent interactions were found to be dominating over the ion-ion interactions in studied systems.

  11. A Simple Disease-Guided Approach to Personalize ACC/AHA-Recommended Statin Allocation in Elderly People: The BioImage Study.

    PubMed

    Mortensen, Martin Bødtker; Fuster, Valentin; Muntendam, Pieter; Mehran, Roxana; Baber, Usman; Sartori, Samantha; Falk, Erling

    2016-08-30

    The 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines recommend primary prevention with statins for individuals with ≥7.5% 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Everyone living long enough will become eligible for risk-based statin therapy due to age alone. This study sought to personalize ACC/AHA risk-based statin eligibility using noninvasive assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis. In 5,805 BioImage participants without known ASCVD at baseline, those with ≥7.5% 10-year ASCVD risk were down-classified from statin eligible to ineligible if imaging revealed no coronary artery calcium (CAC) or carotid plaque burden (cPB). Intermediate-risk individuals were up-classified from optional to clear statin eligibility if CAC was ≥100 (or equivalent cPB). At a median follow-up of 2.7 years, 91 patients had coronary heart disease and 138 had experienced a cardiovascular disease event. Mean age of the participants was 69 years, and 86% qualified for ACC/AHA risk-based statin therapy, with high sensitivity (96%) but low specificity (15%). CAC or cPB scores of 0 were common (32% and 23%, respectively) and were associated with low event rates. With CAC-guided reclassification, specificity for coronary heart disease events improved 22% (p < 0.0001) without any significant loss in sensitivity, yielding a binary net reclassification index (NRI) of 0.20 (p < 0.0001). With cPB-guided reclassification, specificity improved 16% (p < 0.0001) with a minor loss in sensitivity (7%), yielding an NRI of 0.09 (p = 0.001). For cardiovascular disease events, the NRI was 0.14 (CAC-guided) and 0.06 (cPB-guided). The positive NRIs were driven primarily by down-classifying the large subpopulation with CAC = 0 or cPB = 0. Withholding statins in individuals without CAC or carotid plaque could spare a significant proportion of elderly people from taking a pill that would benefit only a few. This individualized disease

  12. Characterization of Cu(II)-reconstituted ACC Oxidase using experimental and theoretical approaches.

    PubMed

    El Bakkali-Tahéri, Nadia; Tachon, Sybille; Orio, Maylis; Bertaina, Sylvain; Martinho, Marlène; Robert, Viviane; Réglier, Marius; Tron, Thierry; Dorlet, Pierre; Simaan, A Jalila

    2017-06-01

    1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACCO) is a non heme iron(II) containing enzyme that catalyzes the final step of the ethylene biosynthesis in plants. The iron(II) ion is bound in a facial triad composed of two histidines and one aspartate (H177, D179 and H234). Several active site variants were generated to provide alternate binding motifs and the enzymes were reconstituted with copper(II). Continuous wave (cw) and pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopies as well as Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed and models for the copper(II) binding sites were deduced. In all investigated enzymes, the copper ion is equatorially coordinated by the two histidine residues (H177 and H234) and probably two water molecules. The copper-containing enzymes are inactive, even when hydrogen peroxide is used in peroxide shunt approach. EPR experiments and DFT calculations were undertaken to investigate substrate's (ACC) binding on the copper ion and the results were used to rationalize the lack of copper-mediated activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of interatomic potentials for rainbow scattering under axial channeling at KCl(0 0 1) surface by three-dimensional computer simulations based on binary collision approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takeuchi, Wataru

    2017-05-01

    The rainbow angles corresponding to prominent peaks in the angular distributions of scattered projectiles with small angle, attributed to rainbow scattering (RS), under axial surface channeling conditions are strongly influenced by the interatomic potentials between projectiles and target atoms. The dependence of rainbow angles on normal energy of projectile energy to the target surface, being experimentally obtained by Specht et al. for RS of He, N, Ne and Ar atoms under <1 0 0> and <1 1 0> axial channeling conditions at a KCl(0 0 1) surface with projectile energies of 1-60 keV, was evaluated by the three-dimensional computer simulations using the ACOCT code based on the binary collision approximation with interatomic pair potentials. Good agreement between the ACOCT results using the ZBL pair potential and the individual pair potentials calculated from Hartree-Fock (HF) wave functions and the experimental ones was found for RS of He, N and Ne atoms from the atomic rows along <1 0 0> direction. For <1 1 0> direction, the ACOCT results employing the Moliere pair potential with adjustable screening length of O'Connor-Biersack (OB) formula, the ZBL pair potential and the individual HF pair potentials except for Ar → KCl using the OB pair potential are nearly in agreement with the experimental ones.

  14. Equilibrium distribution of rare earth elements between molten KCl-LiCl eutectic salt and liquid cadmium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakata, Masahiro; Kurata, Masaki; Hijikata, Takatoshi; Inoue, Tadashi

    1991-11-01

    Distribution experiments for several rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Y) between molten KCl-LiCl eutectic salt and liquid Cd were carried out at 450, 500 and 600°C. The material balance of rare earth elements after reaching the equilibrium and their distribution and chemical states in a Cd sample frozen after the experiment were examined. The results suggested the formation of solid intermetallic compounds at the lower concentrations of rare earth metals dissolved in liquid Cd than those solubilities measured in the binary alloy system. The distribution coefficients of rare earth elements between two phases (mole fraction in the Cd phase divided by mole fraction in the salt phase) were determined at each temperature. These distribution coefficients were explained satisfactorily by using the activity coefficients of chlorides and metals in salt and Cd. Both the activity coefficients of metal and chloride caused a much smaller distribution coefficient of Y relative to those of other elements.

  15. Implications of American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Cholesterol Guidelines on Statin Underutilization for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus Among Several US Networks of Community Health Centers.

    PubMed

    Akhabue, Ehimare; Rittner, Sarah S; Carroll, Joseph E; Crawford, Phillip M; Dant, Lydia; Laws, Reesa; Leo, Michael C; Puro, Jon; Persell, Stephen D

    2017-07-03

    Little is known about statin underutilization among diabetes mellitus patients cared for in community health centers, which tend to serve socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Implications of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on preexisting gaps in statin treatment in this population are unclear. We included 32 440 adults (45% male, 63% nonwhite, 29% uninsured/Medicaid) aged 40 to 75 years with diabetes mellitus who received care within 16 community health center groups in 11 states in the Community Health Applied Research Network during 2013. Statin prescribing was analyzed as a function of concordance with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel 2001 and ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines. More patients' treatments were concordant with the ACC/AHA (52.8%) versus the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (36.2%) guideline. Female sex was associated with lower concordance for both (odds ratio [OR] 0.90, CI 0.85-0.94; and OR 0.84, CI 0.80-0.88, respectively). Being insured, an Asian/Pacific Islander, or primarily Spanish speaking were associated with greater concordance for both guidelines: 35.5% (11 526/32 440) were concordant with neither guideline, the majority (79.7%) having no statin prescribed; 28.2% (9168/32 440) were concordant with ACC/AHA but not the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel. 8.7% of these patients had a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol >160 mg/dL despite having a moderate- or high-intensity statin prescribed. And 11.6% (3772/32 440) were concordant with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel but not with ACC/AHA. Most of these patients had a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol between 70 and 99 mg/dL with no or a low-intensity statin prescribed. Opportunities exist to improve cholesterol management in diabetes mellitus patients in community health centers. Addressing care gaps could improve

  16. Effect of cathode material on the electrorefining of U in LiCl-KCl molten salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Chang Hwa; Kim, Tack-Jin; Park, Sungbin; Lee, Sung-Jai; Paek, Seung-Woo; Ahn, Do-Hee; Cho, Sung-Ki

    2017-05-01

    The influence of cathode materials on the U electrorefining process is examined using electrochemical measurements and SEM-EDX observations. Stainless steel (STS), Mo, and W electrodes exhibit similar U reduction/oxidation behavior in 500 °C LiCl-KCl-UCl3 molten salts, as revealed by the cyclic voltammograms. However, slight shifts are observed in the cathodic and anodic peak potentials at the STS electrode, which are related to the fast reduction/oxidation kinetics associated with this electrode. The U deposits on the Mo and W electrodes consist of uniform dendritic chains of U in rhomboidal-shaped crystals, whereas several U dendrites protruding from the surface are observed for the STS electrode. EDX mapping of the electrode surfaces reveals that simple scraping of the U dendrites from W electrodes pretreated in dilute HCl solutions to dissolve the residual salt, results in clear removal of the U deposits, whereas a thick U deposit layer strongly adheres to the STS electrode surface even after treatment. This result is expected to contribute to the development of an effective and continuous U recovery process using electrorefining.

  17. Injuries to New Zealanders participating in adventure tourism and adventure sports: an analysis of Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claims.

    PubMed

    Bentley, Tim; Macky, Keith; Edwards, Jo

    2006-12-15

    The aim of this study was to examine the involvement of adventure tourism and adventure sports activity in injury claims made to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). Epidemiological analysis of ACC claims for the period, July 2004 to June 2005, where adventure activities were involved in the injury. 18,697 adventure tourism and adventure sports injury claims were identified from the data, representing 28 activity sectors. Injuries were most common during the summer months, and were most frequently located in the major population centres. The majority of injuries were incurred by claimants in the 20-50 years age groups, although claimants over 50 years of age had highest claims costs. Males incurred 60% of all claims. Four activities (horse riding, mountain biking, tramping/hiking, and surfing) were responsible for approximately 60% of all adventure tourism and adventure sports-related injuries. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injury initiating events, and injuries were most often to the back/spine, shoulder, and knee. These findings suggest the need to investigate whether regulatory intervention in the form of codes of practice for high injury count activities such as horse riding and mountain biking may be necessary. Health promotion messages and education programs should focus on these and other high-injury risk areas. Improved risk management practices are required for commercial adventure tourism and adventure sports operators in New Zealand if safety is to be improved across this sector.

  18. Dicer-Like Genes Are Required for H2O2 and KCl Stress Responses, Pathogenicity and Small RNA Generation in Valsa mali

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Hao; Xu, Ming; Liu, Yangyang; Dong, Ruqing; Gao, Xiaoning; Huang, Lili

    2017-01-01

    Valsa mali (V. mali) is the causative agent of apple tree Valsa canker, which heavily damages the production of apples in China. However, the biological roles of the RNA interfering (RNAi) pathway in the pathogenicity of V. mali remain unknown. Dicer-like proteins (DCLs) are important components that control the initiation of the RNAi pathway. In this study, VmDCL1 and VmDCL2 were isolated and functionally characterized in V. mali. VmDCL1 and VmDCL2 are orthologous in evolution to the DCLs in Cryphonectria parasitica. The deletion of VmDCL1 and VmDCL2 did not affect vegetative growth when the mutants (ΔVmDCL1, ΔVmDCL2 and ΔVmDCL1DCL2) and wild type strain 03–8 were grown on a PDA medium at 25°C in the dark. However, the colony of ΔVmDCL1 increased by 37.1% compared to the 03–8 colony in a medium containing 0.05% H2O2 3 days after inoculation, and the growth of ΔVmDCL1 was significantly inhibited in a medium containing 0.5 M KCl at a ratio of 25.7%. Meanwhile, in the presence of 0.05% H2O2, the growth of ΔVmDCL2 decreased by 34.5% compared with the growth of 03–8, but ΔVmDCL2 grew normally in the presence of 0.5 M KCl. More importantly, the expression of VmDCL2 was up-regulated 125-fold during the pathogen infection. In the infection assays using apple twigs, the pathogenicity of ΔVmDCL2 and ΔVmDCL1DCL2 was significantly reduced compared with that of 03–8 at a ratio of 24.7 and 41.3%, respectively. All defective phenotypes could be nearly rescued by re-introducing the wild type VmDCL1 and VmDCL2 alleles. Furthermore, the number and length distribution of unique small RNAs (unisRNAs) in the mutants and 03–8 were analyzed using deep sequencing. The number of unisRNAs was obviously lower in ΔVmDCL1, ΔVmDCL2 and ΔVmDCL1DCL2 than that in 03–8, and the length distribution of the sRNAs also markedly changed after the VmDCLs were deleted. These results indicated that VmDCLs function in the H2O2 and KCl stress response, pathogenicity and generation

  19. Comparison of the A-Cc curve fitting methods in determining maximum ribulose 1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase carboxylation rate, potential light saturated electron transport rate and leaf dark respiration.

    PubMed

    Miao, Zewei; Xu, Ming; Lathrop, Richard G; Wang, Yufei

    2009-02-01

    A review of the literature revealed that a variety of methods are currently used for fitting net assimilation of CO2-chloroplastic CO2 concentration (A-Cc) curves, resulting in considerable differences in estimating the A-Cc parameters [including maximum ribulose 1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) carboxylation rate (Vcmax), potential light saturated electron transport rate (Jmax), leaf dark respiration in the light (Rd), mesophyll conductance (gm) and triose-phosphate utilization (TPU)]. In this paper, we examined the impacts of fitting methods on the estimations of Vcmax, Jmax, TPU, Rd and gm using grid search and non-linear fitting techniques. Our results suggested that the fitting methods significantly affected the predictions of Rubisco-limited (Ac), ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate-limited (Aj) and TPU-limited (Ap) curves and leaf photosynthesis velocities because of the inconsistent estimate of Vcmax, Jmax, TPU, Rd and gm, but they barely influenced the Jmax : Vcmax, Vcmax : Rd and Jmax : TPU ratio. In terms of fitting accuracy, simplicity of fitting procedures and sample size requirement, we recommend to combine grid search and non-linear techniques to directly and simultaneously fit Vcmax, Jmax, TPU, Rd and gm with the whole A-Cc curve in contrast to the conventional method, which fits Vcmax, Rd or gm first and then solves for Vcmax, Jmax and/or TPU with V(cmax), Rd and/or gm held as constants.

  20. 2013 AHA/ACC guideline on lifestyle management to reduce cardiovascular risk: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on practice guidelines

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The goals of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) are to prevent cardiovascular (CV) diseases, improve the management of people who have these diseases through professional education and research, and develop guidelines, standards and policies that promot...

  1. Overview of the arthritis Cost Consequence Evaluation System (ACCES): a pharmacoeconomic model for celecoxib.

    PubMed

    Pettitt, D; Goldstein, J L; McGuire, A; Schwartz, J S; Burke, T; Maniadakis, N

    2000-12-01

    Pharmacoeconomic analyses have become useful and essential tools for health care decision makers who increasingly require such analyses prior to placing a drug on a national, regional or hospital formulary. Previous health economic models of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been restricted to evaluating a narrow range of agents within specific health care delivery systems using medical information derived from homogeneous clinical trial data. This paper summarizes the Arthritis Cost Consequence Evaluation System (ACCES)--a pharmacoeconomic model that has been developed to predict and evaluate the costs and consequences associated with the use of celecoxib in patients with arthritis, compared with other NSAIDs and NSAIDs plus gastroprotective agents. The advantage of this model is that it can be customized to reflect local practice patterns, resource utilization and costs, as well as provide context-specific health economic information to a variety of providers and/or decision makers.

  2. Experimental study of formation and dynamics of cavitation bubbles and acoustic flows in NaCl, KCl water solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rybkin, K. A.; Bratukhin, Yu. K.; Lyubimova, T. P.; Fatallov, O.; Filippov, L. O.

    2017-07-01

    The acoustic flows and the phenomena associated with them arising under the action of ultrasound of different power on distilled water and aqueous solutions of a mixture of NaCl and KCl salts of various concentrations are studied experimentally. It is found that in the distilled water, under the action of ultrasound, the appearance of inertial and non-inertial cavitation bubbles takes place, then the formation of stable clusters, the distance between which depends on the power of the ultrasound source is observed. Experiments show that an increase in the mass concentration of salts in water leads to the decrease in the average diameter of the arising inertial cavitation bubbles and to the gradual decrease in their number, up to an almost complete disappearance at nearly 13% of the concentration of the salt mixture in the water.

  3. The ACCE Position Statement on Media Enriched Learning Communities: "If We're Not Standing on the Edge and Thinking Ahead We're Taking up Too Much Room"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kember, Deborah; Brandenburg, Tony; Murphy, Angela

    2007-01-01

    The ACCE position statement for creating media enriched learning communities targets all stakeholders in educational policy and practice who influence the future of learning, schools, and systems. Stakeholders include policy-makers in government, national and international organisations, professional networks and institutions, school leaders,…

  4. [Abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaeal accA and amoA genes in response to NO2 - and NO3 - of hot springs in Yunnan province].

    PubMed

    Song, Zhaoqi; Wang, Li; Zhou, Enmin; Wang, Fengping; Xiao, Xiang; Zhang, Chuanlun; Li, Wenjun

    2014-12-04

    Yunnan hot springs have highly diverseammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), which are autotrophic and can fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/ 4-hydroxybutyrate (HP/HD) pathway. In this study, we investigated the abundances of prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene and archaeal accA and amoA genes in the sediments of hot springs of Yunnan Province, and analysed the correlations between the above gene abundances and environmental factors. We selected the sediments of twenty representative hot springs, and detected the gene abundances by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The principal component analysis (PCA) and the Mantel test in the R software package were performed for the correlations of gene abundance and environmental variables. The bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene abundances were from 6.6 x 10(7) to 4.19 x 10(11) and from 1.27 x 10(6) to 1.51 x 10(11) copies/g sediment, respectively; Archaeal accA and amoA genes were from 8.89 x 10(3) to 6.49 x 10(5) and from 7.64 x 10(3) to 4.36 x 10(5) copies/g sediment, respectively. The results of mantel test showed that accA gene was significantly (R = 0.98, P < 0.001) correlated with amoA gene; Both of them also were correlated significantly with NO2- and NO3 -, but not with pH. The abundances of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes and the ratio between them varied significantly among Yunnan hot springs. The archaealaccA and amoA genes showed significant correlation with each other, validating our previous finding that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.

  5. Electrochemical Codeposition of Al-Li-Mg Alloys at Solid Aluminum Electrode from LiCl-KCl-MgCl2 Molten Salt System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Ke; Zhang, Mi Lin; Chen, Ye; Han, Wei; de Yan, Yong; Cao, Peng

    2010-06-01

    The electrochemical codeposition of Mg and Li at an aluminium electrode in LiCl-KCl (50:50 wt pct) melts containing different concentrations of MgCl2 at 893 K (620 °C) to form Al-Li-Mg alloys was investigated. Cyclic voltammograms showed that the potential of Li metal deposition at an Al electrode, before the addition of MgCl2, is more positive than that of Li metal deposition at an Mo electrode, which indicated the formation of an Al-Li alloy. The underpotential deposition of magnesium at an aluminium electrode leads to the formation of Al-Mg alloys, and the succeeding underpotential deposition of lithium on predeposited Al-Mg alloys leads to the formation of Al-Li-Mg alloys. Chronopotentiometric measurements indicated that the codeposition of Mg and Li occurs at current densities lower than -0.668 A cm-2 in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2 (8 wt pct) melts at an aluminium electrode. The chronoamperometric studies indicated that the onset potential for the codeposition of Mg and Li is -2.000 V, and the codeposition of Mg and Li at an aluminium electrode is formed into Al-Li-Mg alloys when the applied potentials are more negative than -2.000 V. X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma analysis indicated that Al-Li-Mg alloys with different lithium and magnesium contents were prepared via potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrolysis. The microstructure of typical dual phases of the Al-Li-Mg alloy was characterized by an optical microscope and by scanning electron microscopy. The analysis of energy dispersive spectrometry showed that the elements of Al and Mg distribute homogeneously in the Al-Li-Mg alloy. The lithium and magnesium contents of Al-Li-Mg alloys can be controlled by MgCl2 concentrations and by electrolytic parameters.

  6. The effects of in-vehicle tasks and time-gap selection while reclaiming control from adaptive cruise control (ACC) with bus simulator.

    PubMed

    Lin, Tsang-Wei; Hwang, Sheue-Ling; Su, Jau-Ming; Chen, Wan-Hui

    2008-05-01

    This research aimed to find out the effects of in-vehicle distractions and time-gap settings with a fix-based bus driving simulator in a following scenario. Professional bus drivers were recruited to perform in-vehicle tasks while driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) of changeable time-gap settings in freeway traffic. Thirty subjects were divided equally into three groups for different in-vehicle task modes (between subjects), including no task distraction, hands-free, and manual modes. Further, time-gap settings for the experimental ACC were: shorter than 1.0 s, 1.0-1.5 s, 1.5-2.0 s, and longer than 2.0 s (within subjects). Longitudinal (mean headway, forward collision rate, and response time) and lateral control (mean lateral lane position and its standard deviation) performance was assessed. In the results, longitudinal control performance was worsened by both shorter time-gaps and heavier in-vehicle tasks. But the interaction indicated that the harm by heavier in-vehicle distraction could be improved by longer time-gaps. As for the lateral control, it would only be negatively affected by shorter time-gap settings. This research indicates the effects of time-gaps and in-vehicle distraction, as well as the interaction. Proper time-gap selection under different in-vehicle distractions can help avoid accidents and keep safe.

  7. 2016 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease

    PubMed Central

    Gerhard-Herman, Marie D.; Gornik, Heather L.; Barrett, Coletta; Barshes, Neal R.; Corriere, Matthew A.; Drachman, Douglas E.; Fleisher, Lee A.; Flowkes, Francis Gerry R.; Hamburg, Naomi M.; Kinlay, Scott; Lookstein, Robert; Misra, Sanjay; Mureebe, Leila; Olin, Jeffrey W.; Patel, Rajan A.G.; Regensteiner, Judith G.; Schanzer, Andres; Shishehbor, Mehdi H.; Stewart, Kerry J.; Treat-Jacobson, Diane; Walsh, M. Eileen; Halperin, Jonathan L.

    2017-01-01

    Preamble Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health. These guidelines, based on systematic methods to evaluate and classify evidence, provide a cornerstone of quality cardiovascular care. In response to reports from the Institute of Medicine1,2 and a mandate to evaluate new knowledge and maintain relevance at the point of care, the ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines (Task Force) modified its methodology.3–5 The relationships among guidelines, data standards, appropriate use criteria, and performance measures are addressed elsewhere.5 Intended Use Practice guidelines provide recommendations applicable to patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The focus is on medical practice in the United States, but guidelines developed in collaboration with other organizations may have a broader target. Although guidelines may be used to inform regulatory or payer decisions, the intent is to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests. Guidelines are intended to define practices meeting the needs of patients in most, but not all, circumstances, and should not replace clinical judgment. Guidelines are reviewed annually by the Task Force and are official policy of the ACC and AHA. Each guideline is considered current until it is updated, revised, or superseded by published addenda, statements of clarification, focused updates, or revised full-text guidelines. To ensure that guidelines remain current, new data are reviewed biannually to determine whether recommendations should be modified. In general, full revisions are posted in 5-year cycles.3–6 Modernization Processes have evolved to support the evolution of guidelines as “living documents” that can be dynamically updated. This process delineates a recommendation to address a specific clinical

  8. Electrochemical Dissolution of Tungsten Carbide in NaCl-KCl-Na2WO4 Molten Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Liwen; Nie, Zuoren; Xi, Xiaoli; Ma, Liwen; Xiao, Xiangjun; Li, Ming

    2018-02-01

    Tungsten carbide was utilized as anode to extract tungsten in a NaCl-KCl-Na2WO4 molten salt, and the electrochemical dissolution was investigated. Although the molten salt electrochemical method is a short process method of tungsten extraction from tungsten carbide in one step, the dissolution efficiency and current efficiency are quite low. In order to improve the dissolution rate and current efficiency, the sodium tungstate was added as the active substance. The dissolution rate, the anode current efficiency, and the cathode current efficiency were calculated with different contents of sodium tungstate addition. The anodes prior to and following the reaction, as well as the product, were analyzed through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the sodium tungstate could improve the dissolution rate and the current efficiency, due to the addition of sodium tungstate decreasing the charge transfer resistance in the electrolysis system. Due to the fact that the addition of sodium tungstate could remove the carbon during electrolysis, pure tungsten powders with 100 nm diameter were obtained when the content of sodium tungstate was 1.0 pct.

  9. Separation of plutonium from lanthanum by electrolysis in LiCl KCl onto molten bismuth electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Serp, J.; Lefebvre, P.; Malmbeck, R.; Rebizant, J.; Vallet, P.; Glatz, J.-P.

    2005-04-01

    This work presents a study on the electroseparation of plutonium from lanthanum using molten bismuth electrodes in LiCl-KCl eutectic at 733 K. The reduction potentials of Pu3+ and La3+ ions were measured on a Bi thin film electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV). A difference between the peak potentials for the formation of PuBi2 and LaBi2 of approximately 100 mV was found. Separation tests were then carried out using different current densities and salt phase compositions between a plutonium rod anode and an unstirred molten Bi cathode in order to evaluate the efficiency of an electrolytic separation process. At a current density of 12 mA/cm2/wt% (Pu3+), only Pu3+ ions are reduced into the molten Bi electrode, leaving La3+ ions in the salt melt. Similar results were found at two different Pu/La concentration ratios ([Pu]/[La] = 4 and 10). At a current density of 26 mA/cm2/wt% (Pu3+), co-reduction of Pu and La was observed as expected by the large negative potential of the Bi cathode during the separation test.

  10. Accelerating lattice QCD simulations with 2 flavors of staggered fermions on multiple GPUs using OpenACC-A first attempt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, Sourendu; Majumdar, Pushan

    2018-07-01

    We present the results of an effort to accelerate a Rational Hybrid Monte Carlo (RHMC) program for lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) simulation for 2 flavors of staggered fermions on multiple Kepler K20X GPUs distributed on different nodes of a Cray XC30. We do not use CUDA but adopt a higher level directive based programming approach using the OpenACC platform. The lattice QCD algorithm is known to be bandwidth bound; our timing results illustrate this clearly, and we discuss how this limits the parallelization gains. We achieve more than a factor three speed-up compared to the CPU only MPI program.

  11. Utility of the ACC/AHA lesion classification as a predictor of procedural, 30-day and 12-month outcomes in the contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention era.

    PubMed

    Theuerle, James; Yudi, Matias B; Farouque, Omar; Andrianopoulos, Nick; Scott, Peter; Ajani, Andrew E; Brennan, Angela; Duffy, Stephen J; Reid, Christopher M; Clark, David J

    2017-11-15

    Correlations between the ACC/AHA coronary lesion classification and clinical outcomes in the contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era are not well established. We analyzed clinical characteristics and outcomes according to ACC/AHA lesion classification (A, B1, B2, C) in 13,701 consecutive patients from the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry. Patients presenting with STEMI, cardiogenic shock and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were excluded. The primary endpoints were 30-day and 12-month mortality. Secondary endpoints were procedural success as well as 30-day and 12-month major adverse cardiac events. Of the 13,701 patients treated, 1,246 (9.1%) had type A lesions, 5,519 (40.3%) had type B1 lesions, 4,449 (32.5%) had Type B2 lesions and 2,487 (18.2%) had Type C lesions. Patients with type C lesions were more likely to be older and have impaired renal function, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease and prior bypass graft surgery (all P < 0.01). They were also more likely to require rotational atherectomy, drug-eluting stents and longer stent lengths (all P < 0.01). Increasing lesion complexity was associated with lower procedural success (99.6% vs. 99.1% vs. 96.6% vs. 82.7%, P < 0.001) and worse 30-day (0.2% vs. 0.3% vs. 0.7% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001) and 12-month mortality (2.2% vs. 2.0% vs. 3.2% vs. 2.9%, P <0.01). Kaplan Meier analysis showed complex lesions (type B2 and C) had lower survival at 12-months (P = 0.003). PCI to more complex lesions continues to be associated with lower procedural success rates as well as inferior medium-term clinical outcomes. Thus the ACC/AHA lesion classification should still be calculated preprocedure to predict acute PCI success and clinical outcomes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Heterologous co-expression of accA, fabD, and thioesterase genes for improving long-chain fatty acid production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sunhee; Jeon, Eunyoung; Jung, Yeontae; Lee, Jinwon

    2012-05-01

    The goal of the present study was to increase the content of intracellular long-chain fatty acids in two bacterial strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655, by co-overexpressing essential enzymes that are involved in the fatty acid synthesis metabolic pathway. Recently, microbial fatty acids and their derivatives have been receiving increasing attention as an alternative source of fuel. By introducing two genes (accA and fabD) of P. aeruginosa into the two bacterial strains and by co-expressing with them the fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase gene of Streptococcus pyogenes (strain MGAS10270), we have engineered recombinant strains that are efficient producers of long-chain fatty acids (C16 and C18). The recombinant strains exhibit a 1.3-1.7-fold increase in the production of long-chain fatty acids over the wild-type strains. To enhance the production of total long-chain fatty acids, we researched the carbon sources for optimized culture conditions and results were used for post-culture incubation period. E. coli SGJS17 (containing the accA, fabD, and thioesterase genes) produced the highest content of intracellular total fatty acids; in particular, the unsaturated fatty acid content was about 20-fold higher than that in the wild-type E. coli.

  13. Reward sensitivity modulates brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, ACC and striatum during task switching.

    PubMed

    Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Ávila, César; Rodríguez-Pujadas, Aina; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Bustamante, Juan C; Costumero, Víctor; Rosell-Negre, Patricia; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso

    2015-01-01

    Current perspectives on cognitive control acknowledge that individual differences in motivational dispositions may modulate cognitive processes in the absence of reward contingencies. This work aimed to study the relationship between individual differences in Behavioral Activation System (BAS) sensitivity and the neural underpinnings involved in processing a switching cue in a task-switching paradigm. BAS sensitivity was hypothesized to modulate brain activity in frontal regions, ACC and the striatum. Twenty-eight healthy participants underwent fMRI while performing a switching task, which elicited activity in fronto-striatal regions during the processing of the switch cue. BAS sensitivity was negatively associated with activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and the ventral striatum. Combined with previous results, our data indicate that BAS sensitivity modulates the neurocognitive processes involved in task switching in a complex manner depending on task demands. Therefore, individual differences in motivational dispositions may influence cognitive processing in the absence of reward contingencies.

  14. Reward Sensitivity Modulates Brain Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex, ACC and Striatum during Task Switching

    PubMed Central

    Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Ávila, César; Rodríguez-Pujadas, Aina; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Bustamante, Juan C.; Costumero, Víctor; Rosell-Negre, Patricia; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso

    2015-01-01

    Current perspectives on cognitive control acknowledge that individual differences in motivational dispositions may modulate cognitive processes in the absence of reward contingencies. This work aimed to study the relationship between individual differences in Behavioral Activation System (BAS) sensitivity and the neural underpinnings involved in processing a switching cue in a task-switching paradigm. BAS sensitivity was hypothesized to modulate brain activity in frontal regions, ACC and the striatum. Twenty-eight healthy participants underwent fMRI while performing a switching task, which elicited activity in fronto-striatal regions during the processing of the switch cue. BAS sensitivity was negatively associated with activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and the ventral striatum. Combined with previous results, our data indicate that BAS sensitivity modulates the neurocognitive processes involved in task switching in a complex manner depending on task demands. Therefore, individual differences in motivational dispositions may influence cognitive processing in the absence of reward contingencies. PMID:25875640

  15. A portable platform for accelerated PIC codes and its application to GPUs using OpenACC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hariri, F.; Tran, T. M.; Jocksch, A.; Lanti, E.; Progsch, J.; Messmer, P.; Brunner, S.; Gheller, C.; Villard, L.

    2016-10-01

    We present a portable platform, called PIC_ENGINE, for accelerating Particle-In-Cell (PIC) codes on heterogeneous many-core architectures such as Graphic Processing Units (GPUs). The aim of this development is efficient simulations on future exascale systems by allowing different parallelization strategies depending on the application problem and the specific architecture. To this end, this platform contains the basic steps of the PIC algorithm and has been designed as a test bed for different algorithmic options and data structures. Among the architectures that this engine can explore, particular attention is given here to systems equipped with GPUs. The study demonstrates that our portable PIC implementation based on the OpenACC programming model can achieve performance closely matching theoretical predictions. Using the Cray XC30 system, Piz Daint, at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), we show that PIC_ENGINE running on an NVIDIA Kepler K20X GPU can outperform the one on an Intel Sandy bridge 8-core CPU by a factor of 3.4.

  16. Estimation of the composition of intermetallic compounds in LiCl-KCl molten salt by cyclic voltammetry.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ya L; Liu, Kui; Yuan, Li Y; Chai, Zhi F; Shi, Wei Q

    2016-08-15

    In this work, the compositions of Ce-Al, Er-Al and La-Bi intermetallic compounds were estimated by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. At first, CV measurements were carried out at different reverse potentials to study the co-reduction processes of Ce-Al, Er-Al and La-Bi systems. The CV curves obtained were then re-plotted with the current as a function of time, and the coulomb number of each peak was calculated. By comparing the coulomb number of the related peaks, the compositions of the Ce-Al, Er-Al and La-Bi intermetallic compounds formed in the co-reduction process could be estimated. The results showed that Al11Ce3, Al3Ce, Al2Ce and AlCe could be formed by the co-reduction of Ce(iii) and Al(iii). For the co-reduction of Er(iii) and Al(iii), Al3Er2, Al2Er and AlEr were formed. In a La(iii) and Bi(iii) co-existing system in LiCl-KCl melts, LaBi2, LaBi and Li3Bi were the major products as a result of co-reduction.

  17. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Class I Guidelines for the Treatment of Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk: Implications for US Hispanics/Latinos Based on Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

    PubMed

    Qureshi, Waqas T; Kaplan, Robert C; Swett, Katrina; Burke, Gregory; Daviglus, Martha; Jung, Molly; Talavera, Gregory A; Chirinos, Diana A; Reina, Samantha A; Davis, Sonia; Rodriguez, Carlos J

    2017-05-11

    The prevalence estimates of statin eligibility among Hispanic/Latinos living in the United States under the new 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) cholesterol treatment guidelines are not known. We estimated prevalence of statin eligibility under 2013 ACC/AHA and 3rd National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP/ATP III) guidelines among Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (n=16 415; mean age 41 years, 40% males) by using sampling weights calibrated to the 2010 US census. We examined the characteristics of Hispanic/Latinos treated and not treated with statins under both guidelines. We also redetermined the statin-therapy eligibility by using black risk estimates for Dominicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Central Americans. Compared with NCEP/ATP III guidelines, statin eligibility increased from 15.9% (95% CI 15.0-16.7%) to 26.9% (95% CI 25.7-28.0%) under the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. This was mainly driven by the ≥7.5% atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk criteria (prevalence 13.9% [95% CI 13.0-14.7%]). Of the participants eligible for statin eligibility under NCEP/ATP III and ACC/AHA guidelines, only 28.2% (95% CI 26.3-30.0%) and 20.6% (95% CI 19.4-21.9%) were taking statins, respectively. Statin-eligible participants who were not taking statins had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors compared with statin-eligible participants who were taking statins. There was no significant increase in statin eligibility when atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk was calculated by using black estimates instead of recommended white estimates (increase by 1.4%, P =0.12) for Hispanic/Latinos. The eligibility of statin therapy increased consistently across all Hispanic/Latinos subgroups under the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines and therefore will potentially increase the number of undertreated Hispanic/Latinos in the United States. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American

  18. An interplay between the serotonin transporter (SERT) and 5-HT receptors controls stimulus-secretion coupling in sympathoadrenal chromaffin cells.

    PubMed

    Brindley, Rebecca L; Bauer, Mary Beth; Blakely, Randy D; Currie, Kevin P M

    2016-11-01

    Adrenal chromaffin cells (ACCs), the neuroendocrine arm of the sympathetic nervous system, secrete catecholamines to mediate the physiological response to stress. Although ACCs do not synthesize 5-HT, they express the serotonin transporter (SERT). Genetic variations in SERT are linked to several CNS disorders but the role(s) of SERT/5-HT in ACCs has remained unclear. Adrenal glands from wild-type mice contained 5-HT at ≈ 750 fold lower abundance than adrenaline, and in SERT(-/-) mice this was reduced by ≈80% with no change in catecholamines. Carbon fibre amperometry showed that SERT modulated the ability of 5-HT1A receptors to inhibit exocytosis. 5-HT reduced the number of amperometric spikes (vesicular fusion events) evoked by KCl in SERT(-/-) cells and wild-type cells treated with escitalopram, a SERT antagonist. The 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 blocked the inhibition by 5-HT which was mimicked by the 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT but not the 5-HT1B agonist CP93129. There was no effect on voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels, K(+) channels, or intracellular [Ca(2+)] handling, showing the 5-HT receptors recruit an atypical inhibitory mechanism. Spike charge and kinetics were not altered by 5-HT receptors but were reduced in SERT(-/-) cells compared to wild-type cells. Our data reveal a novel role for SERT and suggest that adrenal chromaffin cells might be a previously unrecognized hub for serotonergic control of the sympathetic stress response. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Preparation of aluminum-magnesium alloy from magnesium oxide in RECl3-KCl-MgCl2 electrolyte by molten salts electrolysis method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Shaohua; Wu, Lin; Yang, Fengli; Li, Mingzhou; Hu, Xianwei; Wang, Zhaowen; Shi, Zhongning; Gao, Bingliang

    Aluminum-magnesium alloys were prepared from magnesium oxide by molten salt electrolysis method. 10w%RECl3-63.5w%KCl-23.5w%MgCl2-3w%MgO was taken as electrolyte. The results showed that RE could be attained in aluminum-magnesium alloy, and it was proved that the RE was reduced directly by aluminum. Magnesium in the alloy was produced by electrolysis on cathode. The content of RE in the alloy was about 0.8wt %-1.2wt%, and the content of Mg in the alloy was lwt%˜6wt% with electrolytic times. The highest current efficiency was 81.3% with 0.8A/cm2 current density. The process of electrolysis was controlled together by electrochemical polarization and concentration polarization.

  20. Composition of steam in the system NaCl-KCl-H2O-quartz at 600°C

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fournier, Robert O.; Thompson, J. Michael

    1993-01-01

    In the system NaCl-KCl-H2O, with and without ??-quartz present, steam was equilibrated in a large-volume reaction vessel with brine and/or precipitated salt at 600??C and pressures ranging from about 100 to 0.4 MPa. Episodically, steam was extracted for chemical analysis, accompanied by a decrease in pressure within the reaction vessel. In the absence of precipitated salt, within the analytical uncertainty stoichiometric quantities of Cl and total alkali, metals (Na + K) dissolve in steam coexisting with chloriderich brine. In contrast, in the presence of precipitated salt (in our experiments halite with some KCl in solid solution), significant excess chloride as associated hydrogen chloride (HCl0??) dissolves in steam. The HCl0 is generated by the reaction of steam with solid NaCl(s), producing solid NaOH(s) that diffuses into halite, forming a solid solution. In our quasistatic experiments, compared to dynamic flow-through experiments of others, higher initial ratios of H2O/NaCl have apparently resulted in higher model fractions of NaOH(s) in solid solution in halite. This, in turn, resulted in incrementally higher concentrations of associated NaOHo dissolved in steam. Addition of quartz to the system NaCl + KC1 + H2O resulted in an order of magnitude increase in the concentration of HCl0 dissolved in steam, apparently as a consequence of the formation of sodium disilicate by reaction of silica with NaOH(s). The measured dissolved silica in steam saturated with alkali halides at 600??C in the pressure range 7-70 MPa agrees nicely with calculated values of the solubility of ??-quartz obtained using the equation of Fournier and Potter (1982), corrected for dissolved salt by the method of fournier (1983). Na K ratios in steam at 600??C tend to be slightly greater than in coexisting brine. When precipitated halite is present, larger mole fractions of NaOH(s) in solid solution in that halite apparently result in even larger Na K ratios in coexisting steam

  1. Deconvolution of magnetic acoustic change complex (mACC).

    PubMed

    Bardy, Fabrice; McMahon, Catherine M; Yau, Shu Hui; Johnson, Blake W

    2014-11-01

    The aim of this study was to design a novel experimental approach to investigate the morphological characteristics of auditory cortical responses elicited by rapidly changing synthesized speech sounds. Six sound-evoked magnetoencephalographic (MEG) responses were measured to a synthesized train of speech sounds using the vowels /e/ and /u/ in 17 normal hearing young adults. Responses were measured to: (i) the onset of the speech train, (ii) an F0 increment; (iii) an F0 decrement; (iv) an F2 decrement; (v) an F2 increment; and (vi) the offset of the speech train using short (jittered around 135ms) and long (1500ms) stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). The least squares (LS) deconvolution technique was used to disentangle the overlapping MEG responses in the short SOA condition only. Comparison between the morphology of the recovered cortical responses in the short and long SOAs conditions showed high similarity, suggesting that the LS deconvolution technique was successful in disentangling the MEG waveforms. Waveform latencies and amplitudes were different for the two SOAs conditions and were influenced by the spectro-temporal properties of the sound sequence. The magnetic acoustic change complex (mACC) for the short SOA condition showed significantly lower amplitudes and shorter latencies compared to the long SOA condition. The F0 transition showed a larger reduction in amplitude from long to short SOA compared to the F2 transition. Lateralization of the cortical responses were observed under some stimulus conditions and appeared to be associated with the spectro-temporal properties of the acoustic stimulus. The LS deconvolution technique provides a new tool to study the properties of the auditory cortical response to rapidly changing sound stimuli. The presence of the cortical auditory evoked responses for rapid transition of synthesized speech stimuli suggests that the temporal code is preserved at the level of the auditory cortex. Further, the reduced amplitudes

  2. Three calculations of free cortisol versus measured values in the critically ill.

    PubMed

    Molenaar, Nienke; Groeneveld, A B Johan; de Jong, Margriet F C

    2015-11-01

    To investigate the agreement between the calculated free cortisol levels according to widely applied Coolens and adjusted Södergård equations with measured levels in the critically ill. A prospective study in a mixed intensive care unit. We consecutively included 103 patients with treatment-insensitive hypotension in whom an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test (250μg) was performed. Serum total and free cortisol (equilibrium dialysis), corticosteroid-binding globulin and albumin were assessed. Free cortisol was estimated by the Coolens method (C) and two adjusted Södergård (S1 and S2) equations. Bland Altman plots were made. The bias for absolute (t=0, 30 and 60min after ACTH injection) cortisol levels was 38, -24, 41nmol/L when the C, S1 and S2 equations were used, with 95% limits of agreement between -65-142, -182-135, and -57-139nmol/L and percentage errors of 66, 85, and 64%, respectively. Bias for delta (peak-baseline) cortisol was 14, -31 and 16nmol/L, with 95% limits of agreement between -80-108, -157-95, and -74-105nmol/L, and percentage errors of 107, 114, and 100% for C, S1 and S2 equations, respectively. Calculated free cortisol levels have too high bias and imprecision to allow for acceptable use in the critically ill. Copyright © 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Purification of used eutectic (LiCl-KCl) salt electrolyte from pyroprocessing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cho, Yung-Zun; Lee, Tae-Kyo; Eun, Hee-Chul; Choi, Jung-Hoon; Kim, In-Tae; Park, Geun-Il

    2013-06-01

    The separation characteristics of surrogate rare-earth fission products in a eutectic (LiCl-KCl) molten salt were investigated. This system is based on the eutectic salt used for the pyroprocessing treatment of used nuclear fuel (UNF). The investigation was performed using an integrated rare-earth separation apparatus comprising a precipitation reactor, a solid detachment device, and a layer separation device. To separate rare-earth fission products, a phosphate precipitation method using both Li3PO4 and K3PO4 as a precipitant was performed. The use of an equivalent phosphate precipitant composed of 0.408 molar ratio-K3PO4 and 0.592 molar ratio-Li3PO4 can preserve the original eutectic ratio, LiCl-0.592 molar ratio (or 45.2 wt%), as well as provide a high separation efficiency of over 99.5% under conditions of 550 °C and Ar sparging when using La, Nd, Ce, and Pr chlorides. The mixture of La, Nd, Ce, and Pr phosphate had a typical monoclinic (or monazite) structure, which has been proposed as a reliable host matrix for the permanent disposal of a high-level waste form. To maximize the reusability of purified eutectic waste salt after rare-earth separation, the successive rare-earth separation process, which uses both phosphate precipitation and an oxygen sparging method, were introduced and tested with eight rare-earth (Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd) chlorides. In the successive rare-earth separation process, the phosphate reaction was terminated within 1 h at 550 °C, and a 4-8 h oxygen sparging time were required to obtain over a 99% separation efficiency at 700-750 °C. The mixture of rare-earth precipitates separated by the successive rare-earth separation process was found to be phosphate, oxychloride, and oxide. Through the successive rare-earth separation process, the eutectic ratio of purified salt maintained its original value, and impurity content including the residual precipitant of purified salt can be minimized.

  4. Circumpolar Estimates of Isopycnal Mixing in the ACC from Argo Floats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roach, C. J.; Balwada, D.; Speer, K. G.

    2015-12-01

    There are few direct observations of cross-stream isopycnal mixing in the interior of the Southern Ocean, yet such measurements are needed to determine the role of eddies transporting properties across the ACC, and key to progress toward testing theories of meridional overturning. In light of this we examine if it is possible to obtain estimates of mixing from Argo float trajectories. We divided the Southern Ocean into overlapping 15ο longitude bins before estimating mixing. Resulting diffusivities ranged from 300 to 3000 m2s-1, with peaks corresponding to the Scotia Sea; Kerguelen and Campbell Plateaus. Comparison of our diffusivities with previous regional studies demonstrated good agreement. Tests of the methodology in the DIMES region found that mixing from Argo floats agreed closely with mixing from RAFOS floats. To further test the method we used the Southern Ocean State Estimate velocity fields to advect particles with Argo and RAFOS float like behaviours. Stirring estimates from the particles agreed well with each other in the Kerguelen Island region, South Pacific and Scotia Sea, despite the differences in the imposed behaviour. Finally, these estimates were compared to mixing length suppression theory presented in Ferrari and Nikurashin 2010. This mixing length suppression theory quantifies horizontal diffusivity similar to Prandtl (1925), but the mixing length is suppressed in the presence of mean flows and eddy phase speeds. Our results suggest that the theory can explain both the structure and magnitude of mixing using mean flow data. An exception is near the Kerguelen and Campbell Plateaus where theory under-estimates mixing relative to our results.

  5. With no lysine L-WNK1 isoforms are negative regulators of the K+-Cl- cotransporters.

    PubMed

    Mercado, Adriana; de Los Heros, Paola; Melo, Zesergio; Chávez-Canales, María; Murillo-de-Ozores, Adrián R; Moreno, Erika; Bazúa-Valenti, Silvana; Vázquez, Norma; Hadchouel, Juliette; Gamba, Gerardo

    2016-07-01

    The K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporters (KCC1-KCC4) encompass a branch of the SLC12 family of electroneutral cation-coupled chloride cotransporters that translocate ions out of the cell to regulate various factors, including cell volume and intracellular chloride concentration, among others. L-WNK1 is an ubiquitously expressed kinase that is activated in response to osmotic stress and intracellular chloride depletion, and it is implicated in two distinct hereditary syndromes: the renal disease pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHAII) and the neurological disease hereditary sensory neuropathy 2 (HSN2). The effect of L-WNK1 on KCC activity is unknown. Using Xenopus laevis oocytes and HEK-293 cells, we show that the activation of KCCs by cell swelling was prevented by L-WNK1 coexpression. In contrast, the activity of the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter NKCC1 was remarkably increased with L-WNK1 coexpression. The negative effect of L-WNK1 on the KCCs is kinase dependent. Elimination of the STE20 proline-alanine rich kinase (SPAK)/oxidative stress-responsive kinase (OSR1) binding site or the HQ motif required for the WNK-WNK interaction prevented the effect of L-WNK1 on KCCs, suggesting a required interaction between L-WNK1 molecules and SPAK. Together, our data support that NKCC1 and KCCs are coordinately regulated by L-WNK1 isoforms. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  6. NONOates regulate KCl cotransporter-1 and -3 mRNA expression in vascular smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Di Fulvio, Mauricio; Lauf, Peter K; Shah, Shalin; Adragna, Norma C

    2003-05-01

    Nitric oxide (NO) donors regulate KCl cotransport (KCC) activity and cotransporter-1 and -3 (KCC1 and KCC3) mRNA expression in sheep erythrocytes and in primary cultures of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), respectively. In this study, we used NONOates as rapid and slow NO releasers to provide direct evidence implicating NO as a regulator of KCC3 gene expression at the mRNA level. In addition, we used the expression of KCC3 mRNA to further investigate the mechanism of action of these NO donors at the cellular level. Treatment of VSMCs with rapid NO releasers, like NOC-5 and NOC-9, as well as with the direct NO-independent soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) stimulator YC-1, acutely increased KCC3 mRNA expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The slow NO releaser NOC-18 had no effect on KCC3 gene expression. A specific NO scavenger completely prevented the NONOate-induced KCC3 mRNA expression. Inhibition of sGC with LY-83583 blocked the NONOate- and YC-1-induced KCC3 mRNA expression. This study shows that in primary cultures of rat VSMCs, the fast NO releasers NOC-9 and NOC-5, but not the slow NO releaser NOC-18, acutely upregulate KCC3 mRNA expression in a NO/sGC-dependent manner.

  7. Separation of actinides from irradiated An-Zr based fuel by electrorefining on solid aluminium cathodes in molten LiCl-KCl

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Souček, P.; Murakami, T.; Claux, B.; Meier, R.; Malmbeck, R.; Tsukada, T.; Glatz, J.-P.

    2015-04-01

    An electrorefining process for metallic spent nuclear fuel treatment is being investigated in ITU. Solid aluminium cathodes are used for homogeneous recovery of all actinides within the process carried out in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt at a temperature of 500 °C. As the selectivity, efficiency and performance of solid Al has been already shown using un-irradiated An-Zr alloy based test fuels, the present work was focused on laboratory-scale demonstration of the process using irradiated METAPHIX-1 fuel composed of U67-Pu19-Zr10-MA2-RE2 (wt.%, MA = Np, Am, Cm, RE = Nd, Ce, Gd, Y). Different electrorefining techniques, conditions and cathode geometries were used during the experiment yielding evaluation of separation factors, kinetic parameters of actinide-aluminium alloy formation, process efficiency and macro-structure characterisation of the deposits. The results confirmed an excellent separation and very high efficiency of the electrorefining process using solid Al cathodes.

  8. What Is New in Heart Failure Management in 2017? Update on ACC/AHA Heart Failure Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Bozkurt, Biykem

    2018-04-17

    The goal of this paper is to provide a summary of the new recommendations in the most recent 2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Failure Society of America. The intent is to provide the background and the supporting evidence for the recommendations and to provide practical guidance for management strategies in treatment of heart failure patients. In the 2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of HF guidelines, important additions include new information on biomarkers, specifically on the topics of the diagnostic, prognostic role of natriuretic peptides in heart failure, and the role of natriuretic peptides in screening in patients high risk for HF and prevention of HF. There are important recommendations for treatment of patients with HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), including the beneficial role of angiotensin receptor blocker and neprilysin inhibition (ARNI) treatment in reducing outcomes including mortality, ivabradine in reducing heart failure hospitalizations in stable HFrEF patients with sinus rhythm and heart rate ≥ 70 bpm despite β-blockers. In patients with HF with preserved EF (HFpEF), though there are no studies demonstrating survival benefit, potential benefit with aldosterone antagonism in reducing HF hospitalizations is noted. In treatment of comorbidities, optimization of blood pressure control to less than 130 mmHg is recommended in hypertensive patients to prevent HF or in patients with hypertension and HFrEF or HFpEF. In addition to recognition on the potential role of treatment of iron deficiency anemia to improve symptoms and functional capacity, caution against use of adaptive servo-ventilation in patients with HFrEF and central sleep apnea and against use of erythropoietin stimulating agents in patients with HFrEF is provided. There are new treatment

  9. Anatomically shaped cranial collimation (ACC) for lateral cephalometric radiography: a technical report.

    PubMed

    Hoogeveen, R C; van der Stelt, P F; Berkhout, W E R

    2014-01-01

    Lateral cephalograms in orthodontic practice display an area cranial of the base of the skull that is not required for diagnostic evaluation. Attempts have been made to reduce the radiation dose to the patient using collimators combining the shielding of the areas above the base of the skull and below the mandible. These so-called "wedge-shaped" collimators have not become standard equipment in orthodontic offices, possibly because these collimators were not designed for today's combination panoramic-cephalometric imaging systems. It also may be that the anatomical variability of the area below the mandible makes this area unsuitable for standardized collimation. In addition, a wedge-shaped collimator shields the cervical vertebrae; therefore, assessment of skeletal maturation, which is based on the stage of development of the cervical vertebrae, cannot be performed. In this report, we describe our investigations into constructing a collimator to be attached to the cephalostat and shield the cranial area of the skull, while allowing the visualization of diagnostically relevant structures and markedly reducing the size of the irradiated area. The shape of the area shielded by this "anatomically shaped cranial collimator" (ACC) was based on mean measurements of cephalometric landmarks of 100 orthodontic patients. It appeared that this collimator reduced the area of irradiation by almost one-third without interfering with the imaging system or affecting the quality of the image. Further research is needed to validate the clinical efficacy of the collimator.

  10. Molecular dynamics study of structure and vibrational spectra at zwitterionoic lipid/aqueous KCl, NaCl, and CaCl2 solution interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishiyama, Tatsuya; Shirai, Shinnosuke; Okumura, Tomoaki; Morita, Akihiro

    2018-06-01

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of KCl, NaCl, and CaCl2 solution/dipalmytoylphosphatidylcholine lipid interfaces were performed to analyze heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation (HD-VSFG) spectra in relation to the interfacial water structure. The present MD simulation well reproduces the experimental spectra and elucidates a specific cation effect on the interfacial structure. The K+, Na+, and Ca2+ cation species penetrate in the lipid layer more than the anions in this order, due to the electrostatic interaction with negative polar groups of lipid, and the electric double layer between the cations and anions cancels the intrinsic orientation of water at the water/lipid interface. These mechanisms explain the HD-VSFG spectrum of the water/lipid interface and its spectral perturbation by adding the ions. The lipid monolayer reverses the order of surface preference of the cations at the solution/lipid interface from that at the solution/air interface.

  11. Evaluation of Statin Eligibility, Prescribing Practices, and Therapeutic Responses Using ATP III, ACC/AHA, and NLA Dyslipidemia Treatment Guidelines in a Large Urban Cohort of HIV-Infected Outpatients.

    PubMed

    Levy, Matthew E; Greenberg, Alan E; Magnus, Manya; Younes, Naji; Castel, Amanda

    2018-02-01

    Statin coverage has been examined among HIV-infected patients using Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines, although not with newer National Lipid Association (NLA) guidelines. We investigated statin eligibility, prescribing practices, and therapeutic responses using these three guidelines. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected between 2011 and 2016 for HIV-infected outpatients enrolled in the DC Cohort, a multi-center, prospective, observational study in Washington, DC. This analysis included patients aged ≥21 years receiving primary care at their HIV clinic site with ≥1 cholesterol result available. Of 3312 patients (median age 52; 79% black), 52% were eligible for statins based on ≥1 guideline, including 45% (NLA), 40% (ACC/AHA), and 30% (ATP III). Using each guideline, 49% (NLA), 56% (ACC/AHA), and 73% (ATP III) of eligible patients were prescribed statins. Predictors of new prescriptions included older age (aHR = 1.16 [1.08-1.26]/5 years), body mass index ≥30 (aHR = 1.50 [1.07-2.11]), and diabetes (aHR = 1.35 [1.03-1.79]). Hepatitis C coinfection was inversely associated with statin prescriptions (aHR = 0.67 [0.45-1.00]). Among 216 patients with available cholesterol results pre-/post-prescription, 53% achieved their NLA cholesterol goal after 6 months. Hepatitis C coinfection was positively associated (aHR = 1.87 [1.06-3.32]), and depression (aHR = 0.56 [0.35-0.92]) and protease inhibitor use (aHR = 0.61 [0.40-0.93]) were inversely associated, with NLA goal achievement. Half of patients were eligible for statins based on current US guidelines, with the highest proportion eligible based on NLA guidelines, yet, fewer received prescriptions and achieved treatment goals. Greater compliance with recommended statin prescribing practices may reduce cardiovascular disease risk among HIV-infected individuals.

  12. Kinetics of the B1-B2 phase transition in KCl under rapid compression

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

    Lin, Chuanlong; Smith, Jesse S.; Sinogeikin, Stanislav V.

    2016-01-28

    Kinetics of the B1-B2 phase transition in KCl has been investigated under various compression rates (0.03–13.5 GPa/s) in a dynamic diamond anvil cell using time-resolved x-ray diffraction and fast imaging. Our experimental data show that the volume fraction across the transition generally gives sigmoidal curves as a function of pressure during rapid compression. Based upon classical nucleation and growth theories (Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov theories), we propose a model that is applicable for studying kinetics for the compression rates studied. The fit of the experimental volume fraction as a function of pressure provides information on effective activation energy and average activation volume at amore » given compression rate. The resulting parameters are successfully used for interpreting several experimental observables that are compression-rate dependent, such as the transition time, grain size, and over-pressurization. The effective activation energy (Q{sub eff}) is found to decrease linearly with the logarithm of compression rate. When Q{sub eff} is applied to the Arrhenius equation, this relationship can be used to interpret the experimentally observed linear relationship between the logarithm of the transition time and logarithm of the compression rates. The decrease of Q{sub eff} with increasing compression rate results in the decrease of the nucleation rate, which is qualitatively in agreement with the observed change of the grain size with compression rate. The observed over-pressurization is also well explained by the model when an exponential relationship between the average activation volume and the compression rate is assumed.« less

  13. 2016 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: Executive Summary

    PubMed Central

    Gerhard-Herman, Marie D.; Gornik, Heather L.; Barrett, Coletta; Barshes, Neal R.; Corriere, Matthew A.; Drachman, Douglas E.; Fleisher, Lee A.; Fowkes, Francis Gerry R.; Hamburg, Naomi M.; Kinlay, Scott; Lookstein, Robert; Misra, Sanjay; Mureebe, Leila; Olin, Jeffrey W.; Patel, Rajan A.G.; Regensteiner, Judith G.; Schanzer, Andres; Shishehbor, Mehdi H.; Stewart, Kerry J.; Treat-Jacobson, Diane; Walsh, M. Eileen; Halperin, Jonathan L.

    2017-01-01

    Preamble Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health. These guidelines, based on systematic methods to evaluate and classify evidence, provide a cornerstone of quality cardiovascular care. In response to reports from the Institute of Medicine1,2 and a mandate to evaluate new knowledge and maintain relevance at the point of care, the ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines (Task Force) modified its methodology.3–5 The relationships among guidelines, data standards, appropriate use criteria, and performance measures are addressed elsewhere.5 Intended Use Practice guidelines provide recommendations applicable to patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The focus is on medical practice in the United States, but guidelines developed in collaboration with other organizations may have a broader target. Although guidelines may be used to inform regulatory or payer decisions, the intent is to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests. Guidelines are intended to define practices meeting the needs of patients in most, but not all, circumstances, and should not replace clinical judgment. Guidelines are reviewed annually by the Task Force and are official policy of the ACC and AHA. Each guideline is considered current until it is updated, revised, or superseded by published addenda, statements of clarification, focused updates, or revised full-text guidelines. To ensure that guidelines remain current, new data are reviewed biannually to determine whether recommendations should be modified. In general, full revisions are posted in 5-year cycles.3–6 Modernization Processes have evolved to support the evolution of guidelines as “living documents” that can be dynamically updated. This process delineates a recommendation to address a specific clinical

  14. Exploitation of agro-climatic environment for selection of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase producing salt tolerant indigenous plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.

    PubMed

    Misra, Sankalp; Dixit, Vijay Kant; Khan, Mohammad Haneef; Kumar Mishra, Shashank; Dviwedi, Gyanendra; Yadav, Sumit; Lehri, Alok; Singh Chauhan, Puneet

    2017-12-01

    A comprehensive survey for 09 agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh, India was conducted to isolate and characterize salt tolerant 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase possessing plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria for salt stress amelioration in rice. Here, we have isolated 1125 bacteria having the ability to tolerate 1M NaCl and out of those, 560 were screened for utilizing ACC as sole nitrogen source. 560 isolates were subjected for bacteria coated seed germination assay under 100mM salt (NaCl) stress resulting to 77 isolates which were further evaluated for seed germination assay, PGP and abiotic stress tolerance ability in vitro. This evaluation revealed 15 potent rhizobacteria representing each agro-climatic zone and salt stress mitigation in vitro. In particular, the biomass obtained for bacteria coated rice seedlings were corroborated with the performance of isolates exhibiting maximum average indole acetic acid (IAA) production respective to the agro-climatic zone. Surprisingly based on 16S rRNA, much of the propitious isolates belonged to same specific epithet exhibited variedly in their characteristics. Overall, Bacillus spp. was explored as dominant genera in toto with highest distribution in Western Plain zone followed by Central zone. Therefore, this study provides a counter-intuitive perspective of selection of native microflora for their multifarious PGP and abiotic stress tolerance abilities based on the agro-climatic zones to empower the establishment and development of more suitable inoculants for their application in agriculture under local stress environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Chlorination of UO 2, PuO 2 and rare earth oxides using ZrCl 4 in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamura, Yoshiharu; Inoue, Tadashi; Iwai, Takashi; Moriyama, Hirotake

    2005-04-01

    A new chlorination method using ZrCl 4 in a molten salt bath has been investigated for the pyrometallurgical reprocessing of nuclear fuels. ZrCl 4 has a high reactivity with oxygen but is not corrosive to refractory metals such as steel. Rare earth oxides (La 2O 3, CeO 2, Nd 2O 3 and Y 2O 3) and actinide oxides (UO 2 and PuO 2) were allowed to react with ZrCl 4 in a LiCl-KCl eutectic salt at 773 K to give a metal chloride solution and a precipitate of ZrO 2. An addition of zirconium metal as a reductant was effective in chlorinating the dioxides. When the oxides were in powder form, the reaction was observed to progress rapidly. Cyclic voltammetry provided a convenient way of establishing when the reaction was completed. It was demonstrated that the ZrCl 4 chlorination method, free from corrosive gas, was very simple and useful.

  16. Experimental Study of Codeposition Electrochemistry Using Mixtures of ScCl 3 and YCl 3 in LiCl-KCl Eutectic Salt at 500°C

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

    Shaltry, Michael R.; Yoo, Tae-Sic; Fredrickson, Guy L.

    2017-09-12

    Cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry tests were applied to molten LiCl-KCl eutectic at 500 °C including amounts of ScCl 3 and YCl 3. The purpose of the testing was to observe the effect of applied electrical current on the codeposition of scandium and yttrium, which were chosen as surrogate elements for uranium and plutonium, respectively. Features of the work were to vary the concentration of ScCl 3 (at relatively low concentrations) as well as varying the applied current, all with a fixed concentration of YCl 3. Results of the experiments could provide insight of uranium electrorefining and may provide evidence, whichmore » suggests the electrorefiner could be operated at lower UCl 3 concentration whereby codeposition (U and Pu) could be more effectively controlled.« less

  17. Differential distribution of the KCl cotransporter KCC2 in thalamic relay and reticular nuclei

    PubMed Central

    Barthó, P.; Payne, J. A.; Freund, T. F.; Acsády, L.

    2009-01-01

    In the thalamus of the rat the reversal potential of GABA-induced anion currents is more negative in relay cells than in neurones of the reticular nucleus (nRt) due to different chloride extrusion mechanisms operating in these cells. The distribution of KCl cotransporter type 2 (KCC2), the major neuronal chloride transporter that may underlie this effect, is unknown in the thalamus. In this study the precise regional and ultrastructural localization of KCC2 was examined in the thalamus using immunocytochemical methods. The neuropil of all relay nuclei was found to display intense KCC2 immunostaining to varying degrees. In sharp contrast, the majority of the nRt was negative for KCC2. In the anterior and dorsal part of the nRt, however, KCC2 immunostaining was similar to relay nuclei and parvalbumin and calretinin were found to colocalize with KCC2. At the ultrastructural level, KCC2 immunoreactivity was mainly located in the extrasynaptic membranes of thick and thin dendrites and the somata of relay cells but was also found in close association with asymmetrical synapses formed by cortical afferents. Quantitative evaluation of KCC2 distribution at the electron microscopic level demonstrated that the density of KCC2 did not correlate with dendritic diameter or synaptic coverage but is 1.7 times higher on perisynaptic membrane surfaces than on extrasynaptic membranes. Our data demonstrate that the regional distribution of KCC2 is compatible with the difference in GABA-A reversal potential between relay and reticular nuclei. At the ultrastructural level, abundant extrasynaptic KCC2 expression will probably play a role in the regulation of extrasynaptic GABA-A receptor-mediated inhibition. PMID:15305865

  18. The thermostimulated luminescence of radiation defects in KCl, KBr and KI crystals at elastic and plastic deformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shunkeyev, K.; Myasnikova, L.; Barmina, A.; Zhanturina, N.; Sagimbaeva, Sh; Aimaganbetova, Z.; Sergeyev, D.

    2017-05-01

    The efficiency of radiation defects formation in alkali halide crystals (AHC) was studied by the method of absorption spectroscopy. However, it is not possible to study the deformation-stimulated processes in detail by the absorption spectrum of radiation defects due to the limited sensitivity compared with luminescent spectroscopy. In this regard, thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) of radiation defects at elastic and plastic deformation was applied in AHC. In the absence of deformation, the dominant peaks in TSL are ≤ft( {X_3^ - } \\right)aca^0-centers. After elastic deformation, low temperature peaks of TSL corresponding to F‧-, VK- and VF-centers became dominant. After plastic deformation, the peaks of TSL corresponding to ≤ft( {X_3^ - } \\right)aca^0-centers became dominant. The elastic deformation contributes to the increase in concentration of low-temperature F‧-, VK- and VF-centers, and the plastic one contributes to that of high temperature ≤ft( {X_3^ - } \\right)aca^0-centers (peaks of TSL in KCl at 360K, in KBr at 365K, in KI at 340K), composed by divacancies created by plastic deformation. At elastic deformation, unrelaxed interstitial halogen atoms are converted into VK- and VF-centers, and due to this fact the long-range interaction is absent, the result of which are the X_3^ - -centers.

  19. Electrochemistry and the mechanisms of nucleation and growth of neodymium during electroreduction from LiCl-KCl eutectic salts on Mo substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Hao; Pesic, Batric

    2015-03-01

    The electrochemical behavior of NdCl3 was studied on a Mo electrode in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salts. The electroreduction of Nd(III)/Nd(0) involved two reaction steps, as confirmed by three different electrochemical techniques. In the first reaction step, Nd(III) is converted into soluble Nd(II), which undergoes further reduction into metallic Nd(0) in the second reaction step. The standard reaction rate constants for each reaction step were determined by Nicholson method. The rate constant values were used in Matsuda-Ayabe's criteria for testing the electrochemical reversibility. Accordingly, both reaction steps were quasi-reversible redox reactions. The nucleation mechanisms of neodymium metal deposited on a Mo substrate were predicted by using Scharifker-Hill model, and tested for the first time by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the electrode surface. The SEM studies confirmed that for the low initial concentration of NdCl3, neodymium nucleates and grows progressively, while for higher NdCl3 concentrations, the related mechanism is instantaneous. Both are governed by the aggregative growth mechanisms based on surface mobility of formed nanoclusters.

  20. Wheat-bran autolytic peptides containing a branched-chain amino acid attenuate non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via the suppression of oxidative stress and the upregulation of AMPK/ACC in high-fat diet-fed mice.

    PubMed

    Kawaguchi, Takumi; Ueno, Takato; Nogata, Yoichi; Hayakawa, Masako; Koga, Hironori; Torimura, Takuji

    2017-02-01

    Whole-wheat intake is known to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. However, the active component remains unclear. Recently, we identified bioactive peptides [leucine-arginine-proline (LRP) and leucine-glutamine‑proline (LQP)] from wheat bran autolytic hydrolysate. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of LRP and LQP on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in a mouse model. We also evaluated the effects of these peptides on oxidative stress and on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, two major pathogenic factors of NASH. Seven‑week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks and administered water supplemented with 0.05% LRP, 0.20% LRP, 0.05% LQP, or 0.20% LQP (each n=5) or distilled water (control; n=5) ad libitum. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring the serum levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolite (d-ROM) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP). Hepatic expression of phosphorylated AMPK and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were evaluated by immunoblotting. The result showed that non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score was significantly decreased in all types of treatment. Serum d-ROM levels were significantly decreased in the 0.20% LRP group, but not in the 0.05% LRP, 0.05% LQP, and 0.20% LQP groups. Serum BAP levels were significantly increased in the 0.05% LRP and 0.20% LRP groups, but not in the 0.05% LQP and 0.20% LQP groups. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that the expression of phospho-AMPK was increased whereas that of phospho-ACC was decreased in the 0.20% LQP group. In conclusion, we demonstrated that both LRP and LQP alleviated the severity of NASH in a high-fat diet-induced NASH mouse model. In addition, we showed that LRP and LQP modulated oxidative stress and upregulated AMPK/ACC, respectively. Thus, LRP and LQP may constitute clinically applicable therapeutic agents for NASH.

  1. Using a portable Raman spectrometer to detect carotenoids of halophilic prokaryotes in synthetic inclusions in NaCl, KCl, and sulfates.

    PubMed

    Jehlička, Jan; Culka, Adam; Mana, Lilly; Oren, Aharon

    2018-05-03

    Cell suspensions of the haloarchaea Halorubrum sodomense and Halobacterium salinarum and the extremely halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber (Bacteroidetes) in saturated solutions of chlorides and sulfates (NaCl, KCl, MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O, K 2 SO 4 , and (NH 4 )Al(SO 4 ) 2 ·12H 2 O) were left to evaporate to produce micrometric inclusions in laboratory-grown crystals. Raman spectra of these pinkish inclusions were obtained using a handheld Raman spectrometer with green excitation (532 nm). This portable instrument does not include any microscopic tool. Acceptable Raman spectra of carotenoids were obtained in the range of 200-4000 cm -1 . This detection achievement was related to the mode of illumination and collection of scattered light as well as due to resonance Raman enhancement of carotenoid signals under green excitation. The position of diagnostic Raman carotenoid bands corresponds well to those specific carotenoids produced by a given halophile. To our best knowledge, this is the first study of carotenoids included in the laboratory in crystalline chlorides and sulfates, using a miniature portable Raman spectrometer. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  2. Global Transcriptomic Analysis of Targeted Silencing of Two Paralogous ACC Oxidase Genes in Banana

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Yan; Kuan, Chi; Chiu, Chien-Hsiang; Chen, Xiao-Jing; Do, Yi-Yin; Huang, Pung-Ling

    2016-01-01

    Among 18 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase homologous genes existing in the banana genome there are two genes, Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2, that participate in banana fruit ripening. To better understand the physiological functions of Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2, two hairpin-type siRNA expression vectors targeting both the Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2 were constructed and incorporated into the banana genome by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The generation of Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2 RNAi transgenic banana plants was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. To gain insights into the functional diversity and complexity between Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2, transcriptome sequencing of banana fruits using the Illumina next-generation sequencer was performed. A total of 32,093,976 reads, assembled into 88,031 unigenes for 123,617 transcripts were obtained. Significantly enriched Gene Oncology (GO) terms and the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with GO annotation were ‘catalytic activity’ (1327, 56.4%), ‘heme binding’ (65, 2.76%), ‘tetrapyrrole binding’ (66, 2.81%), and ‘oxidoreductase activity’ (287, 12.21%). Real-time RT-PCR was further performed with mRNAs from both peel and pulp of banana fruits in Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2 RNAi transgenic plants. The results showed that expression levels of genes related to ethylene signaling in ripening banana fruits were strongly influenced by the expression of genes associated with ethylene biosynthesis. PMID:27681726

  3. Robust method for investigating nitrogen metabolism of 15N labeled amino acids using AccQ•Tag ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry: application to a parasitic plant-plant interaction.

    PubMed

    Gaudin, Zachary; Cerveau, Delphine; Marnet, Nathalie; Bouchereau, Alain; Delavault, Philippe; Simier, Philippe; Pouvreau, Jean-Bernard

    2014-01-21

    An AccQ•Tag ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (AccQ•Tag-UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS) method is presented here for the fast, robust, and sensitive quantification of (15)N isotopologue enrichment of amino acids in biological samples, as for example in the special biotic interaction between the cultivated specie Brassica napus (rapeseed) and the parasitic weed Phelipanche ramosa (broomrape). This method was developed and validated using amino acid standard solutions containing (15)N amino acid isotopologues and/or biological unlabeled extracts. Apparatus optimization, limits of detection and quantification, quantification reproducibility, and calculation method of (15)N isotopologue enrichment are presented. Using this method, we could demonstrate that young parasite tubercles assimilate inorganic nitrogen as (15)N-ammonium when supplied directly through batch incubation but not when supplied by translocation from host root phloem, contrary to (15)N2-glutamine. (15)N2-glutamine mobility from host roots to parasite tubercles followed by its low metabolism in tubercles suggests that the host-derived glutamine acts as an important nitrogen containing storage compound in the young tubercle of Phelipanche ramosa.

  4. A heterogeneous computing accelerated SCE-UA global optimization method using OpenMP, OpenCL, CUDA, and OpenACC.

    PubMed

    Kan, Guangyuan; He, Xiaoyan; Ding, Liuqian; Li, Jiren; Liang, Ke; Hong, Yang

    2017-10-01

    The shuffled complex evolution optimization developed at the University of Arizona (SCE-UA) has been successfully applied in various kinds of scientific and engineering optimization applications, such as hydrological model parameter calibration, for many years. The algorithm possesses good global optimality, convergence stability and robustness. However, benchmark and real-world applications reveal the poor computational efficiency of the SCE-UA. This research aims at the parallelization and acceleration of the SCE-UA method based on powerful heterogeneous computing technology. The parallel SCE-UA is implemented on Intel Xeon multi-core CPU (by using OpenMP and OpenCL) and NVIDIA Tesla many-core GPU (by using OpenCL, CUDA, and OpenACC). The serial and parallel SCE-UA were tested based on the Griewank benchmark function. Comparison results indicate the parallel SCE-UA significantly improves computational efficiency compared to the original serial version. The OpenCL implementation obtains the best overall acceleration results however, with the most complex source code. The parallel SCE-UA has bright prospects to be applied in real-world applications.

  5. PTP1B inhibitors from the seeds of Iris sanguinea and their insulin mimetic activities via AMPK and ACC phosphorylation.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jun Li; Ha, Thi Kim Quy; Lee, Ba Wool; Kim, Jinwoong; Oh, Won Keun

    2017-11-15

    To find PTP1B inhibitors from natural products, two new compounds (1 and 2), along with nine known compounds (3-11), were isolated from a methanol-soluble extract of Iris sanguinea seeds. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis including UV, IR, NMR, and MS. The IC 50 value of compound 5 on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity is 7.30±0.88µM with a little activity compared to the IC 50 values of the tested positive compound. Compound 5 significantly enhanced glucose uptake and activation of pACC, pAMPK and partially Erk1/2 signaling. These results suggest that compound 5 from Iris sanguinea seeds are utilized as both PTP1B inhibitors and regulators of glucose uptake. These beneficial effects could be applied to treat metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Electrochemical Formation of Mg-Li-Sm Alloys by Codeposition from LiCl-KCl-MgCl2-SmCl3 Molten Salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Wei; Wang, Fengli; Tian, Yang; Zhang, Milin; Yan, Yongde

    2011-12-01

    In this article, the electrochemical method of preparing Mg-Li-Sm alloys by codeposition in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2-SmCl3 melts was investigated. Transient electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry, and chronoamperometry were used to explore the electrochemical formation of Mg-Li-Sm alloys. Chronopotentiograms demonstrated that the codepositon of Mg, Li, and Sm occurred when current densities were more negative than -0.31 A cm-2. Chronoamperograms indicated that the onset potential for the codeposition of Mg, Li, and Sm was -2.40 V, and the codeposition of Mg, Li, and Sm was formed when the applied potentials were more negative than -2.40 V. The different phases of Mg-Li-Sm alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscope (OM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis showed that the lithium and samarium contents in Mg-Li-Sm alloys could be controlled by the concentrations of MgCl2 and SmCl3. The results demonstrated that Sm could refine the grains dramatically. When the Sm content was 0.8 wt pct, the grain size was the finest.

  7. Electrowinning of U-Pu onto inert solid cathode in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts containing UCl3 and PuCl3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamura, Yoshiharu; Murakami, Tsuyoshi; Tada, Kohei; Kitawaki, Shinichi

    2018-04-01

    Electrowinning process was investigated for extracting actinides from molten salts used for the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. The separation of actinides from lanthanides is expected to be enhanced by employing inert solid cathodes due to larger potential differences on these cathodes. In this study, the co-deposition behavior of Pu and U metals onto an inert solid cathode made of tungsten was examined in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts containing UCl3 and PuCl3 at 773 K. The standard potential of U3+/U is 0.31 V more positive than that of Pu3+/Pu. The U3+ concentration was varied in the range of 0.11-0.66 wt%, while the Pu3+ concentration was maintained at approximately 2.9 wt%. When the U3+ concentration was not sufficiently low, the deposited U metal readily grew outward from the electrode surface and the electrode surface area rapidly increased, which facilitated only the deposition of U metal. It was estimated that metallic Pu can be efficiently collected along with U at U3+ concentrations lower than ∼0.2 wt%.

  8. Electrochemical studies and analysis of 1-10 wt% UCl3 concentrations in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoover, Robert O.; Shaltry, Michael R.; Martin, Sean; Sridharan, Kumar; Phongikaroon, Supathorn

    2014-09-01

    Three electrochemical methods - cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CP), and anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) - were applied to solutions of up to 10 wt% UCl3 in the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt at 500 °C to determine electrochemical properties and behaviors and to help provide a scientific basis for the development of an in situ electrochemical probe for determining the concentration of uranium in a used nuclear fuel electrorefiner. Diffusion coefficients of UCl4 and UCl3 were calculated to be (6.72 ± 0.360) × 10-6 cm2/s and (1.04 ± 0.17) × 10-5 cm2/s, respectively. Apparent standard reduction potentials were determined to be (-0.381 ± 0.013) V and (-1.502 ± 0.076) V vs. 5 mol% Ag/AgCl or (-1.448 ± 0.013) V and (-2.568 ± 0.076) V vs. Cl2/Cl- for the U(IV)/U(III) and U(III)/U redox couples, respectively. In comparing this data with supercooled thermodynamic data to determine activity coefficients, the thermodynamic database used was important with resulting activity coefficients ranging from 2.34 × 10-3 to 1.08 × 10-2 for UCl4 and 4.94 × 10-5 to 4.50 × 10-4 for UCl3. Of anodic stripping voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry anodic or cathodic peaks, the CV cathodic peak height divided by square root of scan rate was shown to be the most reliable method of determining UCl3 concentration in the molten salt.

  9. [Spanish Society of Hypertension position statement on the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guidelines].

    PubMed

    Gijón-Conde, T; Gorostidi, M; Camafort, M; Abad-Cardiel, M; Martín-Rioboo, E; Morales-Olivas, F; Vinyoles, E; Armario, P; Banegas, J R; Coca, A; de la Sierra, A; Martell-Claros, N; Redón, J; Ruilope, L M; Segura, J

    2018-04-24

    The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have recently published their guidelines for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of hypertension in adults. The most controversial issue is the classification threshold at 130/80mmHg, which will allow a large number of patients to be diagnosed as hypertensive who were previously considered normotensive. Blood pressure (BP) is considered normal (<120mmHg systolic and <80mmHg diastolic), elevated (120-129 and <80mmHg), stage 1 (130-139 or 80-89mmHg), and stage 2 (≥140 or ≥90mmHg). Out-of-office BP measurements are recommended to confirm the diagnosis of hypertension and for titration of BP-lowering medication. In management, cardiovascular risk would be determinant since those with grade 1 hypertension and an estimated 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ≥10%, and those with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes will require pharmacological treatment, the rest being susceptible to non-pharmacological treatment up to the 140/90mmHg threshold. These recommendations would allow patients with level 1 hypertension and high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to benefit from pharmacological therapies and all patients could also benefit from improved non-pharmacological therapies. However, this approach should be cautious because inadequate BP measurement and/or lack of systematic atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease calculation could lead to overestimation in diagnosing hypertension and to overtreatment. Guidelines are recommendations, not impositions, and the management of hypertension should be individualized, based on clinical decisions, preferences of the patients, and an adequate balance between benefits and risks. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. ACC Neuro-over-Connectivity Is Associated with Mathematically Modeled Additional Encoding Operations of Schizophrenia Stroop-Task Performance

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, Reggie; Théberge, Jean; Williamson, Peter C.; Densmore, Maria; Neufeld, Richard W. J.

    2016-01-01

    Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 7.0 Tesla was undertaken among Schizophrenia participants (Sz), and clinical (major mood disorder; MDD) and healthy controls (HC), during performance of the Stoop task. Stroop conditions included congruent and incongruent word color items, color-only items, and word-only items. Previous modeling results extended to this most widely used selective-attention task. All groups executed item-encoding operations (subprocesses of the item encoding process) at the same rate (performance accuracy being similarly high throughout), thus displaying like processing capacity; Sz participants, however, employed more subprocesses for item completions than did the MDD participants, who in turn used more subprocesses than the HC group. The reduced efficiency in deploying cognitive-workload capacity among the Sz participants was paralleled by more diffuse neuroconnectivity (Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent co-activation) with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (Broadman Area 32), spreading away from this encoding-intensive region; and by less evidence of network dissociation across Stroop conditions. Estimates of cognitive work done to accomplish item completion were greater for the Sz participants, as were estimates of entropy in both the modeled trial-latency distribution, and its associated neuro-circuitry. Findings are held to be symptom and assessment significant, and to have potential implications for clinical intervention. PMID:27695425

  11. Electrical Conductivity of Molten DyCl3-NaCl and DyCl3-KCl Systems: An Approach to Structural Interpretations of Rare Earth Chloride Melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iwadate, Yasuhiko; Ohkubo, Takahiro

    2017-11-01

    Electrical conductivities (κs) of molten DyCl3-NaCl and DyCl3-KCl systems were estimated by measuring the impedances of each mixture melt at any temperature and/or frequency. The molar volumes (Vms) were measured by dilatometry and represented as a polynomial empirical equation of temperature and composition. Due to both the properties, the molar conductivities (Λms) were calculated and their temperature and/or composition dependences were discussed from the standpoint of structural features as well. The κs increased curvilinearly with increasing temperature across the whole composition ranges. This trend was also applied to the Λms which was fitted by an Arrhenius-type equation. The relationship of Λms with melt composition was studied and the Λms were found to decrease with increasing composition of DyCl3. These findings were interpreted based on the results of structural science so far reported, and finally, the relationship between Λms and the structures of pure rare earth chloride melts was discussed.

  12. Temperature invariance of NaCl solubility in water: inferences from salt-water cluster behavior of NaCl, KCl, and NH4Cl.

    PubMed

    Bharmoria, Pankaj; Gupta, Hariom; Mohandas, V P; Ghosh, Pushpito K; Kumar, Arvind

    2012-09-27

    The growth and stability of salt-water clusters have been experimentally studied in aqueous solutions of NaCl, KCl, and NH(4)Cl from dilute to near-saturation conditions employing dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. In order to examine cluster stability, the changes in the cluster sizes were monitored as a function of temperature. Compared to the other cases, the average size of NaCl-water clusters remained almost constant over the studied temperature range of 20-70 °C. Information obtained from the temperature-dependent solution compressibility (determined from speed of sound and density measurements), multinuclear NMR ((1)H, (17)O, (35)Cl NMR), and FTIR were utilized to explain the cluster behavior. Comparison of NMR chemical shifts of saturated salt solutions with solid-state NMR data of pure salts, and evaluation of spectral modifications in the OH stretch region of saturated salt solutions as compared to that of pure water, provided important clues on ion pair-water interactions and water structure in the clusters. The high stability and temperature independence of the cluster sizes in aqueous NaCl shed light on the temperature invariance of its solubility.

  13. Automated potentiometric titrations in KCl/water-saturated octanol: method for quantifying factors influencing ion-pair partitioning.

    PubMed

    Scherrer, Robert A; Donovan, Stephen F

    2009-04-01

    The knowledge base of factors influencing ion pair partitioning is very sparse, primarily because of the difficulty in determining accurate log P(I) values of desirable low molecular weight (MW) reference compounds. We have developed a potentiometric titration procedure in KCl/water-saturated octanol that provides a link to log P(I) through the thermodynamic cycle of ionization and partitioning. These titrations have the advantage of being independent of the magnitude of log P, while maintaining a reproducibility of a few hundredths of a log P in the calculated difference between log P neutral and log P ion pair (diff (log P(N - I))). Simple model compounds can be used. The titration procedure is described in detail, along with a program for calculating pK(a)'' values incorporating the ionization of water in octanol. Hydrogen bonding and steric factors have a greater influence on ion pairs than they do on neutral species, yet these factors are missing from current programs used to calculate log P(I) and log D. In contrast to the common assumption that diff (log P(N - I)) is the same for all amines, they can actually vary more than 3 log units, as in our examples. A major factor affecting log P(I) is the ability of water and the counterion to approach the charge center. Bulky substituents near the charge center have a negative influence on log P(I). On the other hand, hydrogen bonding groups near the charge center have the opposite effect by lowering the free energy of the ion pair. The use of this titration method to determine substituent ion pair stabilization values (IPS) should bring about more accurate log D calculations and encourage species-specific QSAR involving log D(N) and log D(I). This work also brings attention to the fascinating world of nature's highly stabilized ion pairs.

  14. Automated Potentiometric Titrations in KCl/Water-Saturated Octanol: Method for Quantifying Factors Influencing Ion-Pair Partitioning

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    The knowledge base of factors influencing ion pair partitioning is very sparse, primarily because of the difficulty in determining accurate log PI values of desirable low molecular weight (MW) reference compounds. We have developed a potentiometric titration procedure in KCl/water-saturated octanol that provides a link to log PI through the thermodynamic cycle of ionization and partitioning. These titrations have the advantage of being independent of the magnitude of log P, while maintaining a reproducibility of a few hundredths of a log P in the calculated difference between log P neutral and log P ion pair (diff (log PN − I)). Simple model compounds can be used. The titration procedure is described in detail, along with a program for calculating pKa′′ values incorporating the ionization of water in octanol. Hydrogen bonding and steric factors have a greater influence on ion pairs than they do on neutral species, yet these factors are missing from current programs used to calculate log PI and log D. In contrast to the common assumption that diff (log PN − I) is the same for all amines, they can actually vary more than 3 log units, as in our examples. A major factor affecting log PI is the ability of water and the counterion to approach the charge center. Bulky substituents near the charge center have a negative influence on log PI. On the other hand, hydrogen bonding groups near the charge center have the opposite effect by lowering the free energy of the ion pair. The use of this titration method to determine substituent ion pair stabilization values (IPS) should bring about more accurate log D calculations and encourage species-specific QSAR involving log DN and log DI. This work also brings attention to the fascinating world of nature’s highly stabilized ion pairs. PMID:19265385

  15. Regulated phosphorylation of the K-Cl cotransporter KCC3 is a molecular switch of intracellular potassium content and cell volume homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Adragna, Norma C; Ravilla, Nagendra B; Lauf, Peter K; Begum, Gulnaz; Khanna, Arjun R; Sun, Dandan; Kahle, Kristopher T

    2015-01-01

    The defense of cell volume against excessive shrinkage or swelling is a requirement for cell function and organismal survival. Cell swelling triggers a coordinated homeostatic response termed regulatory volume decrease (RVD), resulting in K(+) and Cl(-) efflux via activation of K(+) channels, volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs), and the K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporters, including KCC3. Here, we show genetic alanine (Ala) substitution at threonines (Thr) 991 and 1048 in the KCC3a isoform carboxyl-terminus, preventing inhibitory phosphorylation at these sites, not only significantly up-regulates KCC3a activity up to 25-fold in normally inhibitory isotonic conditions, but is also accompanied by reversal of activity of the related bumetanide-sensitive Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1). This results in a rapid (<10 min) and significant (>90%) reduction in intracellular K(+) content (Ki) via both Cl-dependent (KCC3a + NKCC1) and Cl-independent [DCPIB (VRAC inhibitor)-sensitive] pathways, which collectively renders cells less prone to acute swelling in hypotonic osmotic stress. Together, these data demonstrate the phosphorylation state of Thr991/Thr1048 in KCC3a encodes a potent switch of transporter activity, Ki homeostasis, and cell volume regulation, and reveal novel observations into the functional interaction among ion transport molecules involved in RVD.

  16. The membrane trafficking and functionality of the K+-Cl- co-transporter KCC2 is regulated by TGF-β2.

    PubMed

    Roussa, Eleni; Speer, Jan Manuel; Chudotvorova, Ilona; Khakipoor, Shokoufeh; Smirnov, Sergei; Rivera, Claudio; Krieglstein, Kerstin

    2016-09-15

    Functional activation of the neuronal K(+)-Cl(-) co-transporter KCC2 (also known as SLC12A5) is a prerequisite for shifting GABAA responses from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing during development. Here, we introduce transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) as a new regulator of KCC2 membrane trafficking and functional activation. TGF-β2 controls membrane trafficking, surface expression and activity of KCC2 in developing and mature mouse primary hippocampal neurons, as determined by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, biotinylation of surface proteins and KCC2-mediated Cl(-) extrusion. We also identify the signaling pathway from TGF-β2 to cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) and Ras-associated binding protein 11b (Rab11b) as the underlying mechanism for TGF-β2-mediated KCC2 trafficking and functional activation. TGF-β2 increases colocalization and interaction of KCC2 with Rab11b, as determined by 3D stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation, respectively, induces CREB phosphorylation, and enhances Rab11b gene expression. Loss of function of either CREB1 or Rab11b suppressed TGF-β2-dependent KCC2 trafficking, surface expression and functionality. Thus, TGF-β2 is a new regulatory factor for KCC2 functional activation and membrane trafficking, and a putative indispensable molecular determinant for the developmental shift of GABAergic transmission. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  17. A noninvasive optical approach for assessing chloride extrusion activity of the K-Cl cotransporter KCC2 in neuronal cells.

    PubMed

    Ludwig, Anastasia; Rivera, Claudio; Uvarov, Pavel

    2017-01-31

    Cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) are indispensable for maintaining chloride homeostasis in multiple cell types, but K-Cl cotransporter KCC2 is the only CCC member with an exclusively neuronal expression in mammals. KCC2 is critical for rendering fast hyperpolarizing responses of ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid and glycine receptors in adult neurons, for neuronal migration in the developing central nervous system, and for the formation and maintenance of small dendritic protrusions-dendritic spines. Deficit in KCC2 expression and/or activity is associated with epilepsy and neuropathic pain, and effective strategies are required to search for novel drugs augmenting KCC2 function. We revised current methods to develop a noninvasive optical approach for assessing KCC2 transport activity using a previously characterized genetically encoded chloride sensor. Our protocol directly assesses dynamics of KCC2-mediated chloride efflux and allows measuring genuine KCC2 activity with good spatial and temporal resolution. As a proof of concept, we used this approach to compare transport activities of the two known KCC2 splice isoforms, KCC2a and KCC2b, in mouse neuronal Neuro-2a cells. Our noninvasive optical protocol proved to be efficient for assessment of furosemide-sensitive chloride fluxes. Transport activities of the N-terminal splice isoforms KCC2a and KCC2b obtained by the novel approach matched to those reported previously using standard methods for measuring chloride fluxes.

  18. The ACC deaminase expressing endophyte Pseudomonas spp. Enhances NaCl stress tolerance by reducing stress-related ethylene production, resulting in improved growth, photosynthetic performance, and ionic balance in tomato plants.

    PubMed

    Win, Khin Thuzar; Fukuyo, Tanaka; Keiki, Okazaki; Ohwaki, Yoshinari

    2018-06-01

    Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) endophytes that express 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase reportedly confer plant tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity by lowering stress-related ethylene levels. Two preselected ACC deaminase expressing endophytic Pseudomonas spp. strains, OFT2 and OFT5, were compared in terms of their potential to promote plant growth, leaf water contents, photosynthetic performance, and ionic balance of tomato plants under conditions of moderate NaCl stress (75 mM). Salinity stress strongly affected growth, leaf water contents, and photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings, and inoculation with either OFT2 or OFT5 ameliorated these adverse effects. Decreases in plant biomass due to salinity stress were significant in both uninoculated control plants and in plants inoculated with OFT2 compared with plants without NaCl stress. However, no reductions in total biomass were observed in plants that were inoculated with the OFT5 strain. Strain OFT5 influenced growth, physiological status, and ionic balance of tomato plants more efficiently than strain OFT2 under NaCl stress. In particular, inoculated OFT5 reduced salt-induced ethylene production by tomato seedlings, and although it did not reduce shoot uptake of Na, it promoted shoot uptake of other macronutrients (P, K, and Mg) and micronutrients (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn). These nutrients may activate processes that alleviate the effects of salt, suggesting that OFT5 can be used to improve nutrient uptake and plant growth under moderate salt-affected conditions by reducing stress-related ethylene levels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Effect of the ZrCl4 concentration in the (NaCl-KCl)eqiv-UO2Cl2-ZrCl4 melt and the electrolysis current density on the quantitative composition of UO2-ZrO2 cathode deposits. Calculation and experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krotov, V. E.; Filatov, E. C.

    2014-08-01

    A method is proposed for calculating the ZrO2 content in the (NaCl-KCl)eqiv-UO2Cl2-ZrCl4 melt. Based on the known composition of a UO2-ZrO2 cathode deposit, the content is calculated at current densities of 0.08-0.63 A/cm2 and ZrCl4 concentrations of 0-12.3 wt %. The calculated and experimental ZrO2 contents in UO2-ZrO2 cathode deposits are in qualitative and adequate quantitative agreement.

  20. Spectroelectrochemistry of EuCl 3 in Four Molten Salt Eutectics; 3 LiCl−NaCl, 3 LiCl−2 KCl, LiCl−RbCl, and 3 LiCl−2 CsCl; at 873 K

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

    Schroll, Cynthia A.; Chatterjee, Sayandev; Levitskaia, Tatiana

    Key electrochemical properties affecting pyroprocessing of nuclear fuel were examined in four eutectic melts using using Eu3+/2+ as a representative probe. We report the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behavior of EuCl3 in four molten salt eutectics (3 LiCl – NaCl, 3 LiCl – 2 KCl, LiCl – RbCl and 3 LiCl – 2 CsCl) at 873 K. Cyclic voltammetry was used to determine the redox potential for Eu3+/2+ and the applied potentials for spectroelectrochemistry. Single step chronoabsorptometry and thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry were used to obtain the number of electrons transferred, redox potentials and diffusion coefficients for Eu3+ in each eutectic melt. Themore » redox potentials determined by thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry were extremely close to those obtained using cyclic voltammetry. The redox potential for Eu3+/2+ was most positive in the 3 LiCl - NaCl melt, showed a negative shift in the 3 LiCl - 2 KCl melt, and was the most negative in the LiCl - RbCl and 3 LiCl - 2 CsCl eutectics. The diffusion coefficient for Eu3+ followed this same trend; it was the largest in the 3 LiCl - NaCl melt and the smallest in the LiCl - RbCl and 3 LiCl - 2 CsCl melts. The basic one-electron reversible electron transfer for Eu3+/2+ was not changed by melt composition.« less

  1. Thermal-gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals. [Synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl

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

    Yagnik, S.K.

    1982-09-01

    It has been proposed that high-level nuclear waste be disposed in a geologic repository. Natural-salt deposits, which are being considered for this purpose, contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive-decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In this work, thermal gradient migration of bothmore » all-liquid and gas-liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot-stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusions were found to be dependent on temperature, temperature gradient, and inclusion shape and size. The velocities were also dictated by the interfacial mass transfer resistance at brine/solid interface. This interfacial resistance depends on the dislocation density in the crystal, which in turn, depends on the axial compressive loading of the crystal. At low axial loads, the dependence between the velocity and temperature gradient is non-linear.At high axial loads, however, the interfacial resistance is reduced and the migration velocity depends linearly on the temperature gradient. All-liquid inclusions filled with mixed brines were also studied. For gas-liquid inclusions, three different gas phases (helium, air and argon) were compared. Migration studies were also conducted on single crystallites of natural salt as well as in polycrystalline natural salt samples. The behavior of the inclusions at large angle grain boundaries was observed. 35 figures, 3 tables.« less

  2. K-Cl Cotransporter 2-mediated Cl- Extrusion Determines Developmental Stage-dependent Impact of Propofol Anesthesia on Dendritic Spines.

    PubMed

    Puskarjov, Martin; Fiumelli, Hubert; Briner, Adrian; Bodogan, Timea; Demeter, Kornel; Lacoh, Claudia-Marvine; Mavrovic, Martina; Blaesse, Peter; Kaila, Kai; Vutskits, Laszlo

    2017-05-01

    General anesthetics potentiating γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated signaling are known to induce a persistent decrement in excitatory synapse number in the cerebral cortex when applied during early postnatal development, while an opposite action is produced at later stages. Here, the authors test the hypothesis that the effect of general anesthetics on synaptogenesis depends upon the efficacy of GABA receptor type A (GABAA)-mediated inhibition controlled by the developmental up-regulation of the potassium-chloride (K-Cl) cotransporter 2 (KCC2). In utero electroporation of KCC2 was used to prematurely increase the efficacy of (GABAA)-mediated inhibition in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the immature rat somatosensory cortex. Parallel experiments with expression of the inward-rectifier potassium channel Kir2.1 were done to reduce intrinsic neuronal excitability. The effects of these genetic manipulations (n = 3 to 4 animals per experimental group) were evaluated using iontophoretic injection of Lucifer Yellow (n = 8 to 12 cells per animal). The total number of spines analyzed per group ranged between 907 and 3,371. The authors found a robust effect of the developmental up-regulation of KCC2-mediated Cl transport on the age-dependent action of propofol on dendritic spines. Premature expression of KCC2, unlike expression of a transport-inactive KCC2 variant, prevented a propofol-induced decrease in spine density. In line with a reduction in neuronal excitability, the above result was qualitatively replicated by overexpression of Kir2.1. The KCC2-dependent developmental increase in the efficacy of GABAA-mediated inhibition is a major determinant of the age-dependent actions of propofol on dendritic spinogenesis.

  3. Healthcare provider compliance with the 2013 ACC/AHA Adult Cholesterol Guideline recommendation for high-intensity dose statins for patients with coronary artery disease.

    PubMed

    Housholder-Hughes, Susan D; Martin, Melanie M; McFarland, Marilyn R; Creech, Constance J; Shea, Michael J

    Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the foremost cause of death for U.S. adults. The 2013 ACC/AHA Adult Cholesterol Guidelines recommend high-intensity dose statins for individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). To determine healthcare provider compliance with the Cholesterol Guideline recommendation specific to high-intensity dose statins for patients with CAD. A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine compliance rate. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate healthcare provider beliefs, attitudes, and self-confidence toward this recommendation. Of the 473 patients with CAD, 67% were prescribed a high-intensity dose statin. Patients with non-ST segment myocardial infarction and ST segment myocardial infarction were more likely to be prescribed a high-intensity dose statin versus a moderate or low-intensity dose. Healthcare providers strongly agreed with this guideline recommendation. There exists a dichotomy between intention to prescribe and actual prescribing behaviors of high-intensity dose statin for patients with CAD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Silencing of the ACC synthase gene ACACS2 causes delayed flowering in pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.].

    PubMed

    Trusov, Yuri; Botella, José Ramón

    2006-01-01

    Flowering is a crucial developmental stage in the plant life cycle. A number of different factors, from environmental to chemical, can trigger flowering. In pineapple, and other bromeliads, it has been proposed that flowering is triggered by a small burst of ethylene production in the meristem in response to environmental cues. A 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACC synthase) gene has been cloned from pineapple (ACACS2), which is induced in the meristem under the same environmental conditions that induce flowering. Two transgenic pineapple lines have been produced containing co-suppression constructs designed to down-regulate the expression of the ACACS2 gene. Northern analysis revealed that the ACACS2 gene was silenced in a number of transgenic plants in both lines. Southern hybridization revealed clear differences in the methylation status of silenced versus non-silenced plants by the inability of a methylation-sensitive enzyme to digest within the ACACS2 DNA extracted from silenced plants, indicating that methylation is the cause of the observed co-suppression of the ACACS2 gene. Flowering characteristics of the transgenic plants were studied under field conditions in South East Queensland, Australia. Flowering dynamics studies revealed significant differences in flowering behaviour, with transgenic plants exhibiting silencing showing a marked delay in flowering when compared with non-silenced transgenic plants and control non-transformed plants. It is argued that the ACACS2 gene is one of the key contributors towards triggering 'natural flowering' in mature pineapples under commercial field conditions.

  5. Determination of activity coefficient of lanthanum chloride in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt as a function of cesium chloride and lanthanum chloride concentrations using electromotive force measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bagri, Prashant; Simpson, Michael F.

    2016-12-01

    The thermodynamic behavior of lanthanides in molten salt systems is of significant scientific interest for the spent fuel reprocessing of Generation IV reactors. In this study, the apparent standard reduction potential (apparent potential) and activity coefficient of LaCl3 were determined in a molten salt solution of eutectic LiCl-KCl as a function of concentration of LaCl3. The effect of adding up to 1.40 mol % CsCl was also investigated. These properties were determined by measuring the open circuit potential of the La-La(III) redox couple in a high temperature molten salt electrochemical cell. Both the apparent potential and activity coefficient exhibited a strong dependence on concentration. A low concentration (0.69 mol %) of CsCl had no significant effect on the measured properties, while a higher concentration (1.40 mol %) of CsCl caused an increase (become more positive) in the apparent potential and activity coefficient at the higher range of LaCl3 concentrations.

  6. Electrochemical characterisation of CaCl2 deficient LiCl-KCl-CaCl2 eutectic melt and electro-deoxidation of solid UO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sri Maha Vishnu, D.; Sanil, N.; Mohandas, K. S.; Nagarajan, K.

    2016-03-01

    The CaCl2 deficient ternary eutectic melt LiCl-KCl-CaCl2 (50.5: 44.2: 5.3 mol %) was electrochemically characterised by cyclic voltammetry and polarization techniques in the context of its probable use as the electrolyte in the electrochemical reduction of solid UO2 to uranium metal. Tungsten (cathodic polarization) and graphite (anodic polarization) working electrodes were used in these studies carried out in the temperature range 623 K-923 K. The cathodic limit of the melt was observed to be set by the deposition of Ca2+ ions followed by Li+ ions on the tungsten electrode and the anodic limit by oxidation of chloride ions on the graphite electrode (chlorine evolution). The difference between the onset potential of deposition of Ca2+ and Li+ was found to be 0.241 V at a scan rate of 20 mV/s at 623 K and the difference decreased with increase in temperature and vanished at 923 K. Polarization measurements with stainless steel (SS) cathode and graphite anode at 673 K showed the possibility of low-energy reactions occurring on the UO2 electrode in the melt. UO2 pellets were cathodically polarized at 3.9 V for 25 h to test the feasibility of electro-reduction to uranium in the melt. The surface of the pellets was found reduced to U metal.

  7. Should TAVR be Performed in Nonagenarians? Insights from the STS/ACC TVT Registry

    PubMed Central

    Arsalan, Mani; Szerlip, Molly; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Holper, Elizabeth M.; Arnold, Suzanne V.; Li, Zhuokai; DiMaio, Michael J.; Rumsfeld, John S.; Brown, David L.; Mack, Michael J.

    2017-01-01

    Background Despite clinical trial evidence and clinical experience supporting the efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), data demonstrating the benefit of TAVR specifically in the very elderly patients are limited, as they often represent only a small proportion of the clinical trial populations. Objectives To compare the outcomes of nonagenarians to younger patients undergoing TAVR in current clinical practice. Methods National U.S. data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy (STS/ACC TVT) Registry were analyzed. Outcomes at 30-days and 1-year were compared between patients ≥90 vs <90 years of age using cumulative incidence curves. Quality of life was assessed with the 12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12). Results Between November 2011 and September 2014, 24,025 patients underwent TAVR in 329 participating hospitals, of which 3,773 (15.7%) were age ≥90. The 30-day and 1-year mortality was significantly higher among nonagenarians (≥90 vs. <90: 30-day: 8.8% vs. 5.9%, p<0.001; 1-year: 24.8% vs. 22.0%, p<0.001, absolute risk 2.8%, relative risk 12.7%). However, nonagenarians had a higher mean STS PROM score(10.9% vs. 8.1%; p<0.001) and therefore had similar ratios of observed to expected rates of 30-day death (≥90 vs. <90: 0.81, 95% CI 0.70–0.92 vs. 0.72, 95% CI 0.67–0.78). There were no differences in the rates of stroke, aortic valve reintervention or myocardial infarction at 30-days or 1-year. Nonagenarians had lower (worse) median KCCQ-12 scores at 30-days; however, there was no significant difference at 1-year. Conclusions In current U.S. clinical practice, approximately 16% of patients undergoing TAVR are ≥90 years of age. Although 30-day and 1-year mortality was statistically higher compared with younger patients undergoing TAVR, the absolute and relative differences were clinically modest. TAVR also improves quality of life to the same degree in

  8. Stability of numerous novel potassium chlorides at high pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Weiwei; Oganov, Artem R.; Zhu, Qiang; Lobanov, Sergey S.; Stavrou, Elissaios; Goncharov, Alexander F.

    2016-05-01

    K-Cl is a simple system displaying all four main types of bonding, as it contains (i) metallic potassium, (ii) elemental chlorine made of covalently bonded Cl2 molecules held together by van der Waals forces, and (iii) an archetypal ionic compound KCl. The charge balance rule, assigning classical charges of “+1” to K and “-1” to Cl, predicts that no compounds other than KCl are possible. However, our quantum-mechanical variable-composition evolutionary simulations predict an extremely complex phase diagram, with new thermodynamically stable compounds K3Cl, K2Cl, K3Cl2, K4Cl3, K5Cl4, K3Cl5, KCl3 and KCl7. Of particular interest are 2D-metallic homologs Kn+1Cln, the presence of positively charged Cl atoms in KCl7, and the predicted stability of KCl3 already at nearly ambient pressures at zero Kelvin. We have synthesized cubic -KCl3 at 40-70 GPa and trigonal -KCl3 at 20-40 GPa in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (DAC) at temperature exceeding 2000 K from KCl and Cl2. These phases were identified using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Upon unloading to 10 GPa, -KCl3 transforms to a yet unknown structure before final decomposition to KCl and Cl2 at near-ambient conditions.

  9. Partial substitution of NaCl by KCl and addition of flavor enhancers on probiotic Prato cheese: A study covering manufacturing, ripening and storage time.

    PubMed

    Silva, Hugo L A; Balthazar, Celso F; Esmerino, Erick A; Neto, Roberto P C; Rocha, Ramon S; Moraes, Jeremias; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo N; Franco, Robson M; Tavares, Maria Inês B; Santos, Jânio S; Granato, Daniel; Costa, Renata G B; Freitas, Mônica Q; Silva, Márcia C; Raices, Renata S L; Senaka Ranadheera, C; Nazzaro, Filomena; Mortazavian, Amir M; Cruz, Adriano G

    2018-05-15

    Cheese is a suitable matrix to deliver probiotic strains but it contains a high amount of sodium. The effect of partial substitution of NaCl by KCl and the addition of flavor enhancers (l-arginine, yeast and oregano extract) on probiotic Prato cheese was investigated after 1, 30, and 60 d of refrigerated storage (immediately after manufacturing, and during ripening and storage). Microbiological (lactic acid bacteria and probiotic Lactobacillus casei 01 counts and survival under gastrointestinal conditions), physicochemical (pH, proteolysis, fatty acids), bioactivity (antioxidant effect and angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity), rheological, and water mobility by means of time domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance were investigated. Significant changes in probiotic survival were observed; however, the sodium reduction and the addition of flavor enhancers did not constitute an obstacle to L. casei 01 (>10 8  CFU/g) during storage. Slight changes were observed in proteolysis, bioactivity, water mobility, texture profile, and fatty acids of the cheeses as a function of the flavor enhancer added. The sodium reduction and the supplementation of Prato cheese with probiotic cultures may be an effective alternative to the production of a potentially functional cheese. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [After ACC/AHA and ESC Guidelines: Pre-operative cardiological evaluation in non-cardiac surgery: certainties, controversial areas and opportunities for a team approach].

    PubMed

    Urbinati, Stefano; Faggiano, Pompilio; Colivicchi, Furio; Riccio, Carmine; Abrignani, Maurizio Giuseppe; Genovesi-Ebert, Alberto; Fattirolli, Francesco; De Feo, Stefania; Gambetti, Simona; Uguccioni, Massimo

    2011-09-01

    A standardized and evidence-based approach to the cardiological management of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery has been recently defined by Task Forces of the American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) that published their guidelines in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Both the recommendations moved from risk indices to a practical, stepwise approach of the patient, which integrates clinical risk factors and test results with the estimated stress of the planned surgical procedure. In the present paper the main topics of the guidelines are discussed, and moreover, emphasis is placed on four controversial issues such as the use of prophylactic coronary revascularization in patients with myocardial ischemia, the perioperative management of patients with congestive heart failure, the routine use of betablockers and statins, and, finally, the management of antiplatelet therapies in patients with coronary stents. In addition to promoting an improvement of immediate perioperative care, the preoperative cardiological evaluation should be a challenge for identifying subjects with enhanced risk of cardiovascular events, who should be treated and monitored during a long-term follow-up.

  11. Strategies for Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease Based on Risk Stratification by the ACC/AHA Lipid Guidelines, ATP III Guidelines, Coronary Calcium Scoring, and C-Reactive Protein, and a Global Treat-All Strategy: A Comparative--Effectiveness Modeling Study

    PubMed Central

    Galper, Benjamin Z.; Wang, Y. Claire; Einstein, Andrew J.

    2015-01-01

    Background Several approaches have been proposed for risk-stratification and primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), but their comparative and cost-effectiveness is unknown. Methods We constructed a state-transition microsimulation model to compare multiple approaches to the primary prevention of CHD in a simulated cohort of men aged 45–75 and women 55–75. Risk-stratification strategies included the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on the treatment of blood cholesterol, the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III guidelines, and approaches based on coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and C-reactive protein (CRP). Additionally we assessed a treat-all strategy in which all individuals were prescribed either moderate-dose or high-dose statins and all males received low-dose aspirin. Outcome measures included CHD events, costs, medication-related side effects, radiation-attributable cancers, and quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) over a 30-year timeframe. Results Treat-all with high-dose statins dominated all other strategies for both men and women, gaining 15.7 million QALYs, preventing 7.3 million myocardial infarctions, and saving over $238 billion, compared to the status quo, far outweighing its associated adverse events including bleeding, hepatitis, myopathy, and new-onset diabetes. ACC/AHA guidelines were more cost-effective than ATP III guidelines for both men and women despite placing 8.7 million more people on statins. For women at low CHD risk, treat-all with high-dose statins was more likely to cause a statin-related adverse event than to prevent a CHD event. Conclusions Despite leading to a greater proportion of the population placed on statin therapy, the ACC/AHA guidelines are more cost-effective than ATP III. Even so, at generic prices, treating all men and women with statins and all men with low-dose aspirin appears to be more cost-effective than all risk-stratification approaches for the

  12. Investigating microstructural evolution during the electroreduction of UO2 to U in LiCl-KCl eutectic using focused ion beam tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, L. D.; Abdulaziz, R.; Tjaden, B.; Inman, D.; Brett, D. J. L.; Shearing, P. R.

    2016-11-01

    Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels using molten salt media is an attractive alternative to liquid-liquid extraction techniques. Pyroelectrochemical processing utilizes direct, selective, electrochemical reduction of uranium dioxide, followed by selective electroplating of a uranium metal. Thermodynamic prediction of the electrochemical reduction of UO2 to U in LiCl-KCl eutectic has shown to be a function of the oxide ion activity. The pO2- of the salt may be affected by the microstructure of the UO2 electrode. A uranium dioxide filled "micro-bucket" electrode has been partially electroreduced to uranium metal in molten lithium chloride-potassium chloride eutectic. This partial electroreduction resulted in two distinct microstructures: a dense UO2 and a porous U metal structure were characterised by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Focused ion beam tomography was performed on five regions of this electrode which revealed an overall porosity ranging from 17.36% at the outer edge to 3.91% towards the centre, commensurate with the expected extent of reaction in each location. The pore connectivity was also seen to reduce from 88.32% to 17.86% in the same regions and the tortuosity through the sample was modelled along the axis of propagation of the electroreduction, which was seen to increase from a value of 4.42 to a value of infinity (disconnected pores). These microstructural characteristics could impede the transport of O2- ions resulting in a change in the local pO2- which could result in the inability to perform the electroreduction.

  13. Evolution of short inverted repeat in cupressophytes, transfer of accD to nucleus in Sciadopitys verticillata and phylogenetic position of Sciadopityaceae.

    PubMed

    Li, Jia; Gao, Lei; Chen, Shanshan; Tao, Ke; Su, Yingjuan; Wang, Ting

    2016-02-11

    Sciadopitys verticillata is an evergreen conifer and an economically valuable tree used in construction, which is the only member of the family Sciadopityaceae. Acquisition of the S. verticillata chloroplast (cp) genome will be useful for understanding the evolutionary mechanism of conifers and phylogenetic relationships among gymnosperm. In this study, we have first reported the complete chloroplast genome of S. verticillata. The total genome is 138,284 bp in length, consisting of 118 unique genes. The S. verticillata cp genome has lost one copy of the canonical inverted repeats and shown distinctive genomic structure comparing with other cupressophytes. Fifty-three simple sequence repeat loci and 18 forward tandem repeats were identified in the S. verticillata cp genome. According to the rearrangement of cupressophyte cp genome, we proposed one mechanism for the formation of inverted repeat: tandem repeat occured first, then rearrangement divided the tandem repeat into inverted repeats located at different regions. Phylogenetic estimates inferred from 59-gene sequences and cpDNA organizations have both shown that S. verticillata was sister to the clade consisting of Cupressaceae, Taxaceae, and Cephalotaxaceae. Moreover, accD gene was found to be lost in the S. verticillata cp genome, and a nucleus copy was identified from two transcriptome data.

  14. Rutile solubility in NaF-NaCl-KCl-bearing aqueous fluids at 0.5-2.79 GPa and 250-650 °C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanis, Elizabeth A.; Simon, Adam; Zhang, Youxue; Chow, Paul; Xiao, Yuming; Hanchar, John M.; Tschauner, Oliver; Shen, Guoyin

    2016-03-01

    during the experiment, and the measured concentration of Zr in the fluid was used to calculate the concentration of Ti (i.e., the solubility of rutile) in the fluid. The salts NaF, NaCl, and KCl were systematically added to the aqueous fluid, and the relative effects of fluid composition, pressure, and temperature on rutile solubility were quantified. The results indicate that fluid composition exerts the greatest control on rutile solubility in aqueous fluid, consistent with previous studies, and that increasing temperature has a positive, albeit less pronounced, effect. The solubility of Zr-rutile in aqueous fluid increases with the addition of halides in the following order: 2 wt% NaF < 30 wt% KCl < 30 wt% NaCl < 3 wt% NaF < (10 wt% NaCl + 2 wt% NaF) < 4 wt% NaF. The solubility of rutile in the fluid increases with the 2nd to 3rd power of the Cl- concentration, and the 3rd to 4th power of the F- concentration. These new data are consistent with observations from field studies of exhumed terranes that indicate that rutile is soluble in complex aqueous fluids, and that fluid composition is the primary control on rutile solubility and HFSE mobility.

  15. Stability of numerous novel potassium chlorides at high pressure

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

    Zhang, Weiwei; Oganov, Artem R.; Lobanov, Sergey S.

    K-Cl is a simple system displaying all four main types of bonding, as it contains (i) metallic potassium, (ii) elemental chlorine made of covalently bonded Cl 2 molecules held together by van der Waals forces, and (iii) an archetypal ionic compound KCl. The charge balance rule, assigning classical charges of “+1” to K and “–1” to Cl, predicts that no compounds other than KCl are possible. However, our quantum-mechanical variable-composition evolutionary simulations predict an extremely complex phase diagram, with new thermodynamically stable compounds K 3Cl, K 2Cl, K 3Cl 2, K 4Cl 3, K 5Cl 4, K 3Cl 5, KClmore » 3 and KCl 7. Of particular interest are 2D-metallic homologs K n+1Cl n, the presence of positively charged Cl atoms in KCl 7, and the predicted stability of KCl 3 already at nearly ambient pressures at zero Kelvin. We have synthesized cubic Pm3¯n -KCl 3 at 40–70 GPa and trigonal P3¯cl -KCl 3 at 20–40 GPa in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (DAC) at temperature exceeding 2000 K from KCl and Cl 2. These phases were identified using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Lastly, upon unloading to 10 GPa, P3¯cl -KCl 3 transforms to a yet unknown structure before final decomposition to KCl and Cl 2 at near-ambient conditions.« less

  16. Stability of numerous novel potassium chlorides at high pressure

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Weiwei; Oganov, Artem R.; Lobanov, Sergey S.; ...

    2016-05-23

    K-Cl is a simple system displaying all four main types of bonding, as it contains (i) metallic potassium, (ii) elemental chlorine made of covalently bonded Cl 2 molecules held together by van der Waals forces, and (iii) an archetypal ionic compound KCl. The charge balance rule, assigning classical charges of “+1” to K and “–1” to Cl, predicts that no compounds other than KCl are possible. However, our quantum-mechanical variable-composition evolutionary simulations predict an extremely complex phase diagram, with new thermodynamically stable compounds K 3Cl, K 2Cl, K 3Cl 2, K 4Cl 3, K 5Cl 4, K 3Cl 5, KClmore » 3 and KCl 7. Of particular interest are 2D-metallic homologs K n+1Cl n, the presence of positively charged Cl atoms in KCl 7, and the predicted stability of KCl 3 already at nearly ambient pressures at zero Kelvin. We have synthesized cubic Pm3¯n -KCl 3 at 40–70 GPa and trigonal P3¯cl -KCl 3 at 20–40 GPa in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (DAC) at temperature exceeding 2000 K from KCl and Cl 2. These phases were identified using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Lastly, upon unloading to 10 GPa, P3¯cl -KCl 3 transforms to a yet unknown structure before final decomposition to KCl and Cl 2 at near-ambient conditions.« less

  17. In-depth characterization of the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma transcriptome with emphasis on dominant cell type.

    PubMed

    Bell, Diana; Bell, Achim H; Bondaruk, Jolanta; Hanna, Ehab Y; Weber, Randall S

    2016-05-15

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 1 of the most common salivary gland malignancies, arises from the intercalated ducts, which are composed of inner ductal epithelial cells and outer myoepithelial cells. The objective of this study was to determine the genomic subtypes of ACC with emphasis on dominant cell type to identify potential specific biomarkers for each subtype and to improve the understanding of this disease. A whole-genome expression study was performed based on 42 primary salivary ACCs and 5 normal salivary glands. RNA from these specimens was subjected to expression profiling with RNA sequencing, and results were analyzed to identify transcripts in epithelial-dominant ACC (E-ACC), myoepithelial-dominant ACC (M-ACC), and all ACC that were expressed differentially compared with the transcripts in normal salivary tissue. In total, the authors identified 430 differentially expressed transcripts that were unique to E-ACC, 392 that were unique to M-ACC, and 424 that were common to both M-ACC and E-ACC. The sets of E-ACC-specific and M-ACC-specific transcripts were sufficiently large to define and differentiate E-ACC from M-ACC. Ingenuity pathway analysis identified known cancer-related genes for 60% of the E-ACC transcripts, 69% of the M-ACC transcripts, and 68% of the transcripts that were common in both E-ACC and M-ACC. Three sets of highly expressed candidate genes-distal-less homeobox 6 (DLX6) for E-ACC; protein keratin 16 (KRT16), SRY box 11 (SOX11), and v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) for M-ACC; and engrailed 1 (EN1) and statherin (STATH), which are common to both E-ACC and M-ACC)-were further validated at the protein level. The current results enabled the authors to identify novel potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers in E-ACC and M-ACC individually, with the implication that EN1, DLX6, and OTX1 (orthodenticle homeobox 1) are potential drivers of these cancers. Cancer 2016;122:1513-22. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

  18. Implantation des sites de soins communautaires en République Démocratique du Congo: consécration d'un double standard dans l'accès aux soins

    PubMed Central

    Dunia, Gisèle Mawazo Binti

    2013-01-01

    Depuis 2005, la République Démocratique du Congo a amorcé l'implantation des sites de soins communautaires. Cette stratégie a pour objectif de rapprocher les services de santé des populations éloignées. Bien que cela parte d'une bonne intention, elle résulte, à notre sens, en une consécration d'un système de santé à deux vitesses. En effet, les populations vivant en ville ont accès à des soins prestés par des agents de santé formés alors que celles vivant en milieu rural reculé ont pour prestataires de soins des relais communautaires. Cette situation marginalise encore plus des populations dont la situation géographique est déjà préoccupante. Pourtant, la population est prête à parcourir des kilomètres en échange d'un service qu'elle estime de qualité. PMID:23785563

  19. Death and Dialysis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Analysis of the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

    PubMed

    Hansen, James W; Foy, Andrew; Yadav, Pradeep; Gilchrist, Ian C; Kozak, Mark; Stebbins, Amanda; Matsouaka, Roland; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Wang, Alice; Wang, Dee Dee; Eng, Marvin H; Greenbaum, Adam B; O'Neill, William O

    2017-10-23

    The authors sought to elucidate the true incidence of renal replacement therapy (RRT) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). There is a wide discrepancy in the reported rate of RRT after TAVR (1.4% to 40%). The true incidence of RRT after TAVR is unknown. The STS/ACC TVT (Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy) registry was linked to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid database to identify all patients that underwent TAVR from November 2011 through September 2015 and their outcomes. The authors compared rates of death, new RRT, and a composite of both as a function of pre-procedure glomerular filtration rate (GFR), both in stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as on a continuous scale. Pre-procedure GFR is associated with the risk of death and new RRT after TAVR when GFR is <60 ml/min/m 2 , and increases significantly when GFR falls below 30 ml/min/m 2 . Incremental increases in GFR of 5 ml/min/m 2 were statistically significant (unadjusted hazard ratio: 0.71; p < 0.001) at 30 days, and continued to be significant at 1 year when pre-procedure GFR was <60 ml/min/m 2 . One in 3 CKD stage 4 patients will be dead within 1 year, with 14.6% (roughly 1 in 6) requiring dialysis. In CKD stage 5, more than one-third of patients will require RRT within 30 days; nearly two-thirds will require RRT at 1 year. In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, pre-procedural GFR was associated with the outcomes of death and new RRT. Increasing CKD stage leads to an increased risk of death and/or RRT. Continuous analysis showed significant differences in outcomes in all levels of CKD when GFR was <60 ml/min/m 2 . Pre-procedure GFR should be considered when selecting CKD patients for TAVR. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Efficient and portable acceleration of quantum chemical many-body methods in mixed floating point precision using OpenACC compiler directives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eriksen, Janus J.

    2017-09-01

    It is demonstrated how the non-proprietary OpenACC standard of compiler directives may be used to compactly and efficiently accelerate the rate-determining steps of two of the most routinely applied many-body methods of electronic structure theory, namely the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) model in its resolution-of-the-identity approximated form and the (T) triples correction to the coupled cluster singles and doubles model (CCSD(T)). By means of compute directives as well as the use of optimised device math libraries, the operations involved in the energy kernels have been ported to graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerators, and the associated data transfers correspondingly optimised to such a degree that the final implementations (using either double and/or single precision arithmetics) are capable of scaling to as large systems as allowed for by the capacity of the host central processing unit (CPU) main memory. The performance of the hybrid CPU/GPU implementations is assessed through calculations on test systems of alanine amino acid chains using one-electron basis sets of increasing size (ranging from double- to pentuple-ζ quality). For all but the smallest problem sizes of the present study, the optimised accelerated codes (using a single multi-core CPU host node in conjunction with six GPUs) are found to be capable of reducing the total time-to-solution by at least an order of magnitude over optimised, OpenMP-threaded CPU-only reference implementations.

  1. Role of an Essential Acyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase in the Primary and Secondary Metabolism of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, E.; Banchio, C.; Diacovich, L.; Bibb, M. J.; Gramajo, H.

    2001-01-01

    Two genes, accB and accE, that form part of the same operon, were cloned from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). AccB is homologous to the carboxyl transferase domain of several propionyl coezyme A (CoA) carboxylases and acyl-CoA carboxylases (ACCases) of actinomycete origin, while AccE shows no significant homology to any known protein. Expression of accB and accE in Escherichia coli and subsequent in vitro reconstitution of enzyme activity in the presence of the biotinylated protein AccA1 or AccA2 confirmed that AccB was the carboxyl transferase subunit of an ACCase. The additional presence of AccE considerably enhanced the activity of the enzyme complex, suggesting that this small polypeptide is a functional component of the ACCase. The impossibility of obtaining an accB null mutant and the thiostrepton growth dependency of a tipAp accB conditional mutant confirmed that AccB is essential for S. coelicolor viability. Normal growth phenotype in the absence of the inducer was restored in the conditional mutant by the addition of exogenous long-chain fatty acids in the medium, indicating that the inducer-dependent phenotype was specifically related to a conditional block in fatty acid biosynthesis. Thus, AccB, together with AccA2, which is also an essential protein (E. Rodriguez and H. Gramajo, Microbiology 143:3109–3119, 1999), are the most likely components of an ACCase whose main physiological role is the synthesis of malonyl-CoA, the first committed step of fatty acid synthesis. Although normal growth of the conditional mutant was restored by fatty acids, the cultures did not produce actinorhodin or undecylprodigiosin, suggesting a direct participation of this enzyme complex in the supply of malonyl-CoA for the synthesis of these secondary metabolites. PMID:11526020

  2. Rutile solubility in NaF–NaCl–KCl-bearing aqueous fluids at 0.5–2.79GPa and 250–650°C

    DOE PAGES

    Tanis, Elizabeth A.; Simon, Adam; Zhang, Youxue; ...

    2016-01-14

    /Ti ratio of the starting rutile, which was quantified, does not change during the experiment, and the measured concentration of Zr in the fluid was used to calculate the concentration of Ti (i.e., the solubility of rutile) in the fluid. The salts NaF, NaCl, and KCl were systematically added to the aqueous fluid, and the relative effects of fluid composition, pressure, and temperature on rutile solubility were quantified. The results indicate that fluid composition exerts the greatest control on rutile solubility in aqueous fluid, consistent with previous studies, and that increasing temperature has a positive, albeit less pronounced, effect. The solubility of Zr-rutile in aqueous fluid increases with the addition of halides in the following order: 2 wt% NaF < 30 wt% KCl < 30 wt% NaCl < 3 wt% NaF < (10 wt% NaCl + 2 wt% NaF) < 4 wt% NaF. The solubility of rutile in the fluid increases with the 2nd to 3rd power of the Cl- concentration, and the 3rd to 4th power of the F- concentration. These new data are consistent with observations from field studies of exhumed terranes that indicate that rutile is soluble in complex aqueous fluids, and that fluid composition is the primary control on rutile solubility and HFSE mobility« less

  3. High-molecular-weight fibronectin synthesized by adenoid cystic carcinoma cells of salivary gland origin.

    PubMed

    Toyoshima, K; Kimura, S; Cheng, J; Oda, Y; Mori, K J; Saku, T

    1999-03-01

    To understand the morphogenesis of characteristic cribriform structures and the frequent invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) along such basement membrane-rich structures as peripheral nerves, we have isolated fibronectin (FN) from the culture media of ACC3 cells established from a parotid ACC and characterized its glycosylation and alternative splicing status. FN isolated from ACC3 cells (ACC-FN) showed a molecular mass of 315 kDa in SDS-PAGE and was less heterogeneous and larger than plasma FN (pFN) or FNs from other cell sources. Differential enzymatic treatments of immunoprecipitated ACC-FN with neuraminidase, peptide-N-glycosidase F and endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase revealed that ACC-FN was composed of a polypeptide chain of 270 kDa, with 10 kDa each of N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharide chains. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in-situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence studies showed that most ACC-FNs contained ED-A, ED-B and IIICS regions in the molecules. This alternative splicing status of ACC-FN seemed to contribute to its less heterogeneous and larger molecular form. Cell attachment assay demonstrated that ACC-FN was more potent than pFN in adhesion of ACC3 cells. The results indicated that ACC-FN may function as a substrate for attachment of ACC3 cells, or that ACC3 cells trap and retain ACC-FN in their pericellular space. This isoform of FN may play an important role in the mode of invasion of ACC and the formation of stromal pseudocysts in the characteristic cribriform structure of ACC.

  4. Deep sea water modulates blood pressure and exhibits hypolipidemic effects via the AMPK-ACC pathway: an in vivo study.

    PubMed

    Sheu, Ming-Jyh; Chou, Pei-Yu; Lin, Wen-Hsin; Pan, Chun-Hsu; Chien, Yi-Chung; Chung, Yun-Lung; Liu, Fon-Chang; Wu, Chieh-Hsi

    2013-06-17

    Deep sea water (DSW), originally pumped from the Pacific Rim off the coast of Hualien County (Taiwan), and its mineral constituents, were concentrated by a low-temperature vacuum evaporation system to produce a hardness of approximately 400,000 mg/L of seawater mineral concentrate. The primary composition of this seawater mineral concentrate was ionic magnesium (Mg²⁺), which was approximately 96,000 mg/L. Referring to the human recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium, we diluted the mineral concentrate to three different dosages: 0.1 × DSW (equivalent to 3.75 mg Mg²⁺/kg DSW); 1 × DSW (equivalent to 37.5 mg Mg²⁺/kg DSW); and 2 × DSW (equivalent to 75 mg Mg²⁺/kg DSW). Additionally, a magnesium chloride treatment was conducted for comparison with the DSW supplement. The study indicated that 0.1 × DSW, 1 × DSW and 2 × DSW decreased the systolic and diastolic pressures in spontaneous hypertensive rats in an eight-week experiment. DSW has been shown to reduce serum lipids and prevent atherogenesis in a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model. Our results demonstrated that 1 × DSW and 2 × DSW significantly suppressed the serum cholesterol levels, reduced the lipid accumulation in liver tissues, and limited aortic fatty streaks. These findings indicated that the antiatherogenic effects of DSW are associated with 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) stimulation and the consequent inhibition of phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in atherosclerotic rabbits. We hypothesize that DSW could potentially be used as drinking water because it modulates blood pressure, reduces lipids, and prevents atherogenesis.

  5. A functional dissociation of conflict processing within anterior cingulate cortex.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chobok; Kroger, James K; Kim, Jeounghoon

    2011-02-01

    Goal-directed behavior requires cognitive control to regulate the occurrence of conflict. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has been suggested in detecting response conflict during various conflict tasks. Recent findings, however, have indicated not only that two distinct subregions of dACC are involved in conflict processing but also that the conflict occurs at both perceptual and response levels. In this study, we sought to examine whether perceptual and response conflicts are functionally dissociated in dACC. Thirteen healthy subjects performed a version of the Stroop task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. We identified a functional dissociation of the caudal dACC (cdACC) and the rostral dACC (rdACC) in their responses to different sources of conflict. The cdACC was selectively engaged in perceptual conflict whereas the rdACC was more active in response conflict. Further, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was coactivated not with cdACC but with rdACC. We suggest that cdACC plays an important role in regulative processing of perceptual conflict whereas rdACC is involved in detecting response conflict. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  6. Pesticide adsorption in relation to soil properties and soil type distribution in regional scale.

    PubMed

    Kodešová, Radka; Kočárek, Martin; Kodeš, Vít; Drábek, Ondřej; Kozák, Josef; Hejtmánková, Kateřina

    2011-02-15

    Study was focused on the evaluation of pesticide adsorption in soils, as one of the parameters, which are necessary to know when assessing possible groundwater contamination caused by pesticides commonly used in agriculture. Batch sorption tests were performed for 11 selected pesticides and 13 representative soils. The Freundlich equations were used to describe adsorption isotherms. Multiple-linear regressions were used to predict the Freundlich adsorption coefficients from measured soil properties. Resulting functions and a soil map of the Czech Republic were used to generate maps of the coefficient distribution. The multiple linear regressions showed that the K(F) coefficient depended on: (a) combination of OM (organic matter content), pH(KCl) and CEC (cation exchange capacity), or OM, SCS (sorption complex saturation) and salinity (terbuthylazine), (b) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM, SCS and salinity (prometryne), (c) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM and ρ(z) (metribuzin), (d) combination of OM, CEC and clay content, or clay content, CEC and salinity (hexazinone), (e) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM and SCS (metolachlor), (f) OM or combination of OM and CaCO(3) (chlorotoluron), (g) OM (azoxystrobin), (h) combination of OM and pH(KCl) (trifluralin), (i) combination of OM and clay content (fipronil), (j) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM, pH(KCl) and CaCO(3) (thiacloprid), (k) combination of OM, pH(KCl) and CEC, or sand content, pH(KCl) and salinity (chlormequat chloride). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Two-dimensional high spatial-resolution dosimeter using europium doped potassium chloride: a feasibility study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, H. Harold; Driewer, Joseph P.; Han, Zhaohui; Low, Daniel A.; Yang, Deshan; Xiao, Zhiyan

    2014-04-01

    Recent research has shown that KCl:Eu2+ has great potential for use in megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry because this material exhibits excellent storage performance and is reusable due to strong radiation hardness. This work reports the authors’ attempts to fabricate 2D KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor films (SPFs) using both a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method and a tape casting method. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that a 10 µm thick PVD sample was composed of highly crystalline KCl. No additional phases were observed, suggesting that the europium activator had been completely incorporated into the KCl matrix. Photostimulated luminescence and photoluminescence spectra suggested that F (Cl-) centers were the electron storage centers post x-ray irradiation and that Eu2+ cations acted as luminescence centers in the photostimulation process. The 150 µm thick casted KCl:Eu2+ SPF showed sub-millimeter spatial-resolution. Monte Carlo simulations further demonstrated that the admixture of 20% KCl:Eu2+ and 80% low Z polymer binder exhibited almost no energy-dependence in a 6 MV beam. KCl:Eu2+ pellet samples showed a large dynamic range from 0.01 cGy to 60 Gy dose-to-water, and saturated at approximately 500 Gy as a result of KCl's intrinsic high radiation hardness. Taken together, this work provides strong evidence that KCl:Eu2+-based SPF with associated readout apparatus could result in a novel electronic film system that has all the desirable features associated with classic radiographic film and, importantly, water equivalence and the capability of permanent identification of each detector.

  8. Effect of potassium chloride supplementation in drinking water on broiler performance under heat stress conditions.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, T; Khalid, T; Mushtaq, T; Mirza, M A; Nadeem, A; Babar, M E; Ahmad, G

    2008-07-01

    The effect of water supplementation of KCl on performance of heat-stressed Hubbard broilers was evaluated in the present experiment. The 3 experimental treatments (i.e., control, 0.3 and 0.6% KCl) were allocated to 3 replicates of 15 birds each. The control group was kept on dugout tap water, whereas the other 2 groups were supplied water supplemented with 0.3 and 0.6% KCl (wt/vol) by supplementing 3 and 6 g of KCl, respectively, per liter of drinking water. Broilers were provided ad libitum access to feed and water for the experimental period of 7 to 42 d of age and kept in open-sided house. The birds were reared under continuous thermostress (minimum 28.2 +/- 1.02 and maximum 37.5 +/- 0.78 degrees C) environment. Supplementing drinking water with 0.6% KCl reduced panting-phase blood pH to 7.31 and significantly increased live BW gain by 14.5 (P = 0.036) and 7.9% (P = 0.029) at 28 and 42 d of age, respectively, relative to control. An improved (P = 0.04) feed:gain and lowered body temperature were noted in groups supplemented with 0.6% KCl as compared with control and 0.3% KCl. Enhanced physiological adaptation with 0.6% KCl was evidenced by a more favorable pH during the panting phase in the present study. These findings demonstrated a possibility of better broiler live performance through KCl supplementation under conditions of severe heat stress (35 to 38 degrees C).

  9. Burn rates of TiH2/KClO4/Viton and output testing of NASA SKD26100098-301 pressure cartridges

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holy, John A.

    1993-01-01

    The burn rates of the pyrotechnic TiH2/KClO4/Viton with a mass ratio of 30/65/5 have been measured as a function of pressure in nitrogen up to 312 MPa(45 Kpsi). The burn rates were fit to R = a pn, with a = 2.055 cm/sec/MPan and n = 0.472 between 0.15 MPa (22 psi) and 21.6 MPa (3.13 Kpsi) and a = 4.38 cm/sec/MPan and n = 0.266 between 70 MPa (10.15 Kpsi) and 312 MPa (45.25 Kpsi). The decrease in slope at the higher pressures is attributed to a diffusion limited reaction. No acoustically driven flame instabilities or large conductive-to-convective burn transitions were observed. Solid reaction products were analyzed by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction detected only TiO2 and KC1. SEM showed that the particle size of the reaction products increased as the nitrogen pressure increased. There were no anomalous characteristics of the burn of this pyrotechnic that could be interpreted as a cause of the o-ring blow-by problem in the forward shear bolt assembly. Three NASA SKD26100098-301 pressure cartridges were fired into a fixed volume vessel that was sealed with an O-ring. A maximum pressure of 181.7 MPa(26,350 psi) was reached in around 100 ,mu sec for two shots fired into a volume of 16.3 cm3(0.996 in3). A maximum pressure of 33,460 psi was reached for one shot fired into a volume of 9.55 cm3(0.583 in3). The O-ring burned through on one shot in the larger volume and leaked on the other two thereby simulating the effects of an O-ring leak. The results imply that the piston in the shear bolt assembly would receive a large impulse even if there was a leak in an O-ring seal.

  10. Electrochemistry of Europium(III) Chloride in 3 LiCl – NaCl, 3 LiCl – 2 KCl, LiCl – RbCl, and 3 LiCl – 2 CsCl Eutectics at Various Temperatures

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

    Schroll, Cynthia A.; Chatterjee, Sayandev; Levitskaia, Tatiana G.

    Here we report the effect of changing the eutectic melt composition on the electrochemical properties of europium(III) chloride under pyroprocessing conditions. The number of electrons transferred, redox potentials and diffusion coefficients were determined using various electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques in four different eutectic mixtures (3 LiCl - NaCl, 3 LiCl - 2 KCl, 3 LiCl - RbCl, and 3 LiCl - 2 CsCl) while varying the temperature of the melt. It was determined that Eu3+ undergoes a one electron reduction to Eu2+ in each melt at all temperatures evaluated. Within all the melts a positive shift in the redox potentialmore » as well as an increase in the diffusion coefficient for Eu3+ was observed as the temperature increased. Also observed was a positive shift in the redox potential and increase in the diffusion coefficient for Eu3+ as the weighted average of the cationic radii for the melt decreased.« less

  11. Examining the Effectiveness of Climate Change Frames in the Face of a Climate Change Denial Counter-Frame.

    PubMed

    McCright, Aaron M; Charters, Meghan; Dentzman, Katherine; Dietz, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Prior research on the influence of various ways of framing anthropogenic climate change (ACC) do not account for the organized ACC denial in the U.S. media and popular culture, and thus may overestimate these frames' influence in the general public. We conducted an experiment to examine how Americans' ACC views are influenced by four promising frames for urging action on ACC (economic opportunity, national security, Christian stewardship, and public health)-when these frames appear with an ACC denial counter-frame. This is the first direct test of how exposure to an ACC denial message influences Americans' ACC views. Overall, these four positive frames have little to no effect on ACC beliefs. But exposure to an ACC denial counter-frame does significantly reduce respondents' belief in the reality of ACC, belief about the veracity of climate science, awareness of the consequences of ACC, and support for aggressively attempting to reduce our nation's GHG emissions in the near future. Furthermore, as expected by the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis, exposure to the ACC denial counter-frame has a disproportionate influence on the ACC views of conservatives (than on those of moderates and liberals), effectively activating conservatives' underlying propensity for anti-reflexivity. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  12. Effects of Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride and Calcium Chloride on the Formation of α-Dicarbonyl Compounds, Furfurals and Development of Browning in Cookies during Baking.

    PubMed

    Kocadağlı, Tolgahan; Gökmen, Vural

    2016-10-02

    Effect of NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, NaHCO3, and NH4HCO3 on the formation of glucosone, 1-deoxyglucosone, 3-deoxyglucosone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, diacetyl, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, 2-furfural and browning were investigated in cookies. Presence of 1.5% NaCl, 1% KCl, and 1% CaCl2 on flour basis had no effect on α-dicarbonyl compounds, except 1-deoxyglucosone increased in the presence of KCl and CaCl2. The increase in 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural formation in the presence of NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 did not relate to 3-deoxyglucosone formation and pH changes. NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 increased browning in cookies. Model reaction systems indicated that NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 enhance browning by increasing furfurals in caramelization. NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 decreased browning intensity in heated glucose-glycine system. Usage of CaCl2 in cookies may considerably increase furfurals but not α-dicarbonyl compounds. Sodium reduction can be obtained by replacement with potassium without sacrificing the desired consequences of caramelization in sugar rich bakeries.

  13. Transformation and crystallization energetics of synthetic and biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate.

    PubMed

    Radha, A V; Forbes, Tori Z; Killian, Christopher E; Gilbert, P U P A; Navrotsky, Alexandra

    2010-09-21

    Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a metastable phase often observed during low temperature inorganic synthesis and biomineralization. ACC transforms with aging or heating into a less hydrated form, and with time crystallizes to calcite or aragonite. The energetics of transformation and crystallization of synthetic and biogenic (extracted from California purple sea urchin larval spicules, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) ACC were studied using isothermal acid solution calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Transformation and crystallization of ACC can follow an energetically downhill sequence: more metastable hydrated ACC → less metastable hydrated ACC ⇒ anhydrous ACC ∼ biogenic anhydrous ACC ⇒ vaterite → aragonite → calcite. In a given reaction sequence, not all these phases need to occur. The transformations involve a series of ordering, dehydration, and crystallization processes, each lowering the enthalpy (and free energy) of the system, with crystallization of the dehydrated amorphous material lowering the enthalpy the most. ACC is much more metastable with respect to calcite than the crystalline polymorphs vaterite or aragonite. The anhydrous ACC is less metastable than the hydrated, implying that the structural reorganization during dehydration is exothermic and irreversible. Dehydrated synthetic and anhydrous biogenic ACC are similar in enthalpy. The transformation sequence observed in biomineralization could be mainly energetically driven; the first phase deposited is hydrated ACC, which then converts to anhydrous ACC, and finally crystallizes to calcite. The initial formation of ACC may be a first step in the precipitation of calcite under a wide variety of conditions, including geological CO(2) sequestration.

  14. Growth rate regulation of Escherichia coli acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, which catalyzes the first committed step of lipid biosynthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Li, S J; Cronan, J E

    1993-01-01

    Acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase catalyzes the synthesis of malonyl-CoA, the first intermediate of fatty acid synthesis. The Escherichia coli enzyme is encoded by four subunits located at three different positions on the E. coli chromosome. The accBC genes lie in a small operon at min 72, whereas accA and accD are located at min 4.3 and 50, respectively. We examined the expression of the genes that encode the E. coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunits (accA, accBC, and accD) under a variety of growth conditions by quantitative Northern (RNA) blot analysis. We found a direct correlation between the levels of transcription of the acc genes and the rate of cellular growth. Consistent results were also obtained upon nutritional upshift and downshift experiments and upon dilution of stationary-phase cultures into fresh media. We also determined the 5' end of the accA and accD mRNAs by primer extension and did transcriptional fusion analysis of the previously reported accBC promoter. Several interesting features were found in the promoter regions of these genes, including a bent DNA sequence and an open reading frame within the unusually long leader mRNA of the accBC operon, potential stem-loop structures in the accA and accD mRNA leader regions, and a stretch of GC-rich sequences followed by AT-rich sequences common to all three promoters. In addition, both accA and accD are located in complex gene clusters. For example, the accA promoter was localized within the upstream polC gene (which encodes the DNA polymerase III catalytic subunit), suggesting that additional regulatory mechanisms exist. Images PMID:7678242

  15. Two-dimensional high spatial-resolution dosimeter using europium doped potassium chloride: a feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Li, H Harold; Driewer, Joseph P; Han, Zhaohui; Low, Daniel A; Yang, Deshan; Xiao, Zhiyan

    2014-04-21

    Recent research has shown that KCl:Eu²⁺ has great potential for use in megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry because this material exhibits excellent storage performance and is reusable due to strong radiation hardness. This work reports the authors' attempts to fabricate 2D KCl:Eu²⁺ storage phosphor films (SPFs) using both a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method and a tape casting method. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that a 10 µm thick PVD sample was composed of highly crystalline KCl. No additional phases were observed, suggesting that the europium activator had been completely incorporated into the KCl matrix. Photostimulated luminescence and photoluminescence spectra suggested that F (Cl(-)) centers were the electron storage centers post x-ray irradiation and that Eu²⁺ cations acted as luminescence centers in the photostimulation process. The 150 µm thick casted KCl:Eu²⁺ SPF showed sub-millimeter spatial-resolution. Monte Carlo simulations further demonstrated that the admixture of 20% KCl:Eu²⁺ and 80% low Z polymer binder exhibited almost no energy-dependence in a 6 MV beam. KCl:Eu²⁺ pellet samples showed a large dynamic range from 0.01 cGy to 60 Gy dose-to-water, and saturated at approximately 500 Gy as a result of KCl's intrinsic high radiation hardness. Taken together, this work provides strong evidence that KCl:Eu²⁺-based SPF with associated readout apparatus could result in a novel electronic film system that has all the desirable features associated with classic radiographic film and, importantly, water equivalence and the capability of permanent identification of each detector.

  16. Guava leaf inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis and increases glycogen synthesis via AMPK/ACC signaling pathways in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    PubMed

    Vinayagam, Ramachandran; Jayachandran, Muthukumaran; Chung, Stephen Sum Man; Xu, Baojun

    2018-07-01

    Psidium guajava (PG) is a short shrub or tree cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The leaf extract of PG (guava leaf) has been used historically to cure many ailments. However, mechanisms of action of guava leaf in treating diabetes are not fully understood. Effects and underlying mechanisms of guava leaf on gluconeogenesis and glycogenesis in hepatocytes, insulin signaling proteins, liver function markers, and lipid profile in streptozotocin (STZ) injected diabetic Wistar rats were investigated within the current study. PG was given orally at the dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b.w to diabetic rats for the period of 45 days. The results reveal that oral administration of PG (200 mg/kg b.w) has considerably raised the levels of insulin, glycogen, hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase and significant (p < 0.05) belittled hepatic markers, gluconeogenic enzymes, and OGTT fasting blood glucose levels. OGTT has shown least statistical significance between the group 5 (200 mg/kg b.w) and group 6 and vital difference between group 5 and group 4 (400 mg/kg). PG has attenuated the triglycerides, total cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acid, and LDL levels and raised HDL levels. PG considerably (p < 0.05) activated IRS-1, IRS-2, Akt, p-Akt, PI3K, GLUT2, AMPK, p-AMPK, and p-ACC, which are the key effector molecules of the PI3K/Akt pathway in STZ rats. The results of our study specify that treatment with PG ameliorated glucose-metabolism and lipid profile in STZ evoked diabetic rats; the rationale ought to be the activation of PI3K/Akt, phosphorylation of AMPK pathway in liver and therefore has beneficial anti-diabetic activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of short-term alkaline intervention on the performance of buffer-free single-chamber microbial fuel cell.

    PubMed

    Yang, Na; Ren, Yueping; Li, Xiufen; Wang, Xinhua

    2017-06-01

    Anolyte acidification is a drawback restricting the electricity generation performance of the buffer-free microbial fuel cells (MFC). In this paper, a small amount of alkali-treated anion exchange resin (AER) was placed in front of the anode in the KCl mediated single-chamber MFC to slowly release hydroxyl ions (OH - ) and neutralize the H + ions that are generated by the anodic reaction in two running cycles. This short-term alkaline intervention to the KCl anolyte has promoted the proliferation of electroactive Geobacter sp. and enhanced the self-buffering capacity of the KCl-AER-MFC. The pH of the KCl anolyte in the KCl-AER-MFC increased and became more stable in each running cycle compared with that of the KCl-MFC after the short-term alkaline intervention. The maximum power density (P max ) of the KCl-AER-MFC increased from 307.5mW·m -2 to 542.8mW·m -2 , slightly lower than that of the PBS-MFC (640.7mW·m -2 ). The coulombic efficiency (CE) of the KCl-AER-MFC increased from 54.1% to 61.2% which is already very close to that of the PBS-MFC (61.9%). The results in this paper indicate that short-term alkaline intervention to the anolyte is an effective strategy to further promote the performance of buffer-free MFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Topographic-baroclinic instability and formation of Kuroshio current loop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Jingsong; Zhang, Zhixin; Xia, Changshui; Guo, Binghuo; Yuan, Yeli

    2018-03-01

    Using time-series figures of sea-level anomaly and geostrophic currents from merged absolute dynamic topography, we analyzed the formation and evolution of the Kuroshio current loop (KCL). The main results are as follows. Perturbation origins of the KCLs are in three areas (eastern, western, and southern) surrounding the Hengchun Submarine Ridge. There are two basic types of KCL formation, i.e., "Kuroshio bend pushing" and "Kuroshio Branch rewinding", plus their combination. The KCLs propagate westward at 1.6-4.5 cm/s. There are two forms of KCL evolution into a shed eddy. The first is such that the northern KCL section initially divides to become an eddy joining the Kuroshio Branch current, which then separates from that current to become a shed eddy. The second form is such that the northern and southern sections of the KCL are separated almost simultaneously in westward elongated process. To understand the KCL formation mechanism, we derive linear equations in phase space from the governing equations in σ-coordinates, ultimately obtaining two groups of analytical solutions for interactions between waves, topography, and the basic current field. The solutions lead to the following results. The KCL propagates westward with the group velocity of the Kuroshio center region. The Kuroshio generally sweeps over the Hengchun Submarine Ridge, especially in winter, such that there is topographic-baroclinic instability. The analytical solutions effectively reveal the dynamic mechanism of the two basic types of KCL formation.

  19. Acute Aerobic Swimming Exercise Induces Distinct Effects in the Contractile Reactivity of Rat Ileum to KCl and Carbachol

    PubMed Central

    Araujo, Layanne C. da Cunha; de Souza, Iara L. L.; Vasconcelos, Luiz H. C.; Brito, Aline de Freitas; Queiroga, Fernando R.; Silva, Alexandre S.; da Silva, Patrícia M.; Cavalcante, Fabiana de Andrade; da Silva, Bagnólia A.

    2016-01-01

    Aerobic exercise promotes short-term physiological changes in the intestinal smooth muscle associated to the ischemia-reperfusion process; however, few studies have demonstrated its effect on the intestinal contractile function. Thus, this work describes our observations regarding the influence of acute aerobic swimming exercise in the contractile reactivity, oxidative stress, and morphology of rat ileum. Wistar rats were divided into sedentary (SED) and acutely exercised (EX-AC) groups. Animals were acclimated by 10, 10, and 30 min of swimming exercise in intercalated days 1 week before exercise. Then they were submitted to forced swimming for 1 h with a metal of 3% of their body weight attached to their body. Animals were euthanized immediately after the exercise section and the ileum was suspended in organ baths for monitoring isotonic contractions. The analysis of lipid peroxidation was performed in order to determinate the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of oxidative stress, and intestinal smooth muscle morphology by histological staining. Cumulative concentration-response curves to KCl were altered in the EX-AC with an increase in both its efficacy and potency (Emax = 153.2 ± 2.8%, EC50 = 1.3 ± 0.1 × 10−2 M) compared to the SED group (Emax = 100%, EC50 = 1.8 ± 0.1 × 10−2 M). Interestingly, carbachol had its efficacy and potency reduced in the EX-AC (Emax = 67.1 ± 1.4%, EC50 = 9.8 ± 1.4 × 10−7 M) compared to the SED group (Emax = 100%, EC50 = 2.0 ± 0.2 × 10−7 M). The exercise did not alter the MDA levels in the ileum (5.4 ± 0.6 μ mol/mL) in the EX-AC compared to the SED group (8.4 ± 1.7 μ mol/mL). Moreover, neither the circular nor the longitudinal smooth muscle layers thickness were modified by the exercise (66.2 ± 6.0 and 40.2 ± 2.6 μm, respectively), compared to the SED group (61.6 ± 6.4 and 34.8 ± 3.7 μm, respectively). Therefore, the ileum sensitivity to contractile agents is differentially altered by the acute aerobic

  20. Solubility and bioavailability of stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate.

    PubMed

    Meiron, Oren E; Bar-David, Elad; Aflalo, Eliahu D; Shechter, Assaf; Stepensky, David; Berman, Amir; Sagi, Amir

    2011-02-01

    Since its role in the prevention of osteoporosis in humans was proven some 30 years ago, calcium bioavailability has been the subject of numerous scientific studies. Recent technology allowing the production of a stable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) now enables a bioavailability analysis of this unique form of calcium. This study thus compares the solubility and fractional absorption of ACC, ACC with chitosan (ACC-C), and crystalline calcium carbonate (CCC). Solubility was evaluated by dissolving these preparations in dilute phosphoric acid. The results demonstrated that both ACC and ACC-C are more soluble than CCC. Fractional absorption was evaluated by intrinsically labeling calcium carbonate preparations with (45)Ca, orally administrated to rats using gelatin capsules. Fractional absorption was determined by evaluating the percentage of the administrated radioactive dose per milliliter that was measured in the serum, calcium absorption in the femur, and whole-body retention over a 34-hour period. Calcium serum analysis revealed that calcium absorption from ACC and ACC-C preparations was up to 40% higher than from CCC, whereas retention of ACC and ACC-C was up to 26.5% higher than CCC. Absorbed calcium in the femurs of ACC-administrated rats was 30% higher than in CCC-treated animals, whereas 15% more calcium was absorbed following ACC-C treatment than following CCC treatment. This study demonstrates the enhanced solubility and bioavailability of ACC over CCC. The use of stable ACC as a highly bioavailable dietary source for calcium is proposed based on the findings of this study. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

  1. Antihyperlipidemic Medication Treatment Patterns and Statin Adherence Among Patients with ASCVD in a Managed Care Plan After Release of the 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol.

    PubMed

    Bellows, Brandon K; Olsen, Cody J; Voelker, Jennifer; Wander, Curtis

    2016-08-01

    The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) released a new blood cholesterol treatment guideline in November 2013. It is unknown how the new recommendations have affected cholesterol medication use and adherence in a commercial health plan. To evaluate the effect of the 2013 guideline release on antihyperlipidemic treatment patterns and statin adherence in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) compared with a historical control group. This study was a historical cohort analysis of adult patients (aged 21-75 years) with clinical ASCVD enrolled in a SelectHealth commercial health plan. Patients were included in the guideline implementation cohort if they had a medical claim with an ICD-9-CM diagnosis of ASCVD in the year before the November 2013 ACC/AHA guideline release. The index date was defined as the first outpatient medical claim with an ICD-9-CM for ASCVD in the first 6 months after the guideline was released. Patients were required to have continuous enrollment for ≥ 1 year before and after the index date. These same criteria were applied to patients exactly 4 years earlier to identify a historical control group. Patients meeting these criteria formed the antihyperlipidemic treatment patterns cohort. Of these, patients who also had ≥1 pharmacy claim for a statin in the 1-year pre- and post-index periods were included in the statin adherence cohort. Antihyperlipidemic treatment patterns were assessed using pharmacy claims for antihyperlipidemic medications in the 1-year pre- and post-index periods. Antihyperlipidemic medication claims were classified as a nonstatin cholesterol medication, low-intensity statin, moderate-intensity statin, or high-intensity statin. To address differences in pre-index antihyperlipidemic medications between the guideline implementation and historical control groups, patients were randomly matched 1:1 based on pre-index classification in a post hoc analysis. Post

  2. 24 CFR 941.302 - Annual contributions contract; drawdowns and advances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... execute an ACC or ACC amendment covering the entire amount of reserved development funds or the amount of... part. This ACC or ACC amendment must be executed by both the PHA and HUD before funds can be provided... the ACC for pre-development costs for materials and services related to proposal preparation and...

  3. 24 CFR 941.302 - Annual contributions contract; drawdowns and advances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... execute an ACC or ACC amendment covering the entire amount of reserved development funds or the amount of... part. This ACC or ACC amendment must be executed by both the PHA and HUD before funds can be provided... the ACC for pre-development costs for materials and services related to proposal preparation and...

  4. 24 CFR 982.151 - Annual contributions contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Contract and PHA Administration of Program § 982.151 Annual contributions contract. (a) Nature of ACC. (1) An annual contributions contract (ACC) is a written contract between HUD and a PHA. Under the ACC... owners and for the PHA administrative fee. The ACC specifies the maximum payment over the ACC term. The...

  5. 24 CFR 982.151 - Annual contributions contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Contract and PHA Administration of Program § 982.151 Annual contributions contract. (a) Nature of ACC. (1) An annual contributions contract (ACC) is a written contract between HUD and a PHA. Under the ACC... owners and for the PHA administrative fee. The ACC specifies the maximum payment over the ACC term. The...

  6. Pleasure in using adaptive cruise control: A questionnaire study in The Netherlands.

    PubMed

    de Winter, J C F; Gorter, C M; Schakel, W J; van Arem, B

    2017-02-17

    Adaptive cruise control (ACC), a technology that allows for automated car following, is becoming increasingly prevalent. Previous surveys have shown that drivers generally regard ACC as pleasant but that they have to intervene when the ACC reaches its operational limits. The former research has been mostly concerned with specific car brands and does not fully reflect the diversity of ACC types in traffic today. The objective of the present research was to establish the determinants of pleasure in using ACC. A 55-item online questionnaire was completed by Dutch users of diverse ACC systems. Respondents (N = 182) rated their ACC highly, with a mean score of 8.0 on a scale from 1 (extraordinarily negative) to 10 (extraordinarily positive) and were most pleased with ACC on high-speed roads and in low-density traffic. Moreover, the findings point to specific operational limits such as associated with cut-in situations. Pleasure was greater for the types of ACC that are able to decelerate to a full stop, according to 48% of our sample. An analysis of the free-response items indicated that respondents who were displeased with ACC mentioned its occasional clumsiness and the dangerous situations it may evoke, whereas those who were pleased with ACC valued the complementarity of human and machine and emphasized the roles of responsibility and experience in using ACC. Pleasure in using ACC is a function of both technological advances and human factors.

  7. Dehydration-induced amorphous phases of calcium carbonate.

    PubMed

    Saharay, Moumita; Yazaydin, A Ozgur; Kirkpatrick, R James

    2013-03-28

    Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a critical transient phase in the inorganic precipitation of CaCO3 and in biomineralization. The calcium carbonate crystallization pathway is thought to involve dehydration of more hydrated ACC to less hydrated ACC followed by the formation of anhydrous ACC. We present here computational studies of the transition of a hydrated ACC with a H2O/CaCO3 ratio of 1.0 to anhydrous ACC. During dehydration, ACC undergoes reorganization to a more ordered structure with a significant increase in density. The computed density of anhydrous ACC is similar to that of calcite, the stable crystalline phase. Compared to the crystalline CaCO3 phases, calcite, vaterite, and aragonite, the computed local structure of anhydrous ACC is most-similar to those of calcite and vaterite, but the overall structure is not well described by either. The strong hydrogen bond interaction between the carbonate ions and water molecules plays a crucial role in stabilizing the less hydrated ACC compositions compared to the more hydrated ones, leading to a progressively increasing hydration energy with decreasing water content.

  8. Recombinant yeast screen for new inhibitors of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 identifies potential drugs to treat obesity

    PubMed Central

    Marjanovic, Jasmina; Chalupska, Dominika; Patenode, Caroline; Coster, Adam; Arnold, Evan; Ye, Alice; Anesi, George; Lu, Ying; Okun, Ilya; Tkachenko, Sergey; Haselkorn, Robert; Gornicki, Piotr

    2010-01-01

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is a key enzyme of fatty acid metabolism with multiple isozymes often expressed in different eukaryotic cellular compartments. ACC-made malonyl-CoA serves as a precursor for fatty acids; it also regulates fatty acid oxidation and feeding behavior in animals. ACC provides an important target for new drugs to treat human diseases. We have developed an inexpensive nonradioactive high-throughput screening system to identify new ACC inhibitors. The screen uses yeast gene-replacement strains depending for growth on cloned human ACC1 and ACC2. In “proof of concept” experiments, growth of such strains was inhibited by compounds known to target human ACCs. The screen is sensitive and robust. Medium-size chemical libraries yielded new specific inhibitors of human ACC2. The target of the best of these inhibitors was confirmed with in vitro enzymatic assays. This compound is a new drug chemotype inhibiting human ACC2 with 2.8 μM IC50 and having no effect on human ACC1 at 100 μM. PMID:20439761

  9. Procedural Experience for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Relation to Outcomes: The STS/ACC TVT Registry.

    PubMed

    Carroll, John D; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Dai, Dadi; Matsouaka, Roland; Blackstone, Eugene; Edwards, Fred; Masoudi, Frederick A; Mack, Michael; Peterson, Eric D; Holmes, David; Rumsfeld, John S; Tuzcu, E Murat; Grover, Frederick

    2017-07-04

    Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been introduced into U.S. clinical practice with efforts to optimize outcomes and minimize the learning curve. The goal of this study was to assess the degree to which increasing experience during the introduction of this procedure, separated from other outcome determinants including patient and procedural characteristics, is associated with outcomes. The authors evaluated the association of hospital TAVR volume and patient outcomes for TAVR by using data from 42,988 commercial procedures conducted at 395 hospitals submitting to the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry from 2011 through 2015. Outcomes assessed included adjusted and unadjusted in-hospital major adverse events. Increasing site volume was associated with lower in-hospital risk-adjusted outcomes, including mortality (p < 0.02), vascular complications (p < 0.003), and bleeding (p < 0.001) but was not associated with stroke (p = 0.14). From the first case to the 400th case in the volume-outcome model, risk-adjusted adverse outcomes declined, including mortality (3.57% to 2.15%), bleeding (9.56% to 5.08%), vascular complications (6.11% to 4.20%), and stroke (2.03% to 1.66%). Vascular and bleeding volume-outcome associations were nonlinear with a higher risk of adverse outcomes in the first 100 cases. An association of procedure volume with risk-adjusted outcomes was also seen in the subgroup having transfemoral access. The initial adoption of TAVR into practice in the United States showed that increasing experience was associated with better outcomes. This association, whether deemed a prolonged learning curve or a manifestation of a volume-outcome relationship, suggested that concentrating experience in higher volume heart valve centers might be a means of improving outcomes. (STS/ACC Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry [TVT Registry]; NCT01737528). Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  10. Anterior cingulate cortex surface area relates to behavioral inhibition in adolescents with and without heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

    PubMed Central

    Migliorini, Robyn; Moore, Eileen M.; Glass, Leila; Infante, M. Alejandra; Tapert, Susan F.; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Mattson, Sarah N.; Riley, Edward P.

    2015-01-01

    Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with behavioral disinhibition, yet the brain structure correlates of this deficit have not been determined with sufficient detail. We examined the hypothesis that the structure of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) relates to inhibition performance in youth with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n = 32) and non-exposed controls (CON, n = 21). Adolescents (12–17 years) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging yielding measures of gray matter volume, surface area, and thickness across four ACC subregions. A subset of subjects were administered the NEPSY-II Inhibition subtest. MANCOVA was utilized to test for group differences in ACC and inhibition performance and multiple linear regression was used to probe ACC-inhibition relationships. ACC surface area was significantly smaller in AE, though this effect was primarily driven by reduced right caudal ACC (rcACC). AE also performed significantly worse on inhibition speed but not on inhibition accuracy. Regression analyses with the rcACC revealed a significant group × ACC interaction. A smaller rcACC surface area was associated with slower inhibition completion time for AE but was not significantly associated with inhibition in CON. After accounting for processing speed, smaller rcACC surface area was associated with worse (i.e., slower) inhibition regardless of group. Examining processing speed independently, a decrease in rcACC surface area was associated with faster processing speed for CON but not significantly associated with processing speed in AE. Results support the theory that caudal ACC may monitor reaction time in addition to inhibition and highlight the possibility of delayed ACC neurodevelopment in prenatal alcohol exposure. PMID:26025509

  11. Anterior cingulate cortex surface area relates to behavioral inhibition in adolescents with and without heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

    PubMed

    Migliorini, Robyn; Moore, Eileen M; Glass, Leila; Infante, M Alejandra; Tapert, Susan F; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Mattson, Sarah N; Riley, Edward P

    2015-10-01

    Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with behavioral disinhibition, yet the brain structure correlates of this deficit have not been determined with sufficient detail. We examined the hypothesis that the structure of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) relates to inhibition performance in youth with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n = 32) and non-exposed controls (CON, n = 21). Adolescents (12-17 years) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging yielding measures of gray matter volume, surface area, and thickness across four ACC subregions. A subset of subjects were administered the NEPSY-II Inhibition subtest. MANCOVA was utilized to test for group differences in ACC and inhibition performance and multiple linear regression was used to probe ACC-inhibition relationships. ACC surface area was significantly smaller in AE, though this effect was primarily driven by reduced right caudal ACC (rcACC). AE also performed significantly worse on inhibition speed but not on inhibition accuracy. Regression analyses with the rcACC revealed a significant group × ACC interaction. A smaller rcACC surface area was associated with slower inhibition completion time for AE but was not significantly associated with inhibition in CON. After accounting for processing speed, smaller rcACC surface area was associated with worse (i.e., slower) inhibition regardless of group. Examining processing speed independently, a decrease in rcACC surface area was associated with faster processing speed for CON but not significantly associated with processing speed in AE. Results support the theory that caudal ACC may monitor reaction time in addition to inhibition and highlight the possibility of delayed ACC neurodevelopment in prenatal alcohol exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Molecular cloning and expression of heteromeric ACCase subunit genes from Jatropha curcas.

    PubMed

    Gu, Keyu; Chiam, Huihui; Tian, Dongsheng; Yin, Zhongchao

    2011-04-01

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) catalyzes the biotin-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to produce malonyl-CoA, which is the essential first step in the biosynthesis of long-chain fatty acids. ACCase exists as a multi-subunit enzyme in most prokaryotes and the chloroplasts of most plants and algae, while it is present as a multi-domain enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum of most eukaryotes. The heteromeric ACCase of higher plants consists of four subunits: an α-subunit of carboxyltransferase (α-CT, encoded by accA gene), a biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP, encoded by accB gene), a biotin carboxylase (BC, encoded by accC gene) and a β-subunit of carboxyltransferase (β-CT, encoded by accD gene). In this study, we cloned and characterized the genes accA, accB1, accC and accD that encode the subunits of heteromeric ACCase in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), a potential biofuel plant. The full-length cDNAs of the four subunit genes were isolated from a Jatropha cDNA library and by using 5' RACE, whereas the genomic clones were obtained from a Jatropha BAC library. They encode a 771 amino acid (aa) α-CT, a 286-aa BCCP1, a 537-aa BC and a 494-aa β-CT, respectively. The single-copy accA, accB1 and accC genes are nuclear genes, while the accD gene is located in chloroplast genome. Jatropha α-CT, BCCP1, BC and β-CT show high identity to their homologues in other higher plants at amino acid level and contain all conserved domains for ACCase activity. The accA, accB1, accC and accD genes are temporally and spatially expressed in the leaves and endosperm of Jatropha plants, which are regulated by plant development and environmental factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The thermodynamic and transport properties of GdCl3 in molten eutectic LiCl-KCl derived from the analysis of cyclic voltammetry signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samin, Adib; Wu, Evan; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2017-02-01

    Pyroprocessing technology is a promising tool for recycling nuclear fuel and producing high purity gadolinium for industrial applications. An efficient implementation of pyroprocessing entails a careful characterization of the electrochemical and transport properties of lanthanides in high temperature molten salts. In this work, the cyclic voltammetry signals of Gd in molten LiCl-KCl salt were recorded for a combination of three temperatures (723 K, 773 K, and 823 K) and three concentration levels (3 wt. %, 6 wt. %, and 9 wt. %) including concentration levels higher than previously reported and relevant for a realistic application of pyroprocessing for molten salt recycle, and the concentration effects were investigated. Four scan rates (200 mV/s to 500 mV/s) were used for each condition, and the signals were examined using conventional Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) analysis equations and by utilizing a two-plate Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) model accounting for mass diffusion, kinetics, adsorption, and the evolution of electrode morphology via a nonlinear least squares procedure for fitting the model to the experimental signals. It was determined that the redox process is quasi-reversible for the scan rates being used. Furthermore, the applicability of the conventional equations for CV analysis was shown to be problematic for the conditions used, and this is thought to be due to the fact that these equations were derived under the assumption of reversible conditions. The model-derived values for diffusivity are consistent with the literature and are shown to decrease with increasing concentration. This may be due to increased interactions at higher concentration levels. It was also shown that the formal redox potential increased with a concentration and was slightly more positive on the covered electrode.

  14. Activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase is involved in Taxol-induced ovarian cancer cell death

    PubMed Central

    WU, JIANG; JI, FANG; DI, WEN; CHEN, HONGDUO; WAN, YINSHENG

    2011-01-01

    Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) is an attractive target for research into the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity and cancer. Mounting evidence suggests that the inhibition of ACC induced of cancer cell apoptosis. However, whether the inhibition of ACC regulates apoptosis in CaOV3 cancer cells has yet to be addressed. This study investigated the cytotoxic mechanism of action of ACC inhibition. Results showed that 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), an ACC inhibitor, enhanced Taxol-induced CaOV3 human ovarian cancer cell apoptosis. Notably, when TOFA was administered as a monotherapy, it induced CaOV3 cell apoptosis. Pre-treatment with the EGFR inhibitor PD153035 was found to markedly enhance ACC phosphorylation, whereas AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR was found to marginally enhance ACC phosphorylation. Taken together, the data showed ACC is a potential novel molecular target of Taxol. Additionally, ACC inhibition partially contributed to the cytotoxic effect of Taxol in ovarian cancer cells. PMID:22866118

  15. Activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase is involved in Taxol-induced ovarian cancer cell death.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jiang; Ji, Fang; DI, Wen; Chen, Hongduo; Wan, Yinsheng

    2011-05-01

    Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) is an attractive target for research into the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity and cancer. Mounting evidence suggests that the inhibition of ACC induced of cancer cell apoptosis. However, whether the inhibition of ACC regulates apoptosis in CaOV3 cancer cells has yet to be addressed. This study investigated the cytotoxic mechanism of action of ACC inhibition. Results showed that 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), an ACC inhibitor, enhanced Taxol-induced CaOV3 human ovarian cancer cell apoptosis. Notably, when TOFA was administered as a monotherapy, it induced CaOV3 cell apoptosis. Pre-treatment with the EGFR inhibitor PD153035 was found to markedly enhance ACC phosphorylation, whereas AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR was found to marginally enhance ACC phosphorylation. Taken together, the data showed ACC is a potential novel molecular target of Taxol. Additionally, ACC inhibition partially contributed to the cytotoxic effect of Taxol in ovarian cancer cells.

  16. 24 CFR 941.305 - Technical processing and approval.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... shall notify the PHA in writing and shall forward to it for execution an ACC (or ACC amendment). If the PHA already has executed an ACC (or ACC amendment) for the entire reserved amount, HUD shall notify...

  17. 24 CFR 941.305 - Technical processing and approval.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... shall notify the PHA in writing and shall forward to it for execution an ACC (or ACC amendment). If the PHA already has executed an ACC (or ACC amendment) for the entire reserved amount, HUD shall notify...

  18. Protein Monolayer Formation at Air-Electrolyte Interface:. a Langmuir-Blodgett Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pal, Prabir; Kamilya, Tapanendu; Mahato, Mrityunjoy; Talapatra, G. B.

    The interfacial surface activity of a protein, ovalbumin (OVA) at bare air/water interface in presence and also in absence of electrolyte (KCl) in subphase has been investigated. The surface activity was measured as a function of time. It has been found that, the presence of KCl in aqueous subphase enhances the adsorption rate of the protein. The changes of area/molecule, compressibility, rigidity and unfolding of OVA are trivial up to 10 mM KCl concentration. These properties of OVA, above 10 mM KCl concentration are significant and have been explained in the perspective of DLVO theory and many-body ion-protein dispersion potentials. The presence of high concentration of electrolyte increases the β-structure of OVA, resulting into larger unfolding as well as larger intermolecular aggregates. The overall study indicates that KCl perturbs the OVA monolayer.

  19. Enhanced responses of the anterior cingulate cortex neurones to colonic distension in viscerally hypersensitive rats

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Jun; Wu, Xiaoyin; Owyang, Chung; Li, Ying

    2006-01-01

    The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is critically involved in processing the affective component of pain sensation. Visceral hypersensitivity is a characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome. Electrophysiological activity of the ACC with regard to visceral sensitization has not been characterized. Single ACC neuronal activities in response to colorectal distension (CRD) were recorded in control, sham-treated rats and viscerally hypersensitive (EA) rats (induced by chicken egg albumin injection, i.p). The ACC neurones of controls failed to respond to 10 or 30 mmHg CRD; only 22% were activated by 50 mmHg CRD. Among the latter, 16.4% exhibited an excitatory response to CRD and were labelled ‘CRD-excited’ neurones. In contrast, CRD (10, 30 and 50 mmHg) markedly increased ACC neuronal responses of EA rats (10%, 28% and 47%, respectively). CRD produced greater pressure-dependent increases in ACC spike firing rates in EA rats compared with controls. Splanchnicectomy combined with pelvic nerve section abolished ACC responses to CRD in EA rats. Spontaneous activity in CRD-excited ACC neurones was significantly higher in EA rats than in controls. CRD-excited ACC neurones in control and EA rats (7 of 16 (42%) and 8 of 20 (40%), respectively) were activated by transcutaneous electrical and thermal stimuli. However, ACC neuronal activity evoked by noxious cutaneous stimuli did not change significantly in EA rats. This study identifies CRD-responsive neurones in the ACC and establishes for the first time that persistence of a heightened visceral afferent nociceptive input to the ACC induces ACC sensitization, characterized by increased spontaneous activity of CRD-excited neurones, decreased CRD pressure threshold, and increased response magnitude. Enhanced ACC nociceptive transmission in viscerally hypersensitive rats is restricted to visceral afferent input. PMID:16239277

  20. Molecular cloning and characterization of two genes for the biotin carboxylase and carboxyltransferase subunits of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase in Myxococcus xanthus.

    PubMed

    Kimura, Y; Miyake, R; Tokumasu, Y; Sato, M

    2000-10-01

    We have cloned a DNA fragment from a genomic library of Myxococcus xanthus using an oligonucleotide probe representing conserved regions of biotin carboxylase subunits of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) carboxylases. The fragment contained two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2), designated the accB and accA genes, capable of encoding a 538-amino-acid protein of 58.1 kDa and a 573-amino-acid protein of 61.5 kDa, respectively. The protein (AccA) encoded by the accA gene was strikingly similar to biotin carboxylase subunits of acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA carboxylases and of pyruvate carboxylase. The putative motifs for ATP binding, CO(2) fixation, and biotin binding were found in AccA. The accB gene was located upstream of the accA gene, and they formed a two-gene operon. The protein (AccB) encoded by the accB gene showed high degrees of sequence similarity with carboxyltransferase subunits of acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA carboxylases and of methylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase. Carboxybiotin-binding and acyl-CoA-binding domains, which are conserved in several carboxyltransferase subunits of acyl-CoA carboxylases, were found in AccB. An accA disruption mutant showed a reduced growth rate and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity compared with the wild-type strain. Western blot analysis indicated that the product of the accA gene was a biotinylated protein that was expressed during the exponential growth phase. Based on these results, we propose that this M. xanthus acetyl-CoA carboxylase consists of two subunits, which are encoded by the accB and accA genes, and occupies a position between prokaryotic and eukaryotic acetyl-CoA carboxylases in terms of evolution.

  1. Development of a novel smoke-flavoured salmon product by sodium replacement using water vapour permeable bags.

    PubMed

    Rizo, Arantxa; Fuentes, Ana; Barat, José M; Fernández-Segovia, Isabel

    2018-05-01

    Food manufacturers need to reduce sodium content to meet consumer and public health demands. In the present study, the use of sodium-free (SF) salt and KCl to develop a novel smoke-flavoured salmon product with reduced sodium content was evaluated. Fifty percent of NaCl was replaced with 50% of SF salt or 50% KCl in the salmon smoke-flavouring process, which was carried out using water vapour permeable bags. Triangle tests showed that samples with either SF salt or KCl were statistically similar to the control samples (100% NaCl). Because no sensorial advantage in using SF salt was found compared to KCl and given the lower price of KCl, the KCl-NaCl samples were selected for the next phase. The changes of physicochemical and microbial parameters in smoke-flavoured salmon during 42 days showed that partial replacement of NaCl with KCl did not significantly affect the quality and shelf-life of smoke-flavoured salmon, which was over 42 days. Smoke-flavoured salmon with 37% sodium reduction was developed without affecting the sensory features and shelf-life. This is an interesting option for reducing the sodium content in such products to help meet the needs set by both health authorities and consumers. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Inventory of File gfs.t06z.smartguam06.tm00.grib2

    Science.gov Websites

    (0=sea, 1=land) [Proportion] 009 surface APCP 3-6 hour acc Total Precipitation [kg/m^2] 010 surface ] 020 surface TMAX 3-6 hour acc Maximum Temperature [K] 021 surface TMIN 3-6 hour acc Minimum Temperature [K] 022 surface MAXRH 3-6 hour acc Maximum Relative Humidity [%] 023 surface MINRH 3-6 hour acc

  3. Stevioside improves pancreatic beta-cell function during glucotoxicity via regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jianguo; Jeppesen, Per Bendix; Nordentoft, Iver; Hermansen, Kjeld

    2007-06-01

    Chronic hyperglycemia is detrimental to pancreatic beta-cells, causing impaired insulin secretion and beta-cell turnover. The characteristic secretory defects are increased basal insulin secretion (BIS) and a selective loss of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Several recent studies support the view that the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) plays a pivotal role for GSIS. We have shown that stevioside (SVS) enhances insulin secretion and ACC gene expression. Whether glucotoxicity influences ACC and whether this action can be counteracted by SVS are not known. To investigate this, we exposed isolated mouse islets as well as clonal INS-1E beta-cells for 48 h to 27 or 16.7 mM glucose, respectively. We found that 48-h exposure to high glucose impairs GSIS from mouse islets and INS-1E cells, an effect that is partly counteracted by SVS. The ACC dephosphorylation inhibitor okadaic acid (OKA, 10(-8) M), and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR, 10(-4) M), an activator of 5'-AMP protein kinase that phosphorylates ACC, eliminated the beneficial effect of SVS. 5-Tetrade-cyloxy-2-furancarboxylic acid (TOFA), the specific ACC inhibitor, blocked the effect of SVS as well. During glucotoxity, ACC gene expression, ACC protein, and phosphorylated ACC protein were increased in INS-1E beta-cells. SVS pretreatment further increased ACC gene expression with strikingly elevated ACC activity and increased glucose uptake accompanied by enhanced GSIS. Our studies show that glucose is a potent stimulator of ACC and that SVS to some extent counteracts glucotoxicity via increased ACC activity. SVS possesses the potential to alleviate negative effects of glucotoxicity in beta-cells via a unique mechanism of action.

  4. An Examination of Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Function and Neurochemistry in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Brennan, Brian P; Tkachenko, Olga; Schwab, Zachary J; Juelich, Richard J; Ryan, Erin M; Athey, Alison J; Pope, Harrison G; Jenike, Michael A; Baker, Justin T; Killgore, William DS; Hudson, James I; Jensen, J Eric; Rauch, Scott L

    2015-01-01

    The anterior cingulate cortex is implicated in the neurobiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, few studies have examined functional and neurochemical abnormalities specifically in the rostral subdivision of the ACC (rACC) in OCD patients. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an emotional counting Stroop task and single-voxel J-resolved proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the rACC to examine the function and neurochemistry of the rACC in individuals with OCD and comparison individuals without OCD. Between-group differences in rACC activation and glutamine/glutamate ratio (Gln/Glu), Glu, and Gln levels, as well as associations between rACC activation, Gln/Glu, Glu, Gln, behavioral, and clinical measures were examined using linear regression. In a sample of 30 participants with OCD and 29 age- and sex-matched participants without OCD, participants with OCD displayed significantly reduced rACC deactivation compared with those without OCD in response to OCD-specific words versus neutral words on the emotional counting Stroop task. However, Gln/Glu, Glu, and Gln in the rACC did not differ between groups nor was there an association between reduced rACC deactivation and Gln/Glu, Glu, or Gln in the OCD group. Taken together, these findings strengthen the evidence for rACC dysfunction in OCD, but weigh against an underlying association with abnormal rACC glutamatergic neurotransmission. PMID:25662837

  5. Oil-in-Water Emulsion Exhibits Bitterness-Suppressing Effects in a Sensory Threshold Study.

    PubMed

    Torrico, Damir Dennis; Sae-Eaw, Amporn; Sriwattana, Sujinda; Boeneke, Charles; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon

    2015-06-01

    Little is known about how emulsion characteristics affect saltiness/bitterness perception. Sensory detection and recognition thresholds of NaCl, caffeine, and KCl in aqueous solution compared with oil-in-water emulsion systems were evaluated. For emulsions, NaCl, KCl, or caffeine were dissolved in water + emulsifier and mixed with canola oil (20% by weight). Two emulsions were prepared: emulsion 1 (viscosity = 257 cP) and emulsion 2 (viscosity = 59 cP). The forced-choice ascending concentration series method of limits (ASTM E-679-04) was used to determine detection and/or recognition thresholds at 25 °C. Group best estimate threshold (GBET) geometric means were expressed as g/100 mL. Comparing NaCl with KCl, there were no significant differences in detection GBET values for all systems (0.0197 - 0.0354). For saltiness recognition thresholds, KCl GBET values were higher compared with NaCl GBET (0.0822 - 0.1070 compared with 0.0471 - 0.0501). For NaCl and KCl, emulsion 1 and/or emulsion 2 did not significantly affect the saltiness recognition threshold compared with that of the aqueous solution. However, the bitterness recognition thresholds of caffeine and KCl in solution were significantly lower than in the emulsions (0.0242 - 0.0586 compared with 0.0754 - 0.1025). Gender generally had a marginal effect on threshold values. This study showed that, compared with the aqueous solutions, emulsions did not significantly affect the saltiness recognition threshold of NaCl and KCl, but exhibited bitterness-suppressing effects on KCl and/or caffeine. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  6. Assessing the guidelines for potassium replacement in pediatric oncology patients receiving amphotericin B.

    PubMed

    Lafreniere, Janet A; Hamilton, Donald P; Carr, Roxane R

    2006-10-01

    To examine the practice of potassium chloride (KCl) replacement in pediatric oncology patients receiving amphotericin B (amp-B). A retrospective observational chart review was conducted of patients who received amp-B on the oncology unit between August 2000 and May 2001. A survey was distributed to pediatric oncology pharmacists at other pediatric institutions to assess KCl infusion guidelines across North America. Twenty hypokalemic episodes were identified within 22 patient admissions. Fifty-five percent used KCl replacement (by all combined routes) at rates exceeding the institution's guidelines. Other pediatric institutions varied with respect to the maximum rates and concentration of KCl permitted on non-intensive care units. Based on the data from this review, the KCl administration guidelines for our hospital were changed. We now allow a maximum peripheral line concentration of 60 mEq/L, a maximum central line concentration of 120 mEq/L and a maximum KCl infusion rate of 0.4 mEq/kg/hr without the requirement of a heart monitor. Parenteral Nutrition is now restricted to maximum potassium concentration of 80 mEq/L and fluid-restricted patients are restricted to a maximum concentration of 150 mEq/L.

  7. Solubility relations in the system potassium chloride-ferrous chloride-water between 25 and 75.degree.C at 1 atm

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chou, I.-Ming; Phan, L.D.

    1986-01-01

    Solubility relations in the ternary system KCl-FeCl2-H2O have been determined by means of the visual polythermal method at 1 atm from 18 to 75??C along 10 composition lines. Solubilities of sylvite were measured along five composition lines defined by mixing KCl with five aqueous FeCl2 solutions containing 10, 20, 30, 38, and 45 wt % of FeCl2, respectively. Solubilities of FeCl2??4H2O were also determined along five composition lines defined by mixing FeCl2??4H2O with five aqueous KCl solutions containing 5, 10, 14.98, 19.97, and 24.99 wt % KCl, respectively. The maximum uncertainties in these measurements are ??0.02 wt % in KCl, ??0.15 wt % in FeCl2, and ??0.15??C. The data along each composition line were regressed to a smooth curve. The maximum deviations of the measured solubilities from the smoothed curves are 0.22 wt % in KCl and 0.12 wt % in FeCl2. Isothermal solubilities of sylvite and FeCl2??4H2O were calculated from these smoothed curves at 25, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 75??C.

  8. Anticipatory activity in anterior cingulate cortex can be independent of conflict and error likelihood.

    PubMed

    Aarts, Esther; Roelofs, Ardi; van Turennout, Miranda

    2008-04-30

    Previous studies have found no agreement on whether anticipatory activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) reflects upcoming conflict, error likelihood, or actual control adjustments. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the nature of preparatory activity in the ACC. Informative cues told the participants whether an upcoming target would or would not involve conflict in a Stroop-like task. Uninformative cues provided no such information. Behavioral responses were faster after informative than after uninformative cues, indicating cue-based adjustments in control. ACC activity was larger after informative than uninformative cues, as would be expected if the ACC is involved in anticipatory control. Importantly, this activation in the ACC was observed for informative cues even when the information conveyed by the cue was that the upcoming target evokes no response conflict and has low error likelihood. This finding demonstrates that the ACC is involved in anticipatory control processes independent of upcoming response conflict or error likelihood. Moreover, the response of the ACC to the target stimuli was critically dependent on whether the cue was informative or not. ACC activity differed among target conditions after uninformative cues only, indicating ACC involvement in actual control adjustments. Together, these findings argue strongly for a role of the ACC in anticipatory control independent of anticipated conflict and error likelihood, and also show that such control can eliminate conflict-related ACC activity during target processing. Models of frontal cortex conflict-detection and conflict-resolution mechanisms require modification to include consideration of these anticipatory control properties of the ACC.

  9. Effects of Low O2 Root Stress on Ethylene Biosynthesis in Tomato Plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Heinz 1350) 1

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Tzann-Wei; Arteca, Richard N.

    1992-01-01

    Low O2 conditions were obtained by flowing N2 through the solution in which the tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Heinz 1350) were growing. Time course experiments revealed that low O2 treatments stimulated 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase production in the roots and leaves. After the initiation of low O2 conditions, ACC synthase activity and ACC content in the roots increased and reached a peak after 12 and 20 hours, respectively. The conversion of ACC to ethylene in the roots was inhibited by low levels of O2, and ACC was apparently transported to the leaves where it was converted to ethylene. ACC synthase activity in the leaves was also stimulated by low O2 treatment to the roots, reaching a peak after 24 hours. ACC synthase levels were enhanced by cobalt chloride and aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), although they inhibited ethylene production. Cobalt chloride enhanced ACC synthase only in combination with low O2 conditions in the roots. Under aeration, AOA stimulated ACC synthase activity in both the roots and leaves. However, in combination with low O2 conditions, AOA caused a stimulation in ACC synthase activity in the leaves and no effect in the roots. PMID:16668654

  10. Chronic Suppression of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase 1 in β-Cells Impairs Insulin Secretion via Inhibition of Glucose Rather Than Lipid Metabolism*

    PubMed Central

    Ronnebaum, Sarah M.; Joseph, Jamie W.; Ilkayeva, Olga; Burgess, Shawn C.; Lu, Danhong; Becker, Thomas C.; Sherry, A. Dean; Newgard, Christopher B.

    2008-01-01

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) currently is being investigated as a target for treatment of obesity-associated dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To investigate the effects of ACC1 inhibition on insulin secretion, three small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes targeting ACC1 (siACC1) were transfected into the INS-1-derived cell line, 832/13; the most efficacious duplex was also cloned into an adenovirus and used to transduce isolated rat islets. Delivery of the siACC1 duplexes decreased ACC1 mRNA by 60–80% in 832/13 cells and islets and enzyme activity by 46% compared with cells treated with a non-targeted siRNA. Delivery of siACC1 decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by 70% in 832/13 cells and by 33% in islets. Surprisingly, siACC1 treatment decreased glucose oxidation by 49%, and the ATP:ADP ratio by 52%, accompanied by clear decreases in pyruvate cycling activity and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Exposure of siACC1-treated cells to the pyruvate cycling substrate dimethylmalate restored GSIS to normal without recovery of the depressed ATP:ADP ratio. In siACC1-treated cells, glucokinase protein levels were decreased by 25%, which correlated with a 36% decrease in glycogen synthesis and a 33% decrease in glycolytic flux. Furthermore, acute addition of the ACC1 inhibitor 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA) to β-cells suppressed [14C]glucose incorporation into lipids but had no effect on GSIS, whereas chronic TOFA administration suppressed GSIS and glucose metabolism. In sum, chronic, but not acute, suppression of ACC1 activity impairs GSIS via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism. These findings raise concerns about the use of ACC inhibitors for diabetes therapy. PMID:18381287

  11. Chronic suppression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 in beta-cells impairs insulin secretion via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism.

    PubMed

    Ronnebaum, Sarah M; Joseph, Jamie W; Ilkayeva, Olga; Burgess, Shawn C; Lu, Danhong; Becker, Thomas C; Sherry, A Dean; Newgard, Christopher B

    2008-05-23

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) currently is being investigated as a target for treatment of obesity-associated dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To investigate the effects of ACC1 inhibition on insulin secretion, three small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes targeting ACC1 (siACC1) were transfected into the INS-1-derived cell line, 832/13; the most efficacious duplex was also cloned into an adenovirus and used to transduce isolated rat islets. Delivery of the siACC1 duplexes decreased ACC1 mRNA by 60-80% in 832/13 cells and islets and enzyme activity by 46% compared with cells treated with a non-targeted siRNA. Delivery of siACC1 decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by 70% in 832/13 cells and by 33% in islets. Surprisingly, siACC1 treatment decreased glucose oxidation by 49%, and the ATP:ADP ratio by 52%, accompanied by clear decreases in pyruvate cycling activity and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Exposure of siACC1-treated cells to the pyruvate cycling substrate dimethylmalate restored GSIS to normal without recovery of the depressed ATP:ADP ratio. In siACC1-treated cells, glucokinase protein levels were decreased by 25%, which correlated with a 36% decrease in glycogen synthesis and a 33% decrease in glycolytic flux. Furthermore, acute addition of the ACC1 inhibitor 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA) to beta-cells suppressed [(14)C]glucose incorporation into lipids but had no effect on GSIS, whereas chronic TOFA administration suppressed GSIS and glucose metabolism. In sum, chronic, but not acute, suppression of ACC1 activity impairs GSIS via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism. These findings raise concerns about the use of ACC inhibitors for diabetes therapy.

  12. Rostral anterior cingulate cortex morphology predicts treatment response to internet-based CBT for depression

    PubMed Central

    Webb, Christian A.; Olson, Elizabeth A.; Killgore, William D.S.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Rauch, Scott L.; Rosso, Isabelle M.

    2018-01-01

    Background Rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (rACC and sgACC) activity and, to a lesser extent, volume have been shown to predict depressive symptom improvement across different antidepressant treatments. This study extends prior work by examining whether rACC and/or sgACC morphology predicts treatment response to internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for major depressive disorder (MDD). This is the first study to examine neural predictors of response to iCBT. Methods Hierarchical linear modeling tested whether pre-treatment rACC and sgACC volumes predicted depressive symptom improvement during a 6-session (10-week) randomized clinical trial of iCBT (n = 35) vs. a monitored attention control (MAC; n = 38). Analyses also tested whether pre-treatment rACC and sgACC volumes differed between patients who achieved depression remission versus those who did not remit. Results Larger pre-treatment right rACC volume was a significant predictor of greater depressive symptom improvement in iCBT, even when controlling for demographic (age, gender, race) and clinical (baseline depression, anhedonia and anxiety) variables previously linked to treatment response. In addition, pre-treatment right rACC volume was larger among iCBT patients whose depression eventually remitted relative to those who did not remit. Corresponding analyses in the MAC group and for the sgACC were not significant. Conclusions rACC volume prior to iCBT demonstrated incremental predictive validity beyond clinical and demographic variables previously found to predict symptom improvement. Such findings may help inform our understanding of the mediating anatomy of iCBT and, if replicated, may suggest neural targets to augment treatment response (e.g., via modulation of rACC function). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01598922 PMID:29486867

  13. An evaluation of the toxicity of potassium chloride, active compound in the molluscicide potash, on salmonid fish and their forage base

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Densmore, Christine L.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Henderson, Anne P.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Reed-Grimmett, Baileigh M.; Sanders, Lakyn R.

    2018-06-29

    Potash, with the active ingredient potassium chloride (KCl) is a chemical that is currently being evaluated for potential use as a molluscicide to combat invasive zebra mussels and quagga mussels in Western United States waters. Although data available for other freshwater fishes indicate that recommended treatment levels of potash as a molluscicide are sublethal, this has not been demonstrated for all salmonid species. The objectives of this study were to perform toxicity testing to determine the lethality of potassium chloride against selected species of salmonid fish (brook trout and Chinook salmon) and selected invertebrate forage, and to identify any potential adverse physiological impacts of KCl to these salmonids in water at treatment levels used for mollusk eradication. Minimal mortality (n=1 fish) was observed during 96-hour toxicity testing at KCl concentrations of 0 to 800 milligrams per liter (mg/L), indicating that the lethal concentration (LC50) values in these salmonid species were considerably higher than realistic molluscicide treatment concentrations. Sublethal effects were examined through evaluation of behavioral and morphological (histological) observation as well as specific blood chemistry parameters (electrolytes, osmolality, glucose, and cortisol). There was no strong evidence of significant physiological impairment among the two salmonid species due to KCl exposure. Whereas statistically significant differences in some parameters were observed in association with KCl treatments, it is unlikely that these differences indicate adverse biological impacts. Acute toxicity tests were conducted with invertebrate species at KCl exposure concentrations of 0–3,200 mg/L. Daphniid exposure trials resulted in differences in mortality among the test groups with higher mortality evident among the higher KCl exposure concentrations with a calculated LC50 value of 196 mg/L KCl for a 48-hour exposure. Crayfish exposed to higher concentrations of KCl at or

  14. Understanding Portability of a High-Level Programming Model on Contemporary Heterogeneous Architectures

    DOE PAGES

    Sabne, Amit J.; Sakdhnagool, Putt; Lee, Seyong; ...

    2015-07-13

    Accelerator-based heterogeneous computing is gaining momentum in the high-performance computing arena. However, the increased complexity of heterogeneous architectures demands more generic, high-level programming models. OpenACC is one such attempt to tackle this problem. Although the abstraction provided by OpenACC offers productivity, it raises questions concerning both functional and performance portability. In this article, the authors propose HeteroIR, a high-level, architecture-independent intermediate representation, to map high-level programming models, such as OpenACC, to heterogeneous architectures. They present a compiler approach that translates OpenACC programs into HeteroIR and accelerator kernels to obtain OpenACC functional portability. They then evaluate the performance portability obtained bymore » OpenACC with their approach on 12 OpenACC programs on Nvidia CUDA, AMD GCN, and Intel Xeon Phi architectures. They study the effects of various compiler optimizations and OpenACC program settings on these architectures to provide insights into the achieved performance portability.« less

  15. Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

    DOE PAGES

    Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L.; ...

    2015-08-01

    Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO₄) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO₄ the film exhibits thermalmore » instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO₄ increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO₄. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO₄ concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO₄ promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO₄ adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

  16. Effects of Salinity and Confining Pressure on Hydration-Induced Fracture Propagation and Permeability of Mancos Shale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Shifeng; Sheng, James J.

    2017-11-01

    Low-salinity water imbibition was considered an enhanced recovery method in shale oil/gas reservoirs due to the resulting hydration-induced fractures, as observed at ambient conditions. To study the effect of confining pressure and salinity on hydration-induced fractures, time-elapsed computerized tomography (CT) was used to obtain cross-sectional images of shale cores. Based on the CT data of these cross-sectional images, cut faces parallel to the core axial in the middle of the core and 3D fracture images were also reconstructed. To study the effects of confining pressure and salinity on shale pore fluid flowing, shale permeability was measured with Nitrogen (N2), distilled water, 4% KCl solution, and 8% KCl solution. With confining pressures increased to 2 MPa or more, either in distilled water or in KCl solutions of different salinities, fractures were observed to close instead to propagate at the end of the tests. The intrinsic permeabilities of #1 and #2 Mancos shale cores were 60.0 and 7000 nD, respectively. When tested with distilled water, the permeability of #1 shale sample with 20.0 MPa confining pressure loaded, and #2 shale sample with 2.5 MPa confining pressure loaded, decreased to 0.45 and 15 nD, respectively. Using KCl can partly mitigate shale permeability degradation. Compared to 4% KCl, 8% KCl can decrease more permeability damage. From this point of view, high salinity KCl solution should be required for the water-based fracturing fluid.

  17. Medial frontal white and gray matter contributions to general intelligence.

    PubMed

    Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Nestor, Paul G; Bouix, Sylvain; Saito, Yukiko; Hosokawa, Taiga; Kubicki, Marek

    2014-01-01

    The medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) are part of a wider neural network that plays an important role in general intelligence and executive function. We used structural brain imaging to quantify magnetic resonance gray matter volume and diffusion tensor white matter integrity of the mOFC-rACC network in 26 healthy participants who also completed neuropsychological tests of intellectual abilities and executive function. Stochastic tractography, the most effective Diffusion Tensor Imaging method for examining white matter connections between adjacent gray matter regions, was employed to assess the integrity of mOFC-rACC pathways. Fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects the integrity of white matter connections, was calculated. Results indicated that higher intelligence correlated with greater gray matter volumes for both mOFC and rACC, as well as with increased FA for left posterior mOFC-rACC connectivity. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that DTI-derived FA of left posterior mOFC-rACC uniquely accounted for 29%-34% of the variance in IQ, in comparison to 11%-16% uniquely explained by gray matter volume of the left rACC. Together, left rACC gray matter volume and white matter connectivity between left posterior mOFC and rACC accounted for up to 50% of the variance in general intelligence. This study is to our knowledge the first to examine white matter connectivity between OFC and ACC, two gray matter regions of interests that are very close in physical proximity, and underscores the important independent contributions of variations in rACC gray matter volume and mOFC-rACC white matter connectivity to individual differences in general intelligence.

  18. Is there a potential consumer market for low-sodium fermented sausages?

    PubMed

    Dos Santos, Bibiana A; Campagnol, Paulo C B; da Cruz, Adriano G; Morgano, Marcelo A; Wagner, Roger; Pollonio, Marise A R

    2015-05-01

    The NaCl levels in dry fermented sausages were reduced by 50% or were substituted with KCl, CaCl2 , or a blend of KCl and CaCl2 (1:1). The quality, safety, and the potential consumer market of dry fermented sausages were assessed. Neither 50% reduction of the NaCl content nor the substitution of 50% of the NaCl with KCl influenced the fermentation and maturation process. However, when CaCl2 was used as the substitute salt (50%), there was a significant decrease in pH, an increase in the water activity, and a decrease in lactic acid and micrococcus bacterial counts. Overall, the sensory acceptance decreased in dry fermented sausages with reduced sodium content. However, cluster analysis and internal preference mapping revealed potential for commercialization of samples with 50% of the NaCl content substituted with KCl or with a mixture of KCl and CaCl2 (1:1). © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  19. Biomineralisation by earthworms - an investigation into the stability and distribution of amorphous calcium carbonate.

    PubMed

    Hodson, Mark E; Benning, Liane G; Demarchi, Bea; Penkman, Kirsty E H; Rodriguez-Blanco, Juan D; Schofield, Paul F; Versteegh, Emma A A

    Many biominerals form from amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), but this phase is highly unstable when synthesised in its pure form inorganically. Several species of earthworm secrete calcium carbonate granules which contain highly stable ACC. We analysed the milky fluid from which granules form and solid granules for amino acid (by liquid chromatography) and functional group (by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) compositions. Granule elemental composition was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). Mass of ACC present in solid granules was quantified using FTIR and compared to granule elemental and amino acid compositions. Bulk analysis of granules was of powdered bulk material. Spatially resolved analysis was of thin sections of granules using synchrotron-based μ-FTIR and EMPA electron microprobe analysis. The milky fluid from which granules form is amino acid-rich (≤ 136 ± 3 nmol mg -1 (n = 3; ± std dev) per individual amino acid); the CaCO 3 phase present is ACC. Even four years after production, granules contain ACC. No correlation exists between mass of ACC present and granule elemental composition. Granule amino acid concentrations correlate well with ACC content (r ≥ 0.7, p ≤ 0.05) consistent with a role for amino acids (or the proteins they make up) in ACC stabilisation. Intra-granule variation in ACC (RSD = 16%) and amino acid concentration (RSD = 22-35%) was high for granules produced by the same earthworm. Maps of ACC distribution produced using synchrotron-based μ-FTIR mapping of granule thin sections and the relative intensity of the ν 2 : ν 4 peak ratio, cluster analysis and component regression using ACC and calcite standards showed similar spatial distributions of likely ACC-rich and calcite-rich areas. We could not identify organic peaks in the μ-FTIR spectra and thus could not determine whether ACC-rich domains also had relatively high

  20. 24 CFR 906.9 - Title restrictions and encumbrances on properties sold under a homeownership program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... program. (a) If the property is subject to indebtedness under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC), HUD will continue to make any debt service contributions for which it is obligated under the ACC, and the... title restrictions prescribed by the ACC. Because the property will no longer be subject to the ACC...

  1. 24 CFR 906.9 - Title restrictions and encumbrances on properties sold under a homeownership program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... program. (a) If the property is subject to indebtedness under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC), HUD will continue to make any debt service contributions for which it is obligated under the ACC, and the... title restrictions prescribed by the ACC. Because the property will no longer be subject to the ACC...

  2. Nationwide analysis of adrenocortical carcinoma reveals higher perioperative morbidity in functional tumors.

    PubMed

    Parikh, Punam P; Rubio, Gustavo A; Farra, Josefina C; Lew, John I

    2017-08-25

    Current adrenalectomy outcomes for functional adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) remain unclear. This study examines nationwide in-hospital post-adrenalectomy outcomes for ACC. A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2006-2011) to identify unilateral adrenalectomy patients for functional or nonfunctional ACC was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities and postoperative outcomes were evaluated by t-test, Chi-square and multivariate regression. Of 2199 patients who underwent adrenalectomy, 87% had nonfunctional and 13% had functional ACC (86% hypercortisolism, 16% hyperaldosteronism, 4% hyperandrogenism). Functional ACC patients had significantly more comorbidities, and experienced certain postoperative complications more frequently including wound issues, adrenocortical insufficiency and acute kidney injury with longer hospital stay compared to nonfunctional ACC (P < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, functional ACC was an independent prognosticator for wound complications (28.1, 95%CI 4.59-176.6). Patients with functional ACC manifest significant comorbidities with certain in-hospital complications. Such high-risk patients require appropriate preoperative medical optimization prior to adrenalectomy. Patients with functional adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) have significant preoperative comorbidities and experience higher rates of certain postoperative complications including wound complications, hematoma formation, adrenal insufficiency, pulmonary embolism and acute kidney injury. Functional ACC patients also necessitate longer hospitalizations. These patients should undergo appropriate preoperative counseling in preparation for adrenalectomy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. 24 CFR 883.607 - Default by owner and/or agency.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Agency defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the Contract will provide that... enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if Agency defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that, if...; however, HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the...

  4. 24 CFR 880.208 - Financing.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... give greater rights or funds to any party than are provided under the Agreement, Contract, and/or ACC..., Contract or ACC entered into pursuant to this part: Provided, however, That such financing is in connection..., Contract, or ACC, or payments thereunder, will be limited to the amounts payable under the Contract or ACC...

  5. 24 CFR 883.607 - Default by owner and/or agency.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Agency defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the Contract will provide that... enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if Agency defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that, if...; however, HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the...

  6. Liver resection for metastases of tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma: Report of two cases.

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sumida, Yorihisa; Tobinaga, Shuichi; Wada, Hideo; Wakata, Kouki; Nonaka, Takashi; Kunizaki, Masaki; Hidaka, Shigekazu; Kinoshita, Naoe; Sawai, Terumitsu; Nagayasu, Takeshi

    2018-05-16

    Tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is rare and accounts for <1% of all lung cancers. Although ACC is classified as a low-grade tumor, metastases are frequently identified in the late period. Extrapulmonary metastases are rare, and their resection has rarely been reported. Case 1: A 77-year-old man underwent tracheal resection for ACC with postoperative radiation (60 Gy) 14 years before (at the age of 63). He underwent two subsequent pulmonary resections for metastases. Fourteen years after the first operation, he underwent extended right posterior segmentectomy with resection of segment IV and radiofrequency ablation for metastases of ACC to the liver. He was diagnosed with metastases to the kidney with peritoneal dissemination 4 years after the liver resection and died of pneumonia 2 years later. Case 2: A 53-year-old woman underwent a two-stage operation involving tracheal resection for ACC and partial resection of liver segments II and V for metastases of ACC to the liver. The tracheal margin was histopathologically positive. Postoperative radiation was performed, and she was tumor-free for 10 months after the liver resection. Complete resection of tracheal ACC provides better survival. Radiotherapy is also recommended. However, the optimal treatment for metastases of ACC is unclear, especially because liver resection for metastases of tracheal ACC is rarely reported. Our two cases of metastases of tracheal ACC were surgically managed with good outcomes. Liver resection for metastases of tracheal ACC may contribute to long survival. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Morphological heterogeneity of oral salivary gland carcinomas: A clinicopathologic study of 41 cases with long term follow-up emphasizing the overlapping spectrum of adenoid cystic carcinoma and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Schwarz, Stephan; Müller, Maximilian; Ettl, Tobias; Stockmann, Philipp; Zenk, Johannes; Agaimy, Abbas

    2011-01-01

    We analyzed 41 oral salivary gland carcinomas from consecutive 290 salivary gland carcinoma database (14%) with emphasis on the histological spectrum and clinical outcome of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA). The cohort included 14 ACCs, 14 mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs), 8 PLGAs, 3 adenocarcinomas, not otherwise specified and 2 acinic cell carcinomas. Mean age was 48, 58 and 61 yrs for ACC, MEC and PLGA, respectively. Eight patients (19.5%) died of tumor at a mean interval of 66.5 months. ACC and PLGA showed similar mean age, gender distribution, predominant palatal localization, nodal metastasis, perineural invasion and MIB-1 index. However, ACC tended to show higher tumor stage and residual tumor (R1/R2) more frequently than PLGA, but this was statistically not significant. ACC and PLGA showed overlapping architectural patterns. However, ACCs displayed well organized basal-luminal differentiation, highlighted by CK5/CK7 immunostaining. In contrast, PLGA showed a disorganized histological and immunohistological pattern. C-Kit expression (CD117) was common in ACC, generally mirroring that of CK7 and virtually lacking in PLGA. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a similar clinical course for ACC and PLGA with 5 years survivals of 87% and 80%, respectively. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performed on all 290 salivary carcinomas confirmed the specificity of the translocation t (11; 19) for MEC and its absence in all other carcinomas including ACC and PLGA. Our results emphasize the diversity of oral salivary gland carcinomas and the overlapping clinicopathological features of ACC and PLGA. PMID:21577319

  8. Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Is a Potential Antiangiogenic Target in Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Crowley, Michael J P; Scognamiglio, Theresa; Liu, Yi-Fang; Kleiman, David A; Beninato, Toni; Aronova, Anna; Liu, He; Jhanwar, Yuliya S; Molina, Ana; Tagawa, Scott T; Bander, Neil H; Zarnegar, Rasa; Elemento, Olivier; Fahey, Thomas J

    2016-03-01

    Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor type with a poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. Assess prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression as a potential novel therapeutic target for ACC. Expression of PSMA was evaluated in benign and malignant adrenal tumors and 1 patient with metastatic ACC. This study took place at a tertiary referral center. Fifty adrenal samples were evaluated, including 16 normal adrenal glands, 16 adrenocortical adenomas, 15 primary ACC, and 3 ACC metastases. Demographics, PSMA expression levels via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography standardized uptake values for 1 patient. qPCR demonstrated an elevated level of PSMA in ACC relative to all benign tissues (P < .05). Immunohistochemistry localized PSMA expression to the neovasculature of ACC and confirmed overexpression of PSMA in ACC relative to benign tissues both in intensity and percentage of vessels stained (78% of ACC, 0% of normal adrenal, and 3.27% of adenoma-associated neovasculature; P < .001). Those with more than 25% PSMA-positive vessels were 33 times more likely to be malignant than benign (odds ratio, P < .001). Whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography imaging showed targeting of anti-PSMA Zr89-J591 to 5/5 of the patient's multiple lung masses with an average measurement of 3.49 ± 1.86 cm and a standardized uptake value of 1.4 ± 0.65 relative to blood pool at 0.8 standardized uptake value. PSMA is significantly overexpressed in ACC neovasculature when compared with normal and benign adrenal tumors. PSMA expression can be used to image ACC metastases in vivo and may be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in ACC.

  9. 24 CFR 969.104 - Continuing eligibility for operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... in accordance with an ACC amendment providing for extension of the term of the ACC provisions related to project operation, pursuant to § 969.105 or § 969.106. The ACC amendment shall be in the form prescribed by HUD and shall specify the particular provisions of the ACC which relate to continued project...

  10. 24 CFR 969.104 - Continuing eligibility for operating subsidy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... in accordance with an ACC amendment providing for extension of the term of the ACC provisions related to project operation, pursuant to § 969.105 or § 969.106. The ACC amendment shall be in the form prescribed by HUD and shall specify the particular provisions of the ACC which relate to continued project...

  11. 24 CFR 902.5 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...(s) for which they assumed management responsibilities. (2) ACC. The ACC makes a PHA legally... the PHA and not the RMC or AME is ultimately responsible to HUD under the ACC, the PHAS score of a PHA will be based on all of the projects covered by the ACC, including those with management operations...

  12. Identification of methylated genes in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma xenografts using global demethylation and methylation microarray screening

    PubMed Central

    LING, SHIZHANG; RETTIG, ELENI M.; TAN, MARIETTA; CHANG, XIAOFEI; WANG, ZHIMING; BRAIT, MARIANA; BISHOP, JUSTIN A.; FERTIG, ELANA J.; CONSIDINE, MICHAEL; WICK, MICHAEL J.; HA, PATRICK K.

    2016-01-01

    Salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare head and neck malignancy without molecular biomarkers that can be used to predict the chemotherapeutic response or prognosis of ACC. The regulation of gene expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) through DNA promoter methylation may play a role in the carcinogenesis of ACC. To identify differentially methylated genes in ACC, a global demethylating agent, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-AZA) was utilized to unmask putative TSG silencing in ACC xenograft models in mice. Fresh xenografts were passaged, implanted in triplicate in mice that were treated with 5-AZA daily for 28 days. These xenografts were then evaluated for genome-wide DNA methylation patterns using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip array. Validation of the 32 candidate genes was performed by bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) in a separate cohort of 6 ACC primary tumors and 6 normal control salivary gland tissues. Hypermethylation was identified in the HCN2 gene promoter in all 6 control tissues, but hypomethylation was found in all 6 ACC tumor tissues. Quantitative validation of HCN2 promoter methylation level in the region detected by BS-seq was performed in a larger cohort of primary tumors (n=32) confirming significant HCN2 hypomethylation in ACCs compared with normal samples (n=10; P=0.04). HCN2 immunohistochemical staining was performed on an ACC tissue microarray. HCN2 staining intensity and H-score, but not percentage of the positively stained cells, were significantly stronger in normal tissues than those of ACC tissues. With our novel screening and sequencing methods, we identified several gene candidates that were methylated. The most significant of these genes, HCN2, was actually hypomethylated in tumors. However, promoter methylation status does not appear to be a major determinant of HCN2 expression in normal and ACC tissues. HCN2 hypomethylation is a biomarker of ACC and may play an important role in the

  13. Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

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

    Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L., E-mail: michelle.pantoya@ttu.edu

    2015-08-15

    Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO{sub 4}) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO{sub 4} themore » film exhibits thermal instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO{sub 4} increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO{sub 4}. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO{sub 4} concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO{sub 4} promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO{sub 4} adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

  14. 24 CFR 969.103 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ....103 Definitions. (a) “ACC expiration date” means the last day of the term during which a particular public housing project is subject to all or any of the provisions of the ACC. The ACC term for a... Contribution Date for the project, as determined under the ACC (e.g., if the last debt service Annual...

  15. 24 CFR 880.507 - Default by PHA and/or owner (private-owner/PHA projects).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... projects). (a) Rights of Owner if PHA defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the... obligations to enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if PHA defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that..., HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract...

  16. 24 CFR 969.103 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ....103 Definitions. (a) “ACC expiration date” means the last day of the term during which a particular public housing project is subject to all or any of the provisions of the ACC. The ACC term for a... Contribution Date for the project, as determined under the ACC (e.g., if the last debt service Annual...

  17. 24 CFR 968.210 - Procedures for obtaining approval of a modernization program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... of Modernization capability as defined at § 968.205. (c) ACC amendment. HUD and the PHA shall enter into an ACC amendment in order for the PHA to draw down modernization funds. The ACC amendment shall require low-income use of the housing for not less than 20 years from the date of the ACC amendment...

  18. 24 CFR 880.507 - Default by PHA and/or owner (private-owner/PHA projects).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... projects). (a) Rights of Owner if PHA defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the... obligations to enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if PHA defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that..., HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract...

  19. 24 CFR 968.210 - Procedures for obtaining approval of a modernization program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... of Modernization capability as defined at § 968.205. (c) ACC amendment. HUD and the PHA shall enter into an ACC amendment in order for the PHA to draw down modernization funds. The ACC amendment shall require low-income use of the housing for not less than 20 years from the date of the ACC amendment...

  20. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase rewires cancer metabolism to allow cancer cells to survive inhibition of the Warburg effect by cetuximab

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Jingtao; Hong, Yun; Lu, Yang; Qiu, Songbo; Chaganty, Bharat K. R.; Zhang, Lun; Wang, Xudong; Li, Qiang; Fan, Zhen

    2016-01-01

    Cetuximab inhibits HIF-1-regulated glycolysis in cancer cells, thereby reversing the Warburg effect and leading to inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated after cetuximab treatment, and a sustained AMPK activity is a mechanism contributing to cetuximab resistance. Here, we investigated how acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a downstream target of AMPK, rewires cancer metabolism in response to cetuximab treatment. We found that introduction of experimental ACC mutants lacking the AMPK phosphorylation sites (ACC1_S79A and ACC2_S212A) into head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells protected HNSCC cells from cetuximab-induced growth inhibition. HNSCC cells with acquired cetuximab resistance contained not only high levels of T172-phosphorylated AMPK and S79-phosphorylated ACC1 but also an increased level of total ACC. These findings were corroborated in tumor specimens of HNSCC patients treated with cetuximab. Cetuximab plus TOFA (an allosteric inhibitor of ACC) achieved remarkable growth inhibition of cetuximab-resistant HNSCC xenografts. Our data suggest a novel paradigm in which cetuximab-mediated activation of AMPK and subsequent phosphorylation and inhibition of ACC is followed by a compensatory increase in total ACC, which rewires cancer metabolism from glycolysis-dependent to lipogenesis-dependent. PMID:27693630

  1. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase rewires cancer metabolism to allow cancer cells to survive inhibition of the Warburg effect by cetuximab.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jingtao; Hong, Yun; Lu, Yang; Qiu, Songbo; Chaganty, Bharat K R; Zhang, Lun; Wang, Xudong; Li, Qiang; Fan, Zhen

    2017-01-01

    Cetuximab inhibits HIF-1-regulated glycolysis in cancer cells, thereby reversing the Warburg effect and leading to inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated after cetuximab treatment, and a sustained AMPK activity is a mechanism contributing to cetuximab resistance. Here, we investigated how acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a downstream target of AMPK, rewires cancer metabolism in response to cetuximab treatment. We found that introduction of experimental ACC mutants lacking the AMPK phosphorylation sites (ACC1_S79A and ACC2_S212A) into head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells protected HNSCC cells from cetuximab-induced growth inhibition. HNSCC cells with acquired cetuximab resistance contained not only high levels of T172-phosphorylated AMPK and S79-phosphorylated ACC1 but also an increased level of total ACC. These findings were corroborated in tumor specimens of HNSCC patients treated with cetuximab. Cetuximab plus TOFA (an allosteric inhibitor of ACC) achieved remarkable growth inhibition of cetuximab-resistant HNSCC xenografts. Our data suggest a novel paradigm in which cetuximab-mediated activation of AMPK and subsequent phosphorylation and inhibition of ACC is followed by a compensatory increase in total ACC, which rewires cancer metabolism from glycolysis-dependent to lipogenesis-dependent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Performance, throughput, and cost of in-home training for the Army Reserve: Using asynchronous computer conferencing as an alternative to resident training

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

    Hahn, H.A.; Ashworth, R.L. Jr.; Phelps, R.H.

    1990-01-01

    Asynchronous computer conferencing (ACC) was investigated as an alternative to resident training for the Army Reserve Component (RC). Specifically, the goals were to (1) evaluate the performance and throughput of ACC as compared with traditional Resident School instruction and (2) determine the cost-effectiveness of developing and implementing ACC. Fourteen RC students took a module of the Army Engineer Officer Advanced Course (EOAC) via ACC. Course topics included Army doctrine, technical engineering subjects, leadership, and presentation skills. Resident content was adapted for presentation via ACC. The programs of instruction for ACC and the equivalent resident course were identical; only the mediamore » used for presentation were changed. Performance on tests, homework, and practical exercises; self-assessments of learning; throughput; and cost data wee the measures of interest. Comparison data were collected on RC students taking the course in residence. Results indicated that there were no performance differences between the two groups. Students taking the course via ACC perceived greater learning benefit than did students taking the course in residence. Resident throughput was superior to ACC throughput, both in terms of numbers of students completing and time to complete the course. In spite of this fact, however, ACC was more cost-effective than resident training.« less

  3. Contraction-induced changes in acetyl-CoA carboxylase and 5'-AMP-activated kinase in skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    Vavvas, D; Apazidis, A; Saha, A K; Gamble, J; Patel, A; Kemp, B E; Witters, L A; Ruderman, N B

    1997-05-16

    The concentration of malonyl-CoA, a negative regulator of fatty acid oxidation, diminishes acutely in contracting skeletal muscle. To determine how this occurs, the activity and properties of acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta (ACC-beta), the skeletal muscle isozyme that catalyzes malonyl-CoA formation, were examined in rat gastrocnemius-soleus muscles at rest and during contractions induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. To avoid the problem of contamination of the muscle extract by mitochondrial carboxylases, an assay was developed in which ACC-beta was first purified by immunoprecipitation with a monoclonal antibody. ACC-beta was quantitatively recovered in the immunopellet and exhibited a high sensitivity to citrate (12-fold activation) and a Km for acetyl-CoA (120 microM) similar to that reported for ACC-beta purified by other means. After 5 min of contraction, ACC-beta activity was decreased by 90% despite an apparent increase in the cytosolic concentration of citrate, a positive regulator of ACC. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of both homogenates and immunopellets from these muscles showed a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of ACC, suggesting that phosphorylation could account for the decrease in ACC activity. In keeping with this notion, citrate activation of ACC purified from contracting muscle was markedly depressed. In addition, homogenization of the muscles in a buffer free of phosphatase inhibitors and containing the phosphatase activators glutamate and MgCl2 or treatment of immunoprecipitated ACC-beta with purified protein phosphatase 2A abolished the decreases in both ACC-beta activity and electrophoretic mobility caused by contraction. The rapid decrease in ACC-beta activity after the onset of contractions (50% by 20 s) and its slow restoration to initial values during recovery (60-90 min) were paralleled temporally by reciprocal changes in the activity of the alpha2 but not the alpha1 isoform of 5'-AMP-activated protein

  4. Abnormal Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Unilateral Chronic Tinnitus Patients

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yu-Chen; Liu, Shenghua; Lv, Han; Bo, Fan; Feng, Yuan; Chen, Huiyou; Xu, Jin-Jing; Yin, Xindao; Wang, Shukui; Gu, Jian-Ping

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been suggested to be involved in chronic subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus may arise from aberrant functional coupling between the ACC and cerebral cortex. To explore this hypothesis, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to illuminate the functional connectivity (FC) network of the ACC subregions in chronic tinnitus patients. Methods: Resting-state fMRI scans were obtained from 31 chronic right-sided tinnitus patients and 40 healthy controls (age, sex, and education well-matched) in this study. Rostral ACC and dorsal ACC were selected as seed regions to investigate the intrinsic FC with the whole brain. The resulting FC patterns were correlated with clinical tinnitus characteristics including the tinnitus duration and tinnitus distress. Results: Compared with healthy controls, chronic tinnitus patients showed disrupted FC patterns of ACC within several brain networks, including the auditory cortex, prefrontal cortex, visual cortex, and default mode network (DMN). The Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaires (THQ) scores showed positive correlations with increased FC between the rostral ACC and left precuneus (r = 0.507, p = 0.008) as well as the dorsal ACC and right inferior parietal lobe (r = 0.447, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Chronic tinnitus patients have abnormal FC networks originating from ACC to other selected brain regions that are associated with specific tinnitus characteristics. Resting-state ACC-cortical FC disturbances may play an important role in neuropathological features underlying chronic tinnitus. PMID:29410609

  5. Antidepressant Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy Correlate With Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Activity and Connectivity in Depression

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yi; Du, Lian; Li, Yongmei; Liu, Haixia; Zhao, Wenjing; Liu, Dan; Zeng, Jinkun; Li, Xingbao; Fu, Yixiao; Qiu, Haitang; Li, Xirong; Qiu, Tian; Hu, Hua; Meng, Huaqing; Luo, Qinghua

    2015-01-01

    Abstract The mechanisms underlying the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in major depressive disorder (MDD) are not fully understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a new tool to study the effects of brain stimulation interventions, particularly ECT. The authors aim to investigate the mechanisms of ECT in MDD by rs-fMRI. They used rs-fMRI to measure functional changes in the brain of first-episode, treatment-naive MDD patients (n = 23) immediately before and then following 8 ECT sessions (brief-pulse square-wave apparatus, bitemporal). They also computed voxel-wise amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) as a measure of regional brain activity and selected the left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) to evaluate functional connectivity between the sgACC and other brain regions. Increased regional brain activity measured by ALFF mainly in the left sgACC following ECT. Functional connectivity of the left sgACC increased in the ipsilateral parahippocampal gyrus, pregenual ACC, contralateral middle temporal pole, and orbitofrontal cortex. Importantly, reduction in depressive symptoms were negatively correlated with increased ALFF in the left sgACC and left hippocampus, and with distant functional connectivity between the left sgACC and contralateral middle temporal pole. That is, across subjects, as depression improved, regional brain activity in sgACC and its functional connectivity increased in the brain. Eight ECT sessions in MDD patients modulated activity in the sgACC and its networks. The antidepressant effects of ECT were negatively correlated with sgACC brain activity and connectivity. These findings suggest that sgACC-associated prefrontal-limbic structures are associated with the therapeutic effects of ECT in MDD. PMID:26559309

  6. Multiple cognitive control mechanisms associated with the nature of conflict.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chobok; Chung, Chongwook; Kim, Jeounghoon

    2010-06-07

    Cognitive control is required to regulate conflict. The conflict monitoring theory suggests that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is involved in detecting response conflict and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a critical role in regulating conflict. Recent studies, however, have suggested that rostral dACC (rdACC) responds to response conflict whereas caudal dACC (cdACC) is associated with perceptual conflict. Moreover, DLPFC has been engaged only in regulation of response conflict. A neural network involved in perceptual conflict, however, remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an attempt to reveal monitor-controller networks corresponding to either perceptual conflict or response conflict. A version of the Stroop color matching task was used to manipulate perceptual conflict, response conflict was manipulated by an arrow. The results demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were engaged in response conflict whereas cdACC and the dorsal portion of premotor cortex (pre-PMd) were involved in perceptual conflict. Interestingly, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) was activated by both types of conflict. Correlation analyses between behavioral conflict effects and neural responses demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were associated with response conflict whereas cdACC and pre-PMd were associated with perceptual conflict. PPC was not correlated with either perceptual conflict or response conflict. We suggest that cdACC and pre-PMd play critical roles in perceptual conflict processing, and this network is independent from the rdACC/DLPFC network for response conflict processing. We also discussed the function of PPC in conflict processing. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Similar outcomes between adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast and invasive ductal carcinoma: a population-based study from the SEER 18 database.

    PubMed

    Chen, Qing-Xia; Li, Jun-Jing; Wang, Xiao-Xiao; Lin, Pei-Yang; Zhang, Jie; Song, Chuan-Gui; Shao, Zhi-Ming

    2017-01-24

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast (breast-ACC) is a rare and indolent tumor with a good prognosis despite its triple-negative status. However, we observed different outcomes in the present study. Utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we enrolled a total of 89,937 eligible patients with an estimated 86 breast-ACC cases and 89,851 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients. In our study, breast-ACC among women presented with a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which was more likely to feature well-differentiated tumors, rare regional lymph node involvement and greater application of breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with breast-ACC and breast-IDC patients had similar breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, using the propensity score matching method, no significant difference in survival was observed in matched pairs of breast-ACC and breast-IDC patients. Additionally, BCSS and OS did not differ significantly between TNBC-ACC and TNBC-IDC after matching patients for age, tumor size, and nodal status. Further subgroup analysis of molecular subtype indicated improved survival in breast-ACC patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/Her2-) tumors compared to IDC patients with HR+/Her2- tumors. However, the survival of ACC-TNBC and IDC-TNBC patients was similar. In conclusion, ACCs have an indolent clinical course and result in similar outcomes compared to IDC. Understanding these clinical characteristics and outcomes will endow doctors with evidence to provide the same intensive treatment for ACC-TNBC as for IDC-TNBC and lead to more individualized and tailored therapies for breast-ACC patients.

  8. An Adaptive Cross-Correlation Algorithm for Extended-Scene Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sidick, Erkin; Green, Joseph J.; Ohara, Catherine M.; Redding, David C.

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reviews the Adaptive Cross-Correlation (ACC) Algorithm for extended scene-Shack Hartmann wavefront (WF) sensing. A Shack-Hartmann sensor places a lenslet array at a plane conjugate to the WF error source. Each sub-aperture lenslet samples the WF in the corresponding patch of the WF. A description of the ACC algorithm is included. The ACC has several benefits; amongst them are: ACC requires only about 4 image-shifting iterations to achieve 0.01 pixel accuracy and ACC is insensitive to both background light and noise much more robust than centroiding,

  9. High pressure studies of potassium perchlorate

    DOE PAGES

    Pravica, Michael; Wang, Yonggang; Sneed, Daniel; ...

    2016-07-29

    Two experiments are reported on KClO 4 at extreme conditions. A static high pressure Raman study was first conducted to 18.9 GPa. Evidence for at least two new phases was observed: one between 2.4 and 7.7 GPa (possibly sluggish), and the second near 11.7 GPa. Then, the X-ray induced decomposition rate of potassium perchlorate (KClO 4 hv→ KCl + 2O 2) was studied up to 15.2 GPa. The time-dependent growth of KCl and O 2 was monitored. The decomposition rate slowed at higher pressures. As a result, we present the first direct evidence for O 2 crystallization at higher pressures,more » demonstrating that O 2 molecules aggregate at high pressure.« less

  10. TH-C-19A-12: Two-Dimensional High Spatial-Resolution Dosimeter Using Europium Doped Potassium Chloride

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

    Li, H; Yang, D; Xiao, Z

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: Recent research has shown that KCl:Eu2+ has great potential for use in megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry because this material exhibits excellent storage performance and is reusable due to strong radiation hardness. This work reports our attempts to fabricate 2D KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor films (SPFs) using both a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method and a tape casting method. Methods: A thin layer of KCl:Eu2+ was deposited on a substrate of borosilicate glass (e.g., laboratory slides) with a PVD system. For tape casting, a homogenous suspension containing storage phosphor particles, liquid vehicle and polymer binder was formed and subsequently cast bymore » doctor-blade onto a polyethylene terephthalate substrate to form a 150 μm thick SPF. Results: X ray diffraction analysis showed that a 10 μm thick PVD sample was composed of highly crystalline KCl. No additional phases were observed, suggesting that the europium activator had completed been incorporated into the KCl matrix. Photostimulated luminescence and photoluminescence spectra suggested that F (Cl−) centers were the electron storage centers post x ray irradiation and that Eu2+ cations acted as luminescence centers in the photostimulation process. The 150 μm thick casted KCl:Eu2+ SPF showed sub-millimeter spatial resolution. Monte Carlo simulations further demonstrated that the admixture of 20% KCl:Eu2+ and 80% low Z polymer binder exhibited almost no energy dependence in a 6 MV beam. KCl:Eu2+ pellet samples showed a large dynamic range from 0.01 cGy to 60 Gy dose-to-water, and saturated at approximately 500 Gy as a Result of its intrinsic high radiation hardness. Conclusions: This discovery research provides strong evidence that KCl:Eu2+ based SPF with associated readout apparatus could Result in a novel electronic film system that has all the desirable features associated with classic radiographic film and, importantly, water equivalence and the capability of permanent

  11. Inhibition of isolated human myometrium contractility by minoxidil and reversal by glibenclamide.

    PubMed

    Prabhakaran, S S; Dhanasekar, K R; Thomas, E; Jose, R; Peedicayil, J; Samuel, P

    2010-03-01

    This study investigated the ability of the antihypertensive drug minoxidil to inhibit potassium chloride (KCl)-induced contractility of the isolated human myometrium. Twelve strips of myometrium obtained from 12 patients who underwent hysterectomy were triggered to contract with 55 mM KCl before and after incubation with 3 concentrations (1, 3 and 10 microM) of minoxidil. The percent inhibition by minoxidil on the extent of contraction, and the area under the contractile curve of KCl-induced contraction of the myometrial strips was determined. Furthermore, the effect of 10 microM glibenclamide on the inhibition generated by 3 microM minoxidil on KCl-induced contractility was studied. It was found that minoxidil produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of KCl-induced contractility of the myometrium and that glibenclamide reversed this inhibitory effect. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of minoxidil on isolated human myometrium contractility may prove useful in clinical conditions requiring relaxation of the myometrium. 2010 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.

  12. Soft X-ray and extreme utraviolet quantum detection efficiency of potassium chloride photocathode layers on microchannel plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Siegmund, Oswald H. W.; Everman, Elaine; Hull, Jeff; Vallerga, John V.; Lampton, Michael

    1988-01-01

    The quantum detection efficiency (QDE) of KCl photocathodes in the 44-1460 A range was investigated. An opaque layer of KCl, about 15,000-A-thick, was evaporated and applied the surface of a microchannel plate (MCP), and the contribution of the photocathode material in the channels (and on the interchannel web) to the QDE was measured using a Z stack MCP detector. It is shown that KCl is a relatively stable photocathode material, with the QDE equal to 30-40 percent in the EUV. At wavelengths above 200 A, the QDE is slightly better than the QDE of CsI, as reported by Siegmund et al. (1986). While the shape of the QDE curve as a function of wavelength is similar to those reported for CsI and KBr, KCl was found to lack the high QDE peak found in the curves of CsI and KBr at about 100 A. A simple QDE model is described, the predictions of which were found to agree with the measurements on the KCl photocathode.

  13. Implications of Starvation-Induced Change in Right Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Volume in Anorexia Nervosa

    PubMed Central

    McCormick, Laurie M.; Keel, Pamela K.; Brumm, Michael C.; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

    2013-01-01

    Objective Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Method Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year post-hospitalization. Results Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Conclusion Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome. PMID:18473337

  14. Implications of starvation-induced change in right dorsal anterior cingulate volume in anorexia nervosa.

    PubMed

    McCormick, Laurie M; Keel, Pamela K; Brumm, Michael C; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

    2008-11-01

    Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year posthospitalization. Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome.

  15. Determination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in apple extracts by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xin; Li, Dian-Fan; Wang, Yun; Lu, Ying-Tang

    2004-12-17

    A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in apple tissues has been described. This method is based on the derivatization of ACC with 3-(2-furoyl)quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde (FQ), and separation and quantification of the resulting FQ-ACC derivative by capillary electrophoresis coupled to laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF). Our results indicated that ACC derivatized with FQ could be well separated from other interfering amino acids using 20 mM borate buffer (pH 9.35) containing 40 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 10 mM Brij 35. The linearity of ACC was determined in the range from 0.05 to 5 microM with a correlation of 0.9967. The concentration detection limit for ACC was 10 nM (signal-to-noise = 3). The sensitivity and selectivity of this described method allows the analysis of ACC in crude apple extracts without extra purification and enrichment procedure.

  16. The dynamic organization of fungal acetyl-CoA carboxylase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hunkeler, Moritz; Stuttfeld, Edward; Hagmann, Anna; Imseng, Stefan; Maier, Timm

    2016-04-01

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACCs) catalyse the committed step in fatty-acid biosynthesis: the ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA. They are important regulatory hubs for metabolic control and relevant drug targets for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome and cancer. Eukaryotic ACCs are single-chain multienzymes characterized by a large, non-catalytic central domain (CD), whose role in ACC regulation remains poorly characterized. Here we report the crystal structure of the yeast ACC CD, revealing a unique four-domain organization. A regulatory loop, which is phosphorylated at the key functional phosphorylation site of fungal ACC, wedges into a crevice between two domains of CD. Combining the yeast CD structure with intermediate and low-resolution data of larger fragments up to intact ACCs provides a comprehensive characterization of the dynamic fungal ACC architecture. In contrast to related carboxylases, large-scale conformational changes are required for substrate turnover, and are mediated by the CD under phosphorylation control.

  17. Histopathology of acute acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.

    PubMed

    Laurila, J J; Ala-Kokko, T I; Laurila, P A; Saarnio, J; Koivukangas, V; Syrjälä, H; Karttunen, T J

    2005-11-01

    To illustrate the histopathological features of acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) of critically ill patients and to compare them with those of acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) and normal gallbladders. We studied 34 gallbladders with AAC and compared them with 28 cases of ACC and 14 normal gallbladders. Histological features were systematically evaluated. Typical features in AAC were bile infiltration, leucocyte margination of blood vessels and lymphatic dilation. Bile infiltration in the gallbladder wall was more common and extended wider and deeper into the muscle layer in AAC compared with ACC. Epithelial degeneration and defects and widespread occurrence of inflammatory cells were typical features in ACC. Necrosis in the muscle layer was also more common and extended wider and deeper in ACC. There were no differences in the occurrence of capillary thromboses, lymphatic follicles or Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses between the AAC and ACC samples. There are characteristic differences in histopathology between AAC and ACC, although due to overlap, none appeared to be specific as such for either condition. These results suggest that AAC is largely a manifestation of systemic critical illness, whereas ACC is a local disease of the gallbladder.

  18. Microwave hydrothermal transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate nanospheres and application in protein adsorption.

    PubMed

    Qi, Chao; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Chen, Feng

    2014-03-26

    Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are the main components of biominerals. Among all of the forms of biominerals, amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) are the most important forms because they play a pivotal role in the process of biomineralization and are the precursors to the crystalline polymorphs. In this work, we first synthesized ACC in vitro using adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as the stabilizer and investigated the transformation of the ACC under microwave hydrothermal conditions, and ACC/ACP composite nanospheres and carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) nanospheres were successfully prepared. In this novel strategy, ATP has two main functions: it serves as the stabilizer for ACC and the phosphorus source for ACP and CHA. Most importantly, the morphology and the size of the ACC precursor can be well-preserved after microwave heating, so it provides a new method for the preparation of calcium phosphate nanostructured materials using phosphorus-containing biomolecule-stabilized ACC as the precursor. Furthermore, the as-prepared ACC/ACP composite nanospheres have excellent biocompatibility and high protein adsorption capacity, indicating that they are promising for applications in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and protein adsorption.

  19. Autoinhibition of Ethylene Production in Citrus Peel Discs 1

    PubMed Central

    Riov, Joseph; Yang, Shang Fa

    1982-01-01

    Wound ethylene formation induced in flavede tissue of citrus fruit (Citrus paradisi MacFad. cv. Ruby Red) by slicing was almost completely inhibited by exogenous ethylene. The inhibition lasted for at least 6 hours after removal of exogenous ethylene and was then gradually relieved. The extent of inhibition was dependent upon the concentration of ethylene (1 to 10 microliters/liter) and the duration of treatment. The increase in wound ethylene production in control discs was paralleled by an increase in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (AAC) content, whereas in ethylene-treated discs there was little increase in ACC content. Application of ACC completely restored ethylene production in ethylene-pretreated discs, indicating that the conversion of ACC to ethylene is not impaired by the presence of ethylene. Thus, autoinhibition of ethylene synthesis was exerted by reducing the availability of ACC. Ethylene treatment resulted in a decrease in extractable ACC synthase activity, but this decrease was too small to account for the marked inhibition of ACC formation. The data indicate that autoinhibition of ethylene production in citrus flavede discs results from suppression of ACC formation through repression of the synthesis of ACC synthase and inhibition of its activity. PMID:16662276

  20. Antibody-containing cell response in lymph of sheep after intra-intestinal infusion of ovalbumin with and without DEAE-dextran.

    PubMed Central

    Beh, K J

    1979-01-01

    The output of antibody-containing cells (ACC) was monitored in efferent ileal lymph after continuous infusion of ovalbumin into the ileum of sheep with and without the adjuvant DEAE-dextran. When ovalbumin was infused at the slow rate of 5 ml/h, maximum outputs of 2.9 x 10(5) and 2.4 x 10(5 ACC/h were observed on days 9 and 16 respectively. When infused at the faster rate of 15 ml/h, peak levels of 6.9 x 10(5) and 11.7 x 10(5) ACC/h were recorded on days 10 and 16 respectively. The maximum response was substantially enhanced when ovalbumin was infused simultaneously with DEAE-dextran when a mean output of 51.7 x 10(5) ACC/h occurred on day 10. With all treatments the distribution of ACC amongst various immunoglobulin classes was similar. During the first few days of the response IgM-specific ACC predominated and later IgG1-specific ACC were most abundant. Throughout the response a substantial proportion (10-81%) of ACC in efferent ileal lymph were IgA-specific. PMID:572818