Development Study of Pedestrian Bridge at Gramedia Bookstore Jalan Raden Intan Bandar Lampung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernaditha, C. M.

2018-03-01

Bandar Lampung with high enough population densities has provides transportation facilities for pedestrian such as pedestrian bridge. This pedestrian bridges spread at Bandar Lampung’s traffic congested area, shopping centre nor education centre. Jl. Raden Intan as one of primary collector road with four lanes one direction at Bandar Lampung has high LHR (average daily traffic) movemenet pattern especially at morning, day and afternoon rush hour that make it difficult for pedestrian who want to cross the road. Therefore pedes trian bridge at this section Jl. Raden Intan highly needed especially at in front of Gramedia Bookstore with large amount of crossing pedestrian volume. From this research and analysis, found that number of LHR (average daily traffic) at Jl. Raden Intan shows large number traffic volume that is 4509 passenger car unit/hour at morning rush hour (07.00-08.30), with value of V/C Ratio or Degree of Saturation reach 0,92 (E category), while the amount of pedestrian who cross ahead from Gramedia Bookstore to Bank Muammalat is 29 people per 15 minutes. Other than that based on the calculation results of pedestrian volume and traffic volume at rush hour as follow: average pedestrian volume at rush hour is 146 people/hour between the range 100-1250 people/hour and traffic volume 7521 vehicles/hour over than 7000 vehicles/hour, and also the value PV2=1,682x1010 which is means the value of PV2 worth over 2x108, moreover the speed plan Jl. Raden Intan between 60-80 km/hour above 70 km/hour. Based on the calculation and analysis above, it can be concluded transportation facilities recommended for Jl. Raden Intan is pedestrian bridge.

Analysis of sialyl-Lewis x on MUC5AC and MUC1 mucins in pancreatic cancer tissues.

PubMed

Balmaña, Meritxell; Duran, Adrià; Gomes, Catarina; Llop, Esther; López-Martos, Raquel; Ortiz, M Rosa; Barrabés, Sílvia; Reis, Celso A; Peracaula, Rosa

2018-06-01

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) lacks efficient biomarkers. Mucins are glycoproteins that can carry aberrant glycosylation in cancer. Our objective was to identify cancer-related glycan epitopes on MUC1 and MUC5AC mucins in PDAC as potential biomarkers. We have analysed the tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens sialyl-Lewis x (SLe x ) and sialyl-Tn (STn) on MUC1 and MUC5AC in PDAC tissues. The selected cohort for this study consisted of twenty-one PDAC tissues positive for SLe x antigen and three normal pancreas specimens as controls. STn expression was shown in 76% of the PDAC tissues. MUC1 and MUC5AC were detected in 90% of PDAC tissues. We performed in situ proximity ligation assay combining antibodies against mucins and glycan epitopes to identify specific mucin glycoforms. MUC1-SLe x and MUC5AC-SLe x were found in 68% and 84% respectively, of the mucin expressing PDAC tissues, while STn hardly colocalized with any of the evaluated mucins. Further analysis by Western blot of MUC5AC and SLe x in eight PDAC tissue lysates showed that six out of eight cases were positive for both markers. Moreover, immunoprecipitation of MUC5AC from positive PDAC tissues and subsequent SLe x immunodetection confirmed the presence of SLe x on MUC5AC. Altogether, MUC5AC-SLe x glycoform is present in PDAC and can be regarded as potential biomarker. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of Ac-225 for cancer therapy by photon-induced transmutation of Ra-226.

PubMed

Melville, G; Meriarty, H; Metcalfe, P; Knittel, T; Allen, B J

2007-09-01

The increasing application of Ac-225 for cancer therapy indicates the potential need for its increased production and availability. The production of Ac-225 has been achieved using bremsstrahlung photons from an 18 MV medical linear accelerator (linac) to bombard a Ra-226 target. A linac dose of 2800 Gy produced about 64 microCi of Ra-225, which decays to Ac-225. This result, while consistent with the theoretical calculations, is far too low to be of practical use. A more powerful linac is required that runs at a higher current, longer pulse length and higher frequency for practical production. This process could also lead to the reduction of the nuclear waste product Ra-226.

What If You Ran Your Bookstore Like a Library? The Troubled Book Business Can Learn from Libraries' Willingness to Share

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fister, Barbara

2008-01-01

Ten years ago, stories like "B&N: The New College Library" (LJ 2/1/98) and "What If You Ran Your Library Like a Bookstore?" (American Libraries, 3/98) kicked up a controversy about the viability of libraries. Ironically, these days it's the book business that has an aura of crisis and gloom, while visits to libraries are surging. Over two billion…

Impairment of liver synthetic function and the production of plasma proteins in primary breast cancer patients on doxorubicincyclophosphamide (AC) protocol.

PubMed

Saleem, Zikria; Ahmad, Mobasher; Hashmi, Furqan Khurshid; Saeed, Hamid; Aziz, Muhammad Tahir

2016-09-01

Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide (AC protocol) combination is usually considered as a first line therapy in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Thus, a retrospective observational study was conducted to monitor the effect of AC protocol on liver synthetic functions and production of plasma proteins in breast cancer patients, reporting to specialized cancer care hospital of Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 75 patients (n=75) on AC protocol with breast cancer were observed in this study. The patient data including age, gender, body surface area, dosage, disease status and laboratory biochemical values were recorded by reviewing historical treatment records. Pre-treatment values were taken as baseline values for albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio and total proteins. The baseline values were compared after each cycle of by applying ANOVA using statistical tool SPSS® version 21. The plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total protein and globulin dropped significantly (p<0.05) in patients of all age groups. However, the albumin levels were not significantly changed (p>0.05). The A/G ratio level increased (p<0.05) as a result of reduction in globulin levels. Significant changes in plasma protein levels were observed in the elderly patients (50 to 65 years) than patients between 20 to 50 years of age. AC protocol impairs liver synthetic functions as observed by decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma protein levels.

225Ac-PSMA-617 for PSMA-Targeted α-Radiation Therapy of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Kratochwil, Clemens; Bruchertseifer, Frank; Giesel, Frederik L; Weis, Mirjam; Verburg, Frederik A; Mottaghy, Felix; Kopka, Klaus; Apostolidis, Christos; Haberkorn, Uwe; Morgenstern, Alfred

2016-12-01

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a promising target in prostate cancer. Recently, we started the first-in-human treatment with an α-radionuclide-labeled PSMA ligand. Although the case series is still ongoing, we here report in advance about two patients in highly challenging clinical situations who showed a complete response to 225 Ac-PSMA-617 therapy. 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT validated the presence of the PSMA-positive tumor phenotype. A 100-kBq activity of 225 Ac-PSMA-617 per kilogram of body weight was administered bimonthly. Prostate-specific antigen response and hematologic toxicity were measured at least every 4 wk. Restaging was performed with 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. Both patients experienced a prostate-specific antigen decline to below the measurable level and showed a complete response on imaging. No relevant hematologic toxicity was observed. Xerostomia was the only mentionable clinical side effect. Targeted α-therapy with 225 Ac-PSMA-617, although still experimental, obviously has strong potential to significantly benefit advanced-stage prostate cancer patients. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

A theoretical model for the production of Ac-225 for cancer therapy by photon-induced transmutation of Ra-226.

PubMed

Melville, G; Fan Liu, Sau; Allen, B J

2006-09-01

Radium needles that were once implanted into tumours as a cancer treatment are now obsolete and constitute a radioactive waste problem, as their half-life is 1600 years. We are investigating the reduction of radium by transmutation on a small scale by bombarding Ra-226 with high-energy photons from a medical linear accelerator (linac) to produce Ra-225, which subsequently decays to Ac-225, which can be used as a generator to produce Bi-213 for use in 'targeted alpha therapy' for cancer. This paper examines the possibility of producing Ac-225 with a linac using an accurate theoretical model in which the bremsstrahlung photon spectrum at 18 MV linac electron energy is convoluted with the corresponding photonuclear cross sections of Ra-226. The total integrated yield can then be obtained and is compared with a computer simulation. This study shows that at 18 MV, the photonuclear reaction on Ra-226 can produce low activities of Ac-225 with a linac. However, a high power linac with high current, pulse length and frequency is needed to produce practical amounts of Ac-225 and a useful reduction of Ra-226.

A theoretical model for the production of Ac-225 for cancer therapy by neutron capture transmutation of Ra-226.

PubMed

Melville, G; Melville, P

2013-02-01

Radium needles that were once implanted into tumours as a cancer treatment are now obsolete and constitute a radioactive waste problem, as their half-life is 1600 years. We are investigating the reduction of radium by transmutation by bombarding Ra-226 with high-energy neutrons from a neutron source to produce Ra-225 and hence Ac-225, which can be used as a generator to produce Bi-213 for use in 'Targeted Alpha Therapy' for cancer. This paper examines the possibility of producing Ac-225 by neutron capture using a theoretical model in which neutron energy is convoluted with the corresponding neutron cross sections of Ra-226. The total integrated yield can then be obtained. This study shows that an intense beam of high-energy neutrons could initiate neutron capture on Ra-226 to produce Ra-225 and hence practical amounts of Ac-225 and a useful reduction of Ra-226. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global loss of a nuclear lamina component, lamin A/C, and LINC complex components SUN1, SUN2, and nesprin-2 in breast cancer.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Ayaka; Hieda, Miki; Yokoyama, Yuhki; Nishioka, Yu; Yoshidome, Katsuhide; Tsujimoto, Masahiko; Matsuura, Nariaki

2015-10-01

Cancer cells exhibit a variety of features indicative of atypical nuclei. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain to be elucidated. The linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex, a nuclear envelope protein complex consisting mainly of the SUN and nesprin proteins, connects nuclear lamina and cytoskeletal filaments and helps to regulate the size and shape of the nucleus. Using immunohistology, we found that a nuclear lamina component, lamin A/C and all of the investigated LINC complex components, SUN1, SUN2, and nesprin-2, were downregulated in human breast cancer tissues. In the majority of cases, we observed lower expression levels of these analytes in samples' cancerous regions as compared to their cancer-associated noncancerous regions (in cancerous regions, percentage of tissue samples exhibiting low protein expression: lamin A/C, 85% [n = 73]; SUN1, 88% [n = 43]; SUN2, 74% [n = 43]; and nesprin-2, 79% [n = 53]). Statistical analysis showed that the frequencies of recurrence and HER2 expression were negatively correlated with lamin A/C expression (P < 0.05), and intrinsic subtype and ki-67 level were associated with nesprin-2 expression (P < 0.05). In addition, combinatorial analysis using the above four parameters showed that all patients exhibited reduced expression of at least one of four components despite the tumor's pathological classification. Furthermore, several cultured breast cancer cell lines expressed less SUN1, SUN2, nesprin-2 mRNA, and lamin A/C compared to noncancerous mammary gland cells. Together, these results suggest that the strongly reduced expression of LINC complex and nuclear lamina components may play fundamental pathological functions in breast cancer progression. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long Noncoding RNAs AC009014.3 and Newly Discovered XPLAID Differentiate Aggressive and Indolent Prostate Cancers.

PubMed

Cesnik, Anthony J; Yang, Bing; Truong, Andrew; Etheridge, Tyler; Spiniello, Michele; Steinbrink, Maisie I; Shortreed, Michael R; Frey, Brian L; Jarrard, David F; Smith, Lloyd M

2018-06-01

The molecular mechanisms underlying aggressive versus indolent disease are not fully understood. Recent research has implicated a class of molecules known as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. Our objective was to discover lncRNAs that differentiate aggressive and indolent prostate cancers. We analyzed paired tumor and normal tissues from six aggressive Gleason score (GS) 8-10 and six indolent GS 6 prostate cancers. Extracted RNA was split for poly(A)+ and ribosomal RNA depletion library preparations, followed byRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. We developed an RNA-Seq data analysis pipeline to discover and quantify these molecules. Candidate lncRNAs were validated using RT-qPCR on 87 tumor tissue samples: 28 (GS 6), 28 (GS 3+4), 6 (GS 4+3), and 25 (GS 8-10). Statistical correlations between lncRNAs and clinicopathologic variables were tested using ANOVA. The 43 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs between aggressive and indolent prostate cancers included 12 annotated and 31 novel lncRNAs. The top six DE lncRNAs were selected based on large, consistent fold-changes in the RNA-Seq results. Three of these candidates passed RT-qPCR validation, including AC009014.3 (P < .001 in tumor tissue) and a newly discovered X-linked lncRNA named XPLAID (P = .049 in tumor tissue and P = .048 in normal tissue). XPLAID and AC009014.3 show promise as prognostic biomarkers. We discovered several dozen lncRNAs that distinguish aggressive and indolent prostate cancers, of which four were validated using RT-qPCR. The investigation into their biology is ongoing. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Pharmaceutical services for patients receiving AC chemotherapy].

PubMed

Higuchi, Minako; Matsuo, Koichi; Ureshino, Yuko; Ogata, Kentaro; Futagami, Koujiro; Kitamura, Kaoru; Nishino, Hiroaki

2009-02-01

General treatments for breast cancer patients, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and lymphatic edema drainage, are performed at the Department of Breast Surgery in Kyushu Central Hospital. In those treatments, pharmacists provide the pharmaceutical treatment. Combination chemotherapy of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC therapy) is one of the standard regimens for breast cancer. In breast cancer patients who received AC therapy, we carried out investigations on side effects, and prepared pamphlets to support patients' self-management in their daily lives. In the process of preparing pamphlets, we made check sheets to monitor the severity and incidence of side effects. Based on the results of analysis and patients' opinions as well as staff remarks, we prepared pamphlets. According to the evaluation survey, pamphlets are regarded as useful. To meet the needs of patients, we intend to periodically revise pamphlets by continuing investigations on side effects, and provide up-to-date information.

Chocolate scents and product sales: a randomized controlled trial in a Canadian bookstore and café.

PubMed

McGrath, Mary C; Aronow, Peter M; Shotwell, Vivien

2016-01-01

We report the results of a 31-day trial on the effects of chocolate scent on purchasing behavior in a bookstore. Our study replicates and extends a 10-day randomized controlled trial in order to examine the generalizability of the original finding. We first introduce the study of store atmospherics and highlight the importance and dearth of replication in this area. In the next section, we describe the original study and discuss the theory of ambient scent effects on product sales, and the role of scent-product congruity. We then describe our design and methods, followed by presentation and discussion of our results. We find no evidence that chocolate scent affects sales. These findings indicate the importance of replication in varied settings. Contextual factors and the choices available to customers may moderate the effects of ambient scent on purchasing behavior. Our study highlights the value of examining the generalizability of experimental findings, both for theory and practice.

Differential expression of CK20, β-catenin, and MUC2/5AC/6 in Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X.

PubMed

Haraldsson, Stefan; Klarskov, Louise; Nilbert, Mef; Bernstein, Inge; Bonde, Jesper; Holck, Susanne

2017-01-01

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer comprises Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX). Differences in genetics, demographics and histopathology have been extensively studied. The purpose of this study is to characterize their immunoprofile of markers other than MMR proteins. We compared the expression patterns of cytokeratins (CK7 and CK20), mucins (MUC2/5 AC/6), CDX2 and β-catenin in Lynch syndrome and FCCTX. Differences were identified for CK20 and nuclear β-catenin, which were significantly more often expressed in FCCTX than in Lynch syndrome ( p  < 0.001), whereas MUC2, MUC5AC and MUC6 were overexpressed in Lynch syndrome tumors compared with FCCTX tumors ( p  = 0.001, < 0.01, and < 0.001, respectively). We observed no differences in the expression patterns of CK7 and CDX2. In summary, we identified significant differences in the immunoprofiles of colorectal cancers linked to FCCTX and Lynch syndrome with a more sporadic-like profile in the former group and a more distinct profile with frequent MUC6 positivity in the latter group.

American Cancer Society perspectives on environmental factors and cancer.

PubMed

Fontham, Elizabeth T H; Thun, Michael J; Ward, Elizabeth; Portier, Kenneth M; Balch, Alan J; Delancey, John Oliver L; Samet, Jonathan M

2009-01-01

Cancer prevention is central to the mission of the American Cancer Society (ACS). The ACS's prevention activities take many forms, but are primarily focused on modifiable risk factors that have been demonstrated to have the largest impact on cancer risk in the general population (with particular emphasis on tobacco use because of its large impact on cancer), and well-proven policy and program interventions. The ACS addresses nutrition, physical inactivity and obesity, alcohol consumption, excessive sun exposure, prevention of certain chronic infections, and selected other environmental factors through a variety of venues, including consensus guidelines (eg, nutrition and physical activity, human papillomavirus vaccination) and developing educational materials for health care providers and the general public. In contrast to the broad definition of environmental factors used by the ACS and most other public health agencies, some members of the general public associate the term "environmental" only with toxic air and water pollutants and other, predominantly manmade, hazards that people encounter, often involuntarily, in their daily life. This article will provide an overview of the ACS's approach to the prevention of cancer associated with such toxic pollutants in the context of its mission and priorities with respect to cancer prevention.

Interventions to improve the quality of life and survivorship of older adults with cancer: The funding landscape at NIH, ACS and PCORI.

PubMed

Flannery, Marie; Mohile, Supriya Gupta; Dale, William; Arora, Neeraj K; Azar, Lauren; Breslau, Erica S; Cohen, Harvey Jay; Dotan, Efrat; Eldadah, Basil A; Leach, Corinne R; Mitchell, Sandra A; Rowland, Julia H; Hurria, Arti

2016-07-01

Identifying knowledge gaps and research opportunities in cancer and aging research was the focus of a three-part conference series led by the Cancer and Aging Research Group from 2010 to 2015. The third meeting, featured representatives from the NIA, NCI, ACS and PCORI each of whom discussed research priorities and funding opportunities in cancer and aging at their respective agencies. This manuscript reports on the proceedings of that conference with a specific focus on funding priorities for interventions to improve the quality of life and survivorship of older adults with cancer. Helpful tips from each funder regarding writing a scientifically strong research proposal are presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light-controlled endosomal escape of the novel CD133-targeting immunotoxin AC133-saporin by photochemical internalization - A minimally invasive cancer stem cell-targeting strategy.

PubMed

Bostad, Monica; Olsen, Cathrine Elisabeth; Peng, Qian; Berg, Kristian; Høgset, Anders; Selbo, Pål Kristian

2015-05-28

The cancer stem cell (CSC) marker CD133 is an attractive target to improve antitumor therapy. We have used photochemical internalization (PCI) for the endosomal escape of the novel CD133-targeting immunotoxin AC133-saporin (PCIAC133-saporin). PCI employs an endocytic vesicle-localizing photosensitizer, which generates reactive oxygen species upon light-activation causing a rupture of the vesicle membranes and endosomal escape of entrapped drugs. Here we show that AC133-saporin co-localizes with the PCI-photosensitizer TPCS2a, which upon light exposure induces cytosolic release of AC133-saporin. PCI of picomolar levels of AC133-saporin in colorectal adenocarcinoma WiDr cells blocked cell proliferation and induced 100% inhibition of cell viability and colony forming ability at the highest light doses, whereas no cytotoxicity was obtained in the absence of light. Efficient PCI-based CD133-targeting was in addition demonstrated in the stem-cell-like, triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and in the aggressive malignant melanoma cell line FEMX-1, whereas no enhanced targeting was obtained in the CD133-negative breast cancer cell line MCF-7. PCIAC133-saporin induced mainly necrosis and a minimal apoptotic response based on assessing cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP, and the TUNEL assay. PCIAC133-saporin resulted in S phase arrest and reduced LC3-II conversion compared to control treatments. Notably, co-treatment with Bafilomycin A1 and PCIAC133-saporin blocked LC3-II conversion, indicating a termination of the autophagic flux in WiDr cells. For the first time, we demonstrate laser-controlled targeting of CD133 in vivo. After only one systemic injection of AC133-saporin and TPCS2a, a strong anti-tumor response was observed after PCIAC133-saporin. The present PCI-based endosomal escape technology represents a minimally invasive strategy for spatio-temporal, light-controlled targeting of CD133+ cells in localized primary tumors or metastasis. Copyright © 2015

MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC6 expression in the progression of prostate cancer.

PubMed

Cozzi, Paul J; Wang, Jian; Delprado, Warick; Perkins, Alan C; Allen, Barry J; Russell, Pamela J; Li, Yong

2005-01-01

Molecular changes are vital for the development of prognostic markers and therapeutic modalities of prostate cancer (CaP). There is growing interest in mucins as treatment targets in human malignancies, including CaP. The role of their expression in the progression of CaP is however unclear. We examined the expressions MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC6 in CaP tissues using tissue microarrays (TMAs) to look for tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) for targeted therapy. In this study, 120 paraffin-embedded specimens were selected from patients who underwent radical retro-pubic prostatectomy (RRP) or trans-urethral-resection of the prostate (TURP) for primary, untreated CaP and 10 matched lymph node metastases. A series of MUC monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was used on TMAs by standard immunohistochemistry. Our results indicate that the over-expression of MUC1 was detected in 58% of primary CaP tissues and 90% of lymph node metastases but not in normal prostate or benign tissues, while the expression of MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC6 was found to be negative in both normal and cancer tissues. Of the MUC1 positive tumors 86% were Gleason grade 7 or higher. Over-expression of MUC1 was found in late stage CaP while MUC2, 4, 5AC and 6 were negative in CaP. MUC1 is a TAA that is highly related to tumor progression in CaP patients. This antigen is ideal for targeted therapy to control micrometastases and hormone refractory disease but additional studies are necessary to assess its usefulness in patient biopsies and CaP bone metastases before clinical trial.

From Beamline to Scanner with 225Ac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Andrew K. H.; Ramogida, Caterina F.; Kunz, Peter; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Cristina; Schaffer, Paul; Sossi, Vesna

2016-09-01

Due to the high linear energy transfer and short range of alpha-radiation, targeted radiation therapy using alpha-emitting pharmaceuticals that successfully target small disease clusters will kill target cells with limited harm to healthy tissue, potentially treating the most aggressive forms of cancer. As the parent of a decay chain with four alpha- and two beta-decays, 225Ac is a promising candidate for such a treatment. However, this requires retention of the entire decay chain at the target site, preventing the creation of freely circulating alpha-emitters that reduce therapeutic effect and increase toxicity to non-target tissues. Two major challenges to 225Ac pharmaceutical development exist: insufficient global supply, and the difficulty of preventing toxicity by retaining the entire decay chain at the target site. While TRIUMF works towards large-scale (C i amounts) production of 225Ac, we already use our Isotope Separation On-Line facility to provide small (< 1 mCi) quantities for in-house chemistry and imaging research that aims to improve and assess 225Ac radiopharmaceutical targeting. This presentation provides an overview of this research program and the journey of 225Ac from the beamline to the scanner. This research is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

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.

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

Anemhupehins A-C, Podocarpane Diterpenoids from Anemone hupehensis.

PubMed

Yu, Xing; Duan, Kai-Ting; Wang, Zhen-Xiong; Chen, He-Ping; Gan, Xiao-Qing; Huang, Rong; Li, Zheng-Hui; Feng, Tao; Liu, Ji-Kai

2018-02-01

Three new podocarpane diterpenoids, namely anemhupehins A-C (1-3), together with four known analogues (4-7), have been isolated from aerial parts of Anemone hupehensis. Their structures were characterized based on extensive spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 4 showed certain cytotoxicities against human cancer cell lines.

Gamma-irradiation produces active chlorine species (ACS) in physiological solutions: Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) scavenges ACS - A novel mechanism of DNA radioprotection

PubMed Central

Mishra, Om P.; Popov, Anatoliy V.; Pietrofesa, Ralph A.; Christofidou-Solomidou, Melpo

2017-01-01

physiological solutions. SDG treatment scavenged ACS and prevented ACS-induced DNA damage and chlorination of 2-aminopurine. This study identified a novel and unique mechanism of SDG radioprotection, through ACS scavenging, and supports the potential usefulness of SDG as a radioprotector and mitigator for radiation exposure as part of cancer therapy or accidental exposure. PMID:27261092

Gamma-irradiation produces active chlorine species (ACS) in physiological solutions: Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) scavenges ACS - A novel mechanism of DNA radioprotection.

PubMed

Mishra, Om P; Popov, Anatoliy V; Pietrofesa, Ralph A; Christofidou-Solomidou, Melpo

2016-09-01

ACS and prevented ACS-induced DNA damage and chlorination of 2-aminopurine. This study identified a novel and unique mechanism of SDG radioprotection, through ACS scavenging, and supports the potential usefulness of SDG as a radioprotector and mitigator for radiation exposure as part of cancer therapy or accidental exposure. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Maple polyphenols, ginnalins A-C, induce S- and G2/M-cell cycle arrest in colon and breast cancer cells mediated by decreasing cyclins A and D1 levels.

PubMed

González-Sarrías, Antonio; Ma, Hang; Edmonds, Maxwell E; Seeram, Navindra P

2013-01-15

Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plant foods. Ginnalins A-C are polyphenols present in the sap and other parts of the sugar and red maple species which are used to produce maple syrup. Here we evaluated the antiproliferative effects of ginnalins A-C on colon (HCT-116) and breast (MCF-7) tumourigenic and non-tumourigenic colon (CCD-18Co) cells and investigated whether these effects were mediated through cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. Ginnalins A-C were twofold more effective against the tumourigenic than non-tumourigenic cells. Among the polyphenols, ginnalin A (84%, HCT-116; 49%, MCF-7) was more effective than ginnalins B and C (50%, HCT-116; 30%, MCF-7) at 50 μM concentrations. Ginnalin A did not induce apoptosis of the cancer cells but arrested cell cycle (in the S- and G(2)/M-phases) and decreased cyclins A and D1 protein levels. These results suggest that maple polyphenols may have potential cancer chemopreventive effects mediated through cell cycle arrest. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH): Cancer treatment with AC magnetic field induced excitation of biocompatible superparamagnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Andreas; Scholz, Regina; Wust, Peter; Fähling, Horst; Felix, Roland

1999-07-01

The story of hyperthermia with small particles in AC magnetic fields started in the late 1950s, but most of the studies were unfortunately conducted with inadequate animal systems, inexact thermometry and poor AC magnetic field parameters, so that any clinical implication was far behind the horizon. More than three decades later, it was found, that colloidal dispersions of superparamagnetic (subdomain) iron oxide nanoparticles exhibit an extraordinary specific absorption rate (SAR [ W/ g]), which is much higher at clinically tolerable H 0 f combinations in comparison to hysteresis heating of larger multidomain particles. This was the renaissance of a cancer treatment method, which has gained more and more attention in the last few years. Due to the increasing number of randomized clinical trials preferentially in Europe with conventional E-field hyperthermia systems, the general medical and physical experience in hyperthermia application is also rapidly growing. Taking this increasing clinical experience carefully into account together with the huge amount of new biological data on heat response of cells and tissues, the approach of magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) is nowadays more promising than ever before. The present contribution reviews the current state of the art and some of the future perspectives supported by advanced methods of the so-called nanotechnology.

AC Initiation System.

DTIC Science & Technology

An ac initiation system is described which uses three ac transmission signals interlocked for safety by frequency, phase, and power discrimination...The ac initiation system is pre-armed by the application of two ac signals have the proper phases, and activates a load when an ac power signal of the proper frequency and power level is applied. (Author)

In-vitro cytotoxicity assessment of carbon-nanodot-conjugated Fe-aminoclay (CD-FeAC) and its bio-imaging applications.

PubMed

Kang, Kyoung Suk; Lee, Hyun Uk; Kim, Moon Il; Park, So Young; Chang, Sung-Jin; Park, Ji-Ho; Huh, Yun Suk; Lee, Jouhahn; Yang, Mino; Lee, Young-Chul; Park, Hyun Gyu

2015-11-26

We have investigated the cytotoxic assay of Fe-aminoclay (FeAC) nanoparticles (NPs) and simultaneous imaging in HeLa cells by photoluminescent carbon nanodots (CD) conjugation. Non-cytotoxic, photostable, and CD NPs are conjugated with cationic FeAC NPs where CD NPs play a role in bio-imaging and FeAC NPs act as a substrate for CD conjugation and help to uptake of NPs into cancer cells due to positively charged surface of FeAC NPs in physiological media. As increase of CD-FeAC NPs loading in HeLa cell in vitro, it showed slight cytotoxicity at 1000 μg/mL but no cytotoxicity for normal cells up to concentration of 1000 μg/mL confirmed by two 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red (NR) assays, with further observations by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) stained confocal microscopy images, possessing that CD-FeAC NPs can be used as potential drug delivery platforms in cancer cells with simultaneous imaging. Graphical abstract CD conjugation with organo-building blocks of delaminated FeAC NPs.

Comparison of facility type outcomes for oral cavity cancer: Analysis of the national cancer database.

PubMed

Rubin, Samuel J; Cohen, Michael B; Kirke, Diana N; Qureshi, Muhammad M; Truong, Minh Tam; Jalisi, Scharukh

2017-11-01

Determine whether facility type effects overall survival in patients with oral cavity cancer. Retrospective cohort study. Patients included in the National Cancer Database who were diagnosed with oral cavity cancer between 1998 and 2011 were included in the study. Data was stratified by facility where care was provided, including community cancer programs (CCP), comprehensive community cancer programs (CCCP), and academic centers (AC). Univariate analysis was performed using analysis of variance, chi squared, and log-rank test, whereas multivariate analysis was performed using Cox regression. A total of 32,510 patients were included in the study, with 7.58% of patients receiving care at CCPs (n = 2,553), 39.53% at CCCPs (n = 12,852), and 52.61% at ACs (n = 17,105). Between 1998 and 2011, there was a greater percentage of patients receiving care at ACs, and a greater percentage of patients receiving surgical therapy versus nonsurgical therapy. Patients treated at ACs had the best 5-year overall survival of 51.26%, with a significant difference across facility types (P < 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, receiving care at ACs was a positive predictor of survival (hazard ratio: 0.95 95% confidence interval [0.91,0.98])). Patients treated at ACs are more likely to receive surgical treatment, and have a greater 5-year overall survival compared to those patients treated at CCPs and CCCPs. Therefore, we advocate referring patients with advanced oral cavity cancers to ACs. 4. Laryngoscope, 127:2551-2557, 2017. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Association of -330 interleukin-2 gene polymorphism with oral cancer.

PubMed

Singh, Prithvi Kumar; Kumar, Vijay; Ahmad, Mohammad Kaleem; Gupta, Rajni; Mahdi, Abbas Ali; Jain, Amita; Bogra, Jaishri; Chandra, Girish

2017-12-01

Cytokines play an important role in the development of cancer. Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cytokine genes have been reported to be associated with the development and severity of inflammatory diseases and cancer predisposition. This study was undertaken to evaluate a possible association of interleukin 2 (IL-2) (- 330A>C) gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to oral cancer. The SNP in IL-2 (-330A>C) gene was genotyped in 300 oral cancer patients and in similar number of healthy volunteers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism and the association of the gene with the disease was evaluated. IL-2 (-330A>C) gene polymorphism was significantly associated with oral cancer whereas it was neither associated with clinicopathological status nor with cancer pain. The AC heterozygous genotype was significantly associated with oral cancer patients as compared to controls [odds ratio (OR): 3.0; confidence interval (CI): 2.14-4.20; P<0.001]. The C allele frequency was also significantly associated with oral cancer (OR: 1.80; CI: 1.39-2.33; P<0.001). IL-2 (-330A>C) gene polymorphism was also associated with oral cancer in tobacco smokers and chewers. Our results showed that oral cancer patients had significantly higher frequency of AA genotype but significantly lower frequency of AC genotype and C allele compared to controls. The IL-2 AC genotype and C allele of IL-2 (-330A>C) gene polymorphisms could be potential protective factors and might reduce the risk of oral cancer in Indian population.

Cell cycle-dependent changes in H3K56ac in human cells

PubMed Central

Stejskal, Stanislav; Stepka, Karel; Tesarova, Lenka; Stejskal, Karel; Matejkova, Martina; Simara, Pavel; Zdrahal, Zbynek; Koutna, Irena

2015-01-01

The incorporation of histone H3 with an acetylated lysine 56 (H3K56ac) into the nucleosome is important for chromatin remodeling and serves as a marker of new nucleosomes during DNA replication and repair in yeast. However, in human cells, the level of H3K56ac is greatly reduced, and its role during the cell cycle is controversial. Our aim was to determine the potential of H3K56ac to regulate cell cycle progression in different human cell lines. A significant increase in the number of H3K56ac foci, but not in H3K56ac protein levels, was observed during the S and G2 phases in cancer cell lines, but was not observed in embryonic stem cell lines. Despite this increase, the H3K56ac signal was not present in late replication chromatin, and H3K56ac protein levels did not decrease after the inhibition of DNA replication. H3K56ac was not tightly associated with the chromatin and was primarily localized to active chromatin regions. Our results support the role of H3K56ac in transcriptionally active chromatin areas but do not confirm H3K56ac as a marker of newly synthetized nucleosomes in DNA replication. PMID:26645646

Cancer regression induced by modified CTL therapy is regulated by HLA class II and class I antigens in Japanese patients with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Araki, K; Noguchi, Y; Hirouchi, T; Yoshikawa, E; Kataoka, S; Silverni, L; Miyazawa, H; Kuzuhara, H; Suzuki, C; Shimada, Y; Hamasato, S; Maeda, N; Shimamura, Y; Ogawa, Y; Ohtsuki, Y; Fujimoto, S

2000-12-01

Autologous cancer-specific bulk CTLs are unlikely to be induced by in vitro CTL generation (ivtCTLG) using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of cancer patients when autologous cancer cells are used as in vitro stimulators. However, autologous cancer-specific bulk CTLs are frequently activated when allogeneic cancer cells are used as in vitro stimulators, regardless of the type of cancer cell. We have developed a cancer-specific immunotherapy called modified CTL therapy, which involves adoptive immunotherapy of autologous cancer-specific bulk CTLs after active immunization of autologous or allogeneic cancer cells screened as in vitro stimulators according to their ability to induce autologous cancer-specific CTLs (ACS. CTLs). Cancer did not regress in patients in whom ACS.CTLs were not induced by ivtCTLG using the patients' PBMCs in therapy. Cancer regression, albeit temporary, occurred solely in patients under the immunological condition that ACS.CTLs were induced by ivtCTLG using PBMCs through the therapy. The induction of ACS.CTLs by ivtCTLG using patient PBMCs in therapy was related to patients' HLA class II antigens. HLA DR8 was seen more frequently in ACS.CTL-inducible patients than in ACS.CTL-uninducible patients (P=0.051). On the contrary, HLA DQ3 was seen more frequently in ACS.CTL-uninducible patients (P=0.055). On the other hand, the success in therapy, albeit temporary, was related mainly to patients' HLA class I antigens. HLA B61 was seen more frequently in patients whose therapy proved effective than in patients whose therapy proved ineffective (P=0.018). HLA Cw7 was seen more frequently in therapy-ineffective patients (P=0.040).

Lamin A/C might be involved in the EMT signalling pathway.

PubMed

Zuo, Lingkun; Zhao, Huanying; Yang, Ronghui; Wang, Liyong; Ma, Hui; Xu, Xiaoxue; Zhou, Ping; Kong, Lu

2018-07-15

We have previously reported a heterogeneous expression pattern of the nuclear membrane protein lamin A/C in low- and high-Gleason score (GS) prostate cancer (PC) tissues, and we have now found that this change is not associated with LMNA mutations. This expression pattern appears to be similar to the process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) or to that of mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). The role of lamin A/C in EMT or MET in PC remains unclear. Therefore, we first investigated the expression levels of and the associations between lamin A/C and several common EMT markers, such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin, snail, slug and vimentin in PC tissues with different GS values and in different cell lines with varying invasion abilities. Our results suggest that lamin A/C might constitute a type of epithelial marker that better signifies EMT and MET in PC tissue, since a decrease in lamin A/C expression in GS 4 + 5 cases is likely associated with the EMT process, while the re-expression of lamin A/C in GS 5 + 4 cases is likely linked with MET. The detailed GS better exhibited the changes in lamin A/C and the EMT markers examined. Lamin A/C overexpression or knockdown had an impact on EMT biomarkers in a cell model by direct regulation of β-catenin. Hence, we suggest that lamin A/C might serve as a reliable epithelial biomarker for the distinction of PC cell differentiation and might also be a fundamental factor in the occurrence of EMT or MET in PC. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Lamin A/C deficiency reduces circulating tumor cell resistance to fluid shear stress

PubMed Central

Denais, Celine; Chan, Maxine F.; Wang, Zhexiao; Lammerding, Jan

2015-01-01

Metastasis contributes to over 90% of cancer-related deaths and is initiated when cancer cells detach from the primary tumor, invade the basement membrane, and enter the circulation as circulating tumor cells (CTCs). While metastasis is viewed as an inefficient process with most CTCs dying within the bloodstream, it is evident that some CTCs are capable of resisting hemodynamic shear forces to form secondary tumors in distant tissues. We hypothesized that nuclear lamins A and C (A/C) act as key structural components within CTCs necessary to resist destruction from elevated shear forces of the bloodstream. Herein, we show that, compared with nonmalignant epithelial cells, tumor cells are resistant to elevated fluid shear forces in vitro that mimic those within the bloodstream, as evidenced by significant decreases in cellular apoptosis and necrosis. Knockdown of lamin A/C significantly reduced tumor cell resistance to fluid shear stress, with significantly increased cell death compared with parental tumor cell and nontargeting controls. Interestingly, lamin A/C knockdown increased shear stress-induced tumor cell apoptosis, but did not significantly affect cellular necrosis. These data demonstrate that lamin A/C is an important structural component that enables tumor cell resistance to fluid shear stress-mediated death in the bloodstream, and may thus facilitate survival and hematogenous metastasis of CTCs. PMID:26447202

AC-130 Employment

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

1 AC -130 Employment Subject Area Aviation EWS 2006 Author Captain Robert Hornick, USMC Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704...00-2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE AC -130 Employment 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER... AC -130 gunship is an aircraft that can provide all of these needs. Regrettably, there are too few AC -130’s in the inventory to cover all the needs

Targeted alpha therapy for cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Barry J.; Raja, Chand; Rizvi, Syed; Li, Yong; Tsui, Wendy; Zhang, David; Song, Emma; Qu, Chang Fa; Kearsley, John; Graham, Peter; Thompson, John

2004-08-01

Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) offers the potential to inhibit the growth of micrometastases by selectively killing isolated and preangiogenic clusters of cancer cells. The practicality and efficacy of TAT is tested by in vitro and in vivo studies in melanoma, leukaemia, colorectal, breast and prostate cancers, and by a phase 1 trial of intralesional TAT for melanoma. The alpha-emitting radioisotope used is Bi-213, which is eluted from the Ac-225 generator and chelated to a cancer specific monoclonal antibody (mab) or protein (e.g. plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 PAI2) to form the alpha-conjugate (AC). Stable alpha-ACs have been produced which have been tested for specificity and cytotoxicity in vitro against melanoma (9.2.27 mab), leukaemia (WM60), colorectal (C30.6), breast (PAI2, herceptin), ovarian (PAI2, herceptin, C595), prostate (PAI2, J591) and pancreatic (PAI2, C595) cancers. Subcutaneous inoculation of 1-1.5 million human cancer cells into the flanks of nude mice causes tumours to grow in all mice. Tumour growth is compared for untreated controls, nonspecific AC and specific AC, for local (subcutaneous) and systemic (tail vein or intraperitoneal) injection models. The 213Bi-9.2.27 AC is injected into secondary skin melanomas in stage 4 patients in a dose escalation study to determine the effective tolerance dose, and to measure kinematics to obtain the equivalent dose to organs. In vitro studies show that TAT is one to two orders of magnitude more cytotoxic to targeted cells than non-specific ACs, specific beta emitting conjugates or free isotopes. In vivo local TAT at 2 days post-inoculation completely prevents tumour formation for all cancers tested so far. Intra-lesional TAT can completely regress advanced sc melanoma but is less successful for breast and prostate cancers. Systemic TAT inhibits the growth of sc melanoma xenografts and gives almost complete control of breast and prostate cancer tumour growth. Intralesional doses up to 450 µCi in human

Evaluating the Number of Stages in Development of Squamous Cell and Adenocarcinomas across Cancer Sites Using Human Population-Based Cancer Modeling

PubMed Central

Kravchenko, Julia; Akushevich, Igor; Abernethy, Amy P.; Lyerly, H. Kim

2012-01-01

Background Adenocarcinomas (ACs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) differ by clinical and molecular characteristics. We evaluated the characteristics of carcinogenesis by modeling the age patterns of incidence rates of ACs and SCCs of various organs to test whether these characteristics differed between cancer subtypes. Methodology/Principal Findings Histotype-specific incidence rates of 14 ACs and 12 SCCs from the SEER Registry (1973–2003) were analyzed by fitting several biologically motivated models to observed age patterns. A frailty model with the Weibull baseline was applied to each age pattern to provide the best fit for the majority of cancers. For each cancer, model parameters describing the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis including the number of stages occurring during an individual’s life and leading to cancer (m-stages) were estimated. For sensitivity analysis, the age-period-cohort model was incorporated into the carcinogenesis model to test the stability of the estimates. For the majority of studied cancers, the numbers of m-stages were similar within each group (i.e., AC and SCC). When cancers of the same organs were compared (i.e., lung, esophagus, and cervix uteri), the number of m-stages were more strongly associated with the AC/SCC subtype than with the organ: 9.79±0.09, 9.93±0.19 and 8.80±0.10 for lung, esophagus, and cervical ACs, compared to 11.41±0.10, 12.86±0.34 and 12.01±0.51 for SCCs of the respective organs (p<0.05 between subtypes). Most SCCs had more than ten m-stages while ACs had fewer than ten m-stages. The sensitivity analyses of the model parameters demonstrated the stability of the obtained estimates. Conclusions/Significance A model containing parameters capable of representing the number of stages of cancer development occurring during individual’s life was applied to the large population data on incidence of ACs and SCCs. The model revealed that the number of m-stages differed by cancer subtype being more

Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Kabat, Geoffrey C; Matthews, Charles E; Kamensky, Victor; Hollenbeck, Albert R; Rohan, Thomas E

2015-03-01

Several health agencies have issued guidelines promoting behaviors to reduce chronic disease risk; however, little is known about the impact of such guidelines, particularly on cancer incidence. The objective was to determine whether greater adherence to the American Cancer Society (ACS) cancer prevention guidelines is associated with a reduction in cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality. The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 566,401 adults aged 50-71 y at recruitment in 1995-1996, was followed for a median of 10.5 y for cancer incidence, 12.6 y for cancer mortality, and 13.6 y for total mortality. Participants who reported a history of cancer or who had missing data were excluded, yielding 476,396 subjects for analysis. We constructed a 5-level score measuring adherence to ACS guidelines, which included baseline body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, and several aspects of diet. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute HRs and 95% CIs for the association of the adherence score with cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality. All analyses included fine adjustment for cigarette smoking. Among 476,396 participants, 73,784 incident first cancers, 16,193 cancer deaths, and 81,433 deaths from all causes were identified in the cohort. Adherence to ACS guidelines was associated with reduced risk of all cancers combined: HRs (95% CIs) for the highest compared with the lowest level of adherence were 0.90 (0.87, 0.93) in men and 0.81 (0.77, 0.84) in women. Fourteen of 25 specific cancer sites showed a reduction in risk associated with increased adherence. Adherence was also associated with reduced cancer mortality [HRs (95% CIs) were 0.75 (0.70, 0.80) in men and 0.76 (0.70, 0.83) in women] and reduced all-cause mortality [HRs (95% CIs) were 0.74 (0.72, 0.76) in men and 0.67 (0.65, 0.70) in women]. In both men and women, adherence to the ACS guidelines was associated with reductions in all-cancer

Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality: a prospective cohort study1234

PubMed Central

Kabat, Geoffrey C; Matthews, Charles E; Kamensky, Victor; Hollenbeck, Albert R; Rohan, Thomas E

2015-01-01

Background: Several health agencies have issued guidelines promoting behaviors to reduce chronic disease risk; however, little is known about the impact of such guidelines, particularly on cancer incidence. Objective: The objective was to determine whether greater adherence to the American Cancer Society (ACS) cancer prevention guidelines is associated with a reduction in cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality. Design: The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 566,401 adults aged 50–71 y at recruitment in 1995–1996, was followed for a median of 10.5 y for cancer incidence, 12.6 y for cancer mortality, and 13.6 y for total mortality. Participants who reported a history of cancer or who had missing data were excluded, yielding 476,396 subjects for analysis. We constructed a 5-level score measuring adherence to ACS guidelines, which included baseline body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, and several aspects of diet. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute HRs and 95% CIs for the association of the adherence score with cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and total mortality. All analyses included fine adjustment for cigarette smoking. Results: Among 476,396 participants, 73,784 incident first cancers, 16,193 cancer deaths, and 81,433 deaths from all causes were identified in the cohort. Adherence to ACS guidelines was associated with reduced risk of all cancers combined: HRs (95% CIs) for the highest compared with the lowest level of adherence were 0.90 (0.87, 0.93) in men and 0.81 (0.77, 0.84) in women. Fourteen of 25 specific cancer sites showed a reduction in risk associated with increased adherence. Adherence was also associated with reduced cancer mortality [HRs (95% CIs) were 0.75 (0.70, 0.80) in men and 0.76 (0.70, 0.83) in women] and reduced all-cause mortality [HRs (95% CIs) were 0.74 (0.72, 0.76) in men and 0.67 (0.65, 0.70) in women]. Conclusions: In both men and women, adherence to the

Targeted Alpha Therapy: The US DOE Tri-Lab (ORNL, BNL, LANL) Research Effort to Provide Accelerator-Produced 225Ac for Radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, Kevin

2017-01-01

Targeted radiotherapy is an emerging discipline of cancer therapy that exploits the biochemical differences between normal cells and cancer cells to selectively deliver a lethal dose of radiation to cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells relatively unperturbed. A broad overview of targeted alpha therapy including isotope production methods, and associated isotope production facility needs, will be provided. A more general overview of the US Department of Energy Isotope Program's Tri-Lab (ORNL, BNL, LANL) Research Effort to Provide Accelerator-Produced 225Ac for Radiotherapy will also be presented focusing on the accelerator-production of 225Ac and final product isolation methodologies for medical applications.

Acid ceramidase in prostate cancer radiation therapy resistance and relapse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Joseph C.

Prostate tumor cell escape from ionizing radiation (IR)-induced killing can lead to disease progression and relapse. Sphingolipids such as ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate influence signal transduction pathways that regulate stress response in cancer cells. In particular, metabolism of apoptotic ceramide constitutes an important survival adaptation. Assessments of enzyme activity, mRNA, and protein demonstrated preferential upregulation of the ceramide deacylating enzyme acid ceramidase (AC) in irradiated cancer cells. Promoter-reporter and ChIP-qPCR assays revealed AC transcription by activator protein 1 (AP-1) is sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of de novo ceramide biosynthesis, identifying a protective feedback mechanism that mitigates the effects of IR-induced ceramide. Deregulation of c-Jun, in particular, induced marked radiosensitization in vitro and in vivo, which was rescued by ectopic AC over-expression. AC over-expression in prostate cancer clonogens surviving 80 Gray fractionated irradiation was associated with increased radioresistance and proliferation, suggesting a role in radiotherapy failure and relapse. Indeed, immunohistochemical analysis of human prostate cancer tissues revealed higher levels of AC after radiotherapy failure than therapy-naive adenocarcinoma, PIN, or benign tissues. By genetically downregulating AC with small interfering RNA (siRNA), we observed radiosensitization of cells using clonogenic and cytotoxicity assays. Finally, treatment with lysosomotropic small molecule inhibitors of AC, LCL385 or LCL521, induced prostate cancer xenograft radiosensitization and long-term suppression, suggesting AC is a tractable target for adjuvant radiotherapy.

Low Offset AC Correlator.

DTIC Science & Technology

This patent describes a low offset AC correlator avoids DC offset and low frequency noise by frequency operating the correlation signal so that low...noise, low level AC amplification can be substituted for DC amplification. Subsequently, the high level AC signal is demodulated to a DC level. (Author)

Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and cancer risk in low-income and African American populations

PubMed Central

Andersen, Shaneda Warren; Blot, William J; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Sonderman, Jennifer S; Steinwandel, Mark D; Hargreaves, Margaret K; Zheng, Wei

2016-01-01

Background The American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes behavioral guidelines for cancer prevention, including standards on body weight, physical activity, nutrition, alcohol, and tobacco use. The impact of these guidelines has been rarely studied in low-income and African American populations. Methods The study included 61,098 racially diverse, mainly low-income adults who participated in the Southern Community Cohort Study and were followed for a median of 6 years. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer incidence associated with behaviors and with an ACS physical activity/nutrition 0-to-4 compliance score indicating the number of body weight, physical activity, healthy eating, and alcohol guidelines met. Results During the study period, 2,240 incident cancers were identified. Significantly lower cancer incidence was found among never smokers and non/moderate alcohol drinkers, but not among those meeting guidelines for obesity, physical activity, and diet. The ACS compliance score was inversely associated with cancer risk among the 25,509 participants without baseline chronic disease. HRs for cancer incidence among those without baseline chronic diseases and who met one, two, three, or four guidelines vs. zero guideline were 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.71–1.21), 0.85 (0.65–1.12), 0.70 (0.51–0.97), and 0.55 (0.31–0.99), respectively. Associations were consistent in analyses stratified by sex, race, household income, and smoking status. Conclusions Meeting the ACS smoking and body weight/physical activity/dietary/alcohol guidelines for cancer prevention is associated with reductions in cancer incidence in low-income and African American populations. Impact This study provides strong evidence supporting lifestyle modification to lower cancer incidence in these underserved populations. PMID:26965499

Alternating current (AC) iontophoretic transport across human epidermal membrane: effects of AC frequency and amplitude.

PubMed

Yan, Guang; Xu, Qingfang; Anissimov, Yuri G; Hao, Jinsong; Higuchi, William I; Li, S Kevin

2008-03-01

As a continuing effort to understand the mechanisms of alternating current (AC) transdermal iontophoresis and the iontophoretic transport pathways in the stratum corneum (SC), the objectives of the present study were to determine the interplay of AC frequency, AC voltage, and iontophoretic transport of ionic and neutral permeants across human epidermal membrane (HEM) and use AC as a means to characterize the transport pathways. Constant AC voltage iontophoresis experiments were conducted with HEM in 0.10 M tetraethyl ammonium pivalate (TEAP). AC frequencies ranging from 0.0001 to 25 Hz and AC applied voltages of 0.5 and 2.5 V were investigated. Tetraethyl ammonium (TEA) and arabinose (ARA) were the ionic and neutral model permeants, respectively. In data analysis, the logarithm of the permeability coefficients of HEM for the model permeants was plotted against the logarithm of the HEM electrical resistance for each AC condition. As expected, linear correlations between the logarithms of permeability coefficients and the logarithms of resistances of HEM were observed, and the permeability data were first normalized and then compared at the same HEM electrical resistance using these correlations. Transport enhancement of the ionic permeant was significantly larger than that of the neutral permeant during AC iontophoresis. The fluxes of the ionic permeant during AC iontophoresis of 2.5 V in the frequency range from 5 to 1,000 Hz were relatively constant and were approximately 4 times over those of passive transport. When the AC frequency decreased from 5 to 0.001 Hz at 2.5 V, flux enhancement increased to around 50 times over passive transport. While the AC frequency for achieving the full effect of iontophoretic enhancement at low AC frequency was lower than anticipated, the frequency for approaching passive diffusion transport at high frequency was higher than expected from the HEM morphology. These observations are consistent with a transport model of multiple

FLUIDIC AC AMPLIFIERS.

DTIC Science & Technology

Several fluidic tuned AC Amplifiers were designed and tested. Interstage tuning and feedback designs are considered. Good results were obtained...corresponding Q’s as high as 12. Element designs and test results of one, two, and three stage amplifiers are presented. AC Modulated Carrier Systems

Breast Cancer Screening for Women at Average Risk: 2015 Guideline Update From the American Cancer Society.

PubMed

Oeffinger, Kevin C; Fontham, Elizabeth T H; Etzioni, Ruth; Herzig, Abbe; Michaelson, James S; Shih, Ya-Chen Tina; Walter, Louise C; Church, Timothy R; Flowers, Christopher R; LaMonte, Samuel J; Wolf, Andrew M D; DeSantis, Carol; Lortet-Tieulent, Joannie; Andrews, Kimberly; Manassaram-Baptiste, Deana; Saslow, Debbie; Smith, Robert A; Brawley, Otis W; Wender, Richard

2015-10-20

Breast cancer is a leading cause of premature mortality among US women. Early detection has been shown to be associated with reduced breast cancer morbidity and mortality. To update the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2003 breast cancer screening guideline for women at average risk for breast cancer. The ACS commissioned a systematic evidence review of the breast cancer screening literature to inform the update and a supplemental analysis of mammography registry data to address questions related to the screening interval. Formulation of recommendations was based on the quality of the evidence and judgment (incorporating values and preferences) about the balance of benefits and harms. Screening mammography in women aged 40 to 69 years is associated with a reduction in breast cancer deaths across a range of study designs, and inferential evidence supports breast cancer screening for women 70 years and older who are in good health. Estimates of the cumulative lifetime risk of false-positive examination results are greater if screening begins at younger ages because of the greater number of mammograms, as well as the higher recall rate in younger women. The quality of the evidence for overdiagnosis is not sufficient to estimate a lifetime risk with confidence. Analysis examining the screening interval demonstrates more favorable tumor characteristics when premenopausal women are screened annually vs biennially. Evidence does not support routine clinical breast examination as a screening method for women at average risk. The ACS recommends that women with an average risk of breast cancer should undergo regular screening mammography starting at age 45 years (strong recommendation). Women aged 45 to 54 years should be screened annually (qualified recommendation). Women 55 years and older should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue screening annually (qualified recommendation). Women should have the opportunity to begin annual screening

Development of a hardware-based AC microgrid for AC stability assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, Robert R.

As more power electronic-based devices enable the development of high-bandwidth AC microgrids, the topic of microgrid power distribution stability has become of increased interest. Recently, researchers have proposed a relatively straightforward method to assess the stability of AC systems based upon the time-constants of sources, the net bus capacitance, and the rate limits of sources. In this research, a focus has been to develop a hardware test system to evaluate AC system stability. As a first step, a time domain model of a two converter microgrid was established in which a three phase inverter acts as a power source and an active rectifier serves as an adjustable constant power AC load. The constant power load can be utilized to create rapid power flow transients to the generating system. As a second step, the inverter and active rectifier were designed using a Smart Power Module IGBT for switching and an embedded microcontroller as a processor for algorithm implementation. The inverter and active rectifier were designed to operate simultaneously using a synchronization signal to ensure each respective local controller operates in a common reference frame. Finally, the physical system was created and initial testing performed to validate the hardware functionality as a variable amplitude and variable frequency AC system.

Utility of Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation and Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.

PubMed

Burt, Bryan M; Groth, Shawn S; Sada, Yvonne H; Farjah, Farhood; Cornwell, Lorraine; Sugarbaker, David J; Massarweh, Nader N

2017-08-01

To determine whether adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and esophagectomy is associated with improved overall survival for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer, and to evaluate how pathologic disease response to neoadjuvant treatment impacts this effect. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation is currently the preferred management approach for locoregional esophageal cancer. Although there is interest in the use of AC, the benefit of systemic therapy after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and esophagectomy is unclear. Retrospective cohort study of patients with esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation and esophagectomy in the National Cancer Data Base (2006-2012). Among 3592 patients with esophageal cancer (84.7% adenocarcinoma, 15.2% squamous cell carcinoma), 335 (9.3%) were treated with AC. AC was not associated with a significantly lower risk of death among patients with no residual disease (ypT0N0) or residual non-nodal disease (ypT+N0). Among patients with residual nodal disease (ypTanyN+), AC was associated with a 30% lower risk of death in the overall cohort [hazard ratio (HR) 0.70, (0.57-0.85)] and among those with adenocarcinoma [HR 0.69 (0.57-0.85)]. Using a 90-day postoperative landmark, findings were similar. Among patients with postoperative length of stay ≤10 days and no unplanned readmission, AC was associated with approximately 40% lower risk of death among patients with residual nodal disease [overall cohort, HR 0.63 (0.48-0.84); adenocarcinoma, HR 0.66 (0.49-0.88)]. AC after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and esophagectomy is associated with improved survival in patients with residual nodal disease. Our findings suggest AC may provide additional benefit for esophageal cancer patients, and merits further investigation.

Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines, Cancer Risk, and Mortality in the Women's Health Initiative

PubMed Central

Thomson, Cynthia A.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Wertheim, Betsy C.; Chlebowski, Rowan T.; Martinez, Maria Elena; Stefanick, Marcia L.; Rohan, Thomas E.; Manson, JoAnn E.; Tindle, Hilary A.; Ockene, Judith; Vitolins, Mara Z.; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Sarto, Gloria E.; Lane, Dorothy S.; Neuhouser, Marian L.

2014-01-01

Healthy lifestyle behaviors are recommended to reduce cancer risk and overall mortality. Adherence to cancer-preventive health behaviors and subsequent cancer risk has not been evaluated in a diverse sample of postmenopausal women. We examined the association between the American Cancer Society (ACS) Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines score and risk of incident cancer, cancer-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality in 65,838 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. ACS guidelines scores (0–8 points) were determined from a combined measure of diet, physical activity, body mass index (current and at age 18 years), and alcohol consumption. After a mean follow-up of 12.6 years, 8,632 incident cancers and 2,356 cancer deaths were identified. The highest ACS guidelines scores compared with the lowest were associated with a 17% lower risk of any cancer [HR, 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75–0.92], 22% lower risk of breast cancer (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67–0.92), 52% lower risk of colorectal cancer (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.32–0.73), 27% lower risk of all-cause mortality, and 20% lower risk of cancer-specific mortality (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71–0.90). Associations with lower cancer incidence and mortality were generally strongest among Asian, black, and Hispanic women and weakest among non-Hispanic whites. Behaviors concordant with Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines were associated with lower risk of total, breast, and colorectal cancers and lower cancer-specific mortality in postmenopausal women. PMID:24403289

Performance trends of rehabilitated AC pavements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

The General Pavement Study (GPS) 6 experiment, "AC Overlay of AC Pavements," involves pavement test sections where an asphalt concrete (AC) overlay was placed on an existing AC pavement. This TechBrief summarizes the results of a study of the GPS-6 e...

Antigen-capturing nanoparticles improve the abscopal effect and cancer immunotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Yuanzeng; Roche, Kyle C.; Tian, Shaomin; Eblan, Michael J.; McKinnon, Karen P.; Caster, Joseph M.; Chai, Shengjie; Herring, Laura E.; Zhang, Longzhen; Zhang, Tian; Desimone, Joseph M.; Tepper, Joel E.; Vincent, Benjamin G.; Serody, Jonathan S.; Wang, Andrew Z.

2017-09-01

Immunotherapy holds tremendous promise for improving cancer treatment. To administer radiotherapy with immunotherapy has been shown to improve immune responses and can elicit the 'abscopal effect'. Unfortunately, response rates for this strategy remain low. Herein we report an improved cancer immunotherapy approach that utilizes antigen-capturing nanoparticles (AC-NPs). We engineered several AC-NP formulations and demonstrated that the set of protein antigens captured by each AC-NP formulation is dependent on the NP surface properties. We showed that AC-NPs deliver tumour-specific proteins to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and significantly improve the efficacy of αPD-1 (anti-programmed cell death 1) treatment using the B16F10 melanoma model, generating up to a 20% cure rate compared with 0% without AC-NPs. Mechanistic studies revealed that AC-NPs induced an expansion of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and increased both CD4+T/Treg and CD8+T/Treg ratios (Treg, regulatory T cells). Our work presents a novel strategy to improve cancer immunotherapy with nanotechnology.

IL23R +2199A/C polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of certain subtypes of gastric cancer in Chinese: a case-control study.

PubMed

Chen, Bin; Zeng, Zhirong; Xu, Lixia; Wu, Xiaoqin; Yu, Jun; Xue, Ling; Hao, Yuantao; Wang, Yiming; Sung, Joseph J Y; Chen, Minhu; Hu, Pinjin

2011-04-01

Today, the causal relationship between inflammation and gastric cancer is more widely accepted. Genetic variations in inflammation-related genes especially cytokines and their receptors, were thought to partly determine the outcome of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and progression of gastric lesions. Interleukin 23 receptor (IL23R), as a key cytokine receptor gene in the important inflammatory IL-17/IL-23 axis, may contribute to gastric cancer predisposition. Up till now, the associations of IL23R gene polymorphisms with subtypes of gastric cancer are largely unknown. We investigated whether the association between IL23R +2199 rs10889677 and gastric cancer risk varies by clinical characteristics and the prognostic value of the polymorphism in a case-control study. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Guangdong. 1010 gastric cancer patients and 800 healthy controls were enrolled. Polymorphism in IL23R was analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Compared with AA, CC carriers of IL23R +2199 polymorphism were associated with protection against gastric cancer (OR=0.47, 95% CI=0.31-0.71). In stratified analyses, CC genotype was significantly associated with decreased risk of intestinal type (OR=0.44, 95% CI=0.27-0.70), but not with diffuse or mix type of gastric cancer. CC genotype was found to be associated with poorly differentiated (OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.26-0.70), but not with moderately or well differentiated gastric cancer. Multivariate analysis showed IL23R +2199A/C variant was not an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients. IL23R polymorphism influences certain subtypes of gastric cancer according to clinical and pathological features. Understanding the etiologic heterogeneity of gastric cancer may result in improvements in controlling this disorder. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ERCC1 rs3212986 A/C polymorphism is not associated with chemotherapy treatment outcomes in gastric cancer patients: evidence from 11 publications in Chinese populations

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuemei; Wang, Xiaowei

2018-01-01

Background A number of studies have investigated the roles of excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) gene rs3212986 polymorphisms as potential biomarkers in gastric cancer (GC). However, the results were inconsistent. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to explore ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphisms in the chemotherapy response and clinical outcome of GC. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to July 28, 2017, for studies on the association between ERCC1 rs3212986 A/C polymorphisms and response to chemotherapy as well as overall survival time of GC. A fixed-effect or random-effect model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) based on the results from the heterogeneity tests. Results The result revealed that there was no significant association between the ERCC1 rs3212986 A/C polymorphism and response to chemotherapy in GC under comparison models (AA + CA versus CC, OR 0.95, P=0.80, AA versus CA, OR 0.85, P=0.55, AA versus CC, OR 0.74, P=0.47). Further identification suggested that ERCC1 rs3212986 A/C polymorphisms were not linked with the overall survival of GC (AA + CA versus CC, OR 1.09, P=0.52, AA versus CA, OR 1.05, P=0.85, AA versus CC, OR 1.43, P=0.23). Conclusion Our meta-analysis indicated that the ERCC1 rs3212986 A/C polymorphism was not associated with response to chemotherapy or overall survival time in GC. Well-designed studies with larger sample sizes and more ethnic groups should be performed to further validate our results. PMID:29302191

Estimating BrAC from transdermal alcohol concentration data using the BrAC estimator software program.

PubMed

Luczak, Susan E; Rosen, I Gary

2014-08-01

Transdermal alcohol sensor (TAS) devices have the potential to allow researchers and clinicians to unobtrusively collect naturalistic drinking data for weeks at a time, but the transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) data these devices produce do not consistently correspond with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) data. We present and test the BrAC Estimator software, a program designed to produce individualized estimates of BrAC from TAC data by fitting mathematical models to a specific person wearing a specific TAS device. Two TAS devices were worn simultaneously by 1 participant for 18 days. The trial began with a laboratory alcohol session to calibrate the model and was followed by a field trial with 10 drinking episodes. Model parameter estimates and fit indices were compared across drinking episodes to examine the calibration phase of the software. Software-generated estimates of peak BrAC, time of peak BrAC, and area under the BrAC curve were compared with breath analyzer data to examine the estimation phase of the software. In this single-subject design with breath analyzer peak BrAC scores ranging from 0.013 to 0.057, the software created consistent models for the 2 TAS devices, despite differences in raw TAC data, and was able to compensate for the attenuation of peak BrAC and latency of the time of peak BrAC that are typically observed in TAC data. This software program represents an important initial step for making it possible for non mathematician researchers and clinicians to obtain estimates of BrAC from TAC data in naturalistic drinking environments. Future research with more participants and greater variation in alcohol consumption levels and patterns, as well as examination of gain scheduling calibration procedures and nonlinear models of diffusion, will help to determine how precise these software models can become. Copyright © 2014 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

1513A>C polymorphism in the P2X7 receptor gene in patients with papillary thyroid cancer: correlation with histological variants and clinical parameters.

PubMed

Dardano, Angela; Falzoni, Simonetta; Caraccio, Nadia; Polini, Antonio; Tognini, Sara; Solini, Anna; Berti, Piero; Di Virgilio, Francesco; Monzani, Fabio

2009-02-01

The modulation of the purinergic receptor P2X7 may be implicated in human carcinogenesis. The 1513A>C and 489C>T polymorphisms of P2X7R gene induce loss of function and gain of function, respectively. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of both 1513A>C and 489C>T polymorphisms in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to evaluate the possible association with clinical and histological features. P2X7R analysis was performed in lymphocytes from 121 PTC patients (100 women, 21 men; aged 43.4 +/- 13.6 yr), 100 matched healthy subjects, and 80 patients with nodular goiter. The minor allele frequency for 1513A>C polymorphism in PTC patients with the classical variant was similar to controls (0.21 and 0.20, respectively), whereas it resulted in a significant increase in patients with the follicular variant (0.36; P = 0.01 vs. classical variant, and P = 0.005 vs. controls). In detail, 13.6% of patients with PTC follicular variant were homozygous for the 1513C allele, compared to 2.6% of patients with the classical variant and 2% of controls. Moreover, a positive relationship between 1513A>C polymorphism and either cancer diameter (Rho = 0.22; P = 0.02) or TNM stage (Rho = 0.38; P < 0.001) was found. No significant difference in the genotype frequency of 489C>T polymorphism between PTC patients and healthy controls was observed (0.42 and 0.47, respectively). Our data show, for the first time, a strong association between 1513A>C polymorphism of P2X7R gene and the follicular variant of PTC. Further studies are needed to confirm the possible role of this polymorphism as a novel clinical marker of PTC follicular variant and its usefulness in selecting patients with different clinical outcome.

Grade-specific prostate cancer associations of IGF1 (CA)19 repeats and IGFBP3-202A/C in blacks and whites.

PubMed

Hoyo, Cathrine; Grubber, Janet; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Marks, Jeffrey R; Freedland, Stephen J; Jeffreys, Amy S; Grambow, Steven C; Wenham, Robert M; Walther, Philip J; Schildkraut, Joellen M

2007-07-01

Carrying the cytosine-adenosine (CA)19 repeat polymorphism in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) is associated with lower serum proteins and decreased prostate cancer risk. Carrying the -202A/C genotype in insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) also has been associated with lower serum levels of the binding protein. However, the association between this variant and prostate cancer is inconsistent. To test the hypothesis that inconsistencies are partly due to cancer grade-specific differences in strength and direction of associations, we reanalyzed data from our previous Durham Veterans Administration Hospital study of blacks and whites comprising 47 cases (19 African Americans) with Gleason sum > or = 7, 50 cases (30 African Americans) with Gleason sum < 7 and 93 controls (49 African Americans). Compared to controls, the association between carrying the IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer risk was in OR(Low-Gleason) = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.4-12.3 compared to OR(High-Gleason) = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.4-2.2. Association patterns were similar in African Americans (OR(Low-Gleason) = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.0-13.2 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.4-2.3) and whites (OR(Low-Gleason) = 5.6; 95% CI: 0.6-49.0 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2-2.2). The inverse association between carrying the IGF1 (CA)19 repeat variant did not vary by grade or ethnicity. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings support the hypothesis that the association between IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer is grade specific in both ethnic groups.

Grade-specific prostate cancer associations of IGF1 (CA)19 repeats and IGFBP3-202A/C in blacks and whites.

PubMed Central

Hoyo, Cathrine; Grubber, Janet; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Marks, Jeffrey R.; Freedland, Stephen J.; Jeffreys, Amy S.; Grambow, Steven C.; Wenham, Robert M.; Walther, Philip J.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.

2007-01-01

Carrying the cytosine-adenosine (CA)19 repeat polymorphism in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) is associated with lower serum proteins and decreased prostate cancer risk. Carrying the -202A/C genotype in insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) also has been associated with lower serum levels of the binding protein. However, the association between this variant and prostate cancer is inconsistent. To test the hypothesis that inconsistencies are partly due to cancer grade-specific differences in strength and direction of associations, we reanalyzed data from our previous Durham Veterans Administration Hospital study of blacks and whites comprising 47 cases (19 African Americans) with Gleason sum > or = 7, 50 cases (30 African Americans) with Gleason sum < 7 and 93 controls (49 African Americans). Compared to controls, the association between carrying the IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer risk was in OR(Low-Gleason) = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.4-12.3 compared to OR(High-Gleason) = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.4-2.2. Association patterns were similar in African Americans (OR(Low-Gleason) = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.0-13.2 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.4-2.3) and whites (OR(Low-Gleason) = 5.6; 95% CI: 0.6-49.0 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2-2.2). The inverse association between carrying the IGF1 (CA)19 repeat variant did not vary by grade or ethnicity. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings support the hypothesis that the association between IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer is grade specific in both ethnic groups. PMID:17668637

AC/RC Force Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

ib qeocie. Thki document may not be rdeaed for open publicado. untit hu been deared by die appropriate military seavice or a veunent agency. AC /RC...A N/A N/A 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) AC /RC Force Structure Integraticn 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Russell A. Eggers 13a. TYPE OF REPORT... AC ) and Reserve Components (RC) Force Integration is critical in today’s Total Army. The Army of soldiers, Active and Reserve, exists to play a key

Characterizing fiber-reinforced composite structures using AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Leta Y.

Property enhancement in composites depends largely on the reinforcement. For fiber-reinforced composites, the distribution of fibers is crucial in determining the electrical and mechanical performance. Image analysis methods for characterization can be time-consuming and/or destructive. This work explores the capability of AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), an electrical measurement technique, to serve as a rapid, non-destructive tool for characterizing composite microstructure. The composite requirements include a filler that is electrically conducting or semi-conducting with higher conductivity than the matrix, and a high-impedance interface or coating between the filler and the matrix. To establish an AC-IS characterization method, cement-matrix composites with steel reinforcement were employed as both a technologically important and a model system to investigate how fibers affect the electrical response. Beginning with spherical particulates and then fibers, composites were examined using composite theory and an "intrinsic conductivity" approach. The intrinsic conductivity approach applies to composites with low volume fractions of fibers (i.e., in the dilute regime) and relates how the composite conductivity varies relative to the matrix as a function of volume fraction. A universal equivalent circuit model was created to understand the AC-IS response of composites based on the geometry and volume fraction of the filler. Deviation from predicted behavior was assessed using a developed f-function, which quantifies how fibers contribute to the overall electrical response of the composite. Using the f-function, an AC-IS method for investigating fiber dispersion was established to characterize alignment, settling/segregation, and aggregation. Alignment was investigated using measurements made in three directions. A point-probe technique characterized settling and/or large-scale inhomogeneous mixing in samples. Aggregation was quantified using a "dispersion factor

Absorption and Attenuation Coefficients Using the WET Labs ac-s in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: Field Measurements and Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohi, Nobuaki; Makinen, Carla P.; Mitchell, Richard; Moisan, Tiffany A.

2008-01-01

Ocean color algorithms are based on the parameterization of apparent optical properties as a function of inherent optical properties. WET Labs underwater absorption and attenuation meters (ac-9 and ac-s) measure both the spectral beam attenuation [c (lambda)] and absorption coefficient [a (lambda)]. The ac-s reports in a continuous range of 390-750 nm with a band pass of 4 nm, totaling approximately 83 distinct wavelengths, while the ac-9 reports at 9 wavelengths. We performed the ac-s field measurements at nine stations in the Mid-Atlantic Bight from water calibrations to data analysis. Onboard the ship, the ac-s was calibrated daily using Milli Q-water. Corrections for the in situ temperature and salinity effects on optical properties of water were applied. Corrections for incomplete recovery of the scattered light in the ac-s absorption tube were performed. The fine scale of spectral and vertical distributions of c (lambda) and a (lambda) were described from the ac-s. The significant relationships between a (674) and that of spectrophotometric analysis and chlorophyll a concentration of discrete water samples were observed.

The expression of MUC4 and MUC5AC is related to the biologic malignancy of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas.

PubMed

Kanno, Atsushi; Satoh, Kennichi; Kimura, Kenji; Hirota, Morihisa; Umino, Jun; Masamune, Atsushi; Satoh, Akihiko; Asakura, Tohru; Egawa, Shinichi; Sunamura, Makoto; Endoh, Mareyuki; Shimosegawa, Tooru

2006-11-01

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas show heterogeneous proliferations with latent malignancy. Mucins (MUC) are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins, with an aberrant expression profile in various malignancies. Recently, MUC4 and MUC5AC expressions have been demonstrated to correlate with the unfavorable and the favorable prognosis of pancreatic duct cell carcinoma, respectively. However, little is known about these mucin expressions in IPMNs. To clarify the role of MUC4 and MUC5AC expressions in IPMNs, the expression profiles of MUC4 and MUC5AC were investigated in 50 lesions from 17 specimens with 16 IPMNs by immunohistochemistry, using each of their specific antibodies. The expression of MUC4 was found in the lesions ranging from adenoma to cancer lesions of IPMNs, whereas it was undetectable in normal and hyperplastic lesions. Frequent expression of MUC4 is found in the higher grade of IPMNs (borderline and cancer lesions; 16/18 lesions, 94%). The differences were independently significant (P < 0.001) when the cutoff point was set between adenoma and borderline IPMNs. Similarly, frequent expression of MUC5AC was detected in the lesions from adenoma to cancer of IPMNs (32/34, 94%), whereas no intense expression was detected in normal or hyperplastic lesions. The significant difference was found when the cutoff point was set between hyperplasia and adenoma of IPMNs (P < 0.001). These results indicated that the expressions of MUC4 and MUC5AC are potential markers to distinguish adenoma or above malignant lesions of IPMNs from lesser malignant ones, respectively.

The ACS statistical analyzer

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

This document provides guidance for using the ACS Statistical Analyzer. It is an Excel-based template for users of estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) to assess the precision of individual estimates and to compare pairs of estimates fo...

Diagnostics of AC excited Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet with He for Biomedical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, Masaru; Takeda, Keigo; Kumakura, Takumi; Ishikawa, Kenji; Tanaka, Hiromasa; Kondo, Hiroki; Sekine, Makoto; Nakai, Yoshihiro

2014-10-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJ) are frequently used for biomedical applications. Reactive species generated by the APPJ play important roles for treatments of biomedical samples. Therefore, high density APPJ sources are required to realize the high performance. Our group has developed AC excited Ar APPJ with electron density as high as 1015 cm-3, and realized the selective killing of cancer cells and the inactivate spores of Penicillium digitatum. Recently, a new spot-size AC excited APPJ with He gas have been developed. In this study, the He APPJ was characterized by using spectroscopy. The plasma was discharged at a He flow rate of 5 slm and a discharge voltage of AC 9 kV. Gas temperature and electron density of the APPJ were measured by optical emission spectroscopy. From theoretical fitting of 2nd positive system of N2 emission (380.4 nm) and Stark broadening of Balmer β line of H atom (486.1 nm), the gas temperature and the electron density was estimated to be 299 K and 3.4. × 1015 cm-3. The AC excited He APPJ has a potential to realize high density with room temperature and become a very powerful tool for biomedical applications.

The AC photovoltaic module is here!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strong, Steven J.; Wohlgemuth, John H.; Wills, Robert H.

1997-02-01

This paper describes the design, development, and performance results of a large-area photovoltaic module whose electrical output is ac power suitable for direct connection to the utility grid. The large-area ac PV module features a dedicated, integrally mounted, high-efficiency dc-to-ac power inverter with a nominal output of 250 watts (STC) at 120 Vac, 60 H, that is fully compatible with utility power. The module's output is connected directly to the building's conventional ac distribution system without need for any dc wiring, string combiners, dc ground-fault protection or additional power-conditioning equipment. With its advantages, the ac photovoltaic module promises to become a universal building block for use in all utility-interactive PV systems. This paper discusses AC Module design aspects and utility interface issues (including islanding).

Modest increase in risk of acute coronary syndrome associated with morphine use in cancer patients: a population-based nested case-control study.

PubMed

Lee, Cynthia Wei-Sheng; Muo, Chih-Hsin; Liang, Ji-An; Sung, Fung-Chang; Kao, Chia-Hung

2014-06-01

Morphine is widely used for pain management in cancer patients. Use of heroin, a morphine derivative, is a risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study investigates the risk of ACS associated with morphine use by comparing the incidence of ACS in cancer patients treated with and without morphine. This is a population-based nested case-control study using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 in Taiwan. In total, 31,384 patients on the database were diagnosed with cancer without prior history of ACS during 1998-2010. In this cohort, 499 patients subsequently developed ACS and 30,885 patients did not. The 499 patients were designated as the ACS group; controls were selected from the remaining 30,885 patients and matched 3:1 to each case for age, sex, year of cancer diagnosis, and index year. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, and the multivariable model was applied to control for age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity score. Cancer patients who received morphine had a 32% higher risk of developing ACS than non-morphine users. This increase in risk was significant when evaluating the overall cancer patients, but non-significant when evaluating any specific cancer type. The risk of ACS increased significantly with increasing morphine dosage (to ≥65 mg/y). Morphine treatment is associated with a modest increase in risk of ACS in patients with malignancy, but this association displays low significance in specific cancer types. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slow-onset and fast-onset symptom presentations in acute coronary syndrome (ACS): new perspectives on prehospital delay in patients with ACS.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Sharon; McKee, Gabrielle; Mooney, Mary; O'Brien, Frances; Moser, Debra K

2014-04-01

Patient decision delay is the main reason why many patients fail to receive timely medical intervention for symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study examines the validity of slow-onset and fast-onset ACS presentations and their influence on ACS prehospital delay times. A fast-onset ACS presentation is characterized by sudden, continuous, and severe chest pain, and slow-onset ACS pertains to all other ACS presentations. Baseline data pertaining to medical profiles, prehospital delay times, and ACS symptoms were recorded for all ACS patients who participated in a large multisite randomized control trial (RCT) in Dublin, Ireland. Patients were interviewed 2-4 days after their ACS event, and data were gathered using the ACS Response to Symptom Index. Only baseline data from the RCT, N = 893 patients, were analyzed. A total of 65% (n = 577) of patients experienced slow-onset ACS presentation, whereas 35% (n = 316) experienced fast-onset ACS. Patients who experienced slow-onset ACS were significantly more likely to have longer prehospital delays than patients with fast-onset ACS (3.5 h vs. 2.0 h, respectively, t = -5.63, df 890, p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis of delay revealed that, in the presence of other known delay factors, the only independent predictors of delay were slow-onset and fast-onset ACS (β = -.096, p < 0.002) and other factors associated with patient behavior. Slow-onset ACS and fast-onset ACS presentations are associated with distinct behavioral patterns that significantly influence prehospital time frames. As such, slow-onset ACS and fast-onset ACS are legitimate ACS presentation phenomena that should be seriously considered when examining the factors associated with prehospital delay. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transient AC voltage related phenomena for HVDC schemes connected to weak AC systems

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

Pilotto, L.A.S.; Szechtman, M.; Hammad, A.E.

1992-07-01

In this paper a didactic explanation of voltage stability associated phenomena at HVDC terminals is presented. Conditions leading to ac voltage collapse problems are identified. A mechanism that excites control-induced voltage oscillations is shown. The voltage stability factor is used for obtaining the maximum power limits of ac/dc systems operating with different control strategies. Correlation to Pd {times} Id curves is given. Solutions for eliminating the risks of voltage collapse and for avoiding control-induced oscillations are discussed. The results are supported by detailed digital simulations of a weak ac/dc system using EMTP.

Microfabricated AC impedance sensor

DOEpatents

Krulevitch, Peter; Ackler, Harold D.; Becker, Frederick; Boser, Bernhard E.; Eldredge, Adam B.; Fuller, Christopher K.; Gascoyne, Peter R. C.; Hamilton, Julie K.; Swierkowski, Stefan P.; Wang, Xiao-Bo

2002-01-01

A microfabricated instrument for detecting and identifying cells and other particles based on alternating current (AC) impedance measurements. The microfabricated AC impedance sensor includes two critical elements: 1) a microfluidic chip, preferably of glass substrates, having at least one microchannel therein and with electrodes patterned on both substrates, and 2) electrical circuits that connect to the electrodes on the microfluidic chip and detect signals associated with particles traveling down the microchannels. These circuits enable multiple AC impedance measurements of individual particles at high throughput rates with sufficient resolution to identify different particle and cell types as appropriate for environmental detection and clinical diagnostic applications.

Breast Cancer Screening for Women at Average Risk: 2015 Guideline Update from the American Cancer Society

PubMed Central

Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Fontham, Elizabeth T. H.; Etzioni, Ruth; Herzig, Abbe; Michaelson, James S.; Shih, Ya-Chen Tina; Walter, Louise C.; Church, Timothy R.; Flowers, Christopher R.; LaMonte, Samuel J.; Wolf, Andrew M. D.; DeSantis, Carol; Lortet-Tieulent, Joannie; Andrews, Kimberly; Manassaram-Baptiste, Deana; Saslow, Debbie; Smith, Robert A.; Brawley, Otis W.; Wender, Richard

2016-01-01

Importance Breast cancer is a leading cause of premature mortality among U.S. women. Early detection has been shown to be associated with reduced breast cancer morbidity and mortality. This report updates the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2003 breast cancer screening guideline for women at average risk for breast cancer. Process The ACS commissioned a systematic evidence review of the breast cancer screening literature to inform the update, and a supplemental analysis of mammography registry data to address questions related to the screening interval. Formulation of recommendations was based on the quality of the evidence and judgment (incorporating values and preferences) about the balance of benefits and harms. Evidence Synthesis Mammography screening in women aged 40–69 years is associated with a reduction in breast cancer deaths across a range of study designs, and inferential evidence supports breast cancer screening in women who are age 70 years and older and are in good health. Estimates of the cumulative lifetime risk of false positive exams are greater if screening begins at younger ages due to the greater number of mammograms, as well as the higher recall rate in younger women. The quality of the evidence for overdiagnosis is not sufficient to estimate a lifetime risk with confidence. Analysis examining the screening interval demonstrates more favorable tumor characteristics when premenopausal women are screened annually vs. biennially. Evidence does not support routine clinical breast examination as a screening method for average risk women. Recommendations The ACS recommends that women with an average risk of breast cancer should undergo regular screening mammography starting at age 45 years (strong recommendation). Women who are ages 45 to 54 years should be screened annually (qualified recommendation). Women who are age 55 years and older should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue screening annually (qualified

High voltage AC/AC electrochemical capacitor operating at low temperature in salt aqueous electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Qamar; Béguin, François

2016-06-01

We demonstrate that an activated carbon (AC)-based electrochemical capacitor implementing aqueous lithium sulfate electrolyte in 7:3 vol:vol water/methanol mixture can operate down to -40 °C with good electrochemical performance. Three-electrode cell investigations show that the faradaic contributions related with hydrogen chemisorption in the negative AC electrode are thermodynamically unfavored at -40 °C, enabling the system to work as a typical electrical double-layer (EDL) capacitor. After prolonged floating of the AC/AC capacitor at 1.6 V and -40°C, the capacitance, equivalent series resistance and efficiency remain constant, demonstrating the absence of ageing related with side redox reactions at this temperature. Interestingly, when temperature is increased back to 24 °C, the redox behavior due to hydrogen storage reappears and the system behaves as a freshly prepared one.

21 CFR 886.4440 - AC-powered magnet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered magnet. 886.4440 Section 886.4440 Food... DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Surgical Devices § 886.4440 AC-powered magnet. (a) Identification. An AC-powered magnet is an AC-powered device that generates a magnetic field intended to find and remove...

Differentially expressed genes in nonsmall cell lung cancer: expression profiling of cancer-related genes in squamous cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Kettunen, Eeva; Anttila, Sisko; Seppänen, Jouni K; Karjalainen, Antti; Edgren, Henrik; Lindström, Irmeli; Salovaara, Reijo; Nissén, Anna-Maria; Salo, Jarmo; Mattson, Karin; Hollmén, Jaakko; Knuutila, Sakari; Wikman, Harriet

2004-03-01

The expression patterns of cancer-related genes in 13 cases of squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) were characterized and compared with those in normal lung tissue and 13 adenocarcinomas (AC), the other major type of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). cDNA array was used to screen the gene expression levels and the array results were verified using a real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Thirty-nine percent of the 25 most upregulated and the 25 most downregulated genes were common to SCC and AC. Of these genes, DSP, HMGA1 (alias HMGIY), TIMP1, MIF, CCNB1, TN, MMP11, and MMP12 were upregulated and COPEB (alias CPBP), TYROBP, BENE, BMPR2, SOCS3, TIMP3, CAV1, and CAV2 were downregulated. The expression levels of several genes from distinct protein families (cytokeratins and hemidesmosomal proteins) were markedly increased in SCC compared with AC and normal lung. In addition, several genes, overexpressed in SCC, such as HMGA1, CDK4, IGFBP3, MMP9, MMP11, MMP12, and MMP14, fell into distinct chromosomal loci, which we have detected as gained regions on the basis of comparative genomic hybridization data. Our study revealed new candidate genes involved in NSCLC.

IGF1 (CA)19 repeat and IGFBP3 -202 A/C genotypes and the risk of prostate cancer in Black and White men.

PubMed

Schildkraut, Joellen M; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Wenham, Robert M; Grubber, Janet; Jeffreys, Amy S; Grambow, Steven C; Marks, Jeffrey R; Moorman, Patricia G; Hoyo, Cathrine; Ali, Shazia; Walther, Philip J

2005-02-01

We investigated the relationship between the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) cytosine-adenine repeat (CA)(19) polymorphism located upstream of the gene's transcription start site, the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) -202 A/C promoter region polymorphism, and prostate cancer risk in Black and White men. Study subjects were U.S. veterans ages 41 to 75 years identified at the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center over a 2.5-year period. Controls (n = 93) were frequency matched to cases (n = 100) based on race (Black or White) and age. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between the polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk. For Blacks and Whites combined, an inverse association between prostate cancer and being homozygous for the most common IGF1 repeat allele, (CA)(19), (adjusted OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7) was observed. Similar associations were noted for both Blacks (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.0-0.8) and Whites (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.1-1.6) separately. No statistically significant associations between the IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer were noted for Blacks (adjusted OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.8-6.2) or Whites (OR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.3-3.1). The prevalence of the homozygous IGF1 (CA)(19) genotype was much lower in Black controls (21%) than White controls (46%), which may, in part, explain the increased prostate cancer incidence in Black versus White men. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

A Gastric Glycoform of MUC5AC Is a Biomarker of Mucinous Cysts of the Pancreas

PubMed Central

Sinha, Jessica; Cao, Zheng; Dai, Jianliang; Tang, Huiyuan; Partyka, Katie; Hostetter, Galen; Simeone, Diane M.; Feng, Ziding; Allen, Peter J.; Brand, Randall E.; Haab, Brian B.

2016-01-01

Molecular indicators to specify the risk posed by a pancreatic cyst would benefit patients. Previously we showed that most cancer-precursor cysts, termed mucinous cysts, produce abnormal glycoforms of the proteins MUC5AC and endorepellin. Here we sought to validate the glycoforms as a biomarker of mucinous cysts and to specify the oligosaccharide linkages that characterize MUC5AC. We hypothesized that mucinous cysts secrete MUC5AC displaying terminal N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in either alpha or beta linkage. We used antibody-lectin sandwich assays to detect glycoforms of MUC5AC and endorepellin in cyst fluid samples from three independent cohorts of 49, 32, and 66 patients, and we used monoclonal antibodies to test for terminal, alpha-linked GlcNAc and the enzyme that produces it. A biomarker panel comprising the previously-identified glycoforms of MUC5AC and endorepellin gave 96%, 96%, and 87% accuracy for identifying mucinous cysts in the three cohorts with an average sensitivity of 92% and an average specificity of 94%. Glycan analysis showed that MUC5AC produced by a subset of mucinous cysts displays terminal alpha-GlcNAc, a motif expressed in stomach glands. The alpha-linked glycoform of MUC5AC was unique to intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), whereas terminal beta-linked GlcNAc was increased in both IPMNs and mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN). The enzyme that synthesizes alpha-GlcNAc, A4GNT, was expressed in the epithelia of mucinous cysts that expressed alpha-GlcNAc, especially in regions with high-grade dysplasia. Thus IPMNs secrete a gastric glycoform of MUC5AC that displays terminal alpha-GlcNAc, and the combined alpha-GlcNAc and beta-GlcNAc glycoforms form an accurate biomarker of mucinous cysts. PMID:27992432

The AC 2000.2 Catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, S. E.; Corbin, T. E.; Wycoff, G. L.; Makarov, V. V.; Høg, E.; Fabricius, C.

2001-12-01

For over 100 years, the international project known as the Astrographic Catalogue -- which involved 20 observatories tasked to photograph the sky -- has held an unfulfilled promised of yielding a wealth of astrometric information. This promise was not realized due to the inadequate reductions of the project's plates. However, in 1997 the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) completed the reductions of the 22,660 plates. That catalogue, named the AC 2000, contained positions and magnitudes for 4.6 million stars down to about v magnitude 12.5. Due to the early epochs of the data -- averaging 1907 -- and the positional accuracies -- between 150 and 400 milliarcseconds -- the data are extremely valuable in computing proper motions. In 1997, these positions were used to form the proper motions of the ACT Reference Catalogue. In 1999, USNO and Copenhagen University Observatory (CUO) partnered to create the Tycho-2 Catalogue. The CUO group re-analyzed the data from the Tycho experiment on the Hipparcos satellite. The USNO group re-analyzed over 140 positional catalogs which were combined with the expanded Tycho positions from the CUO group to compute the Tycho-2 proper motions. The largest contributor to these proper motions was the re-analyzed Astrographic Catalogue; the latest version being known as the AC 2000.2 Catalogue. There are two major differences between the AC 2000 and the AC 2000.2. First, the reference catalog used in AC 2000.2 was an expanded version of the Astrographic Catalogue Reference Stars that was rigorously derived on the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame. The second is that AC 2000.2 contains photometry from Tycho-2, where available. A description of the AC 2000.2 Catalogue, the reduction techniques used, how it compares with the 1997 version, and information on obtaining the data will be presented.

Initial NIST AC QHR Measurements

PubMed Central

Cage, M. E.; Shields, S. H.; Jeffery, A.

2004-01-01

We demonstrate that dc quantized Hall resistance (dc QHR) guideline properties and dc and ac QHR values can be measured without changing sample probe lead connections at the QHR device, and report ac QHR values that converge to the dc QHR value when using four-terminal-pair ac QHR measurements. This was accomplished during one cooldown using single-series and quadruple-series connections outside the sample probe. The QHR was measured from 0 Hz to 5500 Hz in 1:1 ratio at 20 µA to ±1 part in 107 uncertainties with a poor-quality QHR device. A good device would allow an order of magnitude smaller uncertainties over this frequency range. We exchanged positions of the QHR device and reference resistor in the bridge and remeasured the resistance ratios to remove dominant ac bridge effects. PMID:27366620

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Guideline Update: American Cancer Society Guideline Endorsement

PubMed Central

Saslow, Debbie; Andrews, Kimberly S.; Manassaram-Baptiste, Deana; Loomer, Lacey; Lam, Kristina E.; Fisher-Borne, Marcie; Smith, Robert A.; Fontham, Elizabeth T. H.

2017-01-01

The American Cancer Society (ACS) reviewed and updated its guideline on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination based on a methodologic and content review of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) HPV vaccination recommendations. A literature review was performed to supplement the evidence considered by the ACIP and to address new vaccine formulations and recommendations as well as new data on population outcomes since publication of the 2007 ACS guideline. The ACS Guideline Development Group determined that the evidence supports ACS endorsement of the ACIP recommendations, with one qualifying statement related to late vaccination. The ACS recommends vaccination of all children at ages 11 and 12 years to protect against HPV infections that lead to several cancers and precancers. Late vaccination for those not vaccinated at the recommended ages should be completed as soon as possible, and individuals should be informed that vaccination may not be effective at older ages. PMID:27434803

Simultaneous distribution of AC and DC power

DOEpatents

Polese, Luigi Gentile

2015-09-15

A system and method for the transport and distribution of both AC (alternating current) power and DC (direct current) power over wiring infrastructure normally used for distributing AC power only, for example, residential and/or commercial buildings' electrical wires is disclosed and taught. The system and method permits the combining of AC and DC power sources and the simultaneous distribution of the resulting power over the same wiring. At the utilization site a complementary device permits the separation of the DC power from the AC power and their reconstruction, for use in conventional AC-only and DC-only devices.

Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and risk of breast cancer.

PubMed

Catsburg, Chelsea; Miller, Anthony B; Rohan, Thomas E

2014-11-15

Healthy eating patterns and keeping physically active are potentially more important for chronic disease prevention than intake or exclusion of specific food items or nutrients. To this end, many health organizations routinely publish dietary and lifestyle recommendations aimed at preventing chronic disease. Using data from the Canadian National Breast Screening Study, we investigated the association between breast cancer risk and adherence to two sets of guidelines specific for cancer prevention, namely the American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines and the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Recommendations. At baseline, 49,613 women completed dietary and lifestyle questionnaires and height and weight measurements were taken. During a mean follow-up of 16.6 years, 2,503 incident cases of breast cancer were ascertained. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of meeting each guideline, and number of guidelines met, with breast cancer risk. The two sets of guidelines yielded similar results. Specifically, adherence to all six ACS guidelines was associated with a 31% reduction in breast cancer risk when compared to subjects adhering to at most one guideline (HR=0.69; 95% CI=0.49-0.97); similarly, adherence to six or seven of the WCRF/AICR guidelines was also associated with a 31% reduction in breast cancer risk (HR=0.69; 95% CI=0.47-1.00). Under either classification, meeting each additional guideline was associated with a 4-6% reduction in breast cancer risk. These results suggest that adherence to cancer prevention guidelines is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. © 2014 UICC.

Genome-wide miRNA response to anacardic acid in breast cancer cells

PubMed Central

Schultz, David J.; Muluhngwi, Penn; Alizadeh-Rad, Negin; Green, Madelyn A.; Rouchka, Eric C.; Waigel, Sabine J.

2017-01-01

MicroRNAs are biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Anacardic acid (AnAc) is a dietary phenolic lipid that inhibits both MCF-7 estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive and MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell proliferation with IC50s of 13.5 and 35 μM, respectively. To identify potential mediators of AnAc action in breast cancer, we profiled the genome-wide microRNA transcriptome (microRNAome) in these two cell lines altered by the AnAc 24:1n5 congener. Whole genome expression profiling (RNA-seq) and subsequent network analysis in MetaCore Gene Ontology (GO) algorithm was used to characterize the biological pathways altered by AnAc. In MCF-7 cells, 69 AnAc-responsive miRNAs were identified, e.g., increased let-7a and reduced miR-584. Fewer, i.e., 37 AnAc-responsive miRNAs were identified in MDA-MB-231 cells, e.g., decreased miR-23b and increased miR-1257. Only two miRNAs were increased by AnAc in both cell lines: miR-612 and miR-20b; however, opposite miRNA arm preference was noted: miR-20b-3p and miR-20b-5p were upregulated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, respectively. miR-20b-5p target EFNB2 transcript levels were reduced by AnAc in MDA-MB-231 cells. AnAc reduced miR-378g that targets VIM (vimentin) and VIM mRNA transcript expression was increased in AnAc-treated MCF-7 cells, suggesting a reciprocal relationship. The top three enriched GO terms for AnAc-treated MCF-7 cells were B cell receptor signaling pathway and ribosomal large subunit biogenesis and S-adenosylmethionine metabolic process for AnAc-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The pathways modulated by these AnAc-regulated miRNAs suggest that key nodal molecules, e.g., Cyclin D1, MYC, c-FOS, PPARγ, and SIN3, are targets of AnAc activity. PMID:28886127

New Composites LnBDC@AC and CB[6]@AC: From Design toward Selective Adsorption of Methylene Blue or Methyl Orange

PubMed Central

Santos, Guilherme de C.; Barros, Amanda L.; de Oliveira, Carlos A. F.; da Luz, Leonis L.; da Silva, Fausthon F.; Demets, Grégoire J.-F.; Alves Júnior, Severino

2017-01-01

New porous composites LnBDC@AC (AC = Activated carbon, Ln = Eu and Gd and BDC = 1,4-benzenedicaboxylate) and CB[6]@AC (CB[6] = Cucurbit[6]uril) were obtained using hydrothermal route. The LnBDC and CB[B] are located inside the pore of the carbon materials as was observed in SEM-EDS, XRPD and FT-IR analysis. Porosimetry analysis showed values typically between AC and LnBDC material, with pore size and surface area, respectively, 29,56 Å and 353.98 m2g-1 for LnBDC@AC and 35,53 Å and 353.98 m2g-1 for CB[6]@AC. Both materials showed good absorptive capacity of metil orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) with selectivity as a function of pH. For acid pH, both materials present selectivity by MB and alkaline pH for MO, with notable performance for CB[6]@AC. Additionally, europium luminescence was used as structural probe to investigate the coordination environment of Eu3+ ions in the EuBDC@AC composite after adsorption experiment. PMID:28107440

21 CFR 886.1850 - AC-powered slitlamp biomicroscope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered slitlamp biomicroscope. 886.1850... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1850 AC-powered slitlamp biomicroscope. (a) Identification. An AC-powered slitlamp biomicroscope is an AC-powered device that is a...

Targeted α-Therapy of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer with 225Ac-PSMA-617: Swimmer-Plot Analysis Suggests Efficacy Regarding Duration of Tumor Control.

PubMed

Kratochwil, Clemens; Bruchertseifer, Frank; Rathke, Hendrik; Hohenfellner, Markus; Giesel, Frederik L; Haberkorn, Uwe; Morgenstern, Alfred

2018-05-01

The aim of this evaluation was to identify the first indicators of efficacy for 225 Ac-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-617 therapy in a retrospectively analyzed group of patients. Methods: Forty patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer were selected for treatment with three 100 kBq/kg cycles of 225 Ac-PSMA-617 at 2-mo intervals. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and blood cell count were measured every 4 wk. PSMA PET/CT or PSMA SPECT/CT were used for baseline staging and imaging follow-up at month 6. Follow-up included the duration of PSA response and radiologic progression-free survival at month 6. Patient histories were reviewed for the duration of previous treatment lines, and a swimmer plot was used to intraindividually compare the duration of tumor control by PSMA therapy versus prior treatment modalities. Results: Thirty-one of 40 patients were treated per protocol. Five patients discontinued treatment because of nonresponse, and 4 because of xerostomia. Of the 38 patients surviving at least 8 wk, 24 (63%) had a PSA decline of more than 50%, and 33 (87%) had a PSA response of any degree. The median duration of tumor control under 225 Ac-PSMA-617 last-line therapy was 9.0 mo; 5 patients had an enduring response of more than 2 y. Because all patients had advanced disease, this result compares favorably with the tumor control rates associated with earlier-phase disease; the most common preceding first-, second-, third-, and fourth-line therapies were abiraterone (median duration 10.0 mo), docetaxel (6.5 mo), enzalutamide (6.5 mo), and cabazitaxel (6.0 mo), respectively. Conclusion: A positive response for surrogate parameters demonstrates remarkable antitumor activity for 225 Ac-PSMA-617. Swimmer-plot analysis indicates a promising duration of tumor control, especially considering the unfavorable prognostic profile of the selected advanced-stage patients. Xerostomia was the main reason patients discontinued therapy or refused

Colorectal cancer screening for average-risk adults: 2018 guideline update from the American Cancer Society.

PubMed

Wolf, Andrew M D; Fontham, Elizabeth T H; Church, Timothy R; Flowers, Christopher R; Guerra, Carmen E; LaMonte, Samuel J; Etzioni, Ruth; McKenna, Matthew T; Oeffinger, Kevin C; Shih, Ya-Chen Tina; Walter, Louise C; Andrews, Kimberly S; Brawley, Otis W; Brooks, Durado; Fedewa, Stacey A; Manassaram-Baptiste, Deana; Siegel, Rebecca L; Wender, Richard C; Smith, Robert A

2018-05-30

In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed among adults and the second leading cause of death from cancer. For this guideline update, the American Cancer Society (ACS) used an existing systematic evidence review of the CRC screening literature and microsimulation modeling analyses, including a new evaluation of the age to begin screening by race and sex and additional modeling that incorporates changes in US CRC incidence. Screening with any one of multiple options is associated with a significant reduction in CRC incidence through the detection and removal of adenomatous polyps and other precancerous lesions and with a reduction in mortality through incidence reduction and early detection of CRC. Results from modeling analyses identified efficient and model-recommendable strategies that started screening at age 45 years. The ACS Guideline Development Group applied the Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria in developing and rating the recommendations. The ACS recommends that adults aged 45 years and older with an average risk of CRC undergo regular screening with either a high-sensitivity stool-based test or a structural (visual) examination, depending on patient preference and test availability. As a part of the screening process, all positive results on noncolonoscopy screening tests should be followed up with timely colonoscopy. The recommendation to begin screening at age 45 years is a qualified recommendation. The recommendation for regular screening in adults aged 50 years and older is a strong recommendation. The ACS recommends (qualified recommendations) that: 1) average-risk adults in good health with a life expectancy of more than 10 years continue CRC screening through the age of 75 years; 2) clinicians individualize CRC screening decisions for individuals aged 76 through 85 years based on patient preferences, life expectancy, health status, and prior screening

Adjuvant trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer.

PubMed

Slamon, Dennis; Eiermann, Wolfgang; Robert, Nicholas; Pienkowski, Tadeusz; Martin, Miguel; Press, Michael; Mackey, John; Glaspy, John; Chan, Arlene; Pawlicki, Marek; Pinter, Tamas; Valero, Vicente; Liu, Mei-Ching; Sauter, Guido; von Minckwitz, Gunter; Visco, Frances; Bee, Valerie; Buyse, Marc; Bendahmane, Belguendouz; Tabah-Fisch, Isabelle; Lindsay, Mary-Ann; Riva, Alessandro; Crown, John

2011-10-06

Trastuzumab improves survival in the adjuvant treatment of HER-positive breast cancer, although combined therapy with anthracycline-based regimens has been associated with cardiac toxicity. We wanted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new nonanthracycline regimen with trastuzumab. We randomly assigned 3222 women with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer to receive doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel every 3 weeks (AC-T), the same regimen plus 52 weeks of trastuzumab (AC-T plus trastuzumab), or docetaxel and carboplatin plus 52 weeks of trastuzumab (TCH). The primary study end point was disease-free survival. Secondary end points were overall survival and safety. At a median follow-up of 65 months, 656 events triggered this protocol-specified analysis. The estimated disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 75% among patients receiving AC-T, 84% among those receiving AC-T plus trastuzumab, and 81% among those receiving TCH. Estimated rates of overall survival were 87%, 92%, and 91%, respectively. No significant differences in efficacy (disease-free or overall survival) were found between the two trastuzumab regimens, whereas both were superior to AC-T. The rates of congestive heart failure and cardiac dysfunction were significantly higher in the group receiving AC-T plus trastuzumab than in the TCH group (P<0.001). Eight cases of acute leukemia were reported: seven in the groups receiving the anthracycline-based regimens and one in the TCH group subsequent to receiving an anthracycline outside the study. The addition of 1 year of adjuvant trastuzumab significantly improved disease-free and overall survival among women with HER2-positive breast cancer. The risk-benefit ratio favored the nonanthracycline TCH regimen over AC-T plus trastuzumab, given its similar efficacy, fewer acute toxic effects, and lower risks of cardiotoxicity and leukemia. (Funded by Sanofi-Aventis and Genentech; BCIRG-006 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00021255.).

High-Frequency ac Power-Distribution System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Irving G.; Mildice, James

1987-01-01

Loads managed automatically under cycle-by-cycle control. 440-V rms, 20-kHz ac power system developed. System flexible, versatile, and "transparent" to user equipment, while maintaining high efficiency and low weight. Electrical source, from dc to 2,200-Hz ac converted to 440-V rms, 20-kHz, single-phase ac. Power distributed through low-inductance cables. Output power either dc or variable ac. Energy transferred per cycle reduced by factor of 50. Number of parts reduced by factor of about 5 and power loss reduced by two-thirds. Factors result in increased reliability and reduced costs. Used in any power-distribution system requiring high efficiency, high reliability, low weight, and flexibility to handle variety of sources and loads.

78 FR 39345 - ACS Wireless, Inc.; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

... on July 31, 1995 under the name MACTEL INC. Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc. (``ACS Group...-owned subsidiary of ACS Group, held through ACS Group's wholly-owned subsidiary Alaska Communications... presently an investment company as defined in section 3(a) of the Act. 2. On June 4, 2012, ACS Group, ACS...

Selective in vivo metabolic cell-labeling-mediated cancer targeting

PubMed Central

Wang, Hua; Wang, Ruibo; Cai, Kaimin; He, Hua; Liu, Yang; Yen, Jonathan; Wang, Zhiyu; Xu, Ming; Sun, Yiwen; Zhou, Xin; Yin, Qian; Tang, Li; Dobrucki, Iwona T; Dobrucki, Lawrence W; Chaney, Eric J; Boppart, Stephen A; Fan, Timothy M; Lezmi, Stéphane; Chen, Xuesi; Yin, Lichen; Cheng, Jianjun

2017-01-01

Distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells through surface receptors is vital for cancer diagnosis and targeted therapy. Metabolic glycoengineering of unnatural sugars provides a powerful tool to manually introduce chemical receptors onto the cell surface; however, cancer-selective labeling still remains a great challenge. Herein we report the design of sugars that can selectively label cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, we inhibit the cell-labeling activity of tetraacetyl-N-azidoacetylmannosamine (Ac4ManAz) by converting its anomeric acetyl group to a caged ether bond that can be selectively cleaved by cancer-overexpressed enzymes and thus enables the overexpression of azido groups on the surface of cancer cells. Histone deacetylase and cathepsin L-responsive acetylated azidomannosamine, one such enzymatically activatable Ac4ManAz analog developed, mediated cancer-selective labeling in vivo, which enhanced tumor accumulation of a dibenzocyclooctyne–doxorubicin conjugate via click chemistry and enabled targeted therapy against LS174T colon cancer, MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer and 4T1 metastatic breast cancer in mice. PMID:28192414

AC conductivity and dielectric behavior of bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.

2012-06-01

AC conductivity and dielectric behavior for bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile have been studied over a temperature range (293-333 K) and frequency range (50-5×106 Hz). The frequency dependence of ac conductivity, σac, has been investigated by the universal power law, σac(ω)=Aωs. The variation of the frequency exponent (s) with temperature was analyzed in terms of different conduction mechanisms, and it was found that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the predominant conduction mechanism. The temperature dependence of σac(ω) showed a linear increase with the increase in temperature at different frequencies. The ac activation energy was determined at different frequencies. Dielectric data were analyzed using complex permittivity and complex electric modulus for bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile at various temperatures.

Pixel-based CTE Correction of ACS/WFC: Modifications To The ACS Calibration Pipeline (CALACS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Linda J.; Anderson, J.; Armstrong, A.; Avila, R.; Bedin, L.; Chiaberge, M.; Davis, M.; Ferguson, B.; Fruchter, A.; Golimowski, D.; Grogin, N.; Hack, W.; Lim, P. L.; Lucas, R.; Maybhate, A.; McMaster, M.; Ogaz, S.; Suchkov, A.; Ubeda, L.

2012-01-01

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) was installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) nearly ten years ago. Over the last decade, continuous exposure to the harsh radiation environment has degraded the charge transfer efficiency (CTE) of the CCDs. The worsening CTE impacts the science that can be obtained by altering the photometric, astrometric and morphological characteristics of sources, particularly those farthest from the readout amplifiers. To ameliorate these effects, Anderson & Bedin (2010, PASP, 122, 1035) developed a pixel-based empirical approach to correcting ACS data by characterizing the CTE profiles of trails behind warm pixels in dark exposures. The success of this technique means that it is now possible to correct full-frame ACS/WFC images for CTE degradation in the standard data calibration and reduction pipeline CALACS. Over the past year, the ACS team at STScI has developed, refined and tested the new software. The details of this work are described in separate posters. The new code is more effective at low flux levels (< 50 electrons) than the original Anderson & Bedin code, and employs a more accurate time and temperature dependence for CTE. The new CALACS includes the automatic removal of low-level bias stripes (produced by the post-repair ACS electronics) and pixel-based CTE correction. In addition to the standard cosmic ray corrected, flat-fielded and drizzled data products (crj, flt and drz files) there are three new equivalent files (crc, flc and drc) which contain the CTE-corrected data products. The user community will be able to choose whether to use the standard or CTE-corrected products.

Assay Methods for ACS Activity and ACS Phosphorylation by MAP Kinases In Vitro and In Vivo.

PubMed

Han, Xiaomin; Li, Guojing; Zhang, Shuqun

2017-01-01

Ethylene, a gaseous phytohormone, has profound effects on plant growth, development, and adaptation to the environment. Ethylene-regulated processes begin with the induction of ethylene biosynthesis. There are two key steps in ethylene biosynthesis. The first is the biosynthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) from S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAM), a common precursor in many metabolic pathways, which is catalyzed by ACC synthase (ACS). The second is the oxidative cleavage of ACC to form ethylene under the action of ACC oxidase (ACO). ACC biosynthesis is the committing and generally the rate-limiting step in ethylene biosynthesis. As a result, characterizing the cellular ACS activity and understanding its regulation are important. In this chapter, we detail the methods used to measure, (1) the enzymatic activity of both recombinant and native ACS proteins, and (2) the phosphorylation of ACS protein by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in vivo and in vitro.

Control of Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Receiving Anthracycline/Cyclophosphamide Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Nawa-Nishigaki, Minako; Kobayashi, Ryo; Suzuki, Akio; Hirose, Chiemi; Matsuoka, Rie; Mori, Ryutaro; Futamura, Manabu; Sugiyama, Tadashi; Yoshida, Kazuhiro; Itoh, Yoshinori

2018-02-01

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of most distressing adverse events during cancer chemotherapy. In breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) chemotherapy, CINV is poorly controlled. The prevalence of guideline-consistent antiemetic medication and control of CINV were investigated retrospectively in breast cancer patients receiving the first cycle of AC chemotherapy. Risks for CINV were analyzed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The effect of olanzapine added to the standard antiemetic medication on the incidence of CINV was subsequently evaluated in separate patients who received the first cycle of AC chemotherapy. Although the guideline-consistent antiemetic medication was performed in all subjects, the control rate of nausea (32%), but not vomiting (78%) was low. Risk analysis indicated that age younger than 55-year-old was a significant factor that reduces the control of both nausea and vomiting. Olanzapine (5 mg/day for 5 days), when added to the standard three-drug antiemetic medication, significantly improved the control of nausea and complete response. CINV was poorly controlled in breast cancer patients receiving AC chemotherapy, in which age younger than 55-year-old was a significant risk for both nausea and vomiting. Olanzapine was effective for improvement of the control of CINV associated with AC chemotherapy. Therefore, care should be taken to prevent CINV in young patients receiving AC chemotherapy by adding olanzapine to the standard three-drug antiemetic medication. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Acupuncture for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bao, Ting; Iris Zhi, Wanqing; Vertosick, Emily A; Li, Qing Susan; DeRito, Janice; Vickers, Andrew; Cassileth, Barrie R; Mao, Jun J; Van Zee, Kimberly J

2018-03-08

Approximately 20% of breast cancer survivors develop breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), and current therapies are limited. We compared acupuncture (AC) to usual care wait-list control (WL) for treatment of persistent BCRL. Women with moderate BCRL lasting greater than six months were randomized to AC or WL. AC included twice weekly manual acupuncture over six weeks. We evaluated the difference in circumference and bioimpedance between affected and unaffected arms. Responders were defined as having a decrease in arm circumference difference greater than 30% from baseline. We used analysis of covariance for circumference and bioimpedance measurements and Fisher's exact to determine the proportion of responders. Among 82 patients, 73 (89%) were evaluable for the primary endpoint (36 in AC, 37 in WL). 79 (96%) patients received lymphedema treatment before enrolling in our study; 67 (82%) underwent ongoing treatment during the trial. We found no significant difference between groups for arm circumference difference (0.38 cm greater reduction in AC vs. WL, 95% CI - 0.12 to 0.89, p = 0.14) or bioimpedance difference (1.06 greater reduction in AC vs. WL, 95% CI - 5.72 to 7.85, p = 0.8). There was also no difference in the proportion of responders: 17% AC versus 11% WL (6% difference, 95% CI - 10 to 22%, p = 0.5). No severe adverse events were reported. Our acupuncture protocol appeared to be safe and well tolerated. However, it did not significantly reduce BCRL in pretreated patients receiving concurrent lymphedema treatment. This regimen does not improve upon conventional lymphedema treatment for breast cancer survivors with persistent BCRL.

Effect of Statins and Anticoagulants on Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness

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

Alizadeh, Moein; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Zilli, Thomas

2012-07-15

Purpose: Statins and anticoagulants (ACs) have both been associated with a less-aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) and a better outcome after treatment of localized PCa. The results of these studies might have been confounded because patients might often take both medications. We examined their respective influence on PCa aggressiveness at initial diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 381 patients treated with either external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy for low-risk (n = 152), intermediate-risk (n = 142), or high-risk (n = 87) localized PCa. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate an association between these drug classes and prostatemore » cancer aggressiveness. We tested whether the concomitant use of statins and ACs had a different effect than that of either AC or statin use alone. Results: Of the 381 patients, 172 (45.1%) were taking statins and 141 (37.0%) ACs; 105 patients (27.6%) used both. On univariate analysis, the statin and AC users were associated with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (p = .017) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk group (p = .0022). On multivariate analysis, statin use was associated with a PSA level <10 ng/mL (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-6.8; p = .012) and a PSA level >20 ng/mL (odds ratio, 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.83; p = .03). The use of ACs was associated with a PSA level >20 ng/mL (odds ratio, 0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.59, p = .02). Conclusion: Both AC and statins have an effect on PCa aggressiveness, with statins having a more stringent relationship with the PSA level, highlighting the importance of considering statin use in studies of PCa aggressiveness.« less

Drug–Drug Interactions Based on Pharmacogenetic Profile between Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy and Antiblastic Chemotherapy in Cancer Patients with HIV Infection

PubMed Central

Berretta, Massimiliano; Caraglia, Michele; Martellotta, Ferdinando; Zappavigna, Silvia; Lombardi, Angela; Fierro, Carla; Atripaldi, Luigi; Muto, Tommaso; Valente, Daniela; De Paoli, Paolo; Tirelli, Umberto; Di Francia, Raffaele

2016-01-01

The introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) into clinical practice has dramatically changed the natural approach of HIV-related cancers. Several studies have shown that intensive antiblastic chemotherapy (AC) is feasible in HIV-infected patients with cancer, and that the outcome is similar to that of HIV-negative patients receiving the same AC regimens. However, the concomitant use of HAART and AC can result in drug accumulation or possible toxicity with consequent decreased efficacy of one or both classes of drugs. In fact, many AC agents are preferentially metabolized by CYP450 and drug–drug interactions (DDIs) with HAART are common. Therefore, it is important that HIV patients with cancer in HAART receiving AC treatment at the same time receive an individualized cancer management plan based on their liver and renal functions, their level of bone marrow suppression, their mitochondrial dysfunction, and their genotype profile. The rationale of this review is to summarize the existing data on the impact of HAART on the clinical management of cancer patients with HIV/AIDS and DDIs between antiretrovirals and AC. In addition, in order to maximize the efficacy of antiblastic therapy and minimize the risk of drug–drug interaction, a useful list of pharmacogenomic markers is provided. PMID:27065862

Superconductor coil geometry and ac losses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierce, T. V., Jr.; Zapata, R. N.

1976-01-01

An empirical relation is presented which allows simple computation of volume-averaged winding fields from central fields for coils of small rectangular cross sections. This relation suggests that, in certain applications, ac-loss minimization can be accomplished by use of low winding densities, provided that hysteresis losses are independent of winding density. The ac-loss measurements on coils wound of twisted multifilamentary composite superconductors show no significant dependence on ac losses on winding density, thus permitting the use of winding density as an independent design parameter in loss minimization.

The stability of DOTA-chelated radiopharmaceuticals within 225Ac decay pathway studied with density functional theory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karolak, Aleksandra; Khabibullin, Artem; Budzevich, Mikalai; Martinez, M.; Doliganski, Michael; McLaughlin, Mark; Woods, Lilia; Morse, David

Ligand structures encapsulating metal ions play a central role as contrast agents in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or as agents delivering toxic cargo directly to tumor cells in targeted cancer therapy. The structural stability and interaction with solutions of such complexes are the key elements in understanding the foundation of delivery process. We present a comparative study for the 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelated to radioactive isotopes of 225Ac, 221Fr, 217At, 213Bi and a control 68Gd. Using density functional theory methods we investigate the structural stability of complexes for cancer therapy including binding energies, charge transfer, electron densities. The van der Waals interactions are included in the simulations to take into account weak dispersion forces present in such structures. Our results reveal that Ac-DOTA, Bi-DOTA and Gd-DOTA are the most stable complexes in the group. We also show that the water environment is a key ingredient for the structural coordination of the DOTA structures. Support from the US Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-FG02-06ER46297 is acknowledged.

DC-biased AC-electroosmotic and AC-electrothermal flow mixing in microchannels.

PubMed

Ng, Wee Yang; Goh, Shireen; Lam, Yee Cheong; Yang, Chun; Rodríguez, Isabel

2009-03-21

This paper presents a novel approach of mixing two laminar flowing streams in microchannels. The mixer consists of a pair of electrodes disposed along a fluidic channel. By energizing the electrodes with a DC-biased (2.5 V) AC voltage (20 Vpp), an electrokinetic flow is induced with a flow profile perpendicular to that of the incoming laminar streams of liquids to be mixed. As a result, the flow lines of the incoming streams and the induced flow are forced to crossover and very efficient stirring and mixing at short mixing length can be achieved. The mixer can be operated from the AC-electroosmotic (ACEO) (sigma=1 mS/m, f=100 kHz) to the AC-electrothermal (ACET) (sigma=500 mS/m, f=500 kHz) flow regimes. The mixing efficiency in the ACEO regime was 92%, with a mixing length of 600 microm (Q=2 microL/min), an estimated mixing time of 69 ms and an induced ACEO flow velocity of approximately 725 microm/s. The mixing efficiency in the ACET regime was 65% for a mixing length of approximately 1200 microm. The mixer is efficient and suitable for mixing reagents in a fluid media from low to high conductivity as required in diverse microfluidic applications.

Spectroscopic Determination of the AC Voltammetric Response.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-06

characterization of electrode processes. More recently, with the advent of linear sweep cyclic AC voltanmetry(12’ 13), it has been shown that AC methods...implemented with the same instrumentation ( 7 ) as previously used in MSRS and retains both the qualitative and quantitative utility of linear sweep ...voltammetric response (eg. peak width at balf-height, peak separation and cross-over potential in cyclic AC voltametry ) apply equally well to the SACRS

THERMIONIC AC GENERATION

DTIC Science & Technology

is shown that the maximum ac efficiency is equal to approximately 70% of the corresponding dc value. An illustrative example, including a proposed design for a rather unconventional transformer, is appended. (Author)

78 FR 49318 - Availability of Draft Advisory Circular (AC) 90-106A and AC 20-167A

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-13

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Docket No FAA-2013-0485] Availability of Draft Advisory Circular (AC) 90-106A and AC 20- 167A AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration..., Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 385...

Adjuvant Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Slamon, Dennis; Eiermann, Wolfgang; Robert, Nicholas; Pienkowski, Tadeusz; Martin, Miguel; Press, Michael; Mackey, John; Glaspy, John; Chan, Arlene; Pawlicki, Marek; Pinter, Tamas; Valero, Vicente; Liu, Mei-Ching; Sauter, Guido; von Minckwitz, Gunter; Visco, Frances; Bee, Valerie; Buyse, Marc; Bendahmane, Belguendouz; Tabah-Fisch, Isabelle; Lindsay, Mary-Ann; Riva, Alessandro; Crown, John

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Trastuzumab improves survival in the adjuvant treatment of HER-positive breast cancer, although combined therapy with anthracycline-based regimens has been associated with cardiac toxicity. We wanted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new nonanthracycline regimen with trastuzumab. METHODS We randomly assigned 3222 women with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer to receive doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel every 3 weeks (AC-T), the same regimen plus 52 weeks of trastuzumab (AC-T plus trastuzumab), or docetaxel and carboplatin plus 52 weeks of trastuzumab (TCH). The primary study end point was disease-free survival. Secondary end points were overall survival and safety. RESULTS At a median follow-up of 65 months, 656 events triggered this protocol-specified analysis. The estimated disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 75% among patients receiving AC-T, 84% among those receiving AC-T plus trastuzumab, and 81% among those receiving TCH. Estimated rates of overall survival were 87%, 92%, and 91%, respectively. No significant differences in efficacy (disease-free or overall survival) were found between the two trastuzumab regimens, whereas both were superior to AC-T. The rates of congestive heart failure and cardiac dysfunction were significantly higher in the group receiving AC-T plus trastuzumab than in the TCH group (P<0.001). Eight cases of acute leukemia were reported: seven in the groups receiving the anthracycline-based regimens and one in the TCH group subsequent to receiving an anthracycline outside the study. CONCLUSIONS The addition of 1 year of adjuvant trastuzumab significantly improved disease-free and overall survival among women with HER2-positive breast cancer. The risk–benefit ratio favored the nonanthracycline TCH regimen over AC-T plus trastuzumab, given its similar efficacy, fewer acute toxic effects, and lower risks of cardiotoxicity and leukemia. (Funded by Sanofi-Aventis and Genentech; BCIRG-006

Differential Roles of AC2 and AC4 of Cassava Geminiviruses in Mediating Synergism and Suppression of Posttranscriptional Gene Silencing

PubMed Central

Vanitharani, Ramachandran; Chellappan, Padmanabhan; Pita, Justin S.; Fauquet, Claude M.

2004-01-01

Posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in plants is a natural defense mechanism against virus infection. In mixed infections, virus synergism is proposed to result from suppression of the host defense mechanism by the viruses. Synergistic severe mosaic disease caused by simultaneous infection with isolates of the Cameroon strain of African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV-[CM]) and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCV) in cassava and tobacco is characterized by a dramatic increase in symptom severity and a severalfold increase in viral-DNA accumulation by both viruses compared to that in singly infected plants. Here, we report that synergism between ACMV-[CM] and EACMCV is a two-way process, as the presence of the DNA-A component of ACMV-[CM] or EACMCV in trans enhanced the accumulation of viral DNA of EACMCV and ACMV-[CM], respectively, in tobacco BY-2 protoplasts. Furthermore, transient expression of ACMV-[CM] AC4 driven by the Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (p35S-AC4) enhanced EACMCV DNA accumulation by ∼8-fold in protoplasts, while p35S-AC2 of EACMCV enhanced ACMV-[CM] DNA accumulation, also by ∼8-fold. An Agrobacterium-based leaf infiltration assay determined that ACMV-[CM] AC4 and EACMCV AC2, the putative synergistic genes, were able to suppress PTGS induced by green fluorescent protein (GFP) and eliminated the short interfering RNAs associated with PTGS, with a correlated increase in GFP mRNA accumulation. In addition, we have identified AC4 of Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus and AC2 of Indian cassava mosaic virus as suppressors of PTGS, indicating that geminiviruses evolved differently in regard to interaction with the host. The specific and different roles played by these AC2 and AC4 proteins of cassava geminiviruses in regulating anti-PTGS activity and their relation to synergism are discussed. PMID:15308741

21 CFR 880.6320 - AC-powered medical examination light.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered medical examination light. 880.6320... Miscellaneous Devices § 880.6320 AC-powered medical examination light. (a) Identification. An AC-powered medical examination light is an AC-powered device intended for medical purposes that is used to illuminate body...

High-frequency ac power distribution in Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsai, Fu-Sheng; Lee, Fred C. Y.

1990-01-01

A utility-type 20-kHz ac power distribution system for the Space Station, employing resonant power-conversion techniques, is presented. The system converts raw dc voltage from photovoltaic cells or three-phase LF ac voltage from a solar dynamic generator into a regulated 20-kHz ac voltage for distribution among various loads. The results of EASY5 computer simulations of the local and global performance show that the system has fast response and good transient behavior. The ac bus voltage is effectively regulated using the phase-control scheme, which is demonstrated with both line and load variations. The feasibility of paralleling the driver-module outputs is illustrated with the driver modules synchronized and sharing a common feedback loop. An HF sinusoidal ac voltage is generated in the three-phase ac input case, when the driver modules are phased 120 deg away from one another and their outputs are connected in series.

Microarray data re-annotation reveals specific lncRNAs and their potential functions in non-small cell lung cancer subtypes.

PubMed

Zhou, Dongbo; Xie, Mingxuan; He, Baimei; Gao, Ying; Yu, Qiao; He, Bixiu; Chen, Qiong

2017-10-01

Non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The most common subtypes of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to AC and SCC are still largely unknown, especially the roles of long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The present study identified differentially expressed lncRNAs between lung AC and SCC by re‑annotation of NSCLC microarray data analysis profiling. The potential functions of lncRNAs were predicted by using coding‑non‑coding gene co‑expressing network. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) was used to investigate lncRNA expression levels in AC cell lines (A549 and L78), SCC cell lines (H226 and H520) and normal cells (NL‑20). Western blotting analysis was used to investigate the protein expression levels in these cell lines. A total of 65 lncRNAs were differentially expressed between AC and SCC including 28 lncRNAs that were downregulated in SCC subtypes compared with those in AC ones, and 37 upregulated lncRNAs in SCC subtypes compared with AC subtypes. Three lncRNAs, sex determining region Y‑box 2 overlapping transcript (SOX2‑OT), NCBP2 antisense RNA 2 (NCBP2‑AS2) and ubiquitin like with PHD and ring finger domains 1 (UHRF1), were predicted to be associated with lung cancer; RT‑qPCR confirmed that SOX2‑OT and NCBP2‑AS2 were associated with lung cancer. Finally, western blot assays demonstrated that there was no difference in β‑catenin and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‑3β) expression in cancer cells compared with NL‑20, but increased phosphorylated (p‑)β‑catenin and p‑GSK‑3β was detected in lung cancer cell lines compared with NL‑20, particularly in A549 cells. Although these results require further experimental verification, the analysis of lncRNA signatures between AC and SCC has provided insights into the regulatory mechanism of NSCLC development.

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Mechanisms and Protocols

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Amir V.; Yun, Kyongsik

2017-01-01

Perception, cognition and consciousness can be modulated as a function of oscillating neural activity, while ongoing neuronal dynamics are influenced by synaptic activity and membrane potential. Consequently, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) may be used for neurological intervention. The advantageous features of tACS include the biphasic and sinusoidal tACS currents, the ability to entrain large neuronal populations, and subtle control over somatic effects. Through neuromodulation of phasic, neural activity, tACS is a powerful tool to investigate the neural correlates of cognition. The rapid development in this area requires clarity about best practices. Here we briefly introduce tACS and review the most compelling findings in the literature to provide a starting point for using tACS. We suggest that tACS protocols be based on functional brain mechanisms and appropriate control experiments, including active sham and condition blinding. PMID:28928634

Challenges and solutions in medically managed ACS in the Asia-Pacific region: expert recommendations from the Asia-Pacific ACS Medical Management Working Group.

PubMed

Huo, Yong; Thompson, Peter; Buddhari, Wacin; Ge, Junbo; Harding, Scott; Ramanathan, Letchuman; Reyes, Eugenio; Santoso, Anwar; Tam, Li-Wah; Vijayaraghavan, Govindan; Yeh, Hung-I

2015-03-15

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remain a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. International guidelines advocate invasive procedures in all but low-risk ACS patients; however, a high proportion of ACS patients in the APAC region receive solely medical management due to a combination of unique geographical, socioeconomic, and population-specific barriers. The APAC ACS Medical Management Working Group recently convened to discuss the ACS medical management landscape in the APAC region. Local and international ACS guidelines and the global and APAC clinical evidence-base for medical management of ACS were reviewed. Challenges in the provision of optimal care for these patients were identified and broadly categorized into issues related to (1) accessibility/systems of care, (2) risk stratification, (3) education, (4) optimization of pharmacotherapy, and (5) cost/affordability. While ACS guidelines clearly represent a valuable standard of care, the group concluded that these challenges can be best met by establishing cardiac networks and individual hospital models/clinical pathways taking into account local risk factors (including socioeconomic status), affordability and availability of pharmacotherapies/invasive facilities, and the nature of local healthcare systems. Potential solutions central to the optimization of ACS medical management in the APAC region are outlined with specific recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infrequent transposition of Ac in lettuce, Lactuca sativa.

PubMed

Yang, C H; Ellis, J G; Michelmore, R W

1993-08-01

The maize transposable element Activator (Ac) is being used to develop a transposon mutagenesis system in lettuce, Lactuca sativa. Two constructs containing the complete Ac from the waxy-m7 locus of maize were introduced into lettuce and monitored for activity using Southern analysis and PCR amplification of the excision site. No transposition of Ac was detected in over 32 transgenic R1 plants, although these constructs were known to provide frequent transposition in other species. Also, no transposition was observed in later generations. In subsequent experiments, transposition was detected in lettuce calli using constructs that allowed selection for excision events. In these constructs, the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene was interrupted by either Ac or Ds. Excision was detected as the ability of callus to grow on kanamycin. Synthesis of the transposase from the cDNA of Ac expressed from the T-DNA 2' promoter resulted in more frequent excision of Ds than was observed with the wild-type Ac. No excision was observed with Ds in the absence of the transposase. The excision events were confirmed by amplification of the excision site by PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Excision and reintegration were also confirmed by Southern analysis. Ac/Ds is therefore capable of transposition in at least calli of lettuce.

Obtaining continuous BrAC/BAC estimates in the field: A hybrid system integrating transdermal alcohol biosensor, Intellidrink smartphone app, and BrAC Estimator software tools.

PubMed

Luczak, Susan E; Hawkins, Ashley L; Dai, Zheng; Wichmann, Raphael; Wang, Chunming; Rosen, I Gary

2018-08-01

Biosensors have been developed to measure transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC), but converting TAC into interpretable indices of blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC/BrAC) is difficult because of variations that occur in TAC across individuals, drinking episodes, and devices. We have developed mathematical models and the BrAC Estimator software for calibrating and inverting TAC into quantifiable BrAC estimates (eBrAC). The calibration protocol to determine the individualized parameters for a specific individual wearing a specific device requires a drinking session in which BrAC and TAC measurements are obtained simultaneously. This calibration protocol was originally conducted in the laboratory with breath analyzers used to produce the BrAC data. Here we develop and test an alternative calibration protocol using drinking diary data collected in the field with the smartphone app Intellidrink to produce the BrAC calibration data. We compared BrAC Estimator software results for 11 drinking episodes collected by an expert user when using Intellidrink versus breath analyzer measurements as BrAC calibration data. Inversion phase results indicated the Intellidrink calibration protocol produced similar eBrAC curves and captured peak eBrAC to within 0.0003%, time of peak eBrAC to within 18min, and area under the eBrAC curve to within 0.025% alcohol-hours as the breath analyzer calibration protocol. This study provides evidence that drinking diary data can be used in place of breath analyzer data in the BrAC Estimator software calibration procedure, which can reduce participant and researcher burden and expand the potential software user pool beyond researchers studying participants who can drink in the laboratory. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Bioinformatics and Astrophysics Cluster (BinAc)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Jens; Lutz, Volker; Bartusch, Felix; Dilling, Werner; Gorska, Anna; Schäfer, Christoph; Walter, Thomas

2017-09-01

BinAC provides central high performance computing capacities for bioinformaticians and astrophysicists from the state of Baden-Württemberg. The bwForCluster BinAC is part of the implementation concept for scientific computing for the universities in Baden-Württemberg. Community specific support is offered through the bwHPC-C5 project.

7 CFR 1737.31 - Area Coverage Survey (ACS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Area Coverage Survey (ACS). 1737.31 Section 1737.31... Studies-Area Coverage Survey and Loan Design § 1737.31 Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (a) The Area Coverage Survey (ACS) is a market forecast of service requirements of subscribers in a proposed service area. (b...

7 CFR 1737.31 - Area Coverage Survey (ACS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Area Coverage Survey (ACS). 1737.31 Section 1737.31... Studies-Area Coverage Survey and Loan Design § 1737.31 Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (a) The Area Coverage Survey (ACS) is a market forecast of service requirements of subscribers in a proposed service area. (b...

7 CFR 1737.31 - Area Coverage Survey (ACS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Area Coverage Survey (ACS). 1737.31 Section 1737.31... Studies-Area Coverage Survey and Loan Design § 1737.31 Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (a) The Area Coverage Survey (ACS) is a market forecast of service requirements of subscribers in a proposed service area. (b...

7 CFR 1737.31 - Area Coverage Survey (ACS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Area Coverage Survey (ACS). 1737.31 Section 1737.31... Studies-Area Coverage Survey and Loan Design § 1737.31 Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (a) The Area Coverage Survey (ACS) is a market forecast of service requirements of subscribers in a proposed service area. (b...

7 CFR 1737.31 - Area Coverage Survey (ACS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Studies-Area Coverage Survey and Loan Design § 1737.31 Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (a) The Area Coverage Survey (ACS) is a market forecast of service requirements of subscribers in a proposed service area. (b... 7 Agriculture 11 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Area Coverage Survey (ACS). 1737.31 Section 1737.31...

21 CFR 880.5500 - AC-powered patient lift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered patient lift. 880.5500 Section 880.5500... Devices § 880.5500 AC-powered patient lift. (a) Identification. An AC-powered lift is an electrically powered device either fixed or mobile, used to lift and transport patients in the horizontal or other...

21 CFR 880.5500 - AC-powered patient lift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false AC-powered patient lift. 880.5500 Section 880.5500... Devices § 880.5500 AC-powered patient lift. (a) Identification. An AC-powered lift is an electrically powered device either fixed or mobile, used to lift and transport patients in the horizontal or other...

AC-electric field dependent electroformation of giant lipid vesicles.

PubMed

Politano, Timothy J; Froude, Victoria E; Jing, Benxin; Zhu, Yingxi

2010-08-01

Giant vesicles of larger than 5 microm, which have been of intense interest for their potential as drug delivery vehicles and as a model system for cell membranes, can be rapidly formed from a spin-coated lipid thin film under an electric field. In this work, we explore the AC-field dependent electroformation of giant lipid vesicles in aqueous media over a wide range of AC-frequency from 1 Hz to 1 MHz and peak-to-peak field strength from 0.212 V/mm to 40 V/mm between two parallel conducting electrode surfaces. By using fluorescence microscopy, we perform in-situ microscopic observations of the structural evolution of giant vesicles formed from spin-coated lipid films under varied uniform AC-electric fields. The real-time observation of bilayer bulging from the lipid film, vesicle growth and fusing further examine the critical role of AC-induced electroosmotic flow of surrounding fluids for giant vesicle formation. A rich AC-frequency and field strength phase diagram is obtained experimentally to predict the AC-electroformation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, where a weak dependence of vesicle size on AC-frequency is observed at low AC-field voltages, showing decreased vesicle size with a narrowed size distribution with increased AC-frequency. Formation of vesicles was shown to be constrained by an upper field strength of 10 V/mm and an upper AC-frequency of 10 kHz. Within these parameters, giant lipid vesicles were formed predominantly unilamellar and prevalent across the entire electrode surfaces. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The AC-120: The advanced commercial transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duran, David; Griffin, Ernest; Mendoza, Saul; Nguyen, Son; Pickett, Tim; Noernberg, Clemm

1993-01-01

The main objective of this design was to fulfill a need for a new airplane to replace the aging 100 to 150 passenger, 1500 nautical mile range aircraft such as the Douglas DC9 and Boeing 737-100 airplanes. After researching the future aircraft market, conducting extensive trade studies, and analysis on different configurations, the AC-120 Advanced Commercial Transport final design was achieved. The AC-120's main design features include the incorporation of a three lifting surface configuration which is powered by two turboprop engines. The AC-120 is an economically sensitive aircraft which meets the new FM Stage Three noise requirements, and has lower NO(x) emissions than current turbofan powered airplanes. The AC-120 also improves on its contemporaries in passenger comfort, manufacturing, and operating cost.

The impact of cancer prevention guideline adherence on overall mortality in a high-risk cohort of women from the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry.

PubMed

Cloud, Ann J; Thai, Ashley; Liao, Yuyan; Terry, Mary Beth

2015-01-01

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends at least 150 min of moderate intensity physical activity per week, alcohol intake of ≤1 drink per day, and maintaining a body mass index (BMI) of <25 kg/m(2) for breast cancer prevention. Adherence to these guidelines has been linked to lower overall mortality in average-risk populations, it is not known if mortality reduction extends to women at higher risk given their family history of breast cancer. We followed 2,905 women from a high-risk Breast Cancer Family Registry in New York, of which 77 % were white non-Hispanic and 23 % were Hispanic. We collected information on BMI, physical activity, and alcohol intake at baseline and prospectively followed our cohort for outcomes based on questionnaires and National Death Index linkage. We used Cox regression to examine the relation between adherence to ACS guidelines and overall mortality and examined effect modification by race, age, and BRCA status. There were 312 deaths after an average of 9.2 ± 4.1 years of follow-up. Adherence to all three ACS recommendations was associated with 44-53 % lower mortality in women unaffected with breast cancer at baseline [Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.56, 95 % CI (0.33-0.93)] and in women affected with breast cancer at baseline [HR 0.47, 95 % CI (0.30-0.74)]. These associations remained after stratification by age, race, and BRCA status {e.g., BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 carriers [HR 0.39, 95 % CI (0.16-0.97)]}. These results support that women at high risk, similar to women at average risk, may also have substantial benefits from maintaining the ACS guidelines.

Cry1Ac production is costly for native plants attacked by non-Cry1Ac-targeted herbivores in the field.

PubMed

McGale, Erica; Diezel, Celia; Schuman, Meredith C; Baldwin, Ian T

2018-05-13

Plants are the primary producers in most terrestrial ecosystems and have complex defense systems to protect their produce. Defense-deficient, high-yielding agricultural monocultures attract abundant nonhuman consumers, but are alternatively defended through pesticide application and genetic engineering to produce insecticidal proteins such as Cry1Ac (Bacillus thuringiensis). These approaches alter the balance between yield protection and maximization but have been poorly contextualized to known yield-defense trade-offs in wild plants. The native plant Nicotiana attenuata was used to compare yield benefits of plants transformed to be defenseless to those with a full suite of naturally evolved defenses, or additionally transformed to ectopically produce Cry1Ac. An insecticide treatment allowed us to examine yield under different herbivore loads in N. attenuata's native habitat. Cry1Ac, herbivore damage, and growth parameters were monitored throughout the season. Biomass and reproductive correlates were measured at season end. Non-Cry1Ac-targeted herbivores dominated on noninsecticide-treated plants, and increased the yield drag of Cry1Ac-producing plants in comparison with endogenously defended or undefended plants. Insecticide-sprayed Cry1Ac-producing plants lagged less in stalk height, shoot biomass, and flower production. In direct comparison with the endogenous defenses of a native plant, Cry1Ac production did not provide yield benefits for plants under observed herbivore loads in a field study. © 2018 The Authors New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program as a quality-measurement tool for advanced cancer patients.

PubMed

Vidri, Roberto J; Blakely, Andrew M; Kulkarni, Shreyus S; Vaghjiani, Raj G; Heffernan, Daithi S; Harrington, David T; Cioffi, William G; Miner, Thomas J

2015-10-01

Multiple studies have shown the significantly increased post-operative morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing palliative operations. It has been proposed by some authors that the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database can be used reliably to develop risk-calculators or as an aid for clinical decision-making in advanced cancer patients. ACS-NSQIP is a population-based database that by design only captures outcomes data for the first 30-day following an operation. We considered the suitability of these data as a tool for decision-making in the advanced cancer patient. Six-year retrospective review of a single institution's ACS-NSQIP database for cases identified as "Disseminated Cancer". Procedures performed with palliative intent were identified and analyzed. Of 7,763 patients within the ACS-NSQIP database, 138 (1.8%) were identified as having "Disseminated Cancer". Of the remaining 7,625 entries only 4,486 contained complete survival data for analysis. Thirty-day mortality within the "Disseminated Cancer" group was higher when compared to all other surgical patients (7.9% vs. 0.9%, P<0.001). Explicit chart review of these 138 patients revealed that 32 (23.2%) had undergone operations with palliative intent. Overall survival for palliative and non-palliative operations was significantly different (104 vs. 709 days, P<0.001). When comparing palliative to non-palliative procedures using ACS-NSQIP data, we were unable to detect a difference in 30-day mortality (9.4% vs. 7.5%, P=0.72). Calculations utilizing ACS-NSQIP data fail to demonstrate the increased mortality associated with palliative operations. Patients diagnosed with advanced cancer are not adequately represented within the database due to the limited number of cases collected. Also, more suitable outcomes measures for palliative operations such as pain relief, functional status, and quality of life, are not captured. Therefore, the sole use of

Five-year disease-free survival among stage II-IV breast cancer patients receiving FAC and AC chemotherapy in phase II clinical trials of Panagen.

PubMed

Proskurina, Anastasia S; Gvozdeva, Tatiana S; Potter, Ekaterina A; Dolgova, Evgenia V; Orishchenko, Konstantin E; Nikolin, Valeriy P; Popova, Nelly A; Sidorov, Sergey V; Chernykh, Elena R; Ostanin, Alexandr A; Leplina, Olga Y; Dvornichenko, Victoria V; Ponomarenko, Dmitriy M; Soldatova, Galina S; Varaksin, Nikolay A; Ryabicheva, Tatiana G; Uchakin, Peter N; Rogachev, Vladimir A; Shurdov, Mikhail A; Bogachev, Sergey S

2016-08-18

We report on the results of a phase II clinical trial of Panagen (tablet form of fragmented human DNA preparation) in breast cancer patients (placebo group n = 23, Panagen n = 57). Panagen was administered as an adjuvant leukoprotective agent in FAC and AC chemotherapy regimens. Pre-clinical studies clearly indicate that Panagen acts by activating dendritic cells and induces the development of adaptive anticancer immune response. We analyzed 5-year disease-free survival of patients recruited into the trial. Five-year disease-free survival in the placebo group was 40 % (n = 15), compared with the Panagen arm - 53 % (n = 51). Among stage III patients, disease-free survival was 25 and 52 % for placebo (n = 8) and Panagen (n = 25) groups, respectively. Disease-free survival of patients with IIIB + C stage was as follows: placebo (n = 6)-17 % vs Panagen (n = 18)-50 %. Disease-free survival rate (17 %) of patients with IIIB + C stage breast cancer receiving standard of care therapy is within the global range. Patients who additionally received Panagen demonstrate a significantly improved disease-free survival rate of 50 %. This confirms anticancer activity of Panagen. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02115984 from 04/07/2014.

ACS from development to operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caproni, Alessandro; Colomer, Pau; Jeram, Bogdan; Sommer, Heiko; Chiozzi, Gianluca; Mañas, Miguel M.

2016-08-01

The ALMA Common Software (ACS), provides the infrastructure of the distributed software system of ALMA and other projects. ACS, built on top of CORBA and Data Distribution Service (DDS) middleware, is based on a Component- Container paradigm and hides the complexity of the middleware allowing the developer to focus on domain specific issues. The transition of the ALMA observatory from construction to operations brings with it that ACS effort focuses primarily on scalability, stability and robustness rather than on new features. The transition came together with a shorter release cycle and a more extensive testing. For scalability, the most problematic area has been the CORBA notification service, used to implement the publisher subscriber pattern because of the asynchronous nature of the paradigm: a lot of effort has been spent to improve its stability and recovery from run time errors. The original bulk data mechanism, implemented using the CORBA Audio/Video Streaming Service, showed its limitations and has been replaced with a more performant and scalable DDS implementation. Operational needs showed soon the difference between releases cycles for Online software (i.e. used during observations) and Offline software, which requires much more frequent releases. This paper attempts to describe the impact the transition from construction to operations had on ACS, the solution adopted so far and a look into future evolution.

ACS and STEMI treatment: gender-related issues.

PubMed

Chieffo, Alaide; Buchanan, Gill Louise; Mauri, Fina; Mehilli, Julinda; Vaquerizo, Beatriz; Moynagh, Anouska; Mehran, Roxana; Morice, Marie-Claude

2012-08-01

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death amongst women, with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) representing a significant proportion. It has been reported that in women presenting with ACS there is underdiagnosis and consequent undertreatment leading to an increase in hospital and long-term mortality. Several factors have to be taken into account, including lack of awareness both at patient and at physician level. Women are generally not aware of the cardiovascular risk and symptoms, often atypical, and therefore wait longer to seek medical attention. In addition, physicians often underestimate the risk of ACS in women leading to a further delay in accurate diagnosis and timely appropriate treatment, including cardiac catheterisation and primary percutaneous coronary intervention, with consequent delayed revascularisation times. It has been acknowledged by the European Society of Cardiology that gender disparities do exist, with a Class I, Level of Evidence B recommendation that both genders should be treated in the same way when presenting with ACS. However, there is still a lack of awareness and the mission of Women in Innovation, in association with Stent for Life, is to change the perception of women with ACS and to achieve prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Electrostatic coalescence system with independent AC and DC hydrophilic electrodes

DOEpatents

Hovarongkura, A. David; Henry, Jr., Joseph D.

1981-01-01

An improved electrostatic coalescence system is provided in which independent AC and DC hydrophilic electrodes are employed to provide more complete dehydration of an oil emulsion. The AC field is produced between an AC electrode array and the water-oil interface wherein the AC electrode array is positioned parallel to the interface which acts as a grounded electrode. The emulsion is introduced into the AC field in an evenly distributed manner at the interface. The AC field promotes drop-drop and drop-interface coalescence of the water phase in the entering emulsion. The continuous oil phase passes upward through the perforated AC electrode array and enters a strong DC field produced between closely spaced DC electrodes in which small dispersed droplets of water entrained in the continuous phase are removed primarily by collection at hydrophilic DC electrodes. Large droplets of water collected by the electrodes migrate downward through the AC electrode array to the interface. All phase separation mechanisms are utilized to accomplish more complete phase separation.

Use of an AC/DC/AC Electrochemical Technique to Assess the Durability of Protection Systems for Magnesium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Sen; McCune, Robert C.; Shen, Weidian; Wang, Yar-Ming

One task under the U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP) "Magnesium Front End Research and Development" (MFERD) Project has been the evaluation of methodologies for the assessment of protective capability for a variety of proposed protection schemes for this hypothesized multi-material, articulated structure. Techniques which consider the entire protection system, including both pretreatments and topcoats are of interest. In recent years, an adaptation of the classical electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) approach using an intermediate cathodic DC polarization step (viz. AC/DC/AC) has been employed to accelerate breakdown of coating protection, specifically at the polymer-pretreatment interface. This work reports outcomes of studies to employ the AC/DC/AC approach for comparison of protective coatings to various magnesium alloys considered for front end structures. In at least one instance, the protective coating system breakdown could be attributed to the poorer intrinsic corrosion resistance of the sheet material (AZ31) relative to die-cast AM60B.

Should fee-for-service be for all guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care? Observations from the Snapshot ACS study.

PubMed

Briffa, Thomas G; Hammett, Christopher J; Cross, David B; Macisaac, Andrew I; Rankin, James M; Board, Neville; Carr, Bridie; Hyun, Karice K; French, John; Brieger, David B; Chew, Derek P

2015-09-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P < 0.001). Each of these attracts potential fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88; P = 0.004). Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients.

Cadmium-induced ethylene production and responses in Arabidopsis thaliana rely on ACS2 and ACS6 gene expression

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Anthropogenic activities cause metal pollution worldwide. Plants can absorb and accumulate these metals through their root system, inducing stress as a result of excess metal concentrations inside the plant. Ethylene is a regulator of multiple plant processes, and is affected by many biotic and abiotic stresses. Increased ethylene levels have been observed after exposure to excess metals but it remains unclear how the increased ethylene levels are achieved at the molecular level. In this study, the effects of cadmium (Cd) exposure on the production of ethylene and its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), and on the expression of the ACC Synthase (ACS) and ACC Oxidase (ACO) multigene families were investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. Results Increased ethylene release after Cd exposure was directly measurable in a system using rockwool-cultivated plants; enhanced levels of the ethylene precursor ACC together with higher mRNA levels of ethylene responsive genes: ACO2, ETR2 and ERF1 also indicated increased ethylene production in hydroponic culture. Regarding underlying mechanisms, it was found that the transcript levels of ACO2 and ACO4, the most abundantly expressed members of the ACO multigene family, were increased upon Cd exposure. ACC synthesis is the rate-limiting step in ethylene biosynthesis, and transcript levels of both ACS2 and ACS6 showed the highest increase and became the most abundant isoforms after Cd exposure, suggesting their importance in the Cd-induced increase of ethylene production. Conclusions Cadmium induced the biosynthesis of ACC and ethylene in Arabidopsis thaliana plants mainly via the increased expression of ACS2 and ACS6. This was confirmed in the acs2-1acs6-1 double knockout mutants, which showed a decreased ethylene production, positively affecting leaf biomass and resulting in a delayed induction of ethylene responsive gene expressions without significant differences in Cd contents between wild-type and

Women's Health Lotería: a new cervical cancer education tool for Hispanic females.

PubMed

Sheridan-Leos, N

1995-05-01

An innovative public education tool, called Women's Health Lotería (WHL), was created to promote cervical cancer awareness among Hispanic females. The tool covers the risk factors for cervical cancer, the American Cancer Society (ACS) cervical cancer screening guidelines, and the invasive cervical cancer incidence rate in the Hispanic population. Professional journals and books; ACS and National Cancer Institute literature. Scientific evidence strongly suggests that cervical cancer mortality descreases with regular Pap test screening for sexually active women or those who have reached age 18. Many Hispanic women, however, do not know about the importance of Pap testing. WHL was developed to meet this learning need. After attending the educational program, 87% of the respondents achieved the learning objectives. This educational program can be used to educate Hispanic women about cervical cancer. The content and principles also can be applied to other groups of women.

Modelling ac ripple currents in HTS coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhihan; Grilli, Francesco

2015-10-01

Dc transmission using high temperature superconducting (HTS) coated conductors (CCs) offers a promising solution to the globally growing demand for effective, reliable and economic transmission of green energy up to the gigawatt level over very long distances. The credible estimation of the losses and thereby the heat dissipation involved, where ac ripples (introduced in rectification/ac-dc conversion) are viewed as a potential source of notable contribution, is highly essential for the rational design of practical HTS dc transmission cables and corresponding cryogenic systems to fulfil this demand. Here we report a targeted modelling study into the ac losses in a HTS CC subject to dc and ac ripple currents simultaneously, by solving Maxwell’s equations using the finite element method (FEM) in the commercial software package COMSOL. It is observed that the instantaneous loss exhibits only one peak per cycle in the HTS CC subject to sinusoidal ripples, given that the amplitude of the ac ripples is smaller than approximately 20% of that of the dc current. This is a distinct contrast to the usual observation of two peaks per cycle in a HTS CC subject to ac currents only. The unique mechanism is also revealed, which is directly associated with the finding that, around any local minima of the applied ac ripples, the critical state of -J c is never reached at the edges of the HTS CC, as it should be according to the Bean model. When running further into the longer term, it is discovered that the ac ripple loss of the HTS CC in full-wave rectification decays monotonically, at a speed which is found to be insensitive to the frequency of the applied ripples within our targeted situations, to a relatively low level of approximately 1.38 × 10-4 W m-1 in around 1.7 s. Comparison between this level and other typical loss contributions in a HTS dc cable implies that ac ripple currents in HTS CCs should only be considered as a minor source of dissipation in superconducting dc

ACS Data Handbook v.6.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzaga, S.; et al.

2011-03-01

ACS was designed to provide a deep, wide-field survey capability from the visible to near-IR using the Wide Field Camera (WFC), high resolution imaging from the near-UV to near-IR with the now-defunct High Resolution Camera (HRC), and solar-blind far-UV imaging using the Solar Blind Camera (SBC). The discovery efficiency of ACS's Wide Field Channel (i.e., the product of WFC's field of view and throughput) is 10 times greater than that of WFPC2. The failure of ACS's CCD electronics in January 2007 brought a temporary halt to CCD imaging until Servicing Mission 4 in May 2009, when WFC functionality was restored. Unfortunately, the high-resolution optical imaging capability of HRC was not recovered.

Corallocins A-C, Nerve Growth and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Inducing Metabolites from the Mushroom Hericium coralloides.

PubMed

Wittstein, Kathrin; Rascher, Monique; Rupcic, Zeljka; Löwen, Eduard; Winter, Barbara; Köster, Reinhard W; Stadler, Marc

2016-09-23

Three new natural products, corallocins A-C (1-3), along with two known compounds were isolated from the mushroom Hericium coralloides. Their benzofuranone and isoindolinone structures were elucidated by spectral methods. All corallocins induced nerve growth factor and/or brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in human 1321N1 astrocytes. Furthermore, corallocin B showed antiproliferative activity against HUVEC and human cancer cell lines MCF-7 and KB-3-1.

ACS-Hach Programs: Supporting Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Terri

2009-05-01

In January 2009, the ACS received a gift of approximately $33 million from the Hach Scientific Foundation, the largest gift in the society's 133-year history. The foundation's programs will be continued by the ACS and will complement pre-existing ACS resources that support high school chemistry teaching. Three activities serve as the pillars of the ACS-Hach programs—the High School Chemistry Grant Program, the Second Career Teacher Scholarship Program, and the Land Grant University Scholars Program. Collectively, the ACS-Hach programs support high school chemistry teaching and learning by responding to the needs of both in-service and pre-service secondary teachers. The goals of each of the ACS-Hach programs align well with the ACS Mission—to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.

ACS Presents Science Education Report to Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krieger, James

1989-01-01

Discusses an American Chemical Society (ACS)'s report on science education which is a synthesis of a series of policies developed by ACS. Summarizes recommendations in four areas: elementary teacher education; pre-high school curricula; university research funding; and underrepresented populations. (YP)

A dry-cooled AC quantum voltmeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, M.; Starkloff, M.; Peiselt, K.; Anders, S.; Knipper, R.; Lee, J.; Behr, R.; Palafox, L.; Böck, A. C.; Schaidhammer, L.; Fleischmann, P. M.; Meyer, H.-G.

2016-10-01

The paper describes a dry-cooled AC quantum voltmeter system operated up to kilohertz frequencies and 7 V rms. A 10 V programmable Josephson voltage standard (PJVS) array was installed on a pulse tube cooler (PTC) driven with a 4 kW air-cooled compressor. The operating margins at 70 GHz frequencies were investigated in detail and found to exceed 1 mA Shapiro step width. A key factor for the successful chip operation was the low on-chip power consumption of 65 mW in total. A thermal interface between PJVS chip and PTC cold stage was used to avoid a significant chip overheating. By installing the cryocooled PJVS array into an AC quantum voltmeter setup, several calibration measurements of dc standards and calibrator ac voltages up to 2 kHz frequencies were carried out to demonstrate the full functionality. The results are discussed and compared to systems with standard liquid helium cooling. For dc voltages, a direct comparison measurement between the dry-cooled AC quantum voltmeter and a liquid-helium based 10 V PJVS shows an agreement better than 1 part in 1010.

21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

A Case Study of Wind-PV-Thermal-Bundled AC/DC Power Transmission from a Weak AC Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, H. W.; Du, W. J.; Wang, H. F.; Song, Y. T.; Wang, Q.; Ding, J.; Chen, D. Z.; Wei, W.

2017-05-01

Wind power generation and photovoltaic (PV) power generation bundled with the support by conventional thermal generation enables the generation controllable and more suitable for being sent over to remote load centre which are beneficial for the stability of weak sending end systems. Meanwhile, HVDC for long-distance power transmission is of many significant technique advantages. Hence the effects of wind-PV-thermal-bundled power transmission by AC/DC on power system have become an actively pursued research subject recently. Firstly, this paper introduces the technical merits and difficulties of wind-photovoltaic-thermal bundled power transmission by AC/DC systems in terms of meeting the requirement of large-scale renewable power transmission. Secondly, a system model which contains a weak wind-PV-thermal-bundled sending end system and a receiving end system in together with a parallel AC/DC interconnection transmission system is established. Finally, the significant impacts of several factors which includes the power transmission ratio between the DC and AC line, the distance between the sending end system and receiving end system, the penetration rate of wind power and the sending end system structure on system stability are studied.

Target volume motion during anal cancer image guided radiotherapy using cone-beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Brooks, Corrinne J; Bernier, Laurence; Hansen, Vibeke N; Tait, Diana M

2018-05-01

Literature regarding image-guidance and interfractional motion of the anal canal (AC) during anal cancer radiotherapy is sparse. This study investigates interfractional AC motion during anal cancer radiotherapy. Bone matched cone beam CT (CBCT) images were acquired for 20 patients receiving anal cancer radiotherapy allowing population systematic and random error calculations. 12 were selected to investigate interfractional AC motion. Primary anal gross tumour volume and clinical target volume (CTVa) were contoured on each CBCT. CBCT CTVa volumes were compared to planning CTVa. CBCT CTVa volumes were combined into a CBCT-CTVa envelope for each patient. Maximum distortion between each orthogonal border of the planning CTVa and CBCT-CTVa envelope was measured. Frequency, volume and location of CBCT-CTVa envelope beyond the planning target volume (PTVa) was analysed. Population systematic and random errors were 1 and 3 mm respectively. 112 CBCTs were analysed in the interfractional motion study. CTVa varied between each imaging session particularly T location patients of anorectal origin. CTVa border expansions ≥ 1 cm were seen inferiorly, anteriorly, posteriorly and left direction. The CBCT-CTVa envelope fell beyond the PTVa ≥ 50% imaging sessions (n = 5). Of these CBCT CTVa distortions beyond PTVa, 44% and 32% were in the upper and lower thirds of PTVa respectively. The AC is susceptible to volume changes and shape deformations. Care must be taken when calculating or considering reducing the PTV margin to the anus. Advances in knowledge: Within a limited field of research, this study provides further knowledge of how the AC deforms during anal cancer radiotherapy.

Validation and real-world assessment of the Functional Assessment of Anorexia-Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) scale in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and the cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS).

PubMed

LeBlanc, Thomas W; Samsa, Greg P; Wolf, Steven P; Locke, Susan C; Cella, David F; Abernethy, Amy P

2015-08-01

Patients with cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) suffer a significant symptom burden, impaired quality of life (QoL), and shorter survival. Measurement of QoL impairments related to CACS is thereby important both in clinical practice and in research. We aimed to further validate the Functional Assessment of Anorexia-Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) scale in an advanced lung cancer population. We tested the performance of the FAACT and its anorexia-cachexia subscale (ACS) within a dataset of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC), using standard statistical methods. We then compared the performance of commonly used QoL measures stratified by CACS status and by patient self-report of appetite and weight loss. The FAACT and its ACS demonstrate internal validity consistent with acceptable published ranges for other QoL scales (Cronbach alpha = 0.9 and 0.79, respectively). Correlation coefficients demonstrate moderate correlations in the expected directions between FAACT and ACS and scales that measure related constructs. Comparing patients with and without CACS, the ACS is more sensitive to change than other QoL instruments (mean score 33.1 vs. 37.2, p = 0.011, ES = 0.58). In patients with aNSCLC, the FAACT and its ACS performed well compared with other instruments, further supporting their validity and value in clinical research. FAACT and ACS scores covaried with symptoms and other QoL changes that are typical hallmarks of CACS, lending further support to their use as QoL endpoints in clinical trials among patients with CACS.

21 CFR 888.1240 - AC-powered dynamometer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false AC-powered dynamometer. 888.1240 Section 888.1240 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ORTHOPEDIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 888.1240 AC-powered dynamometer. (a...

21 CFR 888.1240 - AC-powered dynamometer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false AC-powered dynamometer. 888.1240 Section 888.1240 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ORTHOPEDIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 888.1240 AC-powered dynamometer. (a...

21 CFR 888.1240 - AC-powered dynamometer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false AC-powered dynamometer. 888.1240 Section 888.1240 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ORTHOPEDIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 888.1240 AC-powered dynamometer. (a...

Integrated molecular portrait of non-small cell lung cancers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a leading cause of cancer deaths, represents a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, mostly comprising squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma (AC) and large-cell carcinoma (LCC). The objectives of this study were to utilize integrated genomic data including copy-number alteration, mRNA, microRNA expression and candidate-gene full sequencing data to characterize the molecular distinctions between AC and SCC. Methods Comparative genomic hybridization followed by mutational analysis, gene expression and miRNA microarray profiling were performed on 123 paired tumor and non-tumor tissue samples from patients with NSCLC. Results At DNA, mRNA and miRNA levels we could identify molecular markers that discriminated significantly between the various histopathological entities of NSCLC. We identified 34 genomic clusters using aCGH data; several genes exhibited a different profile of aberrations between AC and SCC, including PIK3CA, SOX2, THPO, TP63, PDGFB genes. Gene expression profiling analysis identified SPP1, CTHRC1and GREM1 as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of the cancer, and SPINK1 and BMP7 to distinguish between AC and SCC in small biopsies or in blood samples. Using integrated genomics approach we found in recurrently altered regions a list of three potential driver genes, MRPS22, NDRG1 and RNF7, which were consistently over-expressed in amplified regions, had wide-spread correlation with an average of ~800 genes throughout the genome and highly associated with histological types. Using a network enrichment analysis, the targets of these potential drivers were seen to be involved in DNA replication, cell cycle, mismatch repair, p53 signalling pathway and other lung cancer related signalling pathways, and many immunological pathways. Furthermore, we also identified one potential driver miRNA hsa-miR-944. Conclusions Integrated molecular characterization of AC and SCC helped identify clinically relevant markers

In vitro cytotoxicity of Selol-loaded magnetic nanocapsules against neoplastic cell lines under AC magnetic field activation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falqueiro, A. M.; Siqueira-Moura, M. P.; Jardim, D. R.; Primo, F. L.; Morais, P. C.; Mosiniewicz-Szablewska, E.; Suchocki, P.; Tedesco, A. C.

2012-04-01

The goals of this study are to evaluate invitro compatibility of magnetic nanomaterials and their therapeutic potential against cancer cells. Highly stable ionic magnetic fluid sample (maghemite, γ-Fe2O3) and Selol were incorporated into polymeric nanocapsules by nanoprecipitation method. The cytotoxic effect of Selol-loaded magnetic nanocapsules was assessed on murine melanoma (B16-F10) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines following AC magnetic field application. The influence of different nanocapsules on cell viability was investigated by colorimetric MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. In the absence of AC magnetic field Selol-loaded magnetic nanocapsules, containing 100 µg/mL Selol plus 5 × 1012 particle/mL, showed antitumoral activity of about 50% on B16-F10 melanoma cells while OSCC carcinoma cells demonstrated drug resistance at all concentrations of Selol and magnetic fluid (range of 100-500 µg/mL Selol and 5 × 1012-2.5 × 1013 particle/mL). On the other hand, under AC applied fields (1 MHz and 40 Oe amplitude) B16-F10 cell viability was reduced down to 40.5% (±3.33) at the highest concentration of nanoencapsulated Selol. The major effect, however, was observed on OSCC cells since the cell viability drops down to about 33.3% (±0.38) under application of AC magnetic field. These findings clearly indicate that the Selol-loaded magnetic nanocapsules present different toxic effects on neoplastic cell lines. Further, the cytotoxic effect was maximized under AC magnetic field application on OSCC, which emphasizes the effectiveness of the magnetohyperthermia approach.

21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100 Section 880.5100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

Nonlinear AC susceptibility, surface and bulk shielding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Beek, C. J.; Indenbom, M. V.; D'Anna, G.; Benoit, W.

1996-02-01

We calculate the nonlinear AC response of a thin superconducting strip in perpendicular field, shielded by an edge current due to the geometrical barrier. A comparison with the results for infinite samples in parallel field, screened by a surface barrier, and with those for screening by a bulk current in the critical state, shows that the AC response due to a barrier has general features that are independent of geometry, and that are significantly different from those for screening by a bulk current in the critical state. By consequence, the nonlinear (global) AC susceptibility can be used to determine the origin of magnetic irreversibility. A comparison with experiments on a Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8+δ crystal shows that in this material, the low-frequency AC screening at high temperature is mainly due to the screening by an edge current, and that this is the unique source of the nonlinear magnetic response at temperatures above 40 K.

AC BREAKDOWN IN GASES

DTIC Science & Technology

electron- emission (multipactor) region, and (3) the low-frequency region. The breakdown mechanism in each of these regions is explained. An extensive bibliography on AC breakdown in gases is included.

Assessing the allelotypic effect of two aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid synthase-encoding genes MdACS1 and MdACS3a on fruit ethylene production and softening in Malus

PubMed Central

Dougherty, Laura; Zhu, Yuandi; Xu, Kenong

2016-01-01

Phytohormone ethylene largely determines apple fruit shelf life and storability. Previous studies demonstrated that MdACS1 and MdACS3a, which encode 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthases (ACS), are crucial in apple fruit ethylene production. MdACS1 is well-known to be intimately involved in the climacteric ethylene burst in fruit ripening, while MdACS3a has been regarded a main regulator for ethylene production transition from system 1 (during fruit development) to system 2 (during fruit ripening). However, MdACS3a was also shown to have limited roles in initiating the ripening process lately. To better assess their roles, fruit ethylene production and softening were evaluated at five time points during a 20-day post-harvest period in 97 Malus accessions and in 34 progeny from 2 controlled crosses. Allelotyping was accomplished using an existing marker (ACS1) for MdACS1 and two markers (CAPS866 and CAPS870) developed here to specifically detect the two null alleles (ACS3a-G289V and Mdacs3a) of MdACS3a. In total, 952 Malus accessions were allelotyped with the three markers. The major findings included: The effect of MdACS1 was significant on fruit ethylene production and softening while that of MdACS3a was less detectable; allele MdACS1–2 was significantly associated with low ethylene and slow softening; under the same background of the MdACS1 allelotypes, null allele Mdacs3a (not ACS3a-G289V) could confer a significant delay of ethylene peak; alleles MdACS1–2 and Mdacs3a (excluding ACS3a-G289V) were highly enriched in M. domestica and M. hybrid when compared with those in M. sieversii. These findings are of practical implications in developing apples of low and delayed ethylene profiles by utilizing the beneficial alleles MdACS1-2 and Mdacs3a. PMID:27231553

Responding to a significant recruitment challenge within three nationwide psychoeducational trials for cancer patients.

PubMed

Stanton, Annette L; Morra, Marion E; Diefenbach, Michael A; Miller, Suzanne M; Slevin Perocchia, Rosemarie; Raich, Peter C; Fleisher, Linda; Wen, Kuang-Yi; Tran, Zung Vu; Mohamed, Nihal E; George, Roshini; Bright, Mary Anne; Marcus, Alfred C

2013-09-01

When faced with a significant recruitment challenge for three nationwide psychoeducational trials targeting prostate and breast cancer patients, the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium initiated outreach efforts to increase accrual. Recruitment is reported by major outreach strategy to inform the use of similar campaigns, either as primary recruitment efforts or to supplement "in-reach" recruitment within oncology settings. During a 33-month period, recruitment was tracked from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS), the American Cancer Society (ACS), Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation's Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW), Internet advertising, press releases, radio/television interviews, recruitment materials in community venues, and outreach to churches and cancer support organizations. Across projects, the majority (89 %) of recruited participants (N = 2,134) was obtained from the CIS (n = 901, 19 months of recruitment), AOW (n = 869, 18 months), and ACS (n = 123, 12 months). Other efforts showed minimal gain in recruitment. Cancer information programs (e.g., CIS and ACS) and registries of individuals willing to participate in cancer-related research (e.g., AOW) can represent exceptional resources for outreach recruitment of cancer patients, especially when the eligibility criteria are highly restrictive. However, these resources do not yield samples representative of the larger population of adults diagnosed with cancer, and conclusions from such trials must be tempered accordingly. Inadequate recruitment to randomized controlled trials limits the creation of useful interventions for cancer survivors. By enrolling in cancer registries and taking part in research, cancer survivors can contribute to the development of effective resources for the survivor population.

Association between long non-coding RNA polymorphisms and cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Huang, Xin; Zhang, Weiyue; Shao, Zengwu

2018-05-25

Several studies have suggested that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) gene polymorphisms are associated with cancer risk. In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis related to studies on the association between lncRNA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the overall risk of cancer. A total 12 SNPs in five common lncRNA genes were finally included in the meta-analysis. In the lncRNA antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL), the rs1333048 A/C, rs4977574 A/G, and rs10757278 A/G polymorphisms, but not rs1333045 C/T, were correlated with overall cancer risk. Our study also demonstrated that other SNPs were correlated with overall cancer risk, namely, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1, rs619586 A/G), HOXA distal transcript antisense RNA (HOTTIP, rs1859168 A/C) and highly up-regulated in liver cancer (HULC, rs7763881 A/C). Moreover, four prostate cancer‑associated non‑coding RNA 1 (PRNCR1, rs16901946 G/A, rs13252298 G/A, rs1016343 T/C, and rs1456315 G/A) SNPs were in association with cancer risk. No association was found between the PRNCR1 (rs7007694 C/T) SNP and the risk of cancer. In conclusion, our results suggest that several studied lncRNA SNPs are associated with overall cancer risk. Therefore, they might be potential predictive biomarkers for the risk of cancer. More studies based on larger sample sizes and more lncRNA SNPs are warranted to confirm these findings. ©2018 The Author(s).

Black Raspberry-Derived Anthocyanins Demethylate Tumor Suppressor Genes Through the Inhibition of DNMT1 and DNMT3B in Colon Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Wang, Li-Shu; Kuo, Chieh-Ti; Cho, Seung-Ju; Seguin, Claire; Siddiqui, Jibran; Stoner, Kristen; Weng, Yu-I; Huang, Tim H.-M.; Tichelaar, Jay; Yearsley, Martha; Stoner, Gary D.; Huang, Yi-Wen

2013-01-01

We previously reported that oral administration of black raspberry powder decreased promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes in tumors from patients with colorectal cancer. The anthocyanins (ACs) in black raspberries are responsible, at least in part, for their cancer-inhibitory effects. In the present study, we asked if ACs are responsible for the demethylation effects observed in colorectal cancers. Three days of treatment of ACs at 0.5, 5, and 25 μg/ml suppressed activity and protein expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3B in HCT116, Caco2 and SW480 cells. Promoters of CDKN2A, and SFRP2, SFRP5, and WIF1, upstream of Wnt pathway, were demethylated by ACs. mRNA expression of some of these genes was increased. mRNA expression of β-catenin and c-Myc, downstream of Wnt pathway, and cell proliferation were decreased; apoptosis was increased. ACs were taken up into HCT116 cells and were differentially localized with DNMT1 and DNMT3B in the same cells visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Although it was reported that DNMT3B is regulated by c-Myc in mouse lymphoma, DNMT3B did not bind with c-Myc in HCT116 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that ACs are responsible, at least in part, for the demethylation effects of whole black raspberries in colorectal cancers. PMID:23368921

Successful enrichment of the ubiquitous freshwater acI Actinobacteria.

PubMed

Garcia, Sarahi L; McMahon, Katherine D; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Warnecke, Falk

2014-02-01

Actinobacteria of the acI lineage are often the numerically dominant bacterial phylum in surface freshwaters, where they can account for > 50% of total bacteria. Despite their abundance, there are no described isolates. In an effort to obtain enrichment of these ubiquitous freshwater Actinobacteria, diluted freshwater samples from Lake Grosse Fuchskuhle, Germany, were incubated in 96-well culture plates. With this method, a successful enrichment containing high abundances of a member of the lineage acI was established. Phylogenetic classification showed that the acI Actinobacteria of the enrichment belonged to the acI-B2 tribe, which seems to prefer acidic lakes. This enrichment grows to low cell densities and thus the oligotrophic nature of acI-B2 was confirmed. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Responding to a Significant Recruitment Challenge within Three Nationwide Psycho-Educational Trials for Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Stanton, Annette L.; Morra, Marion E.; Miller, Suzanne M.; Diefenbach, Michael A.; Slevin-Perocchia, Rosemarie; Raich, Peter C.; Fleisher, Linda; Wen, Kuang-Yi; Tran, Zung Vu; Mohamed, Nihal E.; George, Roshini; Bright, Mary Anne; Marcus, Alfred C.

2013-01-01

Purpose When faced with a significant recruitment challenge for three nationwide psycho-educational trials targeting prostate and breast cancer patients, the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium initiated outreach efforts to increase accrual. Recruitment is reported by major outreach strategy to inform the use of similar campaigns, either as primary recruitment efforts or to supplement “in-reach” recruitment within oncology settings. Methods During a 33-month period, recruitment was tracked from the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS), the American Cancer Society (ACS), Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation’s Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW), Internet advertising, press releases, radio/television interviews, recruitment materials in community venues, and outreach to churches and cancer support organizations. Results Across projects, the majority (89%) of recruited participants (N = 2,134) was obtained from the CIS (n = 901, 19 months of recruitment), AOW (n = 869, 18 months), and ACS (n = 123, 12 months). Other efforts showed minimal gain in recruitment. Conclusions Cancer information programs (e.g., CIS, ACS) and registries of individuals willing to participate in cancer-related research (e.g., AOW) can represent exceptional resources for outreach recruitment of cancer patients, especially when the eligibility criteria are highly restrictive. However, these resources do not yield samples representative of the larger population of adults diagnosed with cancer, and conclusions from such trials must be tempered accordingly. Implications for cancer survivors Inadequate recruitment to randomized controlled trials limits the creation of useful interventions for cancer survivors. By enrolling in cancer registries and taking part in research, cancer survivors can contribute to the development of effective resources for the survivor population. PMID:23595235

21 CFR 880.5510 - Non-AC-powered patient lift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Non-AC-powered patient lift. 880.5510 Section 880... Devices § 880.5510 Non-AC-powered patient lift. (a) Identification. A non-AC-powered patient lift is a hydraulic, battery, or mechanically powered device, either fixed or mobile, used to lift and transport a...

21 CFR 880.5510 - Non-AC-powered patient lift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Non-AC-powered patient lift. 880.5510 Section 880... Devices § 880.5510 Non-AC-powered patient lift. (a) Identification. A non-AC-powered patient lift is a hydraulic, battery, or mechanically powered device, either fixed or mobile, used to lift and transport a...

Nutritional status of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ferrucci, Leah M; Bell, Diana; Thornton, Jennifer; Black, Glenda; McCorkle, Ruth; Heimburger, Douglas C; Saif, Muhammad Wasif

2011-11-01

Nutritional status may influence quality of life and prognosis among pancreatic cancer patients, yet few studies describe measures of nutritional status during treatment. We evaluated the nutritional status of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy who received baseline nutritional assessment and counseling. Fourteen newly diagnosed LAPC patients enrolled in phase I/II trials of capecitabine with concomitant radiotherapy were assessed for baseline clinical nutrition measures (body mass index, albumin, weight loss, total energy, and protein intake). Participants completed the Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale (A/CS) questionnaire at baseline and during the 6 weeks of treatment. We evaluated associations between baseline characteristics and subsequent A/CS scores with linear regression and changes in A/CS were assessed with the paired t test. We observed a statistically significant increase in mean A/CS between baseline [24.9, standard deviation (SD) = 9.7] and end of treatment (29.9, SD = 6.2). Controlling for baseline A/CS score, only weight loss greater than 5% of body weight over 1 month was associated with A/CS scores at 6 weeks (β = 10.558, standard error = 3.307, p value = 0.009) and mean A/CS scores during the last 3 weeks of treatment (β = 12.739, standard error = 2.251, p value = 0.001). After 6 weeks of chemoradiotherapy, LAPC patients reported a statistically significant improvement in appetite and weight concerns. Increases in AC/S scores were associated with higher baseline A/CS scores and weight loss of 5% or more during 1 month. Further research is needed to determine the impact of nutritional support during treatment, as improvements in this domain may impact LAPC patients' overall quality of life.

Nuclear structure of 231Ac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutami, R.; Borge, M. J. G.; Mach, H.; Kurcewicz, W.; Fraile, L. M.; Gulda, K.; Aas, A. J.; García-Raffi, L. M.; Løvhøiden, G.; Martínez, T.; Rubio, B.; Taín, J. L.; Tengblad, O.

2008-10-01

The low-energy structure of 231Ac has been investigated by means of γ ray spectroscopy following the β decay of 231Ra. Multipolarities of 28 transitions have been established by measuring conversion electrons with a MINI-ORANGE electron spectrometer. The decay scheme of 231Ra → 231Ac has been constructed for the first time. The Advanced Time Delayed βγγ(t) method has been used to measure the half-lives of five levels. The moderately fast B(E1) transition rates derived suggest that the octupole effects, albeit weak, are still present in this exotic nucleus.

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus ac53 plays a role in nucleocapsid assembly

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

Liu Chao; Li Zhaofei; Wu Wenbi

2008-12-05

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) orf53 (ac53) is a highly conserved gene existing in all sequenced Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera baculoviruses, but its function remains unknown. To investigate its role in the baculovirus life cycle, an ac53 deletion virus (vAc{sup ac53KO-PH-GFP}) was generated through homologous recombination in Escherichia coli. Fluorescence and light microscopy and titration analysis revealed that vAc{sup ac53KO-PH-GFP} could not produce infectious budded virus in infected Sf9 cells. Real-time PCR demonstrated that the ac53 deletion did not affect the levels of viral DNA replication. Electron microscopy showed that many lucent tubular shells devoid of the nucleoprotein core are presentmore » in the virogenic stroma and ring zone, indicating that the ac53 knockout affected nucleocapsid assembly. With a recombinant virus expressing an Ac53-GFP fusion protein, we observed that Ac53 was distributed within the cytoplasm and nucleus at 24 h post-infection, but afterwards accumulated predominantly near the nucleus-cytoplasm boundary. These data demonstrate that ac53 is involved in nucleocapsid assembly and is an essential gene for virus production.« less

SCCA, TSGF, and the Long Non-Coding RNA AC007271.3 are Effective Biomarkers for Diagnosing Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Shao, Tingru; Huang, Jiaxin; Zheng, Zenan; Wu, Qingqing; Liu, Tiancai; Lv, Xiaozhi

2018-05-09

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide and the most common type of oral cancer, characterized by invasive growth, frequent regional metastases, high recurrence, and poor prognosis. In the current study, we investigated the use of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), tumor-specific growth factor (TSGF), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) as potential biomarkers for OSCC screening. LncRNA expression was measured by microarray analysis in three sets of OSCC and paired normal mucosal tissues. The potential lncRNAs involved in OSCC development were investigated by bioinformatics and verification experiments. We also determined the expression of these potential biomarkers in tissue and serum samples in a case-control study of 80 OSCC cases and 70 controls. Receiver operating characteristics, decision curve analysis, and the combined detection of lncRNA AC007271.3, TSGF, and SCCA were carried out to screen for OSCC biomarkers. A total of 691 lncRNAs (433 upregulated and 258 downregulated) were differentially expressed in OSCC tissues compared with normal controls (p< 0.05). Based on Gene Ontology and pathway analysis, we selected four differentially expressed lncRNAs (AC007271.3, AC007182.6, LOC283481, and RP11-893F2.9), and showed that aberrant AC007271.3 levels in OSCC patients were significantly associated with clinical stage, especially in early-stage disease, in an expanded case-control study. The combination of AC007271.3 and SCCA (AUC=0.902, p< 0.001) showed significantly better ability to discriminate between OSCC and controls compared with SCCA or AC007271.3 alone. Serum AC007271.3, SCCA, and TSGF levels could also discriminate between OSCC and normal controls with sensitivities of 77.6%, 55.0%, and 63.3%, and specificities of 84.5%, 93.3%, and 66.7%, respectively. These results suggest that AC007271.3, SCCA, and TSGF could be novel circulating biomarkers for the determination of OSCC. However, further validation

Optimization of spin-torque switching using AC and DC pulses

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

Dunn, Tom; Kamenev, Alex; Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

2014-06-21

We explore spin-torque induced magnetic reversal in magnetic tunnel junctions using combined AC and DC spin-current pulses. We calculate the optimal pulse times and current strengths for both AC and DC pulses as well as the optimal AC signal frequency, needed to minimize the Joule heat lost during the switching process. The results of this optimization are compared against numeric simulations. Finally, we show how this optimization leads to different dynamic regimes, where switching is optimized by either a purely AC or DC spin-current, or a combination AC/DC spin-current, depending on the anisotropy energies and the spin-current polarization.

AC power generation from microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobo, Fernanda Leite; Wang, Heming; Forrestal, Casey; Ren, Zhiyong Jason

2015-11-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) directly convert biodegradable substrates to electricity and carry good potential for energy-positive wastewater treatment. However, the low and direct current (DC) output from MFC is not usable for general electronics except small sensors, yet commercial DC-AC converters or inverters used in solar systems cannot be directly applied to MFCs. This study presents a new DC-AC converter system for MFCs that can generate alternating voltage in any desired frequency. Results show that AC power can be easily achieved in three different frequencies tested (1, 10, 60 Hz), and no energy storage layer such as capacitors was needed. The DC-AC converter efficiency was higher than 95% when powered by either individual MFCs or simple MFC stacks. Total harmonic distortion (THD) was used to investigate the quality of the energy, and it showed that the energy could be directly usable for linear electronic loads. This study shows that through electrical conversion MFCs can be potentially used in household electronics for decentralized off-grid communities.

Two novel monoclonal antibodies against the MUC4 tandem repeat reacting with an antigen overexpressed by lung cancer.

PubMed

Botti, C; Seregni, E; Ménard, S; Collini, P; Tagliabue, E; Campiglio, M; Vergani, B; Ghirelli, C; Aiello, P; Pilotti, S; Bombardieri, E

2000-01-01

In this study we investigated the immunochemical and cytochemical reactivity of two monoclonal antibodies against the 16-amino acid tandem repeat of MUC4 to demonstrate a possible variation of the mucin core peptide expression related to lung cancer. The immunocytochemical anti-MUC4 reactivity was analyzed in four lung cancer cell lines (Calu-1, Calu-3, H460, SKMES) and in other tumor cell lines, as well as in frozen materials from 21 lung adenocarcinomas (ACs), including five bronchioloalveolar carcinomas (BACs), and 11 squamous cell lung carcinomas (SqCCs). A weak fluorescence anti-MUC4 positivity (range: 10.3-16.2) was observed only in acetone-fixed lung cancer cell lines Calu-1, Calu-3 and H460. These three lung cancer cell lines also showed a cytoplasmic immunoperoxidase reactivity. The immunostaining in lung cancer tissues showed a granular cytoplasmic reactivity: 15/21 (71%) and 17/21 (80%) ACs were positive with BC-LuC18.2 and BC-LuCF12, respectively. All BACs were positive. Moderate to strong reactivity was present in well-differentiated ACs. In the normal lung parenchyma counterparts weak reactivity was found only in bronchiolar cells. All SqCCs were negative. Anti-MUC4 reactivity was also observed in the alveolar mucus. In conclusion, our anti-MUC4 MAbs detect a secretion product present in mucus and this product is elaborated by lung cancer cells and overexpressed in well-differentiated lung ACs.

A Single-Phase Embedded Z-Source DC-AC Inverter

PubMed Central

Kim, Se-Jin; Lim, Young-Cheol

2014-01-01

In the conventional DC-AC inverter consisting of two DC-DC converters with unipolar output capacitors, the output capacitor voltages of the DC-DC converters must be higher than the DC input voltage. To overcome this weakness, this paper proposes a single-phase DC-AC inverter consisting of two embedded Z-source converters with bipolar output capacitors. The proposed inverter is composed of two embedded Z-source converters with a common DC source and output AC load. Though the output capacitor voltages of the converters are relatively low compared to those of a conventional inverter, an equivalent level of AC output voltages can be obtained. Moreover, by controlling the output capacitor voltages asymmetrically, the AC output voltage of the proposed inverter can be higher than the DC input voltage. To verify the validity of the proposed inverter, experiments were performed with a DC source voltage of 38 V. By controlling the output capacitor voltages of the converters symmetrically or asymmetrically, the proposed inverter can produce sinusoidal AC output voltages. The experiments show that efficiencies of up to 95% and 97% can be achieved with the proposed inverter using symmetric and asymmetric control, respectively. PMID:25133241

A single-phase embedded Z-source DC-AC inverter.

PubMed

Kim, Se-Jin; Lim, Young-Cheol

2014-01-01

In the conventional DC-AC inverter consisting of two DC-DC converters with unipolar output capacitors, the output capacitor voltages of the DC-DC converters must be higher than the DC input voltage. To overcome this weakness, this paper proposes a single-phase DC-AC inverter consisting of two embedded Z-source converters with bipolar output capacitors. The proposed inverter is composed of two embedded Z-source converters with a common DC source and output AC load. Though the output capacitor voltages of the converters are relatively low compared to those of a conventional inverter, an equivalent level of AC output voltages can be obtained. Moreover, by controlling the output capacitor voltages asymmetrically, the AC output voltage of the proposed inverter can be higher than the DC input voltage. To verify the validity of the proposed inverter, experiments were performed with a DC source voltage of 38 V. By controlling the output capacitor voltages of the converters symmetrically or asymmetrically, the proposed inverter can produce sinusoidal AC output voltages. The experiments show that efficiencies of up to 95% and 97% can be achieved with the proposed inverter using symmetric and asymmetric control, respectively.

Post-Flash Validation of the new ACS/WFC Subarrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellini, A.; Grogin, N. A.; Lim, P. L.; Golimowski, D.

2017-05-01

We made use of the new ACS/WFC subarray images of CAL-14410, taken taken with a large range of flash exposure times (0.1-30 seconds), to probe the temporal stability of the reference flash file and to validate the current post-flash correction pipeline of CALACS and ACS DESTRIPE PLUS on the new subarray modes. No statistically-significant deviations are found between the new post-flashed subarray exposures and the flash reference file, indicating that the LED lamp used to post-flash ACS images has been stable over several years. The current calibration pipelines (both CALACS and ACS DESTRIPE PLUS can be successfully used with the new subarray modes.

Flexible, polymer gated, AC-driven organic electroluminescence devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Junwei; Carroll, David L.

2017-08-01

Comparing rigid inorganic layer, polymeric semiconducting gate layer exhibits superior flexibility as well as efficient carrier manipulation in high frequency AC cycles. Mechanism of the carrier manipulation at the gate in forward and reversed bias of AC cycle is studied. The flexible PET-based AC-OEL device with poly[(9,9-bis(3'-((N,N-dimethyl)-Nethylammonium)- propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN-Br) gate shows a stable electroluminescent performance in frequency sweep with a color rendering index (CRI) over 81 at 2800K color temperature.

dc Arc Fault Effect on Hybrid ac/dc Microgrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatima, Zahra

The advent of distributed energy resources (DER) and reliability and stability problems of the conventional grid system has given rise to the wide spread deployment of microgrids. Microgrids provide many advantages by incorporating renewable energy sources and increasing the reliability of the grid by isolating from the main grid in case of an outage. AC microgrids have been installed all over the world, but dc microgrids have been gaining interest due to the advantages they provide over ac microgrids. However the entire power network backbone is still ac and dc microgrids require expensive converters to connect to the ac power network. As a result hybrid ac/dc microgrids are gaining more attention as it combines the advantages of both ac and dc microgrids such as direct integration of ac and dc systems with minimum number of conversions which increases the efficiency by reducing energy losses. Although dc electric systems offer many advantages such as no synchronization and no reactive power, successful implementation of dc systems requires appropriate protection strategies. One unique protection challenge brought by the dc systems is dc arc faults. A dc arc fault is generated when there is a gap in the conductor due to insulation degradation and current is used to bridge the gap, resulting in an arc with very high temperature. Such a fault if it goes undetected and is not extinguished can cause damage to the entire system and cause fires. The purpose of the research is to study the effect of the dc arc fault at different locations in the hybrid ac/dc microgrid and provide insight on the reliability of the grid components when it is impacted by arc faults at various locations in the grid. The impact of dc arc fault at different locations on the performance of the PV array, wind generation, and constant power loads (CPL) interfaced with dc/dc converters is studied. MATLAB/Simulink is used to model the hybrid ac/dc microgrid and arc fault.

In vitro evaluation of paclitaxel loaded amorphous chitin nanoparticles for colon cancer drug delivery.

PubMed

Smitha, K T; Anitha, A; Furuike, T; Tamura, H; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R

2013-04-01

Chitin and its derivatives have been widely used in drug delivery applications due to its biocompatible, biodegradable and non-toxic nature. In this study, we have developed amorphous chitin nanoparticles (150±50 nm) and evaluated its potential as a drug delivery system. Paclitaxel (PTX), a major chemotherapeutic agent was loaded into amorphous chitin nanoparticles (AC NPs) through ionic cross-linking reaction using TPP. The prepared PTX loaded AC NPs had an average diameter of 200±50 nm. Physico-chemical characterization of the prepared nanoparticles was carried out. These nanoparticles were proven to be hemocompatible and in vitro drug release studies showed a sustained release of PTX. Cellular internalization of the NPs was confirmed by fluorescent microscopy as well as by flow cytometry. Anticancer activity studies proved the toxicity of PTX-AC NPs toward colon cancer cells. These preliminary results indicate the potential of PTX-AC NPs in colon cancer drug delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A higher incidence rate of acute coronary syndrome following radiation therapy in patients with breast cancer and a history of coronary artery diseases.

PubMed

Lee, Yen-Chien; Chuang, Jen-Pin; Hsieh, Pi-Ching; Chiou, Meng-Jiun; Li, Chung-Yi

2015-07-01

This study aims to investigate whether patients with breast cancer and a history of cardiovascular diseases (CADs) are at an increased incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after receiving radiation therapy (RT). In Taiwan, 5828 patients who had a history of CAD were newly diagnosed of breast cancer and received mastectomy between 1999 and 2009. Among these patients, 1851 also received RT. The study cohort was prospectively followed to the end of 2010 for estimating the incidence of ACS in association with exposure to RT. A Cox proportional hazard model that was adjusted for covariates was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of ACS. Over the study period, the incident rates of ACS for RT and control patients were estimated at 1.51 and 1.77 per 100 person-years, respectively. Covariate-adjusted regression analysis indicated that the hazard of ACS significantly increased in RT patients at an adjusted HR of 1.48 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.87]. Both hypertension and diabetes significantly increased the hazard of ACS in this patient cohort, with adjusted HRs of 3.31 (95% CI 1.94-5.66) and 1.50 (95% CI 1.19-1.89), respectively. This 12-year follow-up study suggested excess of ACS events in association with RT exposure in patients with breast cancer who had a higher cardiovascular risk. In consideration of the benefit associated with RT, intensive cardiac care should be given to patients with breast cancer and high cardiovascular risk.

Frequency-dependent tACS modulation of BOLD signal during rhythmic visual stimulation.

PubMed

Chai, Yuhui; Sheng, Jingwei; Bandettini, Peter A; Gao, Jia-Hong

2018-05-01

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has emerged as a promising tool for modulating cortical oscillations. In previous electroencephalogram (EEG) studies, tACS has been found to modulate brain oscillatory activity in a frequency-specific manner. However, the spatial distribution and hemodynamic response for this modulation remains poorly understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has the advantage of measuring neuronal activity in regions not only below the tACS electrodes but also across the whole brain with high spatial resolution. Here, we measured fMRI signal while applying tACS to modulate rhythmic visual activity. During fMRI acquisition, tACS at different frequencies (4, 8, 16, and 32 Hz) was applied along with visual flicker stimulation at 8 and 16 Hz. We analyzed the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal difference between tACS-ON vs tACS-OFF, and different frequency combinations (e.g., 4 Hz tACS, 8 Hz flicker vs 8 Hz tACS, 8 Hz flicker). We observed significant tACS modulation effects on BOLD responses when the tACS frequency matched the visual flicker frequency or the second harmonic frequency. The main effects were predominantly seen in regions that were activated by the visual task and targeted by the tACS current distribution. These findings bridge different scientific domains of tACS research and demonstrate that fMRI could localize the tACS effect on stimulus-induced brain rhythms, which could lead to a new approach for understanding the high-level cognitive process shaped by the ongoing oscillatory signal. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Apple MdACS6 Regulates Ethylene Biosynthesis During Fruit Development Involving Ethylene-Responsive Factor.

PubMed

Li, Tong; Tan, Dongmei; Liu, Zhi; Jiang, Zhongyu; Wei, Yun; Zhang, Lichao; Li, Xinyue; Yuan, Hui; Wang, Aide

2015-10-01

Ethylene biosynthesis in plants involves different 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) genes. The regulation of each ACS gene during fruit development is unclear. Here, we characterized another apple (Malus×domestica) ACS gene, MdACS6. The transcript of MdACS6 was observed not only in fruits but also in other tissues. During fruit development, MdACS6 was initiated at a much earlier stage, whereas MdACS3a and MdACS1 began to be expressed at 35 d before harvest and immediateley after harvest, respectively. Moreover, the enzyme activity of MdACS6 was significantly lower than that of MdACS3a and MdACS1, accounting for the low ethylene biosynthesis in young fruits. Overexpression of MdACS6 (MdACS6-OE) by transient assay in apple showed enhanced ethylene production, and MdACS3a was induced in MdACS6-OE fruits but not in control fruits. In MdACS6 apple fruits silenced by the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system (MdACS6-AN), neither ethylene production nor MdACS3a transcript was detectable. In order to explore the mechanism through which MdACS3a was induced in MdACS6-OE fruits, we investigated the expression of apple ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) genes. The results showed that the expression of MdERF2 was induced in MdACS6-OE fruits and inhibited in MdACS6-AN fruits. Yeast one-hybrid assay showed that MdERF2 protein could bind to the promoter of MdACS3a. Moreover, down-regulation of MdERF2 in apple flesh callus led to a decrease of MdACS3a expression, demonstrating the regulation of MdERF2 on MdACS3a. The mechanism through which MdACS6 regulates the action of MdACS3a was discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

33 CFR 72.05-5 - Sales agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, and can be ordered online from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov, by Fax at 202-512-2104, or by telephone...

33 CFR 72.05-5 - Sales agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, and can be ordered online from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov, by Fax at 202-512-2104, or by telephone...

33 CFR 72.05-5 - Sales agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, and can be ordered online from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov, by Fax at 202-512-2104, or by telephone...

Ac electroosmotic flows above coplanar electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kweon Suh, Yong

2009-03-01

Interactive numerical method has been proposed to calculate the ac electroosmotic flows above a pair of coplanar electrodes. The thin electrical triple layer (ETL) has been modeled by an asymptotic theory developed by the authors. The model corresponds to a simple dynamic equation for the surface charge density representing the integrated charge over the inner layer. Interactive calculation of the dynamic equation and the Laplace equation for several periods of ac frequency then yielded steady-state distribution of potential and the potential drop across the Stern and inner layers. The Smoluchowski's slip velocity was then determined from those two set of data and used as the boundary condition for the calculation of the Stokes' flow above the electrodes. We have shown that our solutions compared well with the experimental data reported in the literature. We investigated the effect of various parameters on the slip velocity distribution, such as the ac frequency, the electrode length, the effective Stern-layer thickness and the adsorption coefficients.

Magnetic nanobeads present during enzymatic amplification and labeling for a simplified DNA detection protocol based on AC susceptometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejhed, Rebecca S.; Strømme, Maria; Svedlindh, Peter; Ahlford, Annika; Strömberg, Mattias

2015-12-01

Magnetic biosensors are promising candidates for low-cost point-of-care biodiagnostic devices. For optimal efficiency it is crucial to minimize the time and complexity of the assay protocol including target recognition, amplification, labeling and read-out. In this work, possibilities for protocol simplifications for a DNA biodetection principle relying on hybridization of magnetic nanobeads to rolling circle amplification (RCA) products are investigated. The target DNA is recognized through a padlock ligation assay resulting in DNA circles serving as templates for the RCA process. It is found that beads can be present during amplification without noticeably interfering with the enzyme used for RCA (phi29 polymerase). As a result, the bead-coil hybridization can be performed immediately after amplification in a one-step manner at elevated temperature within a few minutes prior to read-out in an AC susceptometer setup, i.e. a combined protocol approach. Moreover, by recording the phase angle ξ = arctan(χ″/χ'), where χ and χ″ are the in-phase and out-of-phase components of the AC susceptibility, respectively, at one single frequency the total assay time for the optimized combined protocol would be no more than 1.5 hours, often a relevant time frame for diagnosis of cancer and infectious disease. Also, applying the phase angle method normalization of AC susceptibility data is not needed. These findings are useful for the development of point-of-care biodiagnostic devices relying on bead-coil binding and magnetic AC susceptometry.

An AC electroosmotic micropump for circular chromatographic applications.

PubMed

Debesset, S; Hayden, C J; Dalton, C; Eijkel, J C T; Manz, A

2004-08-01

Flow rates of up to 50 microm s(-1) have been successfully achieved in a closed-loop channel using an AC electroosmotic pump. The AC electroosmotic pump is made of an interdigitated array of unequal width electrodes located at the bottom of a channel, with an AC voltage applied between the small and the large electrodes. The flow rate was found to increase linearly with the applied voltage and to decrease linearly with the applied frequency. The pump is expected to be suitable for circular chromatography for the following reasons: the driving forces are distributed over the channel length and the pumping direction is set by the direction of the interdigitated electrodes. Pumping in a closed-loop channel can be achieved by arranging the electrode pattern in a circle. In addition the inherent working principle of AC electroosmotic pumping enables the independent optimisation of the channel height or the flow velocity.

Characterizing superconducting thin films using AC Magnetic Susceptibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, C. H.; Porzio, J.; Sullivan, M. C.

2014-03-01

We present our work on using ac magnetic susceptibility to determine the critical temperature of superconducting thin films. In ac magnetic susceptibility, the thin film is placed between two coils. One coil carries an ac signal, creating a varying external magnetic field. We measure the voltage induced in the pick-up coil on the opposite side of the sample and measure how the sample magnetization changes as the temperature changes. We will present our work to use ac susceptibility to determine critical temperature and superconducting volume fraction. Using our own analysis program, we are able to accurately locate the critical temperatures of the samples and determine the transition width. For the superconducting volume fraction, we etch samples in order to control the thicknesses of the sample and measure how much of the material grown on the surface is superconducting. Supported by NFS grant DMR-1305637.

Introducing high performance distributed logging service for ACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avarias, Jorge A.; López, Joao S.; Maureira, Cristián; Sommer, Heiko; Chiozzi, Gianluca

2010-07-01

The ALMA Common Software (ACS) is a software framework that provides the infrastructure for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and other projects. ACS, based on CORBA, offers basic services and common design patterns for distributed software. Every properly built system needs to be able to log status and error information. Logging in a single computer scenario can be as easy as using fprintf statements. However, in a distributed system, it must provide a way to centralize all logging data in a single place without overloading the network nor complicating the applications. ACS provides a complete logging service infrastructure in which every log has an associated priority and timestamp, allowing filtering at different levels of the system (application, service and clients). Currently the ACS logging service uses an implementation of the CORBA Telecom Log Service in a customized way, using only a minimal subset of the features provided by the standard. The most relevant feature used by ACS is the ability to treat the logs as event data that gets distributed over the network in a publisher-subscriber paradigm. For this purpose the CORBA Notification Service, which is resource intensive, is used. On the other hand, the Data Distribution Service (DDS) provides an alternative standard for publisher-subscriber communication for real-time systems, offering better performance and featuring decentralized message processing. The current document describes how the new high performance logging service of ACS has been modeled and developed using DDS, replacing the Telecom Log Service. Benefits and drawbacks are analyzed. A benchmark is presented comparing the differences between the implementations.

Particle Line Assembly/Patterning by Microfluidic AC Electroosmosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian, Meng; Islam, Nazmul; Wu, Jie

2006-04-01

Recently AC electroosmosis has attracted research interests worldwide. This paper is the first to investigate particle line assembly/patterning by AC electroosmosis. Since AC electroosmotic force has no dependence on particle sizes, this technique is particularly useful for manipulating nanoscale substance, and hopefully constructs functional nanoscale devices. Two types of ACEO devices, in the configurations of planar interdigitated electrodes and parallel plate electrodes, and a biased ACEO technique are studied, which provides added flexibility in particle manipulation and line assembly. The paper also investigates the effects of electrical field distributions on generating microflows for particle assembly. The results are corroborated experimentally.

Antrodia cinnamomea extract inhibits the proliferation of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells through apoptosis and skp2/microRNAs pathway.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Shih; Lin, Yin-Yin; Yang, Yao-Hsu; Lin, Chun-Liang; Kuan, Feng-Che; Lu, Cheng-Nan; Chang, Geng-He; Tsai, Ming-Shao; Hsu, Cheng-Ming; Yeh, Reming-Albert; Yang, Pei-Rung; Lee, I-Yun; Shu, Li-Hsin; Cheng, Yu-Ching; Liu, Hung-Te; Lee, Kuan-Der; Chang, De-Ching; Wu, Ching-Yuan

2018-05-09

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and affects 1.38 million women worldwide per year. Antiestrogens such as tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator, are widely used in clinics to treat ER-positive breast tumors. However, remissions of breast cancer are often followed by resistance to tamoxifen and disease relapse. Despite the increasing understanding of the resistance mechanisms, effective regimens for treating tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer are limited. Antrodia cinnamomea is a traditional medicinal mushroom native only to Taiwan. In this study, we aimed to examine in vitro effect of antrodia cinnamomea in the tamoxifen-resistant cancer. Antrodia cinnamomea was studied for its biological activity against proliferation of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer by XTT assay. Next, the underlying mechanism was studied by flow cytometry, qPCR and Western's blotting assay. Our results revealed that the ethanol extract of antrodia cinnamomea (AC) can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, including MCF-7 cell and tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 cell lines. Combination treatment with AC and 10 - 6  M tamoxifen have the better inhibitory effect on the proliferation of tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 cells than only AC did. AC can induce apoptosis in these breast cancer cells. Moreover, it can suppress the mRNA expression of skp2 (S-phase kinase-associated protein 2) by increasing the expressions of miR-21-5p, miR-26-5p, and miR-30-5p in MCF-7 and tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that the ethanol extract of antrodia cinnamomea could be a novel anticancer agent in the armamentarium of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer management. Moreover, we hope to identify additional pure compounds that could serve as promising anti-breast cancer candidates for further clinical trials.

Cost-Utility of "Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide" versus "Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel" for Treatment of Patients with Breast Cancer in Iran.

PubMed

Hatam, Nahid; Askarian, Mehrdad; Javan-Noghabi, Javad; Ahmadloo, Niloofar; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad

2015-01-01

A cost-utility analysis was performed to assess the cost-utility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens containing doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) versus paclitaxel and gemcitabine (PG) for locally advanced breast cancer patients in Iran. This cross-sectional study in Namazi hospital in Shiraz, in the south of Iran covered 64 breast cancer patients. According to the random numbers, the patients were divided into two groups, 32 receiving AC and 32 PG. Costs were identified and measured from a community perspective. These items included medical and non-medical direct and indirect costs. In this study, a data collection form was used. To assess the utility of the two regimens, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was applied. Using a decision tree, we calculated the expected costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) for both methods; also, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was assessed. The results of the decision tree showed that in the AC arm, the expected cost was 39,170 US$ and the expected QALY was 3.39 and in the PG arm, the expected cost was 43,336 dollars and the expected QALY was 2.64. Sensitivity analysis showed the cost effectiveness of the AC and ICER=-5535 US$. Overall, the results showed that AC to be superior to PG in treatment of patients with breast cancer, being less costly and more effective.

Protein Phosphatase 2A Signaling in Human Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

transfectants. Later, these cells were characterized for the PP2Acα expression and activity by immunoblot and malachite green based assay, respectively. Data...After centrifugation, 25 mL of supernatant was transferred to an assay plate; 100 mL of Malachite Green phosphate detection solution was added and incu...cancer cells was resolved and immunoblotted for PP2AC and b-actin (internal control). PP2A activity was determined by malachite green–based

A preliminary randomised controlled study of short-term Antrodia cinnamomea treatment combined with chemotherapy for patients with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Tsai, Ming-Yen; Hung, Yu-Chiang; Chen, Yen-Hao; Chen, Yung-Hsiang; Huang, Yu-Chuen; Kao, Chao-Wei; Su, Yu-Li; Chiu, Hsien-Hsueh Elley; Rau, Kun-Ming

2016-08-26

Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) is a popular medicinal mushroom in Taiwan that has been widely used for treatment of various cancers. Few clinical studies have reported its application and efficiency in therapeutic chemotherapy strategies. We performed a double-blind, randomized clinical study to investigate whether AC given for 30 days had acceptable safety and efficacy in advanced cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients with advanced and/or metastatic adenocarcinoma, performance status (PS) 0-2, and adequate organ function who had previously been treated with standard chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive routine chemotherapy regimens with AC (20 ml twice daily) orally for 30 days or placebo. The primary endpoint was 6-month overall survival (OS); the secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), quality of life (QoL), adverse event (AE), and biochemical features within 30 days of treatment. From August 2010 to July 2012, 37 subjects with gastric, lung, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer (17 in the AC group, 20 in the placebo group) were enrolled in the study. Disease progression was the primary cause of death in 4 (33.3 %) AC and 8 (66.7 %) placebo recipients. Mean OSs were 5.4 months for the AC group and 5.0 months for the placebo group (p = 0.340), and the DCRs were 41.2 and 55 %, respectively (p = 0.33). Most hematologic, liver, or kidney functions did not differ significantly between the two groups, but platelet counts were lower in the AC group than in the placebo group (p = 0.02). QoL assessments were similar in the two groups, except that the AC group showed significant improvements in quality of sleep (p = 0.04). Although we found a lower mortality rate and longer mean OS in the AC group than in the control group, A. cinnamomea combined with chemotherapy was not shown to improve the outcome of advanced cancer patients, possibly due to the small sample size. In fact, the combination may present a potential risk

AC Coupled Interconnect for Low Power Spaceborne Electronics

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-30

Final Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 20/05/2003 to 30/09/2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE AC COUPLED INTERCONNECT FOR LOW POWER SPACEBORNE...14. ABSTRACT The primary objective of this effort was to establish that AC Coupled Interconnect could be used to create multiple solutions to...

[Ru/AC catalyzed ozonation of recalcitrant organic compounds].

PubMed

Wang, Jian-Bing; Hou, Shao-Pei; Zhou, Yun-Rui; Zhu, Wan-Peng; He, Xu-Wen

2009-09-15

Ozonation and Ru/AC catalyzed ozonation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), phenols and disinfection by-products precursors were studied. It shows that Ru/AC catalyst can obviously enhance the mineralization of organic compounds. In the degradation of DMP, TOC removal was 28.84% by ozonation alone while it was 66.13% by catalytic ozonation. In the oxidation of 23 kinds of phenols, TOC removals were 9.57%-56.08% by ozonation alone while they were 41.81%-82.32% by catalytic ozonation. Compared to ozonation alone, Ru/AC catalyzed ozonation was more effective for the reduction of disinfection by-products formation potentials in source water. The reduction of haloacetic acids formation potentials was more obvious than thichlomethane formation potentials. After the treatment by catalytic ozonation, the haloacetic acids formation potentials decreased from 144.02 microg/L to 58.50 microg/L, which was below the standard value of EPA. However ozonation alone could not make it reach the standard. The treatments of source water by BAC, O3 + BAC, O3/AC + BAC and Ru/AC + O3 + BAC were also studied. In the four processes, TOC removal was 3.80%, 20.14%, 27.45% and 48.30% respectively, COD removal was 4.37%, 27.22%, 39.91% and 50.00% respectively, UV254 removal was 8.16%, 62.24%, 67.03% and 84.95% respectively. Ru/AC + O3 + BAC process is more effective than the other processes for the removal of TOC, COD and UV254 and no ruthenium leaching observed in the solution. It is a promising process for the treatment of micro polluted source water.

Methods for Addressing Missing Data with Applications from ACS Exams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandriet, Alexandra; Holme, Thomas

2015-01-01

As part of the ACS Examinations Institute (ACS-EI) national norming process, student performance data sets are collected from professors at colleges and universities from around the United States. Because the data sets are collected on a volunteer basis, the ACS-EI often receives data sets with only students' total scores and without the students'…

Diagnostics of the Fermilab Tevatron using an AC dipole

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

Miyamoto, Ryoichi

2008-08-01

The Fermilab Tevatron is currently the world's highest energy colliding beam facility. Its counter-rotating proton and antiproton beams collide at 2 TeV center-of-mass. Delivery of such intense beam fluxes to experiments has required improved knowledge of the Tevatron's beam optical lattice. An oscillating dipole magnet, referred to as an AC dipole, is one of such a tool to non-destructively assess the optical properties of the synchrotron. We discusses development of an AC dipole system for the Tevatron, a fast-oscillating (f ~ 20 kHz) dipole magnet which can be adiabatically turned on and off to establish sustained coherent oscillations of themore » beam particles without affecting the transverse emittance. By utilizing an existing magnet and a higher power audio amplifier, the cost of the Tevatron AC dipole system became relatively inexpensive. We discuss corrections which must be applied to the driven oscillation measurements to obtain the proper interpretation of beam optical parameters from AC dipole studies. After successful operations of the Tevatron AC dipole system, AC dipole systems, similar to that in the Tevatron, will be build for the CERN LHC. We present several measurements of linear optical parameters (beta function and phase advance) for the Tevatron, as well as studies of non-linear perturbations from sextupole and octupole elements.« less

A Feasibility Study of Bevacizumab Plus Dose-Dense Doxorubicin–Cyclophosphamide (AC) Followed by Nanoparticle Albumin–Bound Paclitaxel in Early-Stage Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

McArthur, Heather L.; Rugo, Hope; Nulsen, Benjamin; Hawks, Laura; Grothusen, Jill; Melisko, Michelle; Moasser, Mark; Paulson, Matthew; Traina, Tiffany; Patil, Sujata; Zhou, Qin; Steingart, Richard; Dang, Chau; Morrow, Monica; Cordeiro, Peter; Fornier, Monica; Park, John; Seidman, Andrew; Lake, Diana; Gilewski, Theresa; Theodoulou, Maria; Modi, Shanu; D’Andrea, Gabriella; Sklarin, Nancy; Robson, Mark; Moynahan, Mary Ellen; Sugarman, Steven; Sealey, Jane E.; Laragh, John H.; Merali, Carmen; Norton, Larry; Hudis, Clifford A.; Dickler, Maura N.

2016-01-01

Purpose Bevacizumab confers benefits in metastatic breast cancer but may be more effective as adjuvant therapy. We evaluated the cardiac safety of bevacizumab plus dose-dense doxorubicin–cyclophosphamide (ddAC)→nanoparticle albumin−bound (nab)-paclitaxel in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 normal early-stage breast cancer. Experimental Design Eighty patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were enrolled. Bevacizumab was administered for 1 year, concurrently with ddAC→nab-paclitaxel then as a single agent. LVEF was evaluated at months 0, 2, 6, 9, and 18. This regimen was considered safe if fewer than three cardiac events or fewer than two deaths from left ventricular dysfunction occurred. Correlative studies of cardiac troponin (cTn) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were conducted. Results The median age was 48 years (range, 27−75 years), and baseline LVEF was 68% (53%−82%). After 39 months’ median follow-up (5−45 months): median LVEF was 68% (53%−80%) at 2 months (n=78), 64% (51%−77%) at 6 months (n=66), 63% (48%−77%) at 9 months (n=61), and 66% (42%−76%) at 18 months (n=54). One patient developed symptomatic LV dysfunction at month 15. Common toxicities necessitating treatment discontinuation were hypertension (HTN, 4%), wound-healing complications (4%), and asymptomatic LVEF declines (4%). Neither cTn nor PRA predicted CHF or HTN, respectively. Conclusions Bevacizumab with ddAC→nab-paclitaxel had a low rate of cardiac events; cTn and PRA levels are not predictive of CHF or HTN, respectively. The efficacy of bevacizumab as adjuvant treatment will be established in several ongoing phase III trials. PMID:21350003

Aragonite coating solutions (ACS) based on artificial seawater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tas, A. Cuneyt

2015-03-01

Aragonite (CaCO3, calcium carbonate) is an abundant biomaterial of marine life. It is the dominant inorganic phase of coral reefs, mollusc bivalve shells and the stalactites or stalagmites of geological sediments. Inorganic and initially precipitate-free aragonite coating solutions (ACS) of pH 7.4 were developed in this study to deposit monolayers of aragonite spherules or ooids on biomaterial (e.g., UHMWPE, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene) surfaces soaked in ACS at 30 °C. The ACS solutions of this study have been developed for the surface engineering of synthetic biomaterials. The abiotic ACS solutions, enriched with calcium and bicarbonate ions at different concentrations, essentially mimicked the artificial seawater composition and started to deposit aragonite after a long (4 h) incubation period at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. While numerous techniques for the solution deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), of low thermodynamic solubility, on synthetic biomaterials have been demonstrated, procedures related to the solution-based surface deposition of high solubility aragonite remained uncommon. Monolayers of aragonite ooids deposited at 30 °C on UHMWPE substrates soaked in organic-free ACS solutions were found to possess nano-structures similar to the mortar-and-brick-type botryoids observed in biogenic marine shells. Samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-AES and contact angle goniometry.

ac electroosmotic pumping induced by noncontact external electrodes

PubMed Central

Wang, Shau-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Ping; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2007-01-01

Electroosmotic (EO) pumps based on dc electroosmosis is plagued by bubble generation and other electrochemical reactions at the electrodes at voltages beyond 1 V for electrolytes. These disadvantages limit their throughput and offset their portability advantage over mechanical syringe or pneumatic pumps. ac electroosmotic pumps at high frequency (>100 kHz) circumvent the bubble problem by inducing polarization and slip velocity on embedded electrodes,1 but they require complex electrode designs to produce a net flow. We report a new high-throughput ac EO pump design based on induced-polarization on the entire channel surface instead of just on the electrodes. Like dc EO pumps, our pump electrodes are outside of the load section and form a cm-long pump unit consisting of three circular reservoirs (3 mm in diameter) connected by a 1×1 mm channel. The field-induced polarization can produce an effective Zeta potential exceeding 1 V and an ac slip velocity estimated as 1 mm∕sec or higher, both one order of magnitude higher than earlier dc and ac pumps, giving rise to a maximum throughput of 1 μl∕sec. Polarization over the entire channel surface, quadratic scaling with respect to the field and high voltage at high frequency without electrode bubble generation are the reasons why the current pump is superior to earlier dc and ac EO pumps. PMID:19693362

ac electroosmotic pumping induced by noncontact external electrodes.

PubMed

Wang, Shau-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Ping; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2007-09-21

Electroosmotic (EO) pumps based on dc electroosmosis is plagued by bubble generation and other electrochemical reactions at the electrodes at voltages beyond 1 V for electrolytes. These disadvantages limit their throughput and offset their portability advantage over mechanical syringe or pneumatic pumps. ac electroosmotic pumps at high frequency (>100 kHz) circumvent the bubble problem by inducing polarization and slip velocity on embedded electrodes,1 but they require complex electrode designs to produce a net flow. We report a new high-throughput ac EO pump design based on induced-polarization on the entire channel surface instead of just on the electrodes. Like dc EO pumps, our pump electrodes are outside of the load section and form a cm-long pump unit consisting of three circular reservoirs (3 mm in diameter) connected by a 1x1 mm channel. The field-induced polarization can produce an effective Zeta potential exceeding 1 V and an ac slip velocity estimated as 1 mmsec or higher, both one order of magnitude higher than earlier dc and ac pumps, giving rise to a maximum throughput of 1 mulsec. Polarization over the entire channel surface, quadratic scaling with respect to the field and high voltage at high frequency without electrode bubble generation are the reasons why the current pump is superior to earlier dc and ac EO pumps.

National Quality Forum Colon Cancer Quality Metric Performance: How Are Hospitals Measuring Up?

PubMed

Mason, Meredith C; Chang, George J; Petersen, Laura A; Sada, Yvonne H; Tran Cao, Hop S; Chai, Christy; Berger, David H; Massarweh, Nader N

2017-12-01

To evaluate the impact of care at high-performing hospitals on the National Quality Forum (NQF) colon cancer metrics. The NQF endorses evaluating ≥12 lymph nodes (LNs), adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for stage III patients, and AC within 4 months of diagnosis as colon cancer quality indicators. Data on hospital-level metric performance and the association with survival are unclear. Retrospective cohort study of 218,186 patients with resected stage I to III colon cancer in the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2012). High-performing hospitals (>75% achievement) were identified by the proportion of patients achieving each measure. The association between hospital performance and survival was evaluated using Cox shared frailty modeling. Only hospital LN performance improved (15.8% in 2004 vs 80.7% in 2012; trend test, P < 0.001), with 45.9% of hospitals performing well on all 3 measures concurrently in the most recent study year. Overall, 5-year survival was 75.0%, 72.3%, 72.5%, and 69.5% for those treated at hospitals with high performance on 3, 2, 1, and 0 metrics, respectively (log-rank, P < 0.001). Care at hospitals with high metric performance was associated with lower risk of death in a dose-response fashion [0 metrics, reference; 1, hazard ratio (HR) 0.96 (0.89-1.03); 2, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); 3, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90); 2 vs 1, HR 0.96 (0.91-1.01); 3 vs 1, HR 0.89 (0.84-0.93); 3 vs 2, HR 0.95 (0.89-0.95)]. Performance on metrics in combination was associated with lower risk of death [LN + AC, HR 0.86 (0.78-0.95); AC + timely AC, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); LN + AC + timely AC, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90)], whereas individual measures were not [LN, HR 0.95 (0.88-1.04); AC, HR 0.95 (0.87-1.05)]. Less than half of hospitals perform well on these NQF colon cancer metrics concurrently, and high performance on individual measures is not associated with improved survival. Quality improvement efforts should shift focus from individual measures to defining composite measures

ac propulsion system for an electric vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geppert, S.

1980-01-01

It is pointed out that dc drives will be the logical choice for current production electric vehicles (EV). However, by the mid-80's, there is a good chance that the price and reliability of suitable high-power semiconductors will allow for a competitive ac system. The driving force behind the ac approach is the induction motor, which has specific advantages relative to a dc shunt or series traction motor. These advantages would be an important factor in the case of a vehicle for which low maintenance characteristics are of primary importance. A description of an EV ac propulsion system is provided, taking into account the logic controller, the inverter, the motor, and a two-speed transmission-differential-axle assembly. The main barrier to the employment of the considered propulsion system in EV is not any technical problem, but inverter transistor cost.

AC Resistance measuring instrument

DOEpatents

Hof, Peter J.

1983-01-01

An auto-ranging AC resistance measuring instrument for remote measurement of the resistance of an electrical device or circuit connected to the instrument includes a signal generator which generates an AC excitation signal for application to a load, including the device and the transmission line, a monitoring circuit which provides a digitally encoded signal representing the voltage across the load, and a microprocessor which operates under program control to provide an auto-ranging function by which range resistance is connected in circuit with the load to limit the load voltage to an acceptable range for the instrument, and an auto-compensating function by which compensating capacitance is connected in shunt with the range resistance to compensate for the effects of line capacitance. After the auto-ranging and auto-compensation functions are complete, the microprocessor calculates the resistance of the load from the selected range resistance, the excitation signal, and the load voltage signal, and displays of the measured resistance on a digital display of the instrument.

An ecological analysis of PM2.5 concentrations and lung cancer mortality rates in China.

PubMed

Fu, Jingying; Jiang, Dong; Lin, Gang; Liu, Kun; Wang, Qiao

2015-11-24

To explore the association between Particulate Matter (PM)2.5 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) and lung cancer mortality rates and to estimate the potential risk of lung cancer mortality related to exposure to high PM2.5 concentrations. Geographically weighted regression was performed to evaluate the relation between PM2.5 concentrations and lung cancer mortality for males, females and for both sexes combined, in 2008, based on newly available long-term data. Lung cancer fatalities from long-term exposure to PM2.5 were calculated according to studies by Pope III et al and the WHO air quality guidelines (AQGs). 31 provinces in China. PM2.5 was associated with the lung cancer mortality of males, females and both sexes combined, in China, although there were exceptions in several regions, for males and females. The number of lung cancer fatalities calculated by the WHO AQGs ranged from 531,036 to 532,004, whereas the number calculated by the American Cancer Society (ACS) reached 614,860 after long-term (approximately 3-4 years) exposure to PM2.5 concentrations since 2008. There is a positive correlation between PM2.5 and lung cancer mortality rate, and the relationship between them varies across the entire country of China. The number of lung cancer fatalities estimated by ACS was closer to the actual data than those of the WHO AQGs. Therefore, the ACS estimate of increased risk of lung cancer mortality from long-term exposure to PM2.5 might be more applicable for evaluating lung cancer fatalities in China than the WHO estimate. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Modeling and Correcting the Time-Dependent ACS PSF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhodes, Jason; Massey, Richard; Albert, Justin; Taylor, James E.; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Leauthaud, Alexie

2006-01-01

The ability to accurately measure the shapes of faint objects in images taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) depends upon detailed knowledge of the Point Spread Function (PSF). We show that thermal fluctuations cause the PSF of the ACS Wide Field Camera (WFC) to vary over time. We describe a modified version of the TinyTim PSF modeling software to create artificial grids of stars across the ACS field of view at a range of telescope focus values. These models closely resemble the stars in real ACS images. Using 10 bright stars in a real image, we have been able to measure HST s apparent focus at the time of the exposure. TinyTim can then be used to model the PSF at any position on the ACS field of view. This obviates the need for images of dense stellar fields at different focus values, or interpolation between the few observed stars. We show that residual differences between our TinyTim models and real data are likely due to the effects of Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) degradation. Furthermore, we discuss stochastic noise that is added to the shape of point sources when distortion is removed, and we present MultiDrizzle parameters that are optimal for weak lensing science. Specifically, we find that reducing the MultiDrizzle output pixel scale and choosing a Gaussian kernel significantly stabilizes the resulting PSF after image combination, while still eliminating cosmic rays/bad pixels, and correcting the large geometric distortion in the ACS. We discuss future plans, which include more detailed study of the effects of CTE degradation on object shapes and releasing our TinyTim models to the astronomical community.

AC conductivity of a quantum Hall line junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Amit; Sen, Diptiman

2009-09-01

We present a microscopic model for calculating the AC conductivity of a finite length line junction made up of two counter- or co-propagating single mode quantum Hall edges with possibly different filling fractions. The effect of density-density interactions and a local tunneling conductance (σ) between the two edges is considered. Assuming that σ is independent of the frequency ω, we derive expressions for the AC conductivity as a function of ω, the length of the line junction and other parameters of the system. We reproduce the results of Sen and Agarwal (2008 Phys. Rev. B 78 085430) in the DC limit (\\omega \\to 0 ), and generalize those results for an interacting system. As a function of ω, the AC conductivity shows significant oscillations if σ is small; the oscillations become less prominent as σ increases. A renormalization group analysis shows that the system may be in a metallic or an insulating phase depending on the strength of the interactions. We discuss the experimental implications of this for the behavior of the AC conductivity at low temperatures.

AC propulsion system for an electric vehicle, phase 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slicker, J. M.

1983-06-01

A second-generation prototype ac propulsion system for a passenger electric vehicle was designed, fabricated, tested, installed in a modified Mercury Lynx vehicle and track tested at the Contractor's site. The system consisted of a Phase 2, 18.7 kw rated ac induction traction motor, a 192-volt, battery powered, pulse-width-modulated, transistorized inverter packaged for under rear seat installation, a 2-axis, 2-speed, automatically-shifted mechanical transaxle and a microprocessor-based powertrain/vehicle controller. A diagnostics computer to assist tuning and fault finding was fabricated. Dc-to-mechanical-system efficiency varied from 78% to 82% as axle speed/torque ranged from 159 rpm/788 nm to 65 rpm/328 nm. Track test efficiency results suggest that the ac system will be equal or superior to dc systems when driving urban cycles. Additional short-term work is being performed under a third contract phase (AC-3) to raise transaxle efficiency to predicted levels, and to improve starting and shifting characteristics. However, the long-term challenge to the system's viability remains inverter cost. A final report on the Phase 2 system, describing Phase 3 modifications, will be issued at the conclusion of AC-3.

AC propulsion system for an electric vehicle, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slicker, J. M.

1983-01-01

A second-generation prototype ac propulsion system for a passenger electric vehicle was designed, fabricated, tested, installed in a modified Mercury Lynx vehicle and track tested at the Contractor's site. The system consisted of a Phase 2, 18.7 kw rated ac induction traction motor, a 192-volt, battery powered, pulse-width-modulated, transistorized inverter packaged for under rear seat installation, a 2-axis, 2-speed, automatically-shifted mechanical transaxle and a microprocessor-based powertrain/vehicle controller. A diagnostics computer to assist tuning and fault finding was fabricated. Dc-to-mechanical-system efficiency varied from 78% to 82% as axle speed/torque ranged from 159 rpm/788 nm to 65 rpm/328 nm. Track test efficiency results suggest that the ac system will be equal or superior to dc systems when driving urban cycles. Additional short-term work is being performed under a third contract phase (AC-3) to raise transaxle efficiency to predicted levels, and to improve starting and shifting characteristics. However, the long-term challenge to the system's viability remains inverter cost. A final report on the Phase 2 system, describing Phase 3 modifications, will be issued at the conclusion of AC-3.

Probable alpha and 14C cluster emission from hyper Ac nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhosh, K. P.

2013-10-01

A systematic study on the probability for the emission of 4He and 14C cluster from hyper {Λ/207-234}Ac and non-strange normal 207-234Ac nuclei are performed for the first time using our fission model, the Coulomb and proximity potential model (CPPM). The predicted half lives show that hyper {Λ/207-234}Ac nuclei are unstable against 4He emission and 14C emission from hyper {Λ/217-228}Ac are favorable for measurement. Our study also show that hyper {Λ/207-234}Ac are stable against hyper {Λ/4}He and {Λ/14}C emission. The role of neutron shell closure ( N = 126) in hyper {Λ/214}Fr daughter and role of proton/neutron shell closure ( Z ≈ 82, N = 126) in hyper {Λ/210}Bi daughter are also revealed. As hyper-nuclei decays to normal nuclei by mesonic/non-mesonic decay and since most of the predicted half lives for 4He and 14C emission from normal Ac nuclei are favourable for measurement, we presume that alpha and 14C cluster emission from hyper Ac nuclei can be detected in laboratory in a cascade (two-step) process.

Atomic oxygen behavior at downstream of AC excited atmospheric pressure He plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Keigo; Ishikawa, Kenji; Tanaka, Hiromasa; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru

2016-09-01

Applications of atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJ) have been investigated in the plasma medical fields such as cancer therapy, blood coagulation, etc. Reactive species generated by the plasma jet interacts with the biological surface. Therefore, the issue attracts much attentions to investigate the plasma effects on targets. In our group, a spot-size AC excited He APPJ have been used for the plasma medicine. From diagnostics of the APPJ using optical emission spectroscopy, the gas temperature and the electron density was estimated to be 299 K and 3.4 ×1015 cm-3. The AC excited He APPJ which affords high density plasma at room temperature is considered to be a powerful tool for the medical applications. In this study, by using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy, the density of atomic oxygen on a floating copper as a target irradiated by the He APPJ was measured as a function of the distance between the plasma source and the copper wire. The measured density became a maximum value around 8 ×1013 cm-3 at 12 mm distance, and then decreased over the distance. It is considered that the behavior was due to the changes in the plasma density on the copper wire and influence of ambient air.

Prognostic Significance of Signet Ring Gastric Cancer

PubMed Central

Taghavi, Sharven; Jayarajan, Senthil N.; Davey, Adam; Willis, Alliric I.

2012-01-01

Purpose Studies in Asia have questioned the dictum that signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) has a worse prognosis than other forms of gastric cancer. Our study determined differences in presentation and outcomes between SRC and gastric adenocarcinoma (AC) in the United States. Patients and Methods The National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was reviewed for SRC and AC from 2004 to 2007. Results We reviewed 10,246 cases of patients with gastric cancer, including 2,666 of SRC and 7,580 of AC. SRC presented in younger patients (61.9 v 68.7 years; P < .001) and less often in men (52.7% v 68.7%; P < .001). SRC patients were more frequently black (11.3% v 10.9%), Asian (16.4% v 13.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9% v 0.8%), or Hispanic (23.3% v 14.0%; P < .001). SRC was more likely to be stage T3-4 (45.8% v 33.3%), have lymph node spread (59.7% v 51.8%), and distant metastases (40.2% v 37.6%; P < .001). SRC was more likely to be found in the lower (30.7% v 24.2%) and middle stomach (30.6% v 20.7%; P < .001). Median survival was not different between the two (AC, 14.0 months v SRC, 13.0 months; P = .073). Multivariable analyses demonstrated SRC was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.11; P = .150). Mortality was associated with age (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.02; P < .001), black race (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20; P = .026), and tumor grade. Variables associated with lower mortality risk included Asian race (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.91; P < .001) and surgery (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.39; P < .001). Conclusion In the United States, SRC significantly differs from AC in extent of disease at presentation. However, when adjusted for stage, SRC does not portend a worse prognosis. PMID:22927530

Arthroscopically Assisted Reconstruction of Acute Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocations: Anatomic AC Ligament Reconstruction With Protective Internal Bracing—The “AC-RecoBridge” Technique

PubMed Central

Izadpanah, Kaywan; Jaeger, Martin; Ogon, Peter; Südkamp, Norbert P.; Maier, Dirk

2015-01-01

An arthroscopically assisted technique for the treatment of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocations is presented. This pathology-based procedure aims to achieve anatomic healing of both the acromioclavicular ligament complex (ACLC) and the coracoclavicular ligaments. First, the acromioclavicular joint is reduced anatomically under macroscopic and radiologic control and temporarily transfixed with a K-wire. A single-channel technique using 2 suture tapes provides secure coracoclavicular stabilization. The key step of the procedure consists of the anatomic repair of the ACLC (“AC-Reco”). Basically, we have observed 4 patterns of injury: clavicular-sided, acromial-sided, oblique, and midportion tears. Direct and/or transosseous ACLC repair is performed accordingly. Then, an X-configured acromioclavicular suture tape cerclage (“AC-Bridge”) is applied under arthroscopic assistance to limit horizontal clavicular translation to a physiological extent. The AC-Bridge follows the principle of internal bracing and protects healing of the ACLC repair. The AC-Bridge is tightened on top of the repair, creating an additional suture-bridge effect and promoting anatomic ACLC healing. We refer to this combined technique of anatomic ACLC repair and protective internal bracing as the “AC-RecoBridge.” A detailed stepwise description of the surgical technique, including indications, technical pearls and pitfalls, and potential complications, is given. PMID:26052493

Mathematical model for the dc-ac inverter for the Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Frederick C.

1987-01-01

The reader is informed of what was done for the mathematical modeling of the dc-ac inverter for the Space Shuttle. The mathematical modeling of the dc-ac inverter is an essential element in the modeling of the electrical power distribution system of the Space Shuttle. The electrical power distribution system which is present on the Space Shuttle is made up to 3 strings each having a fuel cell which provides dc to those systems which require dc, and the inverters which convert the dc to ac for those elements which require ac. The inverters are units which are 2 wire structures for the main dc inputs and 2 wire structures for the ac output. When 3 are connected together a 4 wire wye connection results on the ac side. The method of modeling is performed by using a Least Squares curve fitting method. A computer program is presented for implementation of the model along with graphs and tables to demonstrate the accuracy of the model.

[Expression of AC133 vs. CD34 in acute childhood leukemias].

PubMed

Ebener, U; Brinkmann, A; Zotova, V; Niegemann, E; Wehner, S

2000-01-01

AC133, a newly discovered antigen on human progenitor cells, demonstrating 5-transmembranous domains is expressed by 30-60% out of all CD34+ cells. Our aim therefore was to investigate the extent of human stem-/progenitor cells expressing AC133 antigen in umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood without or following an application of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). The main task was the investigation of bone marrow aspirates derived from children suffering from newly diagnosed acute leukemias, as well as from patients with a relapse or during a complete remission. The determination of antigen expression was done by application of flow cytometry (FACScan analysis) and the usage of newly developed monoclonal antibodies (AC133/1 and AC133/2; Miltenyi Biotec GmbH) in combination with monoclonal antibody directed against CD34-antigens (HPCA-2; BD). Our studies till now show average percentages in umbilical cord blood derived from 43 newborns about 0.294 +/- 0.165% AC133+ vs. 0.327 +/- 0.156% CD34+ hematopoietic stem-/progenitor cells (HSPC). In peripheral blood from 11 healthy donors we verified up to 0.15% CD34+ as well as AC133+ HSPC's. The concentration of progenitor cells was found to be obviously higher in peripheral blood from children with various diseases (neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, ALL/AML) and undergoing application with rhG-CSF in order to be prepared for PBSC-transplantation. In those cases we found up to 3.51% AC133+ cells as well as slightly higher values (3.94%) for CD34 antigens. Additionally we quantified 128 bone marrow (BM) samples for AC133+ and CD34+ cells. In 10 BM samples, derived from patients without any neoplasia, the CD34+ cells were about 0.03% and 1.49%, whereas AC133 values were up to 0.64%. Bone marrow aspirates from 53 children with acute leukemias at time of diagnosis (ALL: n = 41/AML: n = 12) have been immunophenotyped and leukemic blast cells have been proved for AC133- and CD34 antigen expression. 32/41 (78%) of

PRMT7 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and promotes metastasis in breast cancer.

PubMed

Yao, Ruosi; Jiang, Hao; Ma, Yuhui; Wang, Liping; Wang, Lin; Du, Juan; Hou, Pingfu; Gao, Yanyan; Zhao, Li; Wang, Guannan; Zhang, Yu; Liu, Dong-Xu; Huang, Baiqu; Lu, Jun

2014-10-01

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) enables metastasis. E-cadherin loss is a hallmark of EMT, but there remains an incomplete understanding of the epigenetics of this process. The protein arginine methyltransferase PRMT7 functions in various physiologic processes, including mRNA splicing, DNA repair, and neural differentiation, but its possible roles in cancer and metastasis have not been explored. In this report, we show that PRMT7 is expressed at higher levels in breast carcinoma cells and that elevated PRMT7 mediates EMT and metastasis. PRMT7 could inhibit the expression of E-cadherin by binding to its proximal promoter in a manner associated with altered histone methylation, specifically with elevated H4R3me2s and reduced H3K4me3, H3Ac, and H4Ac, which occurred at the E-cadherin promoter upon EMT induction. Moreover, PRMT7 interacted with YY1 and HDAC3 and was essential to link these proteins to the E-cadherin promoter. Silencing PRMT7 restored E-cadherin expression by repressing H4R3me2s and by increasing H3K4me3 and H4Ac, attenuating cell migration and invasion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Overall, our results define PRMT7 as an inducer of breast cancer metastasis and present the opportunity for applying PRMT7-targeted therapeutics to treat highly invasive breast cancers. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Oncologic outcomes in patients with nonurothelial bladder cancer.

PubMed

Patel, Sanjay G; Weiner, Adam Benjamin; Keegan, Kirk; Morgan, Todd

2018-01-01

We aimed to evaluate the relative prognostic impact of the most common variant histologies on disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients undergoing radical cystectomy. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database was used to identify patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer from 1990 to 2007. Patients with urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma (AC), sarcoma, small cell carcinoma, signet ring carcinoma, and spindle cell carcinoma were included in the study. Multivariable analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards model to assess independent predictors of disease-specific survival (DSS). Mortality rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. A total of 14,130 patients met inclusion criteria with the following histologies: UCC (90.1%), SCC (4.6%), AC, (2.3%), sarcoma (0.8%), small cell carcinoma (0.8%), signet ring carcinoma (0.5%), and spindle cell carcinoma (0.9%). Three-year DSS was most favorable in patients with UCC (63.7%; 95% confidence interval [62.9%-64.8%]) and AC (65.3% [59.3%-70.6%]), whereas 3-year DSS was the least favorable for small cell carcinoma (41.6% [31.3%-51.6%]) and sarcoma (45.4% [35.1%-55.1%]). In the multivariable analysis, independent predictors of DSS were age, marital status, grade, T-stage, N-stage, and variant histology. With respect to UCC, there was an increased risk of disease-specific death associated with all variants except AC. Sarcoma and spindle cell carcinoma were associated with the highest risk of death. With the exception of AC, the most common variant bladder cancer histologies are all independently associated with worse DSS relative to UCC in patients undergoing radical cystectomy.

System and method for determining stator winding resistance in an AC motor

DOEpatents

Lu, Bin [Kenosha, WI; Habetler, Thomas G [Snellville, GA; Zhang, Pinjia [Atlanta, GA; Theisen, Peter J [West Bend, WI

2011-05-31

A system and method for determining stator winding resistance in an AC motor is disclosed. The system includes a circuit having an input connectable to an AC source and an output connectable to an input terminal of an AC motor. The circuit includes at least one contactor and at least one switch to control current flow and terminal voltages in the AC motor. The system also includes a controller connected to the circuit and configured to modify a switching time of the at least one switch to create a DC component in an output of the system corresponding to an input to the AC motor and determine a stator winding resistance of the AC motor based on the injected DC component of the voltage and current.

The Cryogenic Anti-Coincidence detector for ATHENA X-IFU: pulse analysis of the AC-S7 single pixel prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Andrea, M.; Argan, A.; Lotti, S.; Macculi, C.; Piro, L.; Biasotti, M.; Corsini, D.; Gatti, F.; Torrioli, G.

2016-07-01

The ATHENA observatory is the second large-class mission in ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025, with a launch foreseen in 2028 towards the L2 orbit. The mission addresses the science theme "The Hot and Energetic Universe", by coupling a high-performance X-ray Telescope with two complementary focal-plane instruments. One of these is the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU): it is a TES based kilo-pixel order array able to provide spatially resolved high-resolution spectroscopy (2.5 eV at 6 keV) over a 5 arcmin FoV. The X-IFU sensitivity is degraded by the particles background expected at L2 orbit, which is induced by primary protons of both galactic and solar origin, and mostly by secondary electrons. To reduce the background level and enable the mission science goals, a Cryogenic Anticoincidence (CryoAC) detector is placed < 1 mm below the TES array. It is a 4- pixel TES based detector, with wide Silicon absorbers sensed by Ir:Au TESes. The CryoAC development schedule foresees by Q1 2017 the delivery of a Demonstration Model (DM) to the X-IFU FPA development team. The DM is a single-pixel detector that will address the final design of the CryoAC. It will verify some representative requirements at single-pixel level, especially the detector operation at 50 mK thermal bath and the threshold energy at 20 keV. To reach the final DM design we have developed and tested the AC-S7 prototype, with 1 cm2 absorber area sensed by 65 Ir TESes. Here we will discuss the pulse analysis of this detector, which has been illuminated by the 60 keV line from a 241Am source. First, we will present the analysis performed to investigate pulses timings and spectrum, and to disentangle the athermal component of the pulses from the thermal one. Furthermore, we will show the application to our dataset of an alternative method of pulse processing, based upon Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This kind of analysis allow us to recover better energy spectra than achievable with traditional methods

Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO Inhibit Death of Wheat Microspores

PubMed Central

Sinha, Rakesh K.; Pospíšil, Pavel; Maheshwari, Priti; Eudes, François

2016-01-01

Microspore cell death and low green plant production efficiency are an integral obstacle in the development of doubled haploid production in wheat. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of anti-apoptotic recombinant human B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2△21) and caspase-3-inhibitor (Ac-DEVD-CHO) in microspore cell death in bread wheat cultivars AC Fielder and AC Andrew. Induction medium containing Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO yielded a significantly higher number of viable microspores, embryo-like structures and total green plants in wheat cultivars AC Fielder and AC Andrew. Total peroxidase activity was lower in Bcl-2△21 treated microspore cultures at 96 h of treatment compared to control and Ac-DEVD-CHO. Electron paramagnetic resonance study of total microspore protein showed a different scavenging activity for Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO. Bcl-2△21 scavenged approximately 50% hydroxyl radical (HO•) formed, whereas Ac-DEVD-CHO scavenged approximately 20% of HO•. Conversely, reduced caspase-3-like activities were detected in the presence of Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO, supporting the involvement of Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO in increasing microspore viability by reducing oxidative stress and caspase-3-like activity. Our results indicate that Bcl-2△21 and Ac-DEVD-CHO protects cells from cell death following different pathways. Bcl-2△21 prevents cell damage by detoxifying HO• and suppressing caspase-3-like activity, while Ac-DEVD-CHO inhibits the cell death pathways by modulating caspase-like activity. PMID:28082995

Cascaded Quadruple Active Bridge Structures for Multilevel DC to Three-Phase AC Conversion

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

Johnson, Brian B; Achanta, Prasanta K; Maksimovic, Dragan

This paper introduces a multilevel architecture comprised of interconnected dc to three-phase ac converter units. To enable series connected operation, each converter unit contains a quadruple active bridge (QAB) converter that provides isolation between the dc side and each of the three ac sides. Since each converter unit transfers dc-side power as constant balanced three-phase power on the ac side, this implies instantaneous input-output power balance and allows elimination of bulk capacitive energy storage. In addition to minimizing required capacitance, the proposed approach simultaneously enables simplified dc-link controllers amenable to decentralized implementation, supports bidirectional power transfer, and exhibits a modularmore » structure to enhance scalability. Isolation provided by the QAB allows a wide range of electrical configurations among multiple units in various dc-ac, ac-dc or ac-ac applications. In this paper, the focus is on series connections on the ac side to emphasize multilevel operation, and the approach is experimentally validated in a dc-ac system containing two cascaded converter units.« less

Non-oxidized porous silicon-based power AC switch peripheries.

PubMed

Menard, Samuel; Fèvre, Angélique; Valente, Damien; Billoué, Jérôme; Gautier, Gaël

2012-10-11

We present in this paper a novel application of porous silicon (PS) for low-power alternating current (AC) switches such as triode alternating current devices (TRIACs) frequently used to control small appliances (fridge, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, coffee makers, etc.). More precisely, it seems possible to benefit from the PS electrical insulation properties to ensure the OFF state of the device. Based on the technological aspects of the most commonly used AC switch peripheries physically responsible of the TRIAC blocking performances (leakage current and breakdown voltage), we suggest to isolate upper and lower junctions through the addition of a PS layer anodically etched from existing AC switch diffusion profiles. Then, we comment the voltage capability of practical samples emanating from the proposed architecture. Thanks to the characterization results of simple Al-PS-Si(P) structures, the experimental observations are interpreted, thus opening new outlooks in the field of AC switch peripheries.

Genetic variants of the DNA repair genes from Exome Aggregation Consortium (EXAC) database: significance in cancer.

PubMed

Das, Raima; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar

2017-04-01

DNA repair pathway is a primary defense system that eliminates wide varieties of DNA damage. Any deficiencies in them are likely to cause the chromosomal instability that leads to cell malfunctioning and tumorigenesis. Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes have demonstrated a significant association with cancer risk. Our study attempts to give a glimpse of the overall scenario of the germline polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes by taking into account of the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) database as well as the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) for evaluating the disease link, particularly in cancer. It has been found that ExAC DNA repair dataset (which consists of 228 DNA repair genes) comprises 30.4% missense, 12.5% dbSNP reported and 3.2% ClinVar significant variants. 27% of all the missense variants has the deleterious SIFT score of 0.00 and 6% variants carrying the most damaging Polyphen-2 score of 1.00, thus affecting the protein structure and function. However, as per HGMD, only a fraction (1.2%) of ExAC DNA repair variants was found to be cancer-related, indicating remaining variants reported in both the databases to be further analyzed. This, in turn, may provide an increased spectrum of the reported cancer linked variants in the DNA repair genes present in ExAC database. Moreover, further in silico functional assay of the identified vital cancer-associated variants, which is essential to get their actual biological significance, may shed some lights in the field of targeted drug development in near future. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Effects of Theta and Gamma tACS on Working Memory and Electrophysiology

PubMed Central

Pahor, Anja; Jaušovec, Norbert

2018-01-01

A single blind sham-controlled study was conducted to explore the effects of theta and gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on offline performance on working memory tasks. In order to systematically investigate how specific parameters of tACS affect working memory, we manipulated the frequency of stimulation (theta frequency vs. gamma frequency), the type of task (n-back vs. change detection task) and the content of the tasks (verbal vs. figural stimuli). A repeated measures design was used that consisted of three sessions: theta tACS, gamma tACS and sham tACS. In total, four experiments were conducted which differed only with respect to placement of tACS electrodes (bilateral frontal, bilateral parietal, left fronto-parietal and right-fronto parietal). Healthy female students (N = 72) were randomly assigned to one of these groups, hence we were able to assess the efficacy of theta and gamma tACS applied over different brain areas, contrasted against sham stimulation. The pre-post/sham resting electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis showed that theta tACS significantly affected theta amplitude, whereas gamma tACS had no significant effect on EEG amplitude in any of the frequency bands of interest. Gamma tACS did not significantly affect working memory performance compared to sham, and theta tACS led to inconsistent changes in performance on the n-back tasks. Active theta tACS significantly affected P3 amplitude and latency during performance on the n-back tasks in the bilateral parietal and right-fronto parietal protocols. PMID:29375347

Development of a Portable AC/DC Welding Power Supply Module

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-03-01

REPORT DATE MAR 1975 2. REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Development of a Portable AC /DC Welding Power Supply...achieved. Additional bypass capacitors were added to reduce further switch heating and voltage transients. November AC welding was achieved with...Investigate the conversion of inversion frequency back to 60 Hz for AC welding. 4) Investigate a 120V single phase mini supply. VI I Objectives A) Goals

(+)-Meyeniins A-C, Novel Hexahydroimidazo[1,5-c]thiazole Derivatives from the Tubers of Lepidium meyenii: Complete Structural Elucidation by Biomimetic Synthesis and Racemic Crystallization.

PubMed

Zhou, Min; Ma, Hang-Ying; Liu, Zhi-Hua; Yang, Guang-Yu; Du, Gang; Ye, Yan-Qing; Li, Gan-Peng; Hu, Qiu-Fen

2017-03-08

(+)-Meyeniins A-C (1-3), a novel class of sulfur-containing hexahydroimidazo[1,5-c]thiazole derivatives, were isolated from the tubers of Lepidium meyenii (maca) cultivated in Lijiang, Yunnan province, China. Guided by their biosynthetic hypothesis, a stereocontrolled biomimetic synthesis of meyeniins A-C and their individual enantiomers was efficiently accomplished by a combination of a condensation reaction and Edman degradation. The formation of high-quality crystals for X-ray crystallography occurred much more readily from a racemic mixture of (±)-meyeniin A than with the single enantiomer alone in this case. These extensive strategies, combined with circular dichroism (CD) spectra, allowed the complete structural assignments of (+)-meyeniins A-C. Among them, (+)-meyeniin A showed moderate selective cytotoxicities against the HL-60, A549 and MCF-7 human cell lines with IC 50 values of 14.41, 32.22, and 33.14 μM, respectively. To some extent, these findings support traditional applications of maca as healthy nutritional supplements or functional foods for cancer prevention.

The serrated neoplasia pathway of colorectal tumors: Identification of MUC5AC hypomethylation as an early marker of polyps with malignant potential.

PubMed

Renaud, Florence; Mariette, Christophe; Vincent, Audrey; Wacrenier, Agnès; Maunoury, Vincent; Leclerc, Julie; Coppin, Lucie; Crépin, Michel; Van Seuningen, Isabelle; Leteurtre, Emmanuelle; Buisine, Marie-Pierre

2016-03-15

The serrated neoplasia pathway accounts for 20-30% of colorectal cancers (CRC), which are characterized by extensive methylation (CpG island methylation phenotype, CIMP), frequent BRAF mutation and high microsatellite instability (MSI). We recently identified MUC5AC mucin gene hypomethylation as a specific marker of MSI CRC. The early identification of preneoplastic lesions among serrated polyps is currently challenging. Here, we performed a detailed pathological and molecular analysis of a large series of colorectal serrated polyps and evaluated the usefulness of mucin genes MUC2 and MUC5AC to differentiate serrated polyps and to identify lesions with malignant potential. A series of 330 colorectal polyps including 218 serrated polyps [42 goblet cell-rich hyperplastic polyps (GCHP), 68 microvesicular hyperplastic polyps (MVHP), 100 sessile serrated adenoma (SSA) and eight traditional serrated adenoma (TSA)] and 112 conventional adenomas was analyzed for BRAF/KRAS mutations, MSI, CIMP, MLH1 and MGMT methylation, and MUC2 and MUC5AC expression and methylation. We show that MUC5AC hypomethylation is an early event in the serrated neoplasia pathway, and specifically detects MVHP and SSA, arguing for a filiation between MVHP, SSA and CIMP-H/MSI CRC, whereas GCHP and TSA arise from a distinct pathway. Moreover, MUC5AC hypomethylation specifically identified serrated lesions with BRAF mutation, CIMP-H or MSI, suggesting that it may be useful to identify serrated neoplasia pathway-related precursor lesions. Our data suggest that MVHP should be recognized among HP and require particular attention. © 2015 UICC.

Study on AC loss measurements of HTS power cable for standardizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukoyama, Shinichi; Amemiya, Naoyuki; Watanabe, Kazuo; Iijima, Yasuhiro; Mido, Nobuhiro; Masuda, Takao; Morimura, Toshiya; Oya, Masayoshi; Nakano, Tetsutaro; Yamamoto, Kiyoshi

2017-09-01

High-temperature superconducting power cables (HTS cables) have been developed for more than 20 years. In addition of the cable developments, the test methods of the HTS cables have been discussed and proposed in many laboratories and companies. Recently the test methods of the HTS cables is required to standardize and to common in the world. CIGRE made the working group (B1-31) for the discussion of the test methods of the HTS cables as a power cable, and published the recommendation of the test method. Additionally, IEC TC20 submitted the New Work Item Proposal (NP) based on the recommendation of CIGRE this year, IEC TC20 and IEC TC90 started the standardization work on Testing of HTS AC cables. However, the individual test method that used to measure a performance of HTS cables hasn’t been established as world’s common methods. The AC loss is one of the most important properties to disseminate low loss and economical efficient HTS cables in the world. We regard to establish the method of the AC loss measurements in rational and in high accuracy. Japan is at a leading position in the AC loss study, because Japanese researchers have studied on the AC loss technically and scientifically, and also developed the effective technologies for the AC loss reduction. The JP domestic commission of TC90 made a working team to discussion the methods of the AC loss measurements for aiming an international standard finally. This paper reports about the AC loss measurement of two type of the HTS conductors, such as a HTS conductor without a HTS shield and a HTS conductor with a HTS shield. The AC loss measurement method is suggested by the electrical method..

Cappuccino Bars and Fragrance Gardens.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Jack Alan

1994-01-01

Examines the effects of bookstores on public libraries. Topics discussed include the role of libraries as organizers of information; bookstores as competition; reading trends; library collections; libraries' emphasis on user services, including interlibrary loans; partnership programs; marketing strategies; user needs; hours of operation; and…

Expression of Caspase-1 in breast cancer tissues and its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion.

PubMed

Sun, Yanxia; Guo, Yingzhen

2018-05-01

The present study aimed to detect the expression of Caspase-1 in the tumor tissues and tumor-adjacent tissues of patients with breast cancer, and to investigate the effects of Caspase-1 on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of breast cancer cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect Caspase-1 mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues and tumor-adjacent tissues from patients. Additionally, the human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line was treated with the Caspase-1 small molecule inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK, following which the changes to Caspase-1 protein expression were detected via western blotting. The MTT method detected the changes to cell proliferation, flow cytometry detected the rate of apoptosis, and a Transwell assay was employed to assess invasion. Caspase-1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the breast cancer tissues of patients, compared with in the tumor-adjacent tissues, a difference that was statistically significant (P<0.05). Treatment with the Ac-YVAD-CMK markedly decreased the protein expression of Caspase-1 in MDA-MB-231 cells, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Following this treatment of Ac-YVAD-CMK cells, the proliferation and invasion abilities markedly increased, while the apoptotic levels significantly decreased (P<0.05). In conclusion, the expression of Caspase-1 is low in breast cancer tissues, which may promote the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells and could be closely associated with the occurrence and development of breast cancer.

AC resistance measuring instrument

DOEpatents

Hof, P.J.

1983-10-04

An auto-ranging AC resistance measuring instrument for remote measurement of the resistance of an electrical device or circuit connected to the instrument includes a signal generator which generates an AC excitation signal for application to a load, including the device and the transmission line, a monitoring circuit which provides a digitally encoded signal representing the voltage across the load, and a microprocessor which operates under program control to provide an auto-ranging function by which range resistance is connected in circuit with the load to limit the load voltage to an acceptable range for the instrument, and an auto-compensating function by which compensating capacitance is connected in shunt with the range resistance to compensate for the effects of line capacitance. After the auto-ranging and auto-compensation functions are complete, the microprocessor calculates the resistance of the load from the selected range resistance, the excitation signal, and the load voltage signal, and displays of the measured resistance on a digital display of the instrument. 8 figs.

40 CFR Appendixes A-C to Part 403 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true [Reserved] A Appendixes A-C to Part 403 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS GENERAL PRETREATMENT REGULATIONS FOR EXISTING AND NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION Appendixes A-C to Part 403...

Exenatide: AC 2993, AC002993, AC2993A, exendin 4, LY2148568.

PubMed

2004-01-01

Exenatide [AC002993, AC2993A, AC 2993, LY2148568, exendin 4], a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, is a synthetic exendin 4 compound under development with Amylin Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Both exendin 4 and its analogue, exendin 3, are 39-amino acid peptides isolated from Heloderma horridum lizard venom that have different amino acids at positions 2 and 3, respectively. Exendins are able to stimulate insulin secretion in response to rising blood glucose levels, and modulate gastric emptying to slow the entry of ingested sugars into the bloodstream. Amylin Pharmaceuticals acquired exclusive patent rights for the two exendin compounds (exendin 3 and exendin 4) from the originator, Dr John Eng (Bronx, NY, US). On 20 September 2002, Amylin and Eli Lilly signed a collaborative agreement for the development and commercialisation of exenatide for type 2 diabetes. Under the terms of the agreement, Eli Lilly has paid Amylin a licensing fee of 80 million US dollars and bought Amylin's stock worth 30 million US dollars at 18.69 US dollars a share. After the initial payment, Eli Lilly will pay Amylin up to 85 US dollars million upon reaching certain milestones and also make an additional payment of up to 130 million US dollars upon global commercialisation of exenatide. Both companies will share the US development and commercialisation costs, while Eli Lilly will pick up up to 80% of development costs and all commercialisation costs outside the US. Amylin and Eli Lilly will equally share profit from sales in the US, while Eli Lilly will get 80% of the profit outside the US and Amylin will get the rest. This agreement has also enabled Amylin to train its sales force to co-promote Lilly's human growth hormone Humatrope. Alkermes will receive research and development funding and milestone payments, and also a combination of royalty payments and manufacturing fees based on product sales. Alkermes undertakes the responsibility for the development

Autographa californica Nucleopolyhedrovirus AC141 (Exon0), a Potential E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, Interacts with Viral Ubiquitin and AC66 To Facilitate Nucleocapsid Egress.

PubMed

Biswas, Siddhartha; Willis, Leslie G; Fang, Minggang; Nie, Yingchao; Theilmann, David A

2018-02-01

During the infection cycle of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), two forms of virions are produced, budded virus (BV) and occlusion-derived virus (ODV). Nucleocapsids that form BV have to egress from the nucleus, whereas nucleocapsids that form ODV remain inside the nucleus. The molecular mechanism that determines whether nucleocapsids remain inside or egress from the nucleus is unknown. AC141 (a predicted E3 ubiquitin ligase) and viral ubiquitin (vUbi) have both been shown to be required for efficient BV production. In this study, it was hypothesized that vUbi interacts with AC141, and in addition, that this interaction was required for BV production. Deletion of both ac141 and vubi restricted viral infection to a single cell, and BV production was completely eliminated. AC141 was ubiquitinated by either vUbi or cellular Ubi, and this interaction was required for optimal BV production. Nucleocapsids in BV, but not ODV, were shown to be specifically ubiquitinated by vUbi, including a 100-kDa protein, as well as high-molecular-weight conjugates. The viral ubiquitinated 100-kDa BV-specific nucleocapsid protein was identified as AC66, which is known to be required for BV production and was shown by coimmunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry to interact with AC141. Confocal microscopy also showed that AC141, AC66, and vUbi interact at the nuclear periphery. These results suggest that ubiquitination of nucleocapsid proteins by vUbi functions as a signal to determine if a nucleocapsid will egress from the nucleus and form BV or remain in the nucleus to form ODV. IMPORTANCE Baculoviruses produce two types of virions called occlusion-derived virus (ODV) and budded virus (BV). ODVs are required for oral infection, whereas BV enables the systemic spread of virus to all host tissues, which is critical for killing insects. One of the important steps for BV production is the export of nucleocapsids out of the nucleus. This study investigated the

Traditional Pricing or Something Else?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epple, John H.

1980-01-01

It is argued tha alternate pricing methods for college textbooks--including net pricing, net billing, and single copy order pricing--would be detrimental to college bookstores. Publishers are urged to continue with the traditional method, and other publisher practices that could help bookstore managers are suggested. (JMD)

Energy saving in ac generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nola, F. J.

1980-01-01

Circuit cuts no-load losses, without sacrificing full-load power. Phase-contro circuit includes gate-controlled semiconductor switch that cuts off applied voltage for most of ac cycle if generator idling. Switch "on" time increases when generator is in operation.

Function analysis of Ac-PCNA and Sf-PCNA during the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus infection process.

PubMed

Fu, Yuejun; Wang, Ruisheng; Liang, Aihua

2018-06-01

The baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) possesses a gene, ac-pcna or ac49, which encodes a protein with similarity to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Homologs of this gene code for DNA polymerase processivity factors and are essential in the DNA replication systems. But the function of ac-pcna still remains unclear. To define the function of Ac-pcna in AcMNPV and Sf-pcna in host Sf9 cells, Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system was used to generate two recombinant baculoviruses: AcMNPV-Ac-pcna-EGFP and AcMNPV-Sf-pcna-EGFP. Results indicated that AcMNPV-mediated overexpression of Ac-PCNA and Sf-PCNA could stimulate replication of AcMNPV genome in the host Sf9 cells. Meanwhile, either AcMNPV-Ac-pcna-EGFP or AcMNPV-Sf-pcna-EGFP had a significant stimulating effect on Sf9 genome replication during infection. We also found that Ac-PCNA and Sf-PCNA could promote the production of budded virus. Ac-PCNA could improve the transcription level of ie2 gene dramatically and further improved the transcription of late gene, for example 38 K and vp39, at 12 h p.i.. Moreover, insecticidal potency test showed that the larvae of Beet armyworm in the AcMNPV-Ac-pcna-EGFP and AcMNPV-Sf-pcna-EGFP groups had a higher mortality rate (83.33 and 91.67%), a lower pupation rate (16.67 and 8.33%), and a lower emergence rate (6.67 and 3.33%), compared with those in AcMNPV-EGFP group. The function of Ac-PCNA and Sf-PCNA was confirmed in this study, which provided the theoretical foundation for using and modifying AcMNPV.

Context based computational analysis and characterization of ARS consensus sequences (ACS) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome.

PubMed

Singh, Vinod Kumar; Krishnamachari, Annangarachari

2016-09-01

Genome-wide experimental studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal that autonomous replicating sequence (ARS) requires an essential consensus sequence (ACS) for replication activity. Computational studies identified thousands of ACS like patterns in the genome. However, only a few hundreds of these sites act as replicating sites and the rest are considered as dormant or evolving sites. In a bid to understand the sequence makeup of replication sites, a content and context-based analysis was performed on a set of replicating ACS sequences that binds to origin-recognition complex (ORC) denoted as ORC-ACS and non-replicating ACS sequences (nrACS), that are not bound by ORC. In this study, DNA properties such as base composition, correlation, sequence dependent thermodynamic and DNA structural profiles, and their positions have been considered for characterizing ORC-ACS and nrACS. Analysis reveals that ORC-ACS depict marked differences in nucleotide composition and context features in its vicinity compared to nrACS. Interestingly, an A-rich motif was also discovered in ORC-ACS sequences within its nucleosome-free region. Profound changes in the conformational features, such as DNA helical twist, inclination angle and stacking energy between ORC-ACS and nrACS were observed. Distribution of ACS motifs in the non-coding segments points to the locations of ORC-ACS which are found far away from the adjacent gene start position compared to nrACS thereby enabling an accessible environment for ORC-proteins. Our attempt is novel in considering the contextual view of ACS and its flanking region along with nucleosome positioning in the S. cerevisiae genome and may be useful for any computational prediction scheme.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in Punjabi population from North West India.

PubMed

Kapahi, Ruhi; Guleria, Kamlesh; Sambyal, Vasudha; Manjari, Mridu; Sudan, Meena; Uppal, Manjit Singh; Singh, Neeti Rajan

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of seven VEGF promoter polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in Punjabi population from North West India. We screened DNA samples of 102 sporadic breast cancer patients and 102 unrelated healthy, gender, and age-matched individuals for seven VEGF promoter polymorphisms [-417 C/T (rs833062), -172 C/A (rs59260042), -165 C/T (rs79469752), -160 C/T, -152 G/A (rs13207351), -141 A/C (rs28357093) and -116 G/A (rs1570360)] by direct sequencing. The frequency of GG, GA, and AA genotype of -152 G/A polymorphism was 26.47 vs 38.34%, 46.08 vs 51.96%, and 27.45 vs 9.80%, in patients and controls, respectively. VEGF -152 AA genotype was significantly associated with increased risk for breast cancer (OR = 4.04, 95%CI, 1.69-9.68, p = 0.001; recessive model OR = 3.48, 95%CI, 1.59-7.63, p = 0.001). For VEGF -116 G/A polymorphism, G and A allele frequencies were 65.2 vs 76.47% and 34.8 vs 23.53% in patients and controls, respectively. Individuals having -116 AA genotype (OR = 3.40; 95%CI, 1.24-9.37; p = 0.014) and A allele (OR = 1.73; 95%CI, 1.12-2.67; p = 0.012) were associated with increased risk for breast cancer. VEGF -165 C/T and -141 A/C polymorphisms were associated with reduced risk for breast cancer. There was significantly decreased frequency of CT genotype (4.90 vs 18.63%; p = 0.002) and T allele (2.45 vs 9.31%; p = 0.003) of -165 C/T polymorphism among breast cancer patients as compared to controls. VEGF -141 A and C allele frequency were 96.57 vs 91.18% and 3.43 vs 8.82% in patients and controls, respectively. Significant reduced risk for breast cancer was observed with AC genotype (OR = 0.34, 95%CI, 0.14-0.86; p = 0.019) and C allele (OR = 0.37; 95%CI, 0.15-0.89; p = 0.023) of -141 A/C polymorphism. We did not observe association of VEGF -417 T/C, -172 C/A, -160 C/T polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in the studied subjects (p > 0.05). The VEGF -152 G/A and -116 G/A polymorphisms were found to be significantly

[Analysis of AC/A ratio after myopic excimer laser in situ keratomileusis].

PubMed

Wu, Xiao-ying; Liu, Shuang-zhen

2003-03-01

To study the changes of AC/A ratio of myopia after excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). 135 myopia patients were treated by LASIK, their AC/A ratios were measured with synoptohore before surgery and 3 months after surgery. The average AC/A ratios of naked eyes or eyes wearing glasses before surgery and the naked after surgery were (0.724 +/- 0.587) (Delta)/D, (2.754 +/- 1.565) (Delta)/D, (1.618 +/- 1.027) (Delta)/D in turn. There were significant difference among those groups (P < 0.001). That also appeared in different degree of myopia naked before surgery (P < 0.01). We found no significant difference between the groups wearing glasses before surgery and naked after surgery (P > 0.05). A positive correlation was built up between postoperative AC/A ratio and AC/A ratio of wearing glasses or refractive diopter before surgery (r = 0.550, P < 0.001; r = 0.185, P < 0.005). And the postoperative AC/A ratios had a negative correlation to age or length of ocular axis (r = -0.340, P < 0.001; r = -0.192, P < 0.002). The regression equation for postoperative AC/A ratios was figured out as Y((Delta)/D) = 4.080 0 - 0.031 8X(1) - 0.097 1X(2) + 0.325 0X(3) (P < 0.001). X(1) = age (year), X(2) = length of ocular axis (mm), X(3) = preoperative AC/A ratio with weaning glasses ((Delta)/D). The naked AC/A ratios are higher than the preoperative's after LASIK, but lower than the wearing glasses's before surgery. It is influenced by the factors, such as: the preoperative AC/A ratio of wearing glasses, the length of ocular axis and the age.

Circulating Carbonic Anhydrase IX and Antiangiogenic Therapy in Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Brown-Glaberman, Ursa; Marron, Marilyn; Chalasani, Pavani; Livingston, Robert; Iannone, Maria; Specht, Jennifer; Stopeck, Alison T.

2016-01-01

Introduction. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a hypoxia regulated metalloenzyme integral to maintaining cellular pH. Increased CAIX expression is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. To explore CAIX as a biomarker for breast cancer therapies, we measured plasma CAIX levels in healthy control subjects and in breast cancer patients. Methods. In control subjects we evaluated plasma CAIX stability via commercially available ELISA. We then similarly quantified plasma CAIX levels in (1) locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients treated with neoadjuvant paclitaxel + sunitinib (T + S) followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC); (2) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients treated with systemic chemotherapy. Results. Plasma CAIX levels were stable at room temperature for at least 48 hours in control subjects. Mean baseline plasma CAIX levels were lower in controls compared to patients with LABC or MBC. In LABC, CAIX levels rose significantly in response to administration of antiangiogenic therapy (T + S) (p = 0.02) but not AC (p = 0.37). In patients with MBC treated without an antiangiogenic agent CAIX levels did not change with therapy. Conclusions. Our results suggest that CAIX may be an easily obtained, stable measure of tumor associated hypoxia as well as a useful pharmacodynamic biomarker for antiangiogenic therapy. PMID:26941473

Adenylyl cyclase 3/adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) complex mediates the anti-migratory effect of forskolin in pancreatic cancer cells.

PubMed

Quinn, Sierra N; Graves, Sarai H; Dains-McGahee, Clayton; Friedman, Emilee M; Hassan, Humma; Witkowski, Piotr; Sabbatini, Maria E

2017-04-01

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human malignancies. A better understanding of the intracellular mechanism of migration and invasion is urgently needed to develop treatment that will suppress metastases and improve overall survival. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is a second messenger that has shown to regulate migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. The rise of cyclic AMP suppressed migration and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Cyclic AMP is formed from cytosolic ATP by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase (AC). There are ten isoforms of ACs; nine are anchored in the plasma membrane and one is soluble. What remains unknown is the extent to which the expression of transmembrane AC isoforms is both modified in pancreatic cancer and mediates the inhibitory effect of forskolin on cell motility. Using real-time PCR analysis, ADCY3 was found to be highly expressed in pancreatic tumor tissues, resulting in a constitutive increase in cyclic AMP levels. On the other hand, ADCY2 was down-regulated. Migration, invasion, and filopodia formation in two different pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, HPAC and PANC-1 deficient in AC1 or AC3, were studied. We found that AC3, upon stimulation with forskolin, enhanced cyclic AMP levels and inhibited cell migration and invasion. Unlikely to be due to a cytotoxic effect, the inhibitory effects of forskolin involved the quick formation of AC3/adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1)/G-actin complex, which inhibited filopodia formation and cell motility. Using Western blotting analysis, forskolin, through AC3 activation, caused phosphorylation of CREB, but not ERK. The effect of CREB phosphorylation is likely to be associated with long-term signaling changes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The application of Halbach cylinders to brushless ac servo motors

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

Atallah, K.; Howe, D.

1998-07-01

Halbach cylinders are applied to brushless ac servo motors. It is shown that a sinusoidal back-emf waveform and a low cogging torque can be achieved without recourse to conventional design features such as distributed windings and/or stator/rotor skew. A technique for imparting a multipole Halbach magnetization distribution on an isotropic permanent magnet cylinder is described, and it is shown that the torque capability of a Halbach ac servo motor can be up to 33% higher than conventional brushless permanent magnet ac motors.

Reconstitutional Mutagenesis of the Maize P Gene by Short-Range Ac Transpositions

PubMed Central

Moreno, M. A.; Chen, J.; Greenblatt, I.; Dellaporta, S. L.

1992-01-01

The tendency for Ac to transpose over short intervals has been utilized to develop insertional mutagenesis and fine structure genetic mapping strategies in maize. We recovered excisions of Ac from the P gene and insertions into nearby chromosomal sites. These closely linked Ac elements reinserted into the P gene, reconstituting over 250 unstable variegated alleles. Reconstituted alleles condition a variety of variegation patterns that reflect the position and orientation of Ac within the P gene. Molecular mapping and DNA sequence analyses have shown that reinsertion sites are dispersed throughout a 12.3-kb chromosomal region in the promoter, exons and introns of the P gene, but in some regions insertions sites were clustered in a nonrandom fashion. Transposition profiles and target site sequence data obtained from these studies have revealed several features of Ac transposition including its preference for certain target sites. These results clearly demonstrate the tendency of Ac to transpose to nearby sites in both proximal and distal directions from the donor site. With minor modifications, reconstitutional mutagenesis should be applicable to many Ac-induced mutations in maize and in other plant species and can possibly be extended to other eukaryotic transposon systems as well. PMID:1325389

Hybrid inverter for HVDC/weak AC system interconnection

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

Tam, K.S.

1985-01-01

The concept of the hybrid converter is introduced. By independently controlling a naturally commutated converter (NCC) and an artificially commutated converter (ACC), real power and reactive power can be controlled independently. Alternatively, the ac bus voltage can be regulated without affecting the real power transfer. Independent control is feasible only within certain operating boundaries. Twelve pulse operation, sequential control, and complementary circuits may be viewed as variations of the hybrid converter. The concept of the hybrid converter is demonstrated by digital simulation. At the current state of technology, the NCC is best implemented by a 6-pulse bridge using thyristors asmore » the switching elements. A survey of power electronics applicable to HVDC applications reveals that the capacitively commutated current-sourced converters are either technically or economically better than the other alternatives for the implementation of the ACC. The digital simulation results show that the problems of operating an HVDC system into a weak ac system can be solved by using a hybrid inverter. A new control scheme, the zero Q control, is developed. With no reactive power interaction between the dc system and the ac system, the stability of the HVDC/weak ac system operation is significantly improved. System start-up and fault recovery is fast and stable.« less

Predictors of cervical cancer screening adherence in the United States: a systematic review.

PubMed

Limmer, Karen; LoBiondo-Wood, Geri; Dains, Joyce

2014-01-01

Cervical cancer incidence rates have decreased dramatically since the implementation of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Nevertheless, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates for 2013 predicted more than 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer in the United States. Given that some subpopulations in the United States are at a higher risk for cervical cancer than others, efforts to increase screening adherence are warranted. Many studies have explored the demographics of underscreened women, but no systematic reviews of screening demographics in adult US women were identified in the past 10 years, after release of the 2002 ACS cervical cancer screening guidelines. Knowledge of adherence to these guidelines becomes important as new guidelines were developed and released in 2012. The purpose of this systematic review of relevant studies was to identify factors that predict the use of cervical cancer screening in US women. Variables found to be significantly associated with adherence to screening included education, financial status, acculturation, psychosocial issues, and marital status. Using this information, nurse practitioners and other providers can target specific at-risk populations to increase screening by educating women about the need for cervical cancer screening and ensuring access to methods for prevention and early detection of the disease.

32 CFR 246.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... bookstores in the United States. The Stars and Stripes and the S&S bookstores provide important news and... available to commercial newspapers in the United States, along with Stars and Stripes editorial staff... daily newspapers that are published and sold throughout the United States in keeping with the principles...

Abscisic Acid Antagonizes Ethylene Production through the ABI4-Mediated Transcriptional Repression of ACS4 and ACS8 in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Dong, Zhijun; Yu, Yanwen; Li, Shenghui; Wang, Juan; Tang, Saijun; Huang, Rongfeng

2016-01-04

Increasing evidence has revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) negatively modulates ethylene biosynthesis, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To identify the factors involved, we conducted a screen for ABA-insensitive mutants with altered ethylene production in Arabidopsis. A dominant allele of ABI4, abi4-152, which produces a putative protein with a 16-amino-acid truncation at the C-terminus of ABI4, reduces ethylene production. By contrast, two recessive knockout alleles of ABI4, abi4-102 and abi4-103, result in increased ethylene evolution, indicating that ABI4 negatively regulates ethylene production. Further analyses showed that expression of the ethylene biosynthesis genes ACS4, ACS8, and ACO2 was significantly decreased in abi4-152 but increased in the knockout mutants, with partial dependence on ABA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR assays showed that ABI4 directly binds the promoters of these ethylene biosynthesis genes and that ABA enhances this interaction. A fusion protein containing the truncated ABI4-152 peptide accumulated to higher levels than its full-length counterpart in transgenic plants, suggesting that ABI4 is destabilized by its C terminus. Therefore, our results demonstrate that ABA negatively regulates ethylene production through ABI4-mediated transcriptional repression of the ethylene biosynthesis genes ACS4 and ACS8 in Arabidopsis. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Here Be Dragons: Characterization of ACS/WFC Scattered Light Anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porterfield, B.; Coe, D.; Gonzaga, S.; Anderson, J.; Grogin, N.

2016-11-01

We present a study characterizing scattered light anomalies that occur near the edges of Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Wide Field Channel (WFC) images. We inspected all 8,573 full-frame ACS/WFC raw images with exposure times longer than 350 seconds obtained in the F606W and F814W filters from 2002 to October 2013. We visually identified two particular scattered light artifacts known as "dragon's breath" and edge glow. Using the 2MASS point source catalog and Hubble Guide Star Catalog (GSC II), we identified the stars that caused these artifacts. The stars are all located in narrow bands ( 3" across) just outside the ACS/WFC field of view (2" - 16" away). We provide a map of these risky areas around the ACS/WFC detectors - users should avoid positioning bright stars in these regions when designing ACS/WFC imaging observations. We also provide interactive webpages which display all the image artifacts we identified, allowing users to see examples of the severity of artifacts they might expect for a given stellar magnitude at a given position relative to the ACS/WFC field of view. On average, 10th (18th) magnitude stars produce artifacts about 1,000 (100) pixels long. But the severity of these artifacts can vary strongly with small positional shifts (∼ 1"). The results are similar for both filters (F606W and F814W) when expressed in total fluence, or flux multiplied by exposure time.

Characterization on performance of micromixer using DC-biased AC electroosmosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Bi-O.; Song, Simon

2010-11-01

An active micromixer using DC-biased AC-Electroosmosis (ACEO) is investigated to figure out the effects of design parameters on the mixing performance. The mixer consists of a straight microchannel, with a cross section of 60 x 100 μm, and gold electrode pairs fabricated in the microchannel. The design parameters include the number of electrode pairs, flow rate, DC-biased voltage, AC voltage and AC frequency. First, we found that a mixing index became 80% 100 μm downstream of a single electrode pair with a length of 2 mm when applying a 25Vpp, 2.0 VDC, 100 kHz sine signal to the electrodes. With decreasing AC frequency, the mixing index is affected little. But the mixing index significantly increases with increasing either DC-biased voltage or AC voltage. Also, we were able to increase the mixing index up to 90% by introducing alternating vortices with multiple electrode pairs. Finally, we discovered that the mixing index decreases as the flow rate increases in the microchannel, and there is an optimal number of electrode pairs with respect to a flow rate. Detailed quantitative measurement results will be presented at the meeting.

Hybrid AC-High Voltage DC Grid Stability and Controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jicheng

The growth of energy demands in recent years has been increasing faster than the expansion of transmission facility construction. This tendency cooperating with the continuous investing on the renewable energy resources drives the research, development, and construction of HVDC projects to create a more reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly power grid. Constructing the hybrid AC-HVDC grid is a significant move in the development of the HVDC techniques; the form of dc system is evolving from the point-to-point stand-alone dc links to the embedded HVDC system and the multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) system. The MTDC is a solution for the renewable energy interconnections, and the MTDC grids can improve the power system reliability, flexibility in economic dispatches, and converter/cable utilizing efficiencies. The dissertation reviews the HVDC technologies, discusses the stability issues regarding the ac and HVDC connections, proposes a novel power oscillation control strategy to improve system stability, and develops a nonlinear voltage droop control strategy for the MTDC grid. To verify the effectiveness the proposed power oscillation control strategy, a long distance paralleled AC-HVDC transmission test system is employed. Based on the PSCAD/EMTDC platform simulation results, the proposed power oscillation control strategy can improve the system dynamic performance and attenuate the power oscillations effectively. To validate the nonlinear voltage droop control strategy, three droop controls schemes are designed according to the proposed nonlinear voltage droop control design procedures. These control schemes are tested in a hybrid AC-MTDC system. The hybrid AC-MTDC system, which is first proposed in this dissertation, consists of two ac grids, two wind farms and a five-terminal HVDC grid connecting them. Simulation studies are performed in the PSCAD/EMTDC platform. According to the simulation results, all the three design schemes have their unique salient

Study of dielectric relaxation and AC conductivity of InP:S single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.; El-Shazly, E. A.

2012-07-01

The dielectric relaxation and AC conductivity of InP:S single crystal were studied in the frequency range from 100 to 5.25 × 105 Hz and in the temperature range from 296 to 455 K. The dependence of the dielectric constant (ɛ1) and the dielectric loss (ɛ2) on both frequency and temperature was investigated. Since no peak was observed on the dielectric loss, we used a method based on the electric modulus to evaluate the activation energy of the dielectric relaxation. Scaling of the electric modulus spectra showed that the charge transport dynamics is independent of temperature. The AC conductivity (σAC) was found to obey the power law: Aωs. Analysis of the AC conductivity data and the frequency exponent showed that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the dominant mechanism for the AC conduction. The variation of AC conductivity with temperature at different frequencies showed that σAC is a thermally activated process.

AC conductivity and Dielectric Study of Chalcogenide Glasses of Se-Te-Ge System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salman, Fathy

2004-01-01

The ac conductivity and dielectric properties of glassy system SexTe79 - xGe21, with x = 11, 14, 17 at.%, has been studied at temperatures 300 to 450 K and over a wide range of frequencies (50 Hz to 500 kHz). Experimental results indicate that the ac conductivity and the dielectric constants depend on temperature, frequency and Se content. The conductivity as a function of frequency exhibited two components: dc conductivity s dc, and ac conductivity s ac, where s ac ˜ w s. The mechanism of ac conductivity can be reasonably interpreted in terms of the correlated barrier hopping model (CBH). The activation energies are estimated and discussed. The dependence of ac conductivity and dielectric constants on the Se content x can be interpreted as the effect of Se fraction on the positional disorder. The impedance plot at each temperature appeared as a semicircle passes through the origin. Each semicircle is represented by an equivalent circuit of parallel resistance Rb and capacitance Cb.

Chinese Anti-Cancer Association as a non-governmental organization undertakes systematic cancer prevention work in China.

PubMed

Xu, Tingting

2015-08-01

Cancer has become the first leading cause of death in the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Facing the increasing trend of cancer incidence and mortality, China issued and implemented "three-early (early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment)" national cancer prevention plan. As the main body and dependence of social governance, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) take over the role of government in the field of cancer prevention and treatment. American Cancer Society (ACS) made a research on cancer NGOs and civil society in cancer control and found that cancer NGOs in developing countries mobilize civil society to work together and advocate governments in their countries to develop policies to address the growing cancer burden. Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Cancer Council Australia (CCA), and Malaysian cancer NGOs are the representatives of cancer NGOs in promoting cancer control. Selecting Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) as an example in China, this article is to investigate how NGOs undertake systematic cancer prevention work in China. By conducting real case study, we found that, as a NGO, CACA plays a significant role in intensifying the leading role of government in cancer control, optimizing cancer outcomes, decreasing cancer incidence and mortality rates and improving public health.

Chinese Anti-Cancer Association as a non-governmental organization undertakes systematic cancer prevention work in China

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Cancer has become the first leading cause of death in the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Facing the increasing trend of cancer incidence and mortality, China issued and implemented “three-early (early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment)” national cancer prevention plan. As the main body and dependence of social governance, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) take over the role of government in the field of cancer prevention and treatment. American Cancer Society (ACS) made a research on cancer NGOs and civil society in cancer control and found that cancer NGOs in developing countries mobilize civil society to work together and advocate governments in their countries to develop policies to address the growing cancer burden. Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Cancer Council Australia (CCA), and Malaysian cancer NGOs are the representatives of cancer NGOs in promoting cancer control. Selecting Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) as an example in China, this article is to investigate how NGOs undertake systematic cancer prevention work in China. By conducting real case study, we found that, as a NGO, CACA plays a significant role in intensifying the leading role of government in cancer control, optimizing cancer outcomes, decreasing cancer incidence and mortality rates and improving public health. PMID:26361412

Dielectric behavior of AC aged polyethylene in humid environment

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

Scarpa, P.C.N.; Das-Gupta, D.K.; Bulinski, A.T.

1996-12-31

The present paper reports the results of a study of electrical aging of low density polyethylene (LDPE) aged in humid environment (0.1M NaCl) at an AC stress of 6kV/mm, 1kHz, at room temperature (RT) and at 65 C, and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) AC aged in humid environment (water) at an AC stress of 6kV/mm, 50Hz, at RT, for an extended period of time. For this study the dielectric spectroscopy data in the frequency range of 10{sup {minus}5}Hz to 10{sup 6}Hz and their comparative analysis, have been used to provide electrical analog models of the aging.

[Feasibility and cosmetic outcome of oncoplastic surgery in breast cancer treatment].

PubMed

Sherwell-Cabello, Santiago; Maffuz-Aziz, Antonio; Villegas-Carlos, Felipe; Domínguez-Reyes, Carlos; Labastida-Almendaro, Sonia; Rodríguez-Cuevas, Sergio

2015-01-01

Breast cancer is the leading oncological cause of death in Mexican women over 25 years old. Given the need to improve postoperative cosmetic results in patients with breast cancer, oncoplastic surgery has been developed, which allows larger tumour resections and minor cosmetic alterations. To determine the oncological feasibility and cosmetic outcome of oncoplastic surgery at the Instituto de Enfermedades de la Mama, FUCAM, AC. A review was conducted from January 2010 to July 2013, which included patients with breast cancer diagnosis treated with conventional breast-conserving surgery or with oncoplastic surgery in the Institute of Diseases of the Breast, FUCAM AC. Clinical and histopathological parameters were compared between the two groups, and a questionnaire of cosmetic satisfaction and quality of life was applied. Of the 171 patients included, 95 of them were treated with conventional breast-conserving surgery and 76 with oncoplastic surgery. Pathological tumour size was significantly larger in patients treated with oncoplastic surgery (p = 0.002). There were no differences found between the groups as regards the number of patients with positive surgical margin, the rate of complications, and cosmetic satisfaction. This study demonstrates the oncological feasibility and high cosmetic satisfaction of oncoplastic surgery with minimal psycho-social impact on patients. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Numerical and theoretical evaluations of AC losses for single and infinite numbers of superconductor strips with direct and alternating transport currents in external AC magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajikawa, K.; Funaki, K.; Shikimachi, K.; Hirano, N.; Nagaya, S.

2010-11-01

AC losses in a superconductor strip are numerically evaluated by means of a finite element method formulated with a current vector potential. The expressions of AC losses in an infinite slab that corresponds to a simple model of infinitely stacked strips are also derived theoretically. It is assumed that the voltage-current characteristics of the superconductors are represented by Bean's critical state model. The typical operation pattern of a Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) coil with direct and alternating transport currents in an external AC magnetic field is taken into account as the electromagnetic environment for both the single strip and the infinite slab. By using the obtained results of AC losses, the influences of the transport currents on the total losses are discussed quantitatively.

Outcomes after inferior vena cava filter placement in cancer patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism: risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism.

PubMed

Coombs, Catherine; Kuk, Deborah; Devlin, Sean; Siegelbaum, Robert H; Durack, Jeremy C; Parameswaran, Rekha; Mantha, Simon; Deng, Kathy; Soff, Gerald

2017-11-01

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in cancer patients and anticoagulation (AC) remains the standard of care for treatment. Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters may also used to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism, either alone or in addition to AC. Although widely used, data are limited on the safety and efficacy of IVC filters in cancer patients. We performed a retrospective review of outcomes after IVC filter insertion in a database of 1270 consecutive patients with cancer-associated pulmonary embolism (PE) at our institution between 2008 and 2009. Outcomes measured included rate of all recurrent VTE, recurrent PE, and overall survival within 12 months. 317 (25%) of the 1270 patients with PE had IVC filters placed within 30 days of the index PE event or prior to the index PE in the setting of prior DVT. Patients with IVC filters had markedly lower overall survival (7.3 months) than the non-IVC filter patients (13.2 months). Filter patients also had a lower rate of AC use at time of initial PE. There was a trend towards higher recurrent VTE in patients with IVC filters (11.9%) compared to non-filter patients (7.7%), but this was not significant (p = 0.086). The risk of recurrent PE was similar between the IVC filter cohort (3.5%) and non-filter group (3.5%, p = 0.99). Cancer patients receiving IVC filters had a similar risk of recurrent PE, but a trend towards more overall recurrent VTE. The filter patients had poorer overall survival, which may reflect a poorer cancer prognosis, and had greater contraindication to AC; therefore these patients likely had a higher inherent risk for recurrent VTE. A prospective study would be helpful for further clarification on the partial reduction in the recurrent PE risk by IVC filter placement in cancer patients.

Lymphatic and local spread of T1 and T2 pancreatic cancer. A study of autopsy material.

PubMed Central

Nagai, H; Kuroda, A; Morioka, Y

1986-01-01

Eight autopsy cases of pancreatic cancer (duct cell adenocarcinoma) with T1 and T2 primary tumors were studied histologically to examine the exact extent of lymphatic and local spread. Six of them had microscopic metastasis in grossly negative lymph nodes near the primary tumor. In addition, four of them had a few metastatic nodes in the para-aortic region. In cases with lymphatic metastases, the extent of cancer infiltration within lymphatic vessels, nerves, and/or connective tissues was almost the same as that of lymph node metastasis. Major vascular involvement was found in four cases. There was no case in which multicentricity or marked intraductal spread of cancer cells was observed in the pancreas. It has been suggested that most of T1 and T2 pancreatic cancers have a fairly widespread microscopic extension, although extremely small T1 cancers have a very limited extension. Images FIG. 2. FIGS. 4a-c. FIGS. 5a-c. PMID:3015059

Optimal Power Scheduling for a Medium Voltage AC/DC Hybrid Distribution Network

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Zhenshan; Liu, Dichen; Liao, Qingfen; ...

2018-01-26

With the great increase of renewable generation as well as the DC loads in the distribution network; DC distribution technology is receiving more attention; since the DC distribution network can improve operating efficiency and power quality by reducing the energy conversion stages. This paper presents a new architecture for the medium voltage AC/DC hybrid distribution network; where the AC and DC subgrids are looped by normally closed AC soft open point (ACSOP) and DC soft open point (DCSOP); respectively. The proposed AC/DC hybrid distribution systems contain renewable generation (i.e., wind power and photovoltaic (PV) generation); energy storage systems (ESSs); softmore » open points (SOPs); and both AC and DC flexible demands. An energy management strategy for the hybrid system is presented based on the dynamic optimal power flow (DOPF) method. The main objective of the proposed power scheduling strategy is to minimize the operating cost and reduce the curtailment of renewable generation while meeting operational and technical constraints. The proposed approach is verified in five scenarios. The five scenarios are classified as pure AC system; hybrid AC/DC system; hybrid system with interlinking converter; hybrid system with DC flexible demand; and hybrid system with SOPs. Results show that the proposed scheduling method can successfully dispatch the controllable elements; and that the presented architecture for the AC/DC hybrid distribution system is beneficial for reducing operating cost and renewable generation curtailment.« less

Optimal Power Scheduling for a Medium Voltage AC/DC Hybrid Distribution Network

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

Zhu, Zhenshan; Liu, Dichen; Liao, Qingfen

With the great increase of renewable generation as well as the DC loads in the distribution network; DC distribution technology is receiving more attention; since the DC distribution network can improve operating efficiency and power quality by reducing the energy conversion stages. This paper presents a new architecture for the medium voltage AC/DC hybrid distribution network; where the AC and DC subgrids are looped by normally closed AC soft open point (ACSOP) and DC soft open point (DCSOP); respectively. The proposed AC/DC hybrid distribution systems contain renewable generation (i.e., wind power and photovoltaic (PV) generation); energy storage systems (ESSs); softmore » open points (SOPs); and both AC and DC flexible demands. An energy management strategy for the hybrid system is presented based on the dynamic optimal power flow (DOPF) method. The main objective of the proposed power scheduling strategy is to minimize the operating cost and reduce the curtailment of renewable generation while meeting operational and technical constraints. The proposed approach is verified in five scenarios. The five scenarios are classified as pure AC system; hybrid AC/DC system; hybrid system with interlinking converter; hybrid system with DC flexible demand; and hybrid system with SOPs. Results show that the proposed scheduling method can successfully dispatch the controllable elements; and that the presented architecture for the AC/DC hybrid distribution system is beneficial for reducing operating cost and renewable generation curtailment.« less

Operation of AC Adapters Visualized Using Light-Emitting Diodes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regester, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

A bridge rectifier is a diamond-shaped configuration of diodes that serves to convert alternating current(AC) into direct current (DC). In our world of AC outlets and DC electronics, they are ubiquitous. Of course, most bridge rectifiers are built with regular diodes, not the light-emitting variety, because LEDs have a number of disadvantages. For…

The burden of oesophageal cancer in Central and South America.

PubMed

Barrios, Enrique; Sierra, Monica S; Musetti, Carina; Forman, David

2016-09-01

Oesophageal cancer shows marked geographic variations and is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. We described the burden of this malignancy in Central and South America. Regional and national level incidence data were obtained from 48 population-based cancer registries in 13 countries. Mortality data were obtained from the WHO mortality database. Incidence of oesophageal cancer by histological subtype were available from high-quality population-based cancer registries. Males had higher incidence and mortality rates than females (male-to-female ratios: 2-6:1 and 2-5:1). In 2003-2007, the highest rates were in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. Mortality rates followed the incidence patterns. Incidence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was higher than adenocarcinoma (AC), except in females from Cuenca (Ecuador). SCC and AC incidence were higher in males than females, except in the Region of Antofagasta and Valdivia (Chile), Manizales (Colombia) and Cuenca (Ecuador). Incidence and mortality rates tended to decline in Argentina, Chile, Brazil (incidence) and Costa Rica from 1997 to 2008. The geographic variation and sex disparity in oesophageal cancer across Central and South America may reflect differences in the prevalence of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption which highlights the need to implement and/or strengthen tobacco and alcohol control policies. Maté consumption, obesity, diet and Helicobacter pylori infection may also explain the variation in oesophageal cancer rates but these relationships should be evaluated. Continuous monitoring of oesophageal cancer rates is necessary to provide the basis for cancer prevention and control in the region. Copyright © 2015 International Agency for Research on Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

AC Loss Measurements on a 2G YBCO Coil

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

Rey, Christopher M; Duckworth, Robert C; Schwenterly, S W

2011-01-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is collaborating with Waukesha Electric Systems (WES) to continue development of HTS power transformers. For compatibility with the existing power grid, a commercially viable HTS transformer will have to operate at high voltages in the range of 138 kV and above, and will have to withstand 550-kV impulse voltages as well. Second-generation (2G) YBCO coated conductors will be required for an economically-competitive design. In order to adequately size the refrigeration system for these transformers, the ac loss of these HTS coils must be characterized. Electrical AC loss measurements were conducted on a prototype highmore » voltage (HV) coil with co-wound stainless steel at 60 Hz in a liquid nitrogen bath using a lock-in amplifier technique. The prototype HV coil consisted of 26 continuous (without splice) single pancake coils concentrically centered on a stainless steel former. For ac loss measurement purposes, voltage tap pairs were soldered across each set of two single pancake coils so that a total of 13 separate voltage measurements could be made across the entire length of the coil. AC loss measurements were taken as a function of ac excitation current. Results show that the loss is primarily concentrated at the ends of the coil where the operating fraction of critical current is the highest and show a distinct difference in current scaling of the losses between low current and high current regimes.« less

The FL/AC ratio for prediction of shoulder dystocia in women with gestational diabetes.

PubMed

Duryea, Elaine L; Casey, Brian M; McIntire, Donald D; Twickler, Diane M

2017-10-01

To determine if sonographic variables, including fetal femur length to abdominal circumference (FL/AC) ratio, are associated with shoulder dystocia in women with gestational diabetes. This was a retrospective cohort study of women with gestational diabetes who delivered singleton infants at Parkland Hospital from 1997 to 2015. Diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes were uniform including sonography at 32-36 weeks. Biometric calculations were evaluated for correlation with shoulder dystocia. During the study period, 6952 women with gestational diabetes underwent a sonogram at a mean gestation of 34.8 ± 1.8 weeks. Of 4183 vaginal deliveries, 66 experienced shoulder dystocia (16/1000). The FL/AC was associated with shoulder dystocia (p < 0.001) with an AUC of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.64-0.77). This was similar to age-adjusted AC and head circumference to AC ratio (HC/AC) (both with an AUC of 0.72). All other measurements, including estimated fetal weight, were inferior. When examining the 257 women with multiple sonograms after 32 weeks' gestation, FL/AC was stable with advancing gestational age (p = 0.54) whereas age-adjusted AC and HC/AC were not (p < 0.001). The FL/AC is associated with shoulder dystocia in women with gestational diabetes. Additionally, it is a simple ratio that is independent of the reference used and remains stable, unlike age-adjusted AC and HC/AC ratio.

Early function of the Abutilon mosaic virus AC2 gene as a replication brake.

PubMed

Krenz, Björn; Deuschle, Kathrin; Deigner, Tobias; Unseld, Sigrid; Kepp, Gabi; Wege, Christina; Kleinow, Tatjana; Jeske, Holger

2015-04-01

The C2/AC2 genes of monopartite/bipartite geminiviruses of the genera Begomovirus and Curtovirus encode important pathogenicity factors with multiple functions described so far. A novel function of Abutilon mosaic virus (AbMV) AC2 as a replication brake is described, utilizing transgenic plants with dimeric inserts of DNA B or with a reporter construct to express green fluorescent protein (GFP). Their replicational release upon AbMV superinfection or the individual and combined expression of epitope-tagged AbMV AC1, AC2, and AC3 was studied. In addition, the effects were compared in the presence and in the absence of an unrelated tombusvirus suppressor of silencing (P19). The results show that AC2 suppresses replication reproducibly in all assays and that AC3 counteracts this effect. Examination of the topoisomer distribution of supercoiled DNA, which indicates changes in the viral minichromosome structure, did not support any influence of AC2 on transcriptional gene silencing and DNA methylation. The geminiviral AC2 protein has been detected here for the first time in plants. The experiments revealed an extremely low level of AC2, which was slightly increased if constructs with an intron and a hemagglutinin (HA) tag in addition to P19 expression were used. AbMV AC2 properties are discussed with reference to those of other geminiviruses with respect to charge, modification, and size in order to delimit possible reasons for the different behaviors. The (A)C2 genes encode a key pathogenicity factor of begomoviruses and curtoviruses in the plant virus family Geminiviridae. This factor has been implicated in the resistance breaking observed in agricultural cotton production. AC2 is a multifunctional protein involved in transcriptional control, gene silencing, and regulation of basal biosynthesis. Here, a new function of Abutilon mosaic virus AC2 in replication control is added as a feature of this protein in viral multiplication, providing a novel finding on

pH sensing via bicarbonate-regulated “soluble” adenylyl cyclase (sAC)

PubMed Central

Rahman, Nawreen; Buck, Jochen; Levin, Lonny R.

2013-01-01

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a source of the second messenger cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′ monophosphate (cAMP). sAC is directly regulated by bicarbonate (HCO−3) ions. In living cells, HCO−3 ions are in nearly instantaneous equilibrium with carbon dioxide (CO2) and pH due to the ubiquitous presence of carbonic anhydrases. Numerous biological processes are regulated by CO2, HCO−3, and/or pH, and in a number of these, sAC has been shown to function as a physiological CO2/HCO3/pH sensor. In this review, we detail the known pH sensing functions of sAC, and we discuss two highly-studied, pH-dependent pathways in which sAC might play a role. PMID:24324443

Improved transistorized AC motor controller for battery powered urban electric passenger vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peak, S. C.

1982-01-01

An ac motor controller for an induction motor electric vehicle drive system was designed, fabricated, tested, evaluated, and cost analyzed. A vehicle performance analysis was done to establish the vehicle tractive effort-speed requirements. These requirements were then converted into a set of ac motor and ac controller requirements. The power inverter is a three-phase bridge using power Darlington transistors. The induction motor was optimized for use with an inverter power source. The drive system has a constant torque output to base motor speed and a constant horsepower output to maximum speed. A gear shifting transmission is not required. The ac controller was scaled from the base 20 hp (41 hp peak) at 108 volts dec to an expanded horsepower and battery voltage range. Motor reversal was accomplished by electronic reversal of the inverter phase sequence. The ac controller can also be used as a boost chopper battery charger. The drive system was tested on a dynamometer and results are presented. The current-controlled pulse width modulation control scheme yielded improved motor current waveforms. The ac controller favors a higher system voltage.

System and method for determining stator winding resistance in an AC motor using motor drives

DOEpatents

Lu, Bin; Habetler, Thomas G; Zhang, Pinjia

2013-02-26

A system and method for determining the stator winding resistance of AC motors is provided. The system includes an AC motor drive having an input connectable to an AC source and an output connectable to an input terminal of an AC motor, a pulse width modulation (PWM) converter having switches therein to control current flow and terminal voltages in the AC motor, and a control system connected to the PWM converter. The control system generates a command signal to cause the PWM converter to control an output of the AC motor drive corresponding to an input to the AC motor, selectively generates a modified command signal to cause the PWM converter to inject a DC signal into the output of the AC motor drive, and determines a stator winding resistance of the AC motor based on the DC signal of at least one of the voltage and current.

Improved Tribological Performance of Amorphous Carbon (a-C) Coating by ZrO₂ Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Tang, Jinzhu; Ding, Qi; Zhang, Songwei; Wu, Guizhi; Hu, Litian

2016-09-22

Nanomaterials, such as Graphene, h-BN nanoparticles and MoS₂ nanotubes, have shown their ability in improving the tribological performance of amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings. In the current study, the effectiveness of ZrO₂ nanoparticles (ZrO₂-NPs) in lubricating the self-mated nonhydrogenated a-C contacts was investigated in boundary lubrication regime. The results showed that 13% less friction and 50% less wear compared to the base oil were achieved by employing ZrO₂-NPs in the base oil in self-mated a-C contacts. Via analyzing the ZrO₂-NPs and the worn a-C surface after tests, it was found that the improved lubrication by ZrO₂-NPs was based on "polishing effects", which is a new phenomenon observed between a-C and nanoparticles. Under the "polishing effect", micro-plateaus with extremely smooth surface and uniform height were produced on the analyzed a-C surface. The resulting topography of the a-C coating is suitable for ZrO₂-NPs to act as nano-bearings between rubbing surfaces. Especially, the ZrO₂-NPs exhibited excellent mechanical and chemical stability, even under the severe service condition, suggesting that the combination of nonhydrogenated a-C coating with ZrO₂-NPs is an effective, long lasting and environment-friendly lubrication solution.

Dielectrophoretic particle-particle interaction under AC electrohydrodynamic flow conditions.

PubMed

Lee, Doh-Hyoung; Yu, Chengjie; Papazoglou, Elisabeth; Farouk, Bakhtier; Noh, Hongseok M

2011-09-01

We used the Maxwell stress tensor method to understand dielectrophoretic particle-particle interactions and applied the results to the interpretation of particle behaviors under alternating current (AC) electrohydrodynamic conditions such as AC electroosmosis (ACEO) and electrothermal flow (ETF). Distinct particle behaviors were observed under ACEO and ETF. Diverse particle-particle interactions observed in experiments such as particle clustering, particles keeping a certain distance from each other, chain and disc formation and their rotation, are explained based on the numerical simulation data. The improved understanding of particle behaviors in AC electrohydrodynamic flows presented here will enable researchers to design better particle manipulation strategies for lab-on-a-chip applications. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy for psychological distress among Chinese parents of children with a cancer diagnosis: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zhang, Anao; Ji, QingYing; Currin-McCulloch, Jennifer; Solomon, Phyllis; Chen, YuTing; Li, Yaxi; Jones, Barbara; Franklin, Cynthia; Nowicki, Jack

2018-08-01

Given the critical role of parental care for pediatric cancer patients, this pilot study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a hospital-based solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) intervention for reducing psychological distress among parents of pediatric cancer patients in China. Differences between treatment and active control (AC) groups were assessed on dimensions of psychological distress. Parents' level of hope was also assessed. Participants (N = 44) were randomly assigned to SFBT or AC. Parents received four sessions of SFBT twice a week delivered by graduate-level hospital social workers. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured change in distress (depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms) of parents as well as their level of hope. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated the SFBT group had better outcomes than the AC group on overall distress of somatic, anxiety, depression symptoms and level of hope. Within- and between-group treatment effects reported significantly greater effect of the SFBT group than of the AC group. Considering the inherent limits of a pilot feasibility study, results suggest that SFBT is a feasible, culturally compatible, and promising intervention for alleviating distress among Chinese parents of children with cancer. Additional comprehensive trials are needed to draw more definitive conclusions. SFBT may be beneficial for improving the critical support systems of parents of pediatric cancer patients. Thus, SFBT may have the potential to enhance children's well-being during cancer treatment and recovery.

Promising efficacy of novel BTK inhibitor AC0010 in mantle cell lymphoma.

PubMed

Yan, Xiao; Zhou, Yile; Huang, Shujuan; Li, Xia; Yu, Mengxia; Huang, Jiansong; Wang, Jinghan; Ma, Zhixin; Jin, Jingrui; Pan, Jiajia; Li, Chenying; Li, Fenglin; Jin, Jie

2018-04-01

We researched into the effect and mechanism of AC0010, a novel BTK inhibitor, in MCL, and compared its efficacy and safety with Ibrutinib to develop a preclinical study for the future therapy of MCL. MTS assay was used to detect the growth inhibition caused by AC0010 and Ibrutinib, respectively, in MCL cell lines (Jeko-1 and JVM-2), primary MCL cells, and normal peripheral lymphocytes. Apoptosis of Jeko-1 and JVM-2 after exposure into AC0010 and Ibrutinib was conducted by flow cytometry; the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was checked by Western blot. q-PCR and Western blot were applied to examine the expression of BTK and p-BTK at mRNA and protein level as well as the BTK-ralated signaling pathways. MCL xenograft was developed to testify the efficacy and safety of AC0010 in vivo. In contrast with Ibrutinib, AC0010 proved to be more toxic to MCL cells in vitro (p < 0.01) with no augment in cytotoxicity to normal peripheral lymphocytes, and it can induce obvious apoptosis in MCL cell lines (p < 0.01) through caspase family and Bcl-2 family. AC0010 at 300 mg/kg can prolong the survival rate in MCL xenograft (p < 0.01). The phosphorylation of BTK is inhibited by AC0010 following simultaneously inhibition of BCR-BTK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in MCL cells. AC0010 is a novel BTK inhibitor of great efficacy and safety in MCL.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Mug.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kloberdanz, Kristin

1996-01-01

Examines how various public libraries in the Chicago area approach the issue of whether or not to allow coffee and food in the library. Discusses competition with "glossy new" bookstores; research, marketing, and experiments using bookstores as models; and the development of public lounges/coffee shops which are separate from the rest of…

78 FR 49374 - Rural Development Voucher Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

...) 512-1800, or access GPO's online bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov/ . Paperwork Reduction Act of... contains notices to the public of #0;the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these... written comments will be available for public inspection during regular work hours at the 300 7th Street...

AC to DC Bridgeless Boost Converter for Ultra Low Input Energy Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawam, A. H. A.; Muhamad, M.

2018-03-01

This paper presents design of circuit which converts low input AC voltage to a higher output DC voltage. A buck-boost topology and boost topology are combined to condition cycle of an AC input voltage. the unique integration of a combining circuit of buck-boost and boost circuit have been proposed in order to introduce a new direct ac-dc power converter topology without conventional diode bridge rectifier. The converter achieved to convert a milli-volt scale of input AC voltage into a volt scale of output DC voltages which is from 400mV to 3.3V.

Analytical theory and possible detection of the ac quantum spin Hall effect

DOE PAGES

Deng, W. Y.; Ren, Y. J.; Lin, Z. X.; ...

2017-07-11

Here, we develop an analytical theory of the low-frequency ac quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect based upon the scattering matrix formalism. It is shown that the ac QSH effect can be interpreted as a bulk quantum pumping effect. When the electron spin is conserved, the integer-quantized ac spin Hall conductivity can be linked to the winding numbers of the reflection matrices in the electrodes, which also equal to the bulk spin Chern numbers of the QSH material. Furthermore, a possible experimental scheme by using ferromagnetic metals as electrodes is proposed to detect the topological ac spin current by electrical means.

The Hubble Legacy Archive ACS grism data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kümmel, M.; Rosati, P.; Fosbury, R.; Haase, J.; Hook, R. N.; Kuntschner, H.; Lombardi, M.; Micol, A.; Nilsson, K. K.; Stoehr, F.; Walsh, J. R.

2011-06-01

A public release of slitless spectra, obtained with ACS/WFC and the G800L grism, is presented. Spectra were automatically extracted in a uniform way from 153 archival fields (or "associations") distributed across the two Galactic caps, covering all observations to 2008. The ACS G800L grism provides a wavelength range of 0.55-1.00 μm, with a dispersion of 40 Å/pixel and a resolution of ~80 Å for point-like sources. The ACS G800L images and matched direct images were reduced with an automatic pipeline that handles all steps from archive retrieval, alignment and astrometric calibration, direct image combination, catalogue generation, spectral extraction and collection of metadata. The large number of extracted spectra (73,581) demanded automatic methods for quality control and an automated classification algorithm was trained on the visual inspection of several thousand spectra. The final sample of quality controlled spectra includes 47 919 datasets (65% of the total number of extracted spectra) for 32 149 unique objects, with a median iAB-band magnitude of 23.7, reaching 26.5 AB for the faintest objects. Each released dataset contains science-ready 1D and 2D spectra, as well as multi-band image cutouts of corresponding sources and a useful preview page summarising the direct and slitless data, astrometric and photometric parameters. This release is part of the continuing effort to enhance the content of the Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA) with highly processed data products which significantly facilitate the scientific exploitation of the Hubble data. In order to characterize the slitless spectra, emission-line flux and equivalent width sensitivity of the ACS data were compared with public ground-based spectra in the GOODS-South field. An example list of emission line galaxies with two or more identified lines is also included, covering the redshift range 0.2 - 4.6. Almost all redshift determinations outside of the GOODS fields are new. The scope of science projects

A MEMS sensor for AC electric current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leland, Eli Sidney

This manuscript describes the development of a new MEMS sensor for the measurement of AC electric current. The sensor is comprised of a MEMS piezoelectric cantilever with a microscale permanent magnet mounted to the cantilever's free end. When placed near a wire carrying AC current, the magnet couples to the oscillating magnetic field surrounding the wire, causing the cantilever to deflect, and piezoelectric coupling produces a sinusoidal voltage proportional to the current in the wire. The sensor is itself passive, requiring no power supply to operate. It also operates on proximity and need only be placed near a current carrier in order to function. The sensor does not need to encircle the current carrier and it therefore can measure current in two-wire zip-cords without necessitating the separation of the two conductors. Applications for tins sensor include measuring residential and commercial electricity use and monitoring electric power distribution networks. An analytical model describing the behavior of the current sensor was developed. This model was also adapted to describe the power output of an energy scavenger coupled to a wire carrying AC current. A mesoscale sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 75 mV/A when measuring AC electric current in a zip-cord. A mesoscale energy scavenger produced 345 muW when coupled to a zip-cord carrying 13 A. MEMS current sensors were fabricated from aluminum nitride piezoelectric cantilevers and composite permanent magnets. The cantilevers were fabricated using a four-mask process. Microscale permanent magnets were dispenser-printed using NdFeB magnetic powder with an epoxy binder. The MEMS AC current sensor was interfaced with amplification circuitry and packaged inside an almninum enclosure. The sensor was also integrated with a mesoscale energy scavenger and power conditioning circuitry to create a fully self-powered current sensor. Unamplified sensitivity of the sensor was 0.1-1.1 mV/A when measuring currents in single

On-Chip AC self-test controller

DOEpatents

Flanagan, John D [Rhinebeck, NY; Herring, Jay R [Poughkeepsie, NY; Lo, Tin-Chee [Fishkill, NY

2009-09-29

A system for performing AC self-test on an integrated circuit that includes a system clock for normal operation is provided. The system includes the system clock, self-test circuitry, a first and second test register to capture and launch test data in response to a sequence of data pulses, and a logic circuit to be tested. The self-test circuitry includes an AC self-test controller and a clock splitter. The clock splitter generates the sequence of data pulses including a long data capture pulse followed by an at speed data launch pulse and an at speed data capture pulse followed by a long data launch pulse. The at speed data launch pulse and the at speed data capture pulse are generated for a common cycle of the system clock.

The Use of AC-DC-AC Methods in Assessing Corrosion Resistance Performance of Coating Systems for Magnesium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCune, Robert C.; Upadhyay, Vinod; Wang, Yar-Ming; Battocchi, Dante

The potential utility of AC-DC-AC electrochemical methods in comparative measures of corrosion-resisting coating system performance for magnesium alloys under consideration for the USAMP "Magnesium Front End Research and Development" project was previously shown in this forum [1]. Additional studies of this approach using statistically-designed experiments have been conducted with focus on alloy types, pretreatment, topcoat material and topcoat thickness as the variables. Additionally, sample coupons made for these designed experiments were also subjected to a typical automotive cyclic corrosion test cycle (SAE J2334) as well as ASTM B117 for comparison of relative performance. Results of these studies are presented along with advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology.

Superconducting shielded core reactor with reduced AC losses

DOEpatents

Cha, Yung S.; Hull, John R.

2006-04-04

A superconducting shielded core reactor (SSCR) operates as a passive device for limiting excessive AC current in a circuit operating at a high power level under a fault condition such as shorting. The SSCR includes a ferromagnetic core which may be either closed or open (with an air gap) and extends into and through a superconducting tube or superconducting rings arranged in a stacked array. First and second series connected copper coils each disposed about a portion of the iron core are connected to the circuit to be protected and are respectively wound inside and outside of the superconducting tube or rings. A large impedance is inserted into the circuit by the core when the shielding capability of the superconducting arrangement is exceeded by the applied magnetic field generated by the two coils under a fault condition to limit the AC current in the circuit. The proposed SSCR also affords reduced AC loss compared to conventional SSCRs under continuous normal operation.

Scanning AC Nanocalorimetry and Its Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Kechao

This thesis presents an AC nanocalorimetry technique that enables calorimetry measurements on very small quantities of materials over a wide range of scanning rates (from isothermal to 3x10. 3 K/s), temperatures(up to 1200 K), and environments. Such working range bridges the gap between traditional scanning calorimetry of bulk materials and nanocalorimetry. The method relies on a micromachined nanocalorimeter with negligible thermal lags between heater, thermometer, and sample. The ability to perform calorimetry measurements over such a broad range of scanning rates makes it an ideal tool to characterize the kinetics of phase transformations, reactions at elevated temperatures or to explore the behavior of materials far from equilibrium. We demonstrate the technique by performing measurements on thin-film samples of Sn, In, and Bi with thicknesses ranging from 100 to 300 nm. The experimental heat capacities and melting temperatures agree well with literature values. The measured heat capacities are insensitive to the applied AC frequency, scan rate, and heat loss to the environment over a broad range of experimental conditions. The dynamic range of scanning AC nanocalorimetry enables the combination of nanocalorimetry with in-situ x-ray diffraction (XRD) to facilitate interpretation of the calorimetry measurements. Time-resolved XRD during in-situ operation of nanocalorimetry sensors using intense, high-energy synchrotron radiation allows unprecedented characterization of thermal and structural material properties. We demonstrate this experiment with detailed characterization of the melting and solidification of elemental Bi, In and Sn thin-film samples, using heating and cooling rates up to 300 K/s. By combining scanning DC and AC nano-calorimetry techniques, we study the nucleation behavior of undercooled liquid Bi at cooling rates ranging from 10. 1 to 10. 4 K/s. Upon initial melting, the Bi thin-film sample breaksup into isolated islands. The number of islands

Roebel assembled coated conductor cables (RACC): Ac-Losses and current carrying potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, A.; Heller, R.; Goldacker, W.; Kling, A.; Schmidt, C.

2008-02-01

Low ac-loss HTS cables for transport currents well above 1 kA are required for application in transformers and generators and are taken into consideration for future generations of fusion reactor coils. Coated conductors (CC) are suitable candidates for high field application at an operation temperature in the range 50-77 K. Ac-field applications require cables with low ac-losses and hence twisting of the individual strands. We solved this problem using the Roebel technique. Short lengths of Roebel bar cables were prepared from industrial DyBCO and YBCO-CC. Meander shaped tapes of 4 or 5 mm width with twist pitches of 123 or 127 mm were cut from the 10 or 12 mm wide CC tapes using a specially designed tool. Eleven or twelve of these strands were assembled to a cable. The electrical and mechanical connection of the tapes was achieved using a silver powder filled conductive epoxy resin. Ac-losses of a short sample in an external ac-field were measured as a function of frequency and field amplitude as well as the coupling current decay time constant. We discuss the results in terms of available theories and compare measured time constants in transverse field with measured coupling losses. Finally the potential of this cable type for ac-use is discussed with respect to ac-losses and current carrying capability.

Comparative single-cell genomics reveals potential ecological niches for the freshwater acI Actinobacteria lineage.

PubMed

Ghylin, Trevor W; Garcia, Sarahi L; Moya, Francisco; Oyserman, Ben O; Schwientek, Patrick; Forest, Katrina T; Mutschler, James; Dwulit-Smith, Jeffrey; Chan, Leong-Keat; Martinez-Garcia, Manuel; Sczyrba, Alexander; Stepanauskas, Ramunas; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Woyke, Tanja; Warnecke, Falk; Malmstrom, Rex; Bertilsson, Stefan; McMahon, Katherine D

2014-12-01

Members of the acI lineage of Actinobacteria are the most abundant microorganisms in most freshwater lakes; however, our understanding of the keys to their success and their role in carbon and nutrient cycling in freshwater systems has been hampered by the lack of pure cultures and genomes. We obtained draft genome assemblies from 11 single cells representing three acI tribes (acI-A1, acI-A7, acI-B1) from four temperate lakes in the United States and Europe. Comparative analysis of acI SAGs and other available freshwater bacterial genomes showed that acI has more gene content directed toward carbohydrate acquisition as compared to Polynucleobacter and LD12 Alphaproteobacteria, which seem to specialize more on carboxylic acids. The acI genomes contain actinorhodopsin as well as some genes involved in anaplerotic carbon fixation indicating the capacity to supplement their known heterotrophic lifestyle. Genome-level differences between the acI-A and acI-B clades suggest specialization at the clade level for carbon substrate acquisition. Overall, the acI genomes appear to be highly streamlined versions of Actinobacteria that include some genes allowing it to take advantage of sunlight and N-rich organic compounds such as polyamines, di- and oligopeptides, branched-chain amino acids and cyanophycin. This work significantly expands the known metabolic potential of the cosmopolitan freshwater acI lineage and its ecological and genetic traits.

Practical solutions when facing cost sharing: the American Cancer Society's Health Insurance Assistance Service.

PubMed

Sharpe, Katherine; Shaw, Beverly; Battaglia Seiler, Mandi

2016-03-01

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has been a leading voice for healthcare reform and an informed advocate for effective health insurance reforms. Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the ACS has observed a shift in inquiries to its Health Insurance Assistance Service (HIAS) from individuals seeking coverage, to a growing problem of individuals presenting issues from being underinsured. Underinsured patients with cancer face serious financial challenges due to large co-pays and coinsurance costs. HIAS was created to help these patients identify potential options for insurance coverage while tracking patient trends. The types of calls received by HIAS have been captured as part of an internal database that allows for the analysis of trends and emerging issues. By evaluating several case studies that illustrate common issues faced by underinsured individuals, we identified solutions ranging from exploring financial assistance programs, such as co-pay relief and providing appeal information, to searching for more adequate or affordable insurance options. Additionally, the ACS has worked to find strong partnerships with other nonprofit organizations to aid in cost relief. Although the ACA has made plans available to many patients and their families, the maximum for an individual's in-network out-of-pocket costs are still too high for many individuals. New approaches are needed to improve the cost protection of health plans. By documenting access problems faced by patients with cancer, the ACS is better positioned to tell policy makers about the concerns of real patients and work toward policy solutions.

AC magnetic field measurement using a small flip coil system for rapid cycling AC magnets at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jianxin; Kang, Wen; Li, Shuai; Liu, Yudong; Liu, Yiqin; Xu, Shouyan; Guo, Xiaoling; Wu, Xi; Deng, Changdong; Li, Li; Wu, Yuwen; Wang, Sheng

2018-02-01

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) has two major accelerator systems, a linear accelerator and a rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS). The RCS accelerator is used to accumulate and accelerate protons from the energy of 80 MeV to the design energy of 1.6 GeV at the repetition rate of 25 Hz, and extract the high energy beam to the target. The main magnets of the RCS accelerator are excited by AC current with DC bias. The magnetic field quality is very important for the RCS accelerator operation, since it should guarantee and focus a circulating beam. In order to characterize the AC magnets, a small flip coil measurement system has been developed and one of each type of AC magnets has been studied. The measurement system and selected measurement results are presented in this paper.

Ion trajectory simulations of axial ac dipolar excitation in the Orbitrap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Guangxiang; Noll, Robert J.; Plass, Wolfgang R.; Hu, Qizhi; Perry, Richard H.; Cooks, R. Graham

2006-07-01

The newly developed version of the multi-particle ion trajectory simulation program, ITSIM 6.0, was applied to simulate ac dipolar excitation of ion axial motion in the Orbitrap. The Orbitrap inner and outer electrodes were generated in AutoCAD, a 3D drawing program. The electrode geometry was imported into the 3D field solver COMSOL; the field array was then imported into ITSIM 6.0. Ion trajectories were calculated by solving Newton's equations using Runge-Kutta integration methods. Compared to the analytical solution, calculated radial components of the field at the device's "equator" (z = 0) were within 0.5% and calculated axial components midway between the inner and outer electrodes were within 0.2%. The experiments simulated here involved the control of axial motion of ions in the Orbitrap by the application of dipolar ac signals to the split outer electrodes, as described in a recently published paper from this laboratory [Hu et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 110 (2006) 2682]. In these experiments, ac signal was applied at the axial resonant frequency of a selected ion. Axial excitation and eventual ion ejection resulted when the ac was in phase with, i.e., had 0° phase relative to ion axial motion. De-excitation of ion axial motion until the ions were at z = 0 and at rest with respect to the z-axis resulted if the applied ac was out of phase with ion motion, with re-excitation of ion axial motion occurring if the dipolar ac was continued beyond this point. Both de-excitation and re-excitation could be achieved mass-selectively and depended on the amplitude and duration (number of cycles) of the applied ac. The effects of ac amplitude, frequency, phase relative to ion motion, and bandwidth of applied waveform were simulated. All simulation results were compared directly with the experimental data and good agreement was observed. Such ion motion control experiments and their simulation provide the possibility to improve Orbitrap performance and to develop tandem mass

Incidence and risk factors for congestive heart failure in patients with early breast cancer who received anthracycline and/or trastuzumab: a big data analysis of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment service database.

PubMed

Choi, Jung Yoon; Cho, Eun Young; Choi, Yoon Ji; Lee, Jeong Hyeon; Jung, Seung Pil; Cho, Kyu Ran; Kim, Chul Yong; Kim, Yeul Hong; Park, Kyong Hwa

2018-05-08

We aimed to analyze the incidence, time to occurrence, and congestive heart failure (CHF) risk factors for early breast cancer patients treated with anthracycline (AC)-based chemotherapy and/or trastuzumab (T) therapy in Korea. We included female patients > 19 years old from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database who had no prior CHF history and had been diagnosed with early breast cancer between January 2007 and October 2016. We included 83,544 patients in our analysis. In terms of crude incidence for CHF, AC followed by T showed the highest incidence (6.3%). However, 3.1 and 4.2% of the patients had CHF due to AC-based chemotherapy and non-AC followed by T, respectively. The median times to occurrence of CHF were different according to adjuvant treatments, approximately 2 years (701.0 days) in the AC-based chemotherapy group vs 1 year (377.5 days) AC followed by T group. T therapy was associated with earlier development of CHF irrespective of previous chemotherapy, but late risk of CHF 1.2 years after T therapy rapidly decreased in both chemotherapy groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio for CHF was increased in the group of older patients (≥ 65 years old) who underwent AC followed by T therapy, with Charlson comorbidity index scores of ≥ 2. Our study showed that neo-/adjuvant chemotherapy using T irrespective of previous chemotherapy (AC or non-AC) was associated with significantly increased risk of CHF compared with AC-based chemotherapy in Korean patients with early breast cancer.

Transposition of the maize transposable element Ac in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

PubMed

Scholz, S; Lörz, H; Lütticke, S

2001-01-01

Transposition of the maize autonomous element Ac (Activator) was investigated in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with the aim of developing a transposon tagging system for the latter. The Ac element was introduced into meristematic tissue of barley by microprojectile bombardment. Transposon activity was then examined in the resulting transgenic plants. Multiple excision events were detected in leaf tissue of all plant lines. The mobile elements generated empty donor sites with small DNA sequence alterations, similar to those found in maize. Reintegration of Ac at independent genomic loci in somatic tissue was demonstrated by isolation of new element-flanking regions by AIMS-PCR (amplification of insertion-mutagenized sites). In addition, transmission of transposed Ac elements to progeny plants was confirmed. The results indicate that the introduced Ac element is able to transpose in barley. This is a first step towards the establishment of a transposon tagging system in this economically important crop.

ACS (Alma Common Software) operating a set of robotic telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westhues, C.; Ramolla, M.; Lemke, R.; Haas, M.; Drass, H.; Chini, R.

2014-07-01

We use the ALMA Common Software (ACS) to establish a unified middleware for robotic observations with the 40cm Optical, 80cm Infrared and 1.5m Hexapod telescopes located at OCA (Observatorio Cerro Armazones) and the ESO 1-m located at La Silla. ACS permits to hide from the observer the technical specifications, like mount-type or camera-model. Furthermore ACS provides a uniform interface to the different telescopes, allowing us to run the same planning program for each telescope. Observations are carried out for long-term monitoring campaigns to study the variability of stars and AGN. We present here the specific implementation to the different telescopes.

Numerical minimization of AC losses in coaxial coated conductor cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostila, L.; Suuriniemi, S.; Lehtonen, J.; Grasso, G.

2010-02-01

Power cables are one of the most promising applications for the superconducting coated conductors. In the AC use, only small resistive loss is generated, but the removal of the dissipated heat from the cryostat is inefficient due to the large temperature difference. The aim of this work is to minimize the AC losses in a multilayer coaxial cable, in which the tapes form current carrying cylinders. The optimized parameters are the tape numbers and lay angles in these cylinders. This work shows how to cope with the mechanical constraints for the lay angles and discrete tape number in optimization. Three common types of coaxial cables are studied here to demonstrate the feasibility of optimization, in which the AC losses were computed with a circuit analysis model formulated here for arbitrary phase currents, number of phases, and layers. Because the current sharing is practically determined by the inductances of the layers, the optima were obtained much faster by neglecting the nonlinear resistances caused by the AC losses. In addition, the example calculations show that the optimal cable structure do not usually depend on the AC loss model for the individual tapes. On the other hand, depending on the cable type, the losses of the optimized cables may be sensitive to the lay angles, and therefore, we recommend to study the sensitivity for the new cable designs individually.

Travel Support for Scientists to Participate in ACS Symposium

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-31

Report: Travel Support for Scientists to Participate in ACS Symposium The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the...to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data...Number: W911NF-16-1-0110 Organization: University of Notre Dame Title: Travel Support for Scientists to Participate in ACS Symposium Report Term

Investigation of the transition of multicycle AC operation in ISTTOK under edge electrode biasing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malaquias, A.; Henriques, R. B.; Silva, C.; Figueiredo, H.; Nedzelskiy, I. S.; Fernandes, H.; Sharma, R.; Plyusnin, V. V.

2017-11-01

In this paper we present recent results obtained on plasma edge electrode biasing during AC discharges. The goal is to obtain experimental evidence on a number of plasma parameters that can play a role during the AC transition on the repeatability and reproducibility of AC operation. The control of the plasma density in the quiescent phase is made just before the AC transition by means of positive edge biasing leading to a transitory improved of density (30%-40%). Gas puff experiments show that the increase of background gas pressure during discharge led to a better success of the AC transition. The experimental results indicate that the increase of density during the AC transition induced by edge biasing is followed by an electron temperature drop. The drop in electron temperature leads in most cases the formation of runaway electrons. It has been observed that the runaway population during discharge flattop depends on the interplay between gas content and plasma density and temperature. The results also confirm that the correct balance of external magnetic fields is crucial during the AC transition phase where drift electron currents are formed. The results from the heavy ion beam diagnostic show that the formation of plasma current during consecutive AC transitions is asymmetric. Numerical simulations indicate that for some particular conditions this result could be reproduced from assuming the presence of two counter-currents during AC transition.

Introducing AC inductive reactance with a power tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryant, Wesley; Baker, Blane

2016-09-01

The concept of reactance in AC electrical circuits is often non-intuitive and difficult for students to grasp. In order to address this lack of conceptual understanding, classroom exercises compare the predicted resistance of a power tool, based on electrical specifications, to measured resistance. Once students discover that measured resistance is smaller than expected, they are asked to explain these observations using previously studied principles of magnetic induction. Exercises also introduce the notion of inductive reactance and impedance in AC circuits and, ultimately, determine self-inductance of the motor windings within the power tool.

AC electrothermal technique in microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salari, Alinaghi; Navi, Maryam; Dalton, Colin

2017-02-01

Electrokinetic techniques have a wide range of applications in droplet, particle, and fluid manipulation systems. In general, they can be categorized into different subgroups including electroosmosis, electrothermal, electrophoresis, dielectrophoresis, etc. The AC electrothermal (ACET) technique has been shown to be very effective in applications which involve high conductivity fluids, such as blood, which are typically used in biomedical applications. In the past few years, the ACET effect has received considerable attention. Unlike AC electroosmosis (ACEO), the ACET effect shows plateaus in force in a wide frequency range. In other words, with electrothermal force, velocity is more steady and predictable at different frequencies, compared to ACEO and dielectrophoresis (DEP). Although electrothermal microflows form as a result of Joule heating in the fluid, due to high conduction of heat to the ambience, the temperature rise in the fluid is not so high as to threaten the nature of the biofluids. The average temperature rise resulting from the ACET effect is below 5 °K. In order to generate high strength AC electric fields, microfabricated electrode arrays are commonly used in microchannels. For pumping applications, it is essential to create asymmetry in the electric field, typically by having asymmetrical electrode pairs. There is no defined border between many electrokinetic techniques, and as such the point where electrothermal processes interferes with other electrokinetic techniques is not clear in the literature. In addition, there have been comprehensive reviews on micropumps, electrokinetics, and their subcategories, but the literature lacks a detailed up-to-date review on electrothermal microdevices. In this paper, a brief review is made specifically on electric fields in ACET devices, in order to provide an insight for the reader about the importance of this aspect of ACET devices and the improvements made to date.

College Student Textbook Acquisition: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Matthew K.; Stephens, Paul R.

2015-01-01

The past ten years have seen an increase in the number of ways students can acquire textbooks. The traditional purchase of printed textbooks from the campus bookstore still exists, but now students can purchase e-books, buy online, or rent from either the campus bookstore or from an online provider. This research is an exploratory study of college…

Modeling AC ripple currents in HTS coated conductors by integral equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grilli, Francesco; Xu, Zhihan

2016-12-01

In several HTS applications, the superconducting tapes experience the simultaneous presence of DC and AC excitations. For example in high-current DC cables, where the transport current is not perfectly constant, but it exhibits some ripples at different frequencies introduced by the rectification process (AC-DC conversion). These ripples give rise to dissipation, whose magnitude and possible influence on the device's cooling requirements need to be evaluated. Here we report a study of the AC losses in a HTS coated conductor subjected to DC currents and AC ripples simultaneously. The modeling approach is based on an integral equation method for thin superconductors: the superconducting tape is modeled as a 1-D object with a non-linear resistivity, which includes the dependence of the critical current density Jc on the magnetic field. The model, implemented in a commercial finite-element program, runs very fast (the simulation of one AC cycle typically takes a few seconds on standard desktop workstation): this allows simulating a large number of cycles and estimating when the AC ripple losses stabilize to a constant value. The model is used to study the influence of the flux creep power index n on the stabilization speed and on the AC loss values, as well as the effect of using a field-dependent Jc instead of a constant one. The simulations confirm that the dissipation level should not be a practical concern in HTS DC cables. At the same time, however, they reveal a strong dependence of the results upon the power index n and the form of Jc , which spurs the question whether the power-law is the most suitable description of the superconductor's electrical behavior for this kind of analysis.

Cosmic shear analysis of archival HST/ACS data. I. Comparison of early ACS pure parallel data to the HST/GEMS survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrabback, T.; Erben, T.; Simon, P.; Miralles, J.-M.; Schneider, P.; Heymans, C.; Eifler, T.; Fosbury, R. A. E.; Freudling, W.; Hetterscheidt, M.; Hildebrandt, H.; Pirzkal, N.

2007-06-01

Context: This is the first paper of a series describing our measurement of weak lensing by large-scale structure, also termed “cosmic shear”, using archival observations from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Aims: In this work we present results from a pilot study testing the capabilities of the ACS for cosmic shear measurements with early parallel observations and presenting a re-analysis of HST/ACS data from the GEMS survey and the GOODS observations of the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS). Methods: We describe the data reduction and, in particular, a new correction scheme for the time-dependent ACS point-spread-function (PSF) based on observations of stellar fields. This is currently the only technique which takes the full time variation of the PSF between individual ACS exposures into account. We estimate that our PSF correction scheme reduces the systematic contribution to the shear correlation functions due to PSF distortions to <2 × 10-6 for galaxy fields containing at least 10 stars, which corresponds to ⪉5% of the cosmological signal expected on scales of a single ACS field. Results: We perform a number of diagnostic tests indicating that the remaining level of systematics is consistent with zero for the GEMS and GOODS data confirming the success of our PSF correction scheme. For the parallel data we detect a low level of remaining systematics which we interpret to be caused by a lack of sufficient dithering of the data. Combining the shear estimate of the GEMS and GOODS observations using 96 galaxies arcmin-2 with the photometric redshift catalogue of the GOODS-MUSIC sample, we determine a local single field estimate for the mass power spectrum normalisation σ8, CDFS=0.52+0.11-0.15 (stat) ± 0.07(sys) (68% confidence assuming Gaussian cosmic variance) at a fixed matter density Ω_m=0.3 for a ΛCDM cosmology marginalising over the uncertainty of the Hubble parameter and the redshift distribution. We

Comparing the ACS/WFC and WFC3/UVIS Calibration and Photometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deustua, S. E.; Mack, J.

2018-03-01

A study was undertaken using synthetic photometry of CALSPEC stars to compare the ACS Wide Field Channel (WFC) photometry to the WFC3 UVIS imaging channel in eight similarly named passbands corresponding to the broadband filters F435W (ACS/WFC) F438W (WFC3/UVIS) and F475W, F555W, F606W, F625W, F775W, F814W and F850LP (both ACS/WFC and WFC3/UVIS). The uncertainty of the photometric calibration of ACS/WFC and WFC3/UVIS with respect to the white dwarf standard stars is within ± 0.5% for F814W, F775W, F606W and F475W, and within ±1% for F625W and F850LP. For F555W the apparent difference in the calibration is 2% for F555W and 6% for UVIS/F438W and ACS/F435W due to inherent differences in the filter passbands. Comparing the ACS/WFC to WFC3/UVIS mean flux for stars having a range of spectral types shows a color dependence. The WFC to UVIS F814W color dependence is ± 0.02 mags for F814W, F775W, F475W and F606W. For the other filters the range is -0.06 to +0.02 mags. Aperture photometry of the 47 Tucanae cluster confirm the results from using synthetic photometry of CALSPEC stars.

Established and potential physiological roles of bicarbonate-sensing soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) in aquatic animals

PubMed Central

Tresguerres, Martin; Barott, Katie L.; Barron, Megan E.; Roa, Jinae N.

2014-01-01

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a recently recognized source of the signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) that is genetically and biochemically distinct from the classic G-protein-regulated transmembrane adenylyl cyclases (tmACs). Mammalian sAC is distributed throughout the cytoplasm and it may be present in the nucleus and inside mitochondria. sAC activity is directly stimulated by HCO3−, and sAC has been confirmed to be a HCO3− sensor in a variety of mammalian cell types. In addition, sAC can functionally associate with carbonic anhydrases to act as a de facto sensor of pH and CO2. The two catalytic domains of sAC are related to HCO3−-regulated adenylyl cyclases from cyanobacteria, suggesting the cAMP pathway is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for sensing CO2 levels and/or acid/base conditions. Reports of sAC in aquatic animals are still limited but are rapidly accumulating. In shark gills, sAC senses blood alkalosis and triggers compensatory H+ absorption. In the intestine of bony fishes, sAC modulates NaCl and water absorption. And in sea urchin sperm, sAC may participate in the initiation of flagellar movement and in the acrosome reaction. Bioinformatics and RT-PCR results reveal that sAC orthologs are present in most animal phyla. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the physiological roles of sAC in aquatic animals and suggests additional functions in which sAC may be involved. PMID:24574382

Superconducting ac cable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, F.

1980-11-01

The components of a superconducting 110 kV ac cable for power ratings or = 2000 MVA were developed. The cable design is of the semiflexible type, with a rigid cryogenic envelope containing a flexible hollow coaxial cable core. The cable core consists of spirally wound Nb-A1 composite wires electrically insulated by high pressure polyethylene tape wrappings. A 35 m long single phase test cable with full load terminals rated at 110 kV and 10 kA was constructed and successfully tested. The results obtained prove the technical feasibility and capability of this cable design.

Diode-rectified multiphase AC arc for the improvement of electrode erosion characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Manabu; Hashizume, Taro; Saga, Koki; Matsuura, Tsugio; Watanabe, Takayuki

2017-11-01

An innovative multiphase AC arc (MPA) system was developed on the basis of a diode-rectification technique to improve electrode erosion characteristics. Conventionally, electrode erosion in AC arc is severer than that in DC arc. This originated from the fact that the required properties for the cathode and anode are different, although an AC electrode works as the cathode and the anode periodically. To solve this problem, a separation of AC electrodes into pairs of thoriated tungsten cathode and copper anode by diode-rectification was attempted. A diode-rectified multiphase AC arc (DRMPA) system was then successfully established, resulting in a drastic improvement of the erosion characteristics. The electrode erosion rate in the DRMPA was less than one-third of that in the conventional MPA without the diode rectification. In order to clarify its erosion mechanism, electrode phenomena during discharge were visualized by a high-speed camera system with appropriate band-pass filters. Fluctuation characteristics of the electrode temperature in the DRMPA were revealed.

Mucins in Gastric Cancer – An Update

PubMed Central

Boltin, Doron; Niv, Yaron

2013-01-01

Mucins are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, with a key role in mucosal protection and function. In gastric cancer expression of MUC5AC and MUC1 is reduced and denovo expression of MUC2 occurs. With progressive loss of tumor differentiation and increased tumor stage, expression of MUC5AC and MUC1 is further reduced, and MUC2 decreases. Isolated MUC2 expression (the intestinal phenotype) correlates with metastatic spread and poor survival. There is emerging evidence that MUC1 acts as an oncoprotein when overexpressed. The cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 interacts with the H. pylori virulence factor cagA and is a major effector of the wnt-β catenin intracellular signalling cascade. Polymorphism in the MUC1 gene has been identified in gastric cancer patients and may have a prospective role in the stratification of high-risk subjects. The MUC1 gene also mediates resistance to the recombinant HER2/neu antibody trastuzumab. Future research efforts will examine targeting MUC1 for therapeutic purposes. PMID:24077811

Faradaic AC Electrokinetic Flow and Particle Traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben, Yuxing; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2004-11-01

Faradaic reaction at higher voltages can produce co-ion polarization at AC electrodes instead of counter-ion polarization due to capacitive charging from the bulk. The Faradaic co-ion polarization also does not screen the external field and hence can produce large net electro-kinetic flows at frequencies lower than the inverse RC time of the double layer. Due to the opposite polarization of capacitve and Faradaic charging, we can reverse the direction of AC flows on electrodes by changing the voltage and frequency. Particles and bacteria are trapped and then dispersed at stagnation lines, at locations predicted by our theory, by using these two flows sequentially. This technique offers a good way to concentrate and detect bacteria.

AC application of second generation HTS wire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thieme, C. L. H.; Gagnon, K.; Voccio, J.; Aized, D.; Claassen, J.

2008-02-01

For the production of Second Generation (2G) YBCO High Temperature Superconductor wire American Superconductor uses a wide-strip MOD-YBCO/RABiTSTM process, a low-cost approach for commercial manufacturing. It can be engineered with a high degree of flexibility to manufacture practical 2G conductors with architectures and properties tailored for specific applications and operating conditions. For ac applications conductor and coil design can be geared towards low hysteretic losses. For applications which experience high frequency ac fields, the stabilizer needs to be adjusted for low eddy current losses. For these applications a stainless-steel laminate is used. An example is a Low Pass Filter Inductor which was developed and built in this work.

MR Imaging Based Treatment Planning for Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

Radiotherapy, MR-based treatment planning, dosimetry, Monte Carlo dose verification, Prostate Cancer, MRI -based DRRs 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...AcQPlan system Version 5 was used for the study , which is capable of performing dose calculation on both CT and MRI . A four field 3D conformal planning...prostate motion studies for 3DCRT and IMRT of prostate cancer; (2) to investigate and improve the accuracy of MRI -based treatment planning dose calculation

Tangeretin derivative, 5-acetyloxy-6,7,8,4'-tetramethoxyflavone induces G2/M arrest, apoptosis and autophagy in human non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Li, Yi Rong; Li, Shiming; Ho, Chi-Tang; Chang, Ya-Han; Tan, Kok-Tong; Chung, Ting-Wen; Wang, Bing-Yen; Chen, Yu-Kuo; Lin, Chi-Chen

2016-01-01

Tangeretin, a major phytochemicals in tangerine peels--an important Chinese herb, has been found to have anti-carcinogenic properties. To improve bioavailability and increase potency of tangeretin, its derivative, 5-acetyloxy-6,7,8,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (5-AcTMF), has been synthesized and shown potent inhibition of proliferation activity against human breast and leukemia cancer cell lines. In this study, we have further investigated the anticancer effects of 5-AcTMF on CL1-5 non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) both in vitro and in vivo and demonstrated that 5-AcTMF effectively inhibited cancer cell proliferation, induced G2/M-phase arrest associated with cdc2 and CDC25c and increased in the apoptotic cells associated with caspase activation, down regulation of Bcl-2, XIAP and Survivn, inducing release of cytochrome c into the cytosol and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. We also found that 5-AcTMF treatment of CL1-5 activated autophagy, indicated by triggered autophagosome formation and increased LC3-II levels and formation of LC3 puncta. Moreover, we also found that 5-AcTMF lowered phophoatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Over-expression of AKT by AKT cDNA transfection decreased 5-AcTMF mediated apoptosis and autophagy, supporting the induction of apoptosis and autophagy by inhibition of AKT pathway. In an animal study, 5-AcTMF effectively delayed tumor growth in a nude mouse model of CL1-5 xenografts without observed adverse effect. Immunohistochemistry Analysis indicated that 5-AcTMF induced CL1-5 cell apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Taken together, these data demonstrate that 5-AcTMF is a novel small molecule agent that can inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation, and induce G(2)/M phase arrest and via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and autophagy.

American Cancer Society, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and American Society for Clinical Pathology Screening Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer

PubMed Central

Saslow, Debbie; Solomon, Diane; Lawson, Herschel W.; Killackey, Maureen; Kulasingam, Shalini; Cain, Joanna; Garcia, Francisco A. R.; Moriarty, Ann; Waxman, Alan; Wilbur, David; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Downs, Levi; Spitzer, Mark; Moscicki, Anna-Barbara; Saraiya, Mona; Franco, Eduardo L.; Stoler, Mark H.; Schiffman, Mark; Castle, Philip E.; Myers, Evan R.

2013-01-01

An update to the American Cancer Society (ACS) guideline regarding screening for the early detection of cervical precancerous lesions and cancer is presented. The guidelines are based on a systematic evidence review, contributions from six working groups, and a recent symposium co-sponsored by the ACS, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), and American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), which was attended by 25 organizations. The new screening recommendations address age-appropriate screening strategies, including the use of cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, follow-up (e.g., management of screen positives and screening interval for screen negatives) of women after screening, age at which to exit screening, future considerations regarding HPV testing alone as a primary screening approach, and screening strategies for women vaccinated against HPV16 and HPV18 infections. PMID:22418039

American Cancer Society, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and American Society for Clinical Pathology Screening Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer

PubMed Central

Saslow, Debbie; Solomon, Diane; Lawson, Herschel W.; Killackey, Maureen; Kulasingam, Shalini; Cain, Joanna; Garcia, Francisco A. R.; Moriarty, Ann; Waxman, Alan; Wilbur, David; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Downs, Levi; Spitzer, Mark; Moscicki, Anna-Barbara; Franco, Eduardo L.; Stoler, Mark H.; Schiffman, Mark; Castle, Philip E.; Myers, Evan R.

2013-01-01

An update to the American Cancer Society (ACS) guideline regarding screening for the early detection of cervical precancerous lesions and cancer is presented. The guidelines are based on a systematic evidence review, contributions from six working groups, and a recent symposium cosponsored by the ACS, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), and American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), which was attended by 25 organizations. The new screening recommendations address age-appropriate screening strategies, including the use of cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, follow-up (e.g., management of screen positives and screening interval for screen negatives) of women after screening, age at which to exit screening, future considerations regarding HPV testing alone as a primary screening approach, and screening strategies for women vaccinated against HPV16 and HPV18 infections. PMID:22422631

AC Application of HTS Conductors in Highly Dynamic Electric Motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oswald, B.; Best, K.-J.; Setzer, M.; Duffner, E.; Soell, M.; Gawalek, W.; Kovalev, L. K.

2006-06-01

Based on recent investigations we design highly dynamic electric motors up to 400 kW and linear motors up to 120 kN linear force using HTS bulk material and HTS tapes. The introduction of HTS tapes into AC applications in electric motors needs fundamental studies on double pancake coils under transversal magnetic fields. First theoretical and experimental results on AC field distributions in double-pancake-coils and corresponding AC losses will be presented. Based on these results the simulation of the motor performance confirms extremely high power density and efficiency of both types of electric motors. Improved characteristics of rare earth permanent magnets used in our motors at low temperatures give an additional technological benefit.

AC-Induced Bias Potential Effect on Corrosion of Steels

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-05

induction, variable conduction Experimental Setup Super- martensitic stainless steel composition Analysis: C Mn Si Cr Ni Mo Cu N Typical 13 Cr ɘ.01 0.6... stainless steel used in pipelines. •Low carbon (ɘ.01): allows the formation of a “soft” martensite that is more resistant than standard martensitic ...Proposed AC Corrosion Models  AC Simulated Corrosion testing  Stainless steel pipe and coating  Cathodic protection  Experimental Setup  Preliminary

MYC Amplification as a Predictive Factor of Complete Pathologic Response to Docetaxel-based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Pereira, Cynthia Brito Lins; Leal, Mariana Ferreira; Abdelhay, Eliana Saul Furquim Werneck; Demachki, Sâmia; Assumpção, Paulo Pimentel; de Souza, Mirian Carvalho; Moreira-Nunes, Caroline Aquino; Tanaka, Adriana Michiko da Silva; Smith, Marília Cardoso; Burbano, Rommel Rodríguez

2017-06-01

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a standard treatment for stage II and III breast cancer. The identification of biomarkers that may help in the prediction of response to neoadjuvant therapies is necessary for a more precise definition of the best drug or drug combination to induce a better response. We assessed the role of Ki67, hormone receptors expression, HER2, MYC genes and their protein status, and KRAS codon 12 mutations as predictor factors of pathologic response to anthracycline-cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by taxane docetaxel (T) neoadjuvant chemotherapy (AC+T regimen) in 51 patients with invasive ductal breast cancer. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 82.4% of patients showed pathologic partial response, with only 9.8% showing pathologic complete response. In multivariate analysis, MYC immunoreactivity and high MYC gain defined as MYC/nucleus ≥ 5 were significant predictor factors for pathologic partial response. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the ratio of 2.5 MYC/CEP8 (sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 89.1%) or 7 MYC/nuclei copies (sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 73.9%) as the best cutoff in predicting a pathologic complete response was identified. Thus, MYC may have a role in chemosensitivity to AC and/or docetaxel drugs. Additionally, MYC amplification may be a predictor factor of pathologic response to the AC+T regimen in patients with breast cancer. Moreover, patients with an increased number of MYC copies showed pathologic complete response to this neoadjuvant treatment more frequently. The analysis of MYC amplification may help in the identification of patients that may have a better response to AC+T treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AC losses in horizontally parallel HTS tapes for possible wireless power transfer applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Boyang; Geng, Jianzhao; Zhang, Xiuchang; Fu, Lin; Li, Chao; Zhang, Heng; Dong, Qihuan; Ma, Jun; Gawith, James; Coombs, T. A.

2017-12-01

This paper presents the concept of using horizontally parallel HTS tapes with AC loss study, and the investigation on possible wireless power transfer (WPT) applications. An example of three parallel HTS tapes was proposed, whose AC loss study was carried out both from experiment using electrical method; and simulation using 2D H-formulation on the FEM platform of COMSOL Multiphysics. The electromagnetic induction around the three parallel tapes was monitored using COMSOL simulation. The electromagnetic induction and AC losses generated by a conventional three turn coil was simulated as well, and then compared to the case of three parallel tapes with the same AC transport current. The analysis demonstrates that HTS parallel tapes could be potentially used into wireless power transfer systems, which could have lower total AC losses than conventional HTS coils.

AC Conductivity and Dielectric Properties of Borotellurite Glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, T. A.; Azab, A. A.

2016-10-01

Borotellurite glasses with formula 60B2O3-10ZnO-(30 - x)NaF- xTeO2 ( x = 0 mol.%, 5 mol.%, 10 mol.%, and 15 mol.%) have been synthesized by thermal melting. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the glasses were amorphous. The glass density ( ρ) was determined by the Archimedes method at room temperature. The density ( ρ) and molar volume ( V m) were found to increase with increasing TeO2 content. The direct-current (DC) conductivity was measured in the temperature range from 473 K to 623 K, in which the electrical activation energy of ionic conduction increased from 0.27 eV to 0.48 eV with increasing TeO2 content from 0 mol.% to 15 mol.%. The dielectric parameters and alternating-current (AC) conductivity ( σ ac) were investigated in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 1 MHz and temperature range from 300 K to 633 K. The AC conductivity and dielectric constant decreased with increasing TeO2 content from 0 mol.% to 15 mol.%.

AC Electric Field Communication for Human-Area Networking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kado, Yuichi; Shinagawa, Mitsuru

We have proposed a human-area networking technology that uses the surface of the human body as a data transmission path and uses an AC electric field signal below the resonant frequency of the human body. This technology aims to achieve a “touch and connect” intuitive form of communication by using the electric field signal that propagates along the surface of the human body, while suppressing both the electric field radiating from the human body and mutual interference. To suppress the radiation field, the frequency of the AC signal that excites the transmitter electrode must be lowered, and the sensitivity of the receiver must be raised while reducing transmission power to its minimally required level. We describe how we are developing AC electric field communication technologies to promote the further evolution of a human-area network in support of ubiquitous services, focusing on three main characteristics, enabling-transceiver technique, application-scenario modeling, and communications quality evaluation. Special attention is paid to the relationship between electro-magnetic compatibility evaluation and regulations for extremely low-power radio stations based on Japan's Radio Law.

Overexpressed HDAC8 in cervical cancer cells shows functional redundancy of tubulin deacetylation with HDAC6.

PubMed

Vanaja, G R; Ramulu, Hemalatha Golaconda; Kalle, Arunasree M

2018-05-02

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are involved in epigenetic gene regulation via deacetylation of acetylated lysine residues of both histone and non-histone proteins. Among the 18 HDACs identified in humans, HDAC8, a class I HDAC, is best understood structurally and enzymatically. However, its precise subcellular location, function in normal cellular physiology, its protein partners and substrates still remain elusive. The subcellular localization of HDAC8 was studied using immunofluorescence and confocal imaging. The binding parterns were identified employing immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by MALDI-TOF analysis and confirmed using in-silico protein-protein interaction studies, HPLC-based in vitro deacetylation assay, intrinsic fluorescence spectrophotometric analysis, Circular dichroism (CD) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). Functional characterization of the binding was carried out using immunoblot and knockdown by siRNA. Using one way ANOVA statistical significance (n = 3) was determined. Here, we show that HDAC8 and its phosphorylated form (pHDAC8) localized predominantly in the cytoplasm in cancerous, HeLa, and non-cancerous (normal), HEK293T, cells, although nucleolar localization was observed in HeLa cells. The study identified Alpha tubulin as a novel interacting partner of HDAC8. Further, the results indicated binding and deacetylation of tubulin at ac-lys40 by HDAC8. Knockdown of HDAC8 by siRNA, inhibition of HDAC8 and/or HDAC6 by PCI-34051 and tubastatin respectively, cell-migration, cell morphology and cell cycle analysis clearly explained HDAC8 as tubulin deacetylase in HeLa cells and HDAC6 in HEK 293 T cells. HDAC8 shows functional redundancy with HDAC6 when overexpressed in cervical cancer cells, HeLa, and deacetylaes ac-lys40 of alpha tubulin leading to cervical cancer proliferation and progression.

Dielectric Breakdown Characteristics of Oil-pressboard Insulation System against AC/DC Superposed Voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebisawa, Yoshihito; Yamada, Shin; Mori, Shigekazu; Ikeda, Masami

This paper describes breakdown characteristics of an oil-pressboard insulation system to a superposition voltage of AC and DC voltages. Although AC electric field is decided by the ratio of the relative permittivity of a pressboard and insulating oil, DC electric field is decided by ratio α of volume resistivities. From the measurement in this study, 13—78 and 1.8—5.7 are obtained as the volume resistivity ratios α at temperature of 30°C and 80°C, respectively. The breakdown voltages against AC, DC, and those superposition voltages are surveyed to insulation models. In normal temperature, the breakdown voltage to the superposition voltage of AC and DC is determined by AC electric field applied to the oil duct. Since the α becomes as low as 2-3 at temperature of 80°C, AC and DC voltages almost equally contribute to the electric field of the oil duct as a result. That is, it became clear that superposed DC voltage boosts the electric field across oil ducts at operating high temperature.

ARC-1978-AC78-1040-172

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-11-14

Lockheed YO-3A (USA 69-18010 NASA 718) A/C & BELL COBRA HELICOPTER FLIGHT & GROUND TESTS AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE. Rotorcraft Research. NASA SP-1998-3300 Flight Research at Ames: 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology Fig. 143

Photovoltaic system with improved AC connections and method of making same

DOEpatents

Cioffi, Philip Michael; Todorovic, Maja Harfman; Herzog, Michael Scott; Korman, Charles Steven; Doherty, Donald M.; Johnson, Neil Anthony

2018-02-13

An alternating current (AC) harness for a photovoltaic (PV) system includes a wire assembly having a first end and a second end, the wire assembly having a plurality of lead wires, and at least one AC connection module positioned at a location along a length of the wire assembly between the first end and the second end. Further, the at least one AC connection module includes a first connection terminal electrically coupled to the plurality of lead wires of the wire assembly and constructed to electrically couple the wire assembly with an output of a first PV module of the PV system. The at least one AC connection module also includes a second connection terminal electrically coupled to the plurality of lead wires of the wire assembly and constructed to electrically couple the wire assembly with an output of a second PV module of the PV system.

Chance-Constrained AC Optimal Power Flow for Distribution Systems With Renewables

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

DallAnese, Emiliano; Baker, Kyri; Summers, Tyler

This paper focuses on distribution systems featuring renewable energy sources (RESs) and energy storage systems, and presents an AC optimal power flow (OPF) approach to optimize system-level performance objectives while coping with uncertainty in both RES generation and loads. The proposed method hinges on a chance-constrained AC OPF formulation where probabilistic constraints are utilized to enforce voltage regulation with prescribed probability. A computationally more affordable convex reformulation is developed by resorting to suitable linear approximations of the AC power-flow equations as well as convex approximations of the chance constraints. The approximate chance constraints provide conservative bounds that hold for arbitrarymore » distributions of the forecasting errors. An adaptive strategy is then obtained by embedding the proposed AC OPF task into a model predictive control framework. Finally, a distributed solver is developed to strategically distribute the solution of the optimization problems across utility and customers.« less

Calorimetric method of ac loss measurement in a rotating magnetic field.

PubMed

Ghoshal, P K; Coombs, T A; Campbell, A M

2010-07-01

A method is described for calorimetric ac-loss measurements of high-T(c) superconductors (HTS) at 80 K. It is based on a technique used at 4.2 K for conventional superconducting wires that allows an easy loss measurement in parallel or perpendicular external field orientation. This paper focuses on ac loss measurement setup and calibration in a rotating magnetic field. This experimental setup is to demonstrate measuring loss using a temperature rise method under the influence of a rotating magnetic field. The slight temperature increase of the sample in an ac-field is used as a measure of losses. The aim is to simulate the loss in rotating machines using HTS. This is a unique technique to measure total ac loss in HTS at power frequencies. The sample is mounted on to a cold finger extended from a liquid nitrogen heat exchanger (HEX). The thermal insulation between the HEX and sample is provided by a material of low thermal conductivity, and low eddy current heating sample holder in vacuum vessel. A temperature sensor and noninductive heater have been incorporated in the sample holder allowing a rapid sample change. The main part of the data is obtained in the calorimetric measurement is used for calibration. The focus is on the accuracy and calibrations required to predict the actual ac losses in HTS. This setup has the advantage of being able to measure the total ac loss under the influence of a continuous moving field as experienced by any rotating machines.

Efficacy of ginger for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients receiving adriamycin-cyclophosphamide regimen: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

PubMed

Thamlikitkul, Lucksamon; Srimuninnimit, Vichien; Akewanlop, Charuwan; Ithimakin, Suthinee; Techawathanawanna, Sirisopa; Korphaisarn, Krittiya; Chantharasamee, Jomjit; Danchaivijitr, Pongwut; Soparattanapaisarn, Nopadol

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of ginger for reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in breast cancer patients receiving adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (AC) regimens. We enrolled breast cancer patients receiving AC who experienced moderate to severe nausea or vomiting during the first chemotherapy cycle. Subjects were randomized to receive a 500-mg ginger capsule or placebo twice a day for 5 days starting on the first day of the second AC cycle and were switched to the other treatment in the third cycle. All participants also received ondansetron and dexamethasone for CINV prophylaxis. Nausea severity was recorded once a day during the first 5 days of each cycle. The primary outcome was reduction in nausea score. Thirty-four subjects (68 cycles of AC) were enrolled. Mean (range) maximum nausea score in the first AC cycle was 58 (40-90). Thirty-three subjects (97 %) received the same AC doses in the second as in the third cycle. Mean (±standard error) maximum nausea scores in patients receiving ginger and placebo were 35.36 (±4.43) and 32.17 (±3.71), respectively. The difference in mean maximum nausea scores was 3 (95 % confidence interval, -3 to 9; P = 0.3). There were no significant differences between ginger and placebo in terms of vomiting incidence and severity, rescue medication use, chemotherapy compliance, and adverse events. Ginger (500 mg) twice daily was safe, but conferred no additional benefit in terms of reducing nausea severity in breast cancer patients receiving AC and ondansetron and dexamethasone for CINV prophylaxis.

Structure and binding analysis of Polyporus squamosus lectin in complex with the Neu5Acα2-6Galβ1-4GlcNAc human-type influenza receptor

PubMed Central

Kadirvelraj, Renuka; Grant, Oliver C; Goldstein, Irwin J; Winter, Harry C; Tateno, Hiroaki; Fadda, Elisa; Woods, Robert J

2011-01-01

Glycan chains that terminate in sialic acid (Neu5Ac) are frequently the receptors targeted by pathogens for initial adhesion. Carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) with specificity for Neu5Ac are particularly useful in the detection and isolation of sialylated glycoconjugates, such as those associated with pathogen adhesion as well as those characteristic of several diseases including cancer. Structural studies of lectins are essential in order to understand the origin of their specificity, which is particularly important when employing such reagents as diagnostic tools. Here, we report a crystallographic and molecular dynamics (MD) analysis of a lectin from Polyporus squamosus (PSL) that is specific for glycans terminating with the sequence Neu5Acα2-6Galβ. Because of its importance as a histological reagent, the PSL structure was solved (to 1.7 Å) in complex with a trisaccharide, whose sequence (Neu5Acα2-6Galβ1-4GlcNAc) is exploited by influenza A hemagglutinin for viral adhesion to human tissue. The structural data illuminate the origin of the high specificity of PSL for the Neu5Acα2-6Gal sequence. Theoretical binding free energies derived from the MD data confirm the key interactions identified crystallographically and provide additional insight into the relative contributions from each amino acid, as well as estimates of the importance of entropic and enthalpic contributions to binding. PMID:21436237

Microwave ac Zeeman force for ultracold atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fancher, C. T.; Pyle, A. J.; Rotunno, A. P.; Aubin, S.

2018-04-01

We measure the ac Zeeman force on an ultracold gas of 87Rb due to a microwave magnetic field targeted to the 6.8 GHz hyperfine splitting of these atoms. An atom chip produces a microwave near field with a strong amplitude gradient, and we observe a force over three times the strength of gravity. Our measurements are consistent with a simple two-level theory for the ac Zeeman effect and demonstrate its resonant, bipolar, and spin-dependent nature. We observe that the dressed-atom eigenstates gradually mix over time and have mapped out this behavior as a function of magnetic field and detuning. We demonstrate the practical spin selectivity of the force by pushing or pulling a specific spin state while leaving other spin states unmoved.

Quality assessment in head and neck oncologic surgery in a Brazilian cancer center compared with MD Anderson Cancer Center benchmarks.

PubMed

Lira, Renan Bezerra; de Carvalho, André Ywata; de Carvalho, Genival Barbosa; Lewis, Carol M; Weber, Randal S; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo

2016-07-01

Quality assessment is a major tool for evaluation of health care delivery. In head and neck surgery, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) has defined quality standards by publishing benchmarks. We conducted an analysis of 360 head and neck surgeries performed at the AC Camargo Cancer Center (AC Camargo). The procedures were stratified into low-acuity procedures (LAPs) or high-acuity procedures (HAPs) and outcome indicators where compared to MD Anderson benchmarks. In the 360 cases, there were 332 LAPs (92.2%) and 28 HAPs (7.8%). Patients with any comorbid condition had a higher incidence of negative outcome indicators (p = .005). In the LAPs, we achieved the MD Anderson benchmarks in all outcome indicators. In HAPs, the rate of surgical site infection and length of hospital stay were higher than what is established by the benchmarks. Quality assessment of head and neck surgery is possible and should be disseminated, improving effectiveness in health care delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1002-1007, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

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.

DC and AC conductivity properties of bovine dentine hydroxyapatite (BDHA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumludag, F.; Gunduz, O.; Kılıc, O.; Ekren, N.; Kalkandelen, C.; Ozbek, B.; Oktar, F. N.

2017-12-01

Bovine dentine bio-waste may be used as a potential natural source of hydroxyapatite (BDHA), thus extraction of bovine dentin hydroxyapatite (BDHA) from bio-waste is significantly important to fabricate in a simple, economically and environmentally preferable. DC and AC conductivity properties of BDHA were investigated depending on sintering temperature (1000ºC - 1300°C) in air and vacuum (<10-2 mbar) ambient at room temperature. DC conductivity measurements performed between -1 and 1 V. AC conductivity measurements performed in the frequency range of 40 Hz - 100 kHz. DC conductivity results showed that dc conductivity values of the BDHA decrease with increasing sintering temperature in air ambient. It is not observed remarkable/systematic behavior for ac conductivity depending on sintering temperature.

Changes in stimulus and response AC/A ratio with vision therapy in Convergence Insufficiency.

PubMed

Singh, Neeraj Kumar; Mani, Revathy; Hussaindeen, Jameel Rizwana

To evaluate the changes in the stimulus and response Accommodative Convergence to Accommodation (AC/A) ratio following vision therapy (VT) in Convergence Insufficiency (CI). Stimulus and response AC/A ratio were measured on twenty five CI participants, pre and post 10 sessions of VT. Stimulus AC/A ratio was measured using the gradient method and response AC/A ratio was calculated using modified Thorington technique with accommodative responses measured using WAM-5500 open-field autorefractor. The gradient stimulus and response AC/A cross-link ratios were compared with thirty age matched controls. Mean age of the CI and control participants were 23.3±5.2 years and 22.7±4.2 years, respectively. The mean stimulus and response AC/A ratio for CI pre therapy was 2.2±0.72 and 6.3±2.0 PD/D that changed to 4.2±0.9 and 8.28±3.31 PD/D respectively post vision therapy and these changes were statistically significant (paired t-test; p<0.001). The mean stimulus and response AC/A ratio for controls was 3.1±0.81 and 8.95±2.5 PD/D respectively. Stimulus and response AC/A ratio increased following VT, accompanied by clinically significant changes in vergence and accommodation parameters in subjects with convergence insufficiency. This represents the plasticity of the AC/A crosslink ratios that could be achieved with vision therapy in CI. Copyright © 2016 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

MicroPPT-Based Secondary/Backup ACS for a 160-m, 450-kg Solar Sail Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wie, Bong; Murphy, David

2005-01-01

Solar sail tip-mounted, lightweight pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) are proposed for a secondary (or backup) attitude control system (ACS) of a 160-m, 450-kg solar sail spacecraft of the Solar Polar Imager (SPI) mission. A propellantless primary ACS of the SPI sailcraft employs trim control masses running along mast lanyards for pitch/yaw control together with roll stabilizer bars at the mast tips for quadrant tilt (roll) control. The robustness of such a propellantless primary ACS would be further enhanced by a secondary ACS utilizing tip-mounted, lightweight PPTs. The microPPT-based ACS is intended mainly for attitude recovery maneuvers from various off-nominal conditions that cannot be reliably handled by the propellantless primary ACS. However, it can also be employed for: i) the checkout or standby mode prior to and during sail deployment, ii) the post-deployment transition mode (prior to the propellantless primary ACS mode operation), iii) the solar sailing cruise mode of a trimmed sailcraft, and iv) the spin-stabilized, sun-pointing, safe mode. Although a conventional bus ACS is required for the SPI mission as the sail is jettisoned at the start of its science mission phase, the microPPT-based ACS option promises greater redundancy and robustness for the SPI mission. For other sailing missions, where the sail is never jettisoned, this secondary ACS provides a lower-cost, lower-mass propulsion for deployment control and greater redundancy than any traditional reaction-jet control system. This paper presents an overview nf the state--of-the--art microPPT technology, the design requirements of microPPTs for solar sail attitude control, and the preliminary ACS design and simulation results.

Inhibition of motor cortex excitability with 15Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS).

PubMed

Zaghi, Soroush; de Freitas Rezende, Larissa; de Oliveira, Laís Machado; El-Nazer, Rasheda; Menning, Sanne; Tadini, Laura; Fregni, Felipe

2010-08-02

There remains a lack of solid evidence showing whether transcranial stimulation with weak alternating current (transcranial alternating current stimulation, tACS) can in fact induce significant neurophysiological effects. Previously, a study in which tACS was applied for 2 and 5min with current density=0.16-0.25A/m(2) was unable to show robust effects on cortical excitability. Here we applied tACS at a significantly higher current density (0.80A/m(2)) for a considerably longer duration (20min) and were indeed able to demonstrate measurable changes to cortical excitability. Our results show that active 15Hz tACS of the motor cortex (electrodes placed at C3 and C4) significantly diminished the amplitude of motor evoked potentials and decreased intracortical facilitation (ICF) as compared to baseline and sham stimulation. In addition, we show that our method of sham tACS is a reliable control condition. These results support the notion that AC stimulation with weak currents can induce significant changes in brain excitability; in this case, 15Hz tACS led to a pattern of inhibition of cortical excitability. We propose that tACS may have a dampening effect on cortical networks and perhaps interfere with the temporal and spatial summation of weak subthreshold electric potentials. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved Tribological Performance of Amorphous Carbon (a-C) Coating by ZrO2 Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Tang, Jinzhu; Ding, Qi; Zhang, Songwei; Wu, Guizhi; Hu, Litian

2016-01-01

Nanomaterials, such as Graphene, h-BN nanoparticles and MoS2 nanotubes, have shown their ability in improving the tribological performance of amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings. In the current study, the effectiveness of ZrO2 nanoparticles (ZrO2-NPs) in lubricating the self-mated nonhydrogenated a-C contacts was investigated in boundary lubrication regime. The results showed that 13% less friction and 50% less wear compared to the base oil were achieved by employing ZrO2-NPs in the base oil in self-mated a-C contacts. Via analyzing the ZrO2-NPs and the worn a-C surface after tests, it was found that the improved lubrication by ZrO2-NPs was based on “polishing effects”, which is a new phenomenon observed between a-C and nanoparticles. Under the “polishing effect”, micro-plateaus with extremely smooth surface and uniform height were produced on the analyzed a-C surface. The resulting topography of the a-C coating is suitable for ZrO2-NPs to act as nano-bearings between rubbing surfaces. Especially, the ZrO2-NPs exhibited excellent mechanical and chemical stability, even under the severe service condition, suggesting that the combination of nonhydrogenated a-C coating with ZrO2-NPs is an effective, long lasting and environment-friendly lubrication solution. PMID:28773916

Recovery of consciousness in broilers following combined dc and ac stunning

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Broilers in the United States are typically electrically stunned using low voltage-high frequency pulsed DC water bath stunners and in the European Union broilers are electrocuted using high voltage-low frequency AC. DC stunned broilers regain consciousness in the absence of exsanguination and AC st...

Feasibility of chemohyperthermia with docetaxel-embedded magnetoliposomes as minimally invasive local treatment for cancer.

PubMed

Yoshida, Motohira; Watanabe, Yuji; Sato, Mitsunori; Maehara, Tsunehiro; Aono, Hiromichi; Naohara, Takashi; Hirazawa, Hideyuki; Horiuchi, Atsushi; Yukumi, Shungo; Sato, Koichi; Nakagawa, Hiromichi; Yamamoto, Yuji; Sugishita, Hiroki; Kawachi, Kanji

2010-04-15

Hyperthermia is a minimally invasive approach to cancer treatment, but it is difficult to heat only the tumor without damaging surrounding tissue. To solve this problem, we studied the effectiveness of chemohyperthermia with docetaxel-embedded magnetoliposomes (DMLs) and an applied alternating current (AC) magnetic field. Human MKN45 gastric cancer cells were implanted in the hind limb of Balb-c/nu/nu mice. Various concentrations of docetaxel-embedded DMLs were injected into the tumors and exposed to an AC magnetic field (n = 6, each). For comparison with hyperthermia alone, magnetite-loaded liposome (ML)-injected tumors were exposed to an AC magnetic field. Furthermore, the results of DML without AC treatment and docetaxel diluted into PBS with AC treatment were also compared (n = 10, each). Tumor surface temperature was maintained between 42 and 43 degrees C. Tumor volume was reduced in the DML group with a docetaxel concentration > 56.8 microg/ml, while a docetaxel concentration > 568.5 microg/ml was required for tumor reduction without hyperthermia. Statistically significant differences in tumor volume and survival rate were observed between the DML group exposed to the magnetic field and the other groups. The tumor disappeared in 3 mice in the DML group exposed to the magnetic field; 2 mice survived over 6 months after treatment, whereas all mice of the other groups died by 15 weeks. Histologically, hyperthermia with DML damaged tumor cells and DML diffused homogeneously. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show that hyperthermia using chemotherapeutic agent-embedded magnetoliposomes has an anticancer effect.

The Response AC/A Ratio Before and After the Onset of Myopia

PubMed Central

Mutti, Donald O.; Mitchell, G. Lynn; Jones-Jordan, Lisa A.; Cotter, Susan A.; Kleinstein, Robert N.; Manny, Ruth E.; Twelker, J. Daniel; Zadnik, Karla

2017-01-01

Purpose To investigate the ratio of accommodative convergence per diopter of accommodative response (AC/A ratio) before, during, and after myopia onset. Methods Subjects were 698 children aged 6 to 14 years who became myopic and 430 emmetropic children participating in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Ethnicity and Refractive Error. Refractive error was measured using cycloplegic autorefraction, near work by parent survey, and the AC/A ratio by simultaneously monitoring convergence and accommodative response. The response AC/A ratios of children who became myopic were compared with age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched model estimates for emmetropic children from 5 years before through 5 years after the onset of myopia. Results The response AC/A ratio was not significantly different between the two groups 5 years before onset, then increased monotonically in children who became myopic until reaching a plateau at myopia onset of about 7 Δ/D compared to about 4 Δ/D for children who remained emmetropic (differences between groups significant at P < 0.01 from 4 years before onset through 5 years after onset). A higher AC/A ratio was associated with greater accommodative lag but not with the rate of myopia progression regardless of the level of near work. Conclusions An increasing AC/A ratio is an early sign of becoming myopic, is related to greater accommodative lag, but does not affect the rate of myopia progression. The association with accommodative lag suggests that the AC/A ratio increase is from greater neural effort needed per diopter of accommodation rather than change in the accommodative convergence crosslink gain relationship. PMID:28291868

Design and implementation of co-operative control strategy for hybrid AC/DC microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, Rasel

This thesis is mainly divided in two major sections: 1) Modeling and control of AC microgrid, DC microgrid, Hybrid AC/DC microgrid using distributed co-operative control, and 2) Development of a four bus laboratory prototype of an AC microgrid system. At first, a distributed cooperative control (DCC) for a DC microgrid considering the state-of-charge (SoC) of the batteries in a typical plug-in-electric-vehicle (PEV) is developed. In DC microgrids, this methodology is developed to assist the load sharing amongst the distributed generation units (DGs), according to their ratings with improved voltage regulation. Subsequently, a DCC based control algorithm for AC microgrid is also investigated to improve the performance of AC microgrid in terms of power sharing among the DGs, voltage regulation and frequency deviation. The results validate the advantages of the proposed methodology as compared to traditional droop control of AC microgrid. The DCC-based control methodology for AC microgrid and DC microgrid are further expanded to develop a DCC-based power management algorithm for hybrid AC/DC microgrid. The developed algorithm for hybrid microgrid controls the power flow through the interfacing converter (IC) between the AC and DC microgrids. This will facilitate the power sharing between the DGs according to their power ratings. Moreover, it enables the fixed scheduled power delivery at different operating conditions, while maintaining good voltage regulation and improved frequency profile. The second section provides a detailed explanation and step-by-step design and development of an AC/DC microgrid testbed. Controllers for the three-phase inverters are designed and tested on different generation units along with their corresponding inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) filters to eliminate the switching frequency harmonics. Electric power distribution line models are developed to form the microgrid network topology. Voltage and current sensors are placed in the proper

ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms predict breast cancer susceptibility in the central European Caucasian population.

PubMed

Lipphardt, Mark F; Deryal, Mustafa; Ong, Mei Fang; Schmidt, Werner; Mahlknecht, Ulrich

2013-01-01

Estrogen and progesterone hormones are key regulators of a wide variety of biological processes. In addition to their influence on reproduction, cell differentiation and apoptosis, they affect inflammatory response, cell metabolism and most importantly, they regulate physiological breast tissue proliferation and differentiation as well as the development and progression of breast cancer. In order to assess whether genetic variants in the steroid hormone receptor gene ESR1 (estrogen receptor alpha) had an effect on sporadic breast cancer susceptibility, we assessed 7 ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for associations with breast cancer susceptibility and clinical parameters in 221 breast cancer patients and 221 controls, respectively. We identified ESR1 intron SNP +2464 C/T (rs3020314) and ESR1 intron SNP -4576 A/C (rs1514348) to correlate with breast cancer susceptibility and progesterone receptor expression status. Patients genotyped CT for ESR1 intron SNP +2464 (rs3020314) (p ≤ 0.045) or genotyped AC for ESR1 intron SNP -4576 (rs1514348) (p ≤ 0.000026) were identified to carry a significant risk as to the development of breast cancer in the Central European Caucasian population (both together: p ≤ 0.000488). Our study could confirm previous associations and revealed new associations of SNP rs1514348 with susceptibility to breast cancer and clinical outcome, which might be used as new additional SNP markers.

Ecophysiological consequences of alcoholism on human gut microbiota: implications for ethanol-related pathogenesis of colon cancer.

PubMed

Tsuruya, Atsuki; Kuwahara, Akika; Saito, Yuta; Yamaguchi, Haruhiko; Tsubo, Takahisa; Suga, Shogo; Inai, Makoto; Aoki, Yuichi; Takahashi, Seiji; Tsutsumi, Eri; Suwa, Yoshihide; Morita, Hidetoshi; Kinoshita, Kenji; Totsuka, Yukari; Suda, Wataru; Oshima, Kenshiro; Hattori, Masahira; Mizukami, Takeshi; Yokoyama, Akira; Shimoyama, Takefumi; Nakayama, Toru

2016-06-13

Chronic consumption of excess ethanol increases the risk of colorectal cancer. The pathogenesis of ethanol-related colorectal cancer (ER-CRC) is thought to be partly mediated by gut microbes. Specifically, bacteria in the colon and rectum convert ethanol to acetaldehyde (AcH), which is carcinogenic. However, the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on the human gut microbiome are poorly understood, and the role of gut microbes in the proposed AcH-mediated pathogenesis of ER-CRC remains to be elaborated. Here we analyse and compare the gut microbiota structures of non-alcoholics and alcoholics. The gut microbiotas of alcoholics were diminished in dominant obligate anaerobes (e.g., Bacteroides and Ruminococcus) and enriched in Streptococcus and other minor species. This alteration might be exacerbated by habitual smoking. These observations could at least partly be explained by the susceptibility of obligate anaerobes to reactive oxygen species, which are increased by chronic exposure of the gut mucosa to ethanol. The AcH productivity from ethanol was much lower in the faeces of alcoholic patients than in faeces of non-alcoholic subjects. The faecal phenotype of the alcoholics could be rationalised based on their gut microbiota structures and the ability of gut bacteria to accumulate AcH from ethanol.

Characterization and expression profiles of MaACS and MaACO genes from mulberry (Morus alba L.)*

PubMed Central

Liu, Chang-ying; Lü, Rui-hua; Li, Jun; Zhao, Ai-chun; Wang, Xi-ling; Diane, Umuhoza; Wang, Xiao-hong; Wang, Chuan-hong; Yu, Ya-sheng; Han, Shu-mei; Lu, Cheng; Yu, Mao-de

2014-01-01

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) are encoded by multigene families and are involved in fruit ripening by catalyzing the production of ethylene throughout the development of fruit. However, there are no reports on ACS or ACO genes in mulberry, partly because of the limited molecular research background. In this study, we have obtained five ACS gene sequences and two ACO gene sequences from Morus Genome Database. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of MaACO1 and MaACO2 showed that their amino acids are conserved compared with ACO proteins from other species. MaACS1 and MaACS2 are type I, MaACS3 and MaACS4 are type II, and MaACS5 is type III, with different C-terminal sequences. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) expression analysis showed that the transcripts of MaACS genes were strongly expressed in fruit, and more weakly in other tissues. The expression of MaACO1 and MaACO2 showed different patterns in various mulberry tissues. MaACS and MaACO genes demonstrated two patterns throughout the development of mulberry fruit, and both of them were strongly up-regulated by abscisic acid (ABA) and ethephon. PMID:25001221

Early Observations with the ACS Ramp Filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsvetanov, Z.; Hartig, G.; Bohlin, R.; Tran, H. D.; Martel, A.; Sirianni, M.; Clampin, M.

2002-05-01

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on-board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is equipped with a set of ramp filters which provide imaging capability at 2% and 9% bandwidth in the range 3700-10700 Å. Each ramp filter consist of three segments where the middle segment can be used with both the Wide Field Channel (WFC) and High Resolution Channel (HRC), while the inner and outer segments can be used only with WFC. The monochromatic field of view is approximately 40'' by 80''. We will present observations of the planetary nebula (PN) NGC6543 (the Cat's Eye) taken with the ACS ramp filetrs in several key emission lines - [O II] 3727, [O III] 5007, H-alpha+[N II], and [S II] 6725. These four emission lines fall onto three separate middle ramp segments - FR388N, FR505N, and FR656N - and will allow inter-comparison between the ACS ramp filters and fixed bandpass narrow-band filters F502N and F658N for both the WFC and HRC detectors. These observations were taken as part of the HST Servicing Mission Orbital Verification program and were designed to test ramp filters performance. We will demostrate our ability to obtain monochromatic (i.e., emission line) images at arbitrary wavelength and recover the surface brightness distribution. This work was supported by a NASA contract and a NASA grant.

Protein Phosphatase 2A Signaling in Human Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

centrifugation, 25 mL of supernatant was transferred to an assay plate; 100 mL of Malachite Green phosphate detection solution was added and incu...prostate cancer cells was resolved and immunoblotted for PP2AC and b-actin (internal control). PP2A activity was determined by malachite green–based

Measuring Gravitational Flexion in ACS Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, David

2005-07-01

We propose measurement of the gravitational "Flexion" signal in ACS cluster images. The flexion, or "arciness" of a lensed background galaxy arises from variations in the lensing field. As a result, it is extremely sensitive to small scale perturbations in the field, and thus, to substructure in clusters. Moreover, because flexion represents gravitationally induced asymmetries in the lensed image, it is completely separable from traditional measurements of shear, which focus on the induced ellipticity of the image, and thus, the two signals may be extracted simultaneously. Since typical galaxies are roughly symmetric upon 180 degree rotation, even a small induced flexion can potentially produce a noticeable effect {Goldberg & Bacon, 2005}. We propose the measurement of substructure within approximately 4 clusters with high-quality ACS data, and will further apply a test of a new tomographic technique whereby comparisons of lensed arcs at different redshifts may be used to estimate the background cosmology, and thus place constraints on the equation of state of dark energy.

Investigation of cAMP microdomains as a path to novel cancer diagnostics.

PubMed

Desman, Garrett; Waintraub, Caren; Zippin, Jonathan H

2014-12-01

Understanding of cAMP signaling has greatly improved over the past decade. The advent of live cell imaging techniques and more specific pharmacologic modulators has led to an improved understanding of the intricacies by which cAMP is able to modulate such a wide variety of cellular pathways. It is now appreciated that cAMP is able to activate multiple effector proteins at distinct areas in the cell leading to the activation of very different downstream targets. The investigation of signaling proteins in cancer is a common route to the development of diagnostic tools, prognostic tools, and/or therapeutic targets, and in this review we highlight how investigation of cAMP signaling microdomains driven by the soluble adenylyl cyclase in different cancers has led to the development of a novel cancer biomarker. Antibodies directed against the soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) are highly specific markers for melanoma especially for lentigo maligna melanoma and are being described as "second generation" cancer diagnostics, which are diagnostics that determine the 'state' of a cell and not just identify the cell type. Due to the wide presence of cAMP signaling pathways in cancer, we predict that further investigation of both sAC and other cAMP microdomains will lead to additional cancer biomarkers. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The role of soluble adenylyl cyclase in health and disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influences of Cry1Ac broccoli on larval survival and oviposition of diamondback moth.

PubMed

Yi, Dengxia; Cui, Shusong; Yang, Limei; Fang, Zhiyuan; Liu, Yumei; Zhuang, Mu; Zhang, Yangyong

2015-01-01

Larval survival and oviposition behavior of three genotypes of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), (homozygous Cry1Ac-susceptibile, Cry1Ac-resistant, and their F1 hybrids), on transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) broccoli expressing different levels of Cry1Ac protein were evaluated in laboratory. These Bt broccoli lines were designated as relative low, medium, and high, respectively, according to the Cry1Ac content. Untransformed brocccoli plants were used as control. Larval survival of diamondback moth on non-Bt leaves was not significantly different among the three genotypes. The Cry1Ac-resistant larvae could survive on the low level of Bt broccoli plants, while Cry1Ac-susceptible and F1 larvae could not survive on them. The three genotypes of P. xylostella larvae could not survive on medium and high levels of Bt broccoli. In oviposition choice tests, there was no significant difference in the number of eggs laid by the three P. xylostella genotypes among different Bt broccoli plants. The development of Cry1Ac-susceptible and Cry1Ac-resistant P. xylostella on intact Bt plants was also tested in greenhouse. All susceptible P. xylostella larvae died on all Bt plants, while resistant larvae could survive on broccoli, which expresses low Cry1Ac protein under greenhouse conditions. The results of the greenhouse trials were similar to that of laboratory tests. This study indicated that high dose of Bt toxins in broccoli cultivars or germplasm lines is required for effective resistance management. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Extraction, Analytical and Advanced Methods for Detection of Allura Red AC (E129) in Food and Beverages Products.

PubMed

Rovina, Kobun; Siddiquee, Shafiquzzaman; Shaarani, Sharifudin M

2016-01-01

Allura Red AC (E129) is an azo dye that widely used in drinks, juices, bakery, meat, and sweets products. High consumption of Allura Red has claimed an adverse effects of human health including allergies, food intolerance, cancer, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, brain damage, nausea, cardiac disease and asthma due to the reaction of aromatic azo compounds (R = R' = aromatic). Several countries have banned and strictly controlled the uses of Allura Red in food and beverage products. This review paper is critically summarized on the available analytical and advanced methods for determination of Allura Red and also concisely discussed on the acceptable daily intake, toxicology and extraction methods.

A Computer Model for Teaching the Dynamic Behavior of AC Contactors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz, J.-R. R.; Espinosa, A. G.; Romeral, L.

2010-01-01

Ac-powered contactors are extensively used in industry in applications such as automatic electrical devices, motor starters, and heaters. In this work, a practical session that allows students to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of ac-powered electromechanical contactors is presented. Simulation is carried out using a rigorous parametric…

A Cloud-Based Scavenger Hunt: Orienting Undergraduates to ACS National Meetings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubasik, Matthew A.; Van Dyke, Aaron R.; Harper-Leatherman, Amanda S.; Miecznikowski, John R.; Steffen, L. Kraig; Smith-Carpenter, Jillian

2016-01-01

American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meetings are valuable for the development of undergraduate researchers but can be overwhelming for first-time attendees. To orient and engage students with the range of offerings at an ACS meeting, we developed a cloud-based scavenger hunt. Using their mobile devices, teams of undergraduates…

AC losses and stability on large cable-in-conduit superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruzzone, Pierluigi

1998-12-01

The cable-in-conduit superconductors are preferred for applications where the AC losses and stability are a major concern, e.g., fusion magnets and SMES. A review of coupling currents loss results for both NbTi and Nb 3Sn cable-in-conduit conductors (CICC) is presented and the AC loss relevant features are listed, with special emphasis for the role of the interstrand resistance and strand coating. The transient stability approach for CICCs is discussed and the analytical models are quoted as well as the relevant experimental database. The likely spectrum of transient disturbance in CICC is reviewed and the need to account for interstrand current sharing in the design is outlined. Eventually a practical criterion for the interstrand resistance is proposed to link the stability and AC loss design.

Mapping PAM4 (clivatuzumab), a monoclonal antibody in clinical trials for early detection and therapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, to MUC5AC mucin.

PubMed

Gold, David V; Newsome, Guy; Liu, Donglin; Goldenberg, David M

2013-11-20

PAM4, an antibody that has high specificity for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), compared to normal pancreas, benign lesions of the pancreas, and cancers originating from other tissues, is being investigated as a biomarker for early detection, as well as antibody-targeted imaging and therapy. Therefore, the identity of the antigen bound by this monoclonal antibody (MAb) can provide information leading to improved use of the antibody. Prior results suggested the antigen is a mucin-type glycoprotein rich in cysteine disulfide bridges that provide stable conformation for the PAM4-epitope. Indirect and sandwich enzyme immunoassays (EIA) were performed to compare and contrast the reactivity of PAM4 with several anti-mucin antibodies having known reactivity to specific mucin species (e.g., MUC1, MUC4, MUC5AC, etc.). Studies designed to block reactivity of PAM4 with its specific antigen also were performed. We demonstrate that MAbs 2-11 M1 and 45 M1, each reactive with MUC5AC, are able to provide signal in a heterologous sandwich immunoassay where PAM4 is the capture antibody. Further, we identify MAbs 21 M1, 62 M1, and 463 M1, each reactive with MUC5AC, as inhibiting the reaction of PAM4 with its specific epitope. MAbs directed to MUC1, MUC3, MUC4, MUC16 and CEACAM6 are not reactive with PAM4-captured antigen, nor are they able to block the reaction of PAM4 with its antigen. These data implicate MUC5AC as a specific mucin species to which PAM4 is reactive. Furthermore, this realization may allow for the improvement of the current PAM4 serum-based immunoassay for detection of early-stage PDAC by the application of anti-MUC5AC MAbs as probes in this sandwich EIA.

Calibration of low-temperature ac susceptometers with a copper cylinder standard

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

Chen, D.-X.; Skumryev, V.

2010-02-15

A high-quality low-temperature ac susceptometer is calibrated by comparing the measured ac susceptibility of a copper cylinder with its eddy-current ac susceptibility accurately calculated. Different from conventional calibration techniques that compare the measured results with the known property of a standard sample at certain fixed temperature T, field amplitude H{sub m}, and frequency f, to get a magnitude correction factor, here, the electromagnetic properties of the copper cylinder are unknown and are determined during the calibration of the ac susceptometer in the entire T, H{sub m}, and f range. It is shown that the maximum magnitude error and the maximummore » phase error of the susceptometer are less than 0.7% and 0.3 deg., respectively, in the region T=5-300 K and f=111-1111 Hz at H{sub m}=800 A/m, after a magnitude correction by a constant factor as done in a conventional calibration. However, the magnitude and phase errors can reach 2% and 4.3 deg. at 10 000 and 11 Hz, respectively. Since the errors are reproducible, a large portion of them may be further corrected after a calibration, the procedure for which is given. Conceptual discussions concerning the error sources, comparison with other calibration methods, and applications of ac susceptibility techniques are presented.« less

ac aging and space-charge characteristics in low-density polyethylene polymeric insulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G.; Fu, M.; Liu, X. Z.; Zhong, L. S.

2005-04-01

In the present work efforts have been made to investigate the influence of ac aging on space-charge dynamics in low-density polyethylene (LDPE). LDPE films with 200 μm were aged under various electric stress levels at 50 Hz for various times at ambient temperature. Space-charge dynamics in the samples after aging were monitored using the pulsed electroacoustic technique. It has been revealed that the space charge under ac aging conditions is related to the level of the applied field, duration of the voltage application, as well as the electrode materials. By comparing with the results of unaged sample the results from aged sample provide a direct evidence of changing trapping characteristics after ac aging. Negative space charge is present in the bulk of the material and the total amount of charge increases with the aging time. The amount of charge increases with the applied field. Charge decay test indicates that the charges are captured in deep traps. These deep traps are believed to form during the aging and related to change caused by injected charge. By using different electrode materials such as gold, brass alloy, and polyethylene loaded with carbon black, it was found that the electrode has an important role in the formation of charge, hence subsequent changes caused by charge. The charge dynamics of the aged samples under dc bias differ from the sample without ac aging, indicating changes brought in by ac aging. Chemical analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope and Raman microscope reveals no detectable chemical changes taken place in the bulk of the material after ac aging. Finally, the consequence of the accumulation of space charge under ac conditions on the lifetime of the material has been discussed. The presence of deeply trapped space charge leads to an electric stress enhancement which may shorten the lifetime of the insulation system.

Research on key technology of planning and design for AC/DC hybrid distribution network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yu; Wu, Guilian; Zheng, Huan; Deng, Junpeng; Shi, Pengjia

2018-04-01

With the increasing demand of DC generation and DC load, the development of DC technology, AC and DC distribution network integrating will become an important form of future distribution network. In this paper, the key technology of planning and design for AC/DC hybrid distribution network is proposed, including the selection of AC and DC voltage series, the design of typical grid structure and the comprehensive evaluation method of planning scheme. The research results provide some ideas and directions for the future development of AC/DC hybrid distribution network.

Germinal and Somatic Activity of the Maize Element Activator (Ac) in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Keller, J.; Lim, E.; James-Jr., D. W.; Dooner, H. K.

1992-01-01

We have investigated the germinal and somatic activity of the maize Activator (Ac) element in Arabidopsis with the objective of developing an efficient transposon-based system for gene isolation in that plant. Transposition activity was assayed with a chimeric marker that consists of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and a bacterial streptomycin phosphotransferase gene (SPT). Somatic activity was detected in seedlings germinated on plates containing streptomycin as green-resistant sectors against a background of white-sensitive cells. Germinal excisions resulted in fully green seedlings. The transposition frequency was extremely low when a single copy of the transposon was present, but appeared to increase with an increase in Ac copy number. Plants that were selected as variegated produced an increased number of green progeny. The methylation state of the Ac elements in lines with either low or high levels of excision was assessed by restriction analysis. No difference was found between these lines, indicating that the degree of methylation did not contribute to the level of Ac activity. Germinal excision events were analyzed molecularly and shown to carry reinserted transposons in about 50% of the cases. In several instances, streptomycin-resistant siblings carried the same transposed Ac element, indicating that excision had occurred prior to meiosis in the parent. We discuss parameters that need to be considered to optimize the use of Ac as a transposon tag in Arabidopsis. PMID:1322854

17 CFR 240.17Ac2-2 - Annual reporting requirement for registered transfer agents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading. A transfer agent may file an amendment at any time; however, in order... for registered transfer agents. 240.17Ac2-2 Section 240.17Ac2-2 Commodity and Securities Exchanges... Organizations § 240.17Ac2-2 Annual reporting requirement for registered transfer agents. (a) Every transfer...

Student Measurements of STFA 14 AC at Vanguard Preparatory School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillette, Sean; Archuleta, Alex; Diaz, Lizbeth; Gillespie, Kyle; Gosney, Timothy; Johnson, Stephen; Mohan, Nikita; Rajacich, Jacob; Roehl, Nathaniel; Sharpe, Scotty; Whitt, Kahaloha

2016-01-01

Eighth grade students at Vanguard Preparatory School measured the double star STFA 14 AC using a Bader Planetarium Micro Guide eyepiece. Navi (Gamma Cassiopeiae) was used as the ca libration star. The calculated means of multiple observations of STFA 14 AC resulted in a separation of 53.3" and a position angle of 2.0°. These measurements were compared to the most recent values in the Washington Double Star Catalog.

Test plan for performance testing of the Eaton AC-3 electric vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crumley, R.; Heiselmann, H. W.

1985-04-01

An alternating current (ac) propulsion system for an electric vehicle was developed and tested. The test bed vehicle is a modified 1981 Mercury Lynx. The test plan was prepared specifically for the third modification to this test bed and identified as the Eaton AC-3. The scope of the testing done on the Eaton AC-3 includes coastdown and dynamometer tests but does not include environmental, on-road, or track testing. Coastdown testing is performed in accordance with SAE J-1263 (SAE Recommended Practice for Road Load Measurement and Dynamometer Simulation Using Coastdown Techniques).

Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report. OV-1/AC-119 Hunter-Killer Team

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-10-10

between Phan Rang, Phu Cat , and Danang in order to provide best coverage of the Vietnamese conflict. -- On 16 February 1970, three AC -ll9Ks and 70...SOUTHEAST ASIA D D DDiv AY/XDOSQA I OV-1/ AC -119 " i IWB I HUNTER-KILLER TEAM 19’.1’ CONTINUING REPORT CLASSIFIED Ey 7AFIDOOC DOWNGRADE TjU SECRET...xamination of C urrent, 0 per’tions I~ I fF!lr T I TII TIIII I OV=1/ AC -119 HUNTER-KILLER TEAMI 1 10 OCTOBER 1972 HQ PACAF Directorate of Operations

Neutrophil elastase increases MUC5AC mRNA and protein expression in respiratory epithelial cells.

PubMed

Voynow, J A; Young, L R; Wang, Y; Horger, T; Rose, M C; Fischer, B M

1999-05-01

Chronic neutrophil-predominant inflammation and hypersecretion of mucus are common pathophysiological features of cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, and viral- or pollution-triggered asthma. Neutrophils release elastase, a serine protease, that causes increased mucin production and secretion. The molecular mechanisms of elastase-induced mucin production are unknown. We hypothesized that as part of this mechanism, elastase upregulates expression of a major respiratory mucin gene, MUC5AC. A549, a human lung carcinoma cell line that expresses MUC5AC mRNA and protein, and normal human bronchial epithelial cells in an air-liquid interface culture were stimulated with neutrophil elastase. Neutrophil elastase increased MUC5AC mRNA levels in a time-dependent manner in both cell culture systems. Neutrophil elastase treatment also increased MUC5AC protein levels in A549 cells. The mechanism of MUC5AC gene regulation by elastase was determined in A549 cells. The induction of MUC5AC gene expression required serine protease activity; other classes of proteases had no effect on MUC5AC gene expression. Neutrophil elastase increased MUC5AC mRNA levels by enhancing mRNA stability. This is the first report of mucin gene regulation by this mechanism.

Testing ER-Beta Agonist Synergy with B7-H1 and mTOR Inhibitors as Novel and Effective Treatments for Ovarian Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

requirements 6 Appendices None INTRODUCTION Ovarian cancer (OC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in US women and is the top gynecologic cancer...killer. The ACS estimates ~21,980 new OC cases and ~14,270 deaths in the US in 2014. Most patients fail front-line therapy and will die of their

Distinct intracellular sAC-cAMP domains regulate ER Ca2+ signaling and OXPHOS function.

PubMed

Valsecchi, Federica; Konrad, Csaba; D'Aurelio, Marilena; Ramos-Espiritu, Lavoisier S; Stepanova, Anna; Burstein, Suzanne R; Galkin, Alexander; Magranè, Jordi; Starkov, Anatoly; Buck, Jochen; Levin, Lonny R; Manfredi, Giovanni

2017-11-01

cAMP regulates a wide variety of physiological functions in mammals. This single second messenger can regulate multiple, seemingly disparate functions within independently regulated cell compartments. We have previously identified one such compartment inside the matrix of the mitochondria, where soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) regulates oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). We now show that sAC knockout fibroblasts have a defect in OXPHOS activity and attempt to compensate for this defect by increasing OXPHOS proteins. Importantly, sAC knockout cells also exhibit decreased probability of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca 2+ release associated with diminished phosphorylation of the inositol 3-phosphate receptor. Restoring sAC expression exclusively in the mitochondrial matrix rescues OXPHOS activity and reduces mitochondrial biogenesis, indicating that these phenotypes are regulated by intramitochondrial sAC. In contrast, Ca 2+ release from the ER is only rescued when sAC expression is restored throughout the cell. Thus, we show that functionally distinct, sAC-defined, intracellular cAMP signaling domains regulate metabolism and Ca 2+ signaling. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Research notes : AC/CRC adjacent lane surfacing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-10-01

Asphaltic Concrete (AC) and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) are common roadway materials used in Oregon. In a recent construction project, Poverty Flats - Mecham Section, the Oregon State Highway Division (OSHD) designed a "test section" consisting of...

Reversible Sialylation: Synthesis of CMP-NeuAc from 5′-CMP using α2,3-sialyl O-glycan, glycolipid and macromolecule based donors allow for the synthesis of diverse sialylated products

PubMed Central

Chandrasekaran, E.V.; Xue, Jun; Xia, Jie; Locke, Robert D.; Matta, Khushi L.; Neelamegham, Sriram

2008-01-01

Sialyltransferases transfer sialic acid from CMP-NeuAc to an acceptor molecule. Trans-sialidases of parasites transfer α2,3 linked sialic acid from one molecule to another without the involvement of CMP-NeuAc. Here, we report another type of sialylation termed reverse sialylation catalyzed by mammalian sialyltransferase ST3Gal-II. This enzyme synthesizes CMP-NeuAc by transferring NeuAc from the NeuAcα2,3Galβ1,3GalNAcα-unit of O-glycans, 3-sialyl globo unit of glycolipids and sialylated macromolecules to 5′-CMP. CMP-NeuAc produced in situ is utilized by the same enzyme to sialylate other O-glycans and by other sialyltransferases such as ST6Gal-I and ST6GalNAc-I forming α2,6 sialylated compounds. ST3Gal-II also catalyzed the conversion of 5′-UMP to UMP-NeuAc, which was found to be an inactive sialyl donor. Reverse sialylation proceeded without the need for free sialic acid, divalent metal ions or energy. The direct sialylation using CMP-NeuAc as well as the formation of CMP-NeuAc from 5′-CMP had a wide optimum range (pH 5.2–7.2 and 4.8–6.4 respectively) whereas the entire reaction comprising in situ production of CMP-NeuAc and sialylation of acceptor had a sharp optimum at pH 5.6 (the activity level 50% at pH 5.2 & 6.8 and 25% at pH 4.8 & 7.2). Several properties distinguish forward/conventional vs. reverse sialylation: i. Sodium citrate inhibited forward sialylation but not reverse sialylation. ii. 5′-CDP, a potent forward sialyltransferase inhibitor, did not inhibit the conversion of 5′-CMP to CMP-NeuAc. iii. The mucin core 2 compound 3-O-sulfoα2,3Galβ1,4GlcNAcβ1,6(Galβ1,3)GalNAcα-O-Bn, an efficient acceptor for ST3Gal-II, inhibited the conversion of 5′-CMP to CMP-NeuAc. A significant level of reverse sialylation activity is noted in human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and PC3. Overall, the study demonstrates that the sialyltransferase reaction is readily reversible in the case of ST3Gal-II and can be exploited for the enzymatic

Alteration of topoisomerase II-alpha gene in human breast cancer: association with responsiveness to anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

PubMed

Press, Michael F; Sauter, Guido; Buyse, Marc; Bernstein, Leslie; Guzman, Roberta; Santiago, Angela; Villalobos, Ivonne E; Eiermann, Wolfgang; Pienkowski, Tadeusz; Martin, Miguel; Robert, Nicholas; Crown, John; Bee, Valerie; Taupin, Henry; Flom, Kerry J; Tabah-Fisch, Isabelle; Pauletti, Giovanni; Lindsay, Mary-Ann; Riva, Alessandro; Slamon, Dennis J

2011-03-01

Approximately 35% of HER2-amplified breast cancers have coamplification of the topoisomerase II-alpha (TOP2A) gene encoding an enzyme that is a major target of anthracyclines. This study was designed to evaluate whether TOP2A gene alterations may predict incremental responsiveness to anthracyclines in some breast cancers. A total of 4,943 breast cancers were analyzed for alterations in TOP2A and HER2. Primary tumor tissues from patients with metastatic breast cancer treated in a trial of chemotherapy plus/minus trastuzumab were studied for amplification/deletion of TOP2A and HER2 as a test set followed by evaluation of malignancies from two separate, large trials for changes in these same genes as a validation set. Association between these alterations and clinical outcomes was determined. Test set cases containing HER2 amplification treated with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) plus trastuzumab, demonstrated longer progression-free survival compared to those treated with AC alone (P = .0002). However, patients treated with AC alone whose tumors contain HER2/TOP2A coamplification experienced a similar improvement in survival (P = .004). Conversely, for patients treated with paclitaxel, HER2/TOP2A coamplification was not associated with improved outcomes. These observations were confirmed in a larger validation set, where HER2/TOP2A coamplification was again associated with longer survival when only anthracycline-containing chemotherapy was used for treatment compared with outcome in HER2-positive cancers lacking TOP2A coamplification. In a study involving nearly 5,000 breast malignancies, both test set and validation set demonstrate that TOP2A coamplification, not HER2 amplification, is the clinically useful predictive marker of an incremental response to anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Absence of HER2/TOP2A coamplification may indicate a more restricted efficacy advantage for breast cancers than previously thought.

Critical frequency for coalescence of emulsions in an AC electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhou; Ali, Faizi Hammad; Shum, Ho Cheung

2017-11-01

Applying an electric field to trigger the coalescence of emulsions has been applied in various applications which include crude oil recovery, emulsion stability characterization as well as pico-injection and droplet-based chemical reaction in microfluidics. In this work, we systematically investigated the responses of surfactant-stabilized emulsions to a controlled AC electric field using a customer-built chip. At a given amplitude of the AC voltage, we found a critical frequency beyond which the emulsions remain stable. When the frequency is decreased to below the critical value, emulsions coalesce immediately. Such critical frequency is found to be dependent of amplitude of the AC voltage, viscosity of the fluids, concentration and type of the surfactant as well as the electric conductivity of the droplet phase. Using a model based on the drainage of thin film, we have explored the mechanism behind and interpret this phenomenon systematically. Our work extends the understanding of the electro-coalescence of emulsions and can be beneficial for any applications involve the coalescence of droplets in an AC electric field.

AC/CRC adjacent lane surfacing : construction report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-06-01

Asphaltic Concrete (AC) and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) are common roadway materials used in Oregon. In a recent construction project -- Poverty Flats/Mecham Section -- the Oregon State Highway Division (OSHD) designed, as part of the project, a "...

Low AC Loss YBCO Coated Conductor Geometry by Direct Inkjet Printing

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

Rupich, Martin, Dr.; Duckworth, Robert, Dr.

The second generation (2G) high temperature superconductors (HTS) wire offers potential benefits for many electric power applications, including ones requiring filamentized conductors with low ac loss, such as transformers and fault current limiters. However, the use of 2G wire in these applications requires the development of both novel multi-filamentary conductor designs with lower ac losses and the development of advanced manufacturing technologies that enable the low-cost manufacturing of these filamentized architectures. This Phase I SBIR project focused on testing inkjet printing as a potential low-cost, roll-to-roll manufacturing technique to fabricate potential low ac loss filamentized architectures directly on the 2Gmore » template strips.« less

Comparison of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Versus Single-Agent Paclitaxel As Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer in Women With 0 to 3 Positive Axillary Nodes: CALGB 40101 (Alliance)

PubMed Central

Shulman, Lawrence N.; Berry, Donald A.; Cirrincione, Constance T.; Becker, Heather P.; Perez, Edith A.; O'Regan, Ruth; Martino, Silvana; Shapiro, Charles L.; Schneider, Charles J.; Kimmick, Gretchen; Burstein, Harold J.; Norton, Larry; Muss, Hyman; Hudis, Clifford A.; Winer, Eric P.

2014-01-01

Purpose Optimal adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer balances efficacy and toxicity. We sought to determine whether single-agent paclitaxel (T) was inferior to doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC), when each was administered for four or six cycles of therapy, and whether it offered less toxicity. Patients and Methods Patients with operable breast cancer with 0 to 3 positive nodes were enrolled onto the study to address the noninferiority of single-agent T to AC, defined as the one-sided 95% upper-bound CI (UCB) of hazard ratio (HR) of T versus AC less than 1.30 for the primary end point of relapse-free survival (RFS). As a 2 × 2 factorial design, duration of therapy was also addressed and was previously reported. Results With 3,871 patients enrolled onto the trial, a median follow-up period of 6.1 years, and 437 RFS events, we achieved an HR of 1.26 (one sided 95% UCB, 1.48; favoring AC does not allow a conclusion of noninferiority of T with AC; UCB > 1.3). With 266 patient deaths, the HR for overall survival (OS) was 1.27 favoring AC (UCB, 1.56). The estimated absolute advantage of AC at 5 years is 3% for RFS (91 v 88%) and 1% for OS (95 v 94%). All nine treatment-related deaths were patients receiving AC and are included in the analyses of both RFS and OS. Hematologic toxicity was more common in patients treated with AC, and neuropathy was more common in patients treated with T. Conclusion This trial did not show noninferiority of T to AC, a conclusion that is unlikely to change with additional events and follow-up. T was less toxic than AC. PMID:24934787

An H2A Histone Isotype, H2ac, Associates with Telomere and Maintains Telomere Integrity

PubMed Central

Tzeng, Tsai-Yu; Lin, I-Hsuan; Hsu, Ming-Ta

2016-01-01

Telomeres are capped at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and are composed of TTAGGG repeats bound to the shelterin complex. Here we report that a replication-dependent histone H2A isotype, H2ac, was associated with telomeres in human cells and co-immunoprecipitates with telomere repeat factor 2 (TRF2) and protection of telomeres protein 1 (POT1), whereas other histone H2A isotypes and mutations of H2ac did not bind to telomeres or these two proteins. The amino terminal basic domain of TRF2 was necessary for the association with H2ac and for the recruitment of H2ac to telomeres. Depletion of H2ac led to loss of telomeric repeat sequences, the appearance of dysfunctional telomeres, and chromosomal instability, including chromosomal breaks and anaphase bridges, as well as accumulation of telomere-associated DNA damage factors in H2ac depleted cells. Additionally, knockdown of H2ac elicits an ATM-dependent DNA damage response at telomeres and depletion of XPF protects telomeres against H2ac-deficiency-induced G-strand overhangs loss and DNA damage response, and prevents chromosomal instability. These findings suggest that the H2A isotype, H2ac, plays an essential role in maintaining telomere functional integrity. PMID:27228173

Targeting hepatic cancer cells with pegylated dendrimers displaying N-acetylgalactosamine and SP94 peptide ligands.

PubMed

Medina, Scott H; Tiruchinapally, Gopinath; Chevliakov, Maxim V; Durmaz, Yasemin Yuksel; Stender, Rachell N; Ensminger, William D; Shewach, Donna S; Elsayed, Mohamed E H

2013-10-01

Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers are branched water-soluble polymers defined by consecutive generation numbers (Gn) indicating a parallel increase in size, molecular weight, and number of surface groups available for conjugation of bioactive agents. In this article, we compare the biodistribution of N-acetylgalactosamine (NAcGal)-targeted [(14) C]1 -G5-(NH2 )5 -(Ac)108 -(NAcGal)14 particles to non-targeted [(14) C]1 -G5-(NH2 )127 and PEGylated [(14) C]1 -G5-(NH2 )44 -(Ac)73 -(PEG)10 particles in a mouse hepatic cancer model. Results show that both NAcGal-targeted and non-targeted particles are rapidly cleared from the systemic circulation with high distribution to the liver. However, NAcGal-targeted particles exhibited 2.5-fold higher accumulation in tumor tissue compared to non-targeted ones. In comparison, PEGylated particles showed a 16-fold increase in plasma residence time and a 5-fold reduction in liver accumulation. These results motivated us to engineer new PEGylated G5 particles with PEG chains anchored to the G5 surface via acid-labile cis-aconityl linkages where the free PEG tips are functionalized with NAcGal or SP94 peptide to investigate their potential as targeting ligands for hepatic cancer cells as a function of sugar conformation (α versus β), ligand concentration (100-4000 nM), and incubation time (2 and 24 hours) compared to fluorescently (Fl)-labeled and non-targeted G5-(Fl)6 -(NH2 )122 and G5-(Fl)6 -(Ac)107 -(cPEG)15 particles. Results show G5-(Fl)6 -(Ac)107 -(cPEG[NAcGalβ ])14 particles achieve faster uptake and higher intracellular concentrations in HepG2 cancer cells compared to other G5 particles while escaping the non-specific adsorption of serum protein and phagocytosis by Kupffer cells, which make these particles the ideal carrier for selective drug delivery into hepatic cancer cells. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Primary cervical cancer screening].

PubMed

Vargas-Hernández, Víctor Manuel; Vargas-Aguilar, Víctor Manuel; Tovar-Rodríguez, José María

2015-01-01

Cervico-uterine cancer screening with cytology decrease incidence by more than 50%. The cause of this cancer is the human papilloma virus high risk, and requires a sensitive test to provide sufficient sensitivity and specificity for early detection and greater interval period when the results are negative. The test of the human papilloma virus high risk, is effective and safe because of its excellent sensitivity, negative predictive value and optimal reproducibility, especially when combined with liquid-based cytology or biomarkers with viral load, with higher sensitivity and specificity, by reducing false positives for the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or greater injury, with excellent clinical benefits to cervical cancer screening and related infection of human papilloma virus diseases, is currently the best test for early detection infection of human papillomavirus and the risk of carcinogenesis. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

A common sugar-nucleotide-mediated mechanism of inhibition of (glycosamino)glycan biosynthesis, as evidenced by 6F-GalNAc (Ac3)

PubMed Central

van Wijk, Xander M.; Lawrence, Roger; Thijssen, Victor L.; van den Broek, Sebastiaan A.; Troost, Ran; van Scherpenzeel, Monique; Naidu, Natasha; Oosterhof, Arie; Griffioen, Arjan W.; Lefeber, Dirk J.; van Delft, Floris L.; van Kuppevelt, Toin H.

2015-01-01

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharides have been implicated in a variety of cellular processes, and alterations in their amount and structure have been associated with diseases such as cancer. In this study, we probed 11 sugar analogs for their capacity to interfere with GAG biosynthesis. One analog, with a modification not directly involved in the glycosidic bond formation, 6F-N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc) (Ac3), was selected for further study on its metabolic and biologic effect. Treatment of human ovarian carcinoma cells with 50 μM 6F-GalNAc (Ac3) inhibited biosynthesis of GAGs (chondroitin/dermatan sulfate by ∼50–60%, heparan sulfate by ∼35%), N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc)/GalNAc containing glycans recognized by the lectins Datura stramonium and peanut agglutinin (by ∼74 and ∼43%, respectively), and O-GlcNAc protein modification. With respect to function, 6F-GalNAc (Ac3) treatment inhibited growth factor signaling and reduced in vivo angiogenesis by ∼33%. Although the analog was readily transformed in cells into the uridine 5′-diphosphate (UDP)-activated form, it was not incorporated into GAGs. Rather, it strongly reduced cellular UDP-GalNAc and UDP-GlcNAc pools. Together with data from the literature, these findings indicate that nucleotide sugar depletion without incorporation is a common mechanism of sugar analogs for inhibiting GAG/glycan biosynthesis.—Van Wijk, X. M., Lawrence, R., Thijssen, V. L., van den Broek, S. A., Troost, R., van Scherpenzeel, M., Naidu, N., Oosterhof, A., Griffioen, A. W., Lefeber, D. J., van Delft, F. L., van Kuppevelt, T. H. A common sugar-nucleotide-mediated mechanism of inhibition of (glycosamino)glycan biosynthesis, as evidenced by 6F-GalNAc (Ac3). PMID:25868729

Effects of Activated Carbon Surface Property on Structure and Activity of Ru/AC Catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, S. K.; Li, L. M.; Guo, N. N.

2018-05-01

The activated carbon (AC) was modified by supercritical (SC) methanol, HNO3 oxidation, or HNO3 oxidation plus SC methanol, respectively. Then, the original and the modified AC were used as supports for Ru/AC catalysts prepared via the impregnation method. The results showed that the SC methanol modification decreased the content of surface acidic groups of AC. While HNO3 oxidation displayed the opposite behavior. Furthermore, the dispersion of ruthenium and the activity of catalysts were highly dependent on the content of surface acidic groups, and the SC methanol modified sample exhibited the highest activity for hydrogenation of glucose.

Reproducibility of MR-Based Attenuation Maps in PET/MRI and the Impact on PET Quantification in Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Olin, Anders; Ladefoged, Claes N; Langer, Natasha H; Keller, Sune H; Löfgren, Johan; Hansen, Adam E; Kjær, Andreas; Langer, Seppo W; Fischer, Barbara M; Andersen, Flemming L

2018-06-01

Quantitative PET/MRI is dependent on reliable and reproducible MR-based attenuation correction (MR-AC). In this study, we evaluated the quality of current vendor-provided thoracic MR-AC maps and further investigated the reproducibility of their impact on 18 F-FDG PET quantification in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Eleven patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer underwent 2-5 thoracic PET/MRI scan-rescan examinations within 22 d. 18 F-FDG PET data were acquired along with 2 Dixon MR-AC maps for each examination. Two PET images (PET A and PET B ) were reconstructed using identical PET emission data but with MR-AC from these intrasubject repeated attenuation maps. In total, 90 MR-AC maps were evaluated visually for quality and the occurrence of categorized artifacts by 2 PET/MRI-experienced physicians. Each tumor was outlined by a volume of interest (40% isocontour of maximum) on PET A , which was then projected onto the corresponding PET B SUV mean and SUV max were assessed from the PET images. Within-examination coefficients of variation and Bland-Altman analyses were conducted for the assessment of SUV variations between PET A and PET B Results: Image artifacts were observed in 86% of the MR-AC maps, and 30% of the MR-AC maps were subjectively expected to affect the tumor SUV. SUV mean and SUV max resulted in coefficients of variation of 5.6% and 6.6%, respectively, and scan-rescan SUV variations were within ±20% in 95% of the cases. Substantial SUV variations were seen mainly for scan-rescan examinations affected by respiratory motion. Conclusion: Artifacts occur frequently in standard thoracic MR-AC maps, affecting the reproducibility of PET/MRI. These, in combination with other well-known sources of error associated with PET/MRI examinations, lead to inconsistent SUV measurements in serial studies, which may affect the reliability of therapy response assessment. A thorough visual inspection of the thoracic MR-AC map and Dixon

Minocycline, a putative neuroprotectant, co-administered with doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in a xenograft model of triple-negative breast cancer

PubMed Central

Himmel, Lauren E.; Lustberg, Maryam B.; DeVries, A. Courtney; Poi, Ming; Chen, Ching-Shih; Kulp, Samuel K.

2016-01-01

Minocycline is purported to have neuroprotective properties in experimental models of some human neurologic diseases, and has therefore been identified as a putative neuroprotectant for chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) in breast cancer patients. However, because its mechanism of action is believed to be mediated through anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidant pathways, co-administration of minocycline with chemotherapeutic agents has the potential to reduce the efficacy of anticancer drugs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of minocycline on the activity of the AC chemotherapeutic regimen (Adriamycin [doxorubicin], Cytoxan [cyclophosphamide]) in in vitro and in vivo models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Clonogenic and methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assays were used to assess survival and viability in two TNBC cell lines treated with increasing concentrations of AC in the presence or absence of minocycline. Biomarkers of apoptosis, cell stress, and DNA damage were evaluated by western blot. The in vivo effects of AC and minocycline, each alone and in combination, were assessed in a xenograft model of TNBC in female athymic nude mice by weekly tumor volume measurement, body and organ weight measurement, and histopathology. Apoptosis and proliferation were characterized by immunohistochemistry in the xenografts tumors. Brains from tumor-bearing mice were evaluated for microglial activation, glial scars, and the proportion of neural progenitor cells. Data from these in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that minocycline does not diminish the cytotoxic and tumor-suppressive effects of this chemotherapeutic drug combination in TNBC cells. Moreover, minocycline appeared to prevent the reduction in doublecortin-positive neural progenitor cells observed in AC-treated mice. We posit that minocycline may be useful clinically for its reported neuroprotective activity in breast cancer patients receiving AC without

Minocycline, a putative neuroprotectant, co-administered with doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in a xenograft model of triple-negative breast cancer.

PubMed

Himmel, Lauren E; Lustberg, Maryam B; DeVries, A Courtney; Poi, Ming; Chen, Ching-Shih; Kulp, Samuel K

2016-10-01

Minocycline is purported to have neuroprotective properties in experimental models of some human neurologic diseases, and has therefore been identified as a putative neuroprotectant for chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) in breast cancer patients. However, because its mechanism of action is believed to be mediated through anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidant pathways, co-administration of minocycline with chemotherapeutic agents has the potential to reduce the efficacy of anticancer drugs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of minocycline on the activity of the AC chemotherapeutic regimen (Adriamycin [doxorubicin], Cytoxan [cyclophosphamide]) in in vitro and in vivo models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Clonogenic and methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assays were used to assess survival and viability in two TNBC cell lines treated with increasing concentrations of AC in the presence or absence of minocycline. Biomarkers of apoptosis, cell stress, and DNA damage were evaluated by western blot. The in vivo effects of AC and minocycline, each alone and in combination, were assessed in a xenograft model of TNBC in female athymic nude mice by weekly tumor volume measurement, body and organ weight measurement, and histopathology. Apoptosis and proliferation were characterized by immunohistochemistry in the xenografts tumors. Brains from tumor-bearing mice were evaluated for microglial activation, glial scars, and the proportion of neural progenitor cells. Data from these in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that minocycline does not diminish the cytotoxic and tumor-suppressive effects of this chemotherapeutic drug combination in TNBC cells. Moreover, minocycline appeared to prevent the reduction in doublecortin-positive neural progenitor cells observed in AC-treated mice. We posit that minocycline may be useful clinically for its reported neuroprotective activity in breast cancer patients receiving AC without

The a.c. Josephson effect without superconductivity

PubMed Central

Gaury, Benoit; Weston, Joseph; Waintal, Xavier

2015-01-01

Superconductivity derives its most salient features from the coherence of the associated macroscopic wave function. The related physical phenomena have now moved from exotic subjects to fundamental building blocks for quantum circuits such as qubits or single photonic modes. Here we predict that the a.c. Josephson effect—which transforms a d.c. voltage Vb into an oscillating signal cos (2eVbt/ħ)—has a mesoscopic counterpart in normal conductors. We show that when a d.c. voltage Vb is applied to an electronic interferometer, there exists a universal transient regime where the current oscillates at frequency eVb/h. This effect is not limited by a superconducting gap and could, in principle, be used to produce tunable a.c. signals in the elusive 0.1–10-THz ‘terahertz gap’. PMID:25765929

Aligned Immobilization of Proteins Using AC Electric Fields.

PubMed

Laux, Eva-Maria; Knigge, Xenia; Bier, Frank F; Wenger, Christian; Hölzel, Ralph

2016-03-01

Protein molecules are aligned and immobilized from solution by AC electric fields. In a single-step experiment, the enhanced green fluorescent proteins are immobilized on the surface as well as at the edges of planar nanoelectrodes. Alignment is found to follow the molecules' geometrical shape with their longitudinal axes parallel to the electric field. Simultaneous dielectrophoretic attraction and AC electroosmotic flow are identified as the dominant forces causing protein movement and alignment. Molecular orientation is determined by fluorescence microscopy based on polarized excitation of the proteins' chromophores. The chromophores' orientation with respect to the whole molecule supports X-ray crystal data. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multiple piezo-patch energy harvesters on a thin plate with respective AC-DC conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghakhani, Amirreza; Basdogan, Ipek

2018-03-01

Piezoelectric patch energy harvesters can be directly integrated to plate-like structures which are widely used in automotive, marine and aerospace applications, to convert vibrational energy to electrical energy. This paper presents two different AC-DC conversion techniques for multiple patch harvesters, namely single rectifier and respective rectifiers. The first case considers all the piezo-patches are connected in parallel to a single rectifier, whereas in the second case, each harvester is respectively rectified and then connected in parallel to a smoothing capacitor and a resistive load. The latter configuration of AC-DC conversion helps to avoid the electrical charge cancellation which is a problem with the multiple harvesters attached to different locations of the host plate surface. Equivalent circuit model of the multiple piezo-patch harvesters is developed in the SPICE software to simulate the electrical response. The system parameters are obtained from the modal analysis solution of the plate. Simulations of the voltage frequency response functions (FRFs) for the standard AC input - AC output case are conducted and validated by experimental data. Finally, for the AC input - DC output case, numerical simulation and experimental results of the power outputs of multiple piezo-patch harvesters with multiple AC-DC converters are obtained for a wide range of resistive loads and compared with the same array of harvesters connected to a single AC-DC converter.

[Accidents of the everyday life (AcVC) in children in Dakar: about 201 cases].

PubMed

Mohamed, Azhar Salim; Sagna, Aloïse; Fall, Mbaye; Ndoye, Ndeye Aby; Mbaye, Papa Alassane; Fall, Aimé Lakh; Diaby, Alou; Ndour, Oumar; Ngom, Gabriel

2017-01-01

Accidents of everyday life (AcVC) are common in children and can led to disabling injuries and death. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological aspects of AcVC and the related injury mechanisms in Dakar. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2013. All the children victims of domestic accidents, sport and leisure accidents or school accidents were included. We studied some general parameters and some parameters related to each type of AcVC. Two hundred and one children were included, accounting for 27% of emergency consultations. There were 148 boys and 53 girls. Children less than 5 years of age were most affected (37.8%). Football and wrestling game were the main causes of AcVC. AcVC occur mainly at home (58.2%) and in the areas of sport and recreation (31.8%). The fractures predominated in the different types of AcVC: 54.9% of domestic accidents, 68.8% of sport and recreation accidents and 40% of school accidents. From an epidemiological perspective, our results are superimposable to literature. Fractures predominated contrary to literature where bruises were preponderant. Wrestling game is the main cause of these fractures, after football. The acquisition of knowledge about the epidemiological aspects of AcVC and the related injury mechanisms will allow for prevention campaigns in Dakar.

The baculovirus core gene ac83 is required for nucleocapsid assembly and per os infectivity of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus.

PubMed

Zhu, Shimao; Wang, Wei; Wang, Yan; Yuan, Meijin; Yang, Kai

2013-10-01

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) ac83 is a baculovirus core gene whose function in the AcMNPV life cycle is unknown. In the present study, an ac83-knockout AcMNPV (vAc83KO) was constructed to investigate the function of ac83 through homologous recombination in Escherichia coli. No budded virions were produced in vAc83KO-transfected Sf9 cells, although viral DNA replication was unaffected. Electron microscopy revealed that nucleocapsid assembly was aborted due to the ac83 deletion. Domain-mapping studies revealed that the expression of Ac83 amino acid residues 451 to 600 partially rescued the ability of AcMNPV to produce infectious budded virions. Bioassays indicated that deletion of the chitin-binding domain of Ac83 resulted in the failure of oral infection of Trichoplusia ni larvae by AcMNPV, but AcMNPV remained infectious following intrahemocoelic injection, suggesting that the domain is involved in the binding of occlusion-derived virions to the peritrophic membrane and/or to other chitin-containing insect tissues. It has been demonstrated that Ac83 is the only component with a chitin-binding domain in the per os infectivity factor complex on the occlusion-derived virion envelope. Interestingly, a functional inner nuclear membrane sorting motif, which may facilitate the localization of Ac83 to the envelopes of occlusion-derived virions, was identified by immunofluorescence analysis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Ac83 plays an important role in nucleocapsid assembly and the establishment of oral infection.

DC response of dust to low frequency AC signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinlay, Michael; Konopka, Uwe; Thomas, Edward

2017-10-01

Macroscopic changes in the shape and equilibrium position of clouds of charged microparticles suspended in a plasma have been observed in response to low frequency AC signals. In these experiments, dusty plasmas consisting of 2-micron diameter silica microspheres suspended between an anode and cathode in an argon, DC glow discharge plasma are produced in a grounded, 6-way cross vacuum chamber. An AC signal, produced by a function generator and amplified by a bipolar op-amp, is superimposed onto the potential from the cathode. The frequencies of the applied AC signals, ranging from tens to hundreds of kHz, are comparable to the ion-neutral collision frequency; well below the ion/electron plasma frequencies, but also considerably higher than the dust plasma frequency. This presentation will detail the experimental setup, present documentation and categorization of observations of the dust response, and present an initial model of the response. This work is supported by funding from the US Dept. of Energy, Grant Number DE-SC0016330, and by the National Science Foundation, Grant Number PHY-1613087.

Simulation of the AC corona phenomenon with experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Andrea; Barbieri, Luca; Marco, Gondola; Malgesini, Roberto; Leon-Garzon, Andres R.

2017-11-01

The corona effect, and in particular the Trichel phenomenon, is an important aspect of plasma physics with many technical applications, such as pollution reduction, surface and medical treatments. This phenomenon is also associated with components used in the power industry where it is, in many cases, the source of electro-magnetic disturbance, noise and production of undesired chemically active species. Despite the power industry to date using mainly alternating current (AC) transmission, most of the studies related to the corona effect have been carried out with direct current (DC) sources. Therefore, there is technical interest in validating numerical codes capable of simulating the AC phenomenon. In this work we describe a set of partial differential equations that are comprehensive enough to reproduce the distinctive features of the corona in an AC regime. The model embeds some selectable chemical databases, comprising tens of chemical species and hundreds of reactions, the thermal dynamics of neutral species and photoionization. A large set of parameters—deduced from experiments and numerical estimations—are compared, to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Negative effect of the 5'-untranslated leader sequence on Ac transposon promoter expression.

PubMed

Scortecci, K C; Raina, R; Fedoroff, N V; Van Sluys, M A

1999-08-01

Transposable elements are used in heterologous plant hosts to clone genes by insertional mutagenesis. The Activator (Ac) transposable element has been cloned from maize, and introduced into a variety of plants. However, differences in regulation and transposition frequency have been observed between different host plants. The cause of this variability is still unknown. To better understand the activity of the Ac element, we analyzed the Ac promoter region and its 5'-untranslated leader sequence (5' UTL). Transient assays in tobacco NT1 suspension cells showed that the Ac promoter is a weak promoter and its activity was localized by deletion analyses. The data presented here indicate that the core of the Ac promoter is contained within 153 bp fragment upstream to transcription start sites. An important inhibitory effect (80%) due to the presence of the 5' UTL was found on the expression of LUC reporter gene. Here we demonstrate that the presence of the 5' UTL in the constructs reduces the expression driven by either strong or weak promoters.

Transmission Technologies and Operational Characteristic Analysis of Hybrid UHV AC/DC Power Grids in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Zhang; Yanfeng, Gong

2017-05-01

In order to solve the contradiction between demand and distribution range of primary energy resource, Ultra High Voltage (UHV) power grids should be developed rapidly to meet development of energy bases and accessing of large-scale renewable energy. This paper reviewed the latest research processes of AC/DC transmission technologies, summarized the characteristics of AC/DC power grids, concluded that China’s power grids certainly enter a new period of large -scale hybrid UHV AC/DC power grids and characteristics of “strong DC and weak AC” becomes increasingly pro minent; possible problems in operation of AC/DC power grids was discussed, and interaction or effect between AC/DC power grids was made an intensive study of; according to above problems in operation of power grids, preliminary scheme is summarized as fo llows: strengthening backbone structures, enhancing AC/DC transmission technologies, promoting protection measures of clean energ y accessing grids, and taking actions to solve stability problems of voltage and frequency etc. It’s valuable for making hybrid UHV AC/DC power grids adapt to operating mode of large power grids, thus guaranteeing security and stability of power system.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 and overall survival of patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, Ari J.; Wainwright, Derek A.; Rademaker, Alfred; Galvez, Carlos; Genet, Matthew; Zhai, Lijie; Lauing, Kristen L.; Mulcahy, Mary F.; Hayes, John P.; Odell, David D.; Horbinski, Craig; Komanduri, Srinadh; Tetreault, Marie-Pier; Kim, Kwang-Youn A.; Villaflor, Victoria M.

2018-01-01

Background Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is an enzyme with immunomodulatory properties that has emerged as a potential immunotherapeutic target in human cancer. However, the role, expression pattern, and relevance of IDO1 in esophageal cancer (EC) are poorly understood. Here, we utilize gene expression analysis of the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to better understand the role and prognostic significance of IDO1 in EC. Results High IDO1 mRNA levels were associated with worse overall survival (OS) in both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (P = 0.02) and adenocarcinoma (AC) (P = 0.036). High co-expression of IDO1 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was associated with worse OS in SCC (P = 0.0031) and AC (P = 0.0186). IHC for IDO1 in SCC showed a significant correlation with PD-L1 (P < 0.0001) and CD3ε (P < 0.0001). Conclusions EC with high IDO1 and PD-L1 expression is significantly correlated with decreased patient survival, and may correlate with increased T-cells. These data suggest that simultaneous inhibition of IDO1 and PD-(L)1 may overcome important barriers to T-cell mediated immune rejection of EC. Materials and Methods mRNA expression data from TCGA (SCC N = 87; AC N = 97). IHC in a second cohort of EC (N = 93) were stained for IDO1, PD-L1, and CD3ε, followed by light microscopic analysis. PMID:29805749

Functional Regulation of an Autographa californica Nucleopolyhedrovirus-Encoded MicroRNA, AcMNPV-miR-1, in Baculovirus Replication

PubMed Central

Zhu, Mengxiao; Deng, Riqiang

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT An Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus-encoded microRNA (miRNA), AcMNPV-miR-1, downregulates the ac94 gene, reducing the production of infectious budded virions and accelerating the formation of occlusion-derived virions. In the current study, four viruses that constitutively overexpress AcMNPV-miR-1 were constructed to further explore the function of the miRNA. In addition to the ac94 gene, two new viral gene targets (ac18 and ac95) of AcMNPV-miR-1 were identified, and the possible interacting proteins were verified and tested. In the context of AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression, ac18 was slightly upregulated, and ac95 was downregulated. Several interacting proteins were identified, and a functional pathway for AcMNPV-miR-1 was deduced. AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression decreased budded virus infectivity, reduced viral DNA replication, accelerated polyhedron formation, and promoted viral infection efficiency in Trichoplusia ni larvae, suggesting that AcMNPV-miR-1 restrains virus infection of cells but facilitates virus infection of larvae. IMPORTANCE Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely reported as moderators or regulators of mammalian cellular processes, especially disease-related pathways in humans. However, the roles played by miRNAs encoded by baculoviruses, which infect numerous beneficial insects and agricultural pests, have rarely been described. To explore the actions of virus-encoded miRNAs, we investigated an miRNA encoded by Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV-miR-1). We previously identified this miRNA through the exogenous addition of AcMNPV-miR-1 mimics. In the current study, we constitutively overexpressed AcMNPV-miR-1 and analyzed the resultant effects to more comprehensively assess what is indeed the function of this miRNA during viral infection. In addition, we widely explored the target genes for the miRNA in the viral and host genomes and proposed a possible functional network for AcMNPV-miR-1, which provides a

FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation, Calendar Year 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

INFORMATION GPO operates U.S. Government bookstores all around the country where you can browse through the shelves and take your books home with you...For more information, contact Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office ( GPO ), Washington, DC 20402, (202)783-3238 or contact any...of the following GPO Bookstores located throughout the United States. Addresses are listed below for ordering purposes. ATLANTA, GA LAUREL, MD Room

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Enhances Mental Rotation Performance during and after Stimulation

PubMed Central

Kasten, Florian H.; Herrmann, Christoph S.

2017-01-01

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has been repeatedly demonstrated to modulate endogenous brain oscillations in a frequency specific manner. Thus, it is a promising tool to uncover causal relationships between brain oscillations and behavior or perception. While tACS has been shown to elicit a physiological aftereffect for up to 70 min, it remains unclear whether the effect can still be elicited if subjects perform a complex task interacting with the stimulated frequency band. In addition, it has not yet been investigated whether the aftereffect is behaviorally relevant. In the current experiment, participants performed a Shepard-like mental rotation task for 80 min. After 10 min of baseline measurement, participants received either 20 min of tACS at their individual alpha frequency (IAF) or sham stimulation (30 s tACS in the beginning of the stimulation period). Afterwards another 50 min of post-stimulation EEG were recorded. Task performance and EEG were acquired during the whole experiment. While there were no effects of tACS on reaction times or event-related-potentials (ERPs), results revealed an increase in mental rotation performance in the stimulation group as compared to sham both during and after stimulation. This was accompanied by increased ongoing alpha power and coherence as well as event-related-desynchronization (ERD) in the alpha band in the stimulation group. The current study demonstrates a behavioral and physiological aftereffect of tACS in parallel. This indicates that it is possible to elicit aftereffects of tACS during tasks interacting with the alpha band. Therefore, the tACS aftereffect is suitable to achieve an experimental manipulation. PMID:28197084

An analysis of early oncologic head and neck free flap reoperations from the 2005-2012 ACS-NSQIP dataset.

PubMed

Ligh, Cassandra A; Nelson, Jonas A; Wink, Jason D; Gerety, Patrick A; Fischer, John P; Wu, Liza C; Kanchwala, Suhail K

2016-01-01

There are limited population-based studies that examine perioperative factors that influence postoperative surgical take-backs to the OR following free flap (FF) reconstruction for head/neck cancer extirpation. The purpose of this study was to critically analyse head/neck free flaps (HNFF) captured in the ACS-NSQIP dataset with a specific focus on postoperative complications and the incidence of factors associated with re-operation. The 2005-2012 ACS-NSQIP datasets were accessed to identify patients undergoing FF reconstruction after a diagnosis of head/neck cancer. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and perioperative risk factors were examined as covariates, and the primary outcome was return to OR within 30 days of surgery. A multivariate regression was performed to determine independent preoperative factors associated with this complication. In total, 855 patients underwent FF for head/neck reconstruction most commonly for the Tongue (24.7%) and Mouth/Floor/cavity (25.0%). Of these, 153 patients (17.9%) returned to the OR within 30 days of surgery. Patients in this cohort had higher rates of wound infections and dehiscence (p < 0.01). Medical complications were significantly higher and included pneumonia (12.4% vs 5.0%, p < 0.01), prolonged ventilation (16.3% vs 4.8%, p < 0.01), myocardial infarction (2.6% vs 0.6%, p = 0.017), and sepsis (7.2% vs 3.4%, p = 0.033). Regression analysis demonstrated that visceral flaps (OR = 9.7, p = 0.012) and hypoalbuminemia (OR = 2.4, p = 0.009) were significant predictors of a return to the OR. Based on data from the nationwide NSQIP dataset, up to 17% of HNFF return to the OR within 30 days. Although this data-set has some significant limitations, these results can cautiously help to improve preoperative patient optimisation and surgical decision-making.

The Nutrient-Sensing Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway as the Hub of Cancer Metabolic Rewiring.

PubMed

Chiaradonna, Ferdinando; Ricciardiello, Francesca; Palorini, Roberta

2018-06-02

Alterations in glucose and glutamine utilizing pathways and in fatty acid metabolism are currently considered the most significant and prevalent metabolic changes observed in almost all types of tumors. Glucose, glutamine and fatty acids are the substrates for the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). This metabolic pathway generates the "sensing molecule" UDP- N -Acetylglucosamine (UDP-Glc N Ac). UDP-Glc N Ac is the substrate for the enzymes involved in protein N - and O -glycosylation, two important post-translational modifications (PTMs) identified in several proteins localized in the extracellular space, on the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm, nucleus and mitochondria. Since protein glycosylation controls several key aspects of cell physiology, aberrant protein glycosylation has been associated with different human diseases, including cancer. Here we review recent evidence indicating the tight association between the HBP flux and cell metabolism, with particular emphasis on the post-transcriptional and transcriptional mechanisms regulated by the HBP that may cause the metabolic rewiring observed in cancer. We describe the implications of both protein O - and N -glycosylation in cancer cell metabolism and bioenergetics; focusing our attention on the effect of these PTMs on nutrient transport and on the transcriptional regulation and function of cancer-specific metabolic pathways.

Structural, ac conductivity and dielectric properties of 3-formyl chromone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. A. M.

2017-07-01

The structure for the powder of 3-formyl chromone was examined by X-ray diffraction technique in the 2θ° range ( 4° - 60° . The configuration of Al/3-formyl chromone/Al samples was designed. The electrical and dielectric properties were studied as a function of frequency (42- 5 × 106 Hz) and temperature (298-408K). The ac conductivity data of bulk of 3-formyl chromone varies as a power law with the frequency at different temperatures. The predominant mechanism for ac conduction was deduced. The ac conductivity shows a thermally activated process at different frequencies. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were determined using the capacitance and dissipation factor measurements at different temperatures. The dielectric loss shows a peak of relaxation time that shifted to higher frequency with an increase in the temperature. The activation energy of the relaxation process was estimated.

Transgenic cotton coexpressing Vip3A and Cry1Ac has a broad insecticidal spectrum against lepidopteran pests.

PubMed

Chen, Wen-Bo; Lu, Guo-Qing; Cheng, Hong-Mei; Liu, Chen-Xi; Xiao, Yu-Tao; Xu, Chao; Shen, Zhi-Cheng; Wu, Kong-Ming

2017-10-01

Although farmers in China have grown transgenic Bt-Cry1Ac cotton to resist the major pest Helicoverpa armigera since 1997 with great success, many secondary lepidopteran pests that are tolerant to Cry1Ac are now reported to cause considerable economic damage. Vip3AcAa, a chimeric protein with the N-terminal part of Vip3Ac and the C-terminal part of Vip3Aa, has a broad insecticidal spectrum against lepidopteran pests and has no cross resistance to Cry1Ac. In the present study, we tested insecticidal activities of Vip3AcAa against Spodoptera litura, Spodoptera exigua, and Agrotis ipsilon, which are relatively tolerant to Cry1Ac proteins. The bioassay results showed that insecticidal activities of Vip3AcAa against these three pests are superior to Cry1Ac, and after an activation pretreatment, Vip3AcAa retained insecticidal activity against S. litura, S. exigua and A. ipsilon that was similar to the unprocessed protein. The putative receptor for this chimeric protein in the brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV) in the three pests was also identified using biotinylated Vip3AcAa toxin. To broaden Bt cotton activity against a wider spectrum of pests, we introduced the vip3AcAa and cry1Ac genes into cotton. Larval mortality rates for S. litura, A. ipsilon and S. exigua that had fed on this new cotton increased significantly compared with larvae fed on non-Bt cotton and Bt-Cry1Ac cotton in a laboratory experiment. These results suggested that the Vip3AcAa protein is an excellent option for a "pyramid" strategy for integrated pest management in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate and chlorination disinfection by-product precursors over Ru/AC.

PubMed

Wang, Jianbing; Zhou, Yunrui; Zhu, Wanpeng; He, Xuwen

2009-07-15

Catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in aqueous solution (5mg/L) under various reactions was performed to examine the effect of catalyst dosage, catalyst particle size, ozone dosage, and gas flow rate on the mineralization of DMP. The mineralization of DMP can be achieved via ozonation and the presence of Ru/AC could greatly accelerate the mineralization rate of DMP in ozonation process. In the continuous experiment of the Ru/AC catalyzed ozonation of DMP, total organic carbon (TOC) removals were kept stable around 75% during 42 h reaction. No leaching of ruthenium was observed in the treated water samples. The treatment of natural water using Ru/AC+O(3), Ru/AC+O(2) and ozonation alone was studied. In the Ru/AC+O(3) process, TOC removals, the reductions of the haloacetic acid formation potentials (HAAFPs), and the reductions of the trihalomethane formation potentials (THMFPs) of 11 water samples were 22-44%, 39-61% and 50-65%, respectively. Ru/AC+O(3) process was much more effective than ozonation alone for TOC removal and the reduction of disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP) in the treatment of natural water. It is a promising water treatment technology.

AC conductivity and dielectric properties of bulk tungsten trioxide (WO3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.; Saadeldin, M.; Zaghllol, M.

2012-11-01

AC conductivity and dielectric properties of tungsten trioxide (WO3) in a pellet form were studied in the frequency range from 42 Hz to 5 MHz with a variation of temperature in the range from 303 K to 463 K. AC conductivity, σac(ω) was found to be a function of ωs where ω is the angular frequency and s is the frequency exponent. The values of s were found to be less than unity and decrease with increasing temperature, which supports the correlated barrier hopping mechanism (CBH) as the dominant mechanism for the conduction in WO3. The dielectric constant (ε‧) and dielectric loss (ε″) were measured. The Cole-Cole diagram determined complex impedance for different temperatures.

Residential Proximity to Major Roadways Is Associated With Increased Levels of AC133+ Circulating Angiogenic Cells.

PubMed

DeJarnett, Natasha; Yeager, Ray; Conklin, Daniel J; Lee, Jongmin; O'Toole, Timothy E; McCracken, James; Abplanalp, Wes; Srivastava, Sanjay; Riggs, Daniel W; Hamzeh, Ihab; Wagner, Stephen; Chugh, Atul; DeFilippis, Andrew; Ciszewski, Tiffany; Wyatt, Brad; Becher, Carrie; Higdon, Deirdre; Ramos, Kenneth S; Tollerud, David J; Myers, John A; Rai, Shesh N; Shah, Jasmit; Zafar, Nagma; Krishnasamy, Sathya S; Prabhu, Sumanth D; Bhatnagar, Aruni

2015-11-01

Previous studies have shown that residential proximity to a roadway is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Yet, the nature of this association remains unclear, and its effect on individual cardiovascular disease risk factors has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to determine whether residential proximity to roadways influences systemic inflammation and the levels of circulating angiogenic cells. In a cross-sectional study, cardiovascular disease risk factors, blood levels of C-reactive protein, and 15 antigenically defined circulating angiogenic cell populations were measured in participants (n=316) with moderate-to-high cardiovascular disease risk. Attributes of roadways surrounding residential locations were assessed using geographic information systems. Associations between road proximity and cardiovascular indices were analyzed using generalized linear models. Close proximity (<50 m) to a major roadway was associated with lower income and higher rates of smoking but not C-reactive protein levels. After adjustment for potential confounders, the levels of circulating angiogenic cells in peripheral blood were significantly elevated in people living in close proximity to a major roadway (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), CD34(+)/AC133(+), and CD34(+)/45(dim)/AC133(+) cells) and positively associated with road segment distance (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), and CD34(+)/AC133(+) cells), traffic intensity (CD31(+)/AC133(+) and AC133(+) cells), and distance-weighted traffic intensity (CD31(+)/34(+)/45(+)/AC133(+) cells). Living close to a major roadway is associated with elevated levels of circulating cells positive for the early stem marker AC133(+). This may reflect an increased need for vascular repair. Levels of these cells in peripheral blood may be a sensitive index of cardiovascular injury because of residential proximity to roadways. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Thermal and ac electrical properties of N-methylanthranilic acid below room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Kader, M. M.; Basha, M. A. F.; Ramzy, G. H.; Aboud, A. I.

2018-06-01

In this study, we investigated the thermal and alternating current (ac) electrical properties of N-methylanthranilic acid. Based on data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry, we detected two endothermic transitions at ≈ 213 K and ≈265.41 K. The weakening of hydrogen bonds as the temperature increased appeared to be the main cause of these phase transitions. We also recorded the melting point at about 475.5 K. Both the ac conductivity (σac) and complex dielectric constant (ε∗ = ε ' - jε ' ') were studied as functions of temperature over the frequency range from 1 kHz to 100 kHz. We observed significant variations in the thermal and electrical properties before and after the transition temperature at 265.41 K. The conduction mechanism responsible for the ac electrical properties before this transition was due to overlapping large polarons. These novel results are expected to have impacts on the application of organic semiconductors and dielectrics.

Grain Refinement of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Weldments by AC Pulsing Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishore Babu, N.; Cross, C. E.

2012-11-01

The current study has investigated the influence of alternating current pulsing on the structure and mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy gas tungsten arc (GTA) weldments. Autogenous full penetration bead-on-plate GTA welds were made under a variety of conditions including variable polarity (VP), variable polarity mixed (VPM), alternating current (AC), and alternating current pulsing (ACPC). AC pulsing resulted in significant refinement of weld metal when compared with the unpulsed conditions. AC pulsing leads to relatively finer and more equiaxed grain structure in GTA welds. In contrast, VP, VPM, and AC welding resulted in predominantly columnar grain structures. The reason for this grain refinement may be attributed to the periodic variations in temperature gradient and solidification rate associated with pulsing as well as weld pool oscillation observed in the ACPC welds. The observed grain refinement was shown to result in an appreciable increase in fusion zone hardness, tensile strength, and ductility.

Thrust distribution for attitude control in a variable thrust propulsion system with four ACS nozzles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yeerang; Lee, Wonsuk; Bang, Hyochoong; Lee, Hosung

2017-04-01

A thrust distribution approach is proposed in this paper for a variable thrust solid propulsion system with an attitude control system (ACS) that uses a reduced number of nozzles for a three-axis attitude maneuver. Although a conventional variable thrust solid propulsion system needs six ACS nozzles, this paper proposes a thrust system with four ACS nozzles to reduce the complexity and mass of the system. The performance of the new system was analyzed with numerical simulations, and the results show that the performance of the system with four ACS nozzles was similar to the original system while the mass of the whole system was simultaneously reduced. Moreover, a feasibility analysis was performed to determine whether a thrust system with three ACS nozzles is possible.

Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells have contrasting effects on proliferation and phenotype of cancer stem cells from different subtypes of lung cancer

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

Vulcano, Francesca, E-mail: francesca.vulcano@iss.it; Milazzo, Luisa, E-mail: luisa.milazzo@iss.it; Ciccarelli, Carmela, E-mail: carmela.ciccarelli@univaq.it

Studies on the role of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) on tumor growth have reported both a tumor promoting and a suppressive effect. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of MSC isolated from Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord (WJMSC) on lung cancer stem cells (LCSC) derived from human lung tumors: two adenocarcinomas (AC) and two squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). LCSC derived from SCC and AC expressed, to varying extents, the more relevant stem cell markers. The effect of WJMSC on LCSC was investigated in vitro using conditioned medium (WJ-CM): a proliferation increase in AC-LCSC wasmore » observed, with an increase in the ALDH+ and in the CD133+ cell population. By contrast, WJ-CM hampered the growth of SCC-LCSC, with an increase in the pre-G1 phase indicating the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, the ALDH+ and CD133+ population was also reduced. In vivo, subcutaneous co-transplantation of AC-LCSC/WJMSC generated larger tumors than AC-LCSC alone, characterized by an increased percentage of CD133+ and CD166+ cells. By contrast, co-transplantation of WJMSC and SCC-LCSC did not affect the tumor size. Our results strongly suggest that WJMSC exert, both in vitro and in vivo, contrasting effects on LCSC derived from different lung tumor subtypes. - Highlights: • CM from WJMSC induces apoptosis of SCC-LCSC and reduction of ALDH+ and CD133+ cells. • Specificity of SCC-LCSC inhibition by WJ-CM is proved by the use of a CM from NHDF. • WJ-CM enhance AC-LCSC proliferation and increase CD133+ and ALDH+ cell fractions. • Coinjection of WJMSC with AC-LCSC increase tumor growth with SCC-LCSC has no effect.« less

In vitro and in vivo comparisons of constant resistance AC iontophoresis and DC iontophoresis.

PubMed

Li, S Kevin; Higuchi, William I; Zhu, Honggang; Kern, Steven E; Miller, David J; Hastings, Matthew S

2003-09-04

A previous in vitro constant electrical resistance alternating current (AC) iontophoresis study with human epidermal membrane (HEM) and a model neutral permeant has shown less inter- and intra-sample variability in iontophoretic transport relative to conventional constant direct current (DC) iontophoresis. The objectives of the present study were to address the following questions. (1) Can the skin electrical resistance be maintained at a constant level by AC in humans in vivo? (2) Are the in vitro data with HEM representative of those in vivo? (3) Does constant skin resistance AC iontophoresis have less inter- and intra-sample variability than conventional constant current DC iontophoresis in vivo? (4) What are the electrical and the barrier properties of skin during iontophoresis in vivo? In the present study, in vitro HEM experiments were carried out with the constant resistance AC and the conventional constant current DC methods using mannitol and glucose as the neutral model permeants. In vivo human experiments were performed using glucose as the permeant with a constant skin resistance AC only protocol and two conventional constant current DC methods (continuous constant current DC and constant current DC with its polarity alternated every 10 min with a 3:7 on:off duty cycle). Constant current DC iontophoresis was conducted with commercial constant current DC devices, and constant resistance AC iontophoresis was carried out by reducing and maintaining the skin resistance at a constant target value with AC supplied from a function generator. This study shows that (1) skin electrical resistance can be maintained at a constant level during AC iontophoresis in vivo; (2) HEM in vitro and human skin in vivo demonstrate similar electrical and barrier properties, and these properties are consistent with our previous findings; (3) there is general qualitative and semi-quantitative agreement between the HEM data in vitro and human skin data in vivo; and (4) constant

Combined AC electroosmosis and dielectrophoresis for controlled rotation of microparticles

PubMed Central

Walid Rezanoor, Md.; Dutta, Prashanta

2016-01-01

Electrorotation is widely used for characterization of biological cells and materials using a rotating electric field. Generally, multiphase AC electric fields and quadrupolar electrode configuration are needed to create a rotating electric field for electrorotation. In this study, we demonstrate a simple method to rotate dielectrophoretically trapped microparticles using a stationary AC electric field. Coplanar interdigitated electrodes are used to create a linearly polarized nonuniform AC electric field. This nonuniform electric field is employed for dielectrophoretic trapping of microparticles as well as for generating electroosmotic flow in the vicinity of the electrodes resulting in rotation of microparticles in a microfluidic device. The rotation of barium titanate microparticles is observed in 2-propanol and methanol solvent at a frequency below 1 kHz. A particle rotation rate as high as 240 revolutions per minute is observed. It is demonstrated that precise manipulation (both rotation rate and equilibrium position) of the particles is possible by controlling the frequency of the applied electric field. At low frequency range, the equilibrium positions of the microparticles are observed between the electrode edge and electrode center. This method of particle manipulation is different from electrorotation as it uses induced AC electroosmosis instead of electric torque as in the case of electrorotation. Moreover, it has been shown that a microparticle can be rotated along its own axis without any translational motion. PMID:27014394

Combined AC electroosmosis and dielectrophoresis for controlled rotation of microparticles.

PubMed

Walid Rezanoor, Md; Dutta, Prashanta

2016-03-01

Electrorotation is widely used for characterization of biological cells and materials using a rotating electric field. Generally, multiphase AC electric fields and quadrupolar electrode configuration are needed to create a rotating electric field for electrorotation. In this study, we demonstrate a simple method to rotate dielectrophoretically trapped microparticles using a stationary AC electric field. Coplanar interdigitated electrodes are used to create a linearly polarized nonuniform AC electric field. This nonuniform electric field is employed for dielectrophoretic trapping of microparticles as well as for generating electroosmotic flow in the vicinity of the electrodes resulting in rotation of microparticles in a microfluidic device. The rotation of barium titanate microparticles is observed in 2-propanol and methanol solvent at a frequency below 1 kHz. A particle rotation rate as high as 240 revolutions per minute is observed. It is demonstrated that precise manipulation (both rotation rate and equilibrium position) of the particles is possible by controlling the frequency of the applied electric field. At low frequency range, the equilibrium positions of the microparticles are observed between the electrode edge and electrode center. This method of particle manipulation is different from electrorotation as it uses induced AC electroosmosis instead of electric torque as in the case of electrorotation. Moreover, it has been shown that a microparticle can be rotated along its own axis without any translational motion.

Capabilities of the new “Universal” AC-DC monitor for electropenetrography (EPG)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Electropenetrography (EPG), invented over 50 years ago, is the most rigorous and important means of studying the feeding of piercing-sucking crop pests. The 1st-generation monitor (or AC monitor) used AC applied signal voltage and had fixed amplifier sensitivity (input resistor or Ri) of 106 Ohms. T...

AC Loss Analysis of MgB2-Based Fully Superconducting Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feddersen, M.; Haran, K. S.; Berg, F.

2017-12-01

Superconducting electric machines have shown potential for significant increase in power density, making them attractive for size and weight sensitive applications such as offshore wind generation, marine propulsion, and hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion. Superconductors exhibit no loss under dc conditions, though ac current and field produce considerable losses due to hysteresis, eddy currents, and coupling mechanisms. For this reason, many present machines are designed to be partially superconducting, meaning that the dc field components are superconducting while the ac armature coils are conventional conductors. Fully superconducting designs can provide increases in power density with significantly higher armature current; however, a good estimate of ac losses is required to determine the feasibility under the machines intended operating conditions. This paper aims to characterize the expected losses in a fully superconducting machine targeted towards aircraft, based on an actively-shielded, partially superconducting machine from prior work. Various factors are examined such as magnet strength, operating frequency, and machine load to produce a model for the loss in the superconducting components of the machine. This model is then used to optimize the design of the machine for minimal ac loss while maximizing power density. Important observations from the study are discussed.

Electrodeformation of multi-bilayer spherical concentric membranes by AC electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lira-Escobedo, J.; Arauz-Lara, J.; Aranda-Espinoza, H.; Adlerz, K.; Viveros-Mendez, P. X.; Aranda-Espinoza, S.

2017-09-01

It is now well established that external stresses alter the behaviour of cells, where such alterations can be as profound as changes in gene expression. A type of stresses of particular interest are those due to alternating-current (AC) electric fields. The effect of AC fields on cells is still not well understood, in particular it is not clear how these fields affect the cell nucleus and other organelles. Here, we propose that one possible mechanism is through the deformation of the membranes. In order to investigate the effect of AC fields on the morphological changes of the cell organelles, we modelled the cell as two concentric bilayer membranes. This model allows us to obtain the deformations induced by the AC field by balancing the elastic energy and the work done by the Maxwell stresses. Morphological phase diagrams are obtained as a function of the frequency and the electrical properties of the media and membranes. We demonstrate that the organelle shapes can be changed without modifying the shape of the external cell membrane and that the organelle deformation transitions can be used to measure, for example, the conductivity of the nucleus.

Extraction, Analytical and Advanced Methods for Detection of Allura Red AC (E129) in Food and Beverages Products

PubMed Central

Rovina, Kobun; Siddiquee, Shafiquzzaman; Shaarani, Sharifudin M.

2016-01-01

Allura Red AC (E129) is an azo dye that widely used in drinks, juices, bakery, meat, and sweets products. High consumption of Allura Red has claimed an adverse effects of human health including allergies, food intolerance, cancer, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, brain damage, nausea, cardiac disease and asthma due to the reaction of aromatic azo compounds (R = R′ = aromatic). Several countries have banned and strictly controlled the uses of Allura Red in food and beverage products. This review paper is critically summarized on the available analytical and advanced methods for determination of Allura Red and also concisely discussed on the acceptable daily intake, toxicology and extraction methods. PMID:27303385

Substituted Phthalimide AC94377 Is a Selective Agonist of the Gibberellin Receptor GID11[OPEN

PubMed Central

Otani, Masato; Shimotakahara, Hiroaki; Yoon, Jung-Min; Park, Seung-Hyun; Miyaji, Tomoko; Nakano, Takeshi; Nakamura, Hidemitsu; Nakajima, Masatoshi

2017-01-01

Gibberellin (GA) is a major plant hormone that regulates plant growth and development and is widely used as a plant growth regulator in agricultural production. There is an increasing demand for function-limited GA mimics due to the limitations on the agronomical application of GA to crops, including GA’s high cost of producing and its leading to the crops’ lodging. AC94377, a substituted phthalimide, is a chemical that mimics the growth-regulating activity of GAs in various plants, despite its structural difference. Although AC94377 is widely studied in many weeds and crops, its mode of action as a GA mimic is largely unknown. In this study, we confirmed that AC94377 displays GA-like activities in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and demonstrated that AC94377 binds to the Arabidopsis GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1) receptor (AtGID1), forms the AtGID1-AC94377-DELLA complex, and induces the degradation of DELLA protein. Our results also indicated that AC94377 is selective for a specific subtype among three AtGID1s and that the selectivity of AC94377 is attributable to a single residue at the entrance to the hydrophobic pocket of GID1. We conclude that AC94377 is a GID1 agonist with selectivity for a specific subtype of GID1, which could be further developed and used as a function-limited regulator of plant growth in both basic study and agriculture. PMID:27899534

Acquisition of Cry1Ac Protein by Non-Target Arthropods in Bt Soybean Fields

PubMed Central

Yu, Huilin; Romeis, Jörg; Li, Yunhe; Li, Xiangju; Wu, Kongming

2014-01-01

Soybean tissue and arthropods were collected in Bt soybean fields in China at different times during the growing season to investigate the exposure of arthropods to the plant-produced Cry1Ac toxin and the transmission of the toxin within the food web. Samples from 52 arthropod species/taxa belonging to 42 families in 10 orders were analysed for their Cry1Ac content using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among the 22 species/taxa for which three samples were analysed, toxin concentration was highest in the grasshopper Atractomorpha sinensis and represented about 50% of the concentration in soybean leaves. Other species/taxa did not contain detectable toxin or contained a concentration that was between 1 and 10% of that detected in leaves. These Cry1Ac-positive arthropods included a number of mesophyll-feeding Hemiptera, a cicadellid, a curculionid beetle and, among the predators, a thomisid spider and an unidentified predatory bug belonging to the Anthocoridae. Within an arthropod species/taxon, the Cry1Ac content sometimes varied between life stages (nymphs/larvae vs. adults) and sampling dates (before, during, and after flowering). Our study is the first to provide information on Cry1Ac-expression levels in soybean plants and Cry1Ac concentrations in non-target arthropods in Chinese soybean fields. The data will be useful for assessing the risk of non-target arthropod exposure to Cry1Ac in soybean. PMID:25110881

Power dissipation in HTS coated conductor coils under the simultaneous action of AC and DC currents and fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Boyang; Li, Chao; Geng, Jianzhao; Zhang, Xiuchang; Gawith, James; Ma, Jun; Liu, Yingzhen; Grilli, Francesco; Coombs, T. A.

2018-07-01

This paper presents a comprehensive alternating current (AC) loss study of a circular high temperature superconductor (HTS) coated conductor coil. The AC losses from a circular double pancake coil were measured using the electrical method. A 2D axisymmetric H -formulation model using the FEM package in COMSOL Multiphysics has been established to match the circular geometry of the coil used in the experiment. Three scenarios have been analysed: Scenario 1 with AC transport current and DC magnetic field (experiment and simulation); Scenario 2 with DC transport current and AC magnetic field (simulation); and Scenario 3 with AC transport current and AC magnetic field (simulation and experimental data support). The angular dependence analysis on the coil under a magnetic field with different orientation angle θ has been carried out for all three scenarios. For Scenario 3, the effect of the relative phase difference Δφ between the AC current and the AC field on the total AC loss of the coil has been investigated. In summary, a current/field/angle/phase dependent AC loss ( I , B , θ, Δφ) study of a circular HTS coil has been carried out. The obtained results provide useful indications for the future design and research of HTS AC systems.

Bulk data transfer distributer: a high performance multicast model in ALMA ACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cirami, R.; Di Marcantonio, P.; Chiozzi, G.; Jeram, B.

2006-06-01

A high performance multicast model for the bulk data transfer mechanism in the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) Common Software (ACS) is presented. The ALMA astronomical interferometer will consist of at least 50 12-m antennas operating at millimeter wavelength. The whole software infrastructure for ALMA is based on ACS, which is a set of application frameworks built on top of CORBA. To cope with the very strong requirements for the amount of data that needs to be transported by the software communication channels of the ALMA subsystems (a typical output data rate expected from the Correlator is of the order of 64 MB per second) and with the potential CORBA bottleneck due to parameter marshalling/de-marshalling, usage of IIOP protocol, etc., a transfer mechanism based on the ACE/TAO CORBA Audio/Video (A/V) Streaming Service has been developed. The ACS Bulk Data Transfer architecture bypasses the CORBA protocol with an out-of-bound connection for the data streams (transmitting data directly in TCP or UDP format), using at the same time CORBA for handshaking and leveraging the benefits of ACS middleware. Such a mechanism has proven to be capable of high performances, of the order of 800 Mbits per second on a 1Gbit Ethernet network. Besides a point-to-point communication model, the ACS Bulk Data Transfer provides a multicast model. Since the TCP protocol does not support multicasting and all the data must be correctly delivered to all ALMA subsystems, a distributer mechanism has been developed. This paper focuses on the ACS Bulk Data Distributer, which mimics a multicast behaviour managing data dispatching to all receivers willing to get data from the same sender.

Ac-immobilized, a stable source of Activator transposase that mediates sporophytic and gametophytic excision of Dissociation elements in maize.

PubMed

Conrad, Liza J; Brutnell, Thomas P

2005-12-01

We have identified and characterized a novel Activator (Ac) element that is incapable of excision yet contributes to the canonical negative dosage effect of Ac. Cloning and sequence analysis of this immobilized Ac (Ac-im) revealed that it is identical to Ac with the exception of a 10-bp deletion of sequences at the left end of the element. In screens of approximately 6800 seeds, no germinal transpositions of Ac-im were detected. Importantly, Ac-im catalyzes germinal excisions of a Ds element resident at the r1 locus resulting in the recovery of independent transposed Ds insertions in approximately 4.5% of progeny kernels. Many of these transposition events occur during gametophytic development. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Ac-im transactivates multiple Ds insertions in somatic tissues including those in reporter alleles at bronze1, anthocyaninless1, and anthocyaninless2. We propose a model for the generation of Ac-im as an aberrant transposition event that failed to generate an 8-bp target site duplication and resulted in the deletion of Ac end sequences. We also discuss the utility of Ac-im in two-component Ac/Ds gene-tagging programs in maize.

Historical Analysis of the Inorganic Chemistry Curriculum Using ACS Examinations as Artifacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, Shalini; Reisner, Barbara A.; Smith, Sheila R.; Stewart, Joanne L.; Johnson, Adam R.; Lin, Shirley; Marek, Keith A.; Nataro, Chip; Murphy, Kristen L.; Raker, Jeffrey R.

2018-01-01

ACS Examinations provide a lens through which to examine historical changes in topic coverage via analyses of course-specific examinations. This study is an extension of work completed previously by the ACS Exams Research Staff and collaborators in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry to explore content changes in the…

The Ethylene Biosynthesis Gene CitACS4 Regulates Monoecy/Andromonoecy in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

PubMed Central

Manzano, Susana; Aguado, Encarnación; Martínez, Cecilia; Megías, Zoraida; García, Alicia; Jamilena, Manuel

2016-01-01

Monoecious and andromonoecious cultivars of watermelon are characterised by the production of male and female flower or male and hermaphrodite flowers, respectively. The segregation analysis in the offspring of crosses between monoecious and andromonoecious lines has demonstrated that this trait is controlled by a single gene pair, being the monoecious allele M semi-dominant to the andromonoecious allele A. The two studied F1 hybrids (MA) had a predominantly monoecious phenotype since both produced not only female flowers, but also bisexual flowers with incomplete stamens, and hermaphrodite flowers with pollen. Given that in other cucurbit species andromonoecy is conferred by mutations in the ethylene biosynthesis genes CmACS7, CsACS2 and CpACS27A we have cloned and characterised CitACS4, the watermelon gene showing the highest similarity with the formers. CitACS4 encoded for a type ACS type III enzyme that is predominantly expressed in pistillate flowers of watermelon. In the andromonoecious line we have detected a missense mutation in a very conserved residue of CitACS4 (C364W) that cosegregates with the andromonoecious phenotype in two independent F2 populations, concomitantly with a reduction in ethylene production in the floral buds that will develop as hermaphrodite flowers. The gene does not however co-segregates with other sex expression traits regulated by ethylene in this species, including pistillate flowering transition and the number of pistillate flowers per plant. These data indicate that CitAC4 is likely to be involved in the biosynthesis of the ethylene required for stamen arrest during the development of female flowers. The C364W mutation would reduce the production of ethylene in pistillate floral buds, promoting the conversion of female into hermaphrodite flowers, and therefore of monoecy into andromonoecy. PMID:27149159

AC and DC conductivity study on Ca substituted bismuth ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Rabichandra; Pradhan, Lagen Kumar; Kumar, Sunil; Kar, Manoranjan

2018-05-01

Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 multiferroic compound was synthesized by the citric acid modified sol-gel method. Crystal structure of Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 is studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The ac impedance analysis of the compound has been carried out in a wide range of frequency (100 Hz - 1MHz) as well as temperature (40-2500C). Frequency variation of dielectric constant at different temperatures can be understood by the modified Debye formula. The activation energy was found to be 0.48eV, which was obtained by employing Arrhenius equation. The AC conductivity of the sample follows the Johnscher's power law which indicates the presence of hopping type conduction in localized charged states. To understand the conduction mechanism with localized charge states, the DC resistivity data were analyzed by Mott's variable range hopping (VRH) model. The activation energy calculated from Debye relaxation time, AC conductivity and DC resistivity are comparable to each other.

Chance-Constrained AC Optimal Power Flow: Reformulations and Efficient Algorithms

DOE PAGES

Roald, Line Alnaes; Andersson, Goran

2017-08-29

Higher levels of renewable electricity generation increase uncertainty in power system operation. To ensure secure system operation, new tools that account for this uncertainty are required. Here, in this paper, we adopt a chance-constrained AC optimal power flow formulation, which guarantees that generation, power flows and voltages remain within their bounds with a pre-defined probability. We then discuss different chance-constraint reformulations and solution approaches for the problem. Additionally, we first discuss an analytical reformulation based on partial linearization, which enables us to obtain a tractable representation of the optimization problem. We then provide an efficient algorithm based on an iterativemore » solution scheme which alternates between solving a deterministic AC OPF problem and assessing the impact of uncertainty. This more flexible computational framework enables not only scalable implementations, but also alternative chance-constraint reformulations. In particular, we suggest two sample based reformulations that do not require any approximation or relaxation of the AC power flow equations.« less

Soliton motion in a parametrically ac-driven damped Toda lattice