Sample records for additional wingspan increased

  1. Lift enhancement by bats' dynamically changing wingspan

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shizhao; Zhang, Xing; He, Guowei; Liu, Tianshu

    2015-01-01

    This paper elucidates the aerodynamic role of the dynamically changing wingspan in bat flight. Based on direct numerical simulations of the flow over a slow-flying bat, it is found that the dynamically changing wingspan can significantly enhance the lift. Further, an analysis of flow structures and lift decomposition reveal that the elevated vortex lift associated with the leading-edge vortices intensified by the dynamically changing wingspan considerably contributed to enhancement of the time-averaged lift. The nonlinear interaction between the dynamically changing wing and the vortical structures plays an important role in the lift enhancement of a flying bat in addition to the geometrical effect of changing the lifting-surface area in a flapping cycle. In addition, the dynamically changing wingspan leads to the higher efficiency in terms of generating lift for a given amount of the mechanical energy consumed in flight. PMID:26701882

  2. Comparison of wing-span averaging effects on lift, rolling moment, and bending moment for two span load distributions and for two turbulence representations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lichtenstein, J. H.

    1978-01-01

    An analytical method of computing the averaging effect of wing-span size on the loading of a wing induced by random turbulence was adapted for use on a digital electronic computer. The turbulence input was assumed to have a Dryden power spectral density. The computations were made for lift, rolling moment, and bending moment for two span load distributions, rectangular and elliptic. Data are presented to show the wing-span averaging effect for wing-span ratios encompassing current airplane sizes. The rectangular wing-span loading showed a slightly greater averaging effect than did the elliptic loading. In the frequency range most bothersome to airplane passengers, the wing-span averaging effect can reduce the normal lift load, and thus the acceleration, by about 7 percent for a typical medium-sized transport. Some calculations were made to evaluate the effect of using a Von Karman turbulence representation. These results showed that using the Von Karman representation generally resulted in a span averaging effect about 3 percent larger.

  3. Wingspan Stent for High-Grade Symptomatic Vertebrobasilar Artery Atherosclerotic Stenosis

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

    Li Jian, E-mail: ns981212@yahoo.com.cn; Zhao Zhenwei, E-mail: zzwzc@sina.com; Gao Guodong, E-mail: gaoguo_dong@163.com

    2012-04-15

    Purpose: This study was designed to present the treatment outcomes with Wingspan stent angioplasty of high-grade intracranial vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stenosis in symptomatic patients. Methods: Between 2007 and 2010, the records of 30 patients with 31 intracranial high-grade VBA stenoses (all{>=}70%) who underwent elective stenting due to the failure of medical therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical evaluation was performed based on the modified Rankin scale and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Results: In all cases, the stent deployment was technically successful. The mean stenosis decreased significantly from 82.28 {+-} 8.02% (range, 72-99%) to 11.18 {+-} 7.28% (range, 0-25%)more » after stent-assisted angioplasty (P < 0.05). Periprocedure complications occurred in 3 (10%) of 30 patients; there were 2 cases of perforator strokes and 1 case of transient flow insufficiency with stent overlap. Clinical follow-up (mean, 17.81 {+-} 11.49 months; range, 5-40 months) was available for 27 patients, and angiographic follow-up (mean, 9.95 {+-} 5.74 months, range, 5-20 months) was available for 19 patients. Only one case demonstrated recurrent symptoms with restenosis ({>=}50%). There were no recurrent ischemic events and no cases of restenosis in the other patients. Conclusions: According to our data, the Wingspan stent for symptomatic intracranial VBA stenoses is a safe and efficacious treatment alternative in cases with recurrent symptoms despite medical therapy. However, the improvement of outcome requires the reduction in the rate of procedure-related complications and long-term outcomes still have to be demonstrated.« less

  4. Wingspan stenting can effectively prevent long-term strokes for patients with severe symptomatic atherosclerotic basilar stenosis

    PubMed Central

    Bai, Wei-Xing; Gao, Bu-Lang; Wang, Zi-Liang; Cai, Dong-Yang; Zhu, Liang-Fu; Xue, Jiang-Yu; Li, Zhao-Shuo

    2016-01-01

    Objective To investigate the safety and long-term effect of using the Wingspan stent for severe symptomatic atherosclerotic basilar artery stenosis (≥70%). Materials and methods Between July 2007 and April 2013, we had 91 consecutive patients (age range 41–82 years old) with symptomatic severe basilar stenosis (70–99%) who underwent Wingspan stenting at our center. All patients had stenosis-related temporary ischemic attack or strokes. We analyzed the demographic data, pre- and post-procedural cerebral angiography, technical success rate, peri-procedural complications, and clinical and imaging follow-ups. Results The Wingspan stenting procedure was successful in all patients: The stenosis was reduced from 82.2% ± 5.8% pre-stenting to 15.9% ± 5.7% post-stenting. The 30-day peri-operative rate for stroke or death was 14.3%, which included ischemic stroke in 12 cases (12/91 = 13.2%) and subarachnoid hemorrhage in one case (1/91 = 1.1%), with a fatal or disabling stroke rate of 2.2%. Among the 77 patients with clinical follow-up assessment within 7–60 months (mean 31.3 ± 15.1 months) after stenting, four patients (5.2%) had posterior ischemia, including one patient with disabling ischemic stroke (1.3%) and three patients (3.9%) with temporary ischemic attack. The 2-year cumulative stroke rate was 16% (95% CI: 8.2–23.8%). Among 46 patients with imaging assessments at 3–45 months (mean, 9.5 ± 8.3) post-stenting, six (13.0%) patients had restenosis, including two (2/46 = 4.3%) with symptomatic restenosis. Conclusions The benefit of stenting for patients with severe basilar artery stenosis (> 70%) may lie in lowering the long-term fatal and disabling stroke rate; and as long as the peri-operative stroke rate can be kept at a relatively lower level, patients with severe basilar stenosis can benefit from basilar artery stenting. PMID:26823331

  5. 20 CFR 404.278 - Additional cost-of-living increase.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Section 404.278 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing Primary Insurance Amounts Cost-Of-Living Increases § 404.278...) Measuring period for the additional increase—(1) Beginning. To compute the additional increase, we begin...

  6. Foam concrete of increased strength with the thermomodified peat additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kudyakov, A. I.; Kopanitsa, N. O.; Sarkisov, Ju S.; Kasatkina, A. V.; Prischepa, I. A.

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents the results of research of foam concrete with thermomodified peat additives. The aim of the research was to study the effect of modifying additives on cement stone and foam concrete properties. Peat additives are prepared by heat treatment of peat at 600 °C. Two approaches of obtaining additives are examined: in condition of open air access (TMT-600) and in condition of limited air access (TMT-600-k). Compressive strength of a cement stone with modifiers found to be increased by 28.9 - 65.2%. Introducing peat modifiers into foam concrete mix leads to increase of compressive strength by 44-57% at 28- day age and heat conductivity of foam concrete decreases by 0.089 W/(m·°C).

  7. Increasing arsenic sorption on red mud by phosphogypsum addition.

    PubMed

    Lopes, G; Guilherme, L R G; Costa, E T S; Curi, N; Penha, H G V

    2013-11-15

    Mining by-products have been tested as adsorbents for arsenic in order to reduce As bioavailability. This study evaluated a red mud (RM) treated with or without phosphogypsum (G) in order to improve its As retention. Red mud and G samples and their mixtures were chemically and mineralogically characterized to gather information concerning their composition, which is key for a better understanding of the adsorbent properties. Phosphogypsum was added to RM in the following proportions: 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25% by weight. These mixtures were subjected to As adsorption and desorption and tested for their maximum adsorption capacity of As (AsMAC). Arsenic adsorption increased upon increasing the proportion of G added to RM. The AsMAC at pure RM reached 909 mg kg(-1), whereas the 75%-RM+25%-G mixture sorbed up to 3333 mg kg(-1) of As, i.e., a 3.5-fold increase in AsMAC. Using G in mixtures with RM increases the efficiency of As adsorption due to the presence of Ca(2+), which alters the charge balance of the adsorbent, leading to the formation of ternary complexes. Addition of G to RM is thus a promising technique to improve As retention, while providing additional value to both by-products, G and RM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Warming and Nitrogen Addition Increase Litter Decomposition in a Temperate Meadow Ecosystem

    PubMed Central

    Gong, Shiwei; Guo, Rui; Zhang, Tao; Guo, Jixun

    2015-01-01

    Background Litter decomposition greatly influences soil structure, nutrient content and carbon sequestration, but how litter decomposition is affected by climate change is still not well understood. Methodology/Principal Findings A field experiment with increased temperature and nitrogen (N) addition was established in April 2007 to examine the effects of experimental warming, N addition and their interaction on litter decomposition in a temperate meadow steppe in northeastern China. Warming, N addition and warming plus N addition reduced the residual mass of L. chinensis litter by 3.78%, 7.51% and 4.53%, respectively, in 2008 and 2009, and by 4.73%, 24.08% and 16.1%, respectively, in 2010. Warming, N addition and warming plus N addition had no effect on the decomposition of P. communis litter in 2008 or 2009, but reduced the residual litter mass by 5.58%, 15.53% and 5.17%, respectively, in 2010. Warming and N addition reduced the cellulose percentage of L. chinensis and P. communis, specifically in 2010. The lignin percentage of L. chinensis and P. communis was reduced by warming but increased by N addition. The C, N and P contents of L. chinensis and P. communis litter increased with time. Warming and N addition reduced the C content and C:N ratios of L. chinensisand P. communis litter, but increased the N and P contents. Significant interactive effects of warming and N addition on litter decomposition were observed (P<0.01). Conclusion/Significance The litter decomposition rate was highly correlated with soil temperature, soil water content and litter quality. Warming and N addition significantly impacted the litter decomposition rate in the Songnen meadow ecosystem, and the effects of warming and N addition on litter decomposition were also influenced by the quality of litter. These results highlight how climate change could alter grassland ecosystem carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents in soil by influencing litter decomposition. PMID:25774776

  9. Nutrient additions in pristine Patagonian Sphagnum bog vegetation: can phosphorus addition alleviate (the effects of) increased nitrogen loads.

    PubMed

    Fritz, C; van Dijk, G; Smolders, A J P; Pancotto, V A; Elzenga, T J T M; Roelofs, J G M; Grootjans, A P

    2012-05-01

    Sphagnum-bog ecosystems have a limited capability to retain carbon and nutrients when subjected to increased nitrogen (N) deposition. Although it has been proposed that phosphorus (P) can dilute negative effects of nitrogen by increasing biomass production of Sphagnum mosses, it is still unclear whether P-addition can alleviate physiological N-stress in Sphagnum plants. A 3-year fertilisation experiment was conducted in lawns of a pristine Sphagnum magellanicum bog in Patagonia, where competing vascular plants were practically absent. Background wet deposition of nitrogen was low (≈ 0.1-0.2 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)). Nitrogen (4 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)) and phosphorus (1 g · P · m(-2) · year(-1)) were applied, separately and in combination, six times during the growing season. P-addition substantially increased biomass production of Sphagnum. Nitrogen and phosphorus changed the morphology of Sphagnum mosses by enhancing height increment, but lowering moss stem density. In contrast to expectations, phosphorus failed to alleviate physiological stress imposed by excess nitrogen (e.g. amino acid accumulation, N-saturation and decline in photosynthetic rates). We conclude that despite improving growth conditions by P-addition, Sphagnum-bog ecosystems remain highly susceptible to nitrogen additions. Increased susceptibility to desiccation by nutrients may even worsen the negative effects of excess nitrogen especially in windy climates like in Patagonia. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  10. Nitrogen addition increases fecundity in the desert shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus.

    PubMed

    Drenovsky, R E; Richards, J H

    2005-04-01

    Nutrients, in addition to water, limit desert primary productivity, but nutrient limitations to fecundity and seed quality in desert ecosystems have received little attention. Reduced seed production and quality may affect recruitment, population, and community processes. At the Mono Basin, CA, USA where the alkaline, sandy soil has very low availability of N, P, and most other nutrients, seed production, recruitment, and dominance of the desert shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus decrease over a dune successional sequence. Concurrently, Sarcobatus leaf N, P, and Ca/Mg ratio decline from early to later successional dunes. At two later successional dune sites, we fertilized adult Sarcobatus shrubs for 2 years and determined which nutrient(s) limited growth, seed production, and seed quality. We also tested whether nutrient addition at these older sites made these fitness-related variables equivalent to a younger, high-fecundity site. Nitrogen addition, alone, increased Sarcobatus leaf N, growth, and seed production per shoot module. Any treatment including P, Ca, Mg, or micronutrients but not N had an insignificant effect on growth and fecundity. Nitrogen addition also increased filled seed weight, a predictor of potential seedling survival, at one of the sites. Nitrogen-limited seed production and seed mass may reduce Sarcobatus fitness and contribute to the observed successional changes in plant community composition in this alkaline desert ecosystem.

  11. Increasing meat product functionality by the addition of milled flaxseed Linum usitatissimum.

    PubMed

    Zając, Marzena; Kulawik, Piotr; Tkaczewska, Joanna; Migdał, Władysław; Pustkowiak, Henryk

    2017-07-01

    Functional meat products are still rare on the market because it is difficult to incorporate new ingredients and obtain both a healthy and acceptable product. Flaxseed is known for its beneficial properties and, in the present study, it was used as an ingredient in the production of homogenised and liver sausages (0%, 5% and 10% flaxseed addition). Homogenised and liver sausages with the addition of 5% flaxseed were given the highest scores by the consumers, although the colour changed with the addition of flaxseed. The spreadability and hardness of the liver sausages increased with the addition of flaxseed, whereas the texture of homogenised sausages did not change. Addition of flaxseed improved the fatty acids profile from a health point of view for both products, as a result of increasing n-3 fatty acids and overall polyunsaturated fatty acids content. Values for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were higher in products with flaxseed and were observed to increase during storage. The results of the present study indicate that it is possible to obtain products that are acceptable by consumers and, at the same time, are more healthy. A high level of α-linolenic acid in the sausages at a level of addition of 5% allows the product to be labelled with information regarding their high omega-3 fatty acid content. However, those products are more susceptible to oxidation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. The largest flying reptile from Gondwana: a new specimen of Tropeognathus cf. T. mesembrinus Wellnhofer, 1987 (Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae) and other large pterosaurs from the Romualdo Formation, Lower Cretaceous, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Kellner, Alexander W A; Campos, Diogenes A; Sayão, Juliana M; Saraiva, Antônio A F; Rodrigues, Taissa; Oliveira, Gustavo; Cruz, Lilian A; Costa, Fabiana R; Silva, Helder P; Ferreira, Jennyfer S

    2013-03-01

    A very large pterosaur (MN 6594-V) from the Romualdo Formation (Aptian/Albian), Santana Group, Araripe Basin, is described. The specimen is referred to Tropeognathus cf. T. mesembrinus mainly due to the presence of a low and blunt frontoparietal crest, the comparatively low number of teeth and the inclined dorsal part of the occipital region. Two distinct wingspan measurements for pterosaurs are introduced: the maximized wingspan (maxws), which essentially consists of doubling the addition of all wing elements and the length of the scapula or the coracoid (the smaller of the two), and the normal wingspan (nws), which applies a reducing factor (rfc) to the maximized wingspan to account for the natural flexures of the wing. The rfc suggested for pteranodontoids is 5%. In the case of MN 6594-V, the maxws and nws are 8.70 m and 8.26 m, respectively, making it the largest pterosaur recovered from Gondwana so far. The distal end of a larger humerus (MCT 1838-R) and a partial wing (MPSC R 1395) are also described showing that large to giant flying reptiles formed a significant part of the pterosaur fauna from the Romualdo Formation. Lastly, some comments on the nomenclatural stability of the Santana deposits are presented.

  13. Antifoam addition to shake flask cultures of recombinant Pichia pastoris increases yield

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Pichia pastoris is a widely-used host for recombinant protein production. Initial screening for both suitable clones and optimum culture conditions is typically carried out in multi-well plates. This is followed by up-scaling either to shake-flasks or continuously stirred tank bioreactors. A particular problem in these formats is foaming, which is commonly prevented by the addition of chemical antifoaming agents. Intriguingly, antifoams are often added without prior consideration of their effect on the yeast cells, the protein product or the influence on downstream processes such as protein purification. In this study we characterised, for the first time, the effects of five commonly-used antifoaming agents on the total amount of recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP) secreted from shake-flask cultures of this industrially-relevant yeast. Results Addition of defined concentrations of Antifoam A (Sigma), Antifoam C (Sigma), J673A (Struktol), P2000 (Fluka) or SB2121 (Struktol) to shake-flask cultures of P. pastoris increased the total amount of recombinant GFP in the culture medium (the total yield) and in the case of P2000, SB2121 and J673A almost doubled it. When normalized to the culture density, the GFP specific yield (μg OD595-1) was only increased for Antifoam A, Antifoam C and J673A. Whilst none of the antifoams affected the growth rate of the cells, addition of P2000 or SB2121 was found to increase culture density. There was no correlation between total yield, specific yield or specific growth rate and the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient (kLa) in the presence of antifoam. Moreover, the antifoams did not affect the dissolved oxygen concentration of the cultures. A comparison of the amount of GFP retained in the cell by flow cytometry with that in the culture medium by fluorimetry suggested that addition of Antifoam A, Antifoam C or J673A increased the specific yield of GFP by increasing the proportion secreted into the medium

  14. 77 FR 7589 - Neurological Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-13

    ... current knowledge about the safety and effectiveness of the Wingspan Stent System with Gateway PTA Balloon... premarket and postmarket data. The Wingspan Stent System with Gateway PTA Balloon Catheter is a neurovascular stent, balloon catheter, and delivery system consisting of the following components: 1. Wingspan...

  15. Increasing component functionality via multi-process additive manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coronel, Jose L.; Fehr, Katherine H.; Kelly, Dominic D.; Espalin, David; Wicker, Ryan B.

    2017-05-01

    Additively manufactured components, although extensively customizable, are often limited in functionality. Multi-process additive manufacturing (AM) grants the ability to increase the functionality of components via subtractive manufacturing, wire embedding, foil embedding and pick and place. These processes are scalable to include several platforms ranging from desktop to large area printers. The Multi3D System is highlighted, possessing the capability to perform the above mentioned processes, all while transferring a fabricated component with a robotic arm. Work was conducted to fabricate a patent inspired, printed missile seeker. The seeker demonstrated the advantage of multi-process AM via introduction of the pick and place process. Wire embedding was also explored, with the successful interconnect of two layers of embedded wires in different planes. A final demonstration of a printed contour bracket, served to show the reduction of surface roughness on a printed part is 87.5% when subtractive manufacturing is implemented in tandem with AM. Functionality of the components on all the cases was improved. Results included optical components embedded within the printed housing, wires embedded with interconnection, and reduced surface roughness. These results highlight the improved functionality of components through multi-process AM, specifically through work conducted with the Multi3D System.

  16. Aggregation of Cricket Activity in Response to Resource Addition Increases Local Diversity.

    PubMed

    Szinwelski, Neucir; Rosa, Cassiano Sousa; Solar, Ricardo Ribeiro de Castro; Sperber, Carlos Frankl

    2015-01-01

    Crickets are often found feeding on fallen fruits among forest litter. Fruits and other sugar-rich resources are not homogeneously distributed, nor are they always available. We therefore expect that crickets dwelling in forest litter have a limited supply of sugar-rich resource, and will perceive this and displace towards resource-supplemented sites. Here we evaluate how sugar availability affects cricket species richness and abundance in old-growth Atlantic forest by spraying sugarcane syrup on leaf litter, simulating increasing availability, and collecting crickets via pitfall trapping. We found an asymptotic positive association between resource addition and species richness, and an interaction between resource addition and species identity on cricket abundance, which indicates differential effects of resource addition among cricket species. Our results indicate that 12 of the 13 cricket species present in forest litter are maintained at low densities by resource scarcity; this highlights sugar-rich resource as a short-term driver of litter cricket community structure in tropical forests. When resource was experimentally increased, species richness increased due to behavioral displacement. We present evidence that the density of many species is limited by resource scarcity and, when resources are added, behavioral displacement promotes increased species packing and alters species composition. Further, our findings have technical applicability for increasing sampling efficiency of local cricket diversity in studies aiming to estimate species richness, but with no regard to local environmental drivers or species-abundance characteristics.

  17. Increased Mechanical Properties Through the Addition of Zr to GRCop-84

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ellis, David L.; Lerch, Bradley A.

    2011-01-01

    GRCop-84 (Cu-8 at.% Cr-4 at.% Nb) has shown exceptional mechanical properties above 932 F (773 K). However, its properties below 932 F (773 K) are inferior to precipitation strengthened alloys such as Cu-Cr, Cu-Zr and Cu-Cr-Zr when they are in the fully aged, hard-drawn condition. It has been noted that the addition of small amounts of Zr, typically 0.1 wt.% to 0.5 wt.%, can greatly enhance the mechanical properties of copper-based alloys. Limited testing was conducted upon GRCop-84 with an addition of 0.4 wt.% Zr to determine its tensile, creep and low cycle fatigue (LCF) properties. Very large increases in strength (up to 68%) and ductility (up to 123%) were observed at both room temperature and 932 F (773 K). Creep properties at 932 F (773 K) demonstrated more than an order of magnitude decrease in the creep rate relative to unmodified GRCop-84 with a corresponding order of magnitude increase in creep life. Limited LCF testing showed that the modified alloy had a comparable LCF life at room temperature, but it was capable of sustaining a much higher load. While more testing and composition optimization are required, the addition of Zr to GRCop-84 has shown clear benefits to mechanical properties.

  18. Increase of methane formation by ethanol addition during continuous fermentation of biogas sludge.

    PubMed

    Refai, Sarah; Wassmann, Kati; van Helmont, Sebastian; Berger, Stefanie; Deppenmeier, Uwe

    2014-12-01

    Very recently, it was shown that the addition of acetate or ethanol led to enhanced biogas formation rates during an observation period of 24 h. To determine if increased methane production rates due to ethanol addition can be maintained over longer time periods, continuous reactors filled with biogas sludge were developed which were fed with the same substrates as the full-scale reactor from which the sludge was derived. These reactors are well reflected conditions of a full-scale biogas plant during a period of 14 days. When the fermenters were pulsed with 50-100 mM ethanol, biomethanation increased by 50-150 %, depending on the composition of the biogas sludge. It was also possible to increase methane formation significantly when 10-20 mM pure ethanol or ethanolic solutions (e.g. beer) were added daily. In summary, the experiments revealed that "normal" methane production continued to take place, but ethanol led to production of additional methane.

  19. Aircraft Spacings that Produce a Vortex-Free Region Below Flight Formation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rossow, Vernon J.

    2000-01-01

    Theoretical estimates are presented for the motion of vortex wakes shed by multiple aircraft flying in close formation. The purpose of the theoretical study was to determine whether the spacings between adjacent aircraft in close formations could be designed so that the lift-generated vortices being trailed would move upward rather than downward. In this way, a region below the formation is produced that is free of vortices. It was found that aircraft can be arranged in formations so that the inboard wake vortices all move upward rather than downward. The two outboard vortices travel downward at a greatly reduced velocity that depends on the number of aircraft in the formation. If the desired motions are to be produced, the lateral spacings between adjacent aircraft centerlines must be between 1.1 and 1.5 wingspans, and the vertical spacings between -0.025 and -0.15 wingspans. Since the range of acceptable spacings is small, it is recommended that the position accuracy between aircraft in the formation be kept within about + or - 0.01 wingspan of the center of acceptable spacings so that aircraft meandering do not cause unwanted vortex excursions. It was also found that, if the in-trail spacings between adjacent aircraft are more than 4 wingspans, the foregoing vertical spacings must be adjusted to allow for the additional downward travel of the vortices shed by leading aircraft.

  20. Attempts to increase inosinic acid in broiler meat by using feed additives.

    PubMed

    Wang, X F; Liu, G H; Cai, H Y; Chang, W H; Ma, J S; Zheng, A J; Zhang, S

    2014-11-01

    To explore regulation of inosinic acid content in chicken meat as a result of feed additives, 576 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted into 8 dietary treatments including control, purine nucleotide (P), betaine (B), soybean isoflavone (S), purine nucleotide + betaine (PB), purine nucleotide + soybean isoflavone (PS), betaine +soybean isoflavone (BS), and purine nucleotide + betaine + soybean isoflavone (PBS) by a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. At d 42 of age, broilers were slaughtered, and growth performance, carcass characteristics, inosinic acid content, and activities of enzyme closely related to inosinic acid metabolism of broilers were measured. The results revealed that these feed additives did not affect ADG and ADFI of the broilers (P > 0.05). However, supplementing purine nucleotides lowered feed/gain of broilers in PS and PBS groups (P < 0.05). There was a significant interaction on feed/gain of broilers between purine nucleotides and soybean isoflavone (P < 0.05). The abdominal fat percentages in groups B, S, BS, and PBS were lower than the control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The thigh muscle percentages of groups P and B were higher than that of group PB (P < 0.05). There were certain interactions on the percentage of thigh muscle (P = 0.05) and abdominal fat (P < 0.05) between P, B, and S groups. Compared with the control group, inosinic acid content in broiler breast meat was improved by using feed additives (P < 0.05). Supplementing purine nucleotides, betaine, soybean isoflavone, and their combinations increased alkaline phosphatase activity in breast meat of broilers (P < 0.05). Purine nucleotides improved the activity of adenosine deaminase, but decreased the activity of 5'-nucleotidase. Soybean isoflavone lowered the activity of alkaline phosphatase. There were no significant interactions on activities of creatine kinase, adenosine deaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase between these additives (P > 0

  1. Green Manure Addition to Soil Increases Grain Zinc Concentration in Bread Wheat

    PubMed Central

    Aghili, Forough; Gamper, Hannes A.; Eikenberg, Jost; Khoshgoftarmanesh, Amir H.; Afyuni, Majid; Schulin, Rainer; Jansa, Jan; Frossard, Emmanuel

    2014-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major problem for many people living on wheat-based diets. Here, we explored whether addition of green manure of red clover and sunflower to a calcareous soil or inoculating a non-indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) strain may increase grain Zn concentration in bread wheat. For this purpose we performed a multifactorial pot experiment, in which the effects of two green manures (red clover, sunflower), ZnSO4 application, soil γ-irradiation (elimination of naturally occurring AMF), and AMF inoculation were tested. Both green manures were labeled with 65Zn radiotracer to record the Zn recoveries in the aboveground plant biomass. Application of ZnSO4 fertilizer increased grain Zn concentration from 20 to 39 mg Zn kg−1 and sole addition of green manure of sunflower to soil raised grain Zn concentration to 31 mg Zn kg−1. Adding the two together to soil increased grain Zn concentration even further to 54 mg Zn kg−1. Mixing green manure of sunflower to soil mobilized additional 48 µg Zn (kg soil)−1 for transfer to the aboveground plant biomass, compared to the total of 132 µg Zn (kg soil)−1 taken up from plain soil when neither green manure nor ZnSO4 were applied. Green manure amendments to soil also raised the DTPA-extractable Zn in soil. Inoculating a non-indigenous AMF did not increase plant Zn uptake. The study thus showed that organic matter amendments to soil can contribute to a better utilization of naturally stocked soil micronutrients, and thereby reduce any need for major external inputs. PMID:24999738

  2. Green manure addition to soil increases grain zinc concentration in bread wheat.

    PubMed

    Aghili, Forough; Gamper, Hannes A; Eikenberg, Jost; Khoshgoftarmanesh, Amir H; Afyuni, Majid; Schulin, Rainer; Jansa, Jan; Frossard, Emmanuel

    2014-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major problem for many people living on wheat-based diets. Here, we explored whether addition of green manure of red clover and sunflower to a calcareous soil or inoculating a non-indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) strain may increase grain Zn concentration in bread wheat. For this purpose we performed a multifactorial pot experiment, in which the effects of two green manures (red clover, sunflower), ZnSO4 application, soil γ-irradiation (elimination of naturally occurring AMF), and AMF inoculation were tested. Both green manures were labeled with 65Zn radiotracer to record the Zn recoveries in the aboveground plant biomass. Application of ZnSO4 fertilizer increased grain Zn concentration from 20 to 39 mg Zn kg-1 and sole addition of green manure of sunflower to soil raised grain Zn concentration to 31 mg Zn kg-1. Adding the two together to soil increased grain Zn concentration even further to 54 mg Zn kg-1. Mixing green manure of sunflower to soil mobilized additional 48 µg Zn (kg soil)-1 for transfer to the aboveground plant biomass, compared to the total of 132 µg Zn (kg soil)-1 taken up from plain soil when neither green manure nor ZnSO4 were applied. Green manure amendments to soil also raised the DTPA-extractable Zn in soil. Inoculating a non-indigenous AMF did not increase plant Zn uptake. The study thus showed that organic matter amendments to soil can contribute to a better utilization of naturally stocked soil micronutrients, and thereby reduce any need for major external inputs.

  3. The Coexistence of Hypertension and Ovariectomy Additively Increases Cardiac Apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yi-Yuan; Cheng, Yu-Jung; Hu, Jun; Chu, Li-Xi; Shyu, Woei-Cherng; Kao, Chung-Lan; Lin, Tzer-Bin; Kuo, Chia-Hua; Yang, Ai-Lun; Lee, Shin-Da

    2016-12-06

    To investigate whether the coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy will increase cardiac Fas receptor and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways, histopathological analysis, the TUNEL assay and Western blotting were performed on the excised hearts from three groups of female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were divided into a sham-operated group (SHR-Sham), bilaterally ovariectomized group (SHR-OVX) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Compared with the WKY group, the SHR-Sham group exhibited decreased protein levels of ERα, ERβ, p-Akt/Akt, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and p-Bad and decreased further in the SHR-OVX group, as well as protein levels of t-Bid, Bak, Bad, Bax, cytochrome c , activated caspase-9 and activated caspase-3 (mitochondria-dependent apoptosis) increased in the SHR-Sham group and increased further in the SHR-OVX group. Compared with the WKY group, protein levels of Fas ligand, TNF-α, Fas death receptors, TNFR1, FADD and activated caspase-8 (Fas receptor-dependent apoptosis) increased in the SHR-Sham group, but did not increase in the SHR-OVX group, except Fas ligand and TNF-α. The coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy attenuated the estrogen receptor survival pathway and appeared to additively increase the cardiac mitochondria-dependent, but not the Fas receptor-dependent apoptosis pathway, which might provide one possible mechanism for the development of cardiac abnormalities in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

  4. Pre-fermentation addition of grape tannin increases the varietal thiols content in wine.

    PubMed

    Larcher, Roberto; Tonidandel, Loris; Román Villegas, Tomás; Nardin, Tiziana; Fedrizzi, Bruno; Nicolini, Giorgio

    2015-01-01

    The recent finding that grape tannin may contain significant amount of S-glutathionylated (GSH-3MH) and S-cysteinylated (Cys-3MH) precursors of the varietal thiols 3-mercapto-1-hexanol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, characteristic of Sauvignon blanc wines, offers new opportunities for enhancing the tropical aroma in fermented beverages. In this study this new hypothesis was investigated: Müller Thurgau (17 samples) and Sauvignon blanc (15 samples) grapes were fermented with and without addition of a selected grape tannin. As expected, the tannin-added juices were higher in precursors, and they produced wines with increased free thiols. Preliminary informal sensory tests confirmed that in particular the Sauvignon wines produced with the tannin addition were often richer with increased "fruity/green" notes than the corresponding reference wines. This outcome confirms that grape tannin addition prior to fermentation can fortify the level of these compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF FUEL OIL ADDITIVES FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY OF BOILERS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report gives results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of combustion-type fuel oil additives to reduce emissions and increase efficiency in a 50-bhp (500 kw) commercial oil-fired packaged boiler. Most additive evaluation runs were made during continuous firing, constant-l...

  6. Definition and measurement of rider-intrinsic physical attributes influencing all-terrain vehicle safety.

    PubMed

    Mattei, Tobias A; Bond, Brandon J; Hafner, John W; Morris, Martin J; Travis, Jennifer; Hannah, Greg; Webster, Jim; Lin, Julian J

    2011-11-01

    All-terrain vehicle (ATV) usage has grown tremendously over the years, reaching 9.5 million vehicles in use in 2007. Accompanying this growth has been a concomitant increase in rider morbidity (including traumatic brain and spine injuries) and death, especially in children. The purpose of this study was to define and measure, through field testing, those physical attributes intrinsic to riders, such as height, weight, and wingspan, which may have implications for ATV riders' safety. Three field tests (J-hook, brake, and bump) were developed and performed to allow direct measurement of the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical dynamics in 5 riders of varying heights, weights, and wingspans. Two ATVs, a utility and a sport model, were tested for further comparisons. Data were acquired using a comprehensive data acquisition system attached to the ATVs. Assignment of individual rider/ATV test safety ratings and a rider/ATV Total Safety Rating were made from the results of these field tests. The J-hook test results demonstrated that larger rider wingspans positively influence ATV rider safety and mitigate against lateral instability. From the brake test it was determined that a 10-in (25.4-cm) longitudinal displacement, such as that experienced during a sharp deceleration, for a rider of any height or weight, breached the level of defined safety. As rider weight increased, displacement decreased. The bump test provided evidence that increased rider weight also mitigates against vertical displacement. Individuals with light weights and small wingspans, such as those in the pediatric population, are under considerable risk of injury when operating an ATV due to lateral, longitudinal, and vertical operational instability.

  7. Echolocation behaviour of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) in an obstacle avoidance task of increasing difficulty.

    PubMed

    Sändig, Sonja; Schnitzler, Hans-Ulrich; Denzinger, Annette

    2014-08-15

    Four big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were challenged in an obstacle avoidance experiment to localize vertically stretched wires requiring progressively greater accuracy by diminishing the wire-to-wire distance from 50 to 10 cm. The performance of the bats decreased with decreasing gap size. The avoidance task became very difficult below a wire separation of 30 cm, which corresponds to the average wingspan of E. fuscus. Two of the bats were able to pass without collisions down to a gap size of 10 cm in some of the flights. The other two bats only managed to master gap sizes down to 20 and 30 cm, respectively. They also performed distinctly worse at all other gap sizes. With increasing difficulty of the task, the bats changed their flight and echolocation behaviour. Especially at gap sizes of 30 cm and below, flight paths increased in height and flight speed was reduced. In addition, the bats emitted approach signals that were arranged in groups. At all gap sizes, the largest numbers of pulses per group were observed in the last group before passing the obstacle. The more difficult the obstacle avoidance task, the more pulses there were in the groups and the shorter the within-group pulse intervals. In comparable situations, the better-performing bats always emitted groups with more pulses than the less well-performing individuals. We hypothesize that the accuracy of target localization increases with the number of pulses per group and that each group is processed as a package. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  8. Increasing of visibility on the pedestrian crossing by the additional lighting systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baleja, Richard; Bos, Petr; Novak, Tomas; Sokansky, Karel; Hanusek, Tomas

    2017-09-01

    Pedestrian crossings are critical places for road accidents between pedestrians and motor vehicles. For this reason, it is very important to increase attention when the pedestrian crossings are designed and it is necessary to take into account all factors that may contribute to higher safety. Additional lighting systems for pedestrian crossings are one of them and the lighting systems must fulfil the requirements for higher visibility from the point of view of car drivers from both directions. This paper describes the criteria for the suitable additional lighting system on pedestrian crossings. Generally, it means vertical illuminance on the pedestrian crossing from the driver’s view, horizontal illuminance on the crossing and horizontal illuminance both in front of and behind the crossing placed on the road and their acceptable ratios. The article also describes the choice of the colours of the light (correlated colour temperature) and its influence on visibility. As a part of the article, there are case designs of additional lighting systems for pedestrian crossings and measurements from realized additional lighting systems by luxmeters and luminance cameras and their evaluation.

  9. An Inventory of Methods for the Assessment of Additive Increased Addictiveness of Tobacco Products

    PubMed Central

    van de Nobelen, Suzanne; Kienhuis, Anne S.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco contain the addictive drug nicotine. Other components, either naturally occurring in tobacco or additives that are intentionally added during the manufacturing process, may add to the addictiveness of tobacco products. As such, these components can make cigarette smokers more easily and heavily dependent. Efforts to regulate tobacco product dependence are emerging globally. Additives that increase tobacco dependence will be prohibited under the new European Tobacco Product Directive. Objective: This article provides guidelines and recommendations for developing a regulatory strategy for assessment of increase in tobacco dependence due to additives. Relevant scientific literature is summarized and criteria and experimental studies that can define increased dependence of tobacco products are described. Conclusions: Natural tobacco smoke is a very complex matrix of components, therefore analysis of the contribution of an additive or a combination of additives to the level of dependence on this product is challenging. We propose to combine different type of studies analyzing overall tobacco product dependence potential and the functioning of additives in relation to nicotine. By using a combination of techniques, changes associated with nicotine dependence such as behavioral, physiological, and neurochemical alterations can be examined to provide sufficient information. Research needs and knowledge gaps will be discussed and recommendations will be made to translate current knowledge into legislation. As such, this article aids in implementation of the Tobacco Product Directive, as well as help enable regulators and researchers worldwide to develop standards to reduce dependence on tobacco products. Implications: This article provides an overall view on how to assess tobacco product constituents for their potential contribution to use and dependence. It provides guidelines that help enable regulators worldwide to

  10. Soil nutrient additions increase invertebrate herbivore abundances, but not herbivory, across three grassland systems.

    PubMed

    La Pierre, Kimberly J; Smith, Melinda D

    2016-02-01

    Resource availability may influence invertebrate communities, with important consequences for ecosystem function, such as biomass production. We assessed: (1) the effects of experimental soil nutrient additions on invertebrate abundances and feeding rates and (2) the resultant changes in the effects of invertebrates on aboveground plant biomass at three grassland sites spanning the North American Central Plains, across which plant tissue chemistry and biomass vary. Invertebrate communities and rates of herbivory were sampled within a long-term nutrient-addition experiment established at each site along the broad Central Plains precipitation gradient. Additionally, the effects of invertebrates on aboveground plant biomass were determined under ambient and elevated nutrient conditions. At the more mesic sites, invertebrate herbivore abundances increased and their per capita rate of herbivory decreased with nutrient additions. In contrast, at the semi-arid site where plant biomass is low and plant nutrient concentrations are high, invertebrate herbivore abundances did not vary and per capita rates of herbivory increased with nutrient additions. No change in the effect of invertebrate herbivores on aboveground plant biomass was observed at any of the sites. In sum, nutrient additions induced shifts in both plant biomass and leaf nutrient content, which altered invertebrate abundances and feeding rate. However, due to the inverse relationship between changes in herbivore abundance and per capita rates of herbivory, nutrient additions did not alter the effect of invertebrates on aboveground biomass. Overall, we suggest that this inverse response of herbivore abundance and per capita feeding rate may buffer ecosystems against changes in invertebrate damage in response to fluctuations in nutrient levels.

  11. MicroCub Subscale Aircraft

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-01-18

    The MicroCub is the newest addition to NASA Armstrong's fleet of subscale research aircraft. The aircraft is a modified a Bill Hempel 60-percent-scale super cub, designed with a 21-foot wingspan, a Piccolo Autopilot guidance system and a JetCat SPT-15 Turboprop.

  12. Consolidation of silicon nitride without additives. [for gas turbine engine efficiency increase

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sikora, P. F.; Yeh, H. C.

    1976-01-01

    The use of ceramics for gas turbine engine construction might make it possible to increase engine efficiency by raising operational temperatures to values beyond those which can be tolerated by metallic alloys. The most promising ceramics being investigated in this connection are Si3N4 and SiC. A description is presented of a study which had the objective to produce dense Si3N4. The two most common methods of consolidating Si3N4 currently being used include hot pressing and reaction sintering. The feasibility was explored of producing a sound, dense Si3N4 body without additives by means of conventional gas hot isostatic pressing techniques and an uncommon hydraulic hot isostatic pressing technique. It was found that Si3N4 can be densified without additions to a density which exceeds 95% of the theoretical value

  13. CO2 enrichment and N addition increase nutrient loss from decomposing leaf litter in subtropical model forest ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Juxiu; Fang, Xiong; Deng, Qi; Han, Tianfeng; Huang, Wenjuan; Li, Yiyong

    2015-01-01

    As atmospheric CO2 concentration increases, many experiments have been carried out to study effects of CO2 enrichment on litter decomposition and nutrient release. However, the result is still uncertain. Meanwhile, the impact of CO2 enrichment on nutrients other than N and P are far less studied. Using open-top chambers, we examined effects of elevated CO2 and N addition on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient release in subtropical model forest ecosystems. We found that both elevated CO2 and N addition increased nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn) loss from the decomposing litter. The N, P, Ca and Zn loss was more than tripled in the chambers exposed to both elevated CO2 and N addition than those in the control chambers after 21 months of treatment. The stimulation of nutrient loss under elevated CO2 was associated with the increased soil moisture, the higher leaf litter quality and the greater soil acidity. Accelerated nutrient release under N addition was related to the higher leaf litter quality, the increased soil microbial biomass and the greater soil acidity. Our results imply that elevated CO2 and N addition will increase nutrient cycling in subtropical China under the future global change. PMID:25608664

  14. Use of an Additional 19-G EBUS-TBNA Needle Increases the Diagnostic Yield of EBUS-TBNA.

    PubMed

    Garrison, Garth; Leclair, Timothy; Balla, Agnes; Wagner, Sarah; Butnor, Kelly; Anderson, Scott R; Kinsey, C Matthew

    2018-06-12

    Although endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has an excellent diagnostic yield, there remain cases where the diagnosis is not obtained. We hypothesized that additional sampling with a 19-G EBUS-TBNA needle may increase diagnostic yield in a subset of cases where additional tissue sampling was required. Indications for use of the 19-G needle following 22-G sampling with rapid on-site cytologic examination were: (1) diagnostic uncertainty of the on-site cytopathologist (eg, nondiagnostic, probable lymphoma, etc.), (2) non-small cell lung cancer with probable need for molecular genetic and/or PD-L1 testing, or (3) need for a larger tissue sample for consideration of inclusion in a research protocol. A 19-G EBUS-TBNA needle was utilized following standard sampling with a 22-G needle in 48 patients (50 sites) during the same procedure. Although the diagnostic yield between the needles was equivalent, the concordance rate was only 83%. The 19-G determined a diagnosis in 4 additional patients (8%) and provided additional histopathologic information in 6 other cases (12%). Conversely, in 3 cases (6%) diagnostic information was provided only by the 22-G needle. Compared with 22-G EBUS-TBNA alone, sampling with both the 22- and 19-G EBUS needles resulted in an increase in diagnostic yield from 92% to 99% (P=0.045) and a number needed to sample of 13 patients to provide one additional diagnosis. There were no significant complications. In select cases where additional tissue may be needed, sampling with a 19-G EBUS needle following standard aspiration with a 22-G needle results in an increase in diagnostic yield.

  15. Effect of enzyme concentration, addition of water and incubation time on increase in yield of starch from potato.

    PubMed

    Sit, Nandan; Agrawal, U S; Deka, Sankar C

    2014-05-01

    Enzymatic treatment process for starch extraction from potato was investigated using cellulase enzyme and compared with conventional process. The effects of three parameters, cellulase enzyme concentration, incubation time and addition of water were evaluated for increase in starch yield as compared to the conventional process i.e., without using enzyme. A two-level full factorial design was used to study the process. The results indicated that all the main parameters and their interactions are statistically significant. Enzyme concentration and incubation time had a positive effect on the increase in starch yield while addition of water had a negative effect. The increase in starch yield ranged from 1.9% at low enzyme concentration and incubation time and high addition of water to a maximum of 70% increase from conventional process in starch yield was achieved when enzyme concentration and incubation time were high and addition of water was low suggesting water present in the ground potato meal is sufficient for access to the enzyme with in the slurry ensuring adequate contact with the substrate.

  16. Optical coherence tomography of the intracranial vasculature and Wingspan stent in a patient

    PubMed Central

    Given, Curtis Alden; Ramsey, Christian Norman; Attizzani, Guilherme Ferragut; Jones, Michael R; Brooks, William H; Bezerra, Hiram G; Costa, Marco A

    2014-01-01

    Summary A 67-year-old man with medically refractory vertebrobasilar insufficiency and short segment occlusions of the intracranial vertebral arteries was treated with angioplasty and stent placement. Fifteen hours after the procedure the patient developed symptoms of posterior fossa ischemia and repeat angiography showed thrombus formation within the stent which was treated with thrombolytic and aggressive antiplatelet therapy. Angiography revealed lysis of the clot, but concerns regarding the mechanism of the thrombotic phenomenon prompted frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) assessment. FDOCT provided excellent visualization of the stent and vessel wall interactions, as well as excluding residual flow-limiting stenosis, obviating the need for further intervention. The potential utility of FDOCT in the evaluation of intracranial atherosclerotic disease and additional intracranial applications are discussed. PMID:24835808

  17. Sulfate reduction in sulfuric material after re-flooding: Effectiveness of organic carbon addition and pH increase depends on soil properties.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Chaolei; Fitzpatrick, Rob; Mosley, Luke M; Marschner, Petra

    2015-11-15

    Sulfuric material is formed upon oxidation of sulfidic material; it is extremely acidic, and therefore, an environmental hazard. One option for increasing pH of sulfuric material may be stimulation of bacterial sulfate reduction. We investigated the effects of organic carbon addition and pH increase on sulfate reduction after re-flooding in ten sulfuric materials with four treatments: control, pH increase to 5.5 (+pH), organic carbon addition with 2% w/w finely ground wheat straw (+C), and organic carbon addition and pH increase (+C+pH). After 36 weeks, in five of the ten soils, only treatment +C+pH significantly increased the concentration of reduced inorganic sulfur (RIS) compared to the control and increased the soil pore water pH compared to treatment+pH. In four other soils, pH increase or/and organic carbon addition had no significant effect on RIS concentration compared to the control. The RIS concentration in treatment +C+pH as percentage of the control was negatively correlated with soil clay content and initial nitrate concentration. The results suggest that organic carbon addition and pH increase can stimulate sulfate reduction after re-flooding, but the effectiveness of this treatment depends on soil properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Additive genetic variation and evolvability of a multivariate trait can be increased by epistatic gene action.

    PubMed

    Griswold, Cortland K

    2015-12-21

    Epistatic gene action occurs when mutations or alleles interact to produce a phenotype. Theoretically and empirically it is of interest to know whether gene interactions can facilitate the evolution of diversity. In this paper, we explore how epistatic gene action affects the additive genetic component or heritable component of multivariate trait variation, as well as how epistatic gene action affects the evolvability of multivariate traits. The analysis involves a sexually reproducing and recombining population. Our results indicate that under stabilizing selection conditions a population with a mixed additive and epistatic genetic architecture can have greater multivariate additive genetic variation and evolvability than a population with a purely additive genetic architecture. That greater multivariate additive genetic variation can occur with epistasis is in contrast to previous theory that indicated univariate additive genetic variation is decreased with epistasis under stabilizing selection conditions. In a multivariate setting, epistasis leads to less relative covariance among individuals in their genotypic, as well as their breeding values, which facilitates the maintenance of additive genetic variation and increases a population׳s evolvability. Our analysis involves linking the combinatorial nature of epistatic genetic effects to the ancestral graph structure of a population to provide insight into the consequences of epistasis on multivariate trait variation and evolution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Additional increased effects of mannitol-temozolomide combined treatment on blood-brain barrier permeability.

    PubMed

    Choi, Chunggab; Kim, Hye Min; Shon, Jeeheun; Park, Jiae; Kim, Hyeong-Taek; Oh, Seung-Hun; Kim, Nam Keun; Kim, Ok Joon

    2018-03-04

    The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is major obstacle in drug or stem cell treatment in chronic stroke. We hypothesized that adding mannitol to temozolomide (TMZ) is a practically applicable method for resolving the low efficacy of intravenous mannitol therapy. In this study, we investigated whether BBB permeability could be increased by this combined treatment. First, we established a chronic ischemic stroke rat model and examined changes in leakage of Evans blue dye within a lesion site, and in expression of tight junction proteins (TJPs), by this combined treatment. Additionally, in an in vitro BBB model using trans-wells, we analyzed changes in diffusion of a fluorescent tracer and in expression of TJPs. Mannitol-TMZ combined treatment not only increased the amount of Evans blue dye within the stroke lesion site, but also reduced occludin expression in rat brain microvessels. The in vitro study also showed that combined treatment increased the permeability for two different-sized fluorescent tracers, especially large size, and decreased expression of TJPs, such as occludin and ZO-1. Increased BBB permeability effects were more prominent with combined than with single treatments. Mannitol-TMZ combined treatment induced a decrease of TJPs with a consequent increase in BBB permeability. This combined treatment is clinically useful and might provide new therapeutic options by enabling efficient intracerebral delivery of various drugs that could not otherwise be used to treat many CNS diseases due to their inability to penetrate the BBB. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Parametric Study for Increasing On-Station Duration via Unconventional Aircraft Launch Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kuhl, Christopher A.; Moses, Robert W.; Croom, Mark A.; Sandford, Stephen P.

    2004-01-01

    The need for better atmospheric predictions is causing the atmospheric science community to look for new ways to obtain longer, higher-resolution measurements over several diurnal cycles. The high resolution, in-situ measurements required to study many atmospheric phenomena can be achieved by an Autonomous Aerial Observation System (AAOS); however, meeting the long on-station time requirements with an aerial platform poses many challenges. Inspired by the half-scale drop test of the deployable Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mars airplane, a study was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center to examine the possibility of increasing on-station time by launching an airplane directly at the desired altitude. The ARES Mars airplane concept was used as a baseline for Earth atmospheric flight, and parametric analyses of fundamental configuration elements were performed to study their impact on achieving desired on-station time with this class of airplane. The concept involved lifting the aircraft from the ground to the target altitude by means of an air balloon, thereby unburdening the airplane of ascent requirements. The parameters varied in the study were aircraft wingspan, payload, fuel quantity, and propulsion system. The results show promising trends for further research into aircraft-payload design using this unconventional balloon-based launch approach.

  1. Is there an increased rate of additional malignancies in patients with mantle cell lymphoma?

    PubMed

    Barista, I; Cabanillas, F; Romaguera, J E; Khouri, I F; Yang, Y; Smith, T L; Strom, S S; Medeiros, L J; Hagemeister, F B

    2002-02-01

    To examine the frequency of additional neoplasms preceding and following the diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). A total of 156 patients with MCL treated on the hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone alternated with methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside (Hyper-CVAD/M-A) program with or without rituximab from 1994 to 2000 were the subjects of this report. These patients were followed for a median time of 26 months, and a total of 32 (21%) additional neoplasms were diagnosed, 21 preceding the diagnosis of MCL and 11 following MCL. After excluding certain types of non-invasive neoplasms, including basal cell carcinoma, meningioma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, we observed seven second malignancies after the diagnosis of MCL, and the 5-year cumulative incidence rate of second malignancy was 11%. The observed-to-expected (O/E) ratio was 7/0.07 = 100 [95% confidence interval (CI) 49.3 to 186.6; P <0.0001]. Of the 21 malignancies diagnosed prior to MCL, 16 were invasive and five non-invasive. There were a total of 10 urologic malignancies occurring before or after the diagnosis of MCL was established. Our findings suggest that there is an increased incidence of second malignancies in patients with MCL. In addition, the high number of cases with urinary tract cancer in our series may substantiate prior reports describing a possible association between lymphoma and urologic malignancies.

  2. Increased reach and effectiveness of a statewide tobacco quitline after the addition of access to free nicotine replacement therapy

    PubMed Central

    An, Lawrence C; Schillo, Barbara A; Kavanaugh, Annette M; Lachter, Randi B; Luxenberg, Michael G; Wendling, Ann H; Joseph, Anne M

    2006-01-01

    Background Tobacco users receiving behavioural and pharmacological assistance are more likely to quit. Although telephone quitlines provide population access to counselling, few offer pharmacotherapy. Objective To assess change in cessation rates and programme impact after the addition of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to statewide quitline services. Design, setting, participants An observational study of cohorts of callers to the Minnesota QUITPLANSM Helpline before (n  =  380) and after (n  =  373) the addition of access to free NRT. Intervention Mailing of NRT (patch or gum) to callers enrolling in multi‐session counselling. Main outcome measure Thirty‐day abstinence six months after programme registration. Results The number of callers increased from 155 (SD 75) to 679 (180) per month pre‐NRT to post‐NRT (difference 524, 95% confidence interval (CI) 323 to 725). Post‐NRT, the proportion of callers enrolling in multi‐session counselling (23.4% v 90.1%, difference 66.6%, 95% CI 60.8% to 71.6%) and using pharmacotherapy (46.8% v 86.8%, difference 40.0%, 95% CI 31.3% to 47.9%) increased. Thirty‐day abstinence at six months increased from 10.0% pre‐NRT to 18.2% post‐NRT (difference 8.2%, 95% CI 3.1% to 13.4%). Post‐NRT the average number of new ex‐smokers per month among registrants increased from 15.5 to 123.6 (difference 108.1, 95% CI 61.1 to 155.0). The cost per quit pre‐NRT was $1362 (SD $207). The cost per quit post‐NRT was $1934 ($215) suggesting a possible increase in cost per quit (difference $572, 95% CI −$12 to $1157). Conclusion The addition of free NRT to a state quitline is followed by increases in participation and abstinence rates resulting in an eightfold increase in programme impact. These findings support the addition of access to pharmacological therapy as part of state quitline services. PMID:16885577

  3. Static Structural Analysis of a Variable Span Morphing Wing for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bashir, M.; Rajendran, P.

    2018-05-01

    While the primary reason to develop an adaptive wing is the aerodynamic benefits, the primary hindrance is the structural and vibrational considerations due to the unsteady nature of the airflow during the flight. Hence this study forms an important part of the morphable wing technology. In this paper, the design of a moderate aspect ratio variable span wing will be performed. The morphing wing is modeled structurally to observe the effect of spanwise load distribution on the wing structure. For the structural design and analysis of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under this study, commercial software Solidworks and Ansys/Static Structural/Modal are used. The static structural analyses of the wing are performed under different load conditions. The results of these analyses show that the designed structure is safe within the flight envelope. It is observed that the wing-root bending moment increases drastically due to an increase in the wingspan. Thus, the bending moment along the wingspan of the morphing wing is much larger than that of the conventional wing which results in an increase in the deflection of the free-end. The maximum stress for the un-extended wing configuration increases for the extended wing configuration.

  4. Lithium-Ion Electrolytes Containing Flame Retardant Additives for Increased Safety Characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bugga, Ratnakumar V. (Inventor); Krause, Frederick Charles (Inventor); Smart, Marshall C. (Inventor); Prakash, Surya G. (Inventor); Smith, Kiah A. (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    The invention discloses various embodiments of Li-ion electrolytes containing flame retardant additives that have delivered good performance over a wide temperature range, good cycle life characteristics, and improved safety characteristics, namely, reduced flammability. In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, the electrolyte comprising a mixture of an ethylene carbonate (EC), an ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), a fluorinated co-solvent, a flame retardant additive, and a lithium salt. In another embodiment of the invention there is provided an electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, the electrolyte comprising a mixture of an ethylene carbonate (EC), an ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), a flame retardant additive, a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film forming agent, and a lithium salt.

  5. U.S. Air Force Bomber Sustainment and Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-04

    turbofan Thrust: Each engine up to 17,000 pounds Wingspan: 185 feet (56.4 meters) Length: 159 feet, 4 inches (48.5 meters) Height: 40 feet, 8...precision and non-precision weapons. Features The B-1B’s blended wing and body configuration, variable-geometry wings, and turbofan afterburning engines... turbofan engine with afterburner Thrust: 30,000-plus pounds with afterburner, per engine Wingspan: 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet

  6. Effects of increasing the PSA cutoff to perform additional biomarker tests before prostate biopsy.

    PubMed

    Nordström, Tobias; Adolfsson, Jan; Grönberg, Henrik; Eklund, Martin

    2017-10-03

    Multi-step testing might enhance performance of the prostate cancer diagnostic pipeline. Using PSA >1 ng/ml for first-line risk stratification and the Stockholm 3 Model (S3M) blood-test >10% risk of Gleason Score > 7 prostate cancer to inform biopsy decisions has been suggested. We aimed to determine the effects of changing the PSA cutoff to perform reflex testing with S3M and the subsequent S3M cutoff to recommend prostate biopsy while maintaining the sensitivity to detect Gleason Score ≥ 7 prostate cancer. We used data from the prospective, population-based, paired, diagnostic Stockholm 3 (STHLM3) study with participants invited by date of birth from the Swedish Population Register during 2012-2014. All participants underwent testing with PSA and S3M (a combination of plasma protein biomarkers [PSA, free PSA, intact PSA, hK2, MSMB, MIC1], genetic polymorphisms, and clinical variables [age, family, history, previous prostate biopsy, prostate exam]). Of 47,688 men in the STHLM3 main study, we used data from 3133 men with S3M >10% and prostate biopsy data. Logistic regression models were used to calculate prostate cancer detection rates and proportion saved biopsies. 44.2%, 62.5% and 67.9% of the participants had PSA <1, <1.5 and <1.7 ng/ml, respectively. Increasing the PSA cut-off for additional work-up from 1 ng/ml to 1.5 ng/ml would thus save 18.3% of the performed tests, 4.9% of the biopsies and 1.3% (10/765) of Gleason Grade ≥ 7 cancers would be un-detected. By lowering the S3M cutoff to recommend biopsy, sensitivity to high-grade prostate cancer can be restored, to the cost of increasing the number of performed biopsies modestly. The sensitivity to detect prostate cancer can be maintained when using different PSA cutoffs to perform additional testing. Biomarker cut-offs have implications on number of tests and prostate biopsies performed. A PSA cutoff of 1.5 ng/ml to perform additional testing such as the S3M test might be considered. ISRCTN

  7. Influence of additives on the increase of the heating value of Bayah’s coal with upgrading brown coal (UBC) method

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

    Heriyanto, Heri; Widya Ernayati, K.; Umam, Chairul

    UBC (upgrading brown coal) is a method of improving the quality of coal by using oil as an additive. Through processing in the oil media, not just the calories that increase, but there is also water repellent properties and a decrease in the tendency of spontaneous combustion of coal products produced. The results showed a decrease in the water levels of natural coal bayah reached 69%, increase in calorific value reached 21.2%. Increased caloric value and reduced water content caused by the water molecules on replacing seal the pores of coal by oil and atoms C on the oil thatmore » is bound to increase the percentage of coal carbon. As a result of this experiment is, the produced coal has better calorific value, the increasing of this new calorific value up to 23.8% with the additive waste lubricant, and the moisture content reduced up to 69.45%.« less

  8. Time-dependent efficiency measurements of polymer solar cells with dye additives: unexpected initial increase of efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bandaccari, Kyle J.; Chesmore, Grace E.; Bugaj, Mitchel; Valverde, Parisa Tajalli-Tehrani; Barber, Richard P.; McNelis, Brian J.

    2018-04-01

    We report the effects of the addition of two azo-dye additives on the time-dependent efficiency of polymer solar cells. Although the maximum efficiencies of devices containing different amounts of dye do not vary greatly over the selected concentration range, the time dependence results reveal a surprising initial increase in efficiency in some samples. We observe this effect to be correlated with a leakage current, although a specific mechanism is not yet identified. We also present the measured lifetimes of these solar cells, and find that variations in dye concentrations produce a small effect at most. Characterization of the bulk heterojunction layer (active layer) morphology using atomic-force microscope (AFM) imaging reveals reordering patterns which suggest that the primary effects of the dyes arise via structural, not absorptive, characteristics.

  9. Amylase addition increases starch ruminal digestion in first-lactation cows fed high and low starch diets.

    PubMed

    Nozière, P; Steinberg, W; Silberberg, M; Morgavi, D P

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an exogenous amylase preparation on digestion of low- and high-starch diets in dairy cattle. Rumen and total-tract nutrient digestibility were measured in a 4×4 Latin square design with 28-d periods using 4 first-lactation cows cannulated at the rumen and duodenum. Corn silage-based diets had 20 or 30% starch, attained by changing the composition of concentrate, with or without addition of an exogenous amylase preparation. Effects of the enzyme additive were observed on ruminal digestibility but not at the total-tract level. Ruminal digestibility of starch increased from 75% in control to 81% with amylase supplementation. This difference in ruminal starch digestion was compensated postruminally, so that the total-tract digestibility of starch was almost complete and did not differ between treatments. The amylase supplement also increased the true ruminal digestibility of organic matter but did not affect microbial N flow to the duodenum. Amylase supplement reduced the proportion of acetate and butyrate and increased that of propionate, particularly in the high-starch diet, where it tended to increase the concentration of total volatile fatty acids in the rumen. Other effects were a higher amylase activity in the solid-associated microbial community and a tendency for lower numbers of protozoa. In contrast, we observed no changes in intake, production, dry matter and fiber (neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber) digestibility, or ruminal digestion, and no or small changes on selected fibrolytic and amylolytic bacteria and on the microbial community in general. We conclude that the exogenous amylase improved starch digestion in the rumen in first-lactation cows with moderate intake and production levels. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Increased risk of sadness and suicidality among victims of bullying experiencing additional threats to physical safety.

    PubMed

    Pham, Tammy B; Adesman, Andrew

    2017-11-23

    Objective To examine, in a nationally-representative sample of high school students, to what extent one or more additional threats to physical safety exacerbates the risk of sadness and suicidality among victims of school and/or cyber-bullying. Methods National data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) were analyzed for grades 9-12 (n = 15,624). Victimization groups were characterized by school-bullying and cyber-bullying, with and without additional threats to physical safety: fighting at school, being threatened/injured at school, and skipping school out of fear for one's safety. Outcomes included 2-week sadness and suicidality. Outcomes for victimization groups were compared to non-victims using logistic regression adjusting for sex, grade and race/ethnicity. Results Overall, 20.2% of students were school-bullied, and 15.5% were cyber-bullied in the past year. Compared to non-victims, victims of school-bullying and victims of cyber-bullying (VoCBs) who did not experience additional threats to physical safety were 2.76 and 3.83 times more likely to report 2-week sadness, and 3.39 and 3.27 times more likely to exhibit suicidality, respectively. Conversely, victims of bullying who experienced one or more additional threats to physical safety were successively more likely to report these adverse outcomes. Notably, victims of school-bullying and VoCBs with all three additional risk factors were 13.13 and 17.75 times more likely to exhibit suicidality, respectively. Conclusion Risk of depression symptoms and suicidality among victims of school-bullying and/or cyber-bullying is greatly increased among those who have experienced additional threats to physical safety: fighting at school, being threatened/injured at school and skipping school out of fear for their safety.

  11. Addition of fornix transection to frontal-temporal disconnection increases the impairment in object-in-place memory in macaque monkeys.

    PubMed

    Wilson, C R E; Baxter, M G; Easton, A; Gaffan, D

    2008-04-01

    Both frontal-inferotemporal disconnection and fornix transection (Fx) in the monkey impair object-in-place scene learning, a model of human episodic memory. If the contribution of the fornix to scene learning is via interaction with or modulation of frontal-temporal interaction--that is, if they form a unitary system--then Fx should have no further effect when added to frontal-temporal disconnection. However, if the contribution of the fornix is to some extent distinct, then fornix lesions may produce an additional deficit in scene learning beyond that caused by frontal-temporal disconnection. To distinguish between these possibilities, we trained three male rhesus monkeys on the object-in-place scene-learning task. We tested their learning on the task following frontal-temporal disconnection, achieved by crossed unilateral aspiration of the frontal cortex in one hemisphere and the inferotemporal cortex in the other, and again following the addition of Fx. The monkeys were significantly impaired in scene learning following frontal-temporal disconnection, and furthermore showed a significant increase in this impairment following the addition of Fx, from 32.8% error to 40.5% error (chance = 50%). The increased impairment following the addition of Fx provides evidence that the fornix and frontal-inferotemporal interaction make distinct contributions to episodic memory.

  12. Giant increase in piezoelectric coefficient of AlN by Mg-Nb simultaneous addition and multiple chemical states of Nb

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uehara, Masato; Shigemoto, Hokuto; Fujio, Yuki; Nagase, Toshimi; Aida, Yasuhiro; Umeda, Keiichi; Akiyama, Morito

    2017-09-01

    Aluminum nitride (AlN) is one of piezoelectric materials, which are eagerly anticipated for use in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications such as communication resonators, sensors, and energy harvesters. AlN is particularly excellent in generated voltage characteristics for the MEMS rather than oxide piezoelectric materials such as lead zirconium titanate Pb(Zr, Ti)O3. However, it is necessary to improve the piezoelectric properties of AlN in order to advance the performance of the MEMS. We dramatically increased the piezoelectric coefficient d33 of AlN films by simultaneously adding magnesium (Mg) and niobium (Nb). The d33 of Mg39.3Nb25.0Al35.7N is 22 pC/N, which is about four times that of AlN. The d33 is increased by Mg and Nb simultaneous addition, and is not increased by Mg or Nb single addition. Interestingly, the Nb has multiple chemical states, and which are influenced by the Mg concentration.

  13. Biochar Addition Increases the Rates of Dissimilatory Iron Reduction and Methanogenesis in Ferrihydrite Enrichments

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Guo-Wei; Yang, Xiao-Ru; Marshall, Christopher W.; Li, Hu; Zheng, Bang-Xiao; Yan, Yu; Su, Jian-Qiang; Zhu, Yong-Guan

    2017-01-01

    Biochar contains quinones and aromatic structures that facilitate extracellular electron transfer between microbial cells and insoluble minerals. In this study, granulated biochar (1.2–2 mm) and powdered biochar (<0.15 mm) were amended to two ferrihydrite (in situ ferrihydrite and ex situ ferrihydrite) enrichments to investigate the effect of biochar with different particle sizes on dissimilatory iron(III)-reducing bacteria (DIRB) and methanogens. Biochar addition significantly stimulated the reduction of both in situ ferrihydrite and ex situ ferrihydrite and the production of methane. Powdered biochar amendments increased iron reduction compared to granulated biochar amendment in both the in situ ferrihydrite and ex situ ferrihydrite enrichments. However, no significant difference was observed in methane production between the powdered biochar and granulated biochar amendments in the two ferrihydrite enrichments. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that both DIRB and methanogens were enriched after biochar amendments in the in situ ferrihydrite and ex situ ferrihydrite enrichments. Taxa belonging to the Geobacteraceae and methanogenic genus affiliated to Methanosarcina were detected with significantly higher relative abundances in powdered biochar amendments than those in granulated biochar amendments in both the ferrihydrite enrichments. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated green rust [Fe2(CO3) (OH)] and vivianite [Fe3(PO4)2 8(H2O)] formed in the ex situ ferrihydrite and in situ ferrihydrite enrichments without biochar addition, respectively. After granulated biochar amendment, the mineral phase changed from the green rust to vivianite in the ex situ ferrihydrite enrichment, while crystalline vivianite and iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) were detected simultaneously in the in situ ferrihydrite enrichment. No crystalline iron compound was found in the powdered biochar amendments in both ferrihydrite enrichments. Overall, our study illustrated that the addition of

  14. Prospects of application of additive technologies for increasing the efficiency of impeller machines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belova, O. V.; Borisov, Yu. A.

    2017-08-01

    Impeller machine is a device in which the flow path carries out the supply (or retraction) of mechanical energy to the flow of a working fluid passing through the machine. To increase the efficiency of impeller machines, it is necessary to use design modern technologies, namely the use of numerical methods for conducting research in the field of gas dynamics, as well as additive manufacturing (AM) for the of both prototypes and production model. AM technologies are deservedly rightly called revolutionary because they give unique possibility for manufacturing products, creating perfect forms, both light and durable. The designers face the challenge of developing a new design methodology, since AM allows the use of the concept of "Complexity For Free". The "Complexity For Free" conception is based on: complexity of the form; hierarchical complexity; complexity of the material; functional complexity. The new technical items design method according to a functional principle is also investigated.

  15. Enzymatic Pretreatment Coupled with the Addition of p-Hydroxyanisole Increased Levulinic Acid Production from Steam-Exploded Rice Straw Short Fiber.

    PubMed

    Ma, Li-Tong; Zhao, Zhi-Min; Yu, Bin; Chen, Hong-Zhang

    2016-11-01

    Levulinic acid production, directly from lignocellulosic biomass, resulted in low yields due to the poor substrate accessibility and occurrence of side reactions. The effects of reaction conditions, enzymatic pretreatment, and inhibitor addition on the conversion of steam-exploded rice straw (SERS) short fiber to levulinic acid catalyzed by solid superacid were investigated systematically. The results indicated that the optimal reaction conditions were temperature, time, and solid superacid concentration combinations of 200 °C, 15 min, and 7.5 %. Enzymatic pretreatment improved the substrate accessibility to solid superacid catalyst, and p-hydroxyanisole inhibitor reduced the side reactions during reaction processes, which helped to increase levulinic acid yield. The levulinic acid yield reached 25.2 % under the optimal conditions, which was 61.5 % higher than that without enzymatic pretreatment and inhibitor addition. Therefore, enzymatic pretreatment coupled with the addition of p-hydroxyanisole increased levulinic acid production effectively, which contributed to the value-added utilization of lignocellulosic biomass.

  16. Metabolic modeling of energy balances in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae shows that pyruvate addition increases growth rate.

    PubMed

    Kamminga, Tjerko; Slagman, Simen-Jan; Bijlsma, Jetta J E; Martins Dos Santos, Vitor A P; Suarez-Diez, Maria; Schaap, Peter J

    2017-10-01

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is cultured on large-scale to produce antigen for inactivated whole-cell vaccines against respiratory disease in pigs. However, the fastidious nutrient requirements of this minimal bacterium and the low growth rate make it challenging to reach sufficient biomass yield for antigen production. In this study, we sequenced the genome of M. hyopneumoniae strain 11 and constructed a high quality constraint-based genome-scale metabolic model of 284 chemical reactions and 298 metabolites. We validated the model with time-series data of duplicate fermentation cultures to aim for an integrated model describing the dynamic profiles measured in fermentations. The model predicted that 84% of cellular energy in a standard M. hyopneumoniae cultivation was used for non-growth associated maintenance and only 16% of cellular energy was used for growth and growth associated maintenance. Following a cycle of model-driven experimentation in dedicated fermentation experiments, we were able to increase the fraction of cellular energy used for growth through pyruvate addition to the medium. This increase in turn led to an increase in growth rate and a 2.3 times increase in the total biomass concentration reached after 3-4 days of fermentation, enhancing the productivity of the overall process. The model presented provides a solid basis to understand and further improve M. hyopneumoniae fermentation processes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2339-2347. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Additive impacts of experimental climate change increase risk to an ectotherm at the Arctic's edge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davenport, Jon M.; Hossack, Blake R.; Fishback, LeeAnn

    2017-01-01

    Globally, Arctic and Subarctic regions have experienced the greatest temperature increases during the last 30 years. These extreme changes have amplified threats to the freshwater ecosystems that dominate the landscape in many areas by altering water budgets. Several studies in temperate environments have examined the adaptive capacity of organisms to enhance our understanding of the potential repercussions of warming and associated accelerated drying for freshwater ecosystems. However, few experiments have examined these impacts in Arctic or Subarctic freshwater ecosystems, where the climate is changing most rapidly. To evaluate the capacity of a widespread ectotherm to anticipated environmental changes, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) in the Canadian Subarctic. Three warming treatments were fully crossed with three drying treatments to simulate a range of predicted changes in wetland environments. We predicted wetland warming and drying would act synergistically, with water temperature partially compensating for some of the negative effects of accelerated drying. Across all drying regimes, a 1 °C increase in water temperature increased the odds of survival by 1.79, and tadpoles in 52-day and 64-day hydroperiod mesocosms were 4.1–4.3 times more likely to survive to metamorphosis than tadpoles in 45-day mesocosms. For individuals who survived to metamorphosis, there was only a weak negative effect of temperature on size. As expected, increased temperatures accelerated tadpole growth through day 30 of the experiment. Our results reveal that one of the dominant herbivores in Subarctic wetlands, wood frog tadpoles, are capable of increasing their developmental rates in response to increased temperature and accelerated drying, but only in an additive manner. The strong negative effects of drying on survival, combined with lack of compensation between these two environmental drivers, suggest changes in the aquatic environment

  18. Evidence for Endothermy in Pterosaurs Based on Flight Capability Analyses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jenkins, H. S.; Pratson, L. F.

    2005-12-01

    Previous attempts to constrain flight capability in pterosaurs have relied heavily on the fossil record, using bone articulation and apparent muscle allocation to evaluate flight potential (Frey et al., 1997; Padian, 1983; Bramwell, 1974). However, broad definitions of the physical parameters necessary for flight in pterosaurs remain loosely defined and few systematic approaches to constraining flight capability have been synthesized (Templin, 2000; Padian, 1983). Here we present a new method to assess flight capability in pterosaurs as a function of humerus length and flight velocity. By creating an energy-balance model to evaluate the power required for flight against the power available to the animal, we derive a `U'-shaped power curve and infer optimal flight speeds and maximal wingspan lengths for pterosaurs Quetzalcoatlus northropi and Pteranodon ingens. Our model corroborates empirically derived power curves for the modern black-billed magpie ( Pica Pica) and accurately reproduces the mechanical power curve for modern cockatiels ( Nymphicus hollandicus) (Tobalske et al., 2003). When we adjust our model to include an endothermic metabolic rate for pterosaurs, we find a maximal wingspan length of 18 meters for Q. northropi. Model runs using an exothermic metabolism derive maximal wingspans of 6-8 meters. As estimates based on fossil evidence show total wingspan lengths reaching up to 15 meters for Q. northropi, we conclude that large pterosaurs may have been endothermic and therefore more metabolically similar to birds than to reptiles.

  19. Additive manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Mumith, A; Thomas, M; Shah, Z; Coathup, M; Blunn, G

    2018-04-01

    Increasing innovation in rapid prototyping (RP) and additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is bringing about major changes in translational surgical research. This review describes the current position in the use of additive manufacturing in orthopaedic surgery. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:455-60.

  20. Non-Additive Increases in Sediment Stability Are Generated by Macroinvertebrate Species Interactions in Laboratory Streams

    PubMed Central

    Albertson, Lindsey K.; Cardinale, Bradley J.; Sklar, Leonard S.

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that biological structures such as plant roots can have large impacts on landscape morphodynamics, and that physical models that do not incorporate biology can generate qualitatively incorrect predictions of sediment transport. However, work to date has focused almost entirely on the impacts of single, usually dominant, species. Here we ask whether multiple, coexisting species of hydropsychid caddisfly larvae have different impacts on sediment mobility compared to single-species systems due to competitive interactions and niche differences. We manipulated the presence of two common species of net-spinning caddisfly (Ceratopsyche oslari, Arctopsyche californica) in laboratory mesocosms and measured how their silk filtration nets influence the critical shear stress required to initiate sediment grain motion when they were in monoculture versus polyculture. We found that critical shear stress increases non-additively in polycultures where species were allowed to interact. Critical shear stress was 26% higher in multi-species assemblages compared to the average single-species monoculture, and 21% greater than levels of stability achieved by the species having the largest impact on sediment motion in monoculture. Supplementary behavioral experiments suggest the non-additive increase in critical shear stress may have occurred as competition among species led to shifts in the spatial distribution of the two populations and complementary habitat use. To explore the implications of these results for field conditions, we used results from the laboratory study to parameterize a common model of sediment transport. We then used this model to estimate potential bed movement in a natural stream for which we had measurements of channel geometry, grain size, and daily discharge. Although this extrapolation is speculative, it illustrates that multi-species impacts could be sufficiently large to reduce bedload sediment flux over annual time scales in

  1. Meat and bone meal and mineral feed additives may increase the risk of oral prion disease transmission

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, C.J.; McKenzie, D.; Pedersen, J.A.; Aiken, Judd M.

    2011-01-01

    Ingestion of prion-contaminated materials is postulated to be a primary route of prion disease transmission. Binding of prions to soil (micro)particles dramatically enhances peroral disease transmission relative to unbound prions, and it was hypothesized that micrometer-sized particles present in other consumed materials may affect prion disease transmission via the oral route of exposure. Small, insoluble particles are present in many substances, including soil, human foods, pharmaceuticals, and animal feeds. It is known that meat and bone meal (MBM), a feed additive believed responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contains particles smaller than 20 ??m and that the pathogenic prion protein binds to MBM. The potentiation of disease transmission via the oral route by exposure to MBM or three micrometer-sized mineral feed additives was determined. Data showed that when the disease agent was bound to any of the tested materials, the penetrance of disease was increased compared to unbound prions. Our data suggest that in feed or other prion-contaminated substances consumed by animals or, potentially, humans, the addition of MBM or the presence of microparticles could heighten risks of prion disease acquisition. Copyright ?? 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

  2. Meat and bone meal and mineral feed additives may increase the risk of oral prion disease transmission

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, Christopher J.; McKenzie, Debbie; Pedersen, Joel A.; Aiken, Judd M.

    2011-01-01

    Ingestion of prion-contaminated materials is postulated to be a primary route of prion disease transmission. Binding of prions to soil (micro)particles dramatically enhances peroral disease transmission relative to unbound prions, and it was hypothesized that micrometer-sized particles present in other consumed materials may affect prion disease transmission via the oral route of exposure. Small, insoluble particles are present in many substances, including soil, human foods, pharmaceuticals, and animal feeds. It is known that meat and bone meal (MBM), a feed additive believed responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contains particles smaller than 20 μm and that the pathogenic prion protein binds to MBM. The potentiation of disease transmission via the oral route by exposure to MBM or three micrometer-sized mineral feed additives was determined. Data showed that when the disease agent was bound to any of the tested materials, the penetrance of disease was increased compared to unbound prions. Our data suggest that in feed or other prion-contaminated substances consumed by animals or, potentially, humans, the addition of MBM or the presence of microparticles could heighten risks of prion disease acquisition.

  3. MEAT AND BONE MEAL AND MINERAL FEED ADDITIVES MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF ORAL PRION DISEASE TRANSMISSION

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Christopher J.; McKenzie, Debbie; Pedersen, Joel A.; Aiken, Judd M.

    2011-01-01

    Ingestion of prion-contaminated materials is postulated to be a primary route of prion disease transmission. Binding of prions to soil (micro)particles dramatically enhances peroral disease transmission relative to unbound prions, and it was hypothesized that micrometer–sized particles present in other consumed materials may affect prion disease transmission via the oral route of exposure. Small, insoluble particles are present in many substances, including soil, human foods, pharmaceuticals, and animal feeds. It is known that meat and bone meal (MBM), a feed additive believed responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contains particles smaller than 20 μm and that the pathogenic prion protein binds to MBM. The potentiation of disease transmission via the oral route by exposure to MBM or three micrometer-sized mineral feed additives was determined. Data showed that when the disease agent was bound to any of the tested materials, the penetrance of disease was increased compared to unbound prions. Our data suggest that in feed or other prion–contaminated substances consumed by animals or, potentially, humans, the addition of MBM or the presence of microparticles could heighten risks of prion disease acquisition. PMID:21218345

  4. Increase in transmission loss of single panels by addition of mass inclusions to a poro-elastic layer: Experimental investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kidner, M. R. F.; Fuller, C. R.; Gardner, B.

    2006-06-01

    The insertion loss of standard acoustic blankets can be significantly improved at low frequencies by the addition of randomly placed mass inclusions to the poro-elastic layers. The improvement is much greater than that due to the mass effect alone. The mass inclusions act as resonant systems and so increase the structure impedance. This paper reports the results of experimental investigations into this phenomenon. Increases in insertion loss of 15 dB in the 100 Hz third octave band are reported.

  5. Increasing dietary phosphorus intake from food additives: potential for negative impact on bone health.

    PubMed

    Takeda, Eiji; Yamamoto, Hironori; Yamanaka-Okumura, Hisami; Taketani, Yutaka

    2014-01-01

    It is important to consider whether habitual high phosphorus intake adversely affects bone health, because phosphorus intake has been increasing, whereas calcium intake has been decreasing in dietary patterns. A higher total habitual dietary phosphorus intake has been associated with higher serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and lower serum calcium concentrations in healthy individuals. Higher serum PTH concentrations have been shown in those who consume foods with phosphorus additives. These findings suggest that long-term dietary phosphorus loads and long-term hyperphosphatemia may have important negative effects on bone health. In contrast, PTH concentrations did not increase as a result of high dietary phosphorus intake when phosphorus was provided with adequate amounts of calcium. Intake of foods with a ratio of calcium to phosphorus close to that found in dairy products led to positive effects on bone health. Several randomized controlled trials have shown positive relations between dairy intake and bone mineral density. In our loading test with a low-calcium, high-phosphorus lunch provided to healthy young men, serum PTH concentrations showed peaks at 1 and 6 h, and serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentrations increased significantly at 8 h after the meal. In contrast, the high-calcium, high-phosphorus meal suppressed the second PTH and FGF23 elevations until 8 h after the meal. This implies that adequate dietary calcium intake is needed to overcome the interfering effects of high phosphorus intake on PTH and FGF23 secretion. FGF23 acts on the parathyroid gland to decrease PTH mRNA and PTH secretion in rats with normal kidney function. However, increased serum FGF23 is an early alteration of mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease, causing secondary hyperthyroidism, and implying resistance of the parathyroid gland to the action of FGF23 in chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest that long-term high-phosphorus diets may impair bone health

  6. Additive impacts of experimental climate change increase risk to an ectotherm at the Arctic's edge.

    PubMed

    Davenport, Jon M; Hossack, Blake R; Fishback, LeeAnn

    2017-06-01

    Globally, Arctic and Subarctic regions have experienced the greatest temperature increases during the last 30 years. These extreme changes have amplified threats to the freshwater ecosystems that dominate the landscape in many areas by altering water budgets. Several studies in temperate environments have examined the adaptive capacity of organisms to enhance our understanding of the potential repercussions of warming and associated accelerated drying for freshwater ecosystems. However, few experiments have examined these impacts in Arctic or Subarctic freshwater ecosystems, where the climate is changing most rapidly. To evaluate the capacity of a widespread ectotherm to anticipated environmental changes, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) in the Canadian Subarctic. Three warming treatments were fully crossed with three drying treatments to simulate a range of predicted changes in wetland environments. We predicted wetland warming and drying would act synergistically, with water temperature partially compensating for some of the negative effects of accelerated drying. Across all drying regimes, a 1 °C increase in water temperature increased the odds of survival by 1.79, and tadpoles in 52-day and 64-day hydroperiod mesocosms were 4.1-4.3 times more likely to survive to metamorphosis than tadpoles in 45-day mesocosms. For individuals who survived to metamorphosis, there was only a weak negative effect of temperature on size. As expected, increased temperatures accelerated tadpole growth through day 30 of the experiment. Our results reveal that one of the dominant herbivores in Subarctic wetlands, wood frog tadpoles, are capable of increasing their developmental rates in response to increased temperature and accelerated drying, but only in an additive manner. The strong negative effects of drying on survival, combined with lack of compensation between these two environmental drivers, suggest changes in the aquatic environment that

  7. How to interpret a small increase in AUC with an additional risk prediction marker: decision analysis comes through.

    PubMed

    Baker, Stuart G; Schuit, Ewoud; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Pencina, Michael J; Vickers, Andrew; Vickers, Andew; Moons, Karel G M; Mol, Ben W J; Lindeman, Karen S

    2014-09-28

    An important question in the evaluation of an additional risk prediction marker is how to interpret a small increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Many researchers believe that a change in AUC is a poor metric because it increases only slightly with the addition of a marker with a large odds ratio. Because it is not possible on purely statistical grounds to choose between the odds ratio and AUC, we invoke decision analysis, which incorporates costs and benefits. For example, a timely estimate of the risk of later non-elective operative delivery can help a woman in labor decide if she wants an early elective cesarean section to avoid greater complications from possible later non-elective operative delivery. A basic risk prediction model for later non-elective operative delivery involves only antepartum markers. Because adding intrapartum markers to this risk prediction model increases AUC by 0.02, we questioned whether this small improvement is worthwhile. A key decision-analytic quantity is the risk threshold, here the risk of later non-elective operative delivery at which a patient would be indifferent between an early elective cesarean section and usual care. For a range of risk thresholds, we found that an increase in the net benefit of risk prediction requires collecting intrapartum marker data on 68 to 124 women for every correct prediction of later non-elective operative delivery. Because data collection is non-invasive, this test tradeoff of 68 to 124 is clinically acceptable, indicating the value of adding intrapartum markers to the risk prediction model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. The addition of pineapple flesh and pineapple peels extracts to increase the quality of used cooking oil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kusumawardani, R.; Hasanah, N.; Sukemi

    2018-04-01

    In Indonesia, reuse of cooking oil is high and common. Heating process and reuse of the cooking oil causes a change in its chemical constituents and decrease its qualities. This research aimed to investigate the addition of pineapple flesh extract (PFE) and pineapple peel extract (PPE) on the increment of the quality of oxidized (used) cooking oil. The cooking oil has been used three times. Treatment was done by mixing the used cooking oil with the extract (2:1) at 50°C. Peroxide value, FFA and iodine number of treated and untreated used cooking oils were measured by using titration method. The result showed that the treatment could increase the quality of the used cooking oils. PPE was better than PFE to increase the quality of the used cooking oil.

  9. Sulfate Addition Increases Methylmercury Production in an Experimental Wetland

    Treesearch

    Jeff D. Jeremiason; Daniel R. Engstrom; Edward B. Swain; Edward A. Nater; Brian M. Johnson; James E. Almendinger; Bruce A. Monson; Randy K. Kolka

    2006-01-01

    Atmospheric mercury is the dominant Hg source to fish in northern Minnesota and elsewhere. However, atmospherically derived Hg must be methylated prior to accumulating in fish. Sulfate-reducing bacteria are thought to be the primary methylators of Hg in the environment. Previous laboratory and field mesocosm studies have demonstrated an increase in methylmercury (MeHg...

  10. Slotted Aircraft Wing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vassberg, John C. (Inventor); Gea, Lie-Mine (Inventor); McLean, James D. (Inventor); Witowski, David P. (Inventor); Krist, Steven E. (Inventor); Campbell, Richard L. (Inventor)

    2006-01-01

    An aircraft wing includes a leading airfoil element and a trailing airfoil element. At least one slot is defined by the wing during at least one transonic condition of the wing. The slot may either extend spanwise along only a portion of the wingspan, or it may extend spanwise along the entire wingspan. In either case, the slot allows a portion of the air flowing along the lower surface of the leading airfoil element to split and flow over the upper surface of the trailing airfoil element so as to achieve a performance improvement in the transonic condition.

  11. The mechanical problems on additive manufacturing of viscoelastic solids with integral conditions on a surface increasing in the growth process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parshin, D. A.; Manzhirov, A. V.

    2018-04-01

    Quasistatic mechanical problems on additive manufacturing aging viscoelastic solids are investigated. The processes of piecewise-continuous accretion of such solids are considered. The consideration is carried out in the framework of linear mechanics of growing solids. A theorem about commutativity of the integration over an arbitrary surface increasing in the solid growing process and the time-derived integral operator of viscoelasticity with a limit depending on the solid point is proved. This theorem provides an efficient way to construct on the basis of Saint-Venant principle solutions of nonclassical boundary-value problems for describing the mechanical behaviour of additively formed solids with integral satisfaction of boundary conditions on the surfaces expanding due to the additional material influx to the formed solid. The constructed solutions will retrace the evolution of the stress-strain state of the solids under consideration during and after the processes of their additive formation. An example of applying the proved theorem is given.

  12. Addition of sodium caseinate to skim milk increases nonsedimentable casein and causes significant changes in rennet-induced gelation, heat stability, and ethanol stability.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yingchen; Kelly, Alan L; O'Mahony, James A; Guinee, Timothy P

    2017-02-01

    The protein content of skim milk was increased from 3.3 to 4.1% (wt/wt) by the addition of a blend of skim milk powder and sodium caseinate (NaCas), in which the weight ratio of skim milk powder to NaCas was varied from 0.8:0.0 to 0.0:0.8. Addition of NaCas increased the levels of nonsedimentable casein (from ∼6 to 18% of total casein) and calcium (from ∼36 to 43% of total calcium) and reduced the turbidity of the fortified milk, to a degree depending on level of NaCas added. Rennet gelation was adversely affected by the addition of NaCas at 0.2% (wt/wt) and completely inhibited at NaCas ≥0.4% (wt/wt). Rennet-induced hydrolysis was not affected by added NaCas. The proportion of total casein that was nonsedimentable on centrifugation (3,000 × g, 1 h, 25°C) of the rennet-treated milk after incubation for 1 h at 31°C increased significantly on addition of NaCas at ≥0.4% (wt/wt). Heat stability in the pH range 6.7 to 7.2 and ethanol stability at pH 6.4 were enhanced by the addition of NaCas. It is suggested that the negative effect of NaCas on rennet gelation is due to the increase in nonsedimentable casein, which upon hydrolysis by chymosin forms into small nonsedimentable particles that physically come between, and impede the aggregation of, rennet-altered para-casein micelles, and thereby inhibit the development of a gel network. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A New Pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco

    PubMed Central

    Ibrahim, Nizar; Unwin, David M.; Martill, David M.; Baidder, Lahssen; Zouhri, Samir

    2010-01-01

    The Kem Kem beds in South Eastern Morocco contain a rich early Upper (or possibly late Lower) Cretaceous vertebrate assemblage. Fragmentary remains, predominantly teeth and jaw tips, represent several kinds of pterosaur although only one species, the ornithocheirid Coloborhynchus moroccensis, has been named. Here, we describe a new azhdarchid pterosaur, Alanqa saharica nov. gen. nov. sp., based on an almost complete well preserved mandibular symphysis from Aferdou N'Chaft. We assign additional fragmentary jaw remains, some of which have been tentatively identified as azhdarchid and pteranodontid, to this new taxon which is distinguished from other azhdarchids by a remarkably straight, elongate, lance-shaped mandibular symphysis that bears a pronounced dorsal eminence near the posterior end of its dorsal (occlusal) surface. Most remains, including the holotype, represent individuals of approximately three to four meters in wingspan, but a fragment of a large cervical vertebra, that probably also belongs to A. saharica, suggests that wingspans of six meters were achieved in this species. The Kem Kem beds have yielded the most diverse pterosaur assemblage yet reported from Africa and provide the first clear evidence for the presence of azhdarchids in Gondwana at the start of the Late Cretaceous. This, the relatively large size achieved by Alanqa, and the additional evidence of variable jaw morphology in azhdarchids provided by this taxon, indicates a longer and more complex history for this clade than previously suspected. PMID:20520782

  14. Gliding flight in a jackdaw: a wind tunnel study.

    PubMed

    Rosén, M; Hedenström, A

    2001-03-01

    We examined the gliding flight performance of a jackdaw Corvus monedula in a wind tunnel. The jackdaw was able to glide steadily at speeds between 6 and 11 m s(-1). The bird changed its wingspan and wing area over this speed range, and we measured the so-called glide super-polar, which is the envelope of fixed-wing glide polars over a range of forward speeds and sinking speeds. The glide super-polar was an inverted U-shape with a minimum sinking speed (V(ms)) at 7.4 m s(-1) and a speed for best glide (V(bg)) at 8.3 m s(-)). At the minimum sinking speed, the associated vertical sinking speed was 0.62 m s(-1). The relationship between the ratio of lift to drag (L:D) and airspeed showed an inverted U-shape with a maximum of 12.6 at 8.5 m s(-1). Wingspan decreased linearly with speed over the whole speed range investigated. The tail was spread extensively at low and moderate speeds; at speeds between 6 and 9 m s(-1), the tail area decreased linearly with speed, and at speeds above 9 m s(-1) the tail was fully furled. Reynolds number calculated with the mean chord as the reference length ranged from 38 000 to 76 000 over the speed range 6-11 m s(-1). Comparisons of the jackdaw flight performance were made with existing theory of gliding flight. We also re-analysed data on span ratios with respect to speed in two other bird species previously studied in wind tunnels. These data indicate that an equation for calculating the span ratio, which minimises the sum of induced and profile drag, does not predict the actual span ratios observed in these birds. We derive an alternative equation on the basis of the observed span ratios for calculating wingspan and wing area with respect to forward speed in gliding birds from information about body mass, maximum wingspan, maximum wing area and maximum coefficient of lift. These alternative equations can be used in combination with any model of gliding flight where wing area and wingspan are considered to calculate sinking rate with

  15. Increases in soil aggregation following phosphorus additions in a tropical premontane forest are not driven by root and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Camenzind, Tessa; Papathanasiou, Helena; Foerster, Antje; Dietrich, Karla; Hertel, Dietrich; Homeier, Juergen; Oelmann, Yvonne; Olsson, Pål Axel; Suárez, Juan; Rillig, Matthias

    2015-12-01

    Tropical ecosystems have an important role in global change scenarios, in part because they serve as a large terrestrial carbon pool. Carbon protection is mediated by soil aggregation processes, whereby biotic and abiotic factors influence the formation and stability of aggregates. Nutrient additions may affect soil structure indirectly by simultaneous shifts in biotic factors, mainly roots and fungal hyphae, but also via impacts on abiotic soil properties. Here, we tested the hypothesis that soil aggregation will be affected by nutrient additions primarily via changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) hyphae and root length in a pristine tropical forest system. Therefore, the percentage of water-stable macroaggregates (> 250µm) (WSA) and the soil mean weight diameter (MWD) was analyzed, as well as nutrient contents, pH, root length and AMF abundance. Phosphorus additions significantly increased the amount of WSA, which was consistent across two different sampling times. Despite a positive effect of phosphorus additions on extraradical AMF biomass, no relationship between WSA and extra-radical AMF nor roots was revealed by regression analyses, contrary to the proposed hypothesis. These findings emphasize the importance of analyzing soil structure in understudied tropical systems, since it might be affected by increasing nutrient deposition expected in the future.

  16. Increasing Dietary Phosphorus Intake from Food Additives: Potential for Negative Impact on Bone Health123

    PubMed Central

    Takeda, Eiji; Yamamoto, Hironori; Yamanaka-Okumura, Hisami; Taketani, Yutaka

    2014-01-01

    It is important to consider whether habitual high phosphorus intake adversely affects bone health, because phosphorus intake has been increasing, whereas calcium intake has been decreasing in dietary patterns. A higher total habitual dietary phosphorus intake has been associated with higher serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and lower serum calcium concentrations in healthy individuals. Higher serum PTH concentrations have been shown in those who consume foods with phosphorus additives. These findings suggest that long-term dietary phosphorus loads and long-term hyperphosphatemia may have important negative effects on bone health. In contrast, PTH concentrations did not increase as a result of high dietary phosphorus intake when phosphorus was provided with adequate amounts of calcium. Intake of foods with a ratio of calcium to phosphorus close to that found in dairy products led to positive effects on bone health. Several randomized controlled trials have shown positive relations between dairy intake and bone mineral density. In our loading test with a low-calcium, high-phosphorus lunch provided to healthy young men, serum PTH concentrations showed peaks at 1 and 6 h, and serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentrations increased significantly at 8 h after the meal. In contrast, the high-calcium, high-phosphorus meal suppressed the second PTH and FGF23 elevations until 8 h after the meal. This implies that adequate dietary calcium intake is needed to overcome the interfering effects of high phosphorus intake on PTH and FGF23 secretion. FGF23 acts on the parathyroid gland to decrease PTH mRNA and PTH secretion in rats with normal kidney function. However, increased serum FGF23 is an early alteration of mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease, causing secondary hyperthyroidism, and implying resistance of the parathyroid gland to the action of FGF23 in chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest that long-term high-phosphorus diets may impair bone health

  17. Additional Surgical Method Aimed to Increase Distractive Force during Occipitocervical Stabilization : Technical Note.

    PubMed

    Antar, Veysel; Turk, Okan

    2018-03-01

    Craniovertebral junctional anomalies constitute a technical challenge. Surgical opening of atlantoaxial joint region is a complex procedure especially in patients with nuchal deformity like basilar invagination. This region has actually very complicated anatomical and functional characteristics, including multiple joints providing extension, flexion, and wide rotation. In fact, it is also a bottleneck region where bones, neural structures, and blood vessels are located. Stabilization surgery regarding this region should consider the fact that the area exposes excessive and life-long stress due to complex movements and human posture. Therefore, all options should be considered for surgical stabilization, and they could be interchanged during the surgery, if required. A 53-year-old male patient applied to outpatients' clinic with complaints of head and neck pain persisting for a long time. Physical examination was normal except increased deep tendon reflexes. The patient was on long-term corticosteroid due to an allergic disease. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings indicated basilar invagination and atlantoaxial dislocation. The patient underwent C0-C3-C4 (lateral mass) and additional C0-C2 (translaminar) stabilization surgery. In routine practice, the sites where rods are bound to occipital plates were placed as paramedian. Instead, we inserted lateral mass screw to the sites where occipital screws were inserted on the occipital plate, thereby creating a site where extra rod could be bound. When C2 translaminar screw is inserted, screw caps remain on the median plane, which makes them difficult to bind to contralateral system. These bind directly to occipital plate without any connection from this region to the contralateral system. Advantages of this technique include easy insertion of C2 translaminar screws, presence of increased screw sizes, and exclusion of pullout forces onto the screw from neck movements. Another advantage of the

  18. Pre- and post-experimental manipulation assessments confirm the increase in number of birds due to the addition of nest boxes

    PubMed Central

    Cuatianquiz Lima, Cecilia

    2016-01-01

    Secondary cavity nesting (SCN) birds breed in holes that they do not excavate themselves. This is possible where there are large trees whose size and age permit the digging of holes by primary excavators and only rarely happens in forest plantations, where we expected a deficit of both breeding holes and SCN species. We assessed whether the availability of tree cavities influenced the number of SCNs in two temperate forest types, and evaluated the change in number of SCNs after adding nest boxes. First, we counted all cavities within each of our 25-m radius sampling points in mature and young forest plots during 2009. We then added nest boxes at standardised locations during 2010 and 2011 and conducted fortnightly bird counts (January–October 2009–2011). In 2011 we added two extra plots of each forest type, where we also conducted bird counts. Prior to adding nest boxes, counts revealed more SCNs in mature than in young forest. Following the addition of nest boxes, the number of SCNs increased significantly in the points with nest boxes in both types of forest. Counts in 2011 confirmed the increase in number of birds due to the addition of nest boxes. Given the likely benefits associated with a richer bird community we propose that, as is routinely done in some countries, forest management programs preserve old tree stumps and add nest boxes to forest plantations in order to increase bird numbers and bird community diversity. PMID:26998410

  19. Pre- and post-experimental manipulation assessments confirm the increase in number of birds due to the addition of nest boxes.

    PubMed

    Cuatianquiz Lima, Cecilia; Macías Garcia, Constantino

    2016-01-01

    Secondary cavity nesting (SCN) birds breed in holes that they do not excavate themselves. This is possible where there are large trees whose size and age permit the digging of holes by primary excavators and only rarely happens in forest plantations, where we expected a deficit of both breeding holes and SCN species. We assessed whether the availability of tree cavities influenced the number of SCNs in two temperate forest types, and evaluated the change in number of SCNs after adding nest boxes. First, we counted all cavities within each of our 25-m radius sampling points in mature and young forest plots during 2009. We then added nest boxes at standardised locations during 2010 and 2011 and conducted fortnightly bird counts (January-October 2009-2011). In 2011 we added two extra plots of each forest type, where we also conducted bird counts. Prior to adding nest boxes, counts revealed more SCNs in mature than in young forest. Following the addition of nest boxes, the number of SCNs increased significantly in the points with nest boxes in both types of forest. Counts in 2011 confirmed the increase in number of birds due to the addition of nest boxes. Given the likely benefits associated with a richer bird community we propose that, as is routinely done in some countries, forest management programs preserve old tree stumps and add nest boxes to forest plantations in order to increase bird numbers and bird community diversity.

  20. Wing morphology and flight development in the short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx.

    PubMed

    Elangovan, Vadamalai; Yuvana Satya Priya, Elangovan; Raghuram, Hanumanth; Marimuthu, Ganapathy

    2007-01-01

    Postnatal changes in wing morphology, flight development and aerodynamics were studied in captive free-flying short-nosed fruit bats, Cynopterus sphinx. Pups were reluctant to move until 25 days of age and started fluttering at the mean age of 40 days. The wingspan and wing area increased linearly until 45 days of age by which time the young bats exhibited clumsy flight with gentle turns. At birth, C. sphinx had less-developed handwings compared to armwings; however, the handwing developed faster than the armwing during the postnatal period. Young bats achieved sustained flight at 55 days of age. Wing loading decreased linearly until 35 days of age and thereafter increased to a maximum of 12.82 Nm(-2) at 125 days of age. The logistic equation fitted the postnatal changes in wingspan and wing area better than the Gompertz and von Bertalanffy equations. The predicted minimum power speed (V(mp)) and maximum range speed (V(mr)) decreased until the onset of flight and thereafter the V(mp) and V(mr) increased linearly and approached 96.2% and 96.4%, respectively, of the speed of postpartum females at the age of 125 days. The requirement of minimum flight power (P(mp)) and maximum range power (P(mr)) increased until 85 days of age and thereafter stabilised. The minimum theoretical radius of banked turn (r(min)) decreased until 35 days of age and thereafter increased linearly and attained 86.5% of the r(min) of postpartum females at the age of 125 days.

  1. Anaerobic Codigestion of Sludge: Addition of Butcher's Fat Waste as a Cosubstrate for Increasing Biogas Production.

    PubMed

    Martínez, E J; Gil, M V; Fernandez, C; Rosas, J G; Gómez, X

    2016-01-01

    Fat waste discarded from butcheries was used as a cosubstrate in the anaerobic codigestion of sewage sludge (SS). The process was evaluated under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The codigestion was successfully attained despite some inhibitory stages initially present that had their origin in the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and adsorption of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). The addition of a fat waste improved digestion stability and increased biogas yields thanks to the higher organic loading rate (OLR) applied to the reactors. However, thermophilic digestion was characterized by an effluent of poor quality and high VFA content. Results from spectroscopic analysis suggested the adsorption of lipid components onto the anaerobic biomass, thus disturbing the complete degradation of substrate during the treatment. The formation of fatty aggregates in the thermophilic reactor prevented process failure by avoiding the exposure of biomass to the toxic effect of high LCFA concentrations.

  2. Airborne reconnaissance in the civilian sector - Agricultural monitoring from high-altitude powered platforms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Youngblood, J. W.; Jackson, R. D.

    1983-01-01

    Design concepts and mission applications for unmanned high-altitude powered platforms (HAPPs) are discussed. A chemically powered HAPP (operating altitude 18-21 km, wingspan 26 m, payload 91 kg, endurance 2-3 days) would use current turboprop technology. A microwave-powered HAPP (operating altitude around 21 km, wingspan 57.9 m, payload 500 kg, endurance weeks or months) would circle within or perform boost-glide maneuvers around a microwave beam of density 1.1 kw/sq m. Of two solar-powered-HAPP designs presented, the more promising uses five vertical solar-panel-bearing fins, two of which can be made horizontal at night, (wingspan 57.8/98.3 m, payload 113 kg, endurance weeks or months). The operating altitude depends on the latitude and season: this HAPP design is shown to be capable of year-round 20-km-altitude flights over the San Joaquin Valley in California, where an agricultural-monitoring mission using Landsat-like remote sensors is proposed. Other applications may be better served by the characteristics of the other HAPPs. The primary advantage of HAPPs over satellites is found to be their ability to provide rapidly available high-resolution continuous or repetitive coverage of specific areas at relatively low cost.

  3. Phenylethynyl Containing Reactive Additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, John W. (Inventor); Smith, Joseph G., Jr. (Inventor); Hergenrother, Paul M. (Inventor)

    2002-01-01

    Phenylethynyl containing reactive additives were prepared from aromatic diamines containing phenylethynyl groups and various ratios of phthalic anhydride and 4-phenylethynylphthalic anhydride in glacial acetic acid to form the imide in one step or in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidi none to form the amide acid intermediate. The reactive additives were mixed in various amounts (10% to 90%) with oligomers containing either terminal or pendent phenylethynyl groups (or both) to reduce the melt viscosity and thereby enhance processability. Upon thermal cure, the additives react and become chemically incorporated into the matrix and effect an increase in crosslink density relative to that of the host resin. This resultant increase in crosslink density has advantageous consequences on the cured resin properties such as higher glass transition temperature and higher modulus as compared to that of the host resin.

  4. Phenylethynyl Containing Reactive Additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, John W. (Inventor); Smith, Joseph G., Jr. (Inventor); Hergenrother, Paul M. (Inventor)

    2002-01-01

    Phenylethynyl containing reactive additives were prepared from aromatic diamine, containing phenylethvnvl groups and various ratios of phthalic anhydride and 4-phenylethynviphthalic anhydride in glacial acetic acid to form the imide in one step or in N-methyl-2-pvrrolidinone to form the amide acid intermediate. The reactive additives were mixed in various amounts (10% to 90%) with oligomers containing either terminal or pendent phenylethynyl groups (or both) to reduce the melt viscosity and thereby enhance processability. Upon thermal cure, the additives react and become chemically incorporated into the matrix and effect an increase in crosslink density relative to that of the host resin. This resultant increase in crosslink density has advantageous consequences on the cured resin properties such as higher glass transition temperature and higher modulus as compared to that of the host resin.

  5. A combination of exercise and capsinoid supplementation additively suppresses diet-induced obesity by increasing energy expenditure in mice

    PubMed Central

    Ohyama, Kana; Nogusa, Yoshihito; Suzuki, Katsuya; Shinoda, Kosaku; Kajimura, Shingo

    2014-01-01

    Exercise effectively prevents the development of obesity and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Capsinoids (CSNs) are capsaicin analogs found in a nonpungent pepper that increase whole body energy expenditure. Although both exercise and CSNs have antiobesity functions, the effectiveness of exercise with CSN supplementation has not yet been investigated. Here, we examined whether the beneficial effects of exercise could be further enhanced by CSN supplementation in mice. Mice were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) high-fat diet (HFD, Control), 2) HFD containing 0.3% CSNs, 3) HFD with voluntary running wheel exercise (Exercise), and 4) HFD containing 0.3% CSNs with voluntary running wheel exercise (Exercise + CSN). After 8 wk of ingestion, blood and tissues were collected and analyzed. Although CSNs significantly suppressed body weight gain under the HFD, CSN supplementation with exercise additively decreased body weight gain and fat accumulation and increased whole body energy expenditure compared with exercise alone. Exercise together with CSN supplementation robustly improved metabolic profiles, including the plasma cholesterol level. Furthermore, this combination significantly prevented diet-induced liver steatosis and decreased the size of adipocyte cells in white adipose tissue. Exercise and CSNs significantly increased cAMP levels and PKA activity in brown adipose tissue (BAT), indicating an increase of lipolysis. Moreover, they significantly activated both the oxidative phosphorylation gene program and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. These results indicate that CSNs efficiently promote the antiobesity effect of exercise, in part by increasing energy expenditure via the activation of fat oxidation in skeletal muscle and lipolysis in BAT. PMID:25516550

  6. Increase in the thermodynamic efficiency of the working process of spark-ignited engines on natural gas with the addition of hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikhailovna Smolenskaya, Natalia; Vladimirovich Smolenskii, Victor; Vladimirovich Korneev, Nicholas

    2018-02-01

    The work is devoted to the substantiation and practical implementation of a new approach for estimating the change in internal energy by pressure and volume. The pressure is measured with a calibrated sensor. The change in volume inside the cylinder is determined by changing the position of the piston. The position of the piston is precisely determined by the angle of rotation of the crankshaft. On the basis of the proposed approach, the thermodynamic efficiency of the working process of spark ignition engines on natural gas with the addition of hydrogen was estimated. Experimental studies were carried out on a single-cylinder unit UIT-85. Their analysis showed an increase in the thermodynamic efficiency of the working process with the addition of hydrogen in a compressed natural gas (CNG).The results obtained make it possible to determine the characteristic of heat release from the analysis of experimental data. The effect of hydrogen addition on the CNG combustion process is estimated.

  7. Demographic population model for American shad: will access to additional habitat upstream of dams increase population sizes?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harris, Julianne E.; Hightower, Joseph E.

    2012-01-01

    American shad Alosa sapidissima are in decline in their native range, and modeling possible management scenarios could help guide their restoration. We developed a density-dependent, deterministic, stage-based matrix model to predict the population-level results of transporting American shad to suitable spawning habitat upstream of dams on the Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia. We used data on sonic-tagged adult American shad and oxytetracycline-marked American shad fry both above and below dams on the Roanoke River with information from other systems to estimate a starting population size and vital rates. We modeled the adult female population over 30 years under plausible scenarios of adult transport, effective fecundity (egg production), and survival of adults (i.e., to return to spawn the next year) and juveniles (from spawned egg to age 1). We also evaluated the potential effects of increased survival for adults and juveniles. The adult female population size in the Roanoke River was estimated to be 5,224. With no transport, the model predicted a slow population increase over the next 30 years. Predicted population increases were highest when survival was improved during the first year of life. Transport was predicted to benefit the population only if high rates of effective fecundity and juvenile survival could be achieved. Currently, transported adults and young are less likely to successfully out-migrate than individuals below the dams, and the estimated adult population size is much smaller than either of two assumed values of carrying capacity for the lower river; therefore, transport is not predicted to help restore the stock under present conditions. Research on survival rates, density-dependent processes, and the impacts of structures to increase out-migration success would improve evaluation of the potential benefits of access to additional spawning habitat for American shad.

  8. A combination of exercise and capsinoid supplementation additively suppresses diet-induced obesity by increasing energy expenditure in mice.

    PubMed

    Ohyama, Kana; Nogusa, Yoshihito; Suzuki, Katsuya; Shinoda, Kosaku; Kajimura, Shingo; Bannai, Makoto

    2015-02-15

    Exercise effectively prevents the development of obesity and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Capsinoids (CSNs) are capsaicin analogs found in a nonpungent pepper that increase whole body energy expenditure. Although both exercise and CSNs have antiobesity functions, the effectiveness of exercise with CSN supplementation has not yet been investigated. Here, we examined whether the beneficial effects of exercise could be further enhanced by CSN supplementation in mice. Mice were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) high-fat diet (HFD, Control), 2) HFD containing 0.3% CSNs, 3) HFD with voluntary running wheel exercise (Exercise), and 4) HFD containing 0.3% CSNs with voluntary running wheel exercise (Exercise + CSN). After 8 wk of ingestion, blood and tissues were collected and analyzed. Although CSNs significantly suppressed body weight gain under the HFD, CSN supplementation with exercise additively decreased body weight gain and fat accumulation and increased whole body energy expenditure compared with exercise alone. Exercise together with CSN supplementation robustly improved metabolic profiles, including the plasma cholesterol level. Furthermore, this combination significantly prevented diet-induced liver steatosis and decreased the size of adipocyte cells in white adipose tissue. Exercise and CSNs significantly increased cAMP levels and PKA activity in brown adipose tissue (BAT), indicating an increase of lipolysis. Moreover, they significantly activated both the oxidative phosphorylation gene program and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. These results indicate that CSNs efficiently promote the antiobesity effect of exercise, in part by increasing energy expenditure via the activation of fat oxidation in skeletal muscle and lipolysis in BAT. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Cincinnati Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM)

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

    Duty, Chad E.; Love, Lonnie J.

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) worked with Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) to demonstrate Big Area Additive Manufacturing which increases the speed of the additive manufacturing (AM) process by over 1000X, increases the size of parts by over 10X and shows a cost reduction of over 100X. ORNL worked with CI to transition the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology from a proof-of-principle (TRL 2-3) demonstration to a prototype product stage (TRL 7-8).

  10. Increased yield of PCR products by addition of T4 gene 32 protein to the SMART PCR cDNA synthesis system.

    PubMed

    Villalva, C; Touriol, C; Seurat, P; Trempat, P; Delsol, G; Brousset, P

    2001-07-01

    Under certain conditions, T4 gene 32 protein is known to increase the efficiency of different enzymes, such as Taq DNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase, and telomerase. In this study, we compared the efficiency of the SMART PCR cDNA synthesis kit with and without the T4 gene 32 protein. The use of this cDNA synthesis procedure, in combination with T4 gene 32 protein, increases the yield of RT-PCR products from approximately 90% to 150%. This effect is even observed for long mRNA templates and low concentrations of total RNA (25 ng). Therefore, we suggest the addition of T4 gene 32 protein in the RT-PCR mixture to increase the efficiency of cDNA synthesis, particularly in cases when low amounts of tissue are used.

  11. Increased plant growth from nitrogen addition should conserve phosphorus in terrestrial ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Perring, Michael P; Hedin, Lars O; Levin, Simon A; McGroddy, Megan; de Mazancourt, Claire

    2008-02-12

    Inputs of available nitrogen (N) to ecosystems have grown over the recent past. There is limited general understanding of how increased N inputs affect the cycling and retention of other potentially limiting nutrients. Using a plant-soil nutrient model, and by explicitly coupling N and phosphorus (P) in plant biomass, we examine the impact of increasing N supply on the ecosystem cycling and retention of P, assuming that the main impact of N is to increase plant growth. We find divergent responses in the P cycle depending on the specific pathway by which nutrients are lost from the ecosystem. Retention of P is promoted if the relative propensity for loss of plant available P is greater than that for the loss of less readily available organic P. This is the first theoretical demonstration that the coupled response of ecosystem-scale nutrient cycles critically depends on the form of nutrient loss. P retention might be lessened, or reversed, depending on the kinetics and size of a buffering reactive P pool. These properties determine the reactive pool's ability to supply available P. Parameterization of the model across a range of forest ecosystems spanning various environmental and climatic conditions indicates that enhanced plant growth due to increased N should trigger increased P conservation within ecosystems while leading to more dissolved organic P loss. We discuss how the magnitude and direction of the effect of N may also depend on other processes.

  12. Additional consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein plus zeaxanthin concentration and lowers oxidized low-density lipoprotein in moderately hypercholesterolemic males.

    PubMed

    Kishimoto, Yoshimi; Taguchi, Chie; Saita, Emi; Suzuki-Sugihara, Norie; Nishiyama, Hiroshi; Wang, Wei; Masuda, Yasunobu; Kondo, Kazuo

    2017-09-01

    The egg is a nutrient-dense food and contains antioxidative carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, but its impact on serum cholesterol levels has been a matter of concern, especially for individuals who have high serum cholesterol levels. We conducted this study to determine whether and how the daily additional consumption of one egg affects serum lipid profiles and parameters of LDL oxidation in moderately hypercholesterolemic males. Nineteen male Japanese adults (total cholesterol [TC]>5.2mmol/L) participated, consuming one soft boiled egg per day for 4weeks in addition to their habitual diet. Despite the significant increase in their intake of dietary cholesterol during the intervention period, the subjects' serum concentrations of TC and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) did not increase. Their serum malondialdehyde modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) concentrations were significantly decreased and their LDL oxidation lag times, reflecting the resistance of free-radical-induced LDL lipid peroxidation (ex vivo), was prolonged after 2 and 4weeks. At weeks 2 and 4, the subjects' serum lutein+zeaxanthin concentrations were significantly higher than their baseline values and showed both an inverse relation with MDA-LDL and a positive relationship with the LDL oxidation lag time. These data showed that in moderately hypercholesterolemic males, the additional consumption of one egg per day for 4weeks did not have adverse effects on serum TC or LDL-C, and it might reduce the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation through an increase in the serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Anaerobic Codigestion of Sludge: Addition of Butcher’s Fat Waste as a Cosubstrate for Increasing Biogas Production

    PubMed Central

    Martínez, E. J.; Gil, M. V.; Fernandez, C.; Rosas, J. G.

    2016-01-01

    Fat waste discarded from butcheries was used as a cosubstrate in the anaerobic codigestion of sewage sludge (SS). The process was evaluated under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The codigestion was successfully attained despite some inhibitory stages initially present that had their origin in the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and adsorption of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). The addition of a fat waste improved digestion stability and increased biogas yields thanks to the higher organic loading rate (OLR) applied to the reactors. However, thermophilic digestion was characterized by an effluent of poor quality and high VFA content. Results from spectroscopic analysis suggested the adsorption of lipid components onto the anaerobic biomass, thus disturbing the complete degradation of substrate during the treatment. The formation of fatty aggregates in the thermophilic reactor prevented process failure by avoiding the exposure of biomass to the toxic effect of high LCFA concentrations. PMID:27071074

  14. Versatility of Cooperative Transcriptional Activation: A Thermodynamical Modeling Analysis for Greater-Than-Additive and Less-Than-Additive Effects

    PubMed Central

    Frank, Till D.; Carmody, Aimée M.; Kholodenko, Boris N.

    2012-01-01

    We derive a statistical model of transcriptional activation using equilibrium thermodynamics of chemical reactions. We examine to what extent this statistical model predicts synergy effects of cooperative activation of gene expression. We determine parameter domains in which greater-than-additive and less-than-additive effects are predicted for cooperative regulation by two activators. We show that the statistical approach can be used to identify different causes of synergistic greater-than-additive effects: nonlinearities of the thermostatistical transcriptional machinery and three-body interactions between RNA polymerase and two activators. In particular, our model-based analysis suggests that at low transcription factor concentrations cooperative activation cannot yield synergistic greater-than-additive effects, i.e., DNA transcription can only exhibit less-than-additive effects. Accordingly, transcriptional activity turns from synergistic greater-than-additive responses at relatively high transcription factor concentrations into less-than-additive responses at relatively low concentrations. In addition, two types of re-entrant phenomena are predicted. First, our analysis predicts that under particular circumstances transcriptional activity will feature a sequence of less-than-additive, greater-than-additive, and eventually less-than-additive effects when for fixed activator concentrations the regulatory impact of activators on the binding of RNA polymerase to the promoter increases from weak, to moderate, to strong. Second, for appropriate promoter conditions when activator concentrations are increased then the aforementioned re-entrant sequence of less-than-additive, greater-than-additive, and less-than-additive effects is predicted as well. Finally, our model-based analysis suggests that even for weak activators that individually induce only negligible increases in promoter activity, promoter activity can exhibit greater-than-additive responses when

  15. Massive carbon addition to an organic-rich Andosol increased the subsoil but not the topsoil carbon stock

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zieger, Antonia; Kaiser, Klaus; Ríos Guayasamín, Pedro; Kaupenjohann, Martin

    2018-05-01

    OC inputs cannot be taken up by the obviously OC-saturated topsoil but induce downward migration and gradually increasing storage of OC in subsurface soil layers. The small additional OC accumulation despite the extremely large OC input over 20 years, however, shows that long time periods of high input are needed to promote the downward movement and deep soil storage of OC.

  16. Meta-analysis identifies 29 additional ulcerative colitis risk loci, increasing the number of confirmed associations to 47.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Carl A; Boucher, Gabrielle; Lees, Charlie W; Franke, Andre; D'Amato, Mauro; Taylor, Kent D; Lee, James C; Goyette, Philippe; Imielinski, Marcin; Latiano, Anna; Lagacé, Caroline; Scott, Regan; Amininejad, Leila; Bumpstead, Suzannah; Baidoo, Leonard; Baldassano, Robert N; Barclay, Murray; Bayless, Theodore M; Brand, Stephan; Büning, Carsten; Colombel, Jean-Frédéric; Denson, Lee A; De Vos, Martine; Dubinsky, Marla; Edwards, Cathryn; Ellinghaus, David; Fehrmann, Rudolf S N; Floyd, James A B; Florin, Timothy; Franchimont, Denis; Franke, Lude; Georges, Michel; Glas, Jürgen; Glazer, Nicole L; Guthery, Stephen L; Haritunians, Talin; Hayward, Nicholas K; Hugot, Jean-Pierre; Jobin, Gilles; Laukens, Debby; Lawrance, Ian; Lémann, Marc; Levine, Arie; Libioulle, Cecile; Louis, Edouard; McGovern, Dermot P; Milla, Monica; Montgomery, Grant W; Morley, Katherine I; Mowat, Craig; Ng, Aylwin; Newman, William; Ophoff, Roel A; Papi, Laura; Palmieri, Orazio; Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent; Panés, Julián; Phillips, Anne; Prescott, Natalie J; Proctor, Deborah D; Roberts, Rebecca; Russell, Richard; Rutgeerts, Paul; Sanderson, Jeremy; Sans, Miquel; Schumm, Philip; Seibold, Frank; Sharma, Yashoda; Simms, Lisa A; Seielstad, Mark; Steinhart, A Hillary; Targan, Stephan R; van den Berg, Leonard H; Vatn, Morten; Verspaget, Hein; Walters, Thomas; Wijmenga, Cisca; Wilson, David C; Westra, Harm-Jan; Xavier, Ramnik J; Zhao, Zhen Z; Ponsioen, Cyriel Y; Andersen, Vibeke; Torkvist, Leif; Gazouli, Maria; Anagnou, Nicholas P; Karlsen, Tom H; Kupcinskas, Limas; Sventoraityte, Jurgita; Mansfield, John C; Kugathasan, Subra; Silverberg, Mark S; Halfvarson, Jonas; Rotter, Jerome I; Mathew, Christopher G; Griffiths, Anne M; Gearry, Richard; Ahmad, Tariq; Brant, Steven R; Chamaillard, Mathias; Satsangi, Jack; Cho, Judy H; Schreiber, Stefan; Daly, Mark J; Barrett, Jeffrey C; Parkes, Miles; Annese, Vito; Hakonarson, Hakon; Radford-Smith, Graham; Duerr, Richard H; Vermeire, Séverine; Weersma, Rinse K; Rioux, John D

    2011-03-01

    Genome-wide association studies and candidate gene studies in ulcerative colitis have identified 18 susceptibility loci. We conducted a meta-analysis of six ulcerative colitis genome-wide association study datasets, comprising 6,687 cases and 19,718 controls, and followed up the top association signals in 9,628 cases and 12,917 controls. We identified 29 additional risk loci (P < 5 × 10(-8)), increasing the number of ulcerative colitis-associated loci to 47. After annotating associated regions using GRAIL, expression quantitative trait loci data and correlations with non-synonymous SNPs, we identified many candidate genes that provide potentially important insights into disease pathogenesis, including IL1R2, IL8RA-IL8RB, IL7R, IL12B, DAP, PRDM1, JAK2, IRF5, GNA12 and LSP1. The total number of confirmed inflammatory bowel disease risk loci is now 99, including a minimum of 28 shared association signals between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

  17. Use of different spices as potential natural antioxidant additives on cooked beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Increase of DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Marina Pelincer; Tavano, Olga Luisa

    2014-12-01

    Herbs and spices, excellent sources of phenolic compounds, can be considered potential antioxidant additives. The use of spices must strike a balance between their potential antioxidant capabilities during preparation and the flavor acceptance, in order to avoid rejection of the food. The aimed of this study is to evaluate the influence of different spices and their concentrations on cooked common beans, focusing its potential as antioxidant additives. Onion, parsley, spring onion, laurel and coriander increased the antioxidant activity of preparation when used at 7.96 g of onion, 1.06 g parsley, 3.43 g spring onion, 0.25 g laurel (dry leaves), and 0.43 g coriander/100 g of cooked beans. Besides, these spices concentrations enhance total phenolics and alter the mixture protein digestibility minimally. For garlic samples it was not possible to establish a concentration that increases the antioxidant activity of cooked beans.

  18. Simplified methods of predicting aircraft rolling moments due to vortex encounters

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1977-05-01

    Computational methods suitable for fast and accurate prediction of rolling moments on aircraft : encountering wake vortices are presented. Appropriate modifications to strip theory are developed which account for the effects of finite wingspan. It is...

  19. Design and aerodynamic characteristics of a span morphing wing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Yuemin; Liu, Yanju; Leng, Jinsong

    2009-03-01

    Flight vehicles are often designed to function around a primary operating point such as an efficient cruise or a high maneuverability mode. Performance and efficiency deteriorate rapidly as the airplane moves towards other portions of the flight envelope. One solution to this quandary is to radically change the shape of the aircraft. This yields both improved efficiency and a larger flight envelope. This global shape change is an example of morphing aircraft . One concept of morphing is the span morphing wing in which the wingspan is varied to accommodate multiple flight regimes. This type of design allows for at least two discreet modes of the aircraft. The original configuration, in which the extensible portion of the wing is fully retracted, yields a high speed dash mode. Fully extending the wing provides the aircraft with a low speed mode tailored for fine tracking and loiter tasks. This paper discusses the design of a span morphing wing that permits a change in the aspect ratio while simultaneously supporting structural wing loads. The wing cross section is maintained by NACA 4412 rib sections . The span morphing wing was investigated in different configurations. The wing area and the aspect ratio of the span morphing wing increase as the wings pan increases. Computational aerodynamics are used to estimate the performance and dynamic characteristics of each wing shape of this span morphing wing as its wingspan is changed. Results show that in order to obtain the same lift, the conventional wing requires a larger angle of attach(AOA) than that of the span morphing wing.The lift of the span morphing wing increases as the wing span ,Mach number and AOA increases.

  20. Responses of ecosystem water use efficiency to spring snow and summer water addition with or without nitrogen addition in a temperate steppe

    PubMed Central

    Zhai, Penghui; Huang, Jianhui; Zhao, Xiang; Dong, Kuanhu

    2018-01-01

    Water use efficiency (WUE) is an important indicator of ecosystem functioning but how ecosystem WUE responds to climate change including precipitation and nitrogen (N) deposition increases is still unknown. To investigate such responses, an experiment with a randomized block design with water (spring snowfall or summer water addition) and nitrogen addition was conducted in a temperate steppe of northern China. We investigated net ecosystem CO2 production (NEP), gross ecosystem production (GEP) and evapotranspiration (ET) to calculate ecosystem WUE (WUEnep = NEP/ET or WUEgep = GEP/ET) under spring snow and summer water addition with or without N addition from 2011 to 2013. The results showed that spring snow addition only had significant effect on ecosystem WUE in 2013 and summer water addition showed positive effect on ecosystem WUE in 2011 and 2013, as their effects on NEP and GEP is stronger than ET. N addition increased ecosystem WUE in 2012 and 2013 both in spring snow addition and summer water addition for its increasing effects on NEP and GEP but no effect on ET. Summer water addition had less but N addition had greater increasing effects on ecosystem WUE as natural precipitation increase indicating that natural precipitation regulates ecosystem WUE responses to water and N addition. Moreover, WUE was tightly related with atmospheric vapor-pressure deficit (VPD), photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), precipitation and soil moisture indicating the regulation of climate drivers on ecosystem WUE. In addition, it also was affected by aboveground net primary production (ANPP). The study suggests that ecosystem WUE responses to water and N addition is determined by the change in carbon process rather than that in water process, which are regulated by climate change in the temperate steppe of northern China. PMID:29529082

  1. Responses of ecosystem water use efficiency to spring snow and summer water addition with or without nitrogen addition in a temperate steppe.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaolin; Zhai, Penghui; Huang, Jianhui; Zhao, Xiang; Dong, Kuanhu

    2018-01-01

    Water use efficiency (WUE) is an important indicator of ecosystem functioning but how ecosystem WUE responds to climate change including precipitation and nitrogen (N) deposition increases is still unknown. To investigate such responses, an experiment with a randomized block design with water (spring snowfall or summer water addition) and nitrogen addition was conducted in a temperate steppe of northern China. We investigated net ecosystem CO2 production (NEP), gross ecosystem production (GEP) and evapotranspiration (ET) to calculate ecosystem WUE (WUEnep = NEP/ET or WUEgep = GEP/ET) under spring snow and summer water addition with or without N addition from 2011 to 2013. The results showed that spring snow addition only had significant effect on ecosystem WUE in 2013 and summer water addition showed positive effect on ecosystem WUE in 2011 and 2013, as their effects on NEP and GEP is stronger than ET. N addition increased ecosystem WUE in 2012 and 2013 both in spring snow addition and summer water addition for its increasing effects on NEP and GEP but no effect on ET. Summer water addition had less but N addition had greater increasing effects on ecosystem WUE as natural precipitation increase indicating that natural precipitation regulates ecosystem WUE responses to water and N addition. Moreover, WUE was tightly related with atmospheric vapor-pressure deficit (VPD), photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), precipitation and soil moisture indicating the regulation of climate drivers on ecosystem WUE. In addition, it also was affected by aboveground net primary production (ANPP). The study suggests that ecosystem WUE responses to water and N addition is determined by the change in carbon process rather than that in water process, which are regulated by climate change in the temperate steppe of northern China.

  2. Computational Process Modeling for Additive Manufacturing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bagg, Stacey; Zhang, Wei

    2014-01-01

    Computational Process and Material Modeling of Powder Bed additive manufacturing of IN 718. Optimize material build parameters with reduced time and cost through modeling. Increase understanding of build properties. Increase reliability of builds. Decrease time to adoption of process for critical hardware. Potential to decrease post-build heat treatments. Conduct single-track and coupon builds at various build parameters. Record build parameter information and QM Meltpool data. Refine Applied Optimization powder bed AM process model using data. Report thermal modeling results. Conduct metallography of build samples. Calibrate STK models using metallography findings. Run STK models using AO thermal profiles and report STK modeling results. Validate modeling with additional build. Photodiode Intensity measurements highly linear with power input. Melt Pool Intensity highly correlated to Melt Pool Size. Melt Pool size and intensity increase with power. Applied Optimization will use data to develop powder bed additive manufacturing process model.

  3. Does the Addition of M-Mode to B-Mode Ultrasound Increase the Accuracy of Identification of Lung Sliding in Traumatic Pneumothoraces?

    PubMed

    Avila, Jacob; Smith, Ben; Mead, Therese; Jurma, Duane; Dawson, Matthew; Mallin, Michael; Dugan, Adam

    2018-04-24

    It is unknown whether the addition of M-mode to B-mode ultrasound (US) has any effect on the overall accuracy of interpretation of lung sliding in the evaluation of a pneumothorax by emergency physicians. This study aimed to determine what effect, if any, this addition has on US interpretation by emergency physicians of varying training levels. One hundred forty emergency physicians were randomized via online software to receive a quiz with B-mode clips alone or B-mode with corresponding M-mode images and asked to identify the presence or absence of lung sliding. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the diagnosis of lung sliding with and without M-mode US were compared. Overall, the sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies of B-mode + M-mode US versus B-mode US alone were 93.1% and 93.2% (P = .8), 96.0% and 89.8% (P < .0001), and 91.5% and 94.5% (P = .0091), respectively. A subgroup analysis showed that in those providers with fewer than 250 total US scans done previously, M-mode US increased accuracy from 88.2% (95% confidence interval, 86.2%-90.2%) to 94.4% (92.8%-96.0%; P = .001) and increased the specificity from 87.0% (84.5%-89.5%) to 97.2% (95.4%-99.0%; P < .0001) compared with B-mode US alone. There was no statistically significant difference observed in the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of B-mode + M-mode US compared with B-mode US alone in those with more than 250 scans. The addition of M-mode images to B-mode clips aids in the accurate diagnosis of lung sliding by emergency physicians. The subgroup analysis showed that the benefit of M-mode US disappears after emergency physicians have performed more than 250 US examinations. © 2018 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  4. 46 CFR 308.502 - Additional insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Additional insurance. 308.502 Section 308.502 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Introduction § 308.502 Additional insurance. The assured may place increased value or...

  5. Calcium addition at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest increases sugar storage, antioxidant activity and cold tolerance in native red spruce (Picea rubens).

    PubMed

    Halman, Joshua M; Schaberg, Paul G; Hawley, Gary J; Eagar, Christopher

    2008-06-01

    In fall (November 2005) and winter (February 2006), we collected current-year foliage of native red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in a reference watershed and in a watershed treated in 1999 with wollastonite (CaSiO(3), a slow-release calcium source) to simulate preindustrial soil calcium concentrations (Ca-addition watershed) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (Thornton, NH). We analyzed nutrition, soluble sugar concentrations, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity and cold tolerance, to evaluate the basis of recent (2003) differences between watersheds in red spruce foliar winter injury. Foliar Ca and total sugar concentrations were significantly higher in trees in the Ca-addition watershed than in trees in the reference watershed during both fall (P=0.037 and 0.035, respectively) and winter (P=0.055 and 0.036, respectively). The Ca-addition treatment significantly increased foliar fructose and glucose concentrations in November (P=0.013 and 0.007, respectively) and foliar sucrose concentrations in winter (P=0.040). Foliar APX activity was similar in trees in both watersheds during fall (P=0.28), but higher in trees in the Ca-addition watershed during winter (P=0.063). Cold tolerance of foliage was significantly greater in trees in the Ca-addition watershed than in trees in the reference watershed (P<0.001). Our results suggest that low foliar sugar concentrations and APX activity, and reduced cold tolerance in trees in the reference watershed contributed to their high vulnerability to winter injury in 2003. Because the reference watershed reflects forest conditions in the region, the consequences of impaired physiological function caused by soil Ca depletion may have widespread implications for forest health.

  6. 46 CFR 308.502 - Additional insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Additional insurance. 308.502 Section 308.502 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance I-Introduction § 308.502 Additional insurance. The assured may place increased value or...

  7. 46 CFR 308.502 - Additional insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Additional insurance. 308.502 Section 308.502 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance I-Introduction § 308.502 Additional insurance. The assured may place increased value or...

  8. 46 CFR 308.502 - Additional insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Additional insurance. 308.502 Section 308.502 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance I-Introduction § 308.502 Additional insurance. The assured may place increased value or...

  9. 46 CFR 308.502 - Additional insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Additional insurance. 308.502 Section 308.502 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance I-Introduction § 308.502 Additional insurance. The assured may place increased value or...

  10. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    -powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  11. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing Landing during First

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  12. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  13. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing on Lakebed

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    -powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  14. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing on Lakebed

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    , said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  15. Centurion Quarter-scale Prototype Pre-flight Taxi Test

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    -powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  16. Centurion Quarter-scale Prototype Pre-flight Checkout

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    -powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  17. The Albatros L 72A : a German Newspaper Carrier with Slotted Wings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1926-01-01

    The Albatros 72A is a normal tractor biplane specifically designed to deliver newspapers by dropping them overboard in bundles for ground transport to pick up. It has a 42 ft. wingspan, and a 220 HP B.M.W. engine.

  18. The effect of hydrochloric acid addition to increase carbon nanotubes dispersibility as drug delivery system by covalent functionalization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wulan, P. P. D. K.; Ulwani, S. H.; Wulandari, H.; Purwanto, W. W.; Mulia, K.

    2018-03-01

    This study is to obtain the effect of adding hydrochloric acid (HCl) to the mixture of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and HNO3 in CNT covalent functionalization. HCl expected to increase the dispersibility of functionalized CNT by improving the dispersion time period done with H2SO4 or HNO3. Functionalization used mixture of H2SO4 and HNO3 with volume ratio of 3:1. Covalent functionalization used 0.5 grams of MWCNT ultra sonicated in 50mL HNO3 with and mixture of H2SO4 and HNO3. Additions of 200 mL HCl used variation of molarity from 1M, 2M, 3M, 4M, 5M to 6M. CNT were oxidized to form carboxylic and hydroxyl bonds on the surface that increase dispersibility of CNT. FTIR spectrums showed the existences of carboxyl and hydroxyl group on spectra of 2600-3700 cm-1 and 900-1400 cm-1. Dispersion tests, which showed functionalized CNT (f-CNT) dispersion capabilities, were done by dissolving f-CNT in water. The study resulted that 6M f-CNT (NSC6) gave the best dispersion with zeta potential value of -37.1mV. NSC6 gave the longest dispersion time which was 20 days until f-CNT settle again. SEM-EDS micrographs showed the surface structure of 6M f-CNT without significant damage and no longer contain impurities of Fe, Ni, and Cl.

  19. Addition of rituximab to chop does not increase the risk of cardiotoxicity in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Kilickap, Saadettin; Yavuz, Bunyamin; Aksoy, Sercan; Sahiner, Levent; Dincer, Murat; Harputluoglu, Hakan; Erman, Mustafa; Aytemir, Kudret; Tokgozoglu, Lale; Barista, Ibrahim

    2008-01-01

    The addition of rituximab to doxorubicin-containing standard chemotherapy significantly improves response to therapy and reduces the risk of death in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. However, the impact of this approach on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity has not been elucidated. Patients who had been planned to receive CHOP or rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP) combination chemotherapy with a diagnosis of NHL were included in the study. In all patients, systolic and diastolic parameters were measured by using conventional and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography, which is more sensitive than conventional lead-dependent techniques, both before and in the sixth month of therapy. There were 28 (M/F; 14/14) patients on CHOP and 33 (M/F; 16/17) patients on R-CHOP. Median age in CHOP and R-CHOP was 49 and 50 years (P = 0.44), respectively. Cumulative doxorubicin doses were 280 and 286 mg/m(2) on CHOP and R-CHOP (P = 0.65), respectively. None of the patients developed clinically evident congestive heart failure. Parameters of systolic function such as LVEF and FS did not significantly change in any patients. In both arms, tissue Doppler parameters of diastolic function such as lateral E and septal E velocity of mitral annulus decreased significantly after therapy (P < 0.001). However, the decrease in diastolic function was similar in both arms (P > 0.05). Conventional Doppler echocardiography yielded consistent findings. Both CHOP and R-CHOP cause diastolic dysfunction in the early period following their administration. The addition of rituximab to CHOP chemotherapy does not significantly increase the risk of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity during this period.

  20. Of hummingbirds and helicopters: hovering costs, competitive ability, and foraging strategies.

    PubMed

    Altshuler, Douglas L

    2004-01-01

    Wing morphology and flight kinematics profoundly influence foraging costs and the overall behavioral ecology of hummingbirds. By analogy with helicopters, previous energetic studies have applied the momentum theory of aircraft propellers to estimate hovering costs from wing disc loading (WDL), a parameter incorporating wingspan (or length) and body mass. Variation in WDL has been used to elucidate differences either among hummingbird species in nectar-foraging strategies (e.g., territoriality, traplining) and dominance relations or among gender-age categories within species. We first demonstrate that WDL, as typically calculated, is an unreliable predictor of hovering (induced power) costs; predictive power is increased when calculations use wing length instead of wingspan and when actual wing stroke amplitudes are incorporated. We next evaluate the hypotheses that foraging strategy and competitive ability are functions of WDL, using our data in combination with those of published sources. Variation in hummingbird behavior cannot be easily classified using WDL and instead is correlated with a diversity of morphological and physiological traits. Evaluating selection pressures on hummingbird wings will require moving beyond wing and body mass measurements to include the assessment of the aerodynamic forces, power requirements, and power reserves of hovering, forward flight, and maneuvering. However, the WDL-helicopter dynamics model has been instrumental in calling attention to the importance of comparative wing morphology and related aerodynamics for understanding the behavioral ecology of hummingbirds.

  1. Optimal Lateral Guidance for Automatic Landing of a Lightweight High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System with Crosswind Rejection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Nathan Allen

    Unmanned aerial systems will be the dominant force in the aviation industry. Among these aircraft the use of high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial systems has increased dramatically. Based on the geometry of these types of aircraft the possible changing weather conditions during long flights poses many problems. These difficulties are compounded by the push towards fully autonomous systems. Large wingspan and, typically, small in-line landing gear make a landing in crosswind exceedingly difficult. This study uses a modified gain scheduling technique for optimizing the landing attitude for a generic vehicle based on geometry and crosswind speed. This is performed by directly utilizing the crosswind estimation to calculate a desired crab and roll angle that gives the lowest risk attitude for landing. An extended Kalman filter is developed that estimates the aircraft states as well as the 3D wind component acting on the aircraft. The aircraft used in this analysis is the DG808S, a large wingspan lightweight electric glider. The aircraft is modelled using Advanced Aircraft Analysis software and a six degree of freedom nonlinear simulation is implemented for testing. The controller used is a nonlinear model predictive controller. The simulations show that the extended Kalman filter is capable of estimating the crosswind and can therefore be used in the full aircraft simulation. Different crosswind settings are used which include both constant crosswind and gust conditions. Crosswind landing capabilities are increased by 35%. Deviation from the desired path in the cruise phase is reduced by up to 68% and time to path convergence is reduced by up to 53%.

  2. [Safety of food additives in Japan].

    PubMed

    Ito, Sumio

    2011-01-01

    Recently, many accidents relating to food happened in Japan. The consumer's distrust for food, food companies, and the administration is increasing. The consumer especially has an extreme refusal feeling for chemicals such as food additives and agricultural chemicals, and begins to request agricultural chemical-free vegetables and food additive-free food. Food companies also state no agricultural chemicals and no food additives to correspond with consumers' request and aim at differentiating. The food additive is that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare specifies the one that person's health might not be ruined by providing for Food Sanitation Law Article 10 in our country. The standard for food additives and standard for use of food additives are provided according to regulations of Food Sanitation Law Article 11. Therefore, it is thought that the food additive used is safe now. Then, it reports on the procedure and the safety examination, etc. in our country for designation for food additive this time.

  3. Tackifier for addition polyimides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Butler, J. M.; St.clair, T. L.

    1980-01-01

    A modification to the addition polyimide, LaRC-160, was prepared to improve tack and drape and increase prepeg out-time. The essentially solventless, high viscosity laminating resin is synthesized from low cost liquid monomers. The modified version takes advantage of a reactive, liquid plasticizer which is used in place of solvent and helps solve a major problem of maintaining good prepeg tack and drape, or the ability of the prepeg to adhere to adjacent plies and conform to a desired shape during the lay up process. This alternate solventless approach allows both longer life of the polymer prepeg and the processing of low void laminates. This approach appears to be applicable to all addition polyimide systems.

  4. Additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smalheer, C. V.

    1973-01-01

    The chemistry of lubricant additives is discussed to show what the additives are chemically and what functions they perform in the lubrication of various kinds of equipment. Current theories regarding the mode of action of lubricant additives are presented. The additive groups discussed include the following: (1) detergents and dispersants, (2) corrosion inhibitors, (3) antioxidants, (4) viscosity index improvers, (5) pour point depressants, and (6) antifouling agents.

  5. Anaerobic sludge digestion with a biocatalytic additive

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

    Ghosh, S.; Henry, M.P.; Fedde, P.A.

    1982-01-01

    The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of a lactobacillus additive an anaerobic sludge digestion under normal, variable, and overload operating conditions. The additive was a whey fermentation product of an acid-tolerant strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus fortified with CaCO/sub 3/, (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/HPO/sub 4/, ferrous lactate, and lactic acid. The lactobacillus additive is multifunctional in nature and provides growth factors, metabolic intermediates, and enzymes needed for substrate degradation and cellular synthesis. The experimental work consisted of several pairs of parallel mesophilic (35/sup 0/C) digestion runs (control and test) conducted in five experimental phases. Baseline runs without themore » additive showed that the two experimental digesters had the same methane content, gas production rate (GPR), and ethane yield. The effect of the additive was to increase methane yield and GPR by about 5% (which was statistically significant) during digester operation at a loading rate (LR) of 3.2 kg VS/m/sup 3/-day and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 14 days. Data collected from the various experimental phases showed that the biochemical additive increased methane yield, gas production rate, and VS reduction, and decreased volatile acids accumulation. In addition, it enhanced digester buffer capacity and improved the fertilizer value and dewatering characteristics of the digested residue.« less

  6. 7 CFR 3201.103 - Gasoline fuel additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Gasoline fuel additives. 3201.103 Section 3201.103... Designated Items § 3201.103 Gasoline fuel additives. (a) Definition. Chemical agents added to gasoline to increase octane levels, improve lubricity, and provide engine cleaning properties to gasoline-fired engines...

  7. NASA's Helios Prototype aircraft taking off from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii,

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    As a follow-on to the Centurion (and earlier Pathfinder and Pathfinder-Plus) aircraft, the solar-powered Helios Prototype is the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions in the stratosphere. Developed by AeroVironment, Inc., of Monrovia, California, under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the unique craft is intended to demonstrate two key missions: the ability to reach and sustain horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude on a single-day flight in 2001, and to maintain flight above 50,000 feet altitude for at least four days in 2003, with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development. Both of these missions will be powered by electricity derived from non-polluting solar energy. The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. The remotely piloted, electrically powered Helios Prototype went aloft on its maiden low-altitude checkout flight Sept. 8, 1999, over Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in the Southern California desert. The initial flight series was flown on battery power as a risk-reduction measure. In all, six flights were flown in the Helios Protoype's initial development series. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the Helios

  8. The Helios Prototype aircraft during initial climb-out to the west over the Pacific Ocean.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    As a follow-on to the Centurion (and earlier Pathfinder and Pathfinder-Plus) aircraft, the solar-powered Helios Prototype is the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions in the stratosphere. Developed by AeroVironment, Inc., of Monrovia, California, under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the unique craft is intended to demonstrate two key missions: the ability to reach and sustain horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude on a single-day flight in 2001, and to maintain flight above 50,000 feet altitude for at least four days in 2003, with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development. Both of these missions will be powered by electricity derived from non-polluting solar energy. The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. The remotely piloted, electrically powered Helios Prototype went aloft on its maiden low-altitude checkout flight Sept. 8, 1999, over Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in the Southern California desert. The initial flight series was flown on battery power as a risk-reduction measure. In all, six flights were flown in the Helios Protoype's initial development series. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the Helios

  9. The Helios Prototype aircraft in a northerly climb over Niihau Island, Hawaii, at about 8,000 feet a

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    As a follow-on to the Centurion (and earlier Pathfinder and Pathfinder-Plus) aircraft, the solar-powered Helios Prototype is the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions in the stratosphere. Developed by AeroVironment, Inc., of Monrovia, California, under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the unique craft is intended to demonstrate two key missions: the ability to reach and sustain horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude on a single-day flight in 2001, and to maintain flight above 50,000 feet altitude for at least four days in 2003, with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development. Both of these missions will be powered by electricity derived from non-polluting solar energy. The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. The remotely piloted, electrically powered Helios Prototype went aloft on its maiden low-altitude checkout flight Sept. 8, 1999, over Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in the Southern California desert. The initial flight series was flown on battery power as a risk-reduction measure. In all, six flights were flown in the Helios Protoype's initial development series. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the Helios

  10. Reducing Communication in Algebraic Multigrid Using Additive Variants

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

    Vassilevski, Panayot S.; Yang, Ulrike Meier

    Algebraic multigrid (AMG) has proven to be an effective scalable solver on many high performance computers. However, its increasing communication complexity on coarser levels has shown to seriously impact its performance on computers with high communication cost. Moreover, additive AMG variants provide not only increased parallelism as well as decreased numbers of messages per cycle but also generally exhibit slower convergence. Here we present various new additive variants with convergence rates that are significantly improved compared to the classical additive algebraic multigrid method and investigate their potential for decreased communication, and improved communication-computation overlap, features that are essential for goodmore » performance on future exascale architectures.« less

  11. Reducing Communication in Algebraic Multigrid Using Additive Variants

    DOE PAGES

    Vassilevski, Panayot S.; Yang, Ulrike Meier

    2014-02-12

    Algebraic multigrid (AMG) has proven to be an effective scalable solver on many high performance computers. However, its increasing communication complexity on coarser levels has shown to seriously impact its performance on computers with high communication cost. Moreover, additive AMG variants provide not only increased parallelism as well as decreased numbers of messages per cycle but also generally exhibit slower convergence. Here we present various new additive variants with convergence rates that are significantly improved compared to the classical additive algebraic multigrid method and investigate their potential for decreased communication, and improved communication-computation overlap, features that are essential for goodmore » performance on future exascale architectures.« less

  12. [Effect of biochar addition on soil evaporation.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jian; Niu, Wen Quan; Zhang, Ming Zhi; Li, Yuan; Lyu, Wang; Li, Kang-Yong; Zou, Xiao-Yang; Liang, Bo-Hui

    2016-11-18

    In order to determine the rational amount of biochar application and its effect on soil hydrological processes in arid area, soil column experiments were conducted in the laboratory using three biochar additions (5%, 10% and 15%) and four different biochar types (d<0.25 mm bamboo charcoal, 0.25 mm addition of biochar could change the phreatic water recharge, soil water-holding capacity, capillary water upward movement and soil evaporation obviously. But the effects were different depending on the type of biochar raw material and the size of particle. The phreatic water recharge increased with the increasing amount of biochar addition. The addition of biochar could obviously enlarge the soil water-holding capacity and promote the capillary water upward movement rate. This effect was greater when using the material of bamboo charcoal compared with using wood charcoal, while biochar with small particle size had greater impact than that with big particle size. The biochar could effectively restrain the soil evaporation at a low addition amount (5%). But it definitely promoted the soil evaporation if the addition amount was very high. In arid area, biochar addition in appropriate amount could improve soil water retention capacity.

  13. Does maternal exposure to artificial food coloring additives increase oxidative stress in the skin of rats?

    PubMed

    Başak, K; Başak, P Y; Doğuç, D K; Aylak, F; Oğuztüzün, S; Bozer, B M; Gültekin, F

    2017-10-01

    Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A polypeptide 1 (CYP1A1) metabolize and detoxify carcinogens, drugs, environmental pollutants, and reactive oxygen species. Changes of GST expression in tissues and gene mutations have been reported in association with many neoplastic skin diseases and dermatoses. Widely used artificial food coloring additives (AFCAs) also reported to effect primarily behavioral and cognitive function and cause neoplastic diseases and several inflammatory skin diseases. We aimed to identify the changes in expression of GSTs, CYP1A1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rat skin which were maternally exposed AFCAs. A rat model was designed to evaluate the effects of maternal exposure of AFCAs on skin in rats. "No observable adverse effect levels" of commonly used AFCAs as a mixture were given to female rats before and during gestation. Immunohistochemical expression of GSTs, CYP1A1, and VEGF was evaluated in their offspring. CYP1A1, glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTP), glutathione S-transferase alpha (GSTA), glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM), glutathione S-transferase theta (GSTT), and VEGF were expressed by epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, sebaceous glands, hair follicle, and subcutaneous striated muscle in the normal skin. CYP1A1, GSTA, and GSTT were expressed at all microanatomical sites of skin in varying degrees. The expressions of CYP1A1, GSTA, GSTT, and VEGF were decreased significantly, while GSTM expression on sebaceous gland and hair follicle was increased. Maternal exposure of AFCAs apparently effects expression of the CYP1A1, GSTs, and VEGF in the skin. This prominent change of expressions might play role in neoplastic and nonneoplastic skin diseases.

  14. State of the art studies/FY87 : task 5 - increasing intersection capacity with additional through lanes

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1987-10-01

    A review of the literature and a state-of-the-practice survey were conducted of procedures relating to the addition of through lanes at intersections. The capacity and level of service change at the intersection is of interest, since the reduction in...

  15. Mapping quantitative trait loci with additive effects and additive x additive epistatic interactions for biomass yield, grain yield, and straw yield using a doubled haploid population of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    PubMed

    Li, Z K; Jiang, X L; Peng, T; Shi, C L; Han, S X; Tian, B; Zhu, Z L; Tian, J C

    2014-02-28

    Biomass yield is one of the most important traits for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-breeding programs. Increasing the yield of the aerial parts of wheat varieties will be an integral component of future wheat improvement; however, little is known regarding the genetic control of aerial part yield. A doubled haploid population, comprising 168 lines derived from a cross between two winter wheat cultivars, 'Huapei 3' (HP3) and 'Yumai 57' (YM57), was investigated. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for total biomass yield, grain yield, and straw yield were determined for additive effects and additive x additive epistatic interactions using the QTLNetwork 2.0 software based on the mixed-linear model. Thirteen QTL were determined to have significant additive effects for the three yield traits, of which six also exhibited epistatic effects. Eleven significant additive x additive interactions were detected, of which seven occurred between QTL showing epistatic effects only, two occurred between QTL showing epistatic effects and additive effects, and two occurred between QTL with additive effects. These QTL explained 1.20 to 10.87% of the total phenotypic variation. The QTL with an allele originating from YM57 on chromosome 4B and another QTL contributed by HP3 alleles on chromosome 4D were simultaneously detected on the same or adjacent chromosome intervals for the three traits in two environments. Most of the repeatedly detected QTL across environments were not significant (P > 0.05). These results have implications for selection strategies in wheat biomass yield and for increasing the yield of the aerial part of wheat.

  16. Centurion on Lakebed during Functional Checkout

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    --almost half the lightweight aircraft's empty weight. John Del Frate, Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  17. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    Frate, Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  18. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    , Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  19. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    , Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  20. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    , Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  1. Quarter-scale Model of Solar-powered Centurion Ultra-high-altitude Flying Wing in Flight during Firs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    , Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  2. Centurion in Flight with Internal Wing Structure Visible

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    aircraft's empty weight. John Del Frate, Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  3. Centurion in Flight over Lakebed

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    lightweight aircraft's empty weight. John Del Frate, Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  4. Centurion in Flight over Lakebed with STS Mate-DeMate Device in Background

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    its third flight, the Centurion carried a simulated payload of more than 600 pounds--almost half the lightweight aircraft's empty weight. John Del Frate, Dryden's project manager for solar-powered aircraft, said he was impressed to see how well the aircraft handled the large weight increase from an initial payload of 150 pounds to one of 600 pounds. During 1999, Centurion gave way to the Helios Prototype, the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions. This was an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing with a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of the solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingspan increased the area available for installation of solar cells and improved its lifting capability. This allows the Helios Prototype to carry a regenerative fuel-cell-based energy storage system that will enable flight at night, while still meeting the performance goals originally established for the Centurion.

  5. Changes of Properties of Bitumen Binders by Additives Application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Remišová, Eva; Holý, Michal

    2017-10-01

    Requirements for properties of bituminous binders are determined in the European standards. The physico-chemical behaviour of bitumen depends on its colloidal structure (asphaltenes dispersed into an oily matrix constituted by saturates, aromatics and resins) that depends primarily on its crude source and processing. Bitumen properties are evaluated by group composition, elementary analysis, but more often conventional or functional tests. Bitumen for road uses is assessed according to the physical characteristics. For the purpose of improving the qualitative properties of bitumen and asphalts the additives are applied e.g. to increase elasticity, improving the heat stability, improving adhesion to aggregate, to decrease viscosity, increasing the resistance to aging, to prevent binder drainage from the aggregate surface, etc. The objective of presented paper is to assess and compare effect of additives on properties of bitumen binders. In paper, the results of bitumen properties, penetration, softening point, and dynamic viscosity of two paving grade bitumen 35/50, 50/70 and polymer modified bitumen PmB 45/80-75 are analyzed and also the changes of these properties by the application of selected additives (Sasobit, Licomont BS100, Wetfix BE and CWM) to improve adhesion to aggregate and improve workability. Measurements of properties have been performed according to the relevant European standards. The laboratory tests showed significantly increasing the softening point of paving grade bitumen 50/70 and 35/50 by 13 to 45°C. The effect of various additives on bitumen softening point is different. Penetration varies according to type of bitumen and type of used additive. The penetration values of modified bitumen PmB 45/80-75 with additives Sasobit and Licomont BS100 show increase of bitumen stiffness of 16 0.1mm and a shift in the gradation. The changes in penetration and in softening point significantly shown when calculating on Penetration index as a parameter of

  6. Evaluation of corn oil as an additive in the pre-enrichment step to increase recovery of Salmonella enterica from oregano.

    PubMed

    Jean-Gilles Beaubrun, Junia; Flamer, Marie-Laure; Addy, Nicole; Ewing, Laura; Gopinath, Gopal; Jarvis, Karen; Grim, Chris; Hanes, Darcy E

    2016-08-01

    Phenolic compounds associated with essential oils of spices and herbs possess a variety of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that interfere with Salmonella detection from fresh and dried products. Finding a compound to neutralize the effect of these antimicrobial compounds, while allowing Salmonella growth during pre-enrichment, is a crucial step in both traditional pathogen isolation and molecular detection from these foods. This study evaluated the effectiveness of corn oil as a component of the pre-enrichment broth to counteract antimicrobial compounds properties and increase the recovery of Salmonella from spices. Oregano samples artificially contaminated with Salmonella enterica were pre-enriched in modified Buffered Peptone Water (mBPW) supplemented with and without 2% (vol/vol) corn oil respectively. Samples were incubated overnight at 37 °C. The results showed that recovery of Salmonella from oregano samples was increased by ≥50% when pre-enriched with corn oil. Serovars were confirmed using a PCR serotyping method. In addition, shot-gun metagenomics analyses demonstrated bacterial diversity and the effect of corn oil on the relative prevalence of Salmonella in the oregano samples. Modifying pre-enrichment broths with corn oil improved the detection and isolation of Salmonella from oregano, and may provide an alternative method for pathogen detection in dried food matrices such as spices. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Distraction produces over-additive increases in the degree to which alcohol impairs driving performance.

    PubMed

    Van Dyke, Nicholas A; Fillmore, Mark T

    2015-12-01

    Research indicates that alcohol intoxication and increased demands on drivers' attention from distractions (e.g., passengers and cell phones) contribute to poor driving performance and increased rates of traffic accidents and fatalities. The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and distraction on simulated driving performance at blood alcohol concentrations (BrACs) below the legal driving limit in the USA (i.e., 0.08 %). Fifty healthy adult drivers (36 men and 14 women) were tested in a driving simulator following a 0.65-g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Drivers completed two drive tests: a distracted drive, which included a two-choice detection task, and an undistracted control drive. Multiple indicators of driving performance, such as drive speed, within-lane deviation, steering rate, and lane exceedances were measured. Alcohol and distraction each impaired measures of driving performance. Moreover, the magnitude of alcohol impairment was increased by at least twofold when tested under the distracting versus the undistracted condition. The findings highlight the need for a clearer understanding of how common distractions impact intoxicated drivers, especially at BrACs that are currently legal for driving in the USA.

  8. Effects of Increased Summer Precipitation and Nitrogen Addition on Root Decomposition in a Temperate Desert

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Hongmei; Huang, Gang; Li, Yan; Ma, Jian; Sheng, Jiandong; Jia, Hongtao; Li, Congjuan

    2015-01-01

    Background Climate change scenarios that include precipitation shifts and nitrogen (N) deposition are impacting carbon (C) budgets in arid ecosystems. Roots constitute an important part of the C cycle, but it is still unclear which factors control root mass loss and nutrient release in arid lands. Methodology/Principal Findings Litterbags were used to investigate the decomposition rate and nutrient dynamics in root litter with water and N-addition treatments in the Gurbantunggut Desert in China. Water and N addition had no significant effect on root mass loss and the N and phosphorus content of litter residue. The loss of root litter and nutrient releases were strongly controlled by the initial lignin content and the lignin:N ratio, as evidenced by the negative correlations between decomposition rate and litter lignin content and the lignin:N ratio. Fine roots of Seriphidium santolinum (with higher initial lignin content) had a slower decomposition rate in comparison to coarse roots. Conclusion/Significance Results from this study indicate that small and temporary changes in rainfall and N deposition do not affect root decomposition patterns in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Root decomposition rates were significantly different between species, and also between fine and coarse roots, and were determined by carbon components, especially lignin content, suggesting that root litter quality may be the primary driver of belowground carbon turnover. PMID:26544050

  9. Photoactive devices including porphyrinoids with coordinating additives

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

    Forrest, Stephen R; Zimmerman, Jeramy; Yu, Eric K

    Coordinating additives are included in porphyrinoid-based materials to promote intermolecular organization and improve one or more photoelectric characteristics of the materials. The coordinating additives are selected from fullerene compounds and organic compounds having free electron pairs. Combinations of different coordinating additives can be used to tailor the characteristic properties of such porphyrinoid-based materials, including porphyrin oligomers. Bidentate ligands are one type of coordinating additive that can form coordination bonds with a central metal ion of two different porphyrinoid compounds to promote porphyrinoid alignment and/or pi-stacking. The coordinating additives can shift the absorption spectrum of a photoactive material toward higher wavelengths,more » increase the external quantum efficiency of the material, or both.« less

  10. Interactive effects of nutrient additions and predation on infaunal communities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Posey, M.H.; Alphin, T.D.; Cahoon, L.; Lindquist, D.; Becker, M.E.

    1999-01-01

    Nutrient additions represent an important anthropogenic stress on coastal ecosystems. At moderate levels, increased nutrients may lead to increased primary production and, possibly, to increased biomass of consumers although complex trophic interactions may modify or mask these effects. We examined the influence of nutrient additions and interactive effects of trophic interactions (predation) on benthic infaunal composition and abundances through small-scale field experiments in 2 estuaries that differed in ambient nutrient conditions. A blocked experimental design was used that allowed an assessment of direct nutrient effects in the presence and absence of predation by epibenthic predators as well as an assessment of the independent effects of predation. Benthic microalgal production increased with experimental nutrient additions and was greater when infaunal abundances were lower, but there were no significant interactions between these factors. Increased abundances of one infaunal taxa, Laeonereis culveri, as well as the grazer feeding guild were observed with nutrient additions and a number of taxa exhibited higher abundances with predator exclusion. In contrast to results from freshwater systems there were no significant interactive effects between nutrient additions and predator exclusion as was predicted. The infaunal responses observed here emphasize the importance of both bottom-up (nutrient addition and primary producer driven) and top-down (predation) controls in structuring benthic communities. These processes may work at different spatial and temporal scales, and affect different taxa, making observation of potential interactive effects difficult.

  11. Replication of a gene-environment interaction Via Multimodel inference: additive-genetic variance in adolescents' general cognitive ability increases with family-of-origin socioeconomic status.

    PubMed

    Kirkpatrick, Robert M; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G

    2015-03-01

    The present study of general cognitive ability attempts to replicate and extend previous investigations of a biometric moderator, family-of-origin socioeconomic status (SES), in a sample of 2,494 pairs of adolescent twins, non-twin biological siblings, and adoptive siblings assessed with individually administered IQ tests. We hypothesized that SES would covary positively with additive-genetic variance and negatively with shared-environmental variance. Important potential confounds unaddressed in some past studies, such as twin-specific effects, assortative mating, and differential heritability by trait level, were found to be negligible. In our main analysis, we compared models by their sample-size corrected AIC, and base our statistical inference on model-averaged point estimates and standard errors. Additive-genetic variance increased with SES-an effect that was statistically significant and robust to model specification. We found no evidence that SES moderated shared-environmental influence. We attempt to explain the inconsistent replication record of these effects, and provide suggestions for future research.

  12. Replication of a Gene-Environment Interaction via Multimodel Inference: Additive-Genetic Variance in Adolescents’ General Cognitive Ability Increases with Family-of-Origin Socioeconomic Status

    PubMed Central

    Kirkpatrick, Robert M.; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G.

    2015-01-01

    The present study of general cognitive ability attempts to replicate and extend previous investigations of a biometric moderator, family-of-origin socioeconomic status (SES), in a sample of 2,494 pairs of adolescent twins, non-twin biological siblings, and adoptive siblings assessed with individually administered IQ tests. We hypothesized that SES would covary positively with additive-genetic variance and negatively with shared-environmental variance. Important potential confounds unaddressed in some past studies, such as twin-specific effects, assortative mating, and differential heritability by trait level, were found to be negligible. In our main analysis, we compared models by their sample-size corrected AIC, and base our statistical inference on model-averaged point estimates and standard errors. Additive-genetic variance increased with SES—an effect that was statistically significant and robust to model specification. We found no evidence that SES moderated shared-environmental influence. We attempt to explain the inconsistent replication record of these effects, and provide suggestions for future research. PMID:25539975

  13. Military Airlift: C-17 Aircraft Program

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-05

    cigar-shaped airships, a hybrid airship is shaped more like an aircraft’s wing, to generate lift through aerodynamic forces. Advocates hope that such...Appendix 1. System Description60 Power Plant: Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines Wingspan: 169 feet 10 inches (to winglet tips) (51.76

  14. Distraction produces over-additive increases in the degree to which alcohol impairs driving performance

    PubMed Central

    Van Dyke, Nicholas A.; Fillmore, Mark T.

    2015-01-01

    Rationale Research indicates that alcohol intoxication and increased demands on drivers’ attention from distractions (e.g. passengers and cell phones) contribute to poor driving performance and increased rates of traffic accidents and fatalities. Objectives The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and distraction on simulated driving performance at blood alcohol concentrations (BrACs) below the legal driving limit in the United States (i.e. 0.08%). Methods Fifty healthy adult drivers (36 men and 14 women) were tested in a driving simulator following a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Drivers completed two drive tests; a distracted drive, which included a two-choice detection task, and an undistracted control drive. Multiple indicators of driving performance, such as drive speed, within-lane deviation, steering rate, and lane exceedances were measured. Results Alcohol and distraction each impaired measures of driving performance. Moreover, the magnitude of alcohol impairment was increased by at least two-fold when tested under the distracting versus the undistracted condition. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for a clearer understanding of how common distractions impact intoxicated drivers, especially at BrACs that are currently legal for driving in the United States. PMID:26349918

  15. Pharmacological and Chemical Effects of Cigarette Additives

    PubMed Central

    Rabinoff, Michael; Caskey, Nicholas; Rissling, Anthony; Park, Candice

    2007-01-01

    We investigated tobacco industry documents and other sources for evidence of possible pharmacological and chemical effects of tobacco additives. Our findings indicated that more than 100 of 599 documented cigarette additives have pharmacological actions that camouflage the odor of environmental tobacco smoke emitted from cigarettes, enhance or maintain nicotine delivery, could increase the addictiveness of cigarettes, and mask symptoms and illnesses associated with smoking behaviors. Whether such uses were specifically intended for these agents is unknown. Our results provide a clear rationale for regulatory control of tobacco additives. PMID:17666709

  16. Obstructive sleep apnea combined dyslipidemia render additive effect on increasing atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases prevalence.

    PubMed

    Cao, Zhiyong; Zhang, Ping; He, Zhiqing; Yang, Jing; Liang, Chun; Ren, Yusheng; Wu, Zonggui

    2016-05-26

    Current study was designed to investigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) combined dyslipidemia on the prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). This was a cross-sectional study and subjects with documented dyslipidemia and without previous diagnosis of OSA were enrolled. Polysomnography was applied to evaluate apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Based on AHI value, subjects were classified into four groups: without OSA, mild, moderate and severe OSA groups. Clinical characteristics and laboratory examination data were recorded. Relationship between AHI event and lipid profiles was analyzed, and logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of OSA combined dyslipidemia on ASCVD prevalence. Totally 248 subjects with dyslipidemia were enrolled. Compared to the other 3 groups, subjects with severe OSA were older, male predominant and had higher smoking rate. In addition, subjects with severe OSA had higher body mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, and higher rates of overweight and obesity. Serum levels of fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, LDL-C and CRP were all significantly higher. ASCVD prevalence was considerably higher in subjects with severe OSA. AHI event in the severe OSA group was up to 35.4 ± 5.1 events per hour which was significantly higher than the other groups (P < 0.05 for trend). Pearson correlation analysis showed that only LDL-C was positively correlated with AHI events (r = 0.685, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that in unadjusted model, compared to dyslipidemia plus no-OSA group (reference group), OSA enhanced ASCVD risk in subjects with dyslipidemia, regardless of OSA severity. After extensively adjusted for confounding variables, the odds of dyslipidemia plus mild-OSA was reduced to insignificance. While the effects of moderate- and severe-OSA on promoting ASCVD risk in subjects with dyslipidemia remained significant, with severe-OSA most prominent (odds ratio: 1

  17. Ticagrelor and Rosuvastatin Have Additive Cardioprotective Effects via Adenosine.

    PubMed

    Birnbaum, Yochai; Birnbaum, Gilad D; Birnbaum, Itamar; Nylander, Sven; Ye, Yumei

    2016-12-01

    Ticagrelor inhibits the equilibrative-nucleoside-transporter-1 and thereby, adenosine cell re-uptake. Ticagrelor limits infarct size (IS) in non-diabetic rats and the effect is adenosine-dependent. Statins, via ecto-5'-nucleotidase activation, also increase adenosine levels and limit IS. Ticagrelor and rosuvastatin have additive effects on myocardial adenosine levels, and therefore, on IS and post-reperfusion activation of the NLRP3-inflammasome. Diabetic ZDF rats received via oral gavage; water (control), ticagrelor (150 mg/kg/d), prasugrel (7.5 mg/kg/d), rosuvastatin (5 mg/kg/d), ticagrelor + rosuvastatin and prasugrel + rosuvastatin for 3d. On day 4, rats underwent 30 min coronary artery occlusion and 24 h of reperfusion. Two additional groups received, ticagrelor + rosuvastatin or water in combination with CGS15943 (CGS, an adenosine receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg i.p. 1 h before ischemia). Both ticagrelor and rosuvastatin increased myocardial adenosine levels with an additive effect of the combination whereas prasugrel had no effect. Similarly, both ticagrelor and rosuvastatin significantly reduced IS with an additive effect of the combination whereas prasugrel had no effect. The effect on IS was adenosine dependent as CGS15943 reversed the effect of ticagrelor + rosuvastatin. The ischemia-reperfusion injury increased myocardial mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, IL-1β and IL-6. Ticagrelor and rosuvastatin, but not prasugrel, significantly decreased these pro-inflammatory mediators with a trend to an additive effect of the combination. The combination also increased the levels of anti-inflammatory 15-epilipoxin A 4 . Ticagrelor and rosuvastatin when given in combination have an additive effect on local myocardial adenosine levels in the setting of ischemia reperfusion. This translates into an additive cardioprotective effect mediated by adenosine-induced effects including downregulation of pro- but upregulation of anti-inflammatory mediators.

  18. Congruence of Additive and Non-Additive Effects on Gene Expression Estimated from Pedigree and SNP Data

    PubMed Central

    Powell, Joseph E.; Henders, Anjali K.; McRae, Allan F.; Kim, Jinhee; Hemani, Gibran; Martin, Nicholas G.; Dermitzakis, Emmanouil T.; Gibson, Greg

    2013-01-01

    There is increasing evidence that heritable variation in gene expression underlies genetic variation in susceptibility to disease. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the similarity between relatives for transcript variation is warranted—in particular, dissection of phenotypic variation into additive and non-additive genetic factors and shared environmental effects. We conducted a gene expression study in blood samples of 862 individuals from 312 nuclear families containing MZ or DZ twin pairs using both pedigree and genotype information. From a pedigree analysis we show that the vast majority of genetic variation across 17,994 probes is additive, although non-additive genetic variation is identified for 960 transcripts. For 180 of the 960 transcripts with non-additive genetic variation, we identify expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) with dominance effects in a sample of 339 unrelated individuals and replicate 31% of these associations in an independent sample of 139 unrelated individuals. Over-dominance was detected and replicated for a trans association between rs12313805 and ETV6, located 4MB apart on chromosome 12. Surprisingly, only 17 probes exhibit significant levels of common environmental effects, suggesting that environmental and lifestyle factors common to a family do not affect expression variation for most transcripts, at least those measured in blood. Consistent with the genetic architecture of common diseases, gene expression is predominantly additive, but a minority of transcripts display non-additive effects. PMID:23696747

  19. Congruence of additive and non-additive effects on gene expression estimated from pedigree and SNP data.

    PubMed

    Powell, Joseph E; Henders, Anjali K; McRae, Allan F; Kim, Jinhee; Hemani, Gibran; Martin, Nicholas G; Dermitzakis, Emmanouil T; Gibson, Greg; Montgomery, Grant W; Visscher, Peter M

    2013-05-01

    There is increasing evidence that heritable variation in gene expression underlies genetic variation in susceptibility to disease. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the similarity between relatives for transcript variation is warranted--in particular, dissection of phenotypic variation into additive and non-additive genetic factors and shared environmental effects. We conducted a gene expression study in blood samples of 862 individuals from 312 nuclear families containing MZ or DZ twin pairs using both pedigree and genotype information. From a pedigree analysis we show that the vast majority of genetic variation across 17,994 probes is additive, although non-additive genetic variation is identified for 960 transcripts. For 180 of the 960 transcripts with non-additive genetic variation, we identify expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) with dominance effects in a sample of 339 unrelated individuals and replicate 31% of these associations in an independent sample of 139 unrelated individuals. Over-dominance was detected and replicated for a trans association between rs12313805 and ETV6, located 4MB apart on chromosome 12. Surprisingly, only 17 probes exhibit significant levels of common environmental effects, suggesting that environmental and lifestyle factors common to a family do not affect expression variation for most transcripts, at least those measured in blood. Consistent with the genetic architecture of common diseases, gene expression is predominantly additive, but a minority of transcripts display non-additive effects.

  20. Vacuum pyrolysis of waste tires with basic additives.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xinghua; Wang, Tiejun; Ma, Longlong; Chang, Jie

    2008-11-01

    Granules of waste tires were pyrolyzed under vacuum (3.5-10 kPa) conditions, and the effects of temperature and basic additives (Na2CO3, NaOH) on the properties of pyrolysis were thoroughly investigated. It was obvious that with or without basic additives, pyrolysis oil yield increased gradually to a maximum and subsequently decreased with a temperature increase from 450 degrees C to 600 degrees C, irrespective of the addition of basic additives to the reactor. The addition of NaOH facilitated pyrolysis dramatically, as a maximal pyrolysis oil yield of about 48 wt% was achieved at 550 degrees C without the addition of basic additives, while a maximal pyrolysis oil yield of about 50 wt% was achieved at 480 degrees C by adding 3 wt% (w/w, powder/waste tire granules) of NaOH powder. The composition analysis of pyrolytic naphtha (i.b.p. (initial boiling point) approximately 205 degrees C) distilled from pyrolysis oil showed that more dl-limonene was obtained with basic additives and the maximal content of dl-limonene in pyrolysis oil was 12.39 wt%, which is a valuable and widely-used fine chemical. However, no improvement in pyrolysis was observed with Na2CO3 addition. Pyrolysis gas was mainly composed of H2, CO, CH4, CO2, C2H4 and C2H6. Pyrolytic char had a surface area comparable to commercial carbon black, but its proportion of ash (above 11.5 wt%) was much higher.

  1. Active mineral additives of sapropel ashes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khomich, V. A.; Danilina, E. V.; Krivonos, O. I.; Plaksin, G. V.

    2015-01-01

    The goal of the presented research is to establish a scientific rational for the possibility of sapropel ashes usage as an active mineral additive. The research included the study of producing active mineral additives from sapropels by their thermal treatment at 850900 °C and afterpowdering, the investigation of the properties of paste matrix with an ash additive, and the study of the ash influence on the cement bonding agent. Thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray investigations allowed us to establish that while burning, organic substances are removed, clay minerals are dehydrated and their structure is broken. Sapropel ashes chemical composition was determined. An amorphous ash constituent is mainly formed from silica of the mineral sapropel part and alumosilicagels resulted from clay minerals decomposition. Properties of PC 400 and PC 500A0 sparopel ash additives were studied. Adding ashes containing Glenium plasticizer to the cement increases paste matrix strength and considerably reduces its water absorption. X-ray phase analysis data shows changes in the phase composition of the paste matrix with an ash additive. Ash additives produce a pozzolanic effect on the cement bonding agent. Besides, an ash additive due to the alumosilicagels content causes transformation from unstable calcium aluminate forms to the stable ones.

  2. Food additives and preschool children.

    PubMed

    Martyn, Danika M; McNulty, Breige A; Nugent, Anne P; Gibney, Michael J

    2013-02-01

    Food additives have been used throughout history to perform specific functions in foods. A comprehensive framework of legislation is in place within Europe to control the use of additives in the food supply and ensure they pose no risk to human health. Further to this, exposure assessments are regularly carried out to monitor population intakes and verify that intakes are not above acceptable levels (acceptable daily intakes). Young children may have a higher dietary exposure to chemicals than adults due to a combination of rapid growth rates and distinct food intake patterns. For this reason, exposure assessments are particularly important in this age group. The paper will review the use of additives and exposure assessment methods and examine factors that affect dietary exposure by young children. One of the most widely investigated unfavourable health effects associated with food additive intake in preschool-aged children are suggested adverse behavioural effects. Research that has examined this relationship has reported a variety of responses, with many noting an increase in hyperactivity as reported by parents but not when assessed using objective examiners. This review has examined the experimental approaches used in such studies and suggests that efforts are needed to standardise objective methods of measuring behaviour in preschool children. Further to this, a more holistic approach to examining food additive intakes by preschool children is advisable, where overall exposure is considered rather than focusing solely on behavioural effects and possibly examining intakes of food additives other than food colours.

  3. Effects of meat addition on pasta structure, nutrition and in vitro digestibility.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tingting; Hamid, Nazimah; Kantono, Kevin; Pereira, Loveena; Farouk, Mustafa M; Knowles, Scott O

    2016-12-15

    In our study, semolina flour was substituted with beef emulsion (EM) at three different levels of 15, 30 and 45% (w/w) to develop a pasta with enhanced nutritional profile. The protein, fat, and water content significantly increased with addition of meat. The addition of meat enhanced the pasta gluten network. The redness and yellowness of cooked pasta increased with meat addition. Tensile strength increased from 0.018N/mm(2) in the control sample to 0.046N/mm(2) in 45% beef emulsion (45EM) sample. All meat-containing samples had significantly higher elasticity than control (0.039N/mm(2)). GI significantly decreased and IVPD value increased in 45EM sample. Five essential amino acids (leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan) in pasta digesta increased significantly with increasing meat addition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection

    PubMed Central

    Varona, Luis; Legarra, Andres; Toro, Miguel A.; Vitezica, Zulma G.

    2018-01-01

    In the last decade, genomic selection has become a standard in the genetic evaluation of livestock populations. However, most procedures for the implementation of genomic selection only consider the additive effects associated with SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers used to calculate the prediction of the breeding values of candidates for selection. Nevertheless, the availability of estimates of non-additive effects is of interest because: (i) they contribute to an increase in the accuracy of the prediction of breeding values and the genetic response; (ii) they allow the definition of mate allocation procedures between candidates for selection; and (iii) they can be used to enhance non-additive genetic variation through the definition of appropriate crossbreeding or purebred breeding schemes. This study presents a review of methods for the incorporation of non-additive genetic effects into genomic selection procedures and their potential applications in the prediction of future performance, mate allocation, crossbreeding, and purebred selection. The work concludes with a brief outline of some ideas for future lines of that may help the standard inclusion of non-additive effects in genomic selection. PMID:29559995

  5. Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection.

    PubMed

    Varona, Luis; Legarra, Andres; Toro, Miguel A; Vitezica, Zulma G

    2018-01-01

    In the last decade, genomic selection has become a standard in the genetic evaluation of livestock populations. However, most procedures for the implementation of genomic selection only consider the additive effects associated with SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers used to calculate the prediction of the breeding values of candidates for selection. Nevertheless, the availability of estimates of non-additive effects is of interest because: (i) they contribute to an increase in the accuracy of the prediction of breeding values and the genetic response; (ii) they allow the definition of mate allocation procedures between candidates for selection; and (iii) they can be used to enhance non-additive genetic variation through the definition of appropriate crossbreeding or purebred breeding schemes. This study presents a review of methods for the incorporation of non-additive genetic effects into genomic selection procedures and their potential applications in the prediction of future performance, mate allocation, crossbreeding, and purebred selection. The work concludes with a brief outline of some ideas for future lines of that may help the standard inclusion of non-additive effects in genomic selection.

  6. Applications of Metal Additive Manufacturing in Veterinary Orthopedic Surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrysson, Ola L. A.; Marcellin-Little, Denis J.; Horn, Timothy J.

    2015-03-01

    Veterinary medicine has undergone a rapid increase in specialization over the last three decades. Veterinarians now routinely perform joint replacement, neurosurgery, limb-sparing surgery, interventional radiology, radiation therapy, and other complex medical procedures. Many procedures involve advanced imaging and surgical planning. Evidence-based medicine has also become part of the modus operandi of veterinary clinicians. Modeling and additive manufacturing can provide individualized or customized therapeutic solutions to support the management of companion animals with complex medical problems. The use of metal additive manufacturing is increasing in veterinary orthopedic surgery. This review describes and discusses current and potential applications of metal additive manufacturing in veterinary orthopedic surgery.

  7. Effect of trace element addition and increasing organic loading rates on the anaerobic digestion of cattle slaughterhouse wastewater.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Thomas; McCabe, Bernadette K; Harris, Peter W; Lee, Seonmi

    2018-05-18

    In this study, anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater with the addition of trace elements was monitored for biogas quantity, quality and process stability using CSTR digesters operated at mesophilic temperature. The determination of trace element concentrations was shown to be deficient in Fe, Ni, Co, Mn and Mo compared to recommendations given in the literature. Addition of these trace elements resulted in enhanced degradation efficiency, higher biogas production and improved process stability. Higher organic loading rates and lower hydraulic retention times were achieved in comparison to the control digesters. A critical accumulation of volatile fatty acids was observed at an organic loading rate of 1.82 g L -1  d -1 in the control compared to 2.36 g L -1  d -1 in the digesters with trace element addition. The improved process stability was evident in the final weeks of experimentation, in which control reactors produced 84% less biogas per day compared to the reactors containing trace elements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Increasing shrub abundance and N addition in Arctic tundra affect leaf and root litter decomposition differently

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McLaren, J.; van de Weg, M. J.; Shaver, G. R.; Gough, L.

    2013-12-01

    Changes in global climate have resulted in a ';greening' of the Arctic as the abundance of deciduous shrub species increases. Consequently, not only the living plant community, but also the litter composition changes, which in turn can affect carbon turnover patterns in the Arctic. We examined effects of changing litter composition (both root and leaf litter) on decomposition rates with a litter bag study, and specifically focused on the impact of deciduous shrub Betula nana litter on litter decomposition from two evergreen shrubs (Ledum palustre, and Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and one graminoid (Eriophorum vaginatum) species. Additionally, we investigated how decomposition was affected by nutrient availability by placing the litterbags in an ambient and a fertilized moist acidic tundra environment. Measurements were carried out seasonally over 2 years (after snow melt, mid-growing season, end growing season). We measured litter mass loss over time, as well as the respiration rates (standardized for temperature and moisture) and temperature sensitivity of litter respiration at the time of harvesting the litter bags. For leaves, Betula litter decomposed faster than the other three species, with Eriophorum leaves decomposing the slowest. This pattern was observed for both mass loss and litter respiration rates, although the differences in respiration became smaller over time. Surprisingly, combining Betula with any other species resulted in slower overall weight loss rates than would be predicted based on monoculture weight loss rates. This contrasted with litter respiration at the time of sampling, which showed a positive mixing effect of adding Betula leaf liter to the other species. Apparently, during the first winter months (September - May) Betula litter decomposition is negatively affected by mixing the species and this legacy can still be observed in the total mass loss results later in the year. For root litter there were fewer effects of species identity on root

  9. Application of Natural Mineral Additives in Construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Linek, Malgorzata; Nita, Piotr; Wolka, Paweł; Zebrowski, Wojciech

    2017-12-01

    The article concerns the idea of using selected mineral additives in the pavement quality concrete composition. The basis of the research paper was the modification of cement concrete intended for airfield pavements. The application of the additives: metakaolonite and natural zeolite was suggested. Analyses included the assessment of basic physical properties of modifiers. Screening analysis, assessment of micro structure and chemical microanalysis were conducted in case of these materials. The influence of the applied additives on the change of concrete mix parameters was also presented. The impact of zeolite and metakaolinite on the mix density, oxygen content and consistency class was analysed. The influence of modifiers on physical and mechanical changes of the hardened cement concrete was discussed (concrete density, compressive strength and bending strength during fracturing) in diversified research periods. The impact of the applied additives on the changes of internal structure of cement concrete was discussed. Observation of concrete micro structure was conducted using the scanning electron microscope. According to the obtained lab test results, parameters of the applied modifiers and their influence on changes of internal structure of cement concrete are reflected in the increase of mechanical properties of pavement quality concrete. The increase of compressive and bending strength in case of all analysed research periods was proved.

  10. ADHD Diet: Do Food Additives Cause Hyperactivity?

    MedlinePlus

    ... additives and their possible effects is controversial. Some studies indicate that certain food colorings and preservatives may increase hyperactive behavior in some children. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food ...

  11. Food additives

    PubMed Central

    Spencer, Michael

    1974-01-01

    Food additives are discussed from the food technology point of view. The reasons for their use are summarized: (1) to protect food from chemical and microbiological attack; (2) to even out seasonal supplies; (3) to improve their eating quality; (4) to improve their nutritional value. The various types of food additives are considered, e.g. colours, flavours, emulsifiers, bread and flour additives, preservatives, and nutritional additives. The paper concludes with consideration of those circumstances in which the use of additives is (a) justified and (b) unjustified. PMID:4467857

  12. VARIABLE SELECTION IN NONPARAMETRIC ADDITIVE MODELS

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Jian; Horowitz, Joel L.; Wei, Fengrong

    2010-01-01

    We consider a nonparametric additive model of a conditional mean function in which the number of variables and additive components may be larger than the sample size but the number of nonzero additive components is “small” relative to the sample size. The statistical problem is to determine which additive components are nonzero. The additive components are approximated by truncated series expansions with B-spline bases. With this approximation, the problem of component selection becomes that of selecting the groups of coefficients in the expansion. We apply the adaptive group Lasso to select nonzero components, using the group Lasso to obtain an initial estimator and reduce the dimension of the problem. We give conditions under which the group Lasso selects a model whose number of components is comparable with the underlying model, and the adaptive group Lasso selects the nonzero components correctly with probability approaching one as the sample size increases and achieves the optimal rate of convergence. The results of Monte Carlo experiments show that the adaptive group Lasso procedure works well with samples of moderate size. A data example is used to illustrate the application of the proposed method. PMID:21127739

  13. Solutol and cremophor products as new additives in suppository formulation.

    PubMed

    Berkó, Szilvia; Regdon, Géza; Erös, István

    2002-01-01

    Our research has a double purpose. On the one hand, doctors have expressed the need to formulate a rectal suppository dosage form from diuretic ethacrynic acid, which would add to the choice of treatment methods and thereby increase the possibilities of individual cure. On the other hand, the liberation and thereby the bioavailability of poorly-soluble ethacrynic acid needs to be enhanced, and for this purpose solubility-increasing additives new to rectal therapy were used. Solutol HS 15, Cremophor RH 40, and Cremophor RH 60 were used as additives in concentrations of 1, 3, 5, and 10%. The quantity of drug released changed as a function of additive concentration. Depending on the acceptor phase, the best results were achieved with an additive concentration of 1-3%, which is related to the optimal additive quantity accumulated on the boundary surface.

  14. 7 CFR 1735.18 - Additional equity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... AGRICULTURE GENERAL POLICIES, TYPES OF LOANS, LOAN REQUIREMENTS-TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM Loan Purposes and Basic Policies § 1735.18 Additional equity. If determined by the Administrator to be necessary for loan security, a borrower applying for an initial loan shall increase its net worth as a percentage of assets to...

  15. Characterization of PCC Cement by Addition of Napa Soil from Subdistrict Sarilamak 50 Kota District as Alternative Additional Material for Semen Padang

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mawardi, M.; Deyundha, D.; Zainul, R.; Zalmi P, R.

    2018-04-01

    The study has been conducted to determine characteristics of the portland composite cement by the addition of napa soil from Sarilamak subdistrict, 50 Kota District as an alternative additional material at PT. Semen Padang. Napa soil is a natural material highly containing silica and alumina minerals so that it can be one of material in producing cement. This study aims to determine the effect of napa soil on the quality of portland composite cement. Napa soil used in the variation compositions 0%, 4%, 8%, 12% and 16%, for control of cement used 8 % of pozzolan and 0 % of napa soil. Determination of cement quality by testing cement characteristics include blaine test, sieving, lost of ignition or LOI, insoluble residue, normal consistency, setting time and compressive strength. Cement was characterized using XRF. Fineness of cement decreases with the addition of napa soil. Lost of Ignition of cement decreased, while the insoluble residue increased with the addition of napa soil. Normal consistency of cement increasing, so does initial setting time and final setting time of cement. While the resultant compressive strength decreases with the addition of napa soil on 28 days, 342, 325, 307, 306, and 300 kg / cm2.

  16. Approaches to Dispute Resolution in Additional Support Needs in Scotland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riddell, Sheila; Weedon, Elisabet

    2009-01-01

    The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 aimed, among other things, to increase parents' rights in relation to the education of their children. In addition to the creation of the Additional Supports Needs Tribunals for Scotland, parents were given new rights to challenge local authority decisions through mediation and…

  17. The Impact of the Social Order to Increase Enrollment in Programs of Additional Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zolotareva, Angelina V.; Bayborodova, Liudmila V.; Lehomzeva, Elena N.; Sukhanova, Yulia V.; Razumova, Anzhelika B.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to examine the social demand impact on increasing the children's enrollment of supplementary education programs. The survey has involved children of younger and middle school age (n = 2,206), high school students (n = 2,162), and parents of children of preschool (n = 313), younger and middle school age (n = 262). The…

  18. Effects of additional data on Bayesian clustering.

    PubMed

    Yamazaki, Keisuke

    2017-10-01

    Hierarchical probabilistic models, such as mixture models, are used for cluster analysis. These models have two types of variables: observable and latent. In cluster analysis, the latent variable is estimated, and it is expected that additional information will improve the accuracy of the estimation of the latent variable. Many proposed learning methods are able to use additional data; these include semi-supervised learning and transfer learning. However, from a statistical point of view, a complex probabilistic model that encompasses both the initial and additional data might be less accurate due to having a higher-dimensional parameter. The present paper presents a theoretical analysis of the accuracy of such a model and clarifies which factor has the greatest effect on its accuracy, the advantages of obtaining additional data, and the disadvantages of increasing the complexity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Increasing the Quality of Lubricating Grease by Application of Compositions of Certain Additives Containing Sulfur and Phosphorus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Additives were prepared from mixtures of diaryl dithiophosphates and triaryl dithiophosphates, obtained by reaction of P2S5 with alkylphenols (I) or...methylenebis( alkylphenols ) (II). Each of the di- and triester mixtures obtained from I and II was reacted with vinyl acetate and with CH2CMeCO2Me to

  20. Seizing an opportunity: increasing use of cessation services following a tobacco tax increase.

    PubMed

    Keller, Paula A; Greenseid, Lija O; Christenson, Matthew; Boyle, Raymond G; Schillo, Barbara A

    2015-04-10

    Tobacco tax increases are associated with increases in quitline calls and reductions in smoking prevalence. In 2013, ClearWay Minnesota(SM) conducted a six-week media campaign promoting QUITPLAN® Services (QUITPLAN Helpline and quitplan.com) to leverage the state's tax increase. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the association of the tax increase and media campaign on call volumes, web visits, and enrollments in QUITPLAN Services. In this observational study, call volume, web visits, enrollments, and participant characteristics were analyzed for the periods June-August 2012 and June-August 2013. Enrollment data and information about media campaigns were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis to determine the association of the tax increase on QUITPLAN Services while controlling for media. There was a 160% increase in total combined calls and web visits, and an 81% increase in enrollments in QUITPLAN Services. Helpline call volumes and enrollments declined back to prior year levels approximately six weeks after the tax increase. Visits to and enrollments in quitplan.com also declined, but increased again in mid-August. The tax increase and media explained over 70% of variation in enrollments in the QUITPLAN Helpline, with media explaining 34% of the variance and the tax increase explaining an additional 36.1% of this variance. However, media explained 64% of the variance in quitplan.com enrollments, and the tax increase explained an additional 7.6% of this variance. Since tax increases occur infrequently, these policy changes must be fully leveraged as quickly as possible to help reduce prevalence.

  1. Turbulence and Cavitation Suppression by Quaternary Ammonium Salt Additives.

    PubMed

    Naseri, Homa; Trickett, Kieran; Mitroglou, Nicholas; Karathanassis, Ioannis; Koukouvinis, Phoevos; Gavaises, Manolis; Barbour, Robert; Diamond, Dale; Rogers, Sarah E; Santini, Maurizio; Wang, Jin

    2018-05-16

    We identify the physical mechanism through which newly developed quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) deposit control additives (DCAs) affect the rheological properties of cavitating turbulent flows, resulting in an increase in the volumetric efficiency of clean injectors fuelled with diesel or biodiesel fuels. Quaternary ammonium surfactants with appropriate counterions can be very effective in reducing the turbulent drag in aqueous solutions, however, less is known about the effect of such surfactants in oil-based solvents or in cavitating flow conditions. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigations show that in traditional DCA fuel compositions only reverse spherical micelles form, whereas reverse cylindrical micelles are detected by blending the fuel with the QAS additive. Moreover, experiments utilising X-ray micro computed tomography (micro-CT) in nozzle replicas, quantify that in cavitation regions the liquid fraction is increased in the presence of the QAS additive. Furthermore, high-flux X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) measurements identify a flow stabilization effect in the region of vortex cavitation by the QAS additive. The effect of the formation of cylindrical micelles is reproduced with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations by including viscoelastic characteristics for the flow. It is demonstrated that viscoelasticity can reduce turbulence and suppress cavitation, and subsequently increase the injector's volumetric efficiency.

  2. Diesel fuel detergent additive performance and assessment

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

    Vincent, M.W.; Papachristos, M.J.; Williams, D.

    Diesel fuel detergent additives are increasingly linked with high quality automotive diesel fuels. Both in Europe and in the USA, field problems associated with fuel injector coking or fouling have been experienced. In Europe indirect injection (IDI) light duty engines used in passenger cars were affected, while in the USA, a direct injection (DI) engine in heavy duty truck applications experienced field problems. In both cases, a fuel additive detergent performance test has evolved using an engine linked with the original field problem, although engine design modifications employed by the manufacturers have ensured improved operation in service. Increasing awareness ofmore » the potential for injector nozzle coking to cause deterioration in engine performance is coupled with a need to meet ever more stringent exhaust emissions legislation. These two requirements indicate that the use of detergency additives will continue to be associated with high quality diesel fuels. The paper examines detergency performance evaluated in a range of IDI and DI engines and correlates performance in the two most widely recognised test engines, namely the Peugeot 1.9 litre IDI, and Cummins L10 DI engines. 17 refs., 18 figs., 5 tabs.« less

  3. Effect of additives on the purification of urease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, X.; Wang, J.; Ulrich, J.

    2015-12-01

    The effect of additives on the purification of proteins was investigated. The target protein studied here is the enzyme urease. Studies on the purification of urease from jack bean meal were carried out. 32% (v/v) acetone was utilized to extract urease from the jack bean meal. Further purification by crystallization with the addition of 2-mercaptoethanol and EDTA disodium salt dehydrate was carried out. It was found out that the presence of additives can affect the selectivity of the crystallization. Increases in both purity and yield of the urease after crystallization were observed in the presence of additives, which were proven using both SDS-PAGE and activity. Urease crystals with a yield of 69.9% and a purity of 85.1% were obtained in one crystallization step in the presence of additives. Furthermore, the effect of additives on the thermodynamics and kinetics of urease crystallization was studied.

  4. Humic acids as pseudocapacitive electrolyte additive for electrochemical double layer capacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wasiński, Krzysztof; Walkowiak, Mariusz; Lota, Grzegorz

    2014-06-01

    Novel electrolyte additive for electrochemical capacitors has been reported. It has been demonstrated for the first time that addition of humic acids (HA) to KOH-based electrolyte significantly increases capacitance of symmetrical capacitors with electrodes made of activated carbon. Specific capacitances determined by means of galvanostatic charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy consistently showed increases for HA concentrations ranging from 2% w/w up to saturated solution with maximum positive effect observed for 5% w/w of the additive. The capacitance increase has been attributed to complex faradaic processes involving oxygen-containing groups of HA molecules. Due to abundant resources, low cost and easy processability the reported solution can find application in electrochemical capacitor technologies.

  5. Impact of Phosphorus-Based Food Additives on Bone and Mineral Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez, Orlando M; Luzuriaga-McPherson, Alexandra; Lin, Yiming; Gilbert, Linda C; Ha, Shin-Woo; Beck, George R

    2015-11-01

    Phosphorus-based food additives can substantially increase total phosphorus intake per day, but the effect of these additives on endocrine factors regulating bone and mineral metabolism is unclear. This study aimed to examine the effect of phosphorus additives on markers of bone and mineral metabolism. Design and Setting, and Participants: This was a feeding study of 10 healthy individuals fed a diet providing ∼1000 mg of phosphorus/d using foods known to be free of phosphorus additives for 1 week (low-additive diet), immediately followed by a diet containing identical food items; however, the foods contained phosphorus additives (additive-enhanced diet). Parallel studies were conducted in animals fed low- (0.2%) and high- (1.8%) phosphorus diets for 5 or 15 weeks. The changes in markers of mineral metabolism after each diet period were measured. Participants were 32 ± 8 years old, 30% male, and 70% black. The measured phosphorus content of the additive-enhanced diet was 606 ± 125 mg higher than the low-additive diet (P < .001). After 1 week of the low-additive diet, consuming the additive-enhanced diet for 1 week significantly increased circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), osteopontin, and osteocalcin concentrations by 23, 10, and 11%, respectively, and decreased mean sclerostin concentrations (P < .05 for all). Similarly, high-phosphorus diets in mice significantly increased blood FGF23, osteopontin and osteocalcin, lowered sclerostin, and decreased bone mineral density (P < .05 for all). The enhanced phosphorus content of processed foods can disturb bone and mineral metabolism in humans. The results of the animal studies suggest that this may compromise bone health.

  6. Nutrients and temperature additively increase stream microbial respiration

    Treesearch

    David W. P. Manning; Amy D. Rosemond; Vladislav Gulis; Jonathan P. Benstead; John S. Kominoski

    2017-01-01

    Rising temperatures and nutrient enrichment are co‐occurring global‐change drivers that stimulate microbial respiration of detrital carbon, but nutrient effects on the temperature dependence of respiration in aquatic ecosystems remain uncertain. We measured respiration rates associated with leaf litter, wood, and fine benthic organic matter (FBOM) across...

  7. Reduction of nitrate in aquifer microcosms by carbon additions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Obenhuber, Donald C.; Lowrance , Richard

    1991-01-01

    Aquifer microcosms were used to examine the effects of NO−3 and C amendments on groundwater from the Claiborne aquifer. Nitrate concentrations of 12.17 mg L−1 in aquifer microcosms were reduced 0.92%/d to 5.84 mg L−1 by the addition of 10 mg C L−1 for 35 d. Nitrate disappearance correlated with increases in number of denitrifiers and dissolved N2O concentration and decreases in dissolved oxygen, suggesting biological denitrification. Nitrate/chloride ratios decreased in microcosms with 10 mg C L−1 added and then increased when the C addition was removed. Carbon additions of 0.4 mg C L−1 had no effect on the microbial or chemical properties of the microcosms. Nitrous oxide levels in wells sampling the Claiborne aquifer showed an increase with depth, indicating N2O production within the aquifer. Microcosms are useful tools to examine biological transformations of chemical contaminants in unconsolidated aquifer material. The remediation of NO−3 contaminated aquifers by organic infusion is possible and appears to be a function of microbial denitrification.

  8. Why Additional Presentations Help Identify a Stimulus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guest, Duncan; Kent, Christopher; Adelman, James S.

    2010-01-01

    Nosofsky (1983) reported that additional stimulus presentations within a trial increase discriminability in absolute identification, suggesting that each presentation creates an independent stimulus representation, but it remains unclear whether exposure duration or the formation of independent representations improves discrimination in such…

  9. High phosphate diet increases arterial blood pressure via a parathyroid hormone mediated increase of renin.

    PubMed

    Bozic, Milica; Panizo, Sara; Sevilla, Maria A; Riera, Marta; Soler, Maria J; Pascual, Julio; Lopez, Ignacio; Freixenet, Montserrat; Fernandez, Elvira; Valdivielso, Jose M

    2014-09-01

    There is growing evidence suggesting that phosphate intake is associated with blood pressure levels. However, data from epidemiological studies show inconsistent results. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of high circulating phosphorus on arterial blood pressure of healthy rats and to elucidate the potential mechanism that stands behind this effect. Animals fed a high phosphate diet for 4 weeks showed an increase in blood pressure, which returned to normal values after the addition of a phosphate binder (lanthanum carbonate) to the diet. The expression of renin in the kidney was higher, alongside an increase in plasma renin activity, angiotensin II (Ang II) levels and left ventricular hypertrophy. The addition of the phosphate binder blunted the increase in renin and Ang II levels. The levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) were also higher in animals fed a high phosphate diet, and decreased when the phosphate binder was present in the diet. However, blood P levels remained elevated. A second group of rats underwent parathyroidectomy and received a continuous infusion of physiological levels of PTH through an implanted mini-osmotic pump. Animals fed a high phosphate diet with continuous infusion of PTH did not show an increase in blood pressure, although blood P levels were elevated. Finally, unlike with verapamil, the addition of losartan to the drinking water reverted the increase in blood pressure in rats fed a high phosphate diet. The results of this study suggest that a high phosphate diet increases arterial blood pressure through an increase in renin mediated by PTH.

  10. Shopper marketing nutrition interventions: Social norms on grocery carts increase produce spending without increasing shopper budgets.

    PubMed

    Payne, Collin R; Niculescu, Mihai; Just, David R; Kelly, Michael P

    2015-01-01

    We assessed the efficacy of an easy-to-implement shopper marketing nutrition intervention in a pilot and two additional studies to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability or increasing shopper budgets. We created grocery cart placards that detailed the number of produce items purchased (i.e., descriptive norm) at particular stores (i.e., provincial norm). The effect of these placards on produce spending was assessed across 971,706 individual person grocery store transactions aggregated by day. The pilot study designated a baseline period (in both control and intervention store) followed by installation of grocery cart placards (in the intervention store) for two weeks. The pilot study was conducted in Texas in 2012. In two additional stores, we designated baseline periods followed by 28 days of the same grocery cart placard intervention as in the pilot. Additional interventions were conducted in New Mexico in 2013. The pilot study resulted in a significant difference between average produce spending per day per person across treatment periods (i.e., intervention versus same time period in control) (16%) and the difference between average produce spending per day per person across stores in the control periods (4%); Furthermore, the same intervention in two additional stores resulted in significant produce spending increases of 12.4% and 7.5% per day per person respectively. In all stores, total spending did not change. Descriptive and provincial social norm messages (i.e., on grocery cart placards) may be an overlooked tool to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability and increasing shopper budgets.

  11. Shopper marketing nutrition interventions: Social norms on grocery carts increase produce spending without increasing shopper budgets☆

    PubMed Central

    Payne, Collin R.; Niculescu, Mihai; Just, David R.; Kelly, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives We assessed the efficacy of an easy-to-implement shopper marketing nutrition intervention in a pilot and two additional studies to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability or increasing shopper budgets. Methods We created grocery cart placards that detailed the number of produce items purchased (i.e., descriptive norm) at particular stores (i.e., provincial norm). The effect of these placards on produce spending was assessed across 971,706 individual person grocery store transactions aggregated by day. The pilot study designated a baseline period (in both control and intervention store) followed by installation of grocery cart placards (in the intervention store) for two weeks. The pilot study was conducted in Texas in 2012. In two additional stores, we designated baseline periods followed by 28 days of the same grocery cart placard intervention as in the pilot. Additional interventions were conducted in New Mexico in 2013. Results The pilot study resulted in a significant difference between average produce spending per day per person across treatment periods (i.e., intervention versus same time period in control) (16%) and the difference between average produce spending per day per person across stores in the control periods (4%); Furthermore, the same intervention in two additional stores resulted in significant produce spending increases of 12.4% and 7.5% per day per person respectively. In all stores, total spending did not change. Conclusions Descriptive and provincial social norm messages (i.e., on grocery cart placards) may be an overlooked tool to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability and increasing shopper budgets. PMID:26844084

  12. Organic additives stabilize RNA aptamer binding of malachite green.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yubin; Chi, Hong; Wu, Yuanyuan; Marks, Robert S; Steele, Terry W J

    2016-11-01

    Aptamer-ligand binding has been utilized for biological applications due to its specific binding and synthetic nature. However, the applications will be limited if the binding or the ligand is unstable. Malachite green aptamer (MGA) and its labile ligand malachite green (MG) were found to have increasing apparent dissociation constants (Kd) as determined through the first order rate loss of emission intensity of the MGA-MG fluorescent complex. The fluorescent intensity loss was hypothesized to be from the hydrolysis of MG into malachite green carbinol base (MGOH). Random screening organic additives were found to reduce or retain the fluorescence emission and the calculated apparent Kd of MGA-MG binding. The protective effect became more apparent as the percentage of organic additives increased up to 10% v/v. The mechanism behind the organic additive protective effects was primarily from a ~5X increase in first order rate kinetics of MGOH→MG (kMGOH→MG), which significantly changed the equilibrium constant (Keq), favoring the generation of MG, versus MGOH without organic additives. A simple way has been developed to stabilize the apparent Kd of MGA-MG binding over 24h, which may be beneficial in stabilizing other triphenylmethane or carbocation ligand-aptamer interactions that are susceptible to SN1 hydrolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Howard Hughes and His Colorful Aircraft Career

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karwatka, Dennis

    2012-01-01

    The HK-1 "Hercules" airplane made its maiden flight over 60 years ago, and it still holds the record as the airplane with the largest wingspan that ever flew. Powered by eight massive 28-cylinder engines, it was piloted by Howard Hughes during its one brief flight in California. A large portion of the airplane was made of wood, which…

  14. Stimulation of terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage by nitrogen addition: a meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Yue, Kai; Peng, Yan; Peng, Changhui; Yang, Wanqin; Peng, Xin; Wu, Fuzhong

    2016-01-01

    Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition alters the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle, which is likely to feed back to further climate change. However, how the overall terrestrial ecosystem C pools and fluxes respond to N addition remains unclear. By synthesizing data from multiple terrestrial ecosystems, we quantified the response of C pools and fluxes to experimental N addition using a comprehensive meta-analysis method. Our results showed that N addition significantly stimulated soil total C storage by 5.82% ([2.47%, 9.27%], 95% CI, the same below) and increased the C contents of the above- and below-ground parts of plants by 25.65% [11.07%, 42.12%] and 15.93% [6.80%, 25.85%], respectively. Furthermore, N addition significantly increased aboveground net primary production by 52.38% [40.58%, 65.19%] and litterfall by 14.67% [9.24%, 20.38%] at a global scale. However, the C influx from the plant litter to the soil through litter decomposition and the efflux from the soil due to microbial respiration and soil respiration showed insignificant responses to N addition. Overall, our meta-analysis suggested that N addition will increase soil C storage and plant C in both above- and below-ground parts, indicating that terrestrial ecosystems might act to strengthen as a C sink under increasing N deposition. PMID:26813078

  15. Properties of wood-plastic composites: effect of inorganic additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakraji, Elias Hanna; Salman, Numan

    2003-01-01

    Wood-plastic composites from Syrian tree species (white poplar, cypress tree, and white willow) were prepared using gamma-ray irradiation. Dry wood was impregnated with acrylamide or butylmethacrylate at various methanol compositions as the swelling solvent. Effect of inorganic additives and co-additives such as lithium nitrate (LiNO 3), copper sulfate (CuSO 4) and sulfuric acid (H 2SO 4), used at a very low concentration (1%), on the polymer loading (PL) and the compression strength (CS) was also investigated. It has been found that all the additives and co-additives, except Cu 2+, increase the PL values and only Li + has a positive effect on CS.

  16. Additives enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.

    PubMed

    Rocha-Martín, Javier; Martinez-Bernal, Claudio; Pérez-Cobas, Yolanda; Reyes-Sosa, Francisco Manuel; García, Bruno Díez

    2017-11-01

    Linked to the development of cellulolytic enzyme cocktails from Myceliophthora thermophila, we studied the effect of different additives on the enzymatic hydrolysis yield. The hydrolysis of pretreated corn stover (PCS), sugar cane straw (PSCS) and microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) was performed under industrial conditions using high solid loadings, limited mixing, and low enzyme dosages. The addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG4000) allowed to increase the glucose yields by 10%, 7.5%, and 32%, respectively in the three materials. PEG4000 did not have significant effect on the stability of the main individual enzymes but increased beta-glucosidase and endoglucanase activity by 20% and 60% respectively. Moreover, the presence of PEG4000 accelerated cellulase-catalyzed hydrolysis reducing up to 25% the liquefaction time. However, a preliminary economical assessment concludes that even with these improvements, a lower contribution of PEG4000 to the 2G bioethanol production costs would be needed to reach commercial feasibility. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. The influence of additives on Hall-Héroult bath properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haupin, Warren

    1991-11-01

    Molten cryolite is the main ingredient of the Hall-Héroult electrolyte. Additives are used to improve its chemical and physical properties. The ideal additive should decrease the solubility of reduced species in the melt and lower the liquidus temperature for improved Faradaic efficiency. It should increase, or at least not decrease, alumina solubility; increase electrical conductivity for better power efficiency; decrease density to provide better separation between the aluminum and the molten salt, and decrease vapor pressure to minimize fluoride loss. It should neither contain nor produce an ionic species with a lower discharge potential than aluminum (for the cation) or oxygen (for the anion). There is no ideal additive; hence, compromises are made. Alumina solubility and electrical conductivity are often sacrificed for improved Faradaic efficiency.

  18. Low-Temperature Additive Performance in Jet A Fuels

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-01

    coking issues for the U-2 aircraft while still retaining the required low temperature flow improvement. For the Global Hawk a lower optimum ...employ the additive at the lower concentration (2,000 mg/L), so the failure at 4,000 mg/L should not be a problem . Fuel POSF-3602 shows a JFTOT...combustor, may experience no problems due to the increased fuel viscosity caused by the additive. However, another fuel system that puts less heat into the

  19. Additives for cement compositions based on modified peat

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

    Kopanitsa, Natalya, E-mail: kopanitsa@mail.ru; Sarkisov, Yurij, E-mail: sarkisov@tsuab.ru; Gorshkova, Aleksandra, E-mail: kasatkina.alexandra@gmail.com

    High quality competitive dry building mixes require modifying additives for various purposes to be included in their composition. There is insufficient amount of quality additives having stable properties for controlling the properties of cement compositions produced in Russia. Using of foreign modifying additives leads to significant increasing of the final cost of the product. The cost of imported modifiers in the composition of the dry building mixes can be up to 90% of the material cost, depending on the composition complexity. Thus, the problem of import substitution becomes relevant, especially in recent years, due to difficult economic situation. The articlemore » discusses the possibility of using local raw materials as a basis for obtaining dry building mixtures components. The properties of organo-mineral additives for cement compositions based on thermally modified peat raw materials are studied. Studies of the structure and composition of the additives are carried out by physicochemical research methods: electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. Results of experimental research showed that the peat additives contribute to improving of cement-sand mortar strength and hydrophysical properties.« less

  20. Immobilization of antimony in waste-to-energy bottom ash by addition of calcium and iron containing additives.

    PubMed

    Van Caneghem, Jo; Verbinnen, Bram; Cornelis, Geert; de Wijs, Joost; Mulder, Rob; Billen, Pieter; Vandecasteele, Carlo

    2016-08-01

    The leaching of Sb from waste-to-energy (WtE) bottom ash (BA) often exceeds the Dutch limit value of 0.32mgkg(-1) for recycling of BA in open construction applications. From the immobilization mechanisms described in the literature, it could be concluded that both Ca and Fe play an important role in the immobilization of Sb in WtE BA. Therefore, Ca and Fe containing compounds were added to the samples of the sand fraction of WtE BA, which in contrast to the granulate fraction is not recyclable to date, and the effect on the Sb leaching was studied by means of batch leaching tests. Results showed that addition of 0.5 and 2.5% CaO, 5% CaCl2, 2.5% Fe2(SO4)3 and 1% FeCl3 decreased the Sb leaching from 0.62±0.02mgkgDM(-1) to 0.20±0.02, 0.083±0.044, 0.25±0.01, 0.27±0.002 and 0.29±0.02mgkgDM(-1), respectively. Due to the increase in pH from 11.41 to 12.53 when 2.5% CaO was added, Pb and Zn leaching increased and exceeded the respective leaching limits. Addition of 5% CaCO3 had almost no effect on the Sb leaching, as evidenced by the resulting 0.53mgkgDM(-1) leaching concentration. This paper shows a complementary enhancement of the effect of Ca and Fe, by comparing the aforementioned Sb leaching results with those of WtE BA with combined addition of 2.5% CaO or 5% CaCl2 with 2.5% Fe2(SO4)3 or 1% FeCl3. These lab scale results suggest that formation of romeites with a high Ca content and formation of iron antimonate (tripuhyite) with a very low solubility are the main immobilization mechanisms of Sb in WtE BA. Besides the pure compounds and their mixtures, also addition of 10% of two Ca and Fe containing residues of the steel industry, hereafter referred to as R1 and R2, was effective in decreasing the Sb leaching from WtE BA below the Dutch limit value for reuse in open construction applications. To evaluate the long term effect of the additives, pilot plots of WtE BA with 10% of R1 and 5% and 10% of R2 were built and samples were submitted to leaching tests at

  1. Resilient modulus characteristics of soil subgrade with geopolymer additive in peat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zain, Nasuhi; Hadiwardoyo, Sigit Pranowo; Rahayu, Wiwik

    2017-06-01

    Resilient modulus characteristics of peat soil are generally very low with high potential of deformation and low bearing capacity. The efforts to improve the peat subgrade resilient modulus characteristics is required, one among them is by adding the geopolymer additive. Geopolymer was made as an alternative to replace portland cement binder in the concrete mix in order to promote environmentally friendly, low shrinkage value, low creep value, and fire resistant material. The use of geopolymer to improve the mechanical properties of peat as a road construction subgrade, hence it becomes important to identify the effect of geopolymer addition on the resilient modulus characteristics of peat soil. This study investigated the addition of 0% - 20% geopolymer content on peat soil derived from Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatera Province. Resilient modulus measurement was performed by using cyclic triaxial test to determine the resilience modulus model as a function of deviator stresses and radial stresses. The test results showed that an increase in radial stresses did not necessarily lead to an increase in modulus resilient, and on the contrary, an increase in deviator stresses led to a decrease in modulus resilient. The addition of geopolymer in peat soil provided an insignificant effect on the increase of resilient modulus value.

  2. Increased Risk for Other Cancers in Addition to Breast Cancer for CHEK2*1100delC Heterozygotes Estimated From the Copenhagen General Population Study.

    PubMed

    Näslund-Koch, Charlotte; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Bojesen, Stig E

    2016-04-10

    CHEK2 is a cell cycle checkpoint regulator, and the CHEK2*1100delC germline mutation leads to loss of function and increased breast cancer risk. It seems plausible that this mutation could also predispose to other cancers. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that CHEK2*1100delC heterozygosity is associated with increased risk for other cancers in addition to breast cancer in the general population. We examined 86,975 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study, recruited from 2003 through 2010. The participants completed a questionnaire on health and lifestyle, were examined physically, had blood drawn for DNA extraction, were tested for presence of CHEK2*1100delC using Taqman assays and sequencing, and were linked over 1943 through 2011 to the Danish Cancer Registry. Incidences and risks of individual cancer types, including breast cancer, were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates, Fine and Gray competing-risks regressions, and stratified analyses with interaction tests. Among 86,975 individuals, 670 (0.8%) were CHEK2*1100delC heterozygous, 2,442 developed breast cancer, and 6,635 developed other cancers. The age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio for CHEK2*1100delC heterozygotes compared with noncarriers was 2.08 (95% CI, 1.51 to 2.85) for breast cancer and 1.45 (95% CI, 1.15 to 1.82) for other cancers. When stratifying for sex, the age-adjusted hazard ratios for other cancers were 1.54 (95% CI, 1.08 to 2.18) for women and 1.37 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.85) for men (sex difference: P = .63). For CHEK2*1100delC heterozygotes compared with noncarriers, the age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios were 5.76 (95% CI, 2.12 to 15.6) for stomach cancer, 3.61 (95% CI, 1.33 to 9.79) for kidney cancer, 3.45 (95% CI, 1.09 to 10.9) for sarcoma, and 1.60 (95% CI, 1.00 to 2.56) for prostate cancer. CHEK2*1100delC heterozygosity is associated with 15% to 82% increased risk for at least some cancers in addition to breast cancer. This information may be useful in clinical

  3. Organic Matter and Water Addition Enhance Soil Respiration in an Arid Region

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Liming; Wang, Jianjian; Tian, Yuan; Zhao, Xuechun; Jiang, Lianhe; Chen, Xi; Gao, Yong; Wang, Shaoming; Zheng, Yuanrun

    2013-01-01

    Climate change is generally predicted to increase net primary production, which could lead to additional C input to soil. In arid central Asia, precipitation has increased and is predicted to increase further. To assess the combined effects of these changes on soil CO2 efflux in arid land, a two factorial manipulation experiment in the shrubland of an arid region in northwest China was conducted. The experiment used a nested design with fresh organic matter and water as the two controlled parameters. It was found that both fresh organic matter and water enhanced soil respiration, and there was a synergistic effect of these two treatments on soil respiration increase. Water addition not only enhanced soil C emission, but also regulated soil C sequestration by fresh organic matter addition. The results indicated that the soil CO2 flux of the shrubland is likely to increase with climate change, and precipitation played a dominant role in regulating soil C balance in the shrubland of an arid region. PMID:24204907

  4. Culture and neuroscience: additive or synergistic?

    PubMed Central

    Dapretto, Mirella; Iacoboni, Marco

    2010-01-01

    The investigation of cultural phenomena using neuroscientific methods—cultural neuroscience (CN)—is receiving increasing attention. Yet it is unclear whether the integration of cultural study and neuroscience is merely additive, providing additional evidence of neural plasticity in the human brain, or truly synergistic, yielding discoveries that neither discipline could have achieved alone. We discuss how the parent fields to CN: cross-cultural psychology, psychological anthropology and cognitive neuroscience inform the investigation of the role of cultural experience in shaping the brain. Drawing on well-established methodologies from cross-cultural psychology and cognitive neuroscience, we outline a set of guidelines for CN, evaluate 17 CN studies in terms of these guidelines, and provide a summary table of our results. We conclude that the combination of culture and neuroscience is both additive and synergistic; while some CN methodologies and findings will represent the direct union of information from parent fields, CN studies employing the methodological rigor required by this logistically challenging new field have the potential to transform existing methodologies and produce unique findings. PMID:20083533

  5. Laser Additive Manufacturing of Magnetic Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikler, C. V.; Chaudhary, V.; Borkar, T.; Soni, V.; Jaeger, D.; Chen, X.; Contieri, R.; Ramanujan, R. V.; Banerjee, R.

    2017-03-01

    While laser additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important in the context of next-generation manufacturing technologies, most current research efforts focus on optimizing process parameters for the processing of mature alloys for structural applications (primarily stainless steels, titanium base, and nickel base alloys) from pre-alloyed powder feedstocks to achieve properties superior to conventionally processed counterparts. However, laser additive manufacturing or processing can also be applied to functional materials. This article focuses on the use of directed energy deposition-based additive manufacturing technologies, such as the laser engineered net shaping (LENS™) process, to deposit magnetic alloys. Three case studies are presented: Fe-30 at.%Ni, permalloys of the type Ni-Fe-V and Ni-Fe-Mo, and Fe-Si-B-Cu-Nb (derived from Finemet) alloys. All these alloys have been processed from a blend of elemental powders used as the feedstock, and their resultant microstructures, phase formation, and magnetic properties are discussed in this paper. Although these alloys were produced from a blend of elemental powders, they exhibited relatively uniform microstructures and comparable magnetic properties to those of their conventionally processed counterparts.

  6. Nitrogen addition shifts the microbial community in the rhizosphere of Pinus tabuliformis in Northwestern China

    PubMed Central

    Lv, Fenglian; Xue, Sha; Wang, Guoliang; Zhang, Chao

    2017-01-01

    Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition profoundly alters the soil microbial communities and will thus affect nutrient cycles. The effects of N availability on microbial community, however, are not clear. We used PLFA analysis to evaluate the effects of a gradient of N addition (0, 2.8, 5.6, 11.2, and 22.4 g N m-2 y-1) for three years on the rhizospheric microbial community of Pinus tabuliformis seedlings. The main factors influencing the community were quantified using structural equation modelling and redundancy analysis. At the microbial-community level, N addition increased the total phospholipid fatty acids content by increasing the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and root biomass. Increases in soil microbial biomass carbon and N, however, was attributed to the increased DOC, N content and decreased pH. At the microbial-groups level, Fungal, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF), gram-positive bacterial (GP) abundances and the GP:GN ratio first increased and then decreased with N addition. Nitrogen addition increased the abundances of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes mainly by increasing the DOC content and decreasing root biomass. Additionally, the decrease of pH and ammonium N caused by N addition increased the fungal abundances and reduced actinomycete abundances, respectively. Nitrogen addition shifted the rhizospheric microbial community mainly by altering the DOC content and root biomass. The current rate of N deposition (2.5 g N m-2 y-1) benefits plant growth and increases the abundances of fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, GP, actinomycetes and the GP:GN ratio. PMID:28234932

  7. Chitosan multiple addition enhances laccase production from Trametes versicolor.

    PubMed

    Adekunle, Abiodun Emmanuel; Wang, Feng; Hu, Jianhua; Ma, Anzhou; Guo, Chen; Zhuang, Guoqiang; Liu, Chun-Zhao

    2015-10-01

    Chitosan multiple addition strategy was developed to improve laccase production from Trametes versicolor cultures. The optimized multiple addition strategy was carried out by two-time addition of 0.1 g L(-1) chitosan to a 2-day-old culture media, with 24-h interval between the treatments. Under these conditions, laccase activity of 644.9 U l(-1) was achieved on the seventh day and laccase production was improved by 93.5 % higher than the control. Chitosan treatment increased reactive oxygen species generation and extracellular protein concentration in the treated mycelia. In contrast, the inducer inhibited the mycelia growth. The result of the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that the copy number of the laccase gene transcript increased by 16.7-fold in the treated mycelia relative to the control. This study provides insight into some of the intrinsic metabolic processes involved in the upregulation of laccase production in the presence of chitosan inducer in fungal culture.

  8. Notes on the Life History of Macaria curvata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in Southcentral Washington State

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

    Strenge, Dennis L.; Driver, Crystal J.; Herrington, Ricky S.

    2006-06-09

    Macaria curvata (Grote) (Geometridae;Ennomine) is a common species found in arid habitats of the western United States and Canada. Intensive light trapping found the moth to be one of the most commonly collected throughout the Hanford Site of southcentral Washington State. To provide larvae and adults for concurrent studies, a laboratory colony of M. curvata was established and maintained. Live, wild females were collected and allowed to oviposite on their food plant, rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa (Hutt.) Nesom % Baird). In our southcentral Washington study area, adults generally emerge in late March and complete 4 - 5 generationsmore » throughout the season until early October when they overwinter in the pupal stage. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of the host plant, hatching in 6 - 10 days. The larvae undergo five instars before pupation takes place in the soil. Adult females produce and average of 131 eggs (SD = 62, N = 45). Adult females have an average wingspan of 23.4 mm (+-1.23 mm, N = 31) while males have a wingspan of 24.3 mm (+-1.3 mm, N = 55).« less

  9. ARBRES: Light-Weight CW/FM SAR Sensors for Small UAVs

    PubMed Central

    Aguasca, Albert; Acevo-Herrera, Rene; Broquetas, Antoni; Mallorqui, Jordi J.; Fabregas, Xavier

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a pair of compact CW/FM airborne SAR systems for small UAV-based operation (wingspan of 3.5 m) for low-cost testing of innovative SAR concepts. Two different SAR instruments, using the C and X bands, have been developed in the context of the ARBRES project, each of them achieving a payload weight below 5 Kg and a volume of 13.5 dm3 (sensor and controller). Every system has a dual receiving channel which allows operation in interferometric or polarimetric modes. Planar printed array antennas are used in both sensors for easy system integration and better isolation between transmitter and receiver subsystems. First experimental tests on board a 3.2 m wingspan commercial radio-controlled aircraft are presented. The SAR images of a field close to an urban area have been focused using a back-projection algorithm. Using the dual channel capability, a single pass interferogram and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) has been obtained which agrees with the scene topography. A simple Motion Compensation (MoCo) module, based on the information from an Inertial+GPS unit, has been included to compensate platform motion errors with respect to the nominal straight trajectory. PMID:23467032

  10. A Review of Solar-Powered Aircraft Flight Activity at the Pacific Missile Range Test Facility, Kauai, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ehernberger, L. J.; Donohue, Casey; Teets, Edward H., Jr.

    2004-01-01

    A series of solar-powered aircraft have been designed and operated by AeroVironment, Inc. (Monrovia, CA) as a part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) objectives to develop energy-efficient high-altitude long-endurance platforms for earth observations and communications applications. Flight operations have been conducted at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards CA and at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Barking Sands, Kauai, HI. These aircraft flown at PMRF are named Pathfinder , Pathfinder Plus and Helios . Sizes of these three aircraft range from 560 lb with a 99-ft wingspan to 2300 lb with a 247-ft wingspan. Available payload capacity reaches approximately 200 lb. Pathfinder uses six engines and propellers: Pathfinder Plus 8; and Helios 14. The 2003 Helios fuel cell configurations used 10 engines and propellers. The PMRF was selected as a base of operations because if offers optimal summertime solar exposure, low prevailing wind-speeds on the runway, modest upper-air wind-speeds and the availability of suitable airspace. Between 1997 and 2001, successive altitude records of 71,530 ft, 80,200 ft, and 96,863 ft were established. Flight durations extended to 18 hours.

  11. Analysis of fluorine addition to the vanguard first stage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tomazic, William A; Schmidt, Harold W; Tischler, Adelbert O

    1957-01-01

    The effect of adding fluorine to the Vanguard first-stage oxidant was anlyzed. An increase in specific impulse of 5.74 percent may be obtained with 30 percent fluorine. This increase, coupled with increased mass ratio due to greater oxidant density, gave up to 24.6-percent increase in first-stage burnout energy with 30 percent fluorine added. However, a change in tank configuration is required to accommodate the higher oxidant-fuel ratio necessary for peak specific impulse with fluorine addition.

  12. Effect of SiO2 addition and gamma irradiation on the lithium borate glasses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raut, A. P.; Deshpande, V. K.

    2018-01-01

    The physical properties like density, glass transition temperature (Tg), and ionic conductivity of lithium borate (LB) glasses with SiO2 addition were measured before and after gamma irradiation. Remarkable changes in properties have been obtained in the physical properties of LB glasses with SiO2 addition and after gamma irradiation. The increase in density and glass transition temperature of LB glasses with SiO2 addition has been explained with the help of increase in density of cross linking due to SiO4 tetrahedra formation. The increase in ionic conductivity with SiO2 addition was explained with the help of ‘mixed glass former effect’. The increase in density and Tg of LB glasses with SiO2 addition after gamma irradiation has been attributed to fragmentation of bigger ring structure into smaller rings, which increases the density of cross linking and hence compaction. The exposure of gamma irradiation has lead to decrease in ionic conductivity of LB glasses with SiO2 addition. The atomic displacement caused by gamma irradiation resulted in filling of interstices and decrease in trapping sites. This explains the obtained decrease in ionic conductivity after gamma irradiation of glasses. The obtained results of effect of SiO2 addition and gamma irradiation on the density, Tg and ionic conductivity has been supported by FTIR results.

  13. Advanced Concept

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2000-06-22

    The photograph depicts the X-37 neutral buoyancy simulator mockup at Dryden Flight Research Center. The X-37 experimental launch vehicle is roughly 27.5 feet (8.3 meters) long and 15 feet (4.5 meters) in wingspan. Its experiment bay is 7 feet (2.1 meters) long and 4 feet (1.2 meters) in diameter. Designed to operate in both the orbital and reentry phases of flight, the X-37 will increase both safety and reliabiltiy, while reducing launch costs from $10,000 per pound to $1000 per pound. Managed by Marshall Space Flight Center and built by the boeing Company, the X-37 is scheduled to fly two orbital missions in 2002/2003 to test the reusable launch vehicle technologies.

  14. Ancient DNA provides new insights into the evolutionary history of New Zealand's extinct giant eagle.

    PubMed

    Bunce, Michael; Szulkin, Marta; Lerner, Heather R L; Barnes, Ian; Shapiro, Beth; Cooper, Alan; Holdaway, Richard N

    2005-01-01

    Prior to human settlement 700 years ago New Zealand had no terrestrial mammals--apart from three species of bats--instead, approximately 250 avian species dominated the ecosystem. At the top of the food chain was the extinct Haast's eagle, Harpagornis moorei. H. moorei (10-15 kg; 2-3 m wingspan) was 30%-40% heavier than the largest extant eagle (the harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja), and hunted moa up to 15 times its weight. In a dramatic example of morphological plasticity and rapid size increase, we show that the H. moorei was very closely related to one of the world's smallest extant eagles, which is one-tenth its mass. This spectacular evolutionary change illustrates the potential speed of size alteration within lineages of vertebrates, especially in island ecosystems.

  15. Characterization of ZnAl cast alloys with Na addition

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

    Gancarz, Tomasz, E-mail: t.gancarz@imim.pl; Cempura, Grzegorz; Skuza, Wojciech

    2016-01-15

    This study was aimed at evaluating the microstructural change and thermal, electrical and mechanical properties with the addition of Na to eutectic ZnAl alloys. Solders based on eutectic ZnAl containing 0.2 to 3.0 (wt.%) of Na were developed for high temperature solder. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were performed to determine the melting temperatures of the alloys. Thermal linear expansion and electrical resistivity measurements were performed over − 50 °C to 300 °C and 30 °C to 300 °C temperature ranges, respectively. The microstructure of the specimens was analyzed using scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Chemical microanalysismore » was performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) on SEM and TEM. The precipitates of NaZn{sub 13} were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) techniques. The addition of Na to eutectic ZnAl alloy increased the electrical resistivity and reduced the coefficient of thermal expansion; however, the melting point did not change. The mechanical properties, strain and microhardness increased with Na content in alloys. - Highlights: • High temperature soldering materials of ZnAl with Na were designed and characterized. • Precipitates of NaZn{sub 13}were observed and confirmed using TEM and XRD. • Addition of Na to eutectic ZnAl cussed increased mechanical properties. • NaZn{sub 13} caused increased electrical resistivity and microhardness, and reduced the CTE.« less

  16. Phosphate Additive Avoidance in Chronic Kidney Disease.

    PubMed

    St-Jules, David E; Goldfarb, David S; Pompeii, Mary Lou; Sevick, Mary Ann

    2017-05-01

    IN BRIEF Dietary guidelines for patients with diabetes extend beyond glycemic management to include recommendations for mitigating chronic disease risk. This review summarizes the literature suggesting that excess dietary phosphorus intake may increase the risk of skeletal and cardiovascular disease in patients who are in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) despite having normal serum phosphorus concentrations. It explores strategies for limiting dietary phosphorus, emphasizing that food additives, as a major source of highly bioavailable dietary phosphorus, may be a suitable target. Although the evidence for restricting phosphorus-based food additives in early CKD is limited, diabetes clinicians should monitor ongoing research aimed at assessing its efficacy.

  17. Phosphate Additive Avoidance in Chronic Kidney Disease

    PubMed Central

    Goldfarb, David S.; Pompeii, Mary Lou; Sevick, Mary Ann

    2017-01-01

    IN BRIEF Dietary guidelines for patients with diabetes extend beyond glycemic management to include recommendations for mitigating chronic disease risk. This review summarizes the literature suggesting that excess dietary phosphorus intake may increase the risk of skeletal and cardiovascular disease in patients who are in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) despite having normal serum phosphorus concentrations. It explores strategies for limiting dietary phosphorus, emphasizing that food additives, as a major source of highly bioavailable dietary phosphorus, may be a suitable target. Although the evidence for restricting phosphorus-based food additives in early CKD is limited, diabetes clinicians should monitor ongoing research aimed at assessing its efficacy. PMID:28588376

  18. Food additives.

    PubMed

    Berglund, F

    1978-01-01

    The use of additives to food fulfils many purposes, as shown by the index issued by the Codex Committee on Food Additives: Acids, bases and salts; Preservatives, Antioxidants and antioxidant synergists; Anticaking agents; Colours; Emulfifiers; Thickening agents; Flour-treatment agents; Extraction solvents; Carrier solvents; Flavours (synthetic); Flavour enhancers; Non-nutritive sweeteners; Processing aids; Enzyme preparations. Many additives occur naturally in foods, but this does not exclude toxicity at higher levels. Some food additives are nutrients, or even essential nutritents, e.g. NaCl. Examples are known of food additives causing toxicity in man even when used according to regulations, e.g. cobalt in beer. In other instances, poisoning has been due to carry-over, e.g. by nitrate in cheese whey - when used for artificial feed for infants. Poisonings also occur as the result of the permitted substance being added at too high levels, by accident or carelessness, e.g. nitrite in fish. Finally, there are examples of hypersensitivity to food additives, e.g. to tartrazine and other food colours. The toxicological evaluation, based on animal feeding studies, may be complicated by impurities, e.g. orthotoluene-sulfonamide in saccharin; by transformation or disappearance of the additive in food processing in storage, e.g. bisulfite in raisins; by reaction products with food constituents, e.g. formation of ethylurethane from diethyl pyrocarbonate; by metabolic transformation products, e.g. formation in the gut of cyclohexylamine from cyclamate. Metabolic end products may differ in experimental animals and in man: guanylic acid and inosinic acid are metabolized to allantoin in the rat but to uric acid in man. The magnitude of the safety margin in man of the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is not identical to the "safety factor" used when calculating the ADI. The symptoms of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, although not hazardous, furthermore illustrate that the whole ADI

  19. DNA damage in human lymphocytes exposed to four food additives in vitro.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Serkan; Unal, Fatma; Yüzbaşıoğlu, Deniz; Celik, Mustafa

    2014-11-01

    In vitro genotoxic effects of antioxidant additives, such as citric acid (CA) and phosphoric acid (PA) and their combination, as well as antimicrobial additives, such as benzoic acid (BA) and calcium propionate (CP), on human lymphocytes were determined using alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis. There was a significant increase in the DNA damage in human lymphocytes after 1 h of in vitro exposure to CA, PA, BA and CP (200, 25-200, 50-500, 50-1000 μg/mL, respectively). The combination of CA and PA significantly increased the mean tail intensity at all the concentrations used (25-200 μg/mL) and significantly increased the mean tail length mainly after higher concentrations (100 and 200 μg/mL). Data in this study showed that the concentrations of food additives used induce DNA damage and PA was the most genotoxic and CA was less genotoxic additives among them. © The Author(s) 2012.

  20. Efficient Improvement of Silage Additives by Using Genetic Algorithms

    PubMed Central

    Davies, Zoe S.; Gilbert, Richard J.; Merry, Roger J.; Kell, Douglas B.; Theodorou, Michael K.; Griffith, Gareth W.

    2000-01-01

    The enormous variety of substances which may be added to forage in order to manipulate and improve the ensilage process presents an empirical, combinatorial optimization problem of great complexity. To investigate the utility of genetic algorithms for designing effective silage additive combinations, a series of small-scale proof of principle silage experiments were performed with fresh ryegrass. Having established that significant biochemical changes occur over an ensilage period as short as 2 days, we performed a series of experiments in which we used 50 silage additive combinations (prepared by using eight bacterial and other additives, each of which was added at six different levels, including zero [i.e., no additive]). The decrease in pH, the increase in lactate concentration, and the free amino acid concentration were measured after 2 days and used to calculate a “fitness” value that indicated the quality of the silage (compared to a control silage made without additives). This analysis also included a “cost” element to account for different total additive levels. In the initial experiment additive levels were selected randomly, but subsequently a genetic algorithm program was used to suggest new additive combinations based on the fitness values determined in the preceding experiments. The result was very efficient selection for silages in which large decreases in pH and high levels of lactate occurred along with low levels of free amino acids. During the series of five experiments, each of which comprised 50 treatments, there was a steady increase in the amount of lactate that accumulated; the best treatment combination was that used in the last experiment, which produced 4.6 times more lactate than the untreated silage. The additive combinations that were found to yield the highest fitness values in the final (fifth) experiment were assessed to determine a range of biochemical and microbiological quality parameters during full-term silage

  1. EC99-45140-12

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-08-18

    The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at Dryden in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft.

  2. EC99-45161-10

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-09-08

    The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at Dryden in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft.

  3. EC99-45140-2

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-08-18

    The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at Dryden in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft.

  4. EC99-45161-8

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-09-08

    The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at Dryden in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft.

  5. EC99-45161-9

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-09-08

    The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at Dryden in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft.

  6. Drag reduction - Jet breakup correlation with kerosene-based additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoyt, J. W.; Altman, R. L.; Taylor, J. J.

    1980-01-01

    The drag-reduction effectiveness of a number of high-polymer additives dissolved in aircraft fuel has been measured in a turbulent-flow rheometer. These solutions were further subjected to high elongational stress and breakup forces in a jet discharging in air. The jet was photographed using a high-resolution camera with special lighting. The object of the work was to study the possible spray-suppression ability of high-polymer additives to aircraft fuel and to correlate this with the drag-reducing properties of the additives. It was found, in fact, that the rheometer results indicate the most effective spray-suppressing additives. Using as a measure the minimum polymer concentration to give a maximum friction-reducing effect, the order of effectiveness of eight different polymer additives as spray-suppressing agents was predicted. These results may find application in the development of antimisting additives for aircraft fuel which may increase fire safety in case of crash or accident.

  7. Metal hydride and pyrophoric fuel additives for dicyclopentadiene based hybrid propellants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shark, Steven C.

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of reactive energetic fuel additives that have the potential to increase the combustion performance of hybrid rocket propellants in terms of solid fuel regression rate and combustion efficiency. Additives that can augment the combustion flame zone in a hybrid rocket motor by means of increased energy feedback to the fuel grain surface are of great interest. Metal hydrides have large volumetric hydrogen densities, which gives these materials high performance potential as fuel additives in terms of specifc impulse. The excess hydrogen and corresponding base metal may also cause an increase in the hybrid rocket solid fuel regression rate. Pyrophoric additives also have potential to increase the solid fuel regression rate by reacting more readily near the burning fuel surface providing rapid energy feedback. An experimental performance evaluation of metal hydride fuel additives for hybrid rocket motor propulsion systems is examined in this study. Hypergolic ignition droplet tests and an accelerated aging study revealed the protection capabilities of Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) as a fuel binder, and the ability for unaided ignition. Static hybrid rocket motor experiments were conducted using DCPD as the fuel. Sodium borohydride (NabH4) and aluminum hydride (AlH3) were examined as fuel additives. Ninety percent rocket grade hydrogen peroxide (RGHP) was used as the oxidizer. In this study, the sensitivity of solid fuel regression rate and characteristic velocity (C*) efficiency to total fuel grain port mass flux and particle loading is examined. These results were compared to HTPB combustion performance as a baseline. Chamber pressure histories revealed steady motor operation in most tests, with reduced ignition delays when using NabH4 as a fuel additive. The addition of NabH4 and AlH3 produced up to a 47% and 85% increase in regression rate over neat DCPD, respectively. For all test conditions examined C* efficiency ranges

  8. Too easily lead? Health effects of gasoline additives.

    PubMed Central

    Menkes, D B; Fawcett, J P

    1997-01-01

    Octane-enhancing constituents of gasoline pose a number of health hazards. This paper considers the relative risks of metallic (lead, manganese), aromatic (e.g., benzene), and oxygenated additives in both industrialized and developing countries. Technological advances, particularly in industrialized countries, have allowed the progressive removal of lead from gasoline and the increased control of exhaust emissions. The developing world, by contrast, has relatively lax environmental standards and faces serious public health problems from vehicle exhaust and the rapid increase in automobile use. Financial obstacles to the modernization of refineries and vehicle fleets compound this problem and the developing world continues to import large quantities of lead additives and other hazardous materials. Progress in decreasing environmental health problems depends both on the adoption of international public health standards as well as efforts to decrease dependence on the private automobile for urban transport. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. PMID:9171982

  9. Addition of sodium bicarbonate to complete pelleted diets fed to dairy calves.

    PubMed

    Wheeler, T B; Wangsness, P J; Muller, L D; Griel, L C

    1980-11-01

    During two trials, 35 and 27 Holstein calves were fed ad libitum complete, pelleted diets containing either 35% alfalfa (Trial 1) or 35% grass (Trial 2) hay from birth to 12 wk of age. Calves in Trial 1 were fed one of the following diets: control, control + 3.5% sodium chloride, or control + 5% sodium bicarbonate. In Trial 2, diets were: control, control + 5% sodium bicarbonate, or control + 5% sodium bicarbonate + loose, chopped grass hay. Intake of dry matter, gain in body weight, ruminal pH, or fecal starch did not differ. Calves fed sodium bicarbonate in Trial 1 but not 2 had a reduced feed efficiency compared with control and supplemented diets. In Trial 1 added sodium bicarbonate did not alter intake or digestible energy. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased concentration of ruminal acetate and butyrate and decreased propionate in both trials. Fecal pH was elevated in calves fed sodium bicarbonate diets during both trials. Sodium chloride increased water intake in Trial 1, and sodium bicarbonate increased water indigestible energy. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased concentration of ruminal acetate and butyrate and decreased propionate in both trials. Fecal pH was elevated in calves fed sodium bicarbonate diets during both trials. Sodium chloride increased water intake in Trial 1, and sodium bicarbonate increased water indigestible energy. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased concentration of ruminal acetate and butyrate and decreased propionate in both trials. Fecal pH was elevated in calves fed sodium bicarbonate diets during both trials. Sodium chloride increased water intake in Trial 1, and sodium bicarbonate increased water intake in Trial 2. Incidence of free-gas bloat was higher in calves fed sodium bicarbonate in both trials. Addition of sodium bicarbonate to complete pelleted diets containing 35% alfalfa or 35% grass hay appeared to have no benefit for young, growing dairy calves in performance and health.

  10. Non-additive genetic variation in growth, carcass and fertility traits of beef cattle.

    PubMed

    Bolormaa, Sunduimijid; Pryce, Jennie E; Zhang, Yuandan; Reverter, Antonio; Barendse, William; Hayes, Ben J; Goddard, Michael E

    2015-04-02

    A better understanding of non-additive variance could lead to increased knowledge on the genetic control and physiology of quantitative traits, and to improved prediction of the genetic value and phenotype of individuals. Genome-wide panels of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been mainly used to map additive effects for quantitative traits, but they can also be used to investigate non-additive effects. We estimated dominance and epistatic effects of SNPs on various traits in beef cattle and the variance explained by dominance, and quantified the increase in accuracy of phenotype prediction by including dominance deviations in its estimation. Genotype data (729 068 real or imputed SNPs) and phenotypes on up to 16 traits of 10 191 individuals from Bos taurus, Bos indicus and composite breeds were used. A genome-wide association study was performed by fitting the additive and dominance effects of single SNPs. The dominance variance was estimated by fitting a dominance relationship matrix constructed from the 729 068 SNPs. The accuracy of predicted phenotypic values was evaluated by best linear unbiased prediction using the additive and dominance relationship matrices. Epistatic interactions (additive × additive) were tested between each of the 28 SNPs that are known to have additive effects on multiple traits, and each of the other remaining 729 067 SNPs. The number of significant dominance effects was greater than expected by chance and most of them were in the direction that is presumed to increase fitness and in the opposite direction to inbreeding depression. Estimates of dominance variance explained by SNPs varied widely between traits, but had large standard errors. The median dominance variance across the 16 traits was equal to 5% of the phenotypic variance. Including a dominance deviation in the prediction did not significantly increase its accuracy for any of the phenotypes. The number of additive × additive epistatic effects that were

  11. Laser additive manufacturing bulk graphene-copper nanocomposites.

    PubMed

    Hu, Zengrong; Chen, Feng; Lin, Dong; Nian, Qiong; Parandoush, Pedram; Zhu, Xing; Shao, Zhuqiang; Cheng, Gary J

    2017-11-03

    The exceptional mechanical properties of graphene make it an ideal nanofiller for reinforcing metal matrix composites (MMCs). In this work, graphene-copper (Gr-Cu) nanocomposites have been fabricated by a laser additive manufacturing process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the fabricated nanocomposites. The XRD, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and TEM results demonstrated the feasibility of laser additive manufacturing of Gr-Cu nanocomposites. The microstructures were characterized by high resolution TEM and the results further revealed the interface between the copper matrix and graphene. With the addition of graphene, the mechanical properties of the composites were enhanced significantly. Nanoindentation tests showed that the average modulus value and hardness of the composites were 118.9 GPa and 3 GPa respectively; 17.6% and 50% increases were achieved compared with pure copper, respectively. This work demonstrates a new way to manufacture graphene copper nanocomposites with ultra-strong mechanical properties and provides alternatives for applications in electrical and thermal conductors.

  12. Evaluation of Advanced Polymers for Additive Manufacturing

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

    Rios, Orlando; Carter, William G.; Kutchko, Cindy

    The goal of this Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) technical collaboration project between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) was to evaluate the feasibility of using conventional coatings chemistry and technology to build up material layer-by-layer. The PPG-ORNL study successfully demonstrated that polymeric coatings formulations may overcome many limitations of common thermoplastics used in additive manufacturing (AM), allow lightweight nozzle design for material deposition, and increase build rate. The materials effort focused on layer-by-layer deposition of coatings with each layer fusing together. The combination of materials and deposition results in an additively manufactured build that has sufficientmore » mechanical properties to bear the load of additional layers, yet is capable of bonding across the z-layers to improve build direction strength. The formulation properties were tuned to enable a novel, high-throughput deposition method that is highly scalable, compatible with high loading of reinforcing fillers, and inherently low-cost.« less

  13. Laser additive manufacturing bulk graphene-copper nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Zengrong; Chen, Feng; Lin, Dong; Nian, Qiong; Parandoush, Pedram; Zhu, Xing; Shao, Zhuqiang; Cheng, Gary J.

    2017-11-01

    The exceptional mechanical properties of graphene make it an ideal nanofiller for reinforcing metal matrix composites (MMCs). In this work, graphene-copper (Gr-Cu) nanocomposites have been fabricated by a laser additive manufacturing process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the fabricated nanocomposites. The XRD, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and TEM results demonstrated the feasibility of laser additive manufacturing of Gr-Cu nanocomposites. The microstructures were characterized by high resolution TEM and the results further revealed the interface between the copper matrix and graphene. With the addition of graphene, the mechanical properties of the composites were enhanced significantly. Nanoindentation tests showed that the average modulus value and hardness of the composites were 118.9 GPa and 3 GPa respectively; 17.6% and 50% increases were achieved compared with pure copper, respectively. This work demonstrates a new way to manufacture graphene copper nanocomposites with ultra-strong mechanical properties and provides alternatives for applications in electrical and thermal conductors.

  14. Solid-State Additive Manufacturing for Heat Exchangers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norfolk, Mark; Johnson, Hilary

    2015-03-01

    Energy densities in devices are increasing across many industries including power generation, high power electronics, manufacturing, and automotive. Increasingly, there is a need for very high efficiency thermal management devices that can pull heat out of a small area at higher and higher rates. Metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have the promise of creating parts with complex internal geometries required for integral thermal management. However, this goal has not been met due to constraints in fusion-based metal 3D printers. This work presents a new strategy for metal AM of heat exchangers using an ultrasonic sheet lamination approach.

  15. Additive Manufacturing of Metastable Beta Titanium Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yannetta, Christopher J.

    Additive manufacturing processes of many alloys are known to develop texture during the deposition process due to the rapid reheating and the directionality of the dissipation of heat. Titanium alloys and with respect to this study beta titanium alloys are especially susceptible to these effects. This work examines Ti-20wt%V and Ti-12wt%Mo deposited under normal additive manufacturing process parameters to examine the texture of these beta-stabilized alloys. Both microstructures contained columnar prior beta grains 1-2 mm in length beginning at the substrate with no visible equiaxed grains. This microstructure remained constant in the vanadium system throughout the build. The microstructure of the alloy containing molybdenum changed from a columnar to an equiaxed structure as the build height increased. Eighteen additional samples of the Ti-Mo system were created under different processing parameters to identify what role laser power and travel speed have on the microstructure. There appears to be a correlation in alpha lath size and power density. The two binary alloys were again deposited under the same conditions with the addition of 0.5wt% boron to investigate the effects an insoluble interstitial alloying element would have on the microstructure. The size of the prior beta grains in these two alloys were reduced with the addition of boron by approximately 50 (V) and 100 (Mo) times.

  16. Benefits from additives and xylanase during enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo shoot and mature bamboo.

    PubMed

    Li, Kena; Wang, Xiao; Wang, Jingfeng; Zhang, Junhua

    2015-09-01

    Effects of additives (BSA, PEG 6000, and Tween 80) on enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo shoot and mature bamboo fractions (bamboo green, bamboo timber, bamboo yellow, bamboo node, and bamboo branches) by cellulases and/or xylanase were evaluated. The addition of additives was comparable to the increase of cellulase loadings in the conversion of cellulose and xylan in bamboo fractions. Supplementation of xylanase (1 mg/g DM) with cellulases (10 FPU/g DM) in the hydrolysis of bamboo fractions was more efficient than addition of additives in the production of glucose and xylose. Moreover, addition of additives could further increase the glucose release from different bamboo fractions by cellulases and xylanase. Bamboo green exhibited the lowest hydrolyzability. Almost all of the polysaccharides in pretreated bamboo shoot fractions were hydrolyzed by cellulases with the addition of additives or xylanase. Additives and xylanase showed great potential for reducing cellulase requirement in the hydrolysis of bamboo. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of dietary copper addition on lipid metabolism in rabbits

    PubMed Central

    Lei, Liu; Xiaoyi, Sui; Fuchang, Li

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of copper supplementation on lipid metabolism in rabbits. Our study showed dietary copper addition (5-45 mg/kg) increased body mass gain, but decreased fat and liver weights compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05). Copper (45 mg/kg) addition significantly increased the skeletal muscle weight, but inhibited cytoplasmic lipid accumulation in liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, dietary copper addition (45 mg/kg) significantly increased plasma triglyceride levels but decreased very low density lipoprotein levels (P < 0.05). Copper treatment significantly increased gene expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) 1, CPT2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) a in liver (P < 0.05). In skeletal muscle, CPT1, CPT2, fatty acid transport protein, fatty acid-binding protein, and PPARa mRNA as well as phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels were significantly up-regulated by copper treatment (P < 0.05). Rabbits receiving copper supplementation had higher CPT1, CPT2, PPARa and hormone-sensitive lipase mRNA levels in adipose tissue (P < 0.05). In conclusion, copper promoted skeletal muscle growth and reduced fat accretion. PPARa signaling in liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues and AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle tissue were involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism by copper. PMID:28747869

  18. Self-organization processes in polysiloxane block copolymers, initiated by modifying fullerene additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voznyakovskii, A. P.; Kudoyarova, V. Kh.; Kudoyarov, M. F.; Patrova, M. Ya.

    2017-08-01

    Thin films of a polyblock polysiloxane copolymer and their composites with a modifying fullerene C60 additive are studied by atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering, and neutron scattering. The data of atomic force microscopy show that with the addition of fullerene to the bulk of the polymer matrix, the initial relief of the film surface is leveled more, the larger the additive. This trend is associated with the processes of self-organization of rigid block sequences, which are initiated by the field effect of the surface of fullerene aggregates and lead to an increase in the number of their domains in the bulk of the polymer matrix. The data of Rutherford backscattering and neutron scattering indicate the formation of additional structures with a radius of 60 nm only in films containing fullerene, and their fraction increases with increasing fullerene concentration. A comparative analysis of the data of these methods has shown that such structures are, namely, the domains of a rigid block and are not formed by individual fullerene aggregates. The interrelation of the structure and mechanical properties of polymer films is considered.

  19. The Crucial Role of Additive Manufacturing at NASA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vickers, John

    2016-01-01

    At NASA, the first steps of the Journey to Mars are well underway with the development of NASA's next generation launch system and investments in research and technologies that should increase the affordability, capability, and safety of exploration activities. Additive Manufacturing presents a disruptive opportunity for NASA to design and manufacture hardware with new materials at dramatically reduced cost and schedule. Opportunities to incorporate additive manufacturing align very well with NASA missions and with most NASA programs related to space, science, and aeronautics. The Agency also relies on many partnerships with other government agencies, industry and academia.

  20. Second Malignancies After Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Early Stage Breast Cancer: Is There Increased Risk With Addition of Regional Radiation to Local Radiation?

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

    Hamilton, Sarah Nicole; Department of Radiation Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Agency-Vancouver Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia; Tyldesley, Scott, E-mail: styldesl@bccancer.bc.ca

    2015-04-01

    Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an increased risk of second malignancies (SM), particularly lung cancer, in early stage breast cancer patients treated with the addition of nodal fields to breast and/or chest wall radiation therapy (RT). Materials and Methods: Subjects were stage I/II female breast cancer patients 20 to 79 years of age, diagnosed between 1989 and 2005 and treated with adjuvant RT at our institution. Patients were included if they survived and did not have SM within 3 years of diagnosis. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to compare SM incidencemore » to cancer incidence in the general sex- and age-matched populations. Secondary malignancy risks in patients treated with local RT (LRT) to the breast/chest wall were compared to those in patients treated with locoregional RT (LRRT) to the breast/chest wall and regional nodes, using multivariate regression analysis (MVA) to account for covariates. Results: The cohort included 12,836 patients with a median follow-up of 8.4 years. LRRT was used in 18% of patients. The SIR comparing patients treated with LRT to the general population was 1.29 (CI: 1.21-1.38). No statistically significant increased incidence of in-field malignancies (SIR, 1.04; CI: 0.87-1.23) and lung cancers (SIR, 1.06; CI: 0.88-1.26) was detected. The SIR comparing patients treated with LRRT to the general population was 1.39 (CI: 1.17-1.64). No statistically significant increased incidence of in-field malignancies (SIR, 1.26; CI: 0.77-1.94) and lung cancers (SIR, 1.27; CI: 0.76-1.98) was detected. On MVA comparing LRRT to LRT, the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.20 for in-field malignancies (CI: 0.68-2.16) and 1.26 for lung cancer (CI: 0.67-2.36). The excess attributable risk (EAR) to regional RT was 3.1 per 10,000 person years (CI: −8.7 to 9.9). Conclusions: No statistically significant increased risk of second malignancy was detected after LRRT

  1. Solubility of guaifenesin in the presence of common pharmaceutical additives.

    PubMed

    Mani, Narasimhan; Jun, H W; Beach, J Warren; Nerurkar, Jayanti

    2003-01-01

    The aqueous solubility of guaifenesin, a highly water-soluble drug, in the presence of salts, sugars, and cosolvents was determined at 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C. The solubility of drug at both temperatures was reduced with increasing concentrations of salts and sugars. The extent of reduction in drug solubility was dependent on the type of salts and sugars used. The salting-out coefficient of additives was calculated by plotting log-linear solubility profiles of the drug against the concentrations of the additives. The solubility of guaifenesin, a neutral compound, was found to be higher at lower pH values, which could be due to hydrogen-bonding effects. At 25 degrees C, glycerin, PEG 300, and propylene glycol increased the solubility of drug at low solvent concentrations while the solubility was reduced at high concentrations. At 40 degrees C, the solubility of drug was reduced at all concentrations of cosolvents. The thermodynamic events accompanying the solubility process were discussed to explain the solubility phenomena observed in the presence of additives. The reduced aqueous solubility of guaifenesin in the presence of additives greatly improved the entrapment of drug into controlled-release wax microspheres.

  2. Addition of Cryoprotectant Significantly Alters the Epididymal Sperm Proteome

    PubMed Central

    Yoon, Sung-Jae; Rahman, Md Saidur; Kwon, Woo-Sung; Park, Yoo-Jin; Pang, Myung-Geol

    2016-01-01

    Although cryopreservation has been developed and optimized over the past decades, it causes various stresses, including cold shock, osmotic stress, and ice crystal formation, thereby reducing fertility. During cryopreservation, addition of cryoprotective agent (CPA) is crucial for protecting spermatozoa from freezing damage. However, the intrinsic toxicity and osmotic stress induced by CPA cause damage to spermatozoa. To identify the effects of CPA addition during cryopreservation, we assessed the motility (%), motion kinematics, capacitation status, and viability of epididymal spermatozoa using computer-assisted sperm analysis and Hoechst 33258/chlortetracycline fluorescence staining. Moreover, the effects of CPA addition were also demonstrated at the proteome level using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Our results demonstrated that CPA addition significantly reduced sperm motility (%), curvilinear velocity, viability (%), and non-capacitated spermatozoa, whereas straightness and acrosome-reacted spermatozoa increased significantly (p < 0.05). Ten proteins were differentially expressed (two decreased and eight increased) (>3 fold, p < 0.05) after CPA, whereas NADH dehydrogenase flavoprotein 2, f-actin-capping protein subunit beta, superoxide dismutase 2, and outer dense fiber protein 2 were associated with several important signaling pathways (p < 0.05). The present study provides a mechanistic basis for specific cryostresses and potential markers of CPA-induced stress. Therefore, these might provide information about the development of safe biomaterials for cryopreservation and basic ground for sperm cryopreservation. PMID:27031703

  3. Response of non-added solutes during nutrient addition experiments in streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez-Cardona, B.; Wymore, A.; Koenig, L.; Coble, A. A.; McDowell, W. H.

    2015-12-01

    Nutrient addition experiments, such as Tracer Additions for Spiraling Curve Characterization (TASCC), have become widely popular as a means to study nutrient uptake dynamics in stream ecosystems. However, the impact of these additions on ambient concentrations of non-added solutes is often overlooked. TASCC addition experiments are ideal for assessing interactions among solutes because it allows for the characterization of multiple solute concentrations across a broad range of added nutrient concentrations. TASCC additions also require the addition of a conservative tracer (NaCl) to track changes in conductivity during the experimental manipulation. Despite its use as a conservative tracer, chloride (Cl) and its associated sodium (Na) might change the concentrations of other ions and non-added nutrients through ion exchange or other processes. Similarly, additions of biologically active solutes might change the concentrations of other non-added solutes. These methodological issues in nutrient addition experiments have been poorly addressed in the literature. Here we examine the response of non-added solutes to pulse additions (i.e. TASCC) of NaCl plus nitrate (NO3-), ammonium, and phosphate across biomes including temperate and tropical forests, and arctic taiga. Preliminary results demonstrate that non-added solutes respond to changes in the concentration of these added nutrients. For example, concentrations of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in suburban headwater streams of New Hampshire both increase and decrease in response to NO3- additions, apparently due to biotic processes. Similarly, cations such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium also increase during TASCC experiments, likely due to cation exchange processes associated with Na addition. The response of non-added solutes to short-term pulses of added nutrients and tracers needs to be carefully assessed to ensure that nutrient uptake metrics are accurate, and to detect biotic interactions that may

  4. Nitrification in lake sediment with addition of drinking water treatment residuals.

    PubMed

    Wang, Changhui; Liu, Juanfeng; Wang, Zhixin; Pei, Yuansheng

    2014-06-01

    Drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs), non-hazardous by-products generated during potable water production, can effectively reduce the lake internal phosphorus (P) loading and improve water quality in lakes. It stands to reason that special attention regarding the beneficial reuse of WTRs should be given not only to the effectiveness of P pollution control, but also to the effects on the migration and transformation of other nutrients (e.g., nitrogen (N)). In this work, based on laboratory enrichment tests, the effects of WTRs addition on nitrification in lake sediment were investigated using batch tests, fluorescence in situ hybridization, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and phylogenetic analysis techniques. The results indicated that WTRs addition had minor effects on the morphologies of AOB and NOB; however, the addition slightly enhanced the sediment nitrification potential from 12.8 to 13.2 μg-N g(-1)-dry sample h(-1) and also increased the ammonia oxidation bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) abundances, particularly the AOB abundances (P < 0.05), which increased from 1.11 × 10(8) to 1.31 × 10(8) copies g(-1)-dry sample. Moreover, WTRs addition was beneficial to the enrichment of Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira multiformis and promoted the emergence of a new Nitrospira cluster, causing the increase in AOB and NOB diversities. Further analysis showed that the variations of nitrification in lake sediment after WTRs addition were primarily due to the decrease of bioavailable P, the introduction of new nitrifiers and the increase of favorable carriers for microorganism attachment in sediments. Overall, these results suggested that WTRs reuse for the control of lake internal P loading would also lead to conditions that are beneficial to nitrification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Carbon nanomaterials used as conductive additives in lithium ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qingtang; Yu, Zuolong; Du, Ping; Su, Ce

    2010-06-01

    As the vital part of lithium ion batteries, conductive additives play important roles in the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries. They construct a conductive percolation network to increase and keep the electronic conductivity of electrode, enabling it charge and discharge faster. In addition, conductive additives absorb and retain electrolyte, allowing an intimate contact between the lithium ions and active materials. Carbon nanomaterials are carbon black, Super P, acetylene black, carbon nanofibers, and carbon nanotubes, which all have superior properties such as low weight, high chemical inertia and high specific surface area. They are the ideal conductive additives for lithium ion batteries. This review will discuss some registered patents and relevant papers about the carbon nanomaterials that are used as conductive additives in cathode or anode to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries.

  6. Agile Information Exchange in Autonomous Air Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-06-01

    proportional to the information the pilot has on the target. Figure 5: Modified Procerus Unicorn UAV D. Equipment The UAV used in this experiment is...a modified Procerus Unicorn (Figure 5). Unicorns are electrically powered, Styrofoam flying wings with a 72” wingspan. Stock Unicorns are...controlled by a Kestrel autopilot, which communicates to a ground-station over a 900MHz radio link. Through the ground-station, the Unicorn operator can

  7. Establishment of Models and Data Tracking for Small UAV Reliability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-06-01

    The development of solar powered UAVs is also being supported and funded by NASA. The idea, development, and construction was initiated by the...Aerovironment company, which has been involved in the construction of solar -powered aircraft for 20 years. Solar Challenger, HALSOL, Talon, Pathfinder...Centurion, and Helios with a wingspan of 247 feet, were among the solar -powered UAVs during those efforts.28 New technologies like regenerative fuel

  8. Response of nutrients, biofilm, and benthic insects to salmon carcass addition.

    Treesearch

    Shannon M. Claeson; Judith L. Li; Jana E. Compton; Peter A. Bisson

    2006-01-01

    Salmon carcass addition to streams is expected to increase stream productivity at multiple trophic levels. This study examined stream nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon), epilithic biofilm (ash-free dry mass and chlorophyll a), leaf-litter decomposition, and macroinvertebrate (density and biomass) responses to carcass addition in three headwater streams of...

  9. Design and fabrication of the progressive addition lenses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qin, Linling; Qian, Lin; Yu, Jingchi

    2011-11-01

    The use of progressive addition lenses (PALs) for the correction of presbyopia has increased dramatically in recent years. These lenses are now being used as the preferred alternative to bifocal and trifocal lenses in many parts of the world. Progressive addition lenses are a kind of opthalmic lenses with freeform surface. The surface curvature of the Progressive addition lenses varies gradually from a minimum value in the upper area, to a maximum value in the lower area. Thus a PAL has a surface with three zones which have very small astigmatism: far-view zone, near-view zone, and intermediate zone. The far view zone and near view zone have relatively constant powers and connected by the intermediate zone with power varies progressively. The design and fabrication technologies of progressive addition lenses have fast progresses because of the massive development of the optical simulation software, multi-axis ultraprecision machining technologies and CNC machining technologies. The design principles of progressive addition lenses are discussed in a historic review. Several kinds of design methods are illustrated, and their advantages and disadvantages are also represented. In the current study, it is shown that the optical characteristics of the different progressive addition lenses designs are significantly different from one another. The different fabrication technologies of Progressive addition lenses are also discussed in the paper. Plastic injection molding and precision-machine turning are the common fabrication technologies for exterior PALs and Interior PALs respectively.

  10. Corona Discharge Suppression in Negative Ion Mode Nanoelectrospray Ionization via Trifluoroethanol Addition.

    PubMed

    McClory, Phillip J; Håkansson, Kristina

    2017-10-03

    Negative ion mode nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI) is often utilized to analyze acidic compounds, from small molecules to proteins, with mass spectrometry (MS). Under high aqueous solvent conditions, corona discharge is commonly observed at emitter tips, resulting in low ion abundances and reduced nESI needle lifetimes. We have successfully reduced corona discharge in negative ion mode by trace addition of trifluoroethanol (TFE) to aqueous samples. The addition of as little as 0.2% TFE increases aqueous spray stability not only in nESI direct infusion, but also in nanoflow liquid chromatography (nLC)/MS experiments. Negative ion mode spray stability with 0.2% TFE is approximately 6× higher than for strictly aqueous samples. Upon addition of 0.2% TFE to the mobile phase of nLC/MS experiments, tryptic peptide identifications increased from 93 to 111 peptides, resulting in an average protein sequence coverage increase of 18%.

  11. The xylooligosaccharide addition and sodium reduction in requeijão cremoso processed cheese.

    PubMed

    Ferrão, Luana L; Ferreira, Marcus Vinícius S; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo N; Carvalho, Ana Flávia A; Pimentel, Tatiana C; Silva, Hugo L A; Silva, Ramon; Esmerino, Erick A; Neto, Roberto P C; Tavares, Maria Inês B; Freitas, Mônica Q; Menezes, Jaqueline C V; Cabral, Lúcio M; Moraes, Jeremias; Silva, Márcia C; Mathias, Simone P; Raices, Renata S L; Pastore, Gláucia M; Cruz, Adriano G

    2018-05-01

    The addition of xylooligosaccharide (XOS), sodium reduction and flavor enhancers (arginine and yeast extract) on the manufacture of requeijão cremoso processed cheese was investigated. The addition of XOS resulted in a denser and compact structure, with increased apparent viscosity, elasticity (G') and firmness (G*). The addition of XOS and yeast extract improved the rheological and physicochemical properties (decrease in viscosity and particle size and increase in melting rate) and sensory characteristics (improvement in salty and acid taste, greater homogeneity, and lower bitter taste). In addition, a positive effect of arginine was observed in the sensory characteristics of the requeijão cremoso processed cheese, but without improvements in the physicochemical and rheological characteristics. Overall, the XOS addition and sodium reduction proportionated the development of a healthier processed cheese formulation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluation of asphalt additives to resist permanent pavement deformation.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-01-01

    Many new asphalt additives reportedly improve the stability and flexibility of asphalt concrete, which leads to increased service life. Four polymers (Polybilt 100, Styrelf 13, Downright HM 100L, and Ultrapave 70) and a diatomaceous filler (Celite 29...

  13. Resin additive improves performance of high-temperature hydrocarbon lubricants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, R. L.; Loomis, W. R.

    1971-01-01

    Paraffinic resins, in high temperature applications, improve strength of thin lubricant film in Hertzian contacts even though they do not increase bulk oil viscosity. Use of resin circumvents corrosivity and high volatility problems inherent with many chemical additives.

  14. Media additives to promote spheroid circularity and compactness in hanging drop platform.

    PubMed

    Leung, Brendan M; Lesher-Perez, Sasha Cai; Matsuoka, Toshiki; Moraes, Christopher; Takayama, Shuichi

    2015-02-01

    Three-dimensional spheroid cultures have become increasingly popular as drug screening platforms, especially with the advent of different high throughput spheroid forming technologies. However, comparing drug efficacy across different cell types in spheroid culture can be difficult due to variations in spheroid morphologies and transport characteristics. Improving the reproducibility of compact, circular spheroids contributes to standardizing and increasing the fidelity of the desired gradient profiles in these drug screening three-dimensional tissue cultures. In this study we discuss the role that circularity and compaction has on spheroids, and demonstrate the impact methylcellulose (MethoCel) and collagen additives in the culture media can contribute to more compact and circular spheroid morphology. We demonstrate that improved spheroid formation is not a simple function of increased viscosity of the different macromolecule additives, suggesting that other macromolecular characteristics contribute to improved spheroid formation. Of the various macromolecular additives tested for hanging drop culture, MethoCel provided the most desirable spheroid formation. Additionally, the higher viscosity of MethoCel-containing media improved the ease of imaging of cellular spheroids within hanging drop cultures by reducing motion-induced image blur.

  15. Ancient DNA Provides New Insights into the Evolutionary History of New Zealand's Extinct Giant Eagle

    PubMed Central

    Szulkin, Marta; Lerner, Heather R. L; Barnes, Ian; Shapiro, Beth; Cooper, Alan; Holdaway, Richard N

    2005-01-01

    Prior to human settlement 700 years ago New Zealand had no terrestrial mammals—apart from three species of bats—instead, approximately 250 avian species dominated the ecosystem. At the top of the food chain was the extinct Haast's eagle, Harpagornis moorei. H. moorei (10–15 kg; 2–3 m wingspan) was 30%–40% heavier than the largest extant eagle (the harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja), and hunted moa up to 15 times its weight. In a dramatic example of morphological plasticity and rapid size increase, we show that the H. moorei was very closely related to one of the world's smallest extant eagles, which is one-tenth its mass. This spectacular evolutionary change illustrates the potential speed of size alteration within lineages of vertebrates, especially in island ecosystems. PMID:15660162

  16. Utilization of curve offsets in additive manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haseltalab, Vahid; Yaman, Ulas; Dolen, Melik

    2018-05-01

    Curve offsets are utilized in different fields of engineering and science. Additive manufacturing, which lately becomes an explicit requirement in manufacturing industry, utilizes curve offsets widely. One of the necessities of offsetting is for scaling which is required if there is shrinkage after the fabrication or if the surface quality of the resulting part is unacceptable. Therefore, some post-processing is indispensable. But the major application of curve offsets in additive manufacturing processes is for generating head trajectories. In a point-wise AM process, a correct tool-path in each layer can reduce lots of costs and increase the surface quality of the fabricated parts. In this study, different curve offset generation algorithms are analyzed to show their capabilities and disadvantages through some test cases and improvements on their drawbacks are suggested.

  17. 29 CFR 778.303 - Retroactive pay increases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Retroactive pay increases. 778.303 Section 778.303 Labor... Additional Pay for Past Period § 778.303 Retroactive pay increases. Where a retroactive pay increase is... regular rate of pay of the employees for the period of its retroactivity. Thus, if an employee is awarded...

  18. Increasing Northern Hemisphere water deficit

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, Gregory J.; Wolock, David M.

    2015-01-01

    A monthly water-balance model is used with CRUTS3.1 gridded monthly precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) data to examine changes in global water deficit (PET minus actual evapotranspiration) for the Northern Hemisphere (NH) for the years 1905 through 2009. Results show that NH deficit increased dramatically near the year 2000 during both the cool (October through March) and warm (April through September) seasons. The increase in water deficit near 2000 coincides with a substantial increase in NH temperature and PET. The most pronounced increases in deficit occurred for the latitudinal band from 0 to 40°N. These results indicate that global warming has increased the water deficit in the NH and that the increase since 2000 is unprecedented for the 1905 through 2009 period. Additionally, coincident with the increase in deficit near 2000, mean NH runoff also increased due to increases in P. We explain the apparent contradiction of concurrent increases in deficit and increases in runoff.

  19. 21 CFR 25.32 - Foods, food additives, and color additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... use in food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (d) Testing and certification of batches of a color... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Foods, food additives, and color additives. 25.32 Section 25.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL...

  20. 21 CFR 25.32 - Foods, food additives, and color additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... use in food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (d) Testing and certification of batches of a color... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Foods, food additives, and color additives. 25.32 Section 25.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL...

  1. 21 CFR 25.32 - Foods, food additives, and color additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... use in food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (d) Testing and certification of batches of a color... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Foods, food additives, and color additives. 25.32 Section 25.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL...

  2. 21 CFR 25.32 - Foods, food additives, and color additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... use in food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (d) Testing and certification of batches of a color... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Foods, food additives, and color additives. 25.32 Section 25.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL...

  3. 21 CFR 25.32 - Foods, food additives, and color additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... use in food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (d) Testing and certification of batches of a color... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Foods, food additives, and color additives. 25.32 Section 25.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL...

  4. Warming and Nitrogen Addition Alter Photosynthetic Pigments, Sugars and Nutrients in a Temperate Meadow Ecosystem.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao; Yang, Shaobo; Guo, Rui; Guo, Jixun

    2016-01-01

    Global warming and nitrogen (N) deposition have an important influence on terrestrial ecosystems; however, the influence of warming and N deposition on plant photosynthetic products and nutrient cycling in plants is not well understood. We examined the effects of 3 years of warming and N addition on the plant photosynthetic products, foliar chemistry and stoichiometric ratios of two dominant species, i.e., Leymus chinensis and Phragmites communis, in a temperate meadow in northeastern China. Warming significantly increased the chlorophyll content and soluble sugars in L. chinensis but had no impact on the carotenoid and fructose contents. N addition caused a significant increase in the carotenoid and fructose contents. Warming and N addition had little impact on the photosynthetic products of P. communis. Warming caused significant decreases in the N and phosphorus (P) concentrations and significantly increased the carbon (C):P and N:P ratios of L. chinensis, but not the C concentration or the C:N ratio. N addition significantly increased the N concentration, C:P and N:P ratios, but significantly reduced the C:N ratio of L. chinensis. Warming significantly increased P. communis C and P concentrations, and the C:N and C:P ratios, whereas N addition increased the C, N and P concentrations but had no impact on the stoichiometric variables. This study suggests that both warming and N addition have direct impacts on plant photosynthates and elemental stoichiometry, which may play a vital role in plant-mediated biogeochemical cycling in temperate meadow ecosystems.

  5. Warming and Nitrogen Addition Alter Photosynthetic Pigments, Sugars and Nutrients in a Temperate Meadow Ecosystem

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Tao; Yang, Shaobo; Guo, Rui; Guo, Jixun

    2016-01-01

    Global warming and nitrogen (N) deposition have an important influence on terrestrial ecosystems; however, the influence of warming and N deposition on plant photosynthetic products and nutrient cycling in plants is not well understood. We examined the effects of 3 years of warming and N addition on the plant photosynthetic products, foliar chemistry and stoichiometric ratios of two dominant species, i.e., Leymus chinensis and Phragmites communis, in a temperate meadow in northeastern China. Warming significantly increased the chlorophyll content and soluble sugars in L. chinensis but had no impact on the carotenoid and fructose contents. N addition caused a significant increase in the carotenoid and fructose contents. Warming and N addition had little impact on the photosynthetic products of P. communis. Warming caused significant decreases in the N and phosphorus (P) concentrations and significantly increased the carbon (C):P and N:P ratios of L. chinensis, but not the C concentration or the C:N ratio. N addition significantly increased the N concentration, C:P and N:P ratios, but significantly reduced the C:N ratio of L. chinensis. Warming significantly increased P. communis C and P concentrations, and the C:N and C:P ratios, whereas N addition increased the C, N and P concentrations but had no impact on the stoichiometric variables. This study suggests that both warming and N addition have direct impacts on plant photosynthates and elemental stoichiometry, which may play a vital role in plant-mediated biogeochemical cycling in temperate meadow ecosystems. PMID:27171176

  6. Increases in the amounts of Vibrio spp. in oysters upon addition of exogenous bacteria.

    PubMed

    Froelich, Brett; Oliver, James

    2013-09-01

    The bacterial pathogen Vibrio vulnificus is found naturally in brackish coastal waters but can be greatly concentrated by filter-feeding organisms such as shellfish. Numerous experiments in which exogenous V. vulnificus cells are added to oysters in an attempt to measure uptake and depuration have been performed. In nearly all cases, results have shown that laboratory-grown bacteria are rapidly taken up by the oysters but ultimately eliminated, while naturally present Vibrio populations in oysters are resistant to depuration. In this study, oysters harvested during winter months, with low culturable Vibrio concentrations, were incubated in aquaria supplemented with strains of V. vulnificus that were either genotypically or phenotypically distinct from the background bacteria. These exogenous cells were eliminated from the oysters, as previously seen, but other vibrios already inhabiting the oysters responded to the V. vulnificus inoculum by rapidly increasing in number and maintaining a large stable population. The presence of such an oyster-adapted Vibrio population would be expected to prevent colonization by exogenous V. vulnificus cells, thus explaining the rapid depuration of these added bacteria.

  7. Additional Equipment for Soil Biodegradation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vondráčková, Terezie; Kraus, Michal; Šál, Jiří

    2017-12-01

    Intensification of industrial production, increasing citizens’ living standards, expanding the consumer assortment mean in the production - consumption cycle a constantly increasing occurrence of waste material, which by its very nature must be considered as a source of useful raw materials in all branches of human activity. In addition to strict legislative requirements, a number of circumstances characterize waste management. It is mainly extensive transport associated with the handling and storage of large volumes of substances with a large assortment of materials (substances of all possible physical and chemical properties) and high demands on reliability and time coordination of follow-up processes. Considerable differences in transport distances, a large number of sources, processors and customers, and not least seasonal fluctuations in waste and strong price pressures cannot be overlooked. This highlights the importance of logistics in waste management. Soils that are contaminated with oil and petroleum products are hazardous industrial waste. Methods of industrial waste disposal are landfilling, biological processes, thermal processes and physical and chemical methods. The paper focuses on the possibilities of degradation of oil pollution, in particular biodegradation by bacteria, which is relatively low-cost among technologies. It is necessary to win the fight with time so that no ground water is contaminated. We have developed two additional devices to help reduce oil accident of smaller ranges. In the case of such an oil accident, it is necessary to carry out the permeability test of contaminated soil in time and, on this basis, to choose the technology appropriate to the accident - either in-sit biodegradation - at the site of the accident, or on-sit - to remove the soil and biodegrade it on the designated deposits. A special injection drill was developed for in-sit biodegradation, tossing and aeration equipment of the extracted soil was developed for

  8. [Food additives and healthiness].

    PubMed

    Heinonen, Marina

    2014-01-01

    Additives are used for improving food structure or preventing its spoilage, for example. Many substances used as additives are also naturally present in food. The safety of additives is evaluated according to commonly agreed principles. If high concentrations of an additive cause adverse health effects for humans, a limit of acceptable daily intake (ADI) is set for it. An additive is a risk only when ADI is exceeded. The healthiness of food is measured on the basis of nutrient density and scientifically proven effects.

  9. Survival and growth of Cochlodinium polykrikoides red tide after addition of yellow loess.

    PubMed

    Lee, Young Sik; Kim, Jung Dong; Lim, Weol Ae; Lee, Sam Geun

    2009-11-01

    We examined the survival rate of Cochlodinium polykrikoides after yellow loess addition and conducted culture experiments to investigate the possibility that red tides maybe caused by C. polykrikoides individuals that are precipitated when loess is added. At least 15% of the C. polykrikoides cells that precipitated to the bottom layer either by the addition of loess or no addition survived for 1 week at all growth phases, rather than disappearing immediately after precipitating. However no live cells were observed after 20 days, regardless of phase or loess addition. In the exponential phase, the number of C. polykrikoides cells increased to >2886 cells ml(-1) after loess was added. However in the stationary phase, the number of cells did not increase until 18 days. In the exponential phase, those C. polykrikoides that survived precipitation caused by scattering loess on cultures did not appear to have the ability to cause red tides again because of the short red tide periods in the field, long lag time after loess addition, and low survival rate after loess addition.

  10. Polyimide processing additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fletcher, James C. (Inventor); Pratt, J. Richard (Inventor); St.clair, Terry L. (Inventor); Stoakley, Diane M. (Inventor); Burks, Harold D. (Inventor)

    1992-01-01

    A process for preparing polyimides having enhanced melt flow properties is described. The process consists of heating a mixture of a high molecular weight poly-(amic acid) or polyimide with a low molecular weight amic acid or imide additive in the range of 0.05 to 15 percent by weight of additive. The polyimide powders so obtained show improved processability, as evidenced by lower melt viscosity by capillary rheometry. Likewise, films prepared from mixtures of polymers with additives show improved processability with earlier onset of stretching by TMA.

  11. Polyimide processing additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pratt, J. Richard (Inventor); St.clair, Terry L. (Inventor); Stoakley, Diane M. (Inventor); Burks, Harold D. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    A process for preparing polyimides having enhanced melt flow properties is described. The process consists of heating a mixture of a high molecular weight poly-(amic acid) or polyimide with a low molecular weight amic acid or imide additive in the range of 0.05 to 15 percent by weight of the additive. The polyimide powders so obtained show improved processability, as evidenced by lower melt viscosity by capillary rheometry. Likewise, films prepared from mixtures of polymers with additives show improved processability with earlier onset of stretching by TMA.

  12. Regulation of docosahexaenoic acid production by Schizochytrium sp.: effect of nitrogen addition.

    PubMed

    Ren, Lu-Jing; Sun, Li-Na; Zhuang, Xiao-Yan; Qu, Liang; Ji, Xiao-Jun; Huang, He

    2014-05-01

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) percentage in total fatty acids (TFAs) is an important index in DHA microbial production. In this study, the change of DHA percentage in response to fermentation stages and the strategies to increase DHA percentage were investigated. Two kinds of conventional nitrogen sources, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and ammonium sulfate (AS), were tested to regulate DHA synthesis. Results showed that MSG addition could accelerate the substrate consumption rate but inhibit lipid accumulation, while AS addition could increase DHA percentage in TFAs effectively but extend fermentation period slightly. Finally, the AS addition strategy was successfully applied in 7,000-L fermentor and DHA percentage in TFAs and DHA yield reached 46.06 % and 18.48 g/L, which was 19.54 and 17.41 % higher than that of no-addition strategy. This would provide guidance for the large-scale production of the other similar polyunsaturated fatty acid, and give insight into the nitrogen metabolism in oil-producing microorganisms.

  13. Unmanned Vehicles Systems; Unmanned Vehicle Tactical Memorandum (TM 3-22-5-SW): Report of Findings and Recommendation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-31

    FP) missions. These missions are broadly categorized by sizes and associated platforms (not all inclusive) as shown in Table 2. UAV greater than...initiative and the Marines’ interim small unit remote scouting system (I-SURSS) requirement. The potential Navy version is referred to as Sea ALL . Dragon...wingspan, about seven inches long) that can stay in the air for about an hour. Once the battery powered propeller is spinning, the operator throws

  14. Strategic Airlift Modernization: Analysis of C-5 Modernization and C-17 Acquisition Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-11-28

    shaped more like an aircraft’s wing, to generate lift through aerodynamic forces. Advocates hope airships may be capable of carrying a complete Army...sea basing concept. Detractors challenge airship survivability and ability to operate in adverse weather. Also, hybrid airships use aerodynamic lift and...100 turbofan engines Wingspan: 169 feet 10 inches (to winglet tips) (51.76 meters) Length: 174 feet (53 meters) Height: 55 feet 1 inch (16.79 meters

  15. Strategic Airlift Modernization: Analysis of C-5 Modernization and C-17 Acquisition Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-15

    shaped more like an aircraft’s wing, to generate lift through aerodynamic forces. Advocates hope airships may be capable of carrying a complete Army...airships use aerodynamic lift and will take-off and land much like conventional aircraft. Some estimate that 1,000 ton-class hybrid aircraft will require...Description153 Power plant: Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines Wingspan: 169 feet 10 inches (to winglet tips) (51.76 meters) Length: 174

  16. Global UAS Proliferation Challenges USAF Air Superiority

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-01-18

    wingspan or rotor -blade diameter less than six feet, can be concealed within the confines of a vehicle, suitcase or backpack, costs less than $25K... helicopters at designated locations governed by the rules and requirements of the local club’s airfield. With the arrival of electric, quiet, easy to...the strength and reliability of plastics and composites as a weight saver has allowed for tremendous capability in endless applications. A leader in

  17. Active Dentate Granule Cells Encode Experience to Promote the Addition of Adult-Born Hippocampal Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Kirschen, Gregory W.; Shen, Jia; Wang, Jia; Man, Guoming; Wu, Song

    2017-01-01

    The continuous addition of new dentate granule cells (DGCs), which is regulated exquisitely by brain activity, renders the hippocampus plastic. However, how neural circuits encode experiences to affect the addition of adult-born neurons remains unknown. Here, we used endoscopic Ca2+ imaging to track the real-time activity of individual DGCs in freely behaving mice. For the first time, we found that active DGCs responded to a novel experience by increasing their Ca2+ event frequency preferentially. This elevated activity, which we found to be associated with object exploration, returned to baseline by 1 h in the same environment, but could be dishabituated via introduction to a novel environment. To transition seamlessly between environments, we next established a freely controllable virtual reality system for unrestrained mice. We again observed increased firing of active neurons in a virtual enriched environment. Interestingly, multiple novel virtual experiences increased the number of newborn neurons accumulatively compared with a single experience. Finally, optogenetic silencing of existing DGCs during novel environmental exploration perturbed experience-induced neuronal addition. Our study shows that the adult brain conveys novel, enriched experiences to increase the addition of adult-born hippocampal neurons by increasing the firing of active DGCs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Adult brains are constantly reshaping themselves from synapses to circuits as we encounter novel experiences from moment to moment. Importantly, this reshaping includes the addition of newborn hippocampal neurons. However, it remains largely unknown how our circuits encode experience-induced brain activity to govern the addition of new hippocampal neurons. By coupling in vivo Ca2+ imaging of dentate granule neurons with a novel, unrestrained virtual reality system for rodents, we discovered that a new experience increased firing of active dentate granule neurons rapidly and robustly

  18. 55. VIEW OF ROASTER ADDITION FROM NORTH. ELEVATOR/ORE BIN ADDITION ...

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

    55. VIEW OF ROASTER ADDITION FROM NORTH. ELEVATOR/ORE BIN ADDITION TO RIGHT (WEST) WITH BAKER COOLER IN FRONT. - Bald Mountain Gold Mill, Nevada Gulch at head of False Bottom Creek, Lead, Lawrence County, SD

  19. Replacing and Additive Horizontal Gene Transfer in Streptococcus

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Sang Chul; Rasmussen, Matthew D.; Hubisz, Melissa J.; Gronau, Ilan; Stanhope, Michael J.; Siepel, Adam

    2012-01-01

    The prominent role of Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) in the evolution of bacteria is now well documented, but few studies have differentiated between evolutionary events that predominantly cause genes in one lineage to be replaced by homologs from another lineage (“replacing HGT”) and events that result in the addition of substantial new genomic material (“additive HGT”). Here in, we make use of the distinct phylogenetic signatures of replacing and additive HGTs in a genome-wide study of the important human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (SPY) and its close relatives S. dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDE) and S. dysgalactiae subspecies dysgalactiae (SDD). Using recently developed statistical models and computational methods, we find evidence for abundant gene flow of both kinds within each of the SPY and SDE clades and of reduced levels of exchange between SPY and SDD. In addition, our analysis strongly supports a pronounced asymmetry in SPY–SDE gene flow, favoring the SPY-to-SDE direction. This finding is of particular interest in light of the recent increase in virulence of pathogenic SDE. We find much stronger evidence for SPY–SDE gene flow among replacing than among additive transfers, suggesting a primary influence from homologous recombination between co-occurring SPY and SDE cells in human hosts. Putative virulence genes are correlated with transfer events, but this correlation is found to be driven by additive, not replacing, HGTs. The genes affected by additive HGTs are enriched for functions having to do with transposition, recombination, and DNA integration, consistent with previous findings, whereas replacing HGTs seen to influence a more diverse set of genes. Additive transfers are also found to be associated with evidence of positive selection. These findings shed new light on the manner in which HGT has shaped pathogenic bacterial genomes. PMID:22617954

  20. Polylactides in additive biomanufacturing.

    PubMed

    Poh, Patrina S P; Chhaya, Mohit P; Wunner, Felix M; De-Juan-Pardo, Elena M; Schilling, Arndt F; Schantz, Jan-Thorsten; van Griensven, Martijn; Hutmacher, Dietmar W

    2016-12-15

    New advanced manufacturing technologies under the alias of additive biomanufacturing allow the design and fabrication of a range of products from pre-operative models, cutting guides and medical devices to scaffolds. The process of printing in 3 dimensions of cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) and biomaterials (bioinks, powders, etc.) to generate in vitro and/or in vivo tissue analogue structures has been termed bioprinting. To further advance in additive biomanufacturing, there are many aspects that we can learn from the wider additive manufacturing (AM) industry, which have progressed tremendously since its introduction into the manufacturing sector. First, this review gives an overview of additive manufacturing and both industry and academia efforts in addressing specific challenges in the AM technologies to drive toward AM-enabled industrial revolution. After which, considerations of poly(lactides) as a biomaterial in additive biomanufacturing are discussed. Challenges in wider additive biomanufacturing field are discussed in terms of (a) biomaterials; (b) computer-aided design, engineering and manufacturing; (c) AM and additive biomanufacturing printers hardware; and (d) system integration. Finally, the outlook for additive biomanufacturing was discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Pomegranate juice adulteration by addition of grape or peach juices.

    PubMed

    Nuncio-Jáuregui, Nallely; Calín-Sánchez, Ángel; Hernández, Francisca; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A

    2014-03-15

    Pomegranate juice has gained a high reputation for its health properties and consequently is now a highly demanded product. However, owing to the limited production and high price of fresh pomegranates, adulteration of pomegranate juice seems to be happening. Hence it is imperative to establish criteria for detecting adulteration. Addition of grape juice significantly increased the contents of Ca, Mg and Fe and especially tartaric acid and proline and simultaneously decreased the content of K. Addition of peach juice up to 10% (v/v) only resulted in a significant increase in sucrose content. Regarding the volatile composition, adulteration of pomegranate juice with grape juice resulted in significant increases in acetic acid, isoamyl butyrate and especially 1-hexanol and linalool, while adulteration with peach juice resulted in significant increases in butyl acetate, isobutyl butyrate, benzyl acetate and especially isoamyl butyrate. The control protocols used in this study can serve as a basis for identification of pomegranate juice adulteration. It is important to highlight that it is necessary to simultaneously analyze and have results from several parameters to conclude that a particular pomegranate juice has been adulterated by mixing with another fruit juice. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. 75 FR 14491 - Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Bismuth Citrate

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 73 [Docket No. FDA-2008-C-0098] Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Bismuth Citrate AGENCY: Food... amending the color additive regulations to increase the permitted use level of bismuth citrate as a color...

  3. Additive effects of plant sterols supplementation in addition to different lipid-lowering regimens.

    PubMed

    Malina, Daniela M T; Fonseca, Francisco A; Barbosa, Sílvio A; Kasmas, Soraia H; Machado, Valéria A; França, Carolina N; Borges, Ney C; Moreno, Ronilson A; Izar, Maria C

    2015-01-01

    Plant sterol (PS) supplementation has been widely used alone or combined with lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The effects of PS added to high-intensity LLT are less reported, especially regarding the effects on cholesterol synthesis and absorption. A prospective, randomized, open-label study, with parallel arms and blinded end points was designed to evaluate the effects of addition of PS to LLT on LDL cholesterol, markers of cholesterol synthesis, and absorption. Eighty-six patients of both genders were submitted to a 4-wk run-in period with atorvastatin 10 mg (baseline). Following, subjects received atorvastatin 40 mg, ezetimibe 10 mg, or combination of both drugs for another 4-wk period (phase I). In phase II, capsules containing 2.0 g of PSs were added to previous assigned treatments for 4 wk. Lipids, apolipoproteins, plasma campesterol, β-sitosterol, and desmosterol levels were assayed at all time points. Within and between-group analyses were performed. Compared with baseline, atorvastatin 40 mg reduced total and LDL cholesterol (3% and 22%, respectively, P < .05), increased β-sitosterol, campesterol/cholesterol, and β-sitosterol/cholesterol ratios (39%, 47%, and 32%, respectively, P < .05); ezetimibe 10 mg reduced campesterol and campesterol/cholesterol ratio (67% and 70%, respectively, P < .05), and the combined therapy decreased total and LDL cholesterol (22% and 38%, respectively, P < .05), campesterol, β-sitosterol, and campesterol/cholesterol ratio (54%, 40%, and 27%, P < .05). Addition of PS further reduced total and LDL cholesterol by ∼ 7.7 and 6.5%, respectively, in the atorvastatin therapy group and 5.0 and 4.0% in the combined therapy group (P < .05, for all), with no further effects in absorption or synthesis markers. PS added to LLT can further improve lipid profile, without additional effects on intestinal sterol absorption or synthesis. Copyright © 2015 National Lipid Association

  4. Children's patterns of reasoning about reading and addition concepts.

    PubMed

    Farrington-Flint, Lee; Canobi, Katherine H; Wood, Clare; Faulkner, Dorothy

    2010-06-01

    Children's reasoning was examined within two educational contexts (word reading and addition) so as to understand the factors that contribute to relational reasoning in the two domains. Sixty-seven 5- to 7-year-olds were given a series of related words to read or single-digit addition items to solve (interspersed with unrelated items). The frequency, accuracy, and response times of children's self-reports on the conceptually related items provided a measure of relational reasoning, while performance on the unrelated addition and reading items provided a measure of procedural skill. The results indicated that the children's ability to use conceptual relations to solve both reading and addition problems enhanced speed and accuracy levels, increased with age, and was related to procedural skill. However, regression analyses revealed that domain-specific competencies can best explain the use of conceptual relations in both reading and addition. Moreover, a cluster analysis revealed that children differ according to the academic domain in which they first apply conceptual relations and these differences are related to individual variation in their procedural skills within these particular domains. These results highlight the developmental significance of relational reasoning in the context of reading and addition and underscore the importance of concept-procedure links in explaining children's literacy and arithmetical development.

  5. Guidance and Control of an Autonomous Soaring UAV

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, Michael J.; Lin, Victor

    2007-01-01

    Thermals caused by convection in the lower atmosphere are commonly used by birds and glider pilots to extend flight duration, increase cross-country speed, improve range, or simply to conserve energy. Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can also increase performance and reduce energy consumption by exploiting atmospheric convection. An autonomous soaring research project was conducted at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to evaluate the concept through flight test of an electric-powered motorglider with a wingspan of 4.27 m (14 ft). The UAV's commercial autopilot software was modified to include outer-loop soaring guidance and control. The aircraft total energy state was used to detect and soar within thermals. Estimated thermal size and position were used to calculate guidance commands for soaring flight. Results from a total of 23 thermal encounters show good performance of the guidance and control algorithms to autonomously detect and exploit thermals. The UAV had an average climb of 172 m (567 ft) during these encounters.

  6. Guidance and Control of an Autonomous Soaring UAV

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, Michael J.

    2007-01-01

    Thermals caused by convection in the lower atmosphere are commonly used by birds and glider pilots to extend flight duration, increase cross-country speed, improve range, or simply to conserve energy. Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can also increase performance and reduce energy consumption by exploiting atmospheric convection. An autonomous soaring research project was conducted at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to evaluate the concept through flight test of an electric-powered motor-glider with a wingspan of 4.27 m (14 ft). The UAV's commercial autopilot software was modified to include outer-loop soaring guidance and control. The aircraft total energy state was used to detect and soar within thermals. Estimated thermal size and position were used to calculate guidance commands for soaring flight. Results from a total of 23 thermal encounters show good performance of the guidance and control algorithms to autonomously detect and exploit thermals. The UAV had an average climb of 172 m (567 ft) during these encounters.

  7. Competition and constraint drove Cope's rule in the evolution of giant flying reptiles.

    PubMed

    Benson, Roger B J; Frigot, Rachel A; Goswami, Anjali; Andres, Brian; Butler, Richard J

    2014-04-02

    The pterosaurs, Mesozoic flying reptiles, attained wingspans of more than 10 m that greatly exceed the largest birds and challenge our understanding of size limits in flying animals. Pterosaurs have been used to illustrate Cope's rule, the influential generalization that evolutionary lineages trend to increasingly large body sizes. However, unambiguous examples of Cope's rule operating on extended timescales in large clades remain elusive, and the phylogenetic pattern and possible drivers of pterosaur gigantism are uncertain. Here we show 70 million years of highly constrained early evolution, followed by almost 80 million years of sustained, multi-lineage body size increases in pterosaurs. These results are supported by maximum-likelihood modelling of a comprehensive new pterosaur data set. The transition between these macroevolutionary regimes is coincident with the Early Cretaceous adaptive radiation of birds, supporting controversial hypotheses of bird-pterosaur competition, and suggesting that evolutionary competition can act as a macroevolutionary driver on extended geological timescales.

  8. Competition and constraint drove Cope's rule in the evolution of giant flying reptiles

    PubMed Central

    Benson, Roger B. J.; Frigot, Rachel A.; Goswami, Anjali; Andres, Brian; Butler, Richard J.

    2014-01-01

    The pterosaurs, Mesozoic flying reptiles, attained wingspans of more than 10 m that greatly exceed the largest birds and challenge our understanding of size limits in flying animals. Pterosaurs have been used to illustrate Cope’s rule, the influential generalization that evolutionary lineages trend to increasingly large body sizes. However, unambiguous examples of Cope’s rule operating on extended timescales in large clades remain elusive, and the phylogenetic pattern and possible drivers of pterosaur gigantism are uncertain. Here we show 70 million years of highly constrained early evolution, followed by almost 80 million years of sustained, multi-lineage body size increases in pterosaurs. These results are supported by maximum-likelihood modelling of a comprehensive new pterosaur data set. The transition between these macroevolutionary regimes is coincident with the Early Cretaceous adaptive radiation of birds, supporting controversial hypotheses of bird–pterosaur competition, and suggesting that evolutionary competition can act as a macroevolutionary driver on extended geological timescales. PMID:24694584

  9. Improving aerobic stability and biogas production of maize silage using silage additives.

    PubMed

    Herrmann, Christiane; Idler, Christine; Heiermann, Monika

    2015-12-01

    The effects of air stress during storage, exposure to air at feed-out, and treatment with silage additives to enhance aerobic stability on methane production from maize silage were investigated at laboratory scale. Up to 17% of the methane potential of maize without additive was lost during seven days exposure to air on feed-out. Air stress during storage reduced aerobic stability and further increased methane losses. A chemical additive containing salts of benzoate and propionate, and inoculants containing heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria were effective to increase aerobic stability and resulted in up to 29% higher methane yields after exposure to air. Exclusion of air to the best possible extent and high aerobic stabilities should be primary objectives when ensiling biogas feedstocks. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  10. Formulation and Testing of Paraffin-Based Solid Fuels Containing Energetic Additives for Hybrid Rockets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larson, Daniel B.; Boyer, Eric; Wachs,Trevor; Kuo, Kenneth K.; Story, George

    2012-01-01

    Many approaches have been considered in an effort to improve the regression rate of solid fuels for hybrid rocket applications. One promising method is to use a fuel with a fast burning rate such as paraffin wax; however, additional performance increases to the fuel regression rate are necessary to make the fuel a viable candidate to replace current launch propulsion systems. The addition of energetic and/or nano-sized particles is one way to increase mass-burning rates of the solid fuels and increase the overall performance of the hybrid rocket motor.1,2 Several paraffin-based fuel grains with various energetic additives (e.g., lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) have been cast in an attempt to improve regression rates. There are two major advantages to introducing LiAlH4 additive into the solid fuel matrix: 1) the increased characteristic velocity, 2) decreased dependency of Isp on oxidizer-to-fuel ratio. The testing and characterization of these solid-fuel grains have shown that continued work is necessary to eliminate unburned/unreacted fuel in downstream sections of the test apparatus.3 Changes to the fuel matrix include higher melting point wax and smaller energetic additive particles. The reduction in particle size through various methods can result in more homogeneous grain structure. The higher melting point wax can serve to reduce the melt-layer thickness, allowing the LiAlH4 particles to react closer to the burning surface, thus increasing the heat feedback rate and fuel regression rate. In addition to the formulation of LiAlH4 and paraffin wax solid-fuel grains, liquid additives of triethylaluminum and diisobutylaluminum hydride will be included in this study. Another promising fuel formulation consideration is to incorporate a small percentage of RDX as an additive to paraffin. A novel casting technique will be used by dissolving RDX in a solvent to crystallize the energetic additive. After dissolving the RDX in a solvent chosen for its compatibility

  11. New addition curing polyimides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frimer, Aryeh A.; Cavano, Paul

    1991-01-01

    In an attempt to improve the thermal-oxidative stability (TOS) of PMR-type polymers, the use of 1,4-phenylenebis (phenylmaleic anhydride) PPMA, was evaluated. Two series of nadic end-capped addition curing polyimides were prepared by imidizing PPMA with either 4,4'-methylene dianiline or p-phenylenediamine. The first resulted in improved solubility and increased resin flow while the latter yielded a compression molded neat resin sample with a T(sub g) of 408 C, close to 70 C higher than PME-15. The performance of these materials in long term weight loss studies was below that of PMR-15, independent of post-cure conditions. These results can be rationalized in terms of the thermal lability of the pendant phenyl groups and the incomplete imidization of the sterically congested PPMA. The preparation of model compounds as well as future research directions are discussed.

  12. Influence of methane addition on selenium isotope sensitivity and their spectral interferences.

    PubMed

    Floor, Geerke H; Millot, Romain; Iglesias, Mónica; Négrel, Philippe

    2011-02-01

    The measurements of stable selenium (Se) isotopic signatures by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) are very challenging, due to the presence of spectral interferences and the low abundance of Se in environmental samples. We systematically investigated the effect of methane addition on the signal of Se isotopes and their interferences. It is the first time that the effect of methane addition has been assessed for all Se isotopes and its potential interferences using hydride generator multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HG-MC-ICP-MS). Our results show that a small methane addition increases the sensitivity. However, the response differs between a hydride generator and a standard introduction system, which might be related to differences in the ionization processes. Both argon and hydrogen-based interferences, the most common spectral interferences on selenium isotopes in HG-MC-ICP-MS, decrease with increasing methane addition. Therefore, analyte-interference ratios and precision are improved. Methane addition has thus a high potential for the application to stable Se isotopes ratios by HG-MC-ICP-MS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. ED01-0230-1

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2001-08-13

    NASA's Helios Prototype aircraft taking off from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, for the record flight. As a follow-on to the Centurion (and earlier Pathfinder and Pathfinder-Plus) aircraft, the solar-powered Helios Prototype is the latest and largest example of a slow-flying ultralight flying wing designed for long-duration, high-altitude Earth science or telecommunications relay missions in the stratosphere. Developed by AeroVironment, Inc., of Monrovia, California, under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the unique craft is intended to demonstrate two key missions: the ability to reach and sustain horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude on a single-day flight in 2001, and to maintain flight above 50,000 feet altitude for at least four days in 2003, with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development. Both of these missions will be powered by electricity derived from non-polluting solar energy. The Helios Prototype is an enlarged version of the Centurion flying wing, which flew a series of test flights at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in late 1998. The craft has a wingspan of 247 feet, 41 feet greater than the Centurion, 2 1/2 times that of its solar-powered Pathfinder flying wing, and longer than the wingspans of either the Boeing 747 jetliner or Lockheed C-5 transport aircraft. The remotely piloted, electrically powered Helios Prototype went aloft on its maiden low-altitude checkout flight Sept. 8, 1999, over Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in the Southern California desert. The initial flight series was flown on battery power as a risk-reduction measure. In all, six flights were flown in the Helios Protoype's initial development series. In upgrading the Centurion to the Helios Prototype configuration, AeroVironment added a sixth wing section and a fifth landing gear pod, among other improvements. The additional wingsp

  14. Additive Manufacturing Infrared Inspection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gaddy, Darrell; Nettles, Mindy

    2015-01-01

    The Additive Manufacturing Infrared Inspection Task started the development of a real-time dimensional inspection technique and digital quality record for the additive manufacturing process using infrared camera imaging and processing techniques. This project will benefit additive manufacturing by providing real-time inspection of internal geometry that is not currently possible and reduce the time and cost of additive manufactured parts with automated real-time dimensional inspections which deletes post-production inspections.

  15. Additively Manufactured Metals in Oxygen Systems Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tylka, Jonathan

    2015-01-01

    Metals produced by additive manufacturing methods, such as Powder Bed Fusion Technology, are now mature enough to be considered for qualification in human spaceflight oxygen systems. The mechanical properties of metals produced through AM processes are being systematically studied. However, it is unknown whether AM metals in oxygen applications may present an increased risk of flammability or ignition as compared to wrought metals of the same metallurgical composition due to increased porosity. Per NASA-STD-6001B materials to be used in oxygen system applications shall be based on flammability and combustion test data, followed by a flammability assessment. Without systematic flammability and ignition testing in oxygen there is no credible method for NASA to accurately evaluate the risk of using AM metals in oxygen systems.

  16. The effect of various pozzolanic additives on the concrete strength index

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vitola, L.; Sahmenko, G.; Erdmane, D.; Bumanis, G.; Bajare, D.

    2017-10-01

    The concrete industry is searching continuously for new effective mineral additives to improve the concrete properties. Replacing cement with the pozzolanic additives in most cases has resulted not only in positive impact on the environment but also has improved strength and durability of the concrete. Effective pozzolanic additives can be obtained from natural resources such as volcanic ashes, kaolin and other sediments as well as from different production industries that create various by-products with high pozzolanic reactivity. Current research deals with effectiveness evaluation of various mineral additives/wastes, such as coal combustion bottom ash, barley bottom ash, waste glass and metakaolin containing waste as well as calcined illite clays as supplementary cementitious materials, to be used in concrete production as partial cement replacement. Most of the examined materials are used as waste stream materials with potential reactive effect on the concrete. Milling time and fineness of the tested supplementary material has been evaluated and effectiveness was detected. Results indicate that fineness of the tested materials has crucial effect on the concrete compressive strength index. Not in all cases the prolonged milling time can increase fineness and reactivity of the supplementary materials; however the optimal milling time and fineness of the pozolanic additives increased the strength index of concrete up to 1.16 comparing to reference, even in cases when cement was substituted by 20 w%.

  17. Additive manufacturing capabilities applied to inertial confinement confusion at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    DOE PAGES

    Cardenas, Tana; Schmidt, Derek William; Peterson, Dominic S.

    2016-08-01

    We describe the use at Los Alamos National Laboratory of additive manufacturing (AM) for a variety of jigs and coating, assembly, and radiography fixtures. Additive manufacturing has also been used to produce shipping containers of complex design that would be too costly to have fabricated using traditional techniques. The current goal for AM use in target fabrication is to increase target accuracy and rigidity. This has been realized by implementing AM into target stalk fabrication, allowing increased complexity to address target strength and the addition of features for alignment at facilities. As a result, we will describe the fabrication ofmore » these components and our plans to utilize AM in the future.« less

  18. Breastfeeding peer support: are there additional benefits?

    PubMed

    Wade, Deborah; Haining, Shona; Day, Ann

    2009-12-01

    Anecdotal discussion among breastfeeding peer supporters and the infant-feeding co-ordinator suggested that breastfeeding peer support provided by breastfeeding peer supporters may offer benefits to breastfeeding women and their families other than increasing breastfeeding initiation and sustainability. The aim of this research was to determine whether there was evidence to support this. The research team used focus groups to obtain information from 16 local women who had received breastfeeding peer support from breastfeeding peer supporters. The key themes that emerged were--improved mental health, increased self-esteem or confidence, parenting skills, improved family diet, breastfeeding sustainability and poor hospital experience.The findings suggest that breastfeeding peer supporters supporting mothers to breastfeed, with the intention of increasing both breastfeeding rates and sustainability, may have additional benefits in several aspects of families' lives. Breastfeeding peer support may play an important role in helping to attain targets such as reducing obesity and postnatal depression.

  19. Microstructure evolution of the Ir-inserted Ni silicides with additional annealing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Kijeong; Song, Ohsung

    2009-02-01

    Thermally-evaporated 10 nm-Ni/1 nm-Ir/(poly)Si structures were fabricated in order to investigate the thermal stability of Ir-inserted nickel silicide after additional annealing. The silicide samples underwent rapid thermal annealing at 300 ° C to 1200 ° C for 40 s, followed by 30 min annealing at the given RTA temperatures. Silicides suitable for the salicide process were formed on the top of the single crystal and polycrystalline silicon substrates, mimicking actives and gates. The sheet resistance was measured using a four-point probe. High resolution x-ray diffraction and Auger depth profiling were used for phase and chemical composition analysis, respectively. Transmission electron microscope and scanning probe microscope were used to determine the cross-section structure and surface roughness. The silicide, which formed on single crystal silicon substrate with surface agglomeration after additional annealing, could defer the transformation of Ni(Ir)Si to Ni(Ir)Si2 and was stable at temperatures up to 1200 °C. Moreover, the silicide thickness doubled. There were no outstanding changes in the silicide thickness on polycrystalline silicon. However, after additional annealing, the silicon-silicide mixing became serious and showed high resistance at temperatures >700 °C. Auger depth profiling confirmed the increased thickness of the silicide layers after additional annealing without a change in composition. For a single crystal silicon substrate, the sheet resistance increased slightly due to the significant increases in surface roughness caused by surface agglomeration after additional annealing. Otherwise, there were almost no changes in surface roughness on the polycrystalline silicon substrate. The Ir-inserted nickel monosilicide was able to maintain a low resistance in a wide temperature range and is considered suitable for the nano-thick silicide process.

  20. Evaluation of increased milking frequency as an additional treatment for cows with clinical mastitis.

    PubMed

    Krömker, Volker; Zinke, Claudia; Paduch, Jan-Hendrik; Klocke, Doris; Reimann, Anette; Eller, Georg

    2010-02-01

    This field study focused on the possible effects of increased milking frequency (milking four times a day in comparison with milking twice a day) on clinical and bacteriological cure rates of clinical, antibiotically treated mastitis cases. Parameters tested were clinical, microbiological and full (cytomicrobiological) cure as well as the development of milk yield after the clinical mastitis episode. Cows from a large dairy herd meeting the study criteria (n=93) were assigned to two treatment groups by a systematic randomization scheme (blocked by body temperature <=or >39.5 degrees C). Both groups were randomly divided by experimental treatments: a) antibiotic intramammary treatment and milking 2-times a day; b) antibiotic intramammary treatment and milking 4-times a day. Treatments were initiated before the culture results were known. Cows were surveyed and evaluated on days 1-6, 24 and 31. No significant differences between treatment and control groups regarding clinical cure, microbiological cure, full cure and milk production could be established. Applying a 4-times a day milking regime did not lead to any significant effect, either positive or negative. Therefore, the results suggest that milking 4-times a day as a supporting therapy for mild, moderate and severe antimicrobially treated mastitis cases cannot be recommended.

  1. Low coefficient of thermal expansion polyimides containing metal ion additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stoakley, D. M.; St. Clair, A. K.

    1992-01-01

    Polyimides have become widely used as high performance polymers as a result of their excellent thermal stability and toughness. However, lowering their coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) would increase their usefulness for aerospace and electronic applications where dimensional stability is a requirement. The incorporation of metal ion-containing additives into polyimides, resulting in significantly lowered CTE's, has been studied. Various metal ion additives have been added to both polyamic acid resins and soluble polyimide solutions in the concentration range of 4-23 weight percent. The incorporation of these metal ions has resulted in reductions in the CTE's of the control polyimides of 12 percent to over 100 percent depending on the choice of additive and its concentration.

  2. 40 CFR 79.31 - Additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Additives. 79.31 Section 79.31... OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Designation of Fuels and Additives § 79.31 Additives. (a) All additives... persons or property on a street or highway. For purposes of this registration, however, additives...

  3. 40 CFR 79.31 - Additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Additives. 79.31 Section 79.31... OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Designation of Fuels and Additives § 79.31 Additives. (a) All additives... persons or property on a street or highway. For purposes of this registration, however, additives...

  4. 40 CFR 79.31 - Additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Additives. 79.31 Section 79.31... OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Designation of Fuels and Additives § 79.31 Additives. (a) All additives... persons or property on a street or highway. For purposes of this registration, however, additives...

  5. 40 CFR 79.31 - Additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Additives. 79.31 Section 79.31... OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Designation of Fuels and Additives § 79.31 Additives. (a) All additives... persons or property on a street or highway. For purposes of this registration, however, additives...

  6. 40 CFR 79.31 - Additives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Additives. 79.31 Section 79.31... OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Designation of Fuels and Additives § 79.31 Additives. (a) All additives... persons or property on a street or highway. For purposes of this registration, however, additives...

  7. Additive Biotech-Chances, challenges, and recent applications of additive manufacturing technologies in biotechnology.

    PubMed

    Krujatz, Felix; Lode, Anja; Seidel, Julia; Bley, Thomas; Gelinsky, Michael; Steingroewer, Juliane

    2017-10-25

    The diversity and complexity of biotechnological applications are constantly increasing, with ever expanding ranges of production hosts, cultivation conditions and measurement tasks. Consequently, many analytical and cultivation systems for biotechnology and bioprocess engineering, such as microfluidic devices or bioreactors, are tailor-made to precisely satisfy the requirements of specific measurements or cultivation tasks. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies offer the possibility of fabricating tailor-made 3D laboratory equipment directly from CAD designs with previously inaccessible levels of freedom in terms of structural complexity. This review discusses the historical background of these technologies, their most promising current implementations and the associated workflows, fabrication processes and material specifications, together with some of the major challenges associated with using AM in biotechnology/bioprocess engineering. To illustrate the great potential of AM, selected examples in microfluidic devices, 3D-bioprinting/biofabrication and bioprocess engineering are highlighted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. A test strategy for the assessment of additive attributed toxicity of tobacco products.

    PubMed

    Kienhuis, Anne S; Staal, Yvonne C M; Soeteman-Hernández, Lya G; van de Nobelen, Suzanne; Talhout, Reinskje

    2016-08-01

    The new EU Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) prohibits tobacco products containing additives that are toxic in unburnt form or that increase overall toxicity of the product. This paper proposes a strategy to assess additive attributed toxicity in the context of the TPD. Literature was searched on toxicity testing strategies for regulatory purposes from tobacco industry and governmental institutes. Although mainly traditional in vivo testing strategies have been applied to assess toxicity of unburnt additives and increases in overall toxicity of tobacco products due to additives, in vitro tests combined with toxicogenomics and validated using biomarkers of exposure and disease are most promising in this respect. As such, tests are needed that are sensitive enough to assess additive attributed toxicity above the overall toxicity of tobacco products, which can associate assay outcomes to human risk and exposure. In conclusion, new, sensitive in vitro assays are needed to conclude whether comparable testing allows for assessment of small changes in overall toxicity attributed to additives. A more pragmatic approach for implementation on a short-term is mandated lowering of toxic emission components. Combined with risk assessment, this approach allows assessment of effectiveness of harm reduction strategies, including banning or reducing of additives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Addition of multiple limiting resources reduces grassland diversity.

    PubMed

    Harpole, W Stanley; Sullivan, Lauren L; Lind, Eric M; Firn, Jennifer; Adler, Peter B; Borer, Elizabeth T; Chase, Jonathan; Fay, Philip A; Hautier, Yann; Hillebrand, Helmut; MacDougall, Andrew S; Seabloom, Eric W; Williams, Ryan; Bakker, Jonathan D; Cadotte, Marc W; Chaneton, Enrique J; Chu, Chengjin; Cleland, Elsa E; D'Antonio, Carla; Davies, Kendi F; Gruner, Daniel S; Hagenah, Nicole; Kirkman, Kevin; Knops, Johannes M H; La Pierre, Kimberly J; McCulley, Rebecca L; Moore, Joslin L; Morgan, John W; Prober, Suzanne M; Risch, Anita C; Schuetz, Martin; Stevens, Carly J; Wragg, Peter D

    2016-09-01

    Niche dimensionality provides a general theoretical explanation for biodiversity-more niches, defined by more limiting factors, allow for more ways that species can coexist. Because plant species compete for the same set of limiting resources, theory predicts that addition of a limiting resource eliminates potential trade-offs, reducing the number of species that can coexist. Multiple nutrient limitation of plant production is common and therefore fertilization may reduce diversity by reducing the number or dimensionality of belowground limiting factors. At the same time, nutrient addition, by increasing biomass, should ultimately shift competition from belowground nutrients towards a one-dimensional competitive trade-off for light. Here we show that plant species diversity decreased when a greater number of limiting nutrients were added across 45 grassland sites from a multi-continent experimental network. The number of added nutrients predicted diversity loss, even after controlling for effects of plant biomass, and even where biomass production was not nutrient-limited. We found that elevated resource supply reduced niche dimensionality and diversity and increased both productivity and compositional turnover. Our results point to the importance of understanding dimensionality in ecological systems that are undergoing diversity loss in response to multiple global change factors.

  10. Impact of trace element additives on anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge with in-situ carbon dioxide sequestration

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

    Linville, Jessica L.; Shen, Yanwen; Schoene, Robin P.

    Anaerobic digestion (AD) of sludge at wastewater treatment plants can benefit from addition of essential trace metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt to increase biogas production for utilization in combined heat and power systems, fed into natural gas pipelines or as a vehicle fuel. This study evaluated the impact and benefits of Ni/Co and olivine addition to the digester at mesophilic temperatures. These additions supplement previously reported research in which iron-rich olivine (MgSiO4) was added to sequester CO2 in-situ during batch AD of sludge. Trace element addition has been shown to stimulate and stabilize biogas production and have amore » synergistic effect on the mineral carbonation process. AD with 5% w/v olivine and 1.5 mg/L Ni/Co addition had a 17.3% increase in methane volume, a 6% increase in initial exponential methane production rate and a 56% increase in methane yield (mL CH4/g CODdegraded) compared to the control due to synergistic trace element and olivine addition while maintaining 17.7% CO2 sequestration from olivine addition. Both first-order kinetic modeling and response surface methodology modeling confirmed the combined benefit of the trace elements and olivine addition. These results were significantly higher than previously reported results with olivine addition alone [1].« less

  11. Silage review: Recent advances and future uses of silage additives.

    PubMed

    Muck, R E; Nadeau, E M G; McAllister, T A; Contreras-Govea, F E; Santos, M C; Kung, L

    2018-05-01

    Additives have been available for enhancing silage preservation for decades. This review covers research studies published since 2000 that have investigated the efficacy of silage additives. The review has been divided into 6 categories of additives: homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB), obligate heterofermentative LAB, combination inoculants containing obligate heterofermentative LAB plus homofermentative LAB, other inoculants, chemicals, and enzymes. The homofermentative LAB rapidly decrease pH and increase lactic acid relative to other fermentation products, although a meta-analysis indicated no reduction in pH in corn, sorghum, and sugarcane silages relative to untreated silages. These additives resulted in higher milk production according to the meta-analysis by mechanisms that are still unclear. Lactobacillus buchneri is the dominant species used in obligate heterofermentative LAB silage additives. It slowly converts lactic acid to acetic acid and 1,2-propanediol during silo storage, improving aerobic stability while having no effect on animal productivity. Current research is focused on finding other species in the Lb. buchneri group capable of producing more rapid improvements in aerobic stability. Combination inoculants aim to provide the aerobic stability benefits of Lb. buchneri with the silage fermentation efficiency and animal productivity benefits of homofermentative LAB. Research indicates that these products are improving aerobic stability, but feeding studies are not yet sufficient to make conclusions about effects on animal performance. Novel non-LAB species have been studied as potential silage inoculants. Streptococcus bovis is a potential starter species within a homofermentative LAB inoculant. Propionibacterium and Bacillus species offer improved aerobic stability in some cases. Some yeast research has focused on inhibiting molds and other detrimental silage microorganisms, whereas other yeast research suggests that it may be possible

  12. Numerical simulation of residual stress in laser based additive manufacturing process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalyan Panda, Bibhu; Sahoo, Seshadev

    2018-03-01

    Minimizing the residual stress build-up in metal-based additive manufacturing plays a pivotal role in selecting a particular material and technique for making an industrial part. In beam-based additive manufacturing, although a great deal of effort has been made to minimize the residual stresses, it is still elusive how to do so by simply optimizing the processing parameters, such as beam size, beam power, and scan speed. Amid different types of additive manufacturing processes, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process uses a high-power laser to melt and sinter layers of metal powder. The rapid solidification and heat transfer on powder bed endows a high cooling rate which leads to the build-up of residual stresses, that will affect the mechanical properties of the build parts. In the present work, the authors develop a numerical thermo-mechanical model for the measurement of residual stress in the AlSi10Mg build samples by using finite element method. Transient temperature distribution in the powder bed was assessed using the coupled thermal to structural model. Subsequently, the residual stresses were estimated with varying laser power. From the simulation result, it found that the melt pool dimensions increase with increasing the laser power and the magnitude of residual stresses in the built part increases.

  13. Laser Beam Melting of Alumina: Effect of Absorber Additions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moniz, Liliana; Colin, Christophe; Bartout, Jean-Dominique; Terki, Karim; Berger, Marie-Hélène

    2018-03-01

    Ceramic laser beam melting offers new manufacturing possibilities for complex refractory structures. Poor absorptivity in near infra-red wavelengths of oxide ceramics is overcome with absorber addition to ceramic powders. Absorbers affect powder bed densities and geometrical stability of melted tracks. Optimum absorber content is defined for Al2O3 by minimizing powder bed porosity, maximizing melting pool geometrical stability and limiting shrinkage. Widest stability fields are obtained with addition of 0.1 wt.% C and 0.5 wt.% β-SiC. Absorption coefficient values of Beer-Lambert law follow stability trends: they increase with C additions, whereas with β-SiC, a maximum is reached for 0.5 wt.%. Powder particle ejections are also identified. Compared to metallic materials, this ejection phenomenon can no longer be neglected when establishing a three-dimensional manufacturing strategy.

  14. Dissimilar welding of nickel-based Alloy 690 to SUS 304L with Ti addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, H. T.; Jeng, S. L.; Yen, C. H.; Kuo, T. Y.

    2004-10-01

    This study investigates the effects of Ti addition on the weldability, microstructure and mechanical properties of a dissimilar weldment of Alloy 690 and SUS 304L. Shielding metal arc welding (SMAW) is employed to butt-weld two plates with three welding layers, where each layer is deposited in a single pass. To investigate the effects of Ti addition, the flux coatings of the electrodes used in the welding process are modified by varying additions of either a Ti-Fe compound or a Ti powder. The results indicate that the microstructure of the fusion zone (FZ) is primarily dendritic. With increasing Ti content, it is noted that the microstructure changes from a columnar dendritic to an equiaxed dendritic, in which the primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) becomes shorter. Furthermore, it is observed that the amount of Al-Ti oxide phase increases in the inter-dendritic region, while the amount of Nb-rich phase decreases. Moreover, the average hardness of the FZ increases slightly. The results indicate that Ti addition prompts a significant increase in the elongation of the weldment (i.e. 36.5%, Ti: 0.41 wt%), although the tensile strength remains relatively unchanged. However, at an increased Ti content of 0.91 wt%, an obvious reduction in the tensile strength is noted, which can be attributed to a general reduction in the weldability of the joint.

  15. Impacts of half a degree additional warming on the Asian summer monsoon rainfall characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Donghyun; Min, Seung-Ki; Fischer, Erich; Shiogama, Hideo; Bethke, Ingo; Lierhammer, Ludwig; Scinocca, John F.

    2018-04-01

    This study investigates the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C above pre-industrial conditions (Paris Agreement target temperatures) on the South Asian and East Asian monsoon rainfall using five atmospheric global climate models participating in the ‘Half a degree Additional warming, Prognosis and Projected Impacts’ (HAPPI) project. Mean and extreme precipitation is projected to increase under warming over the two monsoon regions, more strongly in the 2.0 °C warmer world. Moisture budget analysis shows that increases in evaporation and atmospheric moisture lead to the additional increases in mean precipitation with good inter-model agreement. Analysis of daily precipitation characteristics reveals that more-extreme precipitation will have larger increase in intensity and frequency responding to the half a degree additional warming, which is more clearly seen over the South Asian monsoon region, indicating non-linear scaling of precipitation extremes with temperature. Strong inter-model relationship between temperature and precipitation intensity further demonstrates that the increased moisture with warming (Clausius-Clapeyron relation) plays a critical role in the stronger intensification of more-extreme rainfall with warming. Results from CMIP5 coupled global climate models under a transient warming scenario confirm that half a degree additional warming would bring more frequent and stronger heavy precipitation events, exerting devastating impacts on the human and natural system over the Asian monsoon region.

  16. Influence of metallic additives on manganese ferrites sintering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shevelev, S. A.; Luchnikov, P. A.; Yarullina, A. R.

    2018-01-01

    Influence of cuprum nanopowder additive received by electric explosion on the process of manganese ferrites MgFe2O4 consolidating at thermal sintering was researched by dilatometry method. Cuprum nanopowder at a rate of 5 mass % was added into the original commercial-grade powder of manganese ferrite MgFe2O4. Powder mixture was numerously blended with screening for better blending before pressing. Powder compacts were formed by cold one-axle static pressing. It was proved that introduction of cuprum additive caused shrinkage increase at final heating stage. There was abnormal compact enlarging at sintering in the air at isothermal stage; the specified process was not observed in vacuum. This difference can be explained by changes in conditions of gaseous discharge from volume of pores.

  17. Can increasing CO2 cool Antarctica?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmithuesen, Holger; Notholt, Justus; König-Langlo, Gert; Lemke, Peter

    2014-05-01

    CO2 is the strongest anthropogenic forcing agent for climate change since pre-industrial times. Like other greenhouse gases, CO2 absorbs terrestrial surface radiation and causes emission from the atmosphere to space. As the surface is generally warmer than the atmosphere, the total long-wave emission to space is commonly less than the surface emission. However, this does not hold true for the high elevated areas of central Antarctica. Our investigations show, that for the high elevated areas of Antarctica the greenhouse effect (GHE) of CO2 is commonly around zero or even negative. This is based on the quantification of GHE as the difference between long-wave surface emission and top of atmosphere emission. We demonstrate this behaviour with the help of three models: a simple two-layer model, line-by-line calculations, and an ECMWF experiment. Additionally, in this region an increase in CO2 concentration leads to an instantaneous increased long-wave energy loss to space, which is a cooling effect on the earth-atmosphere system. However, short-wave warming by the weak absorption of solar radiation by CO2 are not taken into account here. The reason for this counter-intuitive behaviour is the fact that in the interior of Antarctica the surface is often colder than the stratosphere above. Radiation from the surface in the atmospheric window emitted to space is then relatively lower compared to radiation in the main CO2 band around 15 microns, which originates mostly from the stratosphere. Increasing CO2 concentration leads to increasing emission from the atmosphere to space, while blocking additional portions of surface emission. If the surface is colder than the stratosphere, this leads to additional long-wave energy loss to space for increasing CO2. Our findings for central Antarctica are in strong contrast to the generally known effect that increasing CO2 has on the long-wave emission to space, and hence on the Antarctic climate.

  18. Development of an immunochromatographic assay for the detection of the feed additive zilpaterol

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Zilpaterol is a beta-adrenergic agonist feed additive approved in the United States to increase weight gain and improve feed efficiency of cattle. Countries which ban beta-adrenergic agonist feed additives can reject imported beef products that contain zilpaterol. Therefore, efficient, portable, a...

  19. [Risk hidden in the small print? : Some food additives may trigger pseudoallergic reactions].

    PubMed

    Zuberbier, Torsten; Hengstenberg, Claudine

    2016-06-01

    Some food additives may trigger pseudoallergenic reactions. However, the prevalence of such an overreaction is - despite the increasing number of food additives - rather low in the general population. The most common triggers of pseudoallergic reactions to food are naturally occurring ingredients. However, symptoms in patients with chronic urticaria should improve significantly on a pseudoallergen-free diet. In addition, some studies indicate that certain food additives may also have an impact on the symptoms of patients with neurodermatitis and asthma.

  20. Nitrogen and phosphorus addition impact soil N2O emission in a secondary tropical forest of South China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Faming; Li, Jian; Wang, Xiaoli; Zhang, Wei; Zou, Bi; Neher, Deborah A.; Li, Zhian

    2014-01-01

    Nutrient availability greatly regulates ecosystem processes and functions of tropical forests. However, few studies have explored impacts of N addition (aN), P addition (aP) and N×P interaction on tropical forests N2O fluxes. We established an N and P addition experiment in a tropical forest to test whether: (1) N addition would increase N2O emission and nitrification, and (2) P addition would increase N2O emission and N transformations. Nitrogen and P addition had no effect on N mineralization and nitrification. Soil microbial biomass was increased following P addition in wet seasons. aN increased 39% N2O emission as compared to control (43.3 μgN2O-N m−2h−1). aP did not increase N2O emission. Overall, N2O emission was 60% greater for aNP relative to the control, but significant difference was observed only in wet seasons, when N2O emission was 78% greater for aNP relative to the control. Our results suggested that increasing N deposition will enhance soil N2O emission, and there would be N×P interaction on N2O emission in wet seasons. Given elevated N deposition in future, P addition in this tropical soil will stimulate soil microbial activities in wet seasons, which will further enhance soil N2O emission. PMID:25001013

  1. Additives to silane for thin film silicon photovoltaic devices

    DOEpatents

    Hurley, Patrick Timothy; Ridgeway, Robert Gordon; Hutchison, Katherine Anne; Langan, John Giles

    2013-09-17

    Chemical additives are used to increase the rate of deposition for the amorphous silicon film (.alpha.Si:H) and/or the microcrystalline silicon film (.mu.CSi:H). The electrical current is improved to generate solar grade films as photoconductive films used in the manufacturing of Thin Film based Photovoltaic (TFPV) devices.

  2. Improved enzymatic hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH101) by polyethylene glycol addition.

    PubMed

    Ouyang, Jia; Dong, Zhenwei; Song, Xiangyang; Lee, Xin; Chen, Mu; Yong, Qiang

    2010-09-01

    The effects of additives on hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH101) were examined using commercial cellulose-degrading enzymes (Celluclast 1.5L and Novozyme 188). Polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG4000) was the most effective additive tested. When PEG4000 was added at 0.05 g/g glucan, the conversion of Avicel PH101 increased 91% (from 41.1% to 78.9%). The cellulase activity of Celluclast 1.5L increased 27.5% with PEG4000 addition. A positive effect on enzyme stabilities of Celluclast 1.5L and Novozyme 188 also occurred with PEG4000 addition. During hydrolysis process, significant changes in free protein concentration and cellulase activity were observed on Avicel PH101. More than 90% of the original enzyme activity remained in the solution after 48 h hydrolysis. Thus, PEG4000 addition is an efficient method to enhance digestibility of cellulosic materials and make enzyme recovery possible and valuable. This provides an opportunity of decreasing the operational cost of the hydrolysis process. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Improving ED efficiency to capture additional revenue.

    PubMed

    Mandavia, Sujal; Samaniego, Loretta

    2016-06-01

    An increase in the number of patients visiting emergency departments (EDs) presents an opportunity for additional revenue if hospitals take four steps to optimize resources: Streamline the patient pathway and reduce the amount of time each patient occupies a bed in the ED. Schedule staff according to the busy and light times for patient arrivals. Perform registration and triage bedside, reducing initial wait times. Create an area for patients to wait for test results so beds can be freed up for new arrivals.

  4. Phosphazene additives

    DOEpatents

    Harrup, Mason K; Rollins, Harry W

    2013-11-26

    An additive comprising a phosphazene compound that has at least two reactive functional groups and at least one capping functional group bonded to phosphorus atoms of the phosphazene compound. One of the at least two reactive functional groups is configured to react with cellulose and the other of the at least two reactive functional groups is configured to react with a resin, such as an amine resin of a polycarboxylic acid resin. The at least one capping functional group is selected from the group consisting of a short chain ether group, an alkoxy group, or an aryloxy group. Also disclosed are an additive-resin admixture, a method of treating a wood product, and a wood product.

  5. Effect of Ferrous Additives on Magnesia Stone Hydration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimich, V.

    2017-11-01

    The article deals with the modification of the magnesia binder with additives containing two- and three-valent iron cations which could be embedded in the chloromagnesium stone structure and also increase the strength from 60 MPa in a non-additive stone to 80MPa, water resistance from 0.58 for clear stone to 0.8 and reduce the hygroscopicity from 8% in the non-additive stone to 2% in the modified chloromagnesium stone. It is proposed to use the iron hydroxide sol as an additive in the quantities of up to 1% of the weight of the binder. The studies were carried out using the modern analysis methods: the differentialthermal and X-ray phase analysis. The structure was studied with an electron microscope with an X-ray microanalyzer. A two-factor plan-experiment was designed which allowed constructing mathematical models characterizing the influence of variable factors, such as the density of the zatcher and the amount of sol in the binder, on the basic properties of the magnesian stone. The result of the research was the magnesia stone with the claimed properties and formed from minerals characteristic for magnesian materials as well as additionally formed from amachenite and goethite. It has been established that a highly active iron hydroxide sol the ion sizes of which are commensurate with magnesium ions is actively incorporated into the structure of pentahydroxychloride and magnesium hydroxide changing the habit of crystals compacting the structure of the stone and changing its hygroscopicity.

  6. Effect of molybdenum additions on the microstructures and corrosion behaviours of 316L stainless steel-based alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Rahman, T.; Ebert, W. L.; Indacochea, J. E.

    2018-02-28

    Alloys were made by alloying 5, 10, 15, 17.5, and 20 wt % Mo with Type 316L stainless steel. Sigma phases containing 21–29 wt % Mo formed along the austenite grain boundaries with the addition of 5 wt % Mo and increased with additions up to 15 wt % Mo, but they decreased with further additions. Laves phases containing 33–40 wt % Mo co-precipitated at additions of 10 wt % Mo which increased with further Mo increases. The corrosion resistance, assessed by potentiodynamic polarisation in a 10 mM NaCl solution adjusted to pH 4, increased relative to Type 316L formore » alloys made with 5 and 10 wt % added Mo, but decreased with further additions due to preferential corrosion of the Laves phase. The alloy made with 10 wt % added Mo had the highest corrosion resistance due primarily to the high Mo content of the austenite.« less

  7. Effect of molybdenum additions on the microstructures and corrosion behaviours of 316L stainless steel-based alloys

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

    Rahman, T.; Ebert, W. L.; Indacochea, J. E.

    Alloys were made by alloying 5, 10, 15, 17.5, and 20 wt % Mo with Type 316L stainless steel. Sigma phases containing 21–29 wt % Mo formed along the austenite grain boundaries with the addition of 5 wt % Mo and increased with additions up to 15 wt % Mo, but they decreased with further additions. Laves phases containing 33–40 wt % Mo co-precipitated at additions of 10 wt % Mo which increased with further Mo increases. The corrosion resistance, assessed by potentiodynamic polarisation in a 10 mM NaCl solution adjusted to pH 4, increased relative to Type 316L formore » alloys made with 5 and 10 wt % added Mo, but decreased with further additions due to preferential corrosion of the Laves phase. The alloy made with 10 wt % added Mo had the highest corrosion resistance due primarily to the high Mo content of the austenite.« less

  8. Tapanuli Organoclay Addition Into Linear Low Density Polyethylene-Pineapple Fiber Composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adawiyah, Robiatul; Juwono, Ariadne L.; Roseno, Seto

    2010-12-01

    Linear low density polyethylene-Tapanuli organoclay-pineapple fiber composites were succesfully synthesized by a melt intercalation method. The clay was modified as an organoclay by a cation exchange reaction using hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMABr) surfactant. The X-ray diffraction results of the organoclay exhibited a higher basal spacing of 1.87 nm compared to the unmodified clay of 1.46 nm. The composite tensile strength was enhanced up to 46.4% with the 1 wt% organoclay addition. Both tensile and flexural moduli increased up to 150.6% and 43% with the 3 wt% organoclay addition to the composites. However, the flexural strength of the composites was not improved with the organoclay addition. The addition of organoclay has also decreased the heat deflection temperature of the composites.

  9. Direct observation of lubricant additives using tomography techniques

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

    Chen, Yunyun; Sanchez, Carlos; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.

    Lubricants play important roles in daily activities such as driving, walking, and cooking. The current understanding of mechanisms of lubrication, particularly in mechanical systems, has been limited by the lack of capability in direct observation. Here, we report an in situ approach to directly observe the motion of additive particles in grease under the influence of shear. Using the K-edge tomography technique, it is possible to detect particular additives in a grease and observe their distribution through 3D visualization. A commercial grease as a reference was studied with and without an inorganic additive of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microparticles. The resultsmore » showed that it was possible to identify these particles and track their movement. Under a shear stress, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles were found to adhere to the edge of calcium complex thickeners commonly used in grease. Due to sliding, the grease formed a film with increased density. This approach enables in-line monitoring of a lubricant and future investigation in mechanisms of lubrication.« less

  10. Experimentation on bio-kerosene stove using organic additive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varshini, M.; Shetty, Divakar

    2017-07-01

    One of the basic worthy item used in most of the villages even now a day's also is the kerosene stove. But in the current scenario, the petroleum products are been replenished. So an alternate fuel should be found in order delve. This work is to check the contingency of blending pongamia oil and kerosene in which is used as an additive. Pongamia is one of the forest based fast growing evergreen tree which is capable of yielding 9 - 90 kg seeds from which 25% of oil can be extracted. Distilled cow urine is to be used so that the fuel can be stored for longer time and is odorless. Blends of 10% to 70% neat pongamia oil - kerosene(KEP) and pongamia oil - kerosene with additive(KEPWA) are prepared. The properties such as flash point, fire point and viscosity are determined. The blends are been compared by doing emission test. The blends with additive showed better properties and reducing in emission characteristics compared to neat blends. It is also observed that emission of CO is decreasing with increasing blends.

  11. Design of a Large Span-Distributed Load Flying-Wing Cargo Airplane

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jernell, L. S.; Quartero, C. B.

    1977-01-01

    The design and operation of very large, long-range, subsonic cargo aircraft are considered. A design concept which distributes the payload along the wingspan to counterbalance the aerodynamic loads, with a resultant decrease in the in-flight wing bending moments and shear forces, is described. The decreased loading of the wing structure, coupled with the very thick wing housing the cargo, results in a relatively low overall structural weight in comparison to that of conventional aircraft.

  12. NASA's B-52 mother ship carries the X-43A and its booster rocket on a captive carry flight Jan. 26, 2004

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-01-26

    NASA's historic B-52 mother ship carried the X-43A and its Pegasus booster rocket on a captive carry flight from Edwards Air Force Base Jan. 26, 2004. The X-43A and its booster remained mated to the B-52 throughout the two-hour flight, intended to check its readiness for launch. The hydrogen-fueled aircraft is autonomous and has a wingspan of approximately 5 feet, measures 12 feet long and weighs about 2,800 pounds.

  13. A review of the performance and structural considerations of paraffin wax hybrid rocket fuels with additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veale, Kirsty; Adali, Sarp; Pitot, Jean; Brooks, Michael

    2017-12-01

    Paraffin wax as a hybrid rocket fuel has not been comprehensively characterised, especially regarding the structural feasibility of the material in launch applications. Preliminary structural testing has shown paraffin wax to be a brittle, low strength material, and at risk of failure under launch loading conditions. Structural enhancing additives have been identified, but their effect on motor performance has not always been considered, nor has any standard method of testing been identified between research institutes. A review of existing regression rate measurement techniques on paraffin wax based fuels and the results obtained with various additives are collated and discussed in this paper. The review includes 2D slab motors that enable visualisation of liquefying fuel droplet entrainment and the effect of an increased viscosity on the droplet entrainment mechanism, which can occur with the addition of structural enhancing polymers. An increased viscosity has been shown to reduce the regression rate of liquefying fuels. Viscosity increasing additives that have been tested include EVA and LDPE. Both these additives increase the structural properties of paraffin wax, where the elongation and UTS are improved. Other additives, such as metal hydrides, aluminium and boron generally offer improvements on the regression rate. However, very little consideration has been given to the structural effects these additives have on the wax grain. A 40% aluminised grain, for example, offers a slight increase in the UTS but reduces the elongation of paraffin wax. Geometrically accurate lab-scale motors have also been used to determine the regression rate properties of various additives in paraffin wax. A concise review of all available regression rate testing techniques and results on paraffin wax based hybrid propellants, as well as existing structural testing data, is presented in this paper.

  14. Heat conduction in double-walled carbon nanotubes with intertube additional carbon atoms.

    PubMed

    Cui, Liu; Feng, Yanhui; Tan, Peng; Zhang, Xinxin

    2015-07-07

    Heat conduction of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with intertube additional carbon atoms was investigated for the first time using a molecular dynamics method. By analyzing the phonon vibrational density of states (VDOS), we revealed that the intertube additional atoms weak the heat conduction along the tube axis. Moreover, the phonon participation ratio (PR) demonstrates that the heat transfer in DWCNTs is dominated by low frequency modes. The added atoms cause the mode weight factor (MWF) of the outer tube to decrease and that of the inner tube to increase, which implies a lower thermal conductivity. The effects of temperature, tube length, and the number and distribution of added atoms were studied. Furthermore, an orthogonal array testing strategy was designed to identify the most important structural factor. It is indicated that the tendencies of thermal conductivity of DWCNTs with added atoms change with temperature and length are similar to bare ones. In addition, thermal conductivity decreases with the increasing number of added atoms, more evidently for atom addition concentrated at some cross-sections rather than uniform addition along the tube length. Simultaneously, the number of added atoms at each cross-section has a considerably more remarkable impact, compared to the tube length and the density of chosen cross-sections to add atoms.

  15. Application of rhamnolipid and surfactin for enhanced diesel biodegradation--effects of pH and ammonium addition.

    PubMed

    Whang, Liang-Ming; Liu, Pao-Wen G; Ma, Chih-Chung; Cheng, Sheng-Shung

    2009-05-30

    This study investigated the effects of pH and ammonium concentrations on the potential application of two biosurfactants, surfactin (SF) and rhamnolipid (RL), for enhanced diesel biodegradation with a series of bench-scale experiments. In general, compared to the experiments without biosurfactant addition, adding RL or SF to diesel-water systems at concentrations above their critical micelle concentration (CMC) values benefited diesel emulsification, and therefore enhanced diesel biodegradation. The effects of pH on RL or SF-enhanced biodegradation of diesel were in good agreement with the trends of emulsion index values for RL or SF addition, respectively, under different pH conditions, suggesting that enhanced diesel emulsification by RL or SF addition promoted biodegradation of diesel. In diesel-water systems with 50mg/L of RL addition, an optimum pH condition for microbial growth and diesel biodegradation was found to be at a pH 7.2, while decreasing pH to 5.2 or increasing it to 8.4 reduced those parameters considerably. For the cases where 40 mg/L of SF was added, the enhancing ability shared a general trend with that observed for adding 50mg/L of RL as the pH increased from 5.2 to 7.2. Further increase of pH to 8.4, however, did not seem to negatively influence biodegradation and biomass growth. With respect to the effects of ammonium concentration on diesel biodegradation in diesel-water systems with 50mg/L of RL addition, an optimum ammonium addition for microbial growth and diesel biodegradation was found between 200 and 300 mg-N/L, but a dramatic decrease in growth and biodegradation occurred at ammonium addition up to 450 mg-N/L. For the cases where 40 mg/L of SF was added, an increase of ammonium addition from 50 to 200mg-N/L substantially increased microbial growth and biodegradation of diesel. Further increase of ammonium concentration to 450 mg-N/L, however, did not further improve diesel biodegradation.

  16. Dielectric properties and microstructures for various MLCCs coated with additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oh, Min Wook; Yeo, Dong Hun; Shin, Hyo Soon; Jeong, Dae Yong

    2013-12-01

    As electronic devices become smaller and have higher capacity, dielectric thin films are being used in the development of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). Smaller BaTiO3 dielectric particles should be used to obtain the thickness of low dielectric layers. Further, MLCC properties are achieved through the uniform addition of various additives, but the existing method of adding nano additives has limitations. As such, this study evaluated the dielectric properties of BaTiO3 pellets after using the liquid coating method to add additives such as Dy, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Si to 150 nm BaTiO3 dielectric powder. Mn, Cr, and Si ions were each fixed at 0.1, 0.1, and 0.65 mol-%. Sintering was performed in a reducing atmosphere, and the microstructure and the dielectric properties were evaluated while varying Dy from 0.5 to 1.0 mol-% and Mg from 1.0 to 2.0 mol-%. Grain growth was observed for higher amounts of Dy, but were suppressed for higher amounts of Mg. With regards to changes in particle size, both the permittivity and the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) increased with increasing particle size. The permittivity was highest for Si=0.65, Mn=0.1, Cr=0.1 Dy=0.75, and Mg=2.0 mol-%. These levels also satisfied the TCC properties of X7R. In the microstructure, the core-shell was the most developed.

  17. Additive manufacturing of RF absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mills, Matthew S.

    The ability of additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate integrated electromagnetic absorbers tuned for specific radio frequency bands within structural composites allows for unique combinations of mechanical and electromagnetic properties. These composites and films can be used for RF shielding of sensitive electromagnetic components through in-plane and out-of-plane RF absorption. Structural composites are a common building block of many commercial platforms. These platforms may be placed in situations in which there is a need for embedded RF absorbing properties along with structural properties. Instead of adding radar absorbing treatments to the external surface of existing structures, which adds increased size, weight and cost; it could prove to be advantageous to integrate the microwave absorbing properties directly into the composite during the fabrication process. In this thesis, a method based on additive manufacturing techniques of composites structures with prescribed electromagnetic loss, within the frequency range 1 to 26GHz, is presented. This method utilizes screen printing and nScrypt micro dispensing to pattern a carbon based ink onto low loss substrates. The materials chosen for this study will be presented, and the fabrication technique that these materials went through to create RF absorbing structures will be described. The calibration methods used, the modeling of the RF structures, and the applications in which this technology can be utilized will also be presented.

  18. Mechanisms for increased soil C storage with increasing temporal and spatial plant diversity in Agroecosystems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiemann, L. K.; Grandy, S.; Marin-Spiotta, E.; Atkinson, E. E.

    2012-12-01

    in the mega- and micro-aggregates. In addition, soil N increased with diversity such that microbial C:N EEA simultaneously decreased in mega-aggregates. We also found that cropping diversity has created distinctive soil microbial communities, highlighted by variation in the abundance of gram positive bacteria and Actinomycetes. Further research will help us determine how these changes in community structure with increasing diversity are related to concomitant changes in aggregation and enzyme activities. We suggest that the additional organic matter inputs from cover crops in the high diversity treatments have increased aggregation processes and C pools. While microbial activity has also increased in association with this increased C availability, the activity of recalcitrant and N-acquiring enzymes has declined, suggesting an overall decrease in SOM mineralization with possible increased SOM stabilization. The addition of crop species in rotation (temporal diversity) had minimal influence on any of the measured parameters. We thus conclude that spatial diversity is a more important driver of soil structure and microbial activity, likely due to the high quality organic matter inputs derived from the leguminous cover crops; however, spatial diversity alone did not lead to the same level of C storage potential as mixtures of temporal and spatial diversity.

  19. Advanced Concept

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-08-13

    This photograph is an artist's cutaway view of the X-37 flight demonstrator showing its components. The X-37 experimental launch vehicle is roughly 27.5 feet (8.3 meters) long and 15 feet (4.5 meters) in wingspan. Its experiment bay is 7 feet (2.1 meters) long and 4 feet (1.2 meters) in diameter. Designed to operate in both the orbital and reentry phases of flight, the X-37 will increase both safety and reliability, while reducing launch costs from $10,000 per pound to $1000 per pound. The X-37 can be carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle or be launched by an expendable rocket. Managed by Marshall Space Flight Center and built by the Boeing Company, the X-37 is scheduled to fly two orbital missions in 2002/2003 to test the reusable launch vehicle technologies.

  20. Additive-Multiplicative Approximation of Genotype-Environment Interaction

    PubMed Central

    Gimelfarb, A.

    1994-01-01

    A model of genotype-environment interaction in quantitative traits is considered. The model represents an expansion of the traditional additive (first degree polynomial) approximation of genotypic and environmental effects to a second degree polynomial incorporating a multiplicative term besides the additive terms. An experimental evaluation of the model is suggested and applied to a trait in Drosophila melanogaster. The environmental variance of a genotype in the model is shown to be a function of the genotypic value: it is a convex parabola. The broad sense heritability in a population depends not only on the genotypic and environmental variances, but also on the position of the genotypic mean in the population relative to the minimum of the parabola. It is demonstrated, using the model, that GXE interaction rectional may cause a substantial non-linearity in offspring-parent regression and a reversed response to directional selection. It is also shown that directional selection may be accompanied by an increase in the heritability. PMID:7896113

  1. Oxidation of silicon nitride sintered with rare-earth oxide additions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mieskowski, D. M.; Sanders, W. A.

    1985-01-01

    The effects of rare-earth oxide additions on the oxidation of sintered Si3N4 were examined. Insignificant oxidation occurred at 700 and 1000 C, with no evidence of phase instability. At 1370 C, the oxidation rate was lowest for Y2O3 and increased for additions of La2O3, Sm2O3, and CeO2, in that order. Data obtained from X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, and scanning electron microscopy indicate that oxidation occurs via diffusion of cationic species from Si3N4 grain boundaries.

  2. Combustion Performance of a Staged Hybrid Rocket with Boron addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, D.; Lee, C.

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, the effect of boron on overall system specific impulse was investigated. Additionally, a series of combustion tests was carried out to analyze and evaluate the effect of boron addition on O/F variation and radial temperature profiles. To maintain the hybrid rocket engine advantages, upper limit of boron contents in solid fuel was set to be 10 wt%. The results also suggested that, when adding boron to solid fuel, it helped to provide more uniform radial temperature distribution and also to increase specific impulse by 3.2%.

  3. Drilling mud additives

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

    Roemer, P.; Downhour, R. Jr.

    1970-06-30

    A drilling mud additive prepared from farinaceous material contains relatively high gluten and fat contents and has between 30 and 40% water soluble solids on a dry basis. The product is particularly useful in rotary drilling as an additive to the drilling mud to inhibit water loss. The key to achieving the desired product is pretreatment of the raw flour and control of moisture. (2 claims)

  4. Experimental additions of aluminum sulfateand ammonium nitrate to in situ mesocosms toreduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystinconcentration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harris, Theodore D.; Wilhelm, Frank M.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Loftin, Keith A.

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies suggest that nitrogen additions to increase the total nitrogen:total phosphorus (TN:TP) ratio may reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration in reservoirs. In systems where TP is >100 μg/L, however, nitrogen additions to increase the TN:TP ratio could cause ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite toxicity to terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Reducing phosphorus via aluminum sulfate (alum) may be needed prior to nitrogen additions aimed at increasing the TN:TP ratio.We experimentally tested this sequential management approach in large in situ mesocosms (70.7 m3) to examine effects on cyanobacteria and microcystin concentration. Because alum removes nutrients and most seston from the water column, alum treatment reduced both TN and TP, leaving post-treatment TN:TP ratios similar to pre-treatment ratios. Cyanobacterial biovolume was reduced after alum addition, but the percent composition (i.e., relative) cyanobacterial abundance remained unchanged. A single ammonium nitrate (nitrogen) addition increased the TN:TP ratio 7-fold. After the TN:TP ratio was >50 (by weight), cyanobacterial biovolume and abundance were reduced, and chrysophyte and cryptophyte biovolume and abundance increased compared to the alum treatment. Microcystin was not detectable until the TN:TP ratio was <50. Although both treatments reduced cyanobacteria, only the nitrogen treatment seemed to stimulate energy flow from primary producers to zooplankton, which suggests that combining alum and nitrogen treatments may be a viable in-lake management strategy to reduce cyanobacteria and possibly microcystin concentrations in high-phosphorus systems. Additional studies are needed to define best management practices before combined alum and nitrogen additions are implemented as a reservoir management strategy.

  5. Evaluating the effects of phytoremediation with biochar additions on soil nitrogen mineralization enzymes and fungi.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Manyun; Wang, Jun; Bai, Shahla Hosseini; Teng, Ying; Xu, Zhihong

    2018-06-02

    Phytoremediation with biochar addition might alleviate pollutant toxicity to soil microorganism. It is uncertain to what extent biochar addition rate could affect activities of enzymes related to soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and alter fungal community under the phytoremediation. This study aimed to reveal the effects of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) phytoremediation, alone or with biochar additions, on soil protease and chitinase and fungal community and link the responses of microbial parameters with biochar addition rates. The alfalfa phytoremediation enhanced soil protease activities, and relative to the phytoremediation alone, biochar additions had inconsistent impacts on the corresponding functional gene abundances. Compared with the blank control, alfalfa phytoremediation, alone or with biochar additions, increased fungal biomass and community richness estimators. Moreover, relative to the phytoremediation alone, the relative abundances of phylum Zygomycota were also increased by biochar additions. The whole soil fungal community was not significantly changed by the alfalfa phytoremediation alone, but was indeed changed by alfalfa phytoremediation with 3.0% (w/w) or 6.0% biochar addition. This study suggested that alfalfa phytoremediation could enhance N mineralization enzyme activities and that biochar addition rates affected the responses of fungal community to the alfalfa phytoremediation.

  6. Low-Cost Nanocellulose-Reinforced High-Temperature Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing

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

    Ozcan, Soydan; Tekinalp, Halil L.; Love, Lonnie J.

    2016-07-13

    ORNL worked with American Process Inc. to demonstrate the potential use of bio-based BioPlus ® lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils (L-CNF) as a reinforcing agent in the development of polymer feedstock suitable for additive manufacturing. L-CNF-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) testing coupons were prepared and up to 69% increase in tensile strength and 133% increase in elastic modulus were demonstrated.

  7. Impact of Solubilizing Additives on Supersaturation and Membrane Transport of Drugs.

    PubMed

    Raina, Shweta A; Zhang, Geoff G Z; Alonzo, David E; Wu, Jianwei; Zhu, Donghua; Catron, Nathaniel D; Gao, Yi; Taylor, Lynne S

    2015-10-01

    Many enabling formulations give rise to supersaturated solutions wherein the solute possesses higher thermodynamic activity gradients than the solute in a saturated solution. Since flux across a membrane is driven by solute activity rather than concentration, understanding how solute thermodynamic activity varies with solution composition, particularly in the presence of solubilizing additives, is important in the context of passive absorption. In this study, a side-by-side diffusion cell was used to evaluate solute flux for solutions of nifedipine and felodipine in the absence and presence of different solubilizing additives at various solute concentrations. At a given solute concentration above the equilibrium solubility, it was observed that the solubilizing additives could reduce the membrane flux, indicating that the extent of supersaturation can be reduced. However, the flux could be increased back to the same maximum value (which was determined by the concentration where liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) occurred) by increasing the total solute concentration. Qualitatively, the shape of the curves of solute flux through membrane as a function of total solute concentration is the same in the absence and presence of solubilizing additives. Quantitatively, however, LLPS occurs at higher solute concentrations in the presence of solubilizing additives. Moreover, the ratios of the LLPS onset concentration and equilibrium solubility vary significantly in the absence and presence of additives. These findings clearly point out the flaws in using solute concentration in estimating solute activity or supersaturation, and reaffirm the use of flux measurements to understand supersaturated systems. Clear differentiation between solubilization and supersaturation, as well as thorough understanding of their respective impacts on membrane transport kinetics is important for the rational design of enabling formulations for poorly soluble compounds.

  8. Using of borosilicate glass waste as a cement additive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Weiwei; Sun, Tao; Li, Xinping; Sun, Mian; Lu, Yani

    2016-08-01

    Borosilicate glass waste is investigated as a cement additive in this paper to improve the properties of cement and concrete, such as setting time, compressive strength and radiation shielding. The results demonstrate that borosilicate glass is an effective additive, which not only improves the radiation shielding properties of cement paste, but also shows the irradiation effect on the mechanical and optical properties: borosilicate glass can increase the compressive strength and at the same time it makes a minor impact on the setting time and main mineralogical compositions of hydrated cement mixtures; and when the natural river sand in the mortar is replaced by borosilicate glass sand (in amounts from 0% to 22.2%), the compressive strength and the linear attenuation coefficient firstly increase and then decrease. When the glass waste content is 14.8%, the compressive strength is 43.2 MPa after 28 d and the linear attenuation coefficient is 0.2457 cm-1 after 28 d, which is beneficial for the preparation of radiation shielding concrete with high performances.

  9. Effect of commercial mineral-based additives on composting and compost quality.

    PubMed

    Himanen, M; Hänninen, K

    2009-08-01

    The effectiveness of two commercial additives meant to improve the composting process was studied in a laboratory-scale experiment. Improver A (sulphates and oxides of iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc mixed with clay) and B (mixture of calcium hydroxide, peroxide, and oxide) were added to source-separated biowaste:peat mixture (1:1, v/v) in proportions recommended by the producers. The composting process (T, emissions of CO(2), NH(3), and CH(4)) and the quality of the compost (pH, conductivity, C/N ratio, water-soluble NH(4)-N and NO(3)-N, water- and NaOH-soluble low-weight carboxylic acids, nutrients, heavy metals and phytotoxicity to Lepidium sarivum) were monitored during one year. Compared with the control, the addition of improver B increased pH by two units, led to an earlier elimination of water-soluble ammonia, an increase in nitrates, a 10-fold increase in concentrations of acetic acid, and shortened phytotoxicity period by half; as negative aspect it led to volatilization of ammonia. The addition of improver A led to a longer thermophilic stage by one week and lower concentrations of low-weight carboxylic acids (both water- and NaOH-extractable) with formic and acetic of similar amounts, however, most of the aspects claimed by the improver's producer were not confirmed in this trial.

  10. The effect of switchable water additives on clay settling.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chien-Shun; Lau, Ying Yin; Mercer, Sean M; Robert, Tobias; Horton, J Hugh; Jessop, Philip G

    2013-01-01

    The recycling of process water from strip mining extractions is a very relevant task both industrially and environmentally. The sedimentation of fine tailings during such processes, however, can often require long periods of time and/or the addition of flocculants which make later water recycling difficult. We propose the use of switchable water additives as reversible flocculants for clay/water suspensions. Switchable water additives are compounds such as diamines that make it possible to reversibly control the ionic strength of an aqueous solution. Addition of CO(2) to such an aqueous solution causes the ionic strength to rise dramatically, and the change is reversed upon removal of the CO(2). These additives, while in the presence of CO(2), promote the aggregation of clay tailings, reduce settling times, and greatly increase the clarity of the liberated water. The removal of CO(2) from the liberated water regenerates a low ionic strength solution that does not promote clay aggregation and settling until CO(2) is added again. Such reversible behavior would be useful in applications such as oil sands separations in which the recycled water must not promote aggregation. When added to kaolinite and montmorillonite clay suspensions, switchable water provided process waters of lower turbidity than those additives from inorganic salts or by CO(2)-treatment alone. When recollected, the switchable water supernatant was shown to be recyclable over three cycles for enhanced settling of kaolinite. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Food additives

    MedlinePlus

    ... or natural. Natural food additives include: Herbs or spices to add flavor to foods Vinegar for pickling ... Certain colors improve the appearance of foods. Many spices, as well as natural and man-made flavors, ...

  12. Ionic micelles and aromatic additives: a closer look at the molecular packing parameter.

    PubMed

    Lutz-Bueno, Viviane; Isabettini, Stéphane; Walker, Franziska; Kuster, Simon; Liebi, Marianne; Fischer, Peter

    2017-08-16

    Wormlike micellar aggregates formed from the mixture of ionic surfactants with aromatic additives result in solutions with impressive viscoelastic properties. These properties are of high interest for numerous industrial applications and are often used as model systems for soft matter physics. However, robust and simple models for tailoring the viscoelastic response of the solution based on the molecular structure of the employed additive are required to fully exploit the potential of these systems. We address this shortcoming with a modified packing parameter based model, considering the additive-surfactant pair. The role of charge neutralization on anisotropic micellar growth was investigated with derivatives of sodium salicylate. The impact of the additives on the morphology of the micellar aggregates is explained from the molecular level to the macroscopic viscoelasticity. Changes in the micelle's volume, headgroup area and additive structure are explored to redefine the packing parameter. Uncharged additives penetrated deeper into the hydrophobic region of the micelle, whilst charged additives remained trapped in the polar region, as revealed by a combination of 1 H-NMR, SAXS and rheological measurements. A deeper penetration of the additives densified the hydrophobic core of the micelle and induced anisotropic growth by increasing the effective volume of the additive-surfactant pair. This phenomenon largely influenced the viscosity of the solutions. Partially penetrating additives reduced the electrostatic repulsions between surfactant headgroups and neighboring micelles. The resulting increased network density governed the elasticity of the solutions. Considering a packing parameter composed of the additive-surfactant pair proved to be a facile means of engineering the viscoelastic response of surfactant solutions. The self-assembly of the wormlike micellar aggregates could be tailored to desired morphologies resulting in a specific and predictable

  13. Effects of Salinity and Nutrient Addition on Mangrove Excoecaria agallocha

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yaping; Ye, Yong

    2014-01-01

    Effects of salinity on seed germination and growth of young (1 month old) and old (2-year old) seedlings of Excoecaria agallocha were investigated. Combined effects of salinity and nutrient level were also examined on old seedlings. Seed germination was best at 0 and 5 psu salinity. 15 psu salinity significantly delayed root initiation and decreased final establishment rate. All seeds failed to establish at 25 psu salinity. Young seedlings performed best at 0 and 5 psu, but growth was stunned at 15 psu, and all seedlings died within 90 days at 25 psu. Old seedlings grew best at salinities below 5 psu and they survived the whole cultivation at 25 psu. This indicated that E. agallocha increased salt tolerance over time. Gas exchange was significantly compromised by salinities above 15 psu but evidently promoted by high nutrient. Proline accumulated considerably at high nutrient, and its contents increased from 0 to 15 psu but decreased at 25 psu salinity. Lipid peroxidation was aggravated by increasing salinity beyond 15 psu but markedly alleviated by nutrient addition. These responses indicated that E. agallocha was intolerant to high salinity but it can be greatly enhanced by nutrient addition. PMID:24691495

  14. Ordered Materials via Additive Driven Assembly and Reaction using Surfactant-Based Templates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beaulieu, Michael R.; Daga, Vikram K.; Lesser, Alan J.; Watkins, James J.

    2011-03-01

    We recently reported (1) the ordering behavior of Pluronic surfactant melts through the addition of aromatic additives with hydrogen bond donating groups, which exhibit selective interactions with the polyethylene oxide (PEO) block. The ordered blends had domain sizes ranging from 12 to 16 nm at additive loadings up to 80%.The goal of this work is to utilize condensation chemistries based on the functionality of similar additives, to yield ordered composite materials that could be used for applications involving membranes or dielectric materials. The structure of the blends and composites are determined by small angle x-ray scattering, which indicates that the ordered structure is preserved following reaction of the additives. Differential scanning calorimetry indicates that an increase in additive loading causes a decrease in the melting temperature and enthalpy of melting of the PEO, which demonstrates that the interaction between the PEO segments and the additive is strong. (1) Daga, V.K., Watkins, J. J. Macromolecules, ASAP.

  15. Effects of additional food in a delayed predator-prey model.

    PubMed

    Sahoo, Banshidhar; Poria, Swarup

    2015-03-01

    We examine the effects of supplying additional food to predator in a gestation delay induced predator-prey system with habitat complexity. Additional food works in favor of predator growth in our model. Presence of additional food reduces the predatory attack rate to prey in the model. Supplying additional food we can control predator population. Taking time delay as bifurcation parameter the stability of the coexisting equilibrium point is analyzed. Hopf bifurcation analysis is done with respect to time delay in presence of additional food. The direction of Hopf bifurcations and the stability of bifurcated periodic solutions are determined by applying the normal form theory and the center manifold theorem. The qualitative dynamical behavior of the model is simulated using experimental parameter values. It is observed that fluctuations of the population size can be controlled either by supplying additional food suitably or by increasing the degree of habitat complexity. It is pointed out that Hopf bifurcation occurs in the system when the delay crosses some critical value. This critical value of delay strongly depends on quality and quantity of supplied additional food. Therefore, the variation of predator population significantly effects the dynamics of the model. Model results are compared with experimental results and biological implications of the analytical findings are discussed in the conclusion section. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Predicting Impact of Biochar Addition on Soil Hydraulic Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakhli, S. A. A.; Yudi, Y.; Imhoff, P. T.

    2017-12-01

    Biochar has been proposed as a soil amendment to improve soil hydraulic properties, including water retention and saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, for agricultural and environmental applications. However, its effect on hydraulic properties is difficult to predict and often with mixed results: in some cases biochar enhances soil hydraulic properties, while in other cases it degrades them. Despite several published observational studies, there are no models that can reliably predict biochar's impact on soil hydraulic properties. In this project we developed models to describe the effect of addition of a commercial wood biochar pyrolyzed at 550° on soil hydraulic properties in laboratory-scale experiments. The effects of biochar addition at 2% and 6% (w/w) on water retention and saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were evaluated for silt loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand. The addition of 6% (w/w) biochar increased the available water content of silt loam, sandy loam and loamy sand by 25, 20 and 70%, respectively. The impact of biochar addition on water retention was predicted reasonably well using information on the intra particle pore volume of biochar (mercury porosimetry, N2 and CO2 sorption) and the particle size distribution of the soil/biochar mixture. When amended with 6% biochar, saturated hydraulic conductivity increased 17% for loamy sand, but decreased 30% and 54% for silt loam and sandy loam, respectively. The Kozeny-Carman equation modified to account for changes in inter pore volume predicted saturated hydraulic conductivities of the biochar-amended soils reasonably well, with RMSE ranging from 0.06 to 5.06 cm h-1 for silt loam and loamy sand, respectively. While intra particle pore volume of biochar contributed significantly to higher water retention, changes in hydraulic conductivity were correlated instead with changes in inter pore volume - the large pores between biochar and soil particles.

  17. Carcass analog addition enhances juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) growth and condition

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Guyette, Margaret Q.; Loftin, Cynthia S.; Zydlewski, Joseph D.

    2013-01-01

    Our study used historic marine-derived nutrient (MDN) delivery timing to simulate potential effects of restored connectivity on juvenile Atlantic salmon (ATS; Salmo salar) growth and condition. Four headwater streams were stocked with ATS young of the year (YOY) and received carcass analog additions (0.10 kg·m–2 wetted area) in treatment reaches to match the timing of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) spawning. Individual ATS mass was 33%–48% greater and standard length was 9%–15% greater in treatment reaches relative to control reaches for 4 months following nutrient additions. Percent total lipids in YOY ATS were twice as great in treatment reaches 1 month following carcass analog additions and remained elevated in treatment fish for 2 more months. Absolute growth rates, based on otolith microstructure analysis, correlated with water temperature fluctuations in all reaches and were elevated by an average of 0.07 mm·day–1 in treatment reaches for 1 month following carcass analog additions. Simulated sea lamprey MDNs increased juvenile ATS growth, which, via potential increases in overwinter survival and decreases in smolt age, may contribute to population persistence and ecosystem productivity.

  18. Grassland biodiversity bounces back from long-term nitrogen addition.

    PubMed

    Storkey, J; Macdonald, A J; Poulton, P R; Scott, T; Köhler, I H; Schnyder, H; Goulding, K W T; Crawley, M J

    2015-12-17

    The negative effect of increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) pollution on grassland biodiversity is now incontrovertible. However, the recent introduction of cleaner technologies in the UK has led to reductions in the emissions of nitrogen oxides, with concomitant decreases in N deposition. The degree to which grassland biodiversity can be expected to 'bounce back' in response to these improvements in air quality is uncertain, with a suggestion that long-term chronic N addition may lead to an alternative low biodiversity state. Here we present evidence from the 160-year-old Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted Research, UK, that shows a positive response of biodiversity to reducing N addition from either atmospheric pollution or fertilizers. The proportion of legumes, species richness and diversity increased across the experiment between 1991 and 2012 as both wet and dry N deposition declined. Plots that stopped receiving inorganic N fertilizer in 1989 recovered much of the diversity that had been lost, especially if limed. There was no evidence that chronic N addition has resulted in an alternative low biodiversity state on the Park Grass plots, except where there has been extreme acidification, although it is likely that the recovery of plant communities has been facilitated by the twice-yearly mowing and removal of biomass. This may also explain why a comparable response of plant communities to reduced N inputs has yet to be observed in the wider landscape.

  19. Grassland biodiversity bounces back from long-term nitrogen addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Storkey, J.; MacDonald, A. J.; Poulton, P. R.; Scott, T.; Köhler, I. H.; Schnyder, H.; Goulding, K. W. T.; Crawley, M. J.

    2015-12-01

    The negative effect of increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) pollution on grassland biodiversity is now incontrovertible. However, the recent introduction of cleaner technologies in the UK has led to reductions in the emissions of nitrogen oxides, with concomitant decreases in N deposition. The degree to which grassland biodiversity can be expected to ‘bounce back’ in response to these improvements in air quality is uncertain, with a suggestion that long-term chronic N addition may lead to an alternative low biodiversity state. Here we present evidence from the 160-year-old Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted Research, UK, that shows a positive response of biodiversity to reducing N addition from either atmospheric pollution or fertilizers. The proportion of legumes, species richness and diversity increased across the experiment between 1991 and 2012 as both wet and dry N deposition declined. Plots that stopped receiving inorganic N fertilizer in 1989 recovered much of the diversity that had been lost, especially if limed. There was no evidence that chronic N addition has resulted in an alternative low biodiversity state on the Park Grass plots, except where there has been extreme acidification, although it is likely that the recovery of plant communities has been facilitated by the twice-yearly mowing and removal of biomass. This may also explain why a comparable response of plant communities to reduced N inputs has yet to be observed in the wider landscape.

  20. Risks associated with endotoxins in feed additives produced by fermentation.

    PubMed

    Wallace, R John; Gropp, Jürgen; Dierick, Noël; Costa, Lucio G; Martelli, Giovanna; Brantom, Paul G; Bampidis, Vasileios; Renshaw, Derek W; Leng, Lubomir

    2016-01-15

    Increasingly, feed additives for livestock, such as amino acids and vitamins, are being produced by Gram-negative bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli. The potential therefore exists for animals, consumers and workers to be exposed to possibly harmful amounts of endotoxin from these products. The aim of this review was to assess the extent of the risk from endotoxins in feed additives and to calculate how such risk can be assessed from the properties of the additive. Livestock are frequently exposed to a relatively high content of endotoxin in the diet: no additional hazard to livestock would be anticipated if the endotoxin concentration of the feed additive falls in the same range as feedstuffs. Consumer exposure will be unaffected by the consumption of food derived from animals receiving endotoxin-containing feed, because the small concentrations of endotoxin absorbed do not accumulate in edible tissues. In contrast, workers processing a dusty additive may be exposed to hazardous amounts of endotoxin even if the endotoxin concentration of the product is low. A calculation method is proposed to compare the potential risk to the worker, based on the dusting potential, the endotoxin concentration and technical guidance of the European Food Safety Authority, with national exposure limits.

  1. Does Deinstitutionalization Increase Suicide?

    PubMed Central

    Yoon, Jangho; Bruckner, Tim A

    2009-01-01

    Objectives (1) To test whether public psychiatric bed reduction may increase suicide rates; (2) to investigate whether the supply of private hospital psychiatric beds—separately for not-for-profit and for-profit—can substitute for public bed reduction without increasing suicides; and (3) to examine whether the level of community mental health resources moderates the relationship between public bed reduction and suicide rates. Methods We examined state-level variation in suicide rates in relation to psychiatric beds and community mental health spending in the United States for the years 1982–1998. We categorize psychiatric beds separately for public, not-for-profit, and for-profit hospitals. Principal Findings Reduced public psychiatric bed supply was found to increase suicide rates. We found no evidence that not-for-profit or for-profit bed supply compensates for public bed reductions. However, greater community mental health spending buffers the adverse effect of public bed reductions on suicide. We estimate that in 2008, an additional decline in public psychiatric hospital beds would raise suicide rates for almost all states. Conclusions Downsizing of public inpatient mental health services may increase suicide rates. Nevertheless, an increase in community mental health funding may be promising. PMID:19500164

  2. Performance ‘S’ Type Savonius Wind Turbine with Variation of Fin Addition on Blade

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pamungkas, S. F.; Wijayanto, D. S.; Saputro, H.; Widiastuti, I.

    2018-01-01

    Wind power has been receiving attention as the new energy resource in addressing the ecological problems of burning fossil fuels. Savonius wind rotor is a vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) which has relatively simple structure and low operating speed. These characteristics make it suitable for areas with low average wind speed as in Indonesia. To identify the performance of Savonius rotor in generating electrical energy, this research experimentally studied the effect of fin addition for the ‘S’ shape of Savonius VAWT. The fin is added to fill the space in the blade in directing the wind flow. This rotor has two turbine blades, a rotor diameter of 1.1 m and rotor height of 1.4 m, used pulley transmission system with 1:4.2 multiplication ratio, and used a generator type PMG 200 W. The research was conducted during dry season by measuring the wind speed in the afternoon. The average wind speed in the area is 2.3 m/s with the maximum of 4.5 m/s. It was found that additional fin significantly increase the ability of Savonius rotor VAWT to generate electrical energy shown by increasing of electrical power. The highest power generated is 13.40 Watt at a wind speed of 4.5 m/s by adding 1 (one) fin in the blade. It increased by 22.71% from the rotor blade with no additional fin. However, increasing number of fins in the blade was not linearly increase the electrical power generated. The wind rotor blade with 4 additional fins is indicated has the lowest performance, generating only 10.80 Watt electrical power, accounted lower than the one generated by no fin-rotor blade. By knowing the effect of the rotor shape, the rotor dimension, the addition of fin, transmission, and generator used, it is possible to determine alternative geometry design in increasing the electrical power generated by Savonius wind turbine.

  3. Effect of exogenous phosphorus addition on soil respiration in Calamagrostis angustifolia freshwater marshes of Northeast China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Changchun; Liu, Deyan; Song, Yanyu; Yang, Guisheng; Wan, Zhongmei; Li, Yingchen; Xu, Xiaofeng

    2011-03-01

    Anthropogenic activities have increased phosphorus (P) inputs to wetland ecosystems. However, little is known about the effect of P enrichment on soil respiration in these ecosystems. To understand the effect of P enrichment on soil respiration, we conducted a field experiment in Calamagrostis angustifolia-dominated freshwater marshes, the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. We investigated soil respiration in the first growing season after P addition at four rates (0, 1.2, 4.8 and 9.6 g P m-2 year-1). In addition, we also examined aboveground biomass, soil labile C fractions (dissolved organic C, DOC; microbial biomass C, MBC; easily oxidizable C, EOC) and enzyme activities (invertase, urease and acid phosphatase activities) following one year of P addition. P addition decreased soil respiration during the growing season. Dissolved organic C in soil pore water increased after P addition at both 5 and 15 cm depths. Moreover, increased P input generally inhibited soil MBC and enzyme activities, and had no effects on aboveground biomass and soil EOC. Our results suggest that, in the short-term, soil respiration declines under P enrichment in C. angustifolia-dominated freshwater marshes of Northeast China, and its extent varies with P addition levels.

  4. [Correction of schoolchildren's diets with biologically active additives].

    PubMed

    Diudiakov, A A; Rakhmanov, R S; Korotunov, Iu V; Gruzdeva, A E

    2002-01-01

    The actual nutrition of schoolchildren in the Nizni-Novgorod district is imbalanced due to the deficiency of protein and vitamins and to the high contents of fats and carbohydrates. The authors provide evidence for a combined preparation to correct the children's diets, which incorporates animal protein, biologically active plant additives, and egg-shell calcium. The use of the preparation in combination with liquid bifidumbacterin contributes to increases in morphofunctional parameters in adolescents.

  5. Increasing Coverage of Appropriate Vaccinations

    PubMed Central

    Jacob, Verughese; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K.; Hopkins, David P.; Morgan, Jennifer Murphy; Pitan, Adesola A.; Clymer, John

    2016-01-01

    Context Population-level coverage for immunization against many vaccine-preventable diseases remains below optimal rates in the U.S. The Community Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended several interventions to increase vaccination coverage based on systematic reviews of the evaluation literature. The present study provides the economic results from those reviews. Evidence acquisition A systematic review was conducted (search period, January 1980 through February 2012) to identify economic evaluations of 12 interventions recommended by the Task Force. Evidence was drawn from included studies; estimates were constructed for the population reach of each strategy, cost of implementation, and cost per additional vaccinated person because of the intervention. Analyses were conducted in 2014. Evidence synthesis Reminder systems, whether for clients or providers, were among the lowest-cost strategies to implement and the most cost effective in terms of additional people vaccinated. Strategies involving home visits and combination strategies in community settings were both costly and less cost effective. Strategies based in settings such as schools and managed care organizations that reached the target population achieved additional vaccinations in the middle range of cost effectiveness. Conclusions The interventions recommended by the Task Force differed in reach, cost, and cost effectiveness. This systematic review presents the economic information for 12 effective strategies to increase vaccination coverage that can guide implementers in their choice of interventions to fit their local needs, available resources, and budget. PMID:26847663

  6. Effect of the Addition of Schisandra chinensis Powder on the Physico-chemical Characteristics of Sausage

    PubMed Central

    Jin, S. K.; Park, J. H.

    2013-01-01

    The individual and interactive effects of Schisandra chinensis powder (SCP) and sodium nitrite additions on color, pH, water holding capacity, residual nitrite, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), volatile basic nitrogen, texture properties, fatty acids, amino acids and sensory evaluation of cooked pork sausages were investigated after 20 d of storage at 4°C. The powders (0, 0.5 and 1.0%) were added to sausages either alone or in combination with nitrite (0 and 100 ppm). SCP added-sausages showed lower L* (lightness) and W (whiteness) values, and higher b* (yellowness) values than sausage containing no nitrite, and exhibited the highest a* values at a 0.5% addition (p<0.05). Residual nitrite and TBARS values were found to be significantly reduced as the addition levels of SCP increased (p<0.05). As the addition of SCP increased, the sausage showed gradually decreased brittleness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness, while adhesiveness increased. Polyunsaturated fatty acid, n-6 and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio concentrations were significantly higher in sausages containing SCP (p<0.05). The addition of SCP to sausage significantly (p<0.05) increased the ammonia content (by 0.5% SCP) and aromatic amino acid concentrations (by 1.0% SCP) (p<0.05). Inclusion of SCP in sausage meat resulted in a significant deterioration in quality characteristics of flavor, springiness, juiciness and overall acceptability (p<0.05). As expected, the observed changes in a*, W, pH, shear force, texture property, TBARS, fatty acid, amino acid and sensory score of sausages, depended on the rate of addition of nitrite (p<0.05). These results suggest that SCP addition is not an effective way of improving the sensory evaluation of sausages, but may beneficially affect TBARS, nitrite scavenging activity, fatty acid and amino acid content in pork sausages. PMID:25049766

  7. Additive Manufacturing for Affordable Rocket Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    West, Brian; Robertson, Elizabeth; Osborne, Robin; Calvert, Marty

    2016-01-01

    Additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) technology has the potential to drastically reduce costs and lead times associated with the development of complex liquid rocket engine systems. NASA is using 3D printing to manufacture rocket engine components including augmented spark igniters, injectors, turbopumps, and valves. NASA is advancing the process to certify these components for flight. Success Story: MSFC has been developing rocket 3D-printing technology using the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process. Over the last several years, NASA has built and tested several injectors and combustion chambers. Recently, MSFC has 3D printed an augmented spark igniter for potential use the RS-25 engines that will be used on the Space Launch System. The new design is expected to reduce the cost of the igniter by a factor of four. MSFC has also 3D printed and tested a liquid hydrogen turbopump for potential use on an Upper Stage Engine. Additive manufacturing of the turbopump resulted in a 45% part count reduction. To understanding how the 3D printed parts perform and to certify them for flight, MSFC built a breadboard liquid rocket engine using additive manufactured components including injectors, turbomachinery, and valves. The liquid rocket engine was tested seven times in 2016 using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. In addition to exposing the hardware to harsh environments, engineers learned to design for the new manufacturing technique, taking advantage of its capabilities and gaining awareness of its limitations. Benefit: The 3D-printing technology promises reduced cost and schedule for rocket engines. Cost is a function of complexity, and the most complicated features provide the largest opportunities for cost reductions. This is especially true where brazes or welds can be eliminated. The drastic reduction in part count achievable with 3D printing creates a waterfall effect that reduces the number of processes and drawings, decreases the amount of touch

  8. SLM processing-microstructure-mechanical property correlation in an aluminum alloy produced by additive manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alejos, Martin Fernando

    Additive manufacturing has become a highly researched topic in recent years all over the world. The current research evaluates the merits of additive manufacturing based on the mechanical, microstructural, and fracture properties of additive manufactured AlSi10Mg test specimens. The additive manufactured build plates consisted of tensile and fatigue test specimens. They were printed in the 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° orientations relative to the build platform. Tensile and dynamic fatigue tests were conducted followed by microstructural characterization and fracture analysis. A wrought 6061 T6 aluminum alloy was also tested for comparison. Tensile tests revealed similar ultimate tensile strengths for all aluminum tensile specimens (350-380 MPa). Fatigue strength was greatest for wrought 6061 T6 aluminum (175 MPa). The fatigue behavior was a strong function of build orientation for the additive manufactured specimens. The 0°, 30°, and 60° orientations had fatigue strengths close to 104 MPa while the 90° orientation had a fatigue strength of 125 MPa. All test specimens failed primarily in a ductile manner. The effect of laser power, hatch spacing, and scan speed were also studied using microstructural analysis. Increasing laser power decreased grain size and void size. Increasing scan speed led to the formation of columnar grains. Increasing hatch spacing decreased grain size and the amount of voids present in the microstructure.

  9. Environmental assessment of MMT fuel additive.

    PubMed

    Lynam, D R; Pfeifer, G D; Fort, B F; Gelbcke, A A

    1990-04-01

    Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) has been shown to be an effective octane enhancer in gasoline. It is presently used in the U.S. in leaded gasoline and in Canada in both leaded and unleaded gasoline. Because MMT has a low vapor pressure and a short half-life in sunlight, it is unlikely that significant concentrations of MMT could occur in the environment as a result of its use as a gasoline additive. Greater than 99.9% of the manganese from MMT is converted into inorganic oxides of manganese during the combustion of MMT-containing gasoline. Authors of several health assessments on MMT concluded the increase in environmental levels of manganese oxides would be slight compared to the natural background levels of manganese and would present no health hazards. Studies showed that MMT usage had no effect on CO emissions, caused a slight decrease in NOx emissions, and a slight increase in HC emissions. MMT usage caused a decrease in NOx + HC emissions in one test and had no effect in another.

  10. Structuring in Cement Systems with Introduction of Graphene Nano-Additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yanturina, R. A.; Trofimov, B. Ya; Ahmedjanov, R. M.

    2017-11-01

    At present, one of the most promising areas in the field of concrete research is the study of the effect of nano-additives for the production of highly effective concretes. Many authors have already obtained primary results which testify to the very effective role of nanoadditives based on carbon in modifying concrete. In this paper, the influence of a nano-additive of graphene on the phase composition and microstructure of the cement stone was studied. It has been found that, when a nano-additive of graphene is introduced, low-basic calcium hydrosilicates are mainly formed. This leads to an increase in the compressive strength of concrete. The results of the study of the microstructure of cement stone with nano-additive graphene showed that the high compressive strength of concrete modified with nano-additive graphene is explained by the cement stone dense structure. Thus, it was found that the nanoadditive of graphene contributes to the formation of a dense structure of cement stone, composed mainly of low-basic calcium hydrosilicates, and due to this, the physical and mechanical characteristics of concrete and its resistance to frost and other forms of aggression.

  11. Improvement of aquaponic performance through micro- and macro-nutrient addition.

    PubMed

    Ru, Dongyun; Liu, Jikai; Hu, Zhen; Zou, Yina; Jiang, Liping; Cheng, Xiaodian; Lv, Zhenting

    2017-07-01

    Aquaponics is one of the "zero waste" industry in the twenty-first century, and is considered to be one of the major trends for the future development of agriculture. However, the low nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) restricted its widely application. To date, many attempts have been conducted to improve its NUE. In the present study, effect of micro- and macro-nutrient addition on performance of tilapia-pak choi aquaponics was investigated. Results showed that the addition of micro- and macro-nutrients improved the growth of plant directly and facilitated fish physiology indirectly, which subsequently increased NUE of aquaponics from 40.42 to 50.64%. In addition, remarkable lower total phosphorus concentration was obtained in aquaponics with micro- and macro-nutrient addition, which was attributed to the formation of struvite. Most of the added micro-nutrients were enriched in plant root, while macro-nutrients mainly existed in water. Moreover, no enrichment of micro- and macro-nutrients in aquaponic products (i.e., fish and plant leaves) was observed, indicating that it had no influence on food safety. The findings here reported manifest that appropriate addition of micro- and macro-nutrients to aquaponics is necessary, and would improve its economic feasibility.

  12. Additive Manufacturing Infrared Inspection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gaddy, Darrell

    2014-01-01

    Additive manufacturing is a rapid prototyping technology that allows parts to be built in a series of thin layers from plastic, ceramics, and metallics. Metallic additive manufacturing is an emerging form of rapid prototyping that allows complex structures to be built using various metallic powders. Significant time and cost savings have also been observed using the metallic additive manufacturing compared with traditional techniques. Development of the metallic additive manufacturing technology has advanced significantly over the last decade, although many of the techniques to inspect parts made from these processes have not advanced significantly or have limitations. Several external geometry inspection techniques exist such as Coordinate Measurement Machines (CMM), Laser Scanners, Structured Light Scanning Systems, or even traditional calipers and gages. All of the aforementioned techniques are limited to external geometry and contours or must use a contact probe to inspect limited internal dimensions. This presentation will document the development of a process for real-time dimensional inspection technique and digital quality record of the additive manufacturing process using Infrared camera imaging and processing techniques.

  13. Detection of allergenic additives in processed meat products.

    PubMed

    Spychaj, Anita; Pospiech, Edward; Iwańska, Ewa; Montowska, Magdalena

    2018-04-19

    At present, allergic response to food components is an increasing problem all over the world. Therefore it is important to protect people vulnerable to food allergens against accidental and unintended consumption of products containing allergic ingredients. The meat industry commonly uses various allergic additives in production of processed products, i.e. legumes (soy, peas, beans), milk and egg preparations, cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley and oats), and spices (celery and mustard). These meat additives have specific technological properties which help to create a texture, flavour profile or affect the nutritional value, although some of them, such as soy, mustard, milk and egg white proteins can cause severe allergic reactions. The aim of this paper is to discuss the application of various recently established methods of detection of allergenic additives in processed meat products, for instance cold cuts and sausages. The new methods are based mainly on protein, DNA and also isoflavones or phytic acid analysis. The article also characterises the latest trends in the development of research on the methods which would enable quick and reliable identification of targeted allergens in meat products. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  14. [Effects of nitrogen additions on soil hydrolase and oxidase activities in Pinus elliottii plantations.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chuang; Zou, Hong Tao; Zhang, Xin Yu; Kou, Liang; Yang, Yang; Sun, Xiao Min; Li, Sheng Gong; Wang, Hui Min

    2016-11-18

    We evaluated responses of hydrolase and oxidase activities in a subtropical Pinus elliottii plantation through a nitrogen (N) addition field experiment (dosage level: 0, 40, 120 kg N·hm -2 ·a -1 ). The results showed that N additions significantly decreased the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus related hydrolase and oxidase activities. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) and peroxidase (PER) activities were decreased by 16.5%-51.1% due to N additions, and the decrease was more remarkable in the higher N addition treatment. The activities of α-1,4-glucosidase (aG), β-1,4-xylosidase (BX), acid phosphatase (AP) and phenol oxidase (PPO) were decreased by 14.5%-38.6% by N additions, however, there was no significant difference among the different N addition treatments. Soil enzyme activities varied obviously in different seasons. The activities of BG, NAG, BX, CBH, AP and PPO were in the order of March > June > October, and aG and PER activities were in the order of October > March > June. Most of the soil hydrolase and oxidase activities were positively correlated with soil pH, but negatively with NO 3 - -N content. It indicated that N additions inhibited soil hydrolase and oxidase activities by reducing soil pH and increasing soil nitrification. N additions inhibited the soil organic matter mineralization and turnover in the subtropical area, and the effects were obvious with the increasing dosage of N additions.

  15. Impacts of a Nanosized Ceria Additive on Diesel Engine Emissions of Particulate and Gaseous Pollutants

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Junfeng; Nazarenko, Yevgen; Zhang, Lin; Calderon, Leonardo; Lee, Ki-Bum; Garfunkel, Eric; Schwander, Stephan; Tetley, Teresa D.; Chung, Kian Fan; Porter, Alexandra E.; Ryan, Mary; Kipen, Howard; Lioy, Paul J.; Mainelis, Gediminas

    2014-01-01

    Fuel additives incorporating nanosized ceria have been increasingly used in diesel engines as combustion promoters. However, few studies have assessed the impact of these nanotechnology-based additives on pollutant emissions. Here, we systematically compare emission rates of particulate and gaseous pollutants from a single-cylinder, four-cycle diesel engine using fuel mixes containing nanoceria of varying concentrations. The test fuels were made by adding different amounts of a commercial fuel additive Envirox into an ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel at 0 (base fuel), 0.1-, 1-, and 10-fold the manufacturer-recommended concentration of 0.5 mL Envirox per liter of fuel. The addition of Envirox resulted in ceria-concentration-dependent emission reductions of CO2, CO, total particulate mass, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These reductions at the manufacturer-recommended doping concentration, however, were accompanied by a substantial increase of certain other air pollutants, specifically the number of ultrafine particles (+32%), NOx (+9.3%), and the particle-phase benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalence quotient (+35%). Increasing fuel ceria concentrations also led to decreases in the size of emitted particles. Given health concerns related to ultrafine particles and NOx, our findings call for additional studies to further evaluate health risks associated with the use of nanoceria additives in various engines under various operating conditions. PMID:24144266

  16. Effects of aluminum and iron nanoparticle additives on composite AP/HTPB solid propellant regression rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Styborski, Jeremy A.

    This project was started in the interest of supplementing existing data on additives to composite solid propellants. The study on the addition of iron and aluminum nanoparticles to composite AP/HTPB propellants was conducted at the Combustion and Energy Systems Laboratory at RPI in the new strand-burner experiment setup. For this study, a large literature review was conducted on history of solid propellant combustion modeling and the empirical results of tests on binders, plasticizers, AP particle size, and additives. The study focused on the addition of nano-scale aluminum and iron in small concentrations to AP/HTPB solid propellants with an average AP particle size of 200 microns. Replacing 1% of the propellant's AP with 40-60 nm aluminum particles produced no change in combustive behavior. The addition of 1% 60-80 nm iron particles produced a significant increase in burn rate, although the increase was lesser at higher pressures. These results are summarized in Table 2. The increase in the burn rate at all pressures due to the addition of iron nanoparticles warranted further study on the effect of concentration of iron. Tests conducted at 10 atm showed that the mean regression rate varied with iron concentration, peaking at 1% and 3%. Regardless of the iron concentration, the regression rate was higher than the baseline AP/HTPB propellants. These results are summarized in Table 3.

  17. Dissecting the effect of chemical additives on the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated wheat straw.

    PubMed

    Monschein, Mareike; Reisinger, Christoph; Nidetzky, Bernd

    2014-10-01

    Chemical additives were examined for ability to increase the enzymatic hydrolysis of thermo-acidically pretreated wheat straw by Trichoderma reesei cellulase at 50 °C. Semi-empirical descriptors derived from the hydrolysis time courses were applied to compare influence of these additives on lignocellulose bioconversion on a kinetic level, presenting a novel view on their mechanism of action. Focus was on rate retardation during hydrolysis, substrate conversion and enzyme adsorption. PEG 8000 enabled a reduction of enzyme loading by 50% while retaining the same conversion of 67% after 24h. For the first time, a beneficial effect of urea is reported, increasing the final substrate conversion after 48 h by 16%. The cationic surfactant cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) enhanced the hydrolysis rate at extended reaction time (rlim) by 34% and reduced reaction time by 28%. A combination of PEG 8000 and urea increased sugar release more than additives used individually. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Additive Manufacturing as a Sustainment Enabler: An Industry Perspective

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    30 years with early emphasis and continued usage primarily during design and manufacturing of new systems. However, AM recently received increased...of newly designed AM-produced com- ponents into planned modifications and upgrades is an additional post- production opportunity funded by... manufacturing technology applications to the post- production stage. Putting together the solution relies on technical data management, applica- tion

  19. Effect of additives on isothermal crystallization kinetics and physical characteristics of coconut oil.

    PubMed

    Chaleepa, Kesarin; Szepes, Anikó; Ulrich, Joachim

    2010-05-01

    The effect of lauric acid and low-HLB sucrose esters (L-195, S170) on the isothermal crystallization of coconut oil was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The fundamental crystallization parameters, such as induction time of nucleation and crystallization rate, were obtained by using the Gompertz equation. The Gibb's free energy of nucleation was calculated via the Fisher-Turnbull equation based on the equilibrium melting temperature. All additives, investigated in this work, proved to have an inhibition effect on nucleation and crystallization kinetics of coconut oil. Our results revealed that the inhibition effect is related to the dissimilarity of the molecular characteristics between coconut oil and the additives. The equilibrium melting temperature (T(m) degrees ) of the coconut oil-additive mixtures estimated by the Hoffman-Weeks method was decreased with the addition of lauric acid and increased by using sucrose esters as additives. Micrographs showing simultaneous crystallization of coconut oil and lauric acid indicated that strong molecular interaction led to the increase in lamellar thickness resulting in the T(m) degrees depression of coconut oil. The addition of L-195 modified the crystal morphology of coconut oil into large, dense, non-porous crystals without altering the polymorphic occurrence of coconut oil. The enhancement in lamellar thickness and crystal perfection supported the T(m) degrees elevation of coconut oil. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. 37 CFR 1.776 - Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... extension for a food additive or color additive. 1.776 Section 1.776 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights... Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive. (a) If a determination is made pursuant to § 1.750 that a patent for a food additive or color additive is eligible for extension, the term...

  1. 37 CFR 1.776 - Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... extension for a food additive or color additive. 1.776 Section 1.776 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights... Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive. (a) If a determination is made pursuant to § 1.750 that a patent for a food additive or color additive is eligible for extension, the term...

  2. 37 CFR 1.776 - Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... extension for a food additive or color additive. 1.776 Section 1.776 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights... Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive. (a) If a determination is made pursuant to § 1.750 that a patent for a food additive or color additive is eligible for extension, the term...

  3. 37 CFR 1.776 - Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... extension for a food additive or color additive. 1.776 Section 1.776 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights... Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive. (a) If a determination is made pursuant to § 1.750 that a patent for a food additive or color additive is eligible for extension, the term...

  4. 37 CFR 1.776 - Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... extension for a food additive or color additive. 1.776 Section 1.776 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights... Calculation of patent term extension for a food additive or color additive. (a) If a determination is made pursuant to § 1.750 that a patent for a food additive or color additive is eligible for extension, the term...

  5. Utility of additional tissue sections in dermatopathology: diagnostic, clinical and financial implications.

    PubMed

    Stuart, Lauren N; Rodriguez, Adrianna S; Gardner, Jerad M; Foster, Toby E; MacKelfresh, Jamie; Parker, Douglas C; Chen, Suephy C; Stoff, Benjamin K

    2014-02-01

    As histopathologic assessment is subject to sampling error, some institutions 'preorder' deeper sections on some or all cases (hereafter referred to as prospective deeper sections), while others order additional sections only when needed (hereafter referred to as retrospective deeper sections). We investigated how often additional sections changed a diagnosis and/or clinical management. Given the recent decrease in reimbursement for CPT-code 88305, we also considered the financial implications of ordering additional sections. Cases (n = 204) were assigned a preliminary diagnosis, based on review of the initial slide, and a final diagnosis, after reviewing additional sections. Cases with discordant diagnoses were assessed by two dermatologists, who indicated whether the change in diagnosis altered clinical management. Expenses were estimated for three scenarios: (a) no additional sections, (b) prospective deeper sections and (c) retrospective deeper sections. Diagnoses were modified in 9% of cases, which changed clinical management in 56% of these cases. Lesions obtained by punch-biopsy and inflammatory lesions were disproportionately overrepresented amongst cases with changed diagnoses (p < 0.001, p = 0.12, respectively). The cost of prospective deeper sections and retrospective deeper sections represented a 56% and 115% increase over base costs, respectively. Labor costs, particularly the cost of dermatopathologist evaluation, were the most significant cost-drivers. While additional sections improve diagnostic accuracy, they delay turn-around-time and increase expenditures. In our practice, prospective deeper sections are cost effective, however, this may vary by institution. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Hidden sources of phosphorus: presence of phosphorus-containing additives in processed foods.

    PubMed

    Lou-Arnal, Luis M; Arnaudas-Casanova, Laura; Caverni-Muñoz, Alberto; Vercet-Tormo, Antonio; Caramelo-Gutiérrez, Rocío; Munguía-Navarro, Paula; Campos-Gutiérrez, Belén; García-Mena, Mercedes; Moragrera, Belén; Moreno-López, Rosario; Bielsa-Gracia, Sara; Cuberes-Izquierdo, Marta

    2014-01-01

    An increased consumption of processed foods that include phosphorus-containing additives has led us to propose the following working hypothesis: using phosphate-rich additives that can be easily absorbed in processed foods involves a significant increase in phosphorus in the diet, which may be considered as hidden phosphorus since it is not registered in the food composition tables. The quantity of phosphorus contained in 118 processed products was determined by spectrophotometry and the results were contrasted with the food composition tables of the Higher Education Centre of Nutrition and Diet, those of Morandeira and those of the BEDCA (Spanish Food Composition Database) Network. Food processing frequently involves the use of phosphoric additives. The products whose label contains these additives have higher phosphorus content and higher phosphorus-protein ratio. We observed a discrepancy with the food composition tables in terms of the amount of phosphorus determined in a sizeable proportion of the products. The phosphorus content of prepared refrigerated foods hardly appears in the tables. Product labels provide little information on phosphorus content. We observed a discrepancy in phosphorus content in certain foods with respect to the food composition tables. We should educate our patients on reviewing the additives on the labels and on the limitation of processed foods. There must be health policy actions to deal with the problem: companies should analyse the phosphorus content of their products, display the correct information on their labels and incorporate it into the food composition tables. Incentives could be established to prepare food with a low phosphorus content and alternatives to phosphorus-containing additives.

  7. Flexible-Wing-Based Micro Air Vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ifju, Peter G.; Jenkins, David A.; Ettinger, Scott; Lian, Yong-Sheng; Shyy, Wei; Waszak, Martin R.

    2002-01-01

    This paper documents the development and evaluation of an original flexible-wing-based Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) technology that reduces adverse effects of gusty wind conditions and unsteady aerodynamics, exhibits desirable flight stability, and enhances structural durability. The flexible wing concept has been demonstrated on aircraft with wingspans ranging from 18 inches to 5 inches. Salient features of the flexible-wing-based MAV, including the vehicle concept, flexible wing design, novel fabrication methods, aerodynamic assessment, and flight data analysis are presented.

  8. Methods for Reachability-based Hybrid Controller Design

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-10

    approaches for airport runways ( Teo and Tomlin, 2003). The results of the reachability calculations were validated in extensive simulations as well as...UAV flight experiments (Jang and Tomlin, 2005; Teo , 2005). While the focus of these previous applications lies largely in safety verification, the work...B([15, 0],a0)× [−π,π])\\ V,∀qi ∈ Q, where a0 = 30m is the protected radius (chosen based upon published data of the wingspan of a Boeing KC -135

  9. Increased neural responses to empathy for pain might explain how acute stress increases prosociality

    PubMed Central

    Tomova, L.; Majdandžić, J.; Hummer, A.; Windischberger, C.; Heinrichs, M.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Recent behavioral investigations suggest that acute stress can increase prosocial behavior. Here, we investigated whether increased empathy represents a potential mechanism for this finding. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the effects of acute stress on neural responses related to automatic and regulatory components of empathy for pain as well as subsequent prosocial behavior. Stress increased activation in brain areas associated with the automatic sharing of others’ pain, such as the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, we found increased prosocial behavior under stress. Furthermore, activation in the anterior midcingulate cortex mediated the effects of stress on prosocial behavior. However, stressed participants also displayed stronger and inappropriate other-related responses in situations which required them to take the perspective of another person, and to regulate their automatic affective responses. Thus, while acute stress may increase prosocial behavior by intensifying the sharing of others’ emotions, this comes at the cost of reduced cognitive appraisal abilities. Depending on the contextual constraints, stress may therefore affect empathy in ways that are either beneficial or detrimental. PMID:27798249

  10. Rheological parameters of dough with inulin addition and its effect on bread quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bojnanska, T.; Tokar, M.; Vollmannova, A.

    2015-04-01

    The rheological properties of enriched flour prepared with an addition of inulin were studied. The addition of inulin caused changes of the rheological parameters of the recorder curve. 10% and more addition significantly extended development time and on the farinogram were two peaks of consistency, what is a non-standard shape. With increasing addition of inulin resistance to deformation grows and dough is difficult to process, over 15% addition make dough short and unsuitable for making bread. Bread volume, the most important parameter, significantly decreased with inulin addition. Our results suggest a level of 5% inulin to produce a functional bread of high sensory acceptance and a level of 10% inulin produce a bread of satisfactory sensory acceptance. Bread with a level over 10% of inulin was unsatisfactory.

  11. RESPONSE OF NUTRIENTS, BIOFILM, AND BENTHIC INSECTS TO SALMON CARCASS ADDITION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Salmon carcass addition to streams is expected to increase stream productivity at multiple trophic levels. This study examined stream nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon), epilithic biofilm (ash-free dry mass and chlorophyll a), leaf-litter decomposition, and macroinverte...

  12. Development of High-Antifouling PPSU Ultrafiltration Membrane by Using Compound Additives: Preparation, Morphologies, and Filtration Resistant Properties

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Jie; Zhong, Zhencheng; Ma, Rui; Zhang, Weichen; Li, Jiding

    2016-01-01

    In this study, flat sheet asymmetric polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling properties were prepared with a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method through compound additives containing a polymeric pore-forming agent, a small molecular non-solvent and a surfactant. The formation processes of the porous asymmetric membranes with different kinds of additives were studied in detail, and the microstructure controllable preparation of membrane was achieved by establishing a bridge between the membrane preparation parameters and separation performances. All prepared membranes were characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle analysis, porosity, maximum pore size, water and BSA solution permeability studies. The performance efficiency of the membrane was evaluated by using BSA as a model foulant in terms of permeability, solute rejection (R), Rm (membrane inherent resistance), Rc (cake layer resistance), and Rp (pore plugging resistance). The results showed that when the compound additives were used, the inter-connected pores were observed, maximum pore size, contact angle and membrane filtration resistance decreased, while the porosity increased. When PVP compound additives were added, the water flux increased from 80.4 to 148.1 L/(m2·h), the BSA rejection increased from 53.2% to 81.5%. A similar trend was observed for membranes with added PEG compound additives; the water flux and BSA rejection simultaneously increased. The filtration resistance decreased as a result of compound additives. The uniformity of membrane and the number of effective pores could be enhanced by adding compound additives through the cooperation of different additives. PMID:27338487

  13. Development of High-Antifouling PPSU Ultrafiltration Membrane by Using Compound Additives: Preparation, Morphologies, and Filtration Resistant Properties.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jie; Zhong, Zhencheng; Ma, Rui; Zhang, Weichen; Li, Jiding

    2016-06-21

    In this study, flat sheet asymmetric polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling properties were prepared with a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method through compound additives containing a polymeric pore-forming agent, a small molecular non-solvent and a surfactant. The formation processes of the porous asymmetric membranes with different kinds of additives were studied in detail, and the microstructure controllable preparation of membrane was achieved by establishing a bridge between the membrane preparation parameters and separation performances. All prepared membranes were characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle analysis, porosity, maximum pore size, water and BSA solution permeability studies. The performance efficiency of the membrane was evaluated by using BSA as a model foulant in terms of permeability, solute rejection (R), Rm (membrane inherent resistance), Rc (cake layer resistance), and Rp (pore plugging resistance). The results showed that when the compound additives were used, the inter-connected pores were observed, maximum pore size, contact angle and membrane filtration resistance decreased, while the porosity increased. When PVP compound additives were added, the water flux increased from 80.4 to 148.1 L/(m²·h), the BSA rejection increased from 53.2% to 81.5%. A similar trend was observed for membranes with added PEG compound additives; the water flux and BSA rejection simultaneously increased. The filtration resistance decreased as a result of compound additives. The uniformity of membrane and the number of effective pores could be enhanced by adding compound additives through the cooperation of different additives.

  14. Sugarcane cultural practices to increase profits

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Multiple experiments were initiated in an effort to reduce costs, increase ratooning, and maximize profits. A new method of mechanical removal using a modified rake produced yields similarly to burning, with both yielding an additional 1000 lbs/A than full retention. Where burning was not an option,...

  15. Aspirator increases relief valve poppet stroke

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Biddle, M. E.

    1967-01-01

    Addition of an aspirator to a relief valve increases the valve poppet stroke under dynamic flow conditions. The aspirator allows poppet inlet dynamic forces to overcome relief valve spring force. It reduces the fluid pressure in the skirt cavity by providing a low pressure sense probe.

  16. Effects of Soil Warming and Nitrogen Addition on Soil Respiration in a New Zealand Tussock Grassland

    PubMed Central

    Graham, Scott L.; Hunt, John E.; Millard, Peter; McSeveny, Tony; Tylianakis, Jason M.; Whitehead, David

    2014-01-01

    Soil respiration (R S) represents a large terrestrial source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Global change drivers such as climate warming and nitrogen deposition are expected to alter the terrestrial carbon cycle with likely consequences for R S and its components, autotrophic (R A) and heterotrophic respiration (R H). Here we investigate the impacts of a 3°C soil warming treatment and a 50 kg ha−1 y−1 nitrogen addition treatment on R S, R H and their respective seasonal temperature responses in an experimental tussock grassland. Average respiration in untreated soils was 0.96±0.09 μmol m−2 s−1 over the course of the experiment. Soil warming and nitrogen addition increased R S by 41% and 12% respectively. These treatment effects were additive under combined warming and nitrogen addition. Warming increased R H by 37% while nitrogen addition had no effect. Warming and nitrogen addition affected the seasonal temperature response of R S by increasing the basal rate of respiration (R 10) by 14% and 20% respectively. There was no significant interaction between treatments for R 10. The treatments had no impact on activation energy (E 0). The seasonal temperature response of R H was not affected by either warming or nitrogen addition. These results suggest that the additional CO2 emissions from New Zealand tussock grassland soils as a result of warming-enhanced R S constitute a potential positive feedback to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration. PMID:24621790

  17. Additive manufacturing of optical components

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heinrich, Andreas; Rank, Manuel; Maillard, Philippe; Suckow, Anne; Bauckhage, Yannick; Rößler, Patrick; Lang, Johannes; Shariff, Fatin; Pekrul, Sven

    2016-08-01

    The development of additive manufacturing methods has enlarged rapidly in recent years. Thereby, the work mainly focuses on the realization of mechanical components, but the additive manufacturing technology offers a high potential in the field of optics as well. Owing to new design possibilities, completely new solutions are possible. This article briefly reviews and compares the most important additive manufacturing methods for polymer optics. Additionally, it points out the characteristics of additive manufactured polymer optics. Thereby, surface quality is of crucial importance. In order to improve it, appropriate post-processing steps are necessary (e.g. robot polishing or coating), which will be discussed. An essential part of this paper deals with various additive manufactured optical components and their use, especially in optical systems for shape metrology (e.g. borehole sensor, tilt sensor, freeform surface sensor, fisheye lens). The examples should demonstrate the potentials and limitations of optical components produced by additive manufacturing.

  18. Additive Manufacturing of Composites and Complex Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spowart, Jonathan E.; Gupta, Nikhil; Lehmhus, Dirk

    2018-03-01

    Advanced composite materials form an important class of high-performance industrial materials used in weight-sensitive applications such as aerospace structures, automotive structures and sports equipment. In many of these applications, parts are made in small production runs, are highly customized and involve long process development times. Developments in additive manufacturing (AM) methods have helped in overcoming many of these limitations. The special topic of Additive Manufacturing of Composites and Complex Materials captures the state of the art in this area by collecting nine papers that present much novel advancement in this field. The studies under this topic show advancement in the area of AM of carbon fiber and graphene-reinforced composites with high thermal and electrical conductivities, development of new hollow glass particle-filled syntactic foam filaments for printing lightweight structures and integration of sensors or actuators during AM of metallic parts. Some of the studies are focused on process optimization or modification to increase the manufacturing speed or tuning manufacturing techniques to enable AM of new materials.

  19. A mechanistic study to increase understanding of titanium dioxide nanoparticles-increased plasma glucose in mice.

    PubMed

    Hu, Hailong; Li, Li; Guo, Qian; Jin, Sanli; Zhou, Ying; Oh, Yuri; Feng, Yujie; Wu, Qiong; Gu, Ning

    2016-09-01

    Titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TiO2 NP) is an authorized food additive. Previous studies determined oral administration of TiO2 NPs increases plasma glucose in mice via inducing insulin resistance. An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been considered the possible mechanism of increasing plasma glucose. However, persistently high plasma glucose is also a mechanism of increasing ROS. This study aims to explore whether TiO2 NPs increase plasma glucose via ROS. We found after oral administration of TiO2 NPs, an increase in ROS preceded an increase in plasma glucose. Subsequently, mice were treated with two antioxidants (resveratrol and vitamin E) at the same time as oral administration of TiO2 NPs. Results showed resveratrol and vitamin E reduced TiO2 NPs-increased ROS. An increase in plasma glucose was also inhibited. Further research showed resveratrol and vitamin E inhibited the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6, and the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK, resulting in improved insulin resistance. These results suggest TiO2 NPs increased ROS levels, and then ROS activated inflammatory cytokines and phosphokinases, and thus induced insulin resistance, resulting in an increase in plasma glucose. Resveratrol and vitamin E can reduce TiO2 NPs-increased ROS and thereby inhibit an increase in plasma glucose in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. 43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

  1. 43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

  2. 43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

  3. Aging As An Evolvability-Increasing Program Which Can Be Switched Off By Organism To Mobilize Additional Resources For Survival.

    PubMed

    Skulachev, Maxim V; Severin, Fedor F; Skulachev, Vladimir P

    2015-04-22

    During the last decade, several pieces of convincing evidence were published indicating that aging of living organisms is programmed, being a particular case of programmed death of organism (phenoptosis). Among them, the following observations can be mentioned [1]. Species were described that show negligible aging. In mammals, the naked mole rat is the most impressive example. This is a rodent of mouse size living at least 10-fold longer than a mouse and having fecundity higher than a mouse and no age-related diseases [2]. In some species with high aging rate, genes responsible for active organization of aging by poisoning of the organism with endogenous metabolites have been identified [3]. In women, standard deviations divided by the mean are the same for age of menarche (an event controlled by the ontogenetic program) and for age of menopause (an aging-related event) [4]. Inhibitors of programmed cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) retard and in certain cases even reverse the development of age-dependent pathologies [5]. In aging species, the rate of aging is regulated by the individual which responds by changes in this rate to changes in the environmental conditions. In this review, we consider point [5] in detail. Data are summarized suggesting that inhibition of aging rate by moderate food restriction can be explained assuming that such restriction is perceived by the organism as a signal of future starvation. In response to this dramatic signal, the organism switches off such an optional program as aging, mobilizing in such a way additional reserves for survival. A similar explanation is postulated for geroprotective effects of heavy muscle work, a lowering or a rise in the external temperature, small amounts of metabolic poisons (hormesis), low doses of radiation, and other deleterious events. On the contrary, sometimes certain positive signals can prolong life by inhibiting the aging program in individuals who are useful for the community (e

  4. Aging as an evolvability-increasing program which can be switched off by organism to mobilize additional resources for survival.

    PubMed

    Skulachev, Maxim V; Severin, Fedor F; Skulachev, Vladimir P

    2015-01-01

    During the last decade, several pieces of convincing evidence were published indicating that aging of living organisms is programmed, being a particular case of programmed death of organism (phenoptosis). Among them, the following observations can be mentioned. (1) Species were described that show negligible aging. In mammals, the naked mole rat is the most impressive example. This is a rodent of mouse size living at least 10-fold longer than a mouse and having fecundity higher than a mouse and no agerelated diseases. (2) In some species with high aging rate, genes responsible for active organization of aging by poisoning of the organism with endogenous metabolites have been identified. (3) In women, standard deviations divided by the mean are the same for age of menarche (an event controlled by the ontogenetic program) and for age of menopause (an aging-related event). (4) Inhibitors of programmed cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) retard and in certain cases even reverse the development of age-dependent pathologies. (5) In aging species, the rate of aging is regulated by the individual which responds by changes in this rate to changes in the environmental conditions. In this review, we consider point (5) in detail. Data are summarized suggesting that inhibition of aging rate by moderate food restriction can be explained assuming that such restriction is perceived by the organism as a signal of future starvation. In response to this dramatic signal, the organism switches off such an optional program as aging, mobilizing in such a way additional reserves for survival. A similar explanation is postulated for geroprotective effects of heavy muscle work, a lowering or a rise in the external temperature, small amounts of metabolic poisons (hormesis), low doses of radiation, and other deleterious events. On the contrary, sometimes certain positive signals can prolong life by inhibiting the aging program in individuals who are useful for the community (e

  5. The addition of stripes (a version of the 'horizontal-vertical illusion') increases foot clearance when crossing low-height obstacles.

    PubMed

    Foster, Richard J; Buckley, John G; Whitaker, David; Elliott, David B

    2016-07-01

    Trips over obstacles are one of the main causes of falling in older adults, with vision playing an important role in successful obstacle negotiation. We determined whether a horizontal-vertical illusion, superimposed onto low-height obstacles to create a perceived increase in obstacle height, increased foot clearances during obstacle negotiation thus reducing the likelihood of tripping. Eleven adults (mean ± 1 SD: age 27.3 ± 5.1 years) negotiated obstacles of varying heights (3, 5, 7 cm) with four different appearance conditions; two were obstacles with a horizontal-vertical illusion (vertical stripes of different thickness) superimposed on the front, one was a plain obstacle and the fourth a plain obstacle with a horizontal black line painted on the top edge. Foot clearance parameters were compared across conditions. Both illusions led to a significant increase in foot clearance when crossing the obstacle, compared to the plain condition, irrespective of obstacle height. Superimposing a horizontal-vertical illusion onto low-height obstacles can increase foot clearance, and its use on the floor section of a double-glazing door frame for example may reduce the incidence of tripping in the home. Practitioner Summary: Low-height obstacles such as the floor section of a double-glazing door frame are potential tripping hazards. In a gait lab-based study we found that a horizontal-vertical illusion superimposed onto low-height obstacles led to significantly higher foot clearances; indicating their potential as a useful safety measure.

  6. Surface modification of biomaterials and biomedical devices using additive manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Bose, Susmita; Robertson, Samuel Ford; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

    2018-01-15

    The demand for synthetic biomaterials in medical devices, pharmaceutical products and, tissue replacement applications are growing steadily due to aging population worldwide. The use for patient matched devices is also increasing due to availability and integration of new technologies. Applications of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing (3DP) in biomaterials have also increased significantly over the past decade towards traditional as well as innovative next generation Class I, II and III devices. In this review, we have focused our attention towards the use of AM in surface modified biomaterials to enhance their in vitro and in vivo performances. Specifically, we have discussed the use of AM to deliberately modify the surfaces of different classes of biomaterials with spatial specificity in a single manufacturing process as well as commented on the future outlook towards surface modification using AM. It is widely understood that the success of implanted medical devices depends largely on favorable material-tissue interactions. Additive manufacturing has gained traction as a viable and unique approach to engineered biomaterials, for both bulk and surface properties that improve implant outcomes. This review explores how additive manufacturing techniques have been and can be used to augment the surfaces of biomedical devices for direct clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Effects of litter addition on ectomycorrhizal associates of a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) stand in Yellowstone National Park

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cullings, Kenneth W.; New, Michael H.; Makhija, Shilpa; Parker, V. Thomas

    2003-01-01

    Increasing soil nutrients through litter manipulation, pollution, or fertilization can adversely affect ectomycorrhizal (EM) communities by inhibiting fungal growth. In this study, we used molecular genetic methods to determine the effects of litter addition on the EM community of a Pinus contorta stand in Yellowstone National Park that regenerated after a stand-replacing fire. Two controls were used; in unmodified control plots nothing was added to the soil, and in perlite plots perlite, a chemically neutral substance, was added to maintain soil moisture and temperature at levels similar to those under litter. We found that (i) species richness did not change significantly following perlite addition (2.6 +/- 0.3 species/core in control plots, compared with 2.3 +/- 0.3 species/core in perlite plots) but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) following litter addition (1.8 +/- 0.3 species/core); (ii) EM infection was not affected by the addition of perlite but increased significantly (P < 0.001) in response to litter addition, and the increase occurred only in the upper soil layer, directly adjacent to the added litter; and (iii) Suillus granulatus, Wilcoxina mikolae, and agaricoid DD were the dominant organisms in controls, but the levels of W. mikolae and agaricoid DD decreased significantly in response to both perlite and litter addition. The relative levels of S. granulatus and a fourth fungus, Cortinariaceae species 2, increased significantly (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) following litter addition. Thus, litter addition resulted in some negative effects that may be attributable to moisture-temperature relationships rather than to the increased nutrients associated with litter. Some species respond positively to litter addition, indicating that there are differences in their physiologies. Hence, changes in the EM community induced by litter accumulation also may affect ecosystem function.

  8. Effects of SO/sub 2/ torch gas additions on GTA weld shape

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

    Heiple, C.R.; Burgardt, P.

    1984-01-01

    Small additions of sulfur or oxygen to the GTA weld pool in steels with low weld d/w (depth/width) ratios substantially increases the weld d/w ratio and furthermore the improved weld d/w ratio is largely independent of reasonable variations in base metal sulfur and oxygen content. The addition of small concentrations of SO/sub 2/ to the normal argon shielding gas is a simple and effective way to add sulfur to the weld pool and increase weld d/w ratio. Autogenous bead-on-plate welds under otherwise identical welding conditions were made on stainless steel plate with SO/sub 2/ concentrations in the torch gas rangingmore » between 0 and 2000 ppM.« less

  9. Technical options for processing additional light tight oil volumes within the United States

    EIA Publications

    2015-01-01

    This report examines technical options for processing additional LTO volumes within the United States. Domestic processing of additional LTO would enable an increase in petroleum product exports from the United States, already the world’s largest net exporter of petroleum products. Unlike crude oil, products are not subject to export limitations or licensing requirements. While this is one possible approach to absorbing higher domestic LTO production in the absence of a relaxation of current limitations on crude exports, domestic LTO would have to be priced at a level required to encourage additional LTO runs at existing refinery units, debottlenecking, or possible additions of processing capacity.

  10. VIEW TO NORTHEAST OF c19441950 c19441950 POSTU.S. RADIUM ADDITION ADDITIONS ...

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

    VIEW TO NORTHEAST OF c1944-1950 c1944-1950 POST-U.S. RADIUM ADDITION ADDITIONS TO PAINT APPLICATION BUILDING (RIGHT) AND CRYSTALLIZATION LABORATORY (LEFT) - United States Radium Corporation, 422-432 Alden Street, Orange, Essex County, NJ

  11. Contribution of Food Additives to Sodium and Phosphorus Content of Diets Rich in Processed Foods

    PubMed Central

    Carrigan, Anna; Klinger, Andrew; Choquette, Suzanne S.; Luzuriaga-McPherson, Alexandra; Bell, Emmy K.; Darnell, Betty; Gutiérrez, Orlando M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective Phosphorus-based food additives increase total phosphorus content of processed foods. However, the extent to which these additives augment total phosphorus intake per day is unclear. Design, setting, and measurements In order to examine the contribution of phosphorus-based food additives to the total phosphorus content of processed foods, separate four-day menus for a low-additive and additive-enhanced diet were developed using Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software. The low-additive diet was designed to conform to United States Department of Agriculture guidelines for energy and phosphorus intake (~2,000 kcal per day and 900 mg of phosphorus per day) and contained minimally-processed foods. The additive-enhanced diet contained the same food items as the low-additive diet except that highly-processed foods were substituted for minimally-processed foods. Food items from both diets were collected, blended, and sent for measurement of energy and nutrient intake. Results Both the low-additive and additive-enhanced diet provided ~2,200 kcal, 700 mg of calcium and 3,000 mg of potassium per day on average. Measured sodium and phosphorus content standardized per 100 mg of food was higher each day of the additive-enhanced diet as compared to the low-additive. When averaged over the four menu days, measured phosphorus and sodium contents of the additive-enhanced diet were 606 ± 125 and 1,329 ± 642 mg higher than the low-additive diet, respectively, representing a 60% increase in total phosphorus and sodium content on average. When comparing the measured values of the additive-enhanced diet to NDSR-estimated values, there were no statistically significant differences in measured vs. estimated phosphorus contents. Conclusion Phosphorus and sodium additives in processed foods can substantially augment phosphorus and sodium intake, even in relatively healthy diets. Current dietary software may provide reasonable estimates of phosphorus content in

  12. Supplier Selection Using Weighted Utility Additive Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karande, Prasad; Chakraborty, Shankar

    2015-10-01

    Supplier selection is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem which mainly involves evaluating a number of available suppliers according to a set of common criteria for choosing the best one to meet the organizational needs. For any manufacturing or service organization, selecting the right upstream suppliers is a key success factor that will significantly reduce purchasing cost, increase downstream customer satisfaction and improve competitive ability. The past researchers have attempted to solve the supplier selection problem employing different MCDM techniques which involve active participation of the decision makers in the decision-making process. This paper deals with the application of weighted utility additive (WUTA) method for solving supplier selection problems. The WUTA method, an extension of utility additive approach, is based on ordinal regression and consists of building a piece-wise linear additive decision model from a preference structure using linear programming (LP). It adopts preference disaggregation principle and addresses the decision-making activities through operational models which need implicit preferences in the form of a preorder of reference alternatives or a subset of these alternatives present in the process. The preferential preorder provided by the decision maker is used as a restriction of a LP problem, which has its own objective function, minimization of the sum of the errors associated with the ranking of each alternative. Based on a given reference ranking of alternatives, one or more additive utility functions are derived. Using these utility functions, the weighted utilities for individual criterion values are combined into an overall weighted utility for a given alternative. It is observed that WUTA method, having a sound mathematical background, can provide accurate ranking to the candidate suppliers and choose the best one to fulfill the organizational requirements. Two real time examples are illustrated to prove

  13. Solid sand particle addition can enhance the production of resting cysts in dinoflagellates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Aoao; Hu, Zhangxi; Tang, Yingzhong

    2018-03-01

    Resting cysts are an important part of the life cycle for many harmful algal bloom-forming dinoflagellates, and play vital roles in the recurrence and geographical spread of harmful algal blooms. Numerous factors have been suggested to regulate the formation of resting cysts, although only a few have been proven to be significant. Cyst formation can be induced by adverse environmental conditions such as drastic changes in temperature, light, salinity, and nutrient levels, and by biological interactions. In this study, we evaluated the ability of an artificial factor (fine sand particles) to enhance the formation of resting cysts. Fine sand particles were added to cultures of dinoflagellates that are known to produce cysts. The addition of fine sand particles significantly increased both the production rate and final yield of cysts in cultures of Scrippsiella trochoidea, Biecheleria brevisulcata, and Levanderina fissa (= Gymnodinium fissum, Gyrodinium instriatum, Gyrodinium uncatenum). The largest increase in the final yield (107-fold) of cysts as a result of sand addition was in S. trochoidea. However, addition of fine sand particles did not induce cyst formation, or barely affected cyst formation, in Akashiwo sanguinea, Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Pheopolykrikos hartmannii, which are also known to be cyst-producing species. We speculated that addition of sand significantly increased the chances of cell collision, which triggered cyst formation. However, further research is required to test this idea. Importantly, our findings indicate that the addition of fine sand particles is a useful method to obtain a large quantity of cysts in a short time for laboratory studies or tests; for example, if a cyst viability test is being used to assess the effectiveness of ships' ballast water treatment.

  14. Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Chao; Gao, Huiwang; Yao, Xiaohong; Shi, Zongbo; Shi, Jinhui; Yu, Yang; Meng, Ling; Guo, Xinyu

    2018-02-01

    In this study, five on-board microcosm experiments were performed in the subtropical gyre, the Kuroshio Extension region of the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO), and the Yellow Sea (YS) in order to investigate phytoplankton growth following the addition of artificially modified mineral dust (AM dust) and various nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), N + P, and N + P + Fe). The two experiments carried out with AM-dust addition in the subtropical gyre showed a maximum chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration increase of 1.7- and 2.8-fold, while the cell abundance of large-sized phytoplankton ( > 5 µm) showed a 1.8- and 3.9-fold increase, respectively, relative to the controls. However, in the Kuroshio Extension region and the YS, the increases in maximum Chl a and cell abundance of large-sized phytoplankton following AM-dust addition were at most 1.3-fold and 1.7-fold larger than those in the controls, respectively. A net conversion efficiency index (NCEI) newly proposed in this study, size-fractionated Chl a, and the abundance of large-sized phytoplankton were analysed to determine which nutrients contribute to supporting phytoplankton growth. Our results demonstrate that a combination of nutrients, N-P or N + P + Fe, is responsible for phytoplankton growth in the subtropical gyre following AM-dust addition. Single nutrient addition, i.e., N in the Kuroshio Extension region and P or N in the YS, controls the phytoplankton growth following AM-dust addition. In the AM-dust-addition experiments, in which the increased N-P or P was identified to determine phytoplankton growth, the dissolved inorganic P from AM dust (8.6 nmol L-1) was much lower than the theoretically estimated minimum P demand (˜ 20 nmol L-1) for phytoplankton growth. These observations suggest that additional supply augments the bioavailable P stock in incubated seawater with AM-dust addition, most likely due to an enhanced solubility of P from AM dust or the remineralization of the dissolved

  15. Incorporation of additives into polymers

    DOEpatents

    McCleskey, T. Mark; Yates, Matthew Z.

    2003-07-29

    There has been invented a method for incorporating additives into polymers comprising: (a) forming an aqueous or alcohol-based colloidal system of the polymer; (b) emulsifying the colloidal system with a compressed fluid; and (c) contacting the colloidal polymer with the additive in the presence of the compressed fluid. The colloidal polymer can be contacted with the additive by having the additive in the compressed fluid used for emulsification or by adding the additive to the colloidal system before or after emulsification with the compressed fluid. The invention process can be carried out either as a batch process or as a continuous on-line process.

  16. QSAR prediction of additive and non-additive mixture toxicities of antibiotics and pesticide.

    PubMed

    Qin, Li-Tang; Chen, Yu-Han; Zhang, Xin; Mo, Ling-Yun; Zeng, Hong-Hu; Liang, Yan-Peng

    2018-05-01

    Antibiotics and pesticides may exist as a mixture in real environment. The combined effect of mixture can either be additive or non-additive (synergism and antagonism). However, no effective predictive approach exists on predicting the synergistic and antagonistic toxicities of mixtures. In this study, we developed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model for the toxicities (half effect concentration, EC 50 ) of 45 binary and multi-component mixtures composed of two antibiotics and four pesticides. The acute toxicities of single compound and mixtures toward Aliivibrio fischeri were tested. A genetic algorithm was used to obtain the optimized model with three theoretical descriptors. Various internal and external validation techniques indicated that the coefficient of determination of 0.9366 and root mean square error of 0.1345 for the QSAR model predicted that 45 mixture toxicities presented additive, synergistic, and antagonistic effects. Compared with the traditional concentration additive and independent action models, the QSAR model exhibited an advantage in predicting mixture toxicity. Thus, the presented approach may be able to fill the gaps in predicting non-additive toxicities of binary and multi-component mixtures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Acetate Salts as Nonhalogen Additives To Improve Perovskite Film Morphology for High-Efficiency Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Wu, Qiliang; Zhou, Pengcheng; Zhou, Weiran; Wei, Xiangfeng; Chen, Tao; Yang, Shangfeng

    2016-06-22

    A two-step method has been popularly adopted to fabricate a perovskite film of planar heterojunction organo-lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, this method often generates uncontrollable film morphology with poor coverage. Herein, we report a facile method to improve perovskite film morphology by incorporating a small amount of acetate (CH3COO(-), Ac(-)) salts (NH4Ac, NaAc) as nonhalogen additives in CH3NH3I solution used for immersing PbI2 film, resulting in improved CH3NH3PbI3 film morphology. Under the optimized NH4Ac additive concentration of 10 wt %, the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) reaches 17.02%, which is enhanced by ∼23.2% relative to that of the pristine device without additive, whereas the NaAc additive does not lead to an efficiency enhancement despite the improvement of the CH3NH3PbI3 film morphology. SEM study reveals that NH4Ac and NaAc additives can both effectively improve perovskite film morphology by increasing the surface coverage via diminishing pinholes. The improvement on CH3NH3PbI3 film morphology is beneficial for increasing the optical absorption of perovskite film and improving the interfacial contact at the perovskite/spiro-OMeTAD interface, leading to the increase of short-circuit current and consequently efficiency enhancement of the PSC device for NH4Ac additive only.

  18. Addition of platinum and silver nanoparticles to toughen dental porcelain.

    PubMed

    Fujieda, Tokushi; Uno, Mitsunori; Ishigami, Hajime; Kurachi, Masakazu; Wakamatsu, Nobukazu; Doi, Yutaka

    2012-01-01

    Several studies have investigated toughening porcelain that is layered over a frame or a core. The introduction of residual compressive stress to the surface of porcelain has been shown to be effective to strengthen it. In the present study, nanoparticles of precious metals of silver and platinum (rather than non-precious metals) were used to evaluate if they could increase the fracture resistance of porcelain. The addition of silver and platinum nanoparticles was found to improve the mechanical properties of porcelain since it increased both the Young's modulus and the fracture toughness of commercial porcelain.

  19. Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

    DOE PAGES

    Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L.; ...

    2015-08-01

    Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO₄) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO₄ the film exhibits thermalmore » instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO₄ increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO₄. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO₄ concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO₄ promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO₄ adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

  20. ADDITIVITY ASSESSMENT OF TRIHALOMETHANE MIXTURES BY PROPORTIONAL RESPONSE ADDITION

    EPA Science Inventory

    If additivity is known or assumed, the toxicity of a chemical mixture may be predicted from the dose response curves of the individual chemicals comprising the mixture. As single chemical data are abundant and mixture data sparse, mixture risk methods that utilize single chemical...

  1. Recovery of Escherichia coli from Soil after Addition of Sterile Organic Wastes

    PubMed Central

    Unc, Adrian; Gardner, Julie; Springthorpe, Susan

    2006-01-01

    Laboratory batch tests indicate that addition of sterile municipal sewage biosolids to clay soil from four depths increases the numbers of Escherichia coli isolates recoverable in EC-MUG broth (EC broth with 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-glucuronide). This effect was most marked for the deeper soil layers, with increases of about 2.6 orders of magnitude in E. coli most probable number. PMID:16517690

  2. Effect of carbide additions on grain growth in TiC-Ni cermets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Soon-Gi; Lee, Jun-Hee

    2006-02-01

    The growth of carbide particles in TiC-XC-2 vol.% Ni and TiC-XC-30 vol.% Ni alloys, where X=Zr, Cr, W, Ta and Mo, was fitted to an equation of the form d3-do 3=Kt. The grain growth behavior during liquid phase sintering at 1673K decreased markedly with the addition of Mo2C or WC, changed little for TaC, and increased with the addition of ZrC or Cr3C2. The grain contiguity decreased with increasing Ni content in the TiC-Mo2C-Ni alloy and was greater in the alloys with smaller growth rate constant. Consequently, the effect of carbide addition on the grain growth of 2 vol.% Ni alloys was found to be similar to that of 30 vol.% Ni alloys. The grain growth mechanism could be explained by the effect of contiguous carbide grain boundaries in restricting the overall grain growth, as well as the area of the solid/liquid interfaces in the alloy by the usual solution/reprecipitation model.

  3. UAS-Based Radar Sounding of Ice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hale, R. D.; Keshmiri, S.; Leuschen, C.; Ewing, M.; Yan, J. B.; Rodriguez-Morales, F.; Gogineni, S.

    2014-12-01

    The University of Kansas Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets developed two Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) to support polar research. We developed a mid-range UAS, called the Meridian, for operating a radar depth sounder/imager at 195 MHz with an eight-element antenna array. The Meridian weighs 1,100 lbs, has a 26-foot wingspan, and a range of 950 nm at its full payload capacity of 120 lbs. Ice-penetrating radar performance drove the configuration design, though additional payloads and sensors were considered to ensure adaptation to multi-mission science payloads. We also developed a short range UAS called the G1X for operating a low-frequency radar sounder that operates at 14 and 35 MHz. The G1X weighs 85 lbs, has a 17-foot wingspan, and a range of about 60 nm per gallon of fuel. The dual-frequency HF/VHF radar depth sounder transmits at 100 W peak power at a pulse repetition frequency of 10 KHz and weighs approximately 4.5 lbs. We conducted flight tests of the G1X integrated with the radar at the Sub-glacial Lake Whillans ice stream and the WISSARD drill site. The tests included pilot-controlled and fully autonomous flights to collect data over closely-spaced lines to synthesize a 2-D aperture. We obtained clear bed echoes with a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of more than 50 dB at this location. These are the first-ever successful soundings of glacial ice with a UAS-based radar. Although ice attenuation losses in this location are low in comparison to more challenging targets, in-field performance improvements to the UAS and HF/VHF radar system enabled significant gains in the signal-to-noise ratio, such that the system can now be demonstrated on more challenging outlet glaciers. We are upgrading the G1X UAS and radar system for further tests and data collection in Greenland. We are reducing the weight and volume of the radar, which, when coupled with further reductions in airframe and avionics weight and a larger fuel bladder, will offer extended range. Finally

  4. Increasing mental health literacy via narrative advertising.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chingching

    2008-01-01

    This research explored the effectiveness of narrative advertising and argument advertising in increasing mental illness (depression) literacy. Results showed that narrative advertising was more effective than argument advertising at engaging participants in experiential immersion, resulting in greater sympathy toward those suffering from depression. In addition, narrative advertising better involved participants in issue elaboration and increased willingness to seek professional help. Finally, in comparison with argument advertising, narrative advertisements were rated higher in providing vivid information, resulting in an increase in participants' perceived efficacy in recognizing friends or family suffering from depression.

  5. Results of industrial tests of carbonate additive to fuel oil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zvereva, E. R.; Dmitriev, A. V.; Shageev, M. F.; Akhmetvalieva, G. R.

    2017-08-01

    Fuel oil plays an important role in the energy balance of our country. The quality of fuel oil significantly affects the conditions of its transport, storage, and combustion; release of contaminants to atmosphere; and the operation of main and auxiliary facilities of HPPs. According to the Energy Strategy of Russia for the Period until 2030, the oil-refining ratio gradually increases; as a result, the fraction of straight-run fuel oil in heavy fuel oils consistently decreases, which leads to the worsening of performance characteristics of fuel oil. Consequently, the problem of the increase in the quality of residual fuel oil is quite topical. In this paper, it is suggested to treat fuel oil by additives during its combustion, which would provide the improvement of ecological and economic indicators of oil-fired HPPs. Advantages of this method include simplicity of implementation, low energy and capital expenses, and the possibility to use production waste as additives. In the paper, the results are presented of industrial tests of the combustion of fuel oil with the additive of dewatered carbonate sludge, which is formed during coagulation and lime treatment of environmental waters on HPPs. The design of a volume delivery device is developed for the steady additive input to the boiler air duct. The values are given for the main parameters of the condition of a TGM-84B boiler plant. The mechanism of action of dewatered carbonate sludge on sulfur oxides, which are formed during fuel oil combustion, is considered. Results of industrial tests indicate the decrease in the mass fraction of discharged sulfur oxides by 36.5%. Evaluation of the prevented damage from sulfur oxide discharged into atmospheric air shows that the combustion of the fuel oil of 100 brand using carbonate sludge as an additive (0.1 wt %) saves nearly 6 million rubles a year during environmental actions at the consumption of fuel oil of 138240 t/year.

  6. PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF COMPRESSION MOLDED KENAF FIBER REINFORCED VINYL ESTER COMPOSITES THROUGH RESIN ADDITIVE

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

    Fifield, Leonard S.; Simmons, Kevin L.; Laddha, Sachin

    2010-05-17

    Plant-based bio-fiber has the potential to achieve weight and cost savings over glass fiber in automotive polymer composites if moisture stability and fiber-resin compatibility issues can be solved. This paper describes the compression molding of 50vol% 2 inch random nonwoven mat kenaf fiber vinyl ester composites with and without chemical resin additives intended to improve moisture stability and resin compatibility. The 2wt% addition of n-undecanoyl chloride or 10-undecenoyl chloride to the styrene-based resin prior to molding of the kenaf composites was observed to decrease the 24hr, 25oC moisture uptake of the molded panels by more than 50%. The tensile stiffnessmore » and flexural stiffness of the soaked panels containing these additives were seen to increase by more than 30% and 70%, respectively, relative to panels made with no additives. While ‘dry’ panel (50% relative humidity at 25oC) strengths did not significantly change in the presence of the additives, tensile strength was observed to increase by more than 40% and flexural strength more than doubled for the soaked panels.« less

  7. Additive manufacturing of reflective optics: evaluating finishing methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leuteritz, G.; Lachmayer, R.

    2018-02-01

    Individually shaped light distributions become more and more important in lighting technologies and thus the importance of additively manufactured reflectors increases significantly. The vast field of applications ranges from automotive lighting to medical imaging and bolsters the statement. However, the surfaces of additively manufactured reflectors suffer from insufficient optical properties even when manufactured using optimized process parameters for the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process. Therefore post-process treatments of reflectors are necessary in order to further enhance their optical quality. This work concentrates on the effectiveness of post-process procedures for reflective optics. Based on already optimized aluminum reflectors, which are manufactured with a SLM machine, the parts are differently machined after the SLM process. Selected finishing methods like laser polishing, sputtering or sand blasting are applied and their effects quantified and compared. The post-process procedures are investigated on their impact on surface roughness and reflectance as well as geometrical precision. For each finishing method a demonstrator will be created and compared to a fully milled sample and among themselves. Ultimately, guidelines are developed in order to figure out the optimal treatment of additively manufactured reflectors regarding their optical and geometrical properties. Simulations of the light distributions will be validated with the developed demonstrators.

  8. The Effect of Increasing Mass upon Locomotion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DeWitt, John; Hagan, Donald

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to determine if increasing body mass while maintaining bodyweight would affect ground reaction forces and joint kinetics during walking and running. It was hypothesized that performing gait with increased mass while maintaining body weight would result in greater ground reaction forces, and would affect the net joint torques and work at the ankle, knee and hip when compared to gait with normal mass and bodyweight. Vertical ground reaction force was measured for ten subjects (5M/5F) during walking (1.34 m/s) and running (3.13 m/s) on a treadmill. Subjects completed one minute of locomotion at normal mass and bodyweight and at four added mass (AM) conditions (10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of body mass) in random order. Three-dimensional joint position data were collected via videography. Walking and running were analyzed separately. The addition of mass resulted in several effects. Peak impact forces and loading rates increased during walking, but decreased during running. Peak propulsive forces decreased during walking and did not change during running. Stride time increased and hip extensor angular impulse and positive work increased as mass was added for both styles of locomotion. Work increased at a greater rate during running than walking. The adaptations to additional mass that occur during walking are different than during running. Increasing mass during exercise in microgravity may be beneficial to increasing ground reaction forces during walking and strengthening hip musculature during both walking and running. Future study in true microgravity is required to determine if the adaptations found would be similar in a weightless environment.

  9. Effects of Video Games as Reinforcers for Computerized Addition Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Axelrod, Saul; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Four 2nd-grade students completed addition problems on a computer, using video games as reinforcers. Two variable ratio schedules of reinforcement failed to increase student accuracy or the rate of correct responses. In a no-games reinforcement condition, students had more opportunities to respond and had a greater number of correct answers.…

  10. Co-occurring nonnative woody shrubs have additive and non-additive soil legacies.

    PubMed

    Kuebbing, Sara E; Patterson, Courtney M; Classen, Aimée T; Simberloff, Daniel

    2016-09-01

    To maximize limited conservation funds and prioritize management projects that are likely to succeed, accurate assessment of invasive nonnative species impacts is essential. A common challenge to prioritization is a limited knowledge of the difference between the impacts of a single nonnative species compared to the impacts of nonnative species when they co-occur, and in particular predicting when impacts of co-occurring nonnative species will be non-additive. Understanding non-additivity is important for management decisions because the management of only one co-occurring invader will not necessarily lead to a predictable reduction in the impact or growth of the other nonnative plant. Nonnative plants are frequently associated with changes in soil biotic and abiotic characteristics, which lead to plant-soil interactions that influence the performance of other species grown in those soils. Whether co-occurring nonnative plants alter soil properties additively or non-additively relative to their effects on soils when they grow in monoculture is rarely addressed. We use a greenhouse plant-soil feedback experiment to test for non-additive soil impacts of two common invasive nonnative woody shrubs, Lonicera maackii and Ligustrum sinense, in deciduous forests of the southeastern United States. We measured the performance of each nonnative shrub, a native herbaceous community, and a nonnative woody vine in soils conditioned by each shrub singly or together in polyculture. Soils conditioned by both nonnative shrubs had non-additive impacts on native and nonnative performance. Root mass of the native herbaceous community was 1.5 times lower and the root mass of the nonnative L. sinense was 1.8 times higher in soils conditioned by both L. maackii and L. sinense than expected based upon growth in soils conditioned by either shrub singly. This result indicates that when these two nonnative shrubs co-occur, their influence on soils disproportionally favors persistence

  11. Effect of additives on the tensile performance and protein solubility of industrial oilseed residual based plastics.

    PubMed

    Newson, William R; Kuktaite, Ramune; Hedenqvist, Mikael S; Gällstedt, Mikael; Johansson, Eva

    2014-07-16

    Ten chemical additives were selected from the literature for their proposed modifying activity in protein-protein interactions. These consisted of acids, bases, reducing agents, and denaturants and were added to residual deoiled meals of Crambe abyssinica (crambe) and Brassica carinata (carinata) to modify the properties of plastics produced through hot compression molding at 130 °C. The films produced were examined for tensile properties, protein solubility, molecular weight distribution, and water absorption. Of the additives tested, NaOH had the greatest positive effect on tensile properties, with increases of 105% in maximum stress and 200% in strain at maximum stress for crambe and a 70% increase in strain at maximum stress for carinata. Stiffness was not increased by any of the applied additives. Changes in tensile strength and elongation for crambe and elongation for carinata were related to changes in protein solubility. Increased pH was the most successful in improving the protein aggregation and mechanical properties within the complex chemistry of residual oilseed meals.

  12. Enhancing antioxidant activity of sesamol at frying temperature by addition of additives through reducing volatility

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Additives were evaluated to investigate their effects on volatility of sesamol at frying temperature with the hypothesis that the interaction between an additive and sesamol would reduce sesamol volatility. Twenty-two additive:sesamol combinations were examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) un...

  13. How the ICCOC Uses Analytics to Increase Student Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leavy, Matt; Rheinschmidt, Steve

    2010-01-01

    With unemployment still high in many areas of the country, many job seekers are returning to school for additional training. The increase in numbers of students puts additional strain on community colleges, which is where many adult learners choose to further their education. Nevertheless, even among this population, only about half earn degrees.…

  14. Increased neural responses to empathy for pain might explain how acute stress increases prosociality.

    PubMed

    Tomova, L; Majdandžic, J; Hummer, A; Windischberger, C; Heinrichs, M; Lamm, C

    2017-03-01

    Recent behavioral investigations suggest that acute stress can increase prosocial behavior. Here, we investigated whether increased empathy represents a potential mechanism for this finding. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the effects of acute stress on neural responses related to automatic and regulatory components of empathy for pain as well as subsequent prosocial behavior. Stress increased activation in brain areas associated with the automatic sharing of others' pain, such as the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, we found increased prosocial behavior under stress. Furthermore, activation in the anterior midcingulate cortex mediated the effects of stress on prosocial behavior. However, stressed participants also displayed stronger and inappropriate other-related responses in situations which required them to take the perspective of another person, and to regulate their automatic affective responses. Thus, while acute stress may increase prosocial behavior by intensifying the sharing of others' emotions, this comes at the cost of reduced cognitive appraisal abilities. Depending on the contextual constraints, stress may therefore affect empathy in ways that are either beneficial or detrimental. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press.

  15. Role of alloy additions on strengthening in 17-4 PH stainless steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murthy, Arpana Sudershan

    Alloy modifications by addition of niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), nitrogen (N) and cobalt (Co) to cast 17-4 PH steel were investigated to determine the effect on mechanical properties. Additions of Nb, V, and N increased the yield strength from 1120 MPa to 1310 MPa while decreased the room temperature charpy V notch (CVN) toughness from 20 J to four Joules. The addition of Co to cast 17-4 PH steel enhanced the yield strength and CVN toughness from 1140 MPa to 1290 MPa and from 3.7 J to 5.5 J, respectively. In the base 17-4 PH steel, an increase in block width from 2.27 ± 0.10 μm in the solution treated condition to 3.06 ± 0.17 μm upon aging at 755 K was measured using orientation image microscopy. Cobalt inhibited recrystallization and block boundary migration during aging resulting in a finer martensitic block structure. The influence of Co on copper (Cu) precipitation in steels was studied using atom probe tomography. A narrower precipitate size distribution was observed in the steels with Co addition. The concentration profile across the matrix / precipitate interface indicated rejection of Co atoms from the copper precipitates. This behavior was observed to be energetically favorable using first principle calculations. The activation energies for Cu precipitation increased from 205 kJ/ mol in the non-cobalt containing alloy, to 243 kJ/ mol, and 272 kJ/ mol in alloys with 3 wt. %Co, and 7 wt. % Co, respectively. The role of Co on Cu precipitation in cast 17-4 PH steel is proposed as follows: (i) Co is rejected out of the Cu precipitate and sets up a barrier to the growth of the Cu precipitate; (ii) results in Cu precipitates of smaller size and narrower distribution; (iii) the coarsening of Cu precipitates is inhibited; and (iv) the activation energy for Cu precipitation increases.

  16. Additively Manufactured and Surface Biofunctionalized Porous Nitinol.

    PubMed

    Gorgin Karaji, Z; Speirs, M; Dadbakhsh, S; Kruth, J-P; Weinans, H; Zadpoor, A A; Amin Yavari, S

    2017-01-18

    Enhanced bone tissue regeneration and improved osseointegration are among the most important goals in design of multifunctional orthopedic biomaterials. In this study, we used additive manufacturing (selective laser melting) to develop multifunctional porous nitinol that combines superelasticity with a rationally designed microarchitecture and biofunctionalized surface. The rational design based on triply periodic minimal surfaces aimed to properly adjust the pore size, increase the surface area (thereby amplifying the effects of surface biofunctionalization), and resemble the curvature characteristics of trabecular bone. The surface of additively manufactured (AM) porous nitinol was biofunctionalized using polydopamine-immobilized rhBMP2 for better control of the release kinetics. The actual morphological properties of porous nitinol measured by microcomputed tomography (e.g., open/close porosity, and surface area) closely matched the design values. The superelasticity originated from the austenite phase formed in the nitinol porous structure at room temperature. Polydopamine and rhBMP2 signature peaks were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy tests. The release of rhBMP2 continued until 28 days. The early time and long-term release profiles were found to be adjustable independent of each other. In vitro cell culture showed improved cell attachment, cell proliferation, cell morphology (spreading, spindle-like shape), and cell coverage as well as elevated levels of ALP activity and increased calcium content for biofunctionalized surfaces as compared to as-manufactured specimens. The demonstrated functionalities of porous nitinol could be used as a basis for deployable orthopedic implants with rationally designed microarchitectures that maximize bone tissue regeneration performance by release of biomolecules with adjustable and well-controlled release profiles.

  17. 76 FR 41687 - Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Hydroxypropyl Cellulose

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-15

    .... FDA-2010-F-0103] Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption... Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the food additive regulations for hydroxypropyl cellulose by..., New York, NY 10006, filed a food additive petition (FAP 0A4780). The petition proposed to amend the...

  18. Communication and Distributed Control in Multi-Agent Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    centre of mass of the simulated aircraft and moving with them, we can identify three class of rotations allowed to the MAVs: yaw, pitch, and roll. In...a customised version of the swinglet1 (see Figure 1), a 420g light 80cm wing-span mono/fixed-wing MAV produced by senseFlyTM2, generally used for...replicate its work in a faithful way. 2.3.2 Customised (Parker’s-based) implementation of Reynolds’ algo- rithm As aforementioned there are some degrees of

  19. The effects of scaffold architecture and fibrin gel addition on tendon cell phenotype.

    PubMed

    Pawelec, K M; Wardale, R J; Best, S M; Cameron, R E

    2015-01-01

    Development of tissue engineering scaffolds relies on careful selection of pore architecture and chemistry of the cellular environment. Repair of skeletal soft tissue, such as tendon, is particularly challenging, since these tissues have a relatively poor healing response. When removed from their native environment, tendon cells (tenocytes) lose their characteristic morphology and the expression of phenotypic markers. To stimulate tendon cells to recreate a healthy extracellular matrix, both architectural cues and fibrin gels have been used in the past, however, their relative effects have not been studied systematically. Within this study, a combination of collagen scaffold architecture, axial and isotropic, and fibrin gel addition was assessed, using ovine tendon-derived cells to determine the optimal strategy for controlling the proliferation and protein expression. Scaffold architecture and fibrin gel addition influenced tendon cell behavior independently in vitro. Addition of fibrin gel within a scaffold doubled cell number and increased matrix production for all architectures studied. However, scaffold architecture dictated the type of matrix produced by cells, regardless of fibrin addition. Axial scaffolds, mimicking native tendon, promoted a mature matrix, with increased tenomodulin, a marker for mature tendon cells, and decreased scleraxis, an early transcription factor for connective tissue. This study demonstrated that both architectural cues and fibrin gel addition alter cell behavior and that the combination of these signals could improve clinical performance of current tissue engineering constructs.

  20. Evaluation of fuel additives for reduction of material imcompatibilities in methanol-gasoline blends

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodriguez, C. F.; Barbee, J. G.; Knutson, W. K.; Cuellar, J. P., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    Screening tests determined the efficacy of six commercially available additives as modifiers of methanol's corrosivity toward metals and its weakening of tensile properties of nonmetals in automotive fuel systems. From the screening phase, three additives which seemed to protect some of the metals were tested in higher concentrations and binary combinations in search of optimal application conditions. Results indicate that two of the additives have protective properties and combining them increases the protection of the metals corroded by methanol-gasoline blends. Half of the metals in the tests were not corroded. Testing at recommended concentrations and then at higher concentrations and in combinations shows that the additives would have no protective or harmful effects on the nonmetals. Two additives emerged as candidates for application to the protection of metals in automotive methanol-gasoline fuel systems. The additives tested were assigned letter codes to protect their proprietary nature.

  1. Effect of Periodic Water Addition on Citric Acid Production in Solid State Fermentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utpat, Shraddha S.; Kinnige, Pallavi T.; Dhamole, Pradip B.

    2013-09-01

    Water addition is one of the methods used to control the moisture loss in solid state fermentation (SSF). However, none of the studies report the timing of water addition and amount of water to be added in SSF. Therefore, this work was undertaken with an objective to evaluate the performance of periodic water addition on citric acid production in SSF. Experiments were conducted at different moistures (50-80 %) and temperatures (30-40 °C) to simulate the conditions in a fermenter. Citric acid production by Aspergillus niger (ATCC 9029) using sugarcane baggase was chosen as a model system. Based on the moisture profile, citric acid and sugar data, a strategy was designed for periodic addition of water. Water addition at 48, 96, 144 and 192 h enhanced the citric acid production by 62 % whereas water addition at 72, 120, and 168 h increased the citric acid production by just 17 %.

  2. The effect of high concentration additive on chiral separations in supercritical fluid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Speybrouck, David; Doublet, Charline; Cardinael, Pascal; Fiol-Petit, Catherine; Corens, David

    2017-08-11

    Supercritical Fluid Chromatography is frequently used to efficiently handle separations of enantiomers. The separation of basic analytes usually requires the addition of a basic additive in the mobile phase to improve the peak shape or even to elute the compounds. The effect of increasing the concentration of 2-propylamine as additive on the elution of a series of basic compounds on a Chiralpak-AD stationary phase was studied. In this study, unusual additive concentrations ranging from 0.3% to 10% of 2-propylamine 2-propylaminein the modifier were explored and the effect on retention, peak shape, selectivity and resolution was evaluated. The addition of a large quantity of additive allowed to drastically improve the selectivity and the resolution, and even enantiomers elution order reversal was observed by changing the concentration of basic additive. The role of the ratio additive/modifier appeared a key to tune the enantioselectivity. Finally, the impact of these drastic conditions on the column material was evaluated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Additivity of Pyrethroid Actions on Sodium Influx in Cerebrocortical Neurons in Primary Culture

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Zhengyu; Shafer, Timothy J.; Crofton, Kevin M.; Gennings, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Background: Pyrethroid insecticides bind to voltage-gated sodium channels and modify their gating kinetics, thereby disrupting neuronal function. Although previous work has tested the additivity of pyrethroids in vivo, this has not been assessed directly at the primary molecular target using a functional measure. Objectives: We investigated the potency and efficacy of 11 structurally diverse food-use pyrethroids to evoke sodium (Na+) influx in neurons and tested the hypothesis of dose additivity for a mixture of these same 11 compounds. Methods: We determined pyrethroid-induced increases in Na+ influx in primary cultures of cerebrocortical neurons using the Na+-sensitive dye sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI). Concentration-dependent responses for 11 pyrethroids were determined, and the response to dilutions of a mixture of all 11 compounds at an equimolar mixing ratio was assessed. Additivity was tested assuming a dose-additive model. Results: Seven pyrethroids produced concentration-dependent, tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ influx. The rank order of potency was deltamethrin > S-bioallethrin > β-cyfluthrin > λ-cyhalothrin > esfenvalerate > tefluthrin > fenpropathrin. Cypermethrin and bifenthrin produced modest increases in Na+ influx, whereas permethrin and resmethrin were inactive. When all 11 pyrethroids were present at an equimolar mixing ratio, their actions on Na+ influx were consistent with a dose-additive model. Conclusions: These data provide in vitro relative potency and efficacy measurements for 7 pyrethroid compounds in intact mammalian neurons. Despite differences in individual compound potencies, we found the action of a mixture of all 11 pyrethroids to be additive when we used an appropriate statistical model. These results are consistent with a previous report of the additivity of pyrethroids in vivo. PMID:21665567

  4. Experimental nutrient additions accelerate terrestrial carbon loss from stream ecosystems

    Treesearch

    Amy D. Rosemond; Jonathan P. Benstead; Phillip M. Bumpers; Vladislav Gulis; John S. Kominoski; David W.P. Manning; Keller Suberkropp; J. Bruce Wallace

    2015-01-01

    Nutrient pollution of freshwater ecosystems results in predictable increases in carbon (C) sequestration by algae. Tests of nutrient enrichment on the fates of terrestrial organic C, which supports riverine food webs and is a source of CO2, are lacking. Using whole-stream nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) additions spanning the equivalent of 27 years, we found that...

  5. Soil Microbial Properties and Plant Growth Responses to Carbon and Water Addition in a Temperate Steppe: The Importance of Nutrient Availability

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Chengyuan; Wang, Renzhong; Xiao, Chunwang

    2012-01-01

    Background Global climatic change is generally expected to stimulate net primary production, and consequently increase soil carbon (C) input. The enhanced C input together with potentially increased precipitation may affect soil microbial processes and plant growth. Methodology/Principal Findings To examine the effects of C and water additions on soil microbial properties and plant growth, we conducted an experiment lasting two years in a temperate steppe of northeastern China. We found that soil C and water additions significantly affected microbial properties and stimulated plant growth. Carbon addition significantly increased soil microbial biomass and activity but had a limited effect on microbial community structure. Water addition significantly increased soil microbial activity in the first year but the response to water decreased in the second year. The water-induced changes of microbial activity could be ascribed to decreased soil nitrogen (N) availability and to the shift in soil microbial community structure. However, no water effect on soil microbial activity was visible under C addition during the two years, likely because C addition alleviated nutrient limitation of soil microbes. In addition, C and water additions interacted to affect plant functional group composition. Water addition significantly increased the ratio of grass to forb biomass in C addition plots but showed only minor effects under ambient C levels. Our results suggest that soil microbial activity and plant growth are limited by nutrient (C and N) and water availability, and highlight the importance of nutrient availability in modulating the responses of soil microbes and plants to potentially increased precipitation in the temperate steppe. Conclusions/Significance Increased soil C input and precipitation would show significant effects on soil microbial properties and plant growth in the temperate steppe. These findings will improve our understanding of the responses of soil microbes

  6. Co-addition of manure increases the dissipation rates of tylosin A and the numbers of resistance genes in laboratory incubation experiments.

    PubMed

    Li, Qian; Wang, Yan; Zou, Yong-De; Liao, Xin-Di; Liang, Juan-Boo; Xin, Wen; Wu, Yin-Bao

    2015-09-15

    The behavior of veterinary antibiotics in the soil is commonly studied using the following methods to add antibiotics to the soil: (A) adding manure collected from animals fed a diet that includes antibiotics; (B) adding antibiotic-free animal manure spiked with antibiotics; and (C) the direct addition of antibiotics. However, most studies have only used methods (B) and (C) in their research, and few studies have simultaneously compared the different antibiotic addition methods. This study used tylosin A (TYLA) as a model antibiotic to compare the effects of these three commonly used antibiotic addition methods on the dissipation rates of TYLA and the numbers of resistance genes in laboratory incubation experiments. The results showed that the three treatment methods produced similar TYLA degradation trends; however, there were significant differences (P<0.05) in the TYLA degradation half-life (t1/2) among the three methods. The half-life of TYLA degradation in treatments A, B and C was 2.44 ± 0.04, 1.21 ± 0.03 and 5.13 ± 0.11 days, respectively. The presence of manure resulted in a higher electrical conductivity (EC), higher relative abundance of Citrobacter amalonaticus, higher macrolide resistant gene (ermB, ermF and ermT) count and lower ecological toxicity in the soil, which could partially explain the higher TYLA degradation rate in the treatments containing manure. The higher degradation rate of TYLA in treatment B when compared to treatment A could be due to the lower concentrations of tylosin B (TYLB) and tylosin D (TYLD). The main route for veterinary antibiotics to enter the soil is via the manure of animals that have been administered antibiotics. Therefore, the more appropriate method to study the degradation and ecotoxicity of antibiotic residues in the soil is by using manure from animals fed/administered the particular antibiotic rather than by adding the antibiotic directly to the soil. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Antiinflammatory and ROS Suppressive Effects of the Addition of Fiber to a High-Fat High-Calorie Meal.

    PubMed

    Ghanim, Husam; Batra, Manav; Abuaysheh, Sanaa; Green, Kelly; Makdissi, Antoine; Kuhadiya, Nitesh D; Chaudhuri, Ajay; Dandona, Paresh

    2017-03-01

    Fiber intake is associated with a reduction in the occurrence of cardiovascular events and diabetes. To investigate whether the addition of fiber to a high-fat, high-calorie (HFHC) meal prevents proinflammatory changes induced by the HFHC meal. Ten normal fasting subjects consumed an HFHC meal with or without an additional 30 g of insoluble dietary fiber on 2 separate visits. Blood samples were collected over 5 hours, and mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated. Fiber addition to the HFHC meal significantly lowered glucose excursion in the first 90 minutes and increased insulin and C-peptide secretion throughout the 5-hour follow-up period compared with the meal alone. The HFHC meal induced increases in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations, MNC reactive oxygen species generation, and the expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, and CD14. The addition of fiber prevented an increase in LPS and significantly reduced the increases in ROS generation and the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, TLR-4, and CD14. In addition, the meal increased Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B) messenger RNA and protein levels, which were inhibited when fiber was added. The addition of fiber to a proinflammatory HFHC meal had beneficial anti-inflammatory and metabolic effects. Thus, the fiber content of the American Heart Association meal may contribute to its noninflammatory nature. If these actions of dietary fiber are sustained following long-term intake, they may contribute to fiber's known benefits in the prevention of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society

  8. The use of NaCl addition for the improvement of polyhydroxyalkanoate production by Cupriavidus necator.

    PubMed

    Passanha, Pearl; Kedia, Gopal; Dinsdale, Richard M; Guwy, Alan J; Esteves, Sandra R

    2014-07-01

    External stress factors in the form of ionic species or temperature increases have been shown to produce a stress response leading to enhanced PHA production. The effect of five different NaCl concentrations, namely 3.5, 6.5, 9, 12 and 15 g/l NaCl on PHA productivity using Cupriavidus necator has been investigated alongside a control (no added NaCl). A dielectric spectroscopy probe was used to measure PHA accumulation online in conjunction with the chemical offline analysis of PHA. The highest PHA production was obtained with the addition of 9 g/l NaCl, which yielded 30% higher PHA than the control. Increasing the addition of NaCl to 15 g/l was found to inhibit the production of PHA. NaCl addition can therefore be used as a simple, low cost, sustainable, non toxic and non reactive external stress strategy for increasing PHA productivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Additives in plastics.

    PubMed Central

    Deanin, R D

    1975-01-01

    The polymers used in plastics are generally harmless. However, they are rarely used in pure form. In almost all commercial plastics, they are "compounded" with monomeric ingredients to improve their processing and end-use performance. In order of total volume used, these monomeric additives may be classified as follows: reinforcing fibers, fillers, and coupling agents; plasticizers; colorants; stabilizers (halogen stabilizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, and biological preservatives); processing aids (lubricants, others, and flow controls); flame retardants, peroxides; and antistats. Some information is already available, and much more is needed, on potential toxicity and safe handling of these additives during processing and manufacture of plastics products. PMID:1175566

  10. Additive Manufactured Product Integrity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Waller, Jess; Wells, Doug; James, Steve; Nichols, Charles

    2017-01-01

    NASA is providing key leadership in an international effort linking NASA and non-NASA resources to speed adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) to meet NASA's mission goals. Participants include industry, NASA's space partners, other government agencies, standards organizations and academia. Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) is identified as a universal need for all aspects of additive manufacturing.

  11. Functional Additive Mixed Models

    PubMed Central

    Scheipl, Fabian; Staicu, Ana-Maria; Greven, Sonja

    2014-01-01

    We propose an extensive framework for additive regression models for correlated functional responses, allowing for multiple partially nested or crossed functional random effects with flexible correlation structures for, e.g., spatial, temporal, or longitudinal functional data. Additionally, our framework includes linear and nonlinear effects of functional and scalar covariates that may vary smoothly over the index of the functional response. It accommodates densely or sparsely observed functional responses and predictors which may be observed with additional error and includes both spline-based and functional principal component-based terms. Estimation and inference in this framework is based on standard additive mixed models, allowing us to take advantage of established methods and robust, flexible algorithms. We provide easy-to-use open source software in the pffr() function for the R-package refund. Simulations show that the proposed method recovers relevant effects reliably, handles small sample sizes well and also scales to larger data sets. Applications with spatially and longitudinally observed functional data demonstrate the flexibility in modeling and interpretability of results of our approach. PMID:26347592

  12. Functional Additive Mixed Models.

    PubMed

    Scheipl, Fabian; Staicu, Ana-Maria; Greven, Sonja

    2015-04-01

    We propose an extensive framework for additive regression models for correlated functional responses, allowing for multiple partially nested or crossed functional random effects with flexible correlation structures for, e.g., spatial, temporal, or longitudinal functional data. Additionally, our framework includes linear and nonlinear effects of functional and scalar covariates that may vary smoothly over the index of the functional response. It accommodates densely or sparsely observed functional responses and predictors which may be observed with additional error and includes both spline-based and functional principal component-based terms. Estimation and inference in this framework is based on standard additive mixed models, allowing us to take advantage of established methods and robust, flexible algorithms. We provide easy-to-use open source software in the pffr() function for the R-package refund. Simulations show that the proposed method recovers relevant effects reliably, handles small sample sizes well and also scales to larger data sets. Applications with spatially and longitudinally observed functional data demonstrate the flexibility in modeling and interpretability of results of our approach.

  13. Emerging technologies in arthroplasty: additive manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Samik; Kulesha, Gene; Kester, Mark; Mont, Michael A

    2014-06-01

    Additive manufacturing is an industrial technology whereby three-dimensional visual computer models are fabricated into physical components by selectively curing, depositing, or consolidating various materials in consecutive layers. Although initially developed for production of simulated models, the technology has undergone vast improvements and is currently increasingly being used for the production of end-use components in various aerospace, automotive, and biomedical specialties. The ability of this technology to be used for the manufacture of solid-mesh-foam monolithic and coated components of complex geometries previously considered unmanufacturable has attracted the attention of implant manufacturers, bioengineers, and orthopedic surgeons. Currently, there is a paucity of reports describing this fabrication method in the orthopedic literature. Therefore, we aimed to briefly describe this technology, some of the applications in other orthopedic subspecialties, its present use in hip and knee arthroplasty, and concerns with the present form of the technology. As there are few reports of clinical trials presently available, the true benefits of this technology can only be realized when studies evaluating the clinical and radiographic outcomes of cementless implants manufactured with additive manufacturing report durable fixation, less stress shielding, and better implant survivorship. Nevertheless, the authors believe that this technology holds great promise and may potentially change the conventional methods of casting, machining, and tooling for implant manufacturing in the future. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  14. Addition agents effects on hydrocarbon fuels burning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larionov, V. M.; Mitrofanov, G. A.; Sakhovskii, A. V.

    2016-01-01

    Literature review on addition agents effects on hydrocarbon fuels burning has been conducted. The impact results in flame pattern and burning velocity change, energy efficiency increase, environmentally harmful NOx and CO emission reduction and damping of self-oscillations in flow. An assumption about water molecules dissociation phenomenon existing in a number of practical applications and being neglected in most explanations for physical- chemical processes taking place in case of injection of water/steam into combustion zone has been noted. The hypothesis about necessity of water dissociation account has been proposed. It can be useful for low temperature combustion process control and NOx emission reduction.

  15. 77 FR 13009 - Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Identification of Additional Qualifying Renewable Fuel...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-05

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 80 [EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0542; FRL-9642-3] RIN 2060-AR07 Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Identification of Additional Qualifying Renewable Fuel Pathways Under... of Sec. 80.1426 to identify additional renewable fuel production pathways and pathway components that...

  16. Effect of dietary addition of seaweed and licorice on the immune performance of pigs.

    PubMed

    Katayama, Masafumi; Fukuda, Tomokazu; Okamura, Toshihiro; Suzuki, Eisaku; Tamura, Katsuo; Shimizu, Yuuko; Suda, Yoshihito; Suzuki, Keiichi

    2011-04-01

    In pig production, dietary additive antibiotics are usually used for growth stimulation and disease prevention, although there is public concern about the increased incidence of resistant antibiotics and food safety. It is possible that such antibiotics might be replaced by naturally derived products such as seaweed and licorice. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary addition of seaweed and licorice on enhancing the immune function in swine. The animals of each group (eight animals per group) were sensitized at day 42 and 49, and the immunoglobulin production and the expression of cytokines were detected by the ELISA and real-time PCR. As the results, saliva IgA production of the seaweed-treated group increased around five times compared to that of control (day 56). Delayed hypersensitivity reaction and IgG production of the seaweed-treated group increased around 1.8-2.0 times. In addition, enhanced saliva IgA production was detected at day 50 (around two times) and day 51 (around five times) by the licorice treatment, and lower expression level of tumor necrosis factor-α messenger RNA at day 51 (around 1/25) was observed in the licorice treatment. We conclude that the replacement of antibiotics by naturally derived dietary additives might be feasible for immune system enhancement. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  17. Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

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

    Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L., E-mail: michelle.pantoya@ttu.edu

    2015-08-15

    Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO{sub 4}) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO{sub 4} themore » film exhibits thermal instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO{sub 4} increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO{sub 4}. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO{sub 4} concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO{sub 4} promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO{sub 4} adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

  18. Three-dimensional ultrasound for prenatal assessment of conjoined twins: additional advantages?

    PubMed

    Wataganara, Tuangsit; Ruangvutilert, Pornpimol; Sunsaneevithayakul, Prasert; Russameecharoen, Kusol; Nawapun, Katika; Phithakwatchara, Nisarat

    2017-08-28

    Conjoined twins are a rare, but serious, complication of monozygotic twins. Early prenatal diagnosis of conjoined twins is increasingly made with transvaginal ultrasound and color Doppler studies. Most prenatally diagnosed conjoined twins are terminated due to the high perinatal mortality, but advancement in pediatric surgery has allowed for successful postnatal separation in a small number of cases, and some parents may consider this option over termination of pregnancy. It is important to get a detailed prenatal ultrasound for the site and extent of fusion for an accurate categorization. Three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) provides images that can facilitate counselling for the parents. Additional information that impacts on diagnosis, prognostication, and perinatal management of conjoined twins could be obtained from selective use of 3DUS, particularly those with atypical fetal union. Most of the proposed additional benefits of 3DUS are based on case reports. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been increasingly used for the purpose of identifying intricate organ sharing. Because of the rarity of this condition, and the heterogeneity of fetal fusion, added benefits of either 3DUS or MRI for prenatal diagnosis and perinatal management of conjoined twins have not been demonstrated by well-conducted clinical trials. This article aims to review clinical application of various 3DUS display modes in prenatal assessment of conjoined twins, focusing on their potential additional benefits, risks and misuses. 3DUS may help detecting additional findings that are not possible with 2DUS, but, it has not been scientifically shown to improve the survival rate of the twins or reduce maternal morbidity.

  19. Influence of Applying Additional Forcing Fans for the Air Distribution in Ventilation Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szlązak, Nikodem; Obracaj, Dariusz; Korzec, Marek

    2016-09-01

    Mining progress in underground mines cause the ongoing movement of working areas. Consequently, it becomes necessary to adapt the ventilation network of a mine to direct airflow into newly-opened districts. For economic reasons, opening new fields is often achieved via underground workings. Length of primary intake and return routes increases and also increases the total resistance of a complex ventilation network. The development of a subsurface structure can make it necessary to change the air distribution in a ventilation network. Increasing airflow into newly-opened districts is necessary. In mines where extraction does not entail gas-related hazards, there is possibility of implementing a push-pull ventilation system in order to supplement airflows to newly developed mining fields. This is achieved by installing subsurface fan stations with forcing fans at the bottom of downcast shaft. In push-pull systems with multiple main fans, it is vital to select forcing fans with characteristic curves matching those of the existing exhaust fans to prevent undesirable mutual interaction. In complex ventilation networks it is necessary to calculate distribution of airflow (especially in networks with a large number of installed fans). In the article the influence of applying additional forcing fans for the air distribution in ventilation network for underground mine were considered. There are also analysed the extent of overpressure caused by the additional forcing fan in branches of the ventilation network (the operating range of additional forcing fan). Possibilities of increasing airflow rate in working areas were conducted.

  20. Additive Manufacturing Processes: Selective Laser Melting, Electron Beam Melting and Binder Jetting—Selection Guidelines

    PubMed Central

    Konda Gokuldoss, Prashanth; Kolla, Sri; Eckert, Jürgen

    2017-01-01

    Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing or rapid prototyping, is gaining increasing attention due to its ability to produce parts with added functionality and increased complexities in geometrical design, on top of the fact that it is theoretically possible to produce any shape without limitations. However, most of the research on additive manufacturing techniques are focused on the development of materials/process parameters/products design with different additive manufacturing processes such as selective laser melting, electron beam melting, or binder jetting. However, we do not have any guidelines that discuss the selection of the most suitable additive manufacturing process, depending on the material to be processed, the complexity of the parts to be produced, or the design considerations. Considering the very fact that no reports deal with this process selection, the present manuscript aims to discuss the different selection criteria that are to be considered, in order to select the best AM process (binder jetting/selective laser melting/electron beam melting) for fabricating a specific component with a defined set of material properties. PMID:28773031

  1. Additive Manufacturing Processes: Selective Laser Melting, Electron Beam Melting and Binder Jetting-Selection Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Gokuldoss, Prashanth Konda; Kolla, Sri; Eckert, Jürgen

    2017-06-19

    Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing or rapid prototyping, is gaining increasing attention due to its ability to produce parts with added functionality and increased complexities in geometrical design, on top of the fact that it is theoretically possible to produce any shape without limitations. However, most of the research on additive manufacturing techniques are focused on the development of materials/process parameters/products design with different additive manufacturing processes such as selective laser melting, electron beam melting, or binder jetting. However, we do not have any guidelines that discuss the selection of the most suitable additive manufacturing process, depending on the material to be processed, the complexity of the parts to be produced, or the design considerations. Considering the very fact that no reports deal with this process selection, the present manuscript aims to discuss the different selection criteria that are to be considered, in order to select the best AM process (binder jetting/selective laser melting/electron beam melting) for fabricating a specific component with a defined set of material properties.

  2. Folate Biofortification in Hydroponically Cultivated Spinach by the Addition of Phenylalanine.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Sho; Ohtani, Yuta; Tatsukami, Yohei; Aoki, Wataru; Amemiya, Takashi; Sukekiyo, Yasunori; Kubokawa, Seiichi; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi

    2017-06-14

    Folate is an important vitamin mainly ingested from vegetables, and folate deficiency causes various health problems. Recently, several studies demonstrated folate biofortification in plants or food crops by metabolic engineering through genetic modifications. However, the production and sales of genetically modified foods are under strict regulation. Here, we developed a new approach to achieve folate biofortification in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) without genetic modification. We hydroponically cultivated spinach with the addition of three candidate compounds expected to fortify folate. As a result of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis, we found that the addition of phenylalanine increased the folate content up to 2.0-fold (306 μg in 100 g of fresh spinach), representing 76.5% of the recommended daily allowance for adults. By measuring the intermediates of folate biosynthesis, we revealed that phenylalanine activated folate biosynthesis in spinach by increasing the levels of pteridine and p-aminobenzoic acid. Our approach is a promising and practical approach to cultivate nutrient-enriched vegetables.

  3. Boosting the Performance of Ionic-Liquid-Based Supercapacitors with Polar Additives

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

    Liu, Kun; Wu, Jianzhong

    Recent years have witnessed growing interests in both the fundamentals and applications of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), also known as supercapacitors. A number of strategies have been explored to optimize the device performance in terms of both the energy and power densities. Because the properties of electric double layers (EDL) are sensitive to ion distributions in the close vicinity of the electrode surfaces, the supercapacitor performance is sensitive to both the electrode pore structure and the electrolyte composition. In this paper, we study the effects of polar additives on EDLC capacitance using the classical density functional theory within themore » framework of a coarse-grained model for the microscopic structure of the porous electrodes and room-temperature ionic liquids. The theoretical results indicate that a highly polar, low-molecular-weight additive is able to drastically increase the EDLC capacitance at low bulk concentration. Additionally, the additive is able to dampen the oscillatory dependence of the capacitance on the pore size, thereby boosting the performance of amorphous electrode materials. Finally, the theoretical predictions are directly testable with experiments and provide new insights into the additive effects on EDL properties.« less

  4. Improving properties of Mg with Al–Cu additions

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

    Rashad, Muhammad, E-mail: rashadphy87@gmail.com; National Engineering Research Center for Magnesium Alloys, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044; Pan, Fusheng, E-mail: fspan@cqu.edu.cn

    The present work reports improvement in tensile properties of the Mg matrix reinforced with micron-sized copper–aluminum particulate hybrids. The Al–Cu particulate hybrids were incorporated into the Mg matrix through powder metallurgy method. The synthesized alloys exhibited homogeneously dispersed Mg{sub 2}Cu particles in the matrix, therefore leading to a 110% increase in yield strength (221 MPa) and a 72% enhancement in ultimate tensile strength (284 MPa) by addition of 1.0 wt.%Al–0.6 wt.%Cu particle hybrids. Optical microscopy, scanning election microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the microstructure and intermetallic phases of the synthesized alloys. - Highlights: •more » Mg matrix is reinforced with Al–Cu particulate hybrids. • Powder metallurgic method is used to fabricate the alloys. • Tensile strength and ductility were increased simultaneously.« less

  5. [FADCC in NIHS for prior consultation system of application of food additives].

    PubMed

    Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sato, Kyoko

    2015-01-01

    An increasing number of inquiries about application of food additives have been made from businesses in and outside Japan. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is requested to expedite the procedure for designation and revision of use standards. In June 2014, the MHLW set up a center for consultation on application concerning food additives (Food Additive Designation Consultation Center, FADCC) in the National Institute of Health Sciences, aiming to smoothly and expeditiously handle clerical work for designation or revision of the use standards. FADCC gives advice on how to prepare documents on the information such as physicochemical characteristics, effectiveness, safety, daily intake and use standards, based on actual cases and experience.

  6. The effect of addition of PTFE or urea on luminescence response of copper-doped lithium tetraborate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iskandar, Ferry; Fajri, Annisa; Nuraeni, Nunung; Stavila, Erythrina; Aimon, Akfiny H.; Nuryadin, Bebeh W.

    2018-04-01

    Lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7) is a promising material for application in personal dosimetry due to its tissue equivalent properties. The addition of copper as a dopant in Li2B4O7 is known to increase the sensitivity for both photoluminescent (PL) and thermoluminescent (TL) emission. Therefore, in this paper, synthesis of Li2B4O7:Cu is reported. The optimum synthesis condition was achieved using the solution-assisted method, followed by calcination at 700 °C for 2 h. The addition of 0.1 wt% Cu resulted in the highest PL and TL emissions. Further investigation of the influence of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or urea addition on the luminescence response of Li2B4O7:Cu is described. All samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry, photoluminescence spectrofluorophotometer, thermoluminescence reader, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The addition of PTFE decreased the PL emission of the Li2B4O7:Cu but slightly increased its TL emission. Meanwhile, the addition of urea increased the luminescence emission for both PL and TL of the Li2B4O7:Cu.

  7. Kappa Group: The initial guess. A proposal in response to a commercial air transportation study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    Kappa Aerospace presents their Aeroworld Aircraft, the Initial Guess (IG). This aircraft is designed to generate profit in the market which is currently controlled by the train and boat industry. The main priority of the design team was to develop an extremely efficient aircraft that could be sold at a reasonable price. The IG offers a quick and safe alternative to the existing means of transportation at a competitive price. The cruise velocity of 28 ft/sec. allows all flights to be between 20 and 45 minutes, which is a remarkable savings in time compared to travel by boat or train. The IG is propelled by a single Astro-05 engine with a Zinger 10-6 propeller. The Astro-05 is not an extremely powerful engine; however, it provides enough thrust to meet the design and safety requirements. The major advantage of the Astro-05 is that it is the most efficient engine available. The fuel efficiency of the Astro-05 is what puts the aircraft ahead of the competition. The money saved on an efficient engine can be passed on as lower ticket prices or increased revenue. The IG has a payload of 56 passengers and a wingspan of 7 ft. The 7 ft. wingspan allows the aircraft to fit into the gates of all of the cities that are targeted. Future endeavors of Kappa Aerospace will include fitting a stretch version of the IG with a larger propulsion system. This derivative aircraft will be able to carry more passengers and will be placed on the routes which have the greatest demand for travel. The fuselage and empennage are made of a wooden truss configuration, while the wing is made of a rib/spare configuration. The stress carrying elements are made of spruce, the nonstress carrying elements are made of balsa. The wing is removable for easy access into the fuselage. The easy access to the batteries will keep maintenance costs down.

  8. Stenting versus aggressive medical therapy for intracranial arterial stenosis.

    PubMed

    Chimowitz, Marc I; Lynn, Michael J; Derdeyn, Colin P; Turan, Tanya N; Fiorella, David; Lane, Bethany F; Janis, L Scott; Lutsep, Helmi L; Barnwell, Stanley L; Waters, Michael F; Hoh, Brian L; Hourihane, J Maurice; Levy, Elad I; Alexandrov, Andrei V; Harrigan, Mark R; Chiu, David; Klucznik, Richard P; Clark, Joni M; McDougall, Cameron G; Johnson, Mark D; Pride, G Lee; Torbey, Michel T; Zaidat, Osama O; Rumboldt, Zoran; Cloft, Harry J

    2011-09-15

    Atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis is an important cause of stroke that is increasingly being treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) to prevent recurrent stroke. However, PTAS has not been compared with medical management in a randomized trial. We randomly assigned patients who had a recent transient ischemic attack or stroke attributed to stenosis of 70 to 99% of the diameter of a major intracranial artery to aggressive medical management alone or aggressive medical management plus PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system. The primary end point was stroke or death within 30 days after enrollment or after a revascularization procedure for the qualifying lesion during the follow-up period or stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days. Enrollment was stopped after 451 patients underwent randomization, because the 30-day rate of stroke or death was 14.7% in the PTAS group (nonfatal stroke, 12.5%; fatal stroke, 2.2%) and 5.8% in the medical-management group (nonfatal stroke, 5.3%; non-stroke-related death, 0.4%) (P=0.002). Beyond 30 days, stroke in the same territory occurred in 13 patients in each group. Currently, the mean duration of follow-up, which is ongoing, is 11.9 months. The probability of the occurrence of a primary end-point event over time differed significantly between the two treatment groups (P=0.009), with 1-year rates of the primary end point of 20.0% in the PTAS group and 12.2% in the medical-management group. In patients with intracranial arterial stenosis, aggressive medical management was superior to PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system, both because the risk of early stroke after PTAS was high and because the risk of stroke with aggressive medical therapy alone was lower than expected. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and others; SAMMPRIS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00576693.).

  9. Contribution of food additives to sodium and phosphorus content of diets rich in processed foods.

    PubMed

    Carrigan, Anna; Klinger, Andrew; Choquette, Suzanne S; Luzuriaga-McPherson, Alexandra; Bell, Emmy K; Darnell, Betty; Gutiérrez, Orlando M

    2014-01-01

    Phosphorus-based food additives increase the total phosphorus content of processed foods. However, the extent to which these additives augment total phosphorus intake per day is unclear. To examine the contribution of phosphorus-based food additives to the total phosphorus content of processed foods, separate 4-day menus for a low-additive and additive-enhanced diet were developed using Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software. The low-additive diet was designed to conform to U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for energy and phosphorus intake (∼2,000 kcal/day and 900 mg of phosphorus per day), and it contained minimally processed foods. The additive-enhanced diet contained the same food items as the low-additive diet except that highly processed foods were substituted for minimally processed foods. Food items from both diets were collected, blended, and sent for measurement of energy and nutrient intake. The low-additive and additive-enhanced diet provided approximately 2,200 kcal, 700 mg of calcium, and 3,000 mg of potassium per day on average. Measured sodium and phosphorus content standardized per 100 mg of food was higher each day of the additive-enhanced diet as compared with the low-additive diet. When averaged over the 4 menu days, the measured phosphorus and sodium contents of the additive-enhanced diet were 606 ± 125 and 1,329 ± 642 mg higher than the low-additive diet, respectively, representing a 60% increase in total phosphorus and sodium content on average. When comparing the measured values of the additive-enhanced diet to NDSR-estimated values, there were no statistically significant differences in measured versus estimated phosphorus contents. Phosphorus and sodium additives in processed foods can substantially augment phosphorus and sodium intake, even in relatively healthy diets. Current dietary software may provide reasonable estimates of the phosphorus content in processed foods. Copyright © 2014 National Kidney

  10. Implementation of additional prescribing authorization among oncology pharmacists in Alberta.

    PubMed

    Au, Bianca; Dersch-Mills, Deonne; Ghosh, Sunita; Jupp, Jennifer; Chambers, Carole; Cusano, Frances; Danilak, Melanie

    2018-01-01

    Purpose To describe the practice settings and prescribing practices of oncology pharmacists with additional prescribing authorization. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of all oncology pharmacists in Alberta was conducted using a web-based questionnaire over four weeks between March and April 2016. Pharmacists were identified from the Cancer Services Pharmacy Directory and leadership staff in Alberta Health Services. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the practice setting, prescribing practices, motivators to apply for additional prescribing authorization, and the facilitators and barriers of prescribing. Logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with having additional prescribing authorization. Results The overall response rate was 41% (71 of 175 pharmacists). Oncology pharmacists with additional prescribing authorization made up 38% of respondents. They primarily worked in urban, tertiary cancer centers, and practiced in ambulatory care. The top 3 clinical activities they participated in were medication reconciliation, medication counseling/education, and ambulatory patient assessment. Respondents thought additional prescribing authorization was most useful for ambulatory patient assessment and follow-up. Antiemetics were prescribed the most often. The median number of prescriptions written in an average week of clinical work was 5. Competence, self-confidence, and the potential impact on patient care/perceived impact on work environment were the strongest facilitators of prescribing. The strongest motivators to apply for additional prescribing authorization were relevancy to practice, the potential for increased efficiency, and advancing the profession. Conclusion The current majority of oncology pharmacist prescribing in Alberta occurs in ambulatory care with a large focus on antiemetic prescribing. Pharmacists found additional prescribing authorization most useful for ambulatory patient assessment and follow-up.

  11. Effect of the addition of mixture of plant components on the mechanical properties of wheat bread

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wójcik, Monika; Dziki, Dariusz; Biernacka, Beata; Różyło, Renata; Miś, Antoni; Hassoon, Waleed H.

    2017-10-01

    Instrumental methods of measuring the mechanical properties of bread can be used to determine changes in the properties of it during storage, as well as to determine the effect of various additives on the bread texture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the mixture of plant components on the physical properties of wheat bread. In particular, the mechanical properties of the crumb and crust were studied. A sensory evaluation of the end product was also performed. The mixture of plant components included: carob fiber, milled grain red quinoa and black oat (1:2:2) - added at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 % - into wheat flour. The results showed that the increase of the addition of the proposed additive significantly increased the water absorption of flour mixtures. Moreover, the use of the mixture of plant components above 5% resulted in the increase of bread volume and decrease of crumb density. Furthermore, the addition of the mixture of plant components significantly affected the mechanical properties of bread crumb. The hardness of crumb also decreased as a result of the mixture of plant components addition. The highest cohesiveness was obtained for bread with 10% of additive and the lowest for bread with 25% of mixture of plant components. Most importantly, the enrichment of wheat flour with the mixture of plant components significantly reduced the crust failure force and crust failure work. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the addition of the mixture of plant components of up to 10% had little effect on bread quality.

  12. The unintended energy impacts of increased nitrate contamination from biofuels production.

    PubMed

    Twomey, Kelly M; Stillwell, Ashlynn S; Webber, Michael E

    2010-01-01

    Increases in corn cultivation for biofuels production, due to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, are likely to lead to increases in nitrate concentrations in both surface and groundwater resources in the United States. These increases might trigger the requirement for additional energy consumption for water treatment to remove the nitrates. While these increasing concentrations of nitrate might pose a human health concern, most water resources were found to be within current maximum contaminant level (MCL) limits of 10 mg L(-1) NO(3)-N. When water resources exceed this MCL, energy-intensive drinking water treatment is required to reduce nitrate levels below 10 mg L(-1). Based on prior estimates of water supplies currently exceeding the nitrate MCL, we calculate that advanced drinking water treatment might require an additional 2360 million kWh annually (for nitrate affected areas only)--a 2100% increase in energy requirements for water treatment in those same areas--to mitigate nitrate contamination and meet the MCL requirement. We predict that projected increases in nitrate contamination in water may impact the energy consumed in the water treatment sector, because of the convergence of several related trends: (1) increasing cornstarch-based ethanol production, (2) increasing nutrient loading in surface water and groundwater resources as a consequence of increased corn-based ethanol production, (3) additional drinking water sources that exceed the MCL for nitrate, and (4) potentially more stringent drinking water standards for nitrate.

  13. Diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Summary The conjugate addition reaction has been a useful tool in the formation of carbon–carbon bonds. The utility of this reaction has been demonstrated in the synthesis of many natural products, materials, and pharmacological agents. In the last three decades, there has been a significant increase in the development of asymmetric variants of this reaction. Unfortunately, conjugate addition reactions using α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams remain underdeveloped due to their inherently low reactivity. This review highlights the work that has been done on both diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams. PMID:25977728

  14. Iron in the Ross Sea: 2. Impact of discrete iron addition strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arrigo, Kevin R.; Tagliabue, Alessandro

    2005-03-01

    Presented are results of a regional-scale numerical investigation into the effectiveness of Fe fertilization as a means to increase the efficiency of the biological pump in Fe-limited waters of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. This investigation was conducted using a modified version of the Coupled Ice And Ocean (CIAO) ecosystem model of the Ross Sea sector of the Southern Ocean. Four sets of experiments were performed, investigating the impacts of differences in (1) timing of fertilization, (2) duration of fertilization, (3) amount of Fe added, and (4) size of the fertilized patch. Results show that the stimulation of air-sea CO2 exchange (FCO2) depends primarily on the timing of fertilization, regardless of the amount of Fe added. When Fe was added at the optimal time of year, FCO2 from the atmosphere into the Ross Sea was increased by 3-22%, depending on fertilization strategy. Increasing patch size produced the largest response, and increasing initial Fe concentration produced the smallest. In all cases, as the intensity of Fe fertilization increased, the fertilization efficiency (increase in CO2 uptake per unit added Fe) dropped. Strategies that maximized the fertilization efficiency resulted in relatively little additional CO2 being drawn out of the atmosphere. To markedly increase oceanic uptake of atmospheric CO2 would require the addition of large amounts of Fe due to the low fertilization efficiencies associated with maximum air-sea CO2 exchange. Our results also show that differences in the fertilization strategy should be kept in mind when comparing the results of different Fe fertilization experiments.

  15. Magnetic Force Microscopy Study of Zr 2 Co 11 -Based Nanocrystalline Materials: Effect of Mo Addition

    DOE PAGES

    Yue, Lanping; Jin, Yunlong; Zhang, Wenyong; ...

    2015-01-01

    Tmore » he addition of Molybdenum was used to modify the nanostructure and enhance coercivity of rare-earth-free Zr 2Co 11-based nanocrystalline permanent magnets. he effect of Mo addition on magnetic domain structures of melt spun nanocrystalline Zr 16Co 84-xMo x( x = 0 , 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2.0) ribbons has been investigated. It was found that magnetic properties and local domain structures are strongly influenced by Mo doping. he coercivity of the samples increases with the increase in Mo content ( x ≤ 1.5 ). he maximum energy product ( B H ) max increases with increasing x from 0.5 MGOe for x = 0 to a maximum value of 4.2 MGOe for x = 1.5 . he smallest domain size with a relatively short magnetic correlation length of 128 nm and largest root-mean-square phase shift Φ rms value of 0.66° are observed for the x = 1.5 . he optimal Mo addition promotes magnetic domain structure refinement and thus leads to a significant increase in coercivity and energy product in this sample.« less

  16. Magnetic Force Microscopy Study of Zr 2 Co 11 -Based Nanocrystalline Materials: Effect of Mo Addition

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

    Yue, Lanping; Jin, Yunlong; Zhang, Wenyong

    Tmore » he addition of Molybdenum was used to modify the nanostructure and enhance coercivity of rare-earth-free Zr 2Co 11-based nanocrystalline permanent magnets. he effect of Mo addition on magnetic domain structures of melt spun nanocrystalline Zr 16Co 84-xMo x( x = 0 , 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2.0) ribbons has been investigated. It was found that magnetic properties and local domain structures are strongly influenced by Mo doping. he coercivity of the samples increases with the increase in Mo content ( x ≤ 1.5 ). he maximum energy product ( B H ) max increases with increasing x from 0.5 MGOe for x = 0 to a maximum value of 4.2 MGOe for x = 1.5 . he smallest domain size with a relatively short magnetic correlation length of 128 nm and largest root-mean-square phase shift Φ rms value of 0.66° are observed for the x = 1.5 . he optimal Mo addition promotes magnetic domain structure refinement and thus leads to a significant increase in coercivity and energy product in this sample.« less

  17. Influence of polymer additive on flow past a hydrofoil: A numerical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Yongliang; Peng, Sai; Yang, Dan; Duan, Juan; Wang, Limin

    2018-01-01

    Flows of dilute polymer solutions past a hydrofoil (NACA0012) are examined by direct numerical simulation to investigate the modification of the wake pattern due to the addition of polymer. The influence of polymer additive is modeled by the FENE-P model in order to simulate a non-linear modulus of elasticity and a finite extendibility of the polymer macromolecules. Simulations were carried out at a Reynolds number of 1000 with the angle of attack varying from 0° to 20°. The results show that the influence of polymer on the flow behavior of the flow past a hydrofoil exhibits different flow regimes. In general, the addition of polymer modifies the wake patterns for all angles of attack in this study. Consequently, both drag and lift forces are changed as the Weissenberg number increases while the drag of the hydrofoil is enhanced at small angles of attack and reduced at large angles of attack. As the Weissenberg number increases, two attached recirculation bubbles or two columns of shedding vortices downstream tend to be symmetric, and the polymer tends to make the flow less sensitive to the variation of the angle of attack.

  18. Novel carbon-rich additives preparation by degradative solvent extraction of biomass wastes for coke-making.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xianqing; Li, Xian; Xiao, Li; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Tong, Shan; Wu, Chao; Ashida, Ryuichi; Liu, Wenqiang; Miura, Kouichi; Yao, Hong

    2016-05-01

    In this work, two extracts (Soluble and Deposit) were produced by degradative solvent extraction of biomass wastes from 250 to 350°C. The feasibilities of using Soluble and Deposit as additives for coke-making were investigated for the first time. The Soluble and Deposit, having significantly higher carbon content, lower oxygen content and extremely lower ash content than raw biomasses. All Solubles and most of Deposits can melt completely at the temperature ranged from 80 to 120°C and 140 to 180°C, respectively. The additions of Soluble or Deposit into the coke-making coal significantly improved their thermoplastic properties with as high as 9°C increase of the plastic range. Furthermore, the addition of Deposit or Soluble also markedly enhanced the coke quality through increasing coke strength after reaction (CSR) and reducing coke reactivity index (CRI). Therefore, the Soluble and Deposit were proved to be good additives for coke-making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Calcium addition at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest increases sugar storage, antioxidant activity and cold tolerance in native red spruce (Picea rubens)

    Treesearch

    Joshua M. Halman; Paul G. Schaberg; Gary J. Hawley; Christopher Eagar

    2008-01-01

    In fall (November 2005) and winter (February 2006), we collected current-year foliage of native red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in a reference watershed and in a watershed treated in 1999 with wollastonite (CaSiO3, a slow-release calcium source) to simulate preindustrial soil calcium concentrations (Ca-addition...

  20. Improvement of GRCop-84 Through the Addition of Zirconium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ellis, David L.; Lerch, Bradley A.

    2012-01-01

    GRCop-84 (Cu-8 at.% Cr-4 at.% Nb) has excellent strength, creep resistance, low cycle fatigue (LCF) life and stability at elevated temperatures. It suffers in comparison to many commercially available precipitation-strengthened alloys below 500 C (932 F). It was observed that the addition of Zr consistently improved the mechanical properties of Cu-based alloys especially below 500 C. In an effort to improve the low temperature properties of GRCop-84, 0.35 wt.% Zr was added to the alloy. Limited tensile, creep, and LCF testing was conducted to determine if improvements occur. The results showed some dramatic increases in the tensile and creep properties at the conditions tested with the probability of additional improvements being possible through cold working. LCF testing at room temperature did not show an improvement, but improvements might occur at elevated temperatures.

  1. Canagliflozin Lowers Postprandial Glucose and Insulin by Delaying Intestinal Glucose Absorption in Addition to Increasing Urinary Glucose Excretion

    PubMed Central

    Polidori, David; Sha, Sue; Mudaliar, Sunder; Ciaraldi, Theodore P.; Ghosh, Atalanta; Vaccaro, Nicole; Farrell, Kristin; Rothenberg, Paul; Henry, Robert R.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Canagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitor, is also a low-potency SGLT1 inhibitor. This study tested the hypothesis that intestinal canagliflozin levels postdose are sufficiently high to transiently inhibit intestinal SGLT1, thereby delaying intestinal glucose absorption. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This two-period, crossover study evaluated effects of canagliflozin on intestinal glucose absorption in 20 healthy subjects using a dual-tracer method. Placebo or canagliflozin 300 mg was given 20 min before a 600-kcal mixed-meal tolerance test. Plasma glucose, 3H-glucose, 14C-glucose, and insulin were measured frequently for 6 h to calculate rates of appearance of oral glucose (RaO) in plasma, endogenous glucose production, and glucose disposal. RESULTS Compared with placebo, canagliflozin treatment reduced postprandial plasma glucose and insulin excursions (incremental 0- to 2-h area under the curve [AUC0–2h] reductions of 35% and 43%, respectively; P < 0.001 for both), increased 0- to 6-h urinary glucose excretion (UGE0–6h, 18.2 ± 5.6 vs. <0.2 g; P < 0.001), and delayed RaO. Canagliflozin reduced AUC RaO by 31% over 0 to 1 h (geometric means, 264 vs. 381 mg/kg; P < 0.001) and by 20% over 0 to 2 h (576 vs. 723 mg/kg; P = 0.002). Over 2 to 6 h, canagliflozin increased RaO such that total AUC RaO over 0 to 6 h was <6% lower versus placebo (960 vs. 1,018 mg/kg; P = 0.003). A modest (∼10%) reduction in acetaminophen absorption was observed over the first 2 h, but this difference was not sufficient to explain the reduction in RaO. Total glucose disposal over 0 to 6 h was similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS Canagliflozin reduces postprandial plasma glucose and insulin by increasing UGE (via renal SGLT2 inhibition) and delaying RaO, likely due to intestinal SGLT1 inhibition. PMID:23412078

  2. Anaerobic digestion of Jatropha curcas L. press cake and effects of an iron-additive.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Thomas

    2011-11-01

    Oil production from Jatropha curcas L. seeds generates large amounts of Jatropha press cake (JPC) which can be utilized as a substrate for biogas production. The objective of this work was to investigate anaerobic mono-digestion of JPC and the effects of an iron additive (IA) on gas quality and process stability during the increase of the organic loading rate (OLR). With the increase of the OLR from 1.3 to 3.2 g(VS) L(-1) day(-1), the biogas yield in the reference reactor (RR) without IA decreased from 512 to 194 L(N) kg(VS) (-1) and the CH₄ concentration decreased from 69.3 to 44.4%. In the iron additive reactor (IAR), the biogas yield decreased from 530 to 462 L(N) kg(VS) (-1) and the CH₄ concentration decreased from 69.4 to 61.1%. The H₂S concentration in the biogas was reduced by addition of the IA to values below 258 ppm in the IAR while H₂S concentration in the RR increased and exceeded the detection limit of 5000 ppm. The acid capacity (AC) in the RR increased to more than 20 g L(-1), indicating an accumulation of organic acids caused by process instability. AC values in the IAR remained stable at values below 5 g L(-1). The results demonstrate that JPC can be used as sole substrate for anaerobic digestion up to an OLR of 2.4 g(VS) l(-1) day(-1). The addition of IA has effectively decreased the H(2)S content in the biogas and has improved the stability of the anaerobic process and the biogas quality.

  3. Phosphorus-containing food additives and the accuracy of nutrient databases: implications for renal patients.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Catherine M; Leon, Janeen B; Sehgal, Ashwini R

    2007-09-01

    Phosphorus-containing additives are increasingly being added to food products. We sought to determine the potential impact of these additives. We focused on chicken products as an example. We purchased a variety of chicken products, prepared them according to package directions, and performed laboratory analyses to determine their actual phosphorus content. We used ESHA Food Processor SQL Software (version 9.8, ESHA Research, Salem, OR) to determine the expected phosphorus content of each product. Of 38 chicken products, 35 (92%) had phosphorus-containing additives listed among their ingredients. For every category of chicken products containing additives, the actual phosphorus content was greater than the content expected from nutrient database. For example, actual phosphorus content exceeded expected phosphorus content by an average of 84 mg/100 g for breaded breast strips. There was also a great deal of variation within each category. For example, the difference between actual and expected phosphorus content ranged from 59-165 mg/100 g for breast patties. Two 100-g servings of additive-containing products contained, on average, 440 mg of phosphorus, or about half the total daily recommended intake for dialysis patients. Phosphorus-containing additives significantly increase the amount of phosphorus in chicken products. Available nutrient databases do not reflect this higher phosphorus content, and the variation between similar products makes it impossible for patients and dietitians to accurately estimate phosphorus content. We recommend that dialysis patients limit their intake of additive-containing products, and that the phosphorus content of food products be included on nutrition facts labels.

  4. PHOSPHORUS CONTAINING FOOD ADDITIVES AND THE ACCURACY OF NUTRIENT DATABASES: IMPLICATIONS FOR RENAL PATIENTS

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, Catherine M.; Leon, Janeen B.; Sehgal, Ashwini R.

    2007-01-01

    Objective Phosphorus containing additives are increasingly added to food products. We sought to determine the potential impact of these additives. We focused on chicken products as an example. Methods We purchased a variety of chicken products, prepared them according to package directions, and performed laboratory analyses to determine their actual phosphorus content. We used ESHA Food Processor SQL Software to determine the expected phosphorus content of each product. Results Of 38 chicken products, 35 (92%) had phosphorus containing additives listed among their ingredients. For every category of chicken products containing additives, the actual phosphorus content was greater than the content expected from nutrient database. For example, actual phosphorus content exceeded expected phosphorus content by an average of 84 mg/100g for breaded breast strips. There was also a great deal of variation within each category. For example, the difference between actual and expected phosphorus content ranged from 59 to 165 mg/100g for breast patties. Two 100 g servings of additive containing products contain an average of 440 mg of phosphorus, or about half the total daily recommended intake for dialysis patients. Conclusion Phosphorus containing additives significantly increase the amount of phosphorus in chicken products. Available nutrient databases do not reflect this higher phosphorus content, and the variation between similar products makes it impossible for patients and dietitians to accurately estimate phosphorus content. We recommend that dialysis patients limit their intake of additive containing products and that the phosphorus content of food products be included on nutrition facts labels. PMID:17720105

  5. Development of high capacity, high rate lithium ion batteries utilizing metal fiber conductive additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahn, Soonho; Kim, Youngduk; Kim, Kyung Joon; Kim, Tae Hyung; Lee, Hyungkeun; Kim, Myung H.

    As lithium ion cells dominate the battery market, the performance improvement is an utmost concern among developers and researchers. Conductive additives are routinely employed to enhance electrode conductivity and capacity. Carbon particulates—graphite or carbon black powders—are conventional and popular choices as conductive fillers. However, percolation requirements of particles demand significant volumetric content of impalpable, and thereby high area conductive fillers. As might be expected, the electrode active surface area escalates unnecessarily, resulting in overall increase in reaction with electrolytes and organic solvents. The increased reactions usually manifest as an irreversible loss of anode capacity, gradual oxidation and consumption of electrolyte on the cathode—which causes capacity decline during cycling—and an increased threat to battery safety by gas evolution and exothermic solvent oxidation. In this work we have utilized high aspect ratio, flexible, micronic metal fibers as low active area and high conductivity additives. The metal fibers appear well dispersed within the electrode and to satisfy percolation requirements very efficiently at very low volumetric content compared to conventional carbon-based conductive additives. Results from 18650-type cells indicate significant enhancements in electrode capacity and high rate capability while the irreversible capacity loss is negligible.

  6. Non-additive effects of intra- and interspecific competition between two larval salamanders.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Thomas L; Whiteman, Howard H

    2015-05-01

    Assessment of the relative strengths of intra- and interspecific competition has increased in recent years and is critical to understanding the importance of competition. Yet, whether intra- and interspecific competition can have non-additive effects has rarely been tested. The resulting fitness consequences of such non-additive interactions are important to provide the context necessary to advance our understanding of competition theory. We compared the strength of additive and non-additive intra- and interspecific competition by manipulating densities of a pair of larval salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum and A. maculatum) in experimental mesocosms within a response surface design. Intraspecific density had the strongest effect on the strength of competition for both species, and few observed comparisons indicated interspecific competition was an important factor in predicting body size, growth or larval period length of either species. Non-additive effects of intra- and interspecific competition influenced some response variables, including size and mass at metamorphosis in A. maculatum, but at a reduced strength compared to intraspecific effects alone. Intraspecific competition was thus the dominant biotic interaction, but non-additive effects also impact the outcome of competition in these species, validating the importance of testing for and incorporating non-additive density effects into competition models. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2015 British Ecological Society.

  7. Effects of Molybdenum and Vanadium Addition on Tensile and Charpy Impact Properties of API X70 Linepipe Steels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Young Min; Shin, Sang Yong; Lee, Hakcheol; Hwang, Byoungchul; Lee, Sunghak; Kim, Nack J.

    2007-08-01

    This study is concerned with the effects of V and Mo addition on tensile and Charpy impact properties of API X70 linepipe steels. Twelve kinds of steel specimens were produced by varying V and Mo additions and rolling conditions. The addition of V and Mo promoted the formation of acicular ferrite (AF), banitic ferrite (BF), and martensite-austenite (MA) constituents, while suppressing the formation of polygonal ferrite (PF) or pearlite (P). The tensile test results indicated that the tensile strength of the specimens rolled in the two-phase region increased with the addition of V and Mo, while the yield strength did not vary much in these specimens except the water-cooled specimens, which showed the increased yield strength with addition of Mo. The tensile strength of specimens rolled in the single-phase region followed by water cooling increased with increasing V and Mo contents. The yield strength, however, did not vary much with increasing V content or with addition of Mo to the low-V alloy. In these specimens, a substantial increase in the strengths was achieved only when Mo was added to the high-V alloy. The specimens rolled in the single-phase region had higher upper-shelf energy (USE) and lower ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) than the specimens rolled in the two-phase region, because their microstructures were composed of AF and fine PF. According to the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis data, the effective grain size in AF was determined by crystallographic packets composed of a few fine grains having similar orientations. Thus, the decreased DBTT in the specimens rolled in the single-phase region could be explained by the decrease in the overall effective grain size due to the presence of AF having smaller effective grain size.

  8. Recent trends in the use of food additives in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Saltmarsh, Mike

    2015-03-15

    The E number system for food additives was introduced in the 1960s and the E was intended to reassure consumers that permitted additives were safe. In the 1980s full ingredient declarations had to be provided on food products for the first time and manufacturers were permitted to use either the name or the number of the additive on the ingredient list. This paper outlines some of the trends in the sourcing, use and labelling of additives since the introduction of full ingredient listing. Generally, sourcing has become more global with a large number of suppliers being based in China. From an initial use of E numbers in ingredient lists, manufacturers are increasingly using the names of additives. This trend is being extended to avoid the use of anything the consumer might consider an additive, particularly in connection with colours and preservatives. Specifically, the colours used in the Southampton study on the impact of food colours on hyperactivity in children have largely been replaced by colouring foodstuffs, and the preservative used in the study, sodium benzoate, has been replaced by potassium sorbate in the majority of soft drinks. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Promoted nitrogen dissolution due to the addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt; some effects of additives on the growth of GaN single crystals using the sodium flux method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morishita, Masanori; Kawamura, Fumio; Kawahara, Minoru; Yoshimura, Masashi; Mori, Yusuke; Sasaki, Takatomo

    2005-10-01

    The effect of the addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt on the promotion of nitrogen dissolution was examined quantitatively in the growth of GaN single crystals using the sodium flux method. The addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt increased both the solubility of solid GaN and that of gaseous nitrogen against the solution. The increase in the solubility of gaseous nitrogen seems to be caused by additives having a high binding energy with nitrogen. We measured the solubility of GaN and that of gaseous nitrogen against Ga-Na, Ga-Na-Li and Ga-Na-Ca melt in this study. On the basis of these data, we clarified the relationship between the N/Ga ratio in the solution and the coloration of GaN crystals grown in each system, and between changes in the yield of GaN and the absolute value of supersaturation.

  10. Effects of Fe2O3 addition on the nitridation of silicon powder

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hasegawa, Y.; Inomata, Y.; Kijima, K.; Matsuyama, T.

    1977-01-01

    The reaction of silicon powder and nitrogen was studied in the range of 1300-1400 C. When an addition of Fe2O3 was more than 0.8wt%, the reaction was linear and compared to samples with no Fe2O3, the reaction velocity increased 5 to 10 times. The reactions were mediated by the process of peeling and cracking in a thin layer of Si2N4 formed on the silicon particles or on the surface of the Fe-Si melts. As the addition of Fe2O3 increased, the reaction activation energy for highly pure samples decreased. Fe2O3 which exceeded the Si3N4 solubility limits was finally converted to d-Fe.

  11. Research on EHN additive on the diesel engine combustion characteristics in plateau environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Zhixin; Li, Ruoting; Wang, Xiancheng; Hu, Chuan

    2017-03-01

    Aiming at the combustion deterioration problem of diesel engine in plateau environment, a bench test was carried out for the effects of EHN additive on combustion characteristics of the diesel engine with intake pressure of 0.68 kPa. Test results showed that with the full load working condition of 1 400 r/min: Cylinder pressure and pressure uprising rate decreased with EHN additive added in, mechanical load on the engine could be relieved; peak value of the heat release rate decreased and its occurrence advanced, ignition delay and combustion duration were shortened; cylinder temperature and exhaust gas temperature declined, thermal load on the engine could be relieved, output torque increased while specific oil consumption decreased, and effective thermal efficiency of diesel engine increased.

  12. Temporal Patterns of Long-Term Engagement with Learning an Additional Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tasker, Isabel

    2017-01-01

    People studying an additional language in adult life do so through a diverse mix of self-directed and institutionally-situated efforts, extending over many years; and online and distance mode language learning offer increasingly flexible opportunities for formal study. Little is known, however, of the ways that long-term learners combine…

  13. 76 FR 47210 - Notices of Filing of Petitions for Food Additives and Color Additives; Relocation in the Federal...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-04

    ...] Notices of Filing of Petitions for Food Additives and Color Additives; Relocation in the Federal Register...) is notifying the public that notices of filing of petitions for food additives and color additives... additive petition approval process for food additives for use in human and animal food. Section 409(b)(5...

  14. Heme Derived from Corynebacterium glutamicum: A Potential Iron Additive for Swine and an Electron Carrier Additive for Lactic Acid Bacterial Culture.

    PubMed

    Choi, Su-In; Park, Jihoon; Kim, Pil

    2017-03-28

    To investigate the potential applications of bacterial heme, aminolevulinic acid synthase (HemA) was expressed in a Corynebacterium glutamicum HA strain that had been adaptively evolved against oxidative stress. The red pigment from the constructed strain was extracted and it exhibited the typical heme absorbance at 408 nm from the spectrum. To investigate the potential of this strain as an iron additive for swine, a prototype feed additive was manufactured in pilot scale by culturing the strain in a 5 ton fermenter followed by spray-drying the biomass with flour as an excipient (biomass: flour = 1:10 (w/w)). The 10% prototype additive along with regular feed was supplied to a pig, resulting in a 1.1 kg greater increase in weight gain with no diarrhea in 3 weeks as compared with that in a control pig that was fed an additive containing only flour. To verify if C. glutamicum -synthesized heme is a potential electron carrier, lactic acid bacteria were cultured under aerobic conditions with the extracted heme. The biomasses of the aerobically grown Lactococcus lactis , Lactobacillus rhamosus , and Lactobacillus casei were 97%, 15%, and 4% greater, respectively, than those under fermentative growth conditions. As a potential preservative, cultures of the four strains of lactic acid bacteria were stored at 4°C with the extracted heme and living lactic acid bacterial cells were counted. There were more L. lactis and L. plantarum live cells when stored with heme, whereas L. rhamosus and L. casei showed no significant differences in live-cell numbers. The potential uses of the heme from C. glutamicum are further discussed.

  15. Shielding gas selection for increased weld penetration and productivity in GTA welding

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

    Leinonen, J.I.

    1996-12-31

    The effects of hydrogen and helium additions to the argon shielding gas on GTA weld pool profiles in the case of two austenitic stainless steel sheets 3 mm thick are investigated here in detail. One of the test steels shows good weldability, with a relatively deep, narrow weld pool profile, but the other is poorly weldable, with a shallow, wide weld pool when argon shielding gas is used. Bead-on-plate test welds were produced with arc shields of argon, argon with hydrogen additions of 2 to 18.2% and argon with helium additions of 20 to 80%. The hydrogen additions increases themore » depth of weld penetration in both test steels, but productivity with respect to maximum welding speed can be improved to an accepted level only with steel sheets of good weldability in terms of a relatively high depth/width (D/W) ratio. The depth of penetration in the test steel of good weldability increased somewhat with helium additions and the D/W ratio remained unchanged, while these parameters increased markedly in the poorly weldable steel when a He-20% Ar shielding gas was used and resembled those of the more weldable steel.« less

  16. 14 CFR 1274.917 - Additional funds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Additional funds. 1274.917 Section 1274.917... FIRMS Other Provisions and Special Conditions § 1274.917 Additional funds. Additional Funds July 2002... under the terms of this cooperative agreement. NASA is under no obligation to provide additional funds...

  17. 14 CFR 1274.917 - Additional funds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Additional funds. 1274.917 Section 1274.917... FIRMS Other Provisions and Special Conditions § 1274.917 Additional funds. Additional Funds July 2002... under the terms of this cooperative agreement. NASA is under no obligation to provide additional funds...

  18. Increase in volatilization of organic compounds using air sparging through addition in alcohol in a soil-water system.

    PubMed

    Chao, Huan-Ping; Hsieh, Lin-Han Chiang; Tran, Hai Nguyen

    2018-02-15

    This study developed a novel method to promote the remediation efficiency of air sparging. According to the enhanced-volatilization theory presented in this study, selected alcohols added to groundwater can highly enhance the volatilization amounts of organic compounds with high Henry's law constants. In this study, the target organic compounds consisted of n-hexane, n-heptane, benzene, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and tetrachloroethene. n-pentanol, n-hexanol, and n-heptanol were used to examine the changes in the volatilization amounts of organic compounds in the given period. Two types of soils with high and low organic matter were applied to evaluate the transport of organic compounds in the soil-water system. The volatilization amounts of the organic compounds increased with increasing alcohol concentrations. The volatilization amounts of the test organic compounds exhibited a decreasing order: n-heptanol>n-hexanol>n-pentanol. When 10mg/L n-heptanol was added to the system, the maximum volatilization enhancement rate was 18-fold higher than that in distilled water. Samples of soil with high organic matter might reduce the volatilization amounts by a factor of 5-10. In the present study, the optimal removal efficiency for aromatic compounds was approximately 98%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Non-pairwise additivity of the leading-order dispersion energy

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

    Hollett, Joshua W., E-mail: j.hollett@uwinnipeg.ca

    2015-02-28

    The leading-order (i.e., dipole-dipole) dispersion energy is calculated for one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) infinite lattices, and an infinite 1D array of infinitely long lines, of doubly occupied locally harmonic wells. The dispersion energy is decomposed into pairwise and non-pairwise additive components. By varying the force constant and separation of the wells, the non-pairwise additive contribution to the dispersion energy is shown to depend on the overlap of density between neighboring wells. As well separation is increased, the non-pairwise additivity of the dispersion energy decays. The different rates of decay for 1D and 2D lattices of wells is explained inmore » terms of a Jacobian effect that influences the number of nearest neighbors. For an array of infinitely long lines of wells spaced 5 bohrs apart, and an inter-well spacing of 3 bohrs within a line, the non-pairwise additive component of the leading-order dispersion energy is −0.11 kJ mol{sup −1} well{sup −1}, which is 7% of the total. The polarizability of the wells and the density overlap between them are small in comparison to that of the atomic densities that arise from the molecular density partitioning used in post-density-functional theory (DFT) damped dispersion corrections, or DFT-D methods. Therefore, the nonadditivity of the leading-order dispersion observed here is a conservative estimate of that in molecular clusters.« less

  20. Hitching a ride on NASA's B-52 mother ship, the X-43A scramjet performed a captive carry evaluation flight from Edwards Air Force Base, California, January 26, 2004

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-01-26

    Hitching a ride on the same B-52 mother ship that once launched X-15 research aircraft in the 1960s, NASA's X-43A scramjet and it's Pegasus booster rocket performed a captive carry evaluation flight from Edwards Air Force Base, California, January 26, 2004. The X-43 and it's booster remained mated to the B-52 throughout this mission, intended to check its readiness for launch. The hydrogen-fueled aircraft is autonomous and has a wingspan of approximately 5 feet, measures 12 feet long and weighs about 2,800 pounds.