Geometry and Op Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Evelyn J.

1999-01-01

Describes an activity in which students use computers and techniques from Op Art to learn various geometric concepts. Allows them to see the distinct connection between art and mathematics from a personal perspective. Reinforces writing, speaking, and drawing skills while creating slide shows related to the project. (ASK)

Electing a candidate: a speculative history of the bacterial phylum OP10.

PubMed

Dunfield, Peter F; Tamas, Ivica; Lee, Kevin C; Morgan, Xochitl C; McDonald, Ian R; Stott, Matthew B

2012-12-01

In 1998, a cultivation-independent survey of the microbial community in Obsidian Pool, Yellowstone National Park, detected 12 new phyla within the Domain Bacteria. These were dubbed 'candidate divisions' OP1 to OP12. Since that time the OP10 candidate division has been commonly detected in various environments, usually as part of the rare biosphere, but occasionally as a predominant community component. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, OP10 comprises at least 12 class-level subdivisions. However, despite this broad ecological and evolutionary diversity, all OP10 bacteria have eluded cultivation until recently. In 2011, two reference species of OP10 were taxonomically validated, removing the phylum from its 'candidate' status. Construction of a highly resolved phylogeny based on 29 universally conserved genes verifies its standing as a unique bacterial phylum. In the following paper we summarize what is known and what is suspected about the newest described bacterial phylum, the Armatimonadetes. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Is This Op-Amp Any Good?: Lab-Built Checker Removes All Doubt!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harman, Charles

2007-01-01

Electronics instructors and students find it very helpful to be able to check an operational amplifier at the proto-board stage. Most students lack the experience or knowledge that it takes to recognize whether an op-amp is operating normally or not. This article discusses a handy op-amp checker that allows one to check and/or test op-amps at the…

The utility of a "trauma 1 OP" activation at a level 1 pediatric trauma center.

PubMed

Hunt, Madison M; Stevens, Austin M; Hansen, Kristine W; Fenton, Stephen J

2017-02-01

To expedite flow of injured children suspected to require operative intervention, a "trauma 1 OP" (T1OP) activation classification was created. The purpose of this study was to review this strategy at a level 1 pediatric trauma center. A retrospective review of T1OP activations between 2003 and 2015 was performed. Children suspected of requiring neurosurgical intervention were classified as trauma 1 OP neuro (T1OP(N)). Comparisons were made to trauma 1 (T1) patients who required emergent operative intervention, excluding orthopedic injuries. Overall, 461 T1OP activations occurred (72% T1OP(N)) compared to 129 T1 activations requiring emergent surgery. Demographics were not significantly different between groups, although T1OP patients were slightly younger and more often experienced falls or were victims of abuse. Compared to T1 activations, T1OP activations had a significantly higher mortality rate (21% vs. 7%, p<0.001). Repeat head imaging was more common in the T1OP(N) group compared to imaged children in the T1 group (20% vs. 37%, p=0.05). T1OP(N) patients more often went directly to the OR (45% vs. 33%, p=0.02) and did so in a significantly faster period of time (32min vs. 53min, p<0.001). Use of the T1OP activations appropriately triaged surgical patients, resulting in significantly faster transport times to the OR. II, prognosis study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Status of the Signals of Opportunity Airborne Demonstrator (SoOp-AD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, Jim; Lin, Yao-Cheng; Piepmeier, Jeff; Knuble, Joe; Hersey, Ken; Du Toit, Cornelus; Joseph, Alicia; Deshpande, Manohar; Alikakos, George; O'Brien, Steve;

Nuclear localization of the dehydrin OpsDHN1 is determined by histidine-rich motif.

PubMed

Hernández-Sánchez, Itzell E; Maruri-López, Israel; Ferrando, Alejandro; Carbonell, Juan; Graether, Steffen P; Jiménez-Bremont, Juan F

2015-01-01

The cactus OpsDHN1 dehydrin belongs to a large family of disordered and highly hydrophilic proteins known as Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, which accumulate during the late stages of embryogenesis and in response to abiotic stresses. Herein, we present the in vivo OpsDHN1 subcellular localization by N-terminal GFP translational fusion; our results revealed a cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of the GFP::OpsDHN1 protein in Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells. In addition, dimer assembly of OpsDHN1 in planta using a Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) approach was demonstrated. In order to understand the in vivo role of the histidine-rich motif, the OpsDHN1-ΔHis version was produced and assayed for its subcellular localization and dimer capability by GFP fusion and BiFC assays, respectively. We found that deletion of the OpsDHN1 histidine-rich motif restricted its localization to cytoplasm, but did not affect dimer formation. In addition, the deletion of the S-segment in the OpsDHN1 protein affected its nuclear localization. Our data suggest that the deletion of histidine-rich motif and S-segment show similar effects, preventing OpsDHN1 from getting into the nucleus. Based on these results, the histidine-rich motif is proposed as a targeting element for OpsDHN1 nuclear localization.

Nuclear localization of the dehydrin OpsDHN1 is determined by histidine-rich motif

PubMed Central

Hernández-Sánchez, Itzell E.; Maruri-López, Israel; Ferrando, Alejandro; Carbonell, Juan; Graether, Steffen P.; Jiménez-Bremont, Juan F.

2015-01-01

The cactus OpsDHN1 dehydrin belongs to a large family of disordered and highly hydrophilic proteins known as Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, which accumulate during the late stages of embryogenesis and in response to abiotic stresses. Herein, we present the in vivo OpsDHN1 subcellular localization by N-terminal GFP translational fusion; our results revealed a cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of the GFP::OpsDHN1 protein in Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells. In addition, dimer assembly of OpsDHN1 in planta using a Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) approach was demonstrated. In order to understand the in vivo role of the histidine-rich motif, the OpsDHN1-ΔHis version was produced and assayed for its subcellular localization and dimer capability by GFP fusion and BiFC assays, respectively. We found that deletion of the OpsDHN1 histidine-rich motif restricted its localization to cytoplasm, but did not affect dimer formation. In addition, the deletion of the S-segment in the OpsDHN1 protein affected its nuclear localization. Our data suggest that the deletion of histidine-rich motif and S-segment show similar effects, preventing OpsDHN1 from getting into the nucleus. Based on these results, the histidine-rich motif is proposed as a targeting element for OpsDHN1 nuclear localization. PMID:26442018

O&P (Ova and Parasite) Test

MedlinePlus

... ova and parasite exam may be done in conjunction with or following a GI pathogens panel that ... infections, an O&P may be used in conjunction with other tests, such as a gastrointestinal (GI) ...

Expert systems built by the Expert: An evaluation of OPS5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Robert

1987-01-01

Two expert systems were written in OPS5 by the expert, a Ph.D. astronomer with no prior experience in artificial intelligence or expert systems, without the use of a knowledge engineer. The first system was built from scratch and uses 146 rules to check for duplication of scientific information within a pool of prospective observations. The second system was grafted onto another expert system and uses 149 additional rules to estimate the spacecraft and ground resources consumed by a set of prospective observations. The small vocabulary, the IF this occurs THEN do that logical structure of OPS5, and the ability to follow program execution allowed the expert to design and implement these systems with only the data structures and rules of another OPS5 system as an example. The modularity of the rules in OPS5 allowed the second system to modify the rulebase of the system onto which it was grafted without changing the code or the operation of that system. These experiences show that experts are able to develop their own expert systems due to the ease of programming and code reusability in OPS5.

Chronic exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and neuropsychological functioning in farm workers: a review.

PubMed

Muñoz-Quezada, María Teresa; Lucero, Boris Andrés; Iglesias, Verónica Paz; Muñoz, María Pía; Cornejo, Claudia Alejandra; Achu, Eduardo; Baumert, Brittney; Hanchey, Arianna; Concha, Carlos; Brito, Ana María; Villalobos, Marcos

2016-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that acute poisoning from exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in agricultural workers causes adverse health effects. However, neuropsychological and cognitive effects of chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides remain controversial. To identify, evaluate, and systematize existing evidence regarding chronic exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects in farmworkers. Using the PubMed search engine, a systematic review process was implemented and replicated according to the PRISMA statement. Eligibility criteria included workers over 18 years of age exposed to OP pesticides as well as assessment of neuropsychological and cognitive functioning. Search terms were in English and Spanish languages and included organophosphate and workers. Of the search results, 33 of 1,256 articles meet eligibility criteria. Twenty-four studies found an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and low neuropsychological performance in workers. We classified nine of the studies to have study design limitations. Studies indicated occupational exposure to OP pesticides is linked to difficulties in executive functions, psychomotor speed, verbal, memory, attention, processing speed, visual-spatial functioning, and coordination. Nine studies find no relationship between OP pesticides exposure and neuropsychological performance. Overall, evidence suggests an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects. However, there is no consensus about the specific cognitive skills affected.

AC coupled three op-amp biopotential amplifier with active DC suppression.

PubMed

Spinelli, E M; Mayosky, M A

2000-12-01

A three op-amps instrumentation amplifier (I.A) with active dc suppression is presented. dc suppression is achieved by means of a controlled floating source at the input stage, to compensate electrode and op-amps offset voltages. This isolated floating source is built around an optical-isolated device using a general-purpose optocoupler, working as a photovoltaic generator. The proposed circuit has many interesting characteristics regarding simplicity and cost, while preserving common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and high input impedance characteristics of the classic three op-amps I.A. As an example, a biopotential amplifier with a gain of 80 dB, a lower cutoff frequency of 0.1 Hz, and a dc input range of +/- 8 mV was built and tested. Using general-purpose op-amps, a CMRR of 105 was achieved without trimmings.

Chronic exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and neuropsychological functioning in farm workers: a review

PubMed Central

Lucero, Boris Andrés; Iglesias, Verónica Paz; Muñoz, María Pía; Cornejo, Claudia Alejandra; Achu, Eduardo; Baumert, Brittney; Hanchey, Arianna; Concha, Carlos; Brito, Ana María; Villalobos, Marcos

2016-01-01

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that acute poisoning from exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in agricultural workers causes adverse health effects. However, neuropsychological and cognitive effects of chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides remain controversial. Objective To identify, evaluate, and systematize existing evidence regarding chronic exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects in farmworkers. Methods Using the PubMed search engine, a systematic review process was implemented and replicated according to the PRISMA statement. Eligibility criteria included workers over 18 years of age exposed to OP pesticides as well as assessment of neuropsychological and cognitive functioning. Search terms were in English and Spanish languages and included organophosphate and workers. Results Of the search results, 33 of 1,256 articles meet eligibility criteria. Twenty-four studies found an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and low neuropsychological performance in workers. We classified nine of the studies to have study design limitations. Studies indicated occupational exposure to OP pesticides is linked to difficulties in executive functions, psychomotor speed, verbal, memory, attention, processing speed, visual–spatial functioning, and coordination. Nine studies find no relationship between OP pesticides exposure and neuropsychological performance. Conclusions Overall, evidence suggests an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects. However, there is no consensus about the specific cognitive skills affected. PMID:27128815

Demodulation RFI statistics for a 3-stage op amp LED circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whalen, James J.

An experiment has been performed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining several methods of electromagnetic-compatibility analysis. The part of the experiment that demonstrates how RF signals cause interference in an audio-frequency (AF) circuit and how the interference can be suppressed is described. The circuit includes three operational amplifiers (op amps) and a light-emitting diode (LED). A 50 percent amplitude-modulated (AM) radio-frequency-interference (RFI) signal is used, varied over the range from 0.1 to 400 MHz. The AM frequency is 1 kHz. The RFI is injected into the inverting input of the first op amp, and the 1-kHz demodulation response of the amplifier is amplified by the second and third op amps and lights the LED to provide a visual display of the existence of RFI. An RFI suppression capacitor was added to reduce the RFI. The demodulation RFI results are presented as scatter plots for 35 741 op amps. Mean values and standard deviations are also shown.

Op art and visual perception.

PubMed

Wade, N J

1978-01-01

An attempt is made to list the visual phenomena exploited in op art. These include moire frinlude moiré fringes, afterimages, Hermann grid effects, Gestalt grouping principles, blurring and movement due to astigmatic fluctuations in accommodation, scintillation and streaming possibly due to eye movements, and visual persistence. The historical origins of these phenomena are also noted.

Therapeutic effects of OP-1 on metal wear particle induced osteoblasts injury in vitro

PubMed Central

Sun, Guojing; Chen, Jianmin; Yang, Shufeng; Parker, Thomas MN; Goodman, Gary MP; Hasama, Jack M; Zhao, Jianning

2015-01-01

Aseptic lossening is a main reason for the revision of total joint arthroplasty. Metal-wear particles induced deregulation of bone resorption or formation has been considered as the major process of aseptic lossening. Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) can be used to improve bone formation. However, such effect is not clearly understood after the metal-wear particles injury. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which OP-1 regulates the activity of bone formation and anti-inflammatory after injury. Results showed that OP-1 increased cell viability and bone formation ability of impaired osteoblast cells at 72 hours after being injured by cobalt particles. Pathway analyses revealed that both mRNA and protein levels of Smad1 and Smad5 were significantly increased upon the treatment of OP-1 in the cell injury model. Similarly, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was also significantly upregulated in the OP-1 treated cells. Moreover, treatment with OP-1 inhibited the secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-18 in cobalt impaired cells. Collectively, these results suggest that OP-1 could inhibit cobalt particles induced cell injury by activating Smad1, Smad5, and Runx2, and such procedure is accompanied by anti-inflammatory reaction. PMID:26885192

Carbon Dioxide Observational Platform System (CO-OPS), feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bouquet, D. L.; Hall, D. W.; Mcelveen, R. P.

1987-01-01

The Carbon Dioxide Observational Platform System (CO-OPS) is a near-space, geostationary, multi-user, unmanned microwave powered monitoring platform system. This systems engineering feasibility study addressed identified existing requirements such as: carbon dioxide observational data requirements, communications requirements, and eye-in-the-sky requirements of other groups like the Defense Department, the Forestry Service, and the Coast Guard. In addition, potential applications in: earth system science, space system sciences, and test and verification (satellite sensors and data management techniques) were considered. The eleven month effort is summarized. Past work and methods of gathering the required observational data were assessed and rough-order-of magnitude cost estimates have shown the CO-OPS system to be most cost effective (less than $30 million within a 10 year lifetime). It was also concluded that there are no technical, schedule, or obstacles that would prevent achieving the objectives of the total 5-year CO-OPS program.

Validation of the OpCost logging cost model using contractor surveys

Treesearch

Conor K. Bell; Robert F. Keefe; Jeremy S. Fried

2017-01-01

OpCost is a harvest and fuel treatment operations cost model developed to function as both a standalone tool and an integrated component of the Bioregional Inventory Originated Simulation Under Management (BioSum) analytical framework for landscape-level analysis of forest management alternatives. OpCost is an updated implementation of the Fuel Reduction Cost Simulator...

An investigation of potential applications of OP-SAPS: Operational sampled analog processors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, E. A.; Mcvey, E. S.

1976-01-01

The impact of charge-coupled device (CCD) processors on future instrumentation was investigated. The CCD devices studied process sampled analog data and are referred to as OP-SAPS - operational sampled analog processors. Preliminary studies into various architectural configurations for systems composed of OP-SAPS show that they have potential in such diverse applications as pattern recognition and automatic control. It appears probable that OP-SAPS may be used to construct computing structures which can serve as special peripherals to large-scale computer complexes used in real time flight simulation. The research was limited to the following benchmark programs: (1) face recognition, (2) voice command and control, (3) terrain classification, and (4) terrain identification. A small amount of effort was spent on examining a method by which OP-SAPS may be used to decrease the limiting ground sampling distance encountered in remote sensing from satellites.

Reconciling the clinical practice guidelines on Bell's palsy from the AAO-HNSF and the AAN.

PubMed

Schwartz, Seth R; Jones, Stephanie L; Getchius, Thomas S D; Gronseth, Gary S

2014-05-01

Bell's palsy, named after the Scottish anatomist, Sir Charles Bell, is the most common acute mononeuropathy, or disorder affecting a single nerve, and is the most common diagnosis associated with facial nerve weakness/paralysis. In the past 2 years, both the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) have published clinical practice guidelines aimed to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy. This commentary aims to address the similarities and differences in the scope and final recommendations made by each guideline development group.

OpCost: an open-source system for estimating costs of stand-level forest operations

Treesearch

Conor K. Bell; Robert F. Keefe; Jeremy S. Fried

2017-01-01

This report describes and documents the OpCost forest operations cost model, a key component of the BioSum analysis framework. OpCost is available in two editions: as a callable module for use with BioSum, and in a stand-alone edition that can be run directly from R. OpCost model logic and assumptions for this open-source tool are explained, references to the...

The MetOp second generation 3MI instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manolis, Ilias; Grabarnik, Semen; Caron, Jérôme; Bézy, Jean-Loup; Loiselet, Marc; Betto, Maurizio; Barré, Hubert; Mason, Graeme; Meynart, Roland

2013-10-01

The MetOp-SG programme is a joint Programme of EUMETSAT and ESA. ESA develops the prototype MetOp-SG satellites (including associated instruments) and procures, on behalf of EUMETSAT, the recurrent satellites (and associated instruments). Two parallel, competitive phase A/B1 studies for MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG) have been concluded in May 2013. The implementation phases (B2/C/D/E) are planned to start the first quarter of 2014. ESA is responsible for instrument design of six missions, namely Microwave Sounding Mission (MWS), Scatterometer mission (SCA), Radio Occultation mission (RO), Microwave Imaging mission (MWI), Ice Cloud Imager (ICI) and Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation imaging mission (3MI). The paper will present the main performances of the 3MI instrument and will highlight the performance improvements with respect to its heritage derived by the POLDER instrument, such as number of spectral channels and spectral range coverage, swath and ground spatial resolution. The engineering of some key performance requirements (multi-viewing, polarisation sensitivity, straylight etc.) will also be discussed. The results of the feasibility studies will be presented together with the programmatics for the instrument development. Several pre-development activities have been initiated to retire highest risks and to demonstrate the ultimate performances of the 3MI optics. The scope, objectives and current status of those activities will be presented. Key technologies involved in the 3MI instrument design and implementation are considered to be: the optical design featuring aspheric optics, the implementation of broadband Anti Reflection coatings featuring low polarisation and low de-phasing properties, the development and qualification of polarisers with acceptable performances as well as spectral filters with good uniformities over a large clear aperture.

Ultra-sensitive PSA Following Prostatectomy Reliably Identifies Patients Requiring Post-Op Radiotherapy

PubMed Central

Kang, Jung Julie; Reiter, Robert; Steinberg, Michael; King, Christopher R.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Integrating ultra-sensitive PSA (uPSA) into surveillance of high-risk patients following radical prostatectomy (RP) potentially optimizes management by correctly identifying actual recurrences, promoting an early salvage strategy and minimizing overtreatment. The power of uPSA following surgery to identify eventual biochemical failures is tested. PATIENTS AND METHODS From 1991–2013, 247 high-risk patients with a median follow-up was 44 months after RP were identified (extraprostatic extension and/or positive margin). Surgical technique, initial PSA (iPSA), pathology and post-op PSA were analyzed. The uPSA assay threshold was 0.01 ng/mL. Conventional biochemical relapse (cBCR) was defined as PSA ≥0.2 ng/mL. Kaplan Meier and Cox multivariate analyses (MVA) compared uPSA recurrence vs. cBCR rates. RESULTS Sensitivity analysis identified uPSA ≥0.03 as the optimal threshold identifying recurrence. First post-op uPSA ≥0.03, Gleason grade, T-stage, iPSA, and margin status predicted cBCR. On MVA, only first post-op uPSA ≥0.03, Gleason grade, and T-stage independently predicted cBCR. First post-op uPSA ≥0.03 conferred the highest risk (HR 8.5, p<0.0001) and discerned cBCR with greater sensitivity than undetectable first conventional PSA (70% vs. 46%). Any post-op PSA ≥0.03 captured all failures missed by first post-op value (100% sensitivity) with accuracy (96% specificity). Defining failure at uPSA ≥0.03 yielded a median lead-time advantage of 18 months (mean 24 months) over the conventional PSA ≥0.2 definition. CONCLUSION uPSA ≥0.03 is an independent factor, identifies BCR more accurately than any traditional risk factors, and confers a significant lead-time advantage. uPSA enables critical decisions regarding timing and indication for post-op RT among high-risk patients following RP. PMID:25463990

DSN G/T(sub op) and telecommunications system performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stelzried, C.; Clauss, R.; Rafferty, W.; Petty, S.

1992-01-01

Provided here is an intersystem comparison of present and evolving Deep Space Network (DSN) microwave receiving systems. Comparisons of the receiving systems are based on the widely used G/T sub op figure of merit, which is defined as antenna gain divided by operating system noise temperature. In 10 years, it is expected that the DSN 32 GHz microwave receiving system will improve the G/T sub op performance over the current 8.4 GHz system by 8.3 dB. To compare future telecommunications system end-to-end performance, both the receiving systems' G/T sub op and spacecraft transmit parameters are used. Improving the 32 GHz spacecraft transmitter system is shown to increase the end-to-end telecommunications system performance an additional 3.2 dB, for a net improvement of 11.5 dB. These values are without a planet in the field of view (FOV). A Saturn mission is used for an example calculation to indicate the degradation in performance with a planet in the field of view.

Study on multiple-hops performance of MOOC sequences-based optical labels for OPS networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chongfu; Qiu, Kun; Ma, Chunli

2009-11-01

In this paper, we utilize a new study method that is under independent case of multiple optical orthogonal codes to derive the probability function of MOOCS-OPS networks, discuss the performance characteristics for a variety of parameters, and compare some characteristics of the system employed by single optical orthogonal code or multiple optical orthogonal codes sequences-based optical labels. The performance of the system is also calculated, and our results verify that the method is effective. Additionally it is found that performance of MOOCS-OPS networks would, negatively, be worsened, compared with single optical orthogonal code-based optical label for optical packet switching (SOOC-OPS); however, MOOCS-OPS networks can greatly enlarge the scalability of optical packet switching networks.

The MetOp second generation 3MI mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manolis, Ilias; Caron, Jérôme; Grabarnik, Semen; Bézy, Jean-Loup; Betto, Maurizio; Barré, Hubert; Mason, Graeme; Meynart, Roland

2017-11-01

ESA is currently running two parallel, competitive phase A/B1 studies for MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG). MetOp-SG is the space segment of EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS-SG) consisting of the satellites and instruments. The Phase A/B1 studies will be completed in the first quarter of 2013. The final implementation phases (B2/C/D) are planned to start 2013. ESA is responsible for instrument design of five missions, namely Microwave Sounding Mission (MWS), Scatterometer mission (SCA), Radio Occultation mission (RO), Microwave Imaging mission (MWI), Ice Cloud Imaging (ICI) mission, and Multiviewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarization imaging mission (3MI). This paper will present the instrument main design elements of the 3MI mission, primarily aimed at providing aerosol characterization for climate monitoring, Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), atmospheric chemistry and air quality. The 3MI instrument is a passive radiometer measuring the polarized radiances reflected by the Earth under different viewing geometries and across several spectral bands spanning the visible and short-wave infrared spectrum. The paper will present the main performances of the instrument and will concentrate mainly on the performance improvements with respect to its heritage derived by the POLDER instrument. The engineering of some key performance requirements (multiviewing, polarization sensitivity, etc.) will also be discussed.

Scatterometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoffelen, Adrianus Cornelis Maria

1996-10-01

Een veelheid aan meteorologische metingen is dagelijks beschikbaar. De meeste van deze waarnemingen bevinden zich echter boven land, en met name windwaarnemingen boven de (Noord Atlantische) oceaan zijn schaars. Bij een westelijke luchtstroming is dit een duidelijke beperking voor de weers- en golfverwachtingen ten behoeve van Nederland. Juist dan is het gevaar voor bijvoorbeeld storm of overstroming het grootst. Ook in het aardse klimaatsysteem speelt de wind aan het oppervlak een grote rol en is de belangrijkste factor voor de aandrijving van de oceaancirculatie. De oceaancirculatie op zijn beurt is cruciaal voor de verschijnselen die samenhangen met bijvoorbeeld El Niño. Dit proefschift gaat over het scatterometer instrument dat vanuit de ruimte, zelfs onder een wolkendek, nauwkeurige en betrouwbare informatie geeft over de wind aan het oceaanoppervlak met een hoge mate van ruimtelijke consistentie. Tijdens de tweede wereldoorlog werden radars aan boord van schepen veelvuldig gebruikt voor de opsporing van vijandige vaartuigen. Hierbij werd vastgesteld dat de detectie slechter werd naarmate de wind aan het zeeoppervlak groter was. Proefondervindelijk was hiermee het principe van een wind scatterometer aangetoond. Al snel ontwikkelde zich dan ook de idee de wind aan het zeeoppervlak te meten met behulp van radar. Vanuit een vliegtuig of een satelliet word dan een microgolfbundel onder een schuine hoek naar het zeeoppervlak gestuurd. De microgolfstraling, met gewoonlijk een golflengte van enkele centimeters, wordt verstrooid aan het ruwe oppervlak, en een klein gedeelte van de uitgezonden puls keert terug naar het detectorgedeelte van de scatterometer. Het fysische fenomeen van belang voor de werking van de scatterometer is de aanwezigheid van zogeheten capillaire gavitatiegolven op het zeeoppervlak. Deze golven hebben een golflengte van enkele centimeters en reageren vrijwel instantaan op de sterkte van de wind. De verstrooiing van microgolven is op zijn beurt

Unified study of Quality of Service (QoS) in OPS/OBS networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hailu, Dawit Hadush; Lema, Gebrehiwet Gebrekrstos; Yekun, Ephrem Admasu; Kebede, Samrawit Haylu

2017-07-01

With the growth of Internet traffic, an inevitable use of optical networks provide a large bandwidth, fast data transmission rates and Quality of Service (QoS) support. Currently, Optical Burst Switched (OBS)/Optical Packet Switched (OPS) networks are under study as future solutions for addressing the increase demand of Internet traffic. However, due to their high blocking probability in the intermediate nodes they have been delayed in the industries. Packet loss in OBS/OPS networks is mainly occur due to contention. Hence, the contribution of this study is to analyze the file loss ratio (FLR), packet overhead and number of disjoint paths, and processing delay over Coded Packet Transport (CPT) scheme for OBS/OPS network using simulation. The simulations show that CPT scheme reduces the FLR in OBS/OPS network for the evaluated scenarios since the data packets are chopped off into blocks of the data packet for transmission over a network. Simulation results for secrecy and survivability are verified with the help of the analytical model to define the operational range of CPT scheme.

IT Software Development and IT Operations Strategic Alignment: An Agile DevOps Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Michael

2017-01-01

Information Technology (IT) departments that include development and operations are essential to develop software that meet customer needs. DevOps is a term originally constructed from software development and IT operations. DevOps includes the collaboration of all stakeholders such as software engineers and systems administrators involved in the…

Evaluating Cumulative OP Pesticide Body Burden of Children: A National Case Study

PubMed Central

Payne-Sturges, Devon; Cohen, Jonathan; Castorina, Rosemary; Axelrad, Daniel A.; Woodruff, Tracey J.

2009-01-01

Biomonitoring is a valuable tool for identifying exposures to chemicals that pose potential harm to human health. However, to date there has been little published on ways to evaluate the relative public health significance of biomonitoring data for different chemicals, and even less on cumulative assessment of multiple chemicals. The objectives of our study are to develop a methodology for a health risk interpretation of biomonitoring data, and to apply it using NHANES 1999–2002 body burden data for organophosphorus (OP) pesticides. OP pesticides present a particularly challenging case given the non-specificity of many metabolites monitored through NHANES. We back-calculate OP pesticide exposures from urinary metabolite data, and compare cumulative dose estimates with available toxicity information for a common mechanism of action (brain cholinesterase inhibition) using data from U.S. EPA. Our results suggest that approximately 40% of children in the United States may have had insufficient margins of exposure (MOEs) for neurological impacts from cumulative exposures to OP pesticides (MOE less than 1,000). Limitations include uncertainty related to assumptions about likely precursor pesticide compounds of the urinary metabolites, sources of exposure, and intra-individual and temporal variability. PMID:19921915

Eye movement instructions modulate motion illusion and body sway with Op Art

PubMed Central

Kapoula, Zoï; Lang, Alexandre; Vernet, Marine; Locher, Paul

2015-01-01

Op Art generates illusory visual motion. It has been proposed that eye movements participate in such illusion. This study examined the effect of eye movement instructions (fixation vs. free exploration) on the sensation of motion as well as the body sway of subjects viewing Op Art paintings. Twenty-eight healthy adults in orthostatic stance were successively exposed to three visual stimuli consisting of one figure representing a cross (baseline condition) and two Op Art paintings providing sense of motion in depth—Bridget Riley’s Movements in Squares and Akiyoshi Kitaoka’s Rollers. Before their exposure to the Op Art images, participants were instructed either to fixate at the center of the image (fixation condition) or to explore the artwork (free viewing condition). Posture was measured for 30 s per condition using a body fixed sensor (accelerometer). The major finding of this study is that the two Op Art paintings induced a larger antero-posterior body sway both in terms of speed and displacement and an increased motion illusion in the free viewing condition as compared to the fixation condition. For body sway, this effect was significant for the Riley painting, while for motion illusion this effect was significant for Kitaoka’s image. These results are attributed to macro-saccades presumably occurring under free viewing instructions, and most likely to the small vergence drifts during fixations following the saccades; such movements in interaction with visual properties of each image would increase either the illusory motion sensation or the antero-posterior body sway. PMID:25859197

Eye movement instructions modulate motion illusion and body sway with Op Art.

PubMed

Kapoula, Zoï; Lang, Alexandre; Vernet, Marine; Locher, Paul

2015-01-01

Op Art generates illusory visual motion. It has been proposed that eye movements participate in such illusion. This study examined the effect of eye movement instructions (fixation vs. free exploration) on the sensation of motion as well as the body sway of subjects viewing Op Art paintings. Twenty-eight healthy adults in orthostatic stance were successively exposed to three visual stimuli consisting of one figure representing a cross (baseline condition) and two Op Art paintings providing sense of motion in depth-Bridget Riley's Movements in Squares and Akiyoshi Kitaoka's Rollers. Before their exposure to the Op Art images, participants were instructed either to fixate at the center of the image (fixation condition) or to explore the artwork (free viewing condition). Posture was measured for 30 s per condition using a body fixed sensor (accelerometer). The major finding of this study is that the two Op Art paintings induced a larger antero-posterior body sway both in terms of speed and displacement and an increased motion illusion in the free viewing condition as compared to the fixation condition. For body sway, this effect was significant for the Riley painting, while for motion illusion this effect was significant for Kitaoka's image. These results are attributed to macro-saccades presumably occurring under free viewing instructions, and most likely to the small vergence drifts during fixations following the saccades; such movements in interaction with visual properties of each image would increase either the illusory motion sensation or the antero-posterior body sway.

The Vida Verde Women's Co-Op: Brazilian immigrants organizing to promote environmental and social justice.

PubMed

Gute, David M; Siqueira, Eduardo; Goldberg, Julia S; Galvão, Heloisa; Chianelli, Mônica; Pirie, Alex

2009-11-01

We reviewed the key steps in the launch of the Vida Verde Women's Co-Op among Brazilian immigrant housecleaners in Somerville, MA. The co-op provides green housecleaning products, encourages healthy work practices, and promotes a sense of community among its members. We conducted in-depth interviews with 8 of the first co-op members, who reported a reduction in symptoms associated with the use of traditional cleaning agents and a new sense of mutual support. Critical to the co-op's success have been the supportive roles of its academic partners (Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell), effective media outreach, and a focus on advancing social justice. Next steps include implementing a formal business plan and assessing the appropriateness of cooperatives in other industries.

48 CFR 750.7110-3 - Submission of cases to the M/OP Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... M/OP Director. 750.7110-3 Section 750.7110-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Actions To Protect Foreign Policy Interests of the United States 750.7110-3 Submission of cases to the M/OP Director. Cases to be submitted for consideration by the M/OAA Director shall be prepared and...

75 FR 16874 - Market Test of “Samples Co-Op Box” Experimental Product

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-02

... POSTAL SERVICE Market Test of ``Samples Co-Op Box'' Experimental Product AGENCY: Postal Service TM . ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Postal Service gives notice of a market test of an experimental product in... pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3641(c)(1) that it will begin a market test of its ``Samples Co-Op Box'' experimental...

Recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) stimulates periodontal wound healing in class III furcation defects.

PubMed

Giannobile, W V; Ryan, S; Shih, M S; Su, D L; Kaplan, P L; Chan, T C

1998-02-01

Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) is a member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily and is a potent modulator of osteogenesis and bone cell differentiation. This preclinical study in dogs sought to assess the effects of OP-1 on periodontal wound healing in surgically created critical size Class III furcation defects. Eighteen male beagle dogs were subjected to the creation of bilateral mandibular 5 mm osseous defects. A split-mouth design was utilized which randomly assigned opposing quadrants to control therapy (surgery alone or collagen vehicle) or 1 of 3 ascending concentrations of OP-1 in a collagen vehicle (0.75 mg OP-1/g collagen, 2.5 mg/g, or 7.5 mg/g). Thus, 9 quadrants per test group received OP-1, 9 quadrants per control group received surgery alone, and 9 quadrants received collagen vehicle alone. Test articles were delivered by a surgeon masked to the treatment, and fluorogenic bone labels were injected at specified intervals post-treatment. Eight weeks after defect creation and OP-1 delivery, tissue blocks of the mandibulae were taken for masked histomorphometric analysis to assess parameters of periodontal regeneration (e.g., bone height, bone area, new attachment formation, and percent of defect filled with new bone). Histomorphometry revealed limited evidence of osteogenesis, cementogenesis, and new attachment formation in either vehicle or surgery-alone sites. In contrast, sites treated with all 3 concentrations of OP-1 showed pronounced stimulation of osteogenesis, regenerative cementum, and new attachment formation. Lesions treated with 7.5 mg/g of OP-1 in collagen regenerated 3.9+/-1.7 mm and 6.1+/-3.4 mm2 (mean +/-S.D.) of linear bone height and bone area, respectively. Furthermore, these differences were statistically different from both control therapies for all wound healing parameters (P < 0.0001). No significant increase in tooth root ankylosis was found among the treatment groups when compared to the surgery-alone group. We

Creativity and Technology in Mathematics: From Story Telling to Algorithmic with Op'Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercat, Christian; Filho, Pedro Lealdino; El-Demerdash, Mohamed

2017-01-01

This article describes some of the results of the European project mcSquared (http://mc2-project.eu/) regarding the use of Op'Art and optical illusion pieces as a tool to foster modeling and creative mathematical thinking in students. We present briefly the c-book technology and some results we got experimenting it. The Op'Art movement, with…

T-cell differentiation of multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML in the OP9-DL1 coculture system.

PubMed

Kutlesa, Snjezana; Zayas, Jennifer; Valle, Alexandra; Levy, Robert B; Jurecic, Roland

2009-08-01

Multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML can differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and B-lymphoid lineages, but it remained unknown whether EML cells have T-cell developmental potential as well. The goal of this study was to determine whether the coculture with OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DL1) could induce differentiation of EML cells into T-cell lineage. EML cells were cocultured with control OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cells in the presence of cytokines (stem cell factor, interleukin-7, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand). Their T-cell lineage differentiation was assessed through flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction expression analysis of cell surface markers and genes characterizing and associated with specific stages of T-cell development. The phenotypic, molecular, and functional analysis has revealed that in EML/OP9-DL1 cocultures with cytokines, but not in control EML/OP9 cocultures, EML cell line undergoes T-cell lineage commitment and differentiation. In OP9-DL1 cocultures, EML cell line has differentiated into cells that 1) resembled double-negative, double-positive, and single-positive stages of T-cell development; 2) initiated expression of GATA-3, Pre-Talpha, RAG-1, and T-cell receptor-Vbeta genes; and 3) produced interferon-gamma in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. These results support the notion that EML cell line has the capacity for T-cell differentiation. Remarkably, induction of T-lineage gene expression and differentiation of EML cells into distinct stages of T-cell development were very similar to previously described T-cell differentiation of adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in OP9-DL1 cocultures. Thus, EML/OP9-DL1 coculture could be a useful experimental system to study the role of particular genes in T-cell lineage specification, commitment, and differentiation.

OP-Yield Version 1.00 user's guide

Treesearch

Martin W. Ritchie; Jianwei Zhang

2018-01-01

OP-Yield is a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet with 14 specified user inputs to derive custom yield estimates using the original Oliver and Powers (1978) functions as the foundation. It presents yields for ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson) plantations in northern California. The basic model forms for dominantand...

The Vida Verde Women's Co-Op: Brazilian Immigrants Organizing to Promote Environmental and Social Justice

PubMed Central

Siqueira, Eduardo; Goldberg, Julia S.; Galvão, Heloisa; Chianelli, Mônica; Pirie, Alex

2009-01-01

We reviewed the key steps in the launch of the Vida Verde Women's Co-Op among Brazilian immigrant housecleaners in Somerville, MA. The co-op provides green housecleaning products, encourages healthy work practices, and promotes a sense of community among its members. We conducted in-depth interviews with 8 of the first co-op members, who reported a reduction in symptoms associated with the use of traditional cleaning agents and a new sense of mutual support. Critical to the co-op's success have been the supportive roles of its academic partners (Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell), effective media outreach, and a focus on advancing social justice. Next steps include implementing a formal business plan and assessing the appropriateness of cooperatives in other industries. PMID:19890146

Connected vehicle pilot deployment program phase 1, concept of operations (ConOps) – Tampa (THEA).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-02-01

This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment. This ConOps describes the current state of operations, establishes the reasons for change, and ...

One Stop Post Op cardiac surgery recovery--a proven success.

PubMed

Joyce, L; Pandolph, P

2001-01-01

The One Stop Post Op model for open heart surgery recovery is an innovative approach to post op care utilized in only a few facilities in the country. This model calls for an integration of acute ICU and step-down phases of care, thus changing the paradigm for nursing care of the open heart surgery patient. Typically, hospitals incur inefficiencies transferring the patient through multiple levels of care, thus resulting in a "disconnect" as new caregivers relearn the patient's care requirements and special needs. The construction of a "one stop" unit allows the patient to remain stationary while the service level changes to accommodate changing care needs. The cardiac "one stop" model is similar to the LDRP concept for obstetrical care. The One Stop Post Op patient rooms are designed to accommodate every level of patient acuity. All rooms meet the regulations for critical care room design, however this is where the aesthetic similarity ends. The patient environment looks more like hotel rooms rather than the traditional ICU setting. Cabinets designed to cover medical gases, in the room's private bathrooms and comfortable furnishings help to create a patient focused environment conducive to recovery. This model has been utilized by several facilities and has demonstrated clear clinical and economic advantages for patients, families, and health care providers. Implementing an open heart surgery (OHS) program presents the opportunity for several community based hospitals to challenge the way they have been providing patient care and establish an innovative approach to post surgery patient care. The One Stop Post Op cardiovascular recovery unit is designed to receive the OHS patient directly from the operating room and to be the "care unit" for the patient's entire stay. Patient flow, quality monitoring and caregiver acceptance in this unit requires new paradigms from the traditional two or three step post OHS care delivery process. The One Stop Post Op model focuses

Connected vehicle pilot deployment program phase 1, concept of operations (ConOps) - New York City.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-08

This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC) Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment (CVPD) Project. This ConOps describes the current state of operations, establishes the reasons for ...

Preparing for High Technology: Successful Co-op Strategies. Research and Development Series No. 263.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchak, Stephen J.; Smith, O. H. Michael

This document has been prepared to assist program administrators and practitioners in planning and implementing cooperative (co-op) programs in high technology occupational areas. Information focuses on the key elements, strategies, and procedures of successful co-op programs. The guide contains nine chapters and is based on a review of the…

Upregulated Op18/stathmin activity causes chromosomal instability through a mechanism that evades the spindle assembly checkpoint

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

Holmfeldt, Per; Sellin, Mikael E.; Gullberg, Martin, E-mail: Martin.Gullberg@molbiol.umu.se

2010-07-15

Op18/stathmin (Op18) is a microtubule-destabilizing protein that is phosphorylation-inactivated during mitosis and its normal function is to govern tubulin subunit partitioning during interphase. Human tumors frequently overexpress Op18 and a tumor-associated Q18{yields}E mutation has been identified that confers hyperactivity, destabilizes spindle microtubules, and causes mitotic aberrancies, polyploidization, and chromosome loss in K562 leukemia cells. Here we determined whether wild-type and mutant Op18 have the potential to cause chromosomal instability by some means other than interference with spindle assembly, and thereby bypassing the spindle assembly checkpoint. Our approach was based on Op18 derivatives with distinct temporal order of activity during mitosis,more » conferred either by differential phosphorylation inactivation or by anaphase-specific degradation through fusion with the destruction box of cyclin B1. We present evidence that excessive Op18 activity generates chromosomal instability through interference occurring subsequent to the metaphase-to-anaphase transition, which reduces the fidelity of chromosome segregation to spindle poles during anaphase. Similar to uncorrected merotelic attachment, this mechanism evades detection by the spindle assembly checkpoint and thus provides an additional route to chromosomal instability.« less

The Co-Op/Disadvantaged Job Success Project. Final Report. Vocational-Technical Education Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Frederick G.; Erwin, Michael

The Co-op/Disadvantaged First-Job Success Project was organized to provide inservice training to vocational teachers and cooperative education coordinators who work with inner city disadvantaged youth in the south central region of Pennsylvania. The project was organized in a manner that allowed project staff, co-op coordinators, and teachers to…

Influence of polychlorinated aromatic compounds on the biotransformation and toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides (OP) to the Daphnia magna

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

Tonkopii, V.; Zagrebin, A.; Sherstneva, L.

1995-12-31

The effect of different polychlorinated aromatics (DDT, Aroclor 1254, certain polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans) on the toxicity of OP (DDVP paraoxon, malaoxon) to Daphnia magna was studied. Pretreatment of daphnids with chlorinated compounds during 72 hours in nontoxic concentrations (1/5--1/20 CL{sub 50}) has been shown to reduce the toxicity of OP for hydrobionts. For study of influence of chlorinated compounds on biotransformation of OP the activity of enzymes which are hydrolyzing the OP was investigated in Daphnia`s homogenates or microsomes. The activity of carboxylesterase (tributyrinase, aliesterase) and arylesterase (phosphorylphosphatase) with usage as substrates accordingly {alpha}-naphthylacetate and paraoxon was measured. Besidesmore » that the activity of cholinesterase with application of propionylthiocholine as substrate was determined. After polychlorinated aromatic compounds treatment of daphnids activities of both aryl-and carboxylesterase increased markedly. It decreased the inhibition of Daphnia`s cholinesterase caused by incubation with OP in concentrations 0.5--1.0 CL{sub 50}. Thus the induction by chlorinate aromatics of OP metabolizing enzymes seems to play the important role in reduction of OP toxicity to Daphnia magna. Perhaps the aryl- and carboxylesterase of Daphnia can be used as biomarkers of pollution by polychlorinated aromatics in water.« less

T-cell differentiation of multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML in the OP9-DL1 coculture system

PubMed Central

Kutleša, Snježana; Zayas, Jennifer; Valle, Alexandra; Levy, Robert B.; Jurecic, Roland

2011-01-01

Objective Multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML can differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and B-lymphoid lineages, but it remained unknown whether EML cells have T-cell developmental potential as well. The goal of this study was to determine whether the coculture with OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DL1) could induce differentiation of EML cells into T-cell lineage. Materials and Methods EML cells were cocultured with control OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cells in the presence of cytokines (stem cell factor, interleukin-7, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand). Their T-cell lineage differentiation was assessed through flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction expression analysis of cell surface markers and genes characterizing and associated with specific stages of T-cell development. Results The phenotypic, molecular, and functional analysis has revealed that in EML/OP9-DL1 cocultures with cytokines, but not in control EML/OP9 cocultures, EML cell line undergoes T-cell lineage commitment and differentiation. In OP9-DL1 cocultures, EML cell line has differentiated into cells that 1) resembled double-negative, double-positive, and single-positive stages of T-cell development; 2) initiated expression of GATA-3, Pre-Tα, RAG-1, and T-cell receptor – Vβ genes; and 3) produced interferon-γ in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. Conclusions These results support the notion that EML cell line has the capacity for T-cell differentiation. Remarkably, induction of T-lineage gene expression and differentiation of EML cells into distinct stages of T-cell development were very similar to previously described T-cell differentiation of adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in OP9-DL1 cocultures. Thus, EML/OP9-DL1 coculture could be a useful experimental system to study the role of particular genes in T-cell lineage specification, commitment, and differentiation. PMID:19447159

Exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and health conditions in agricultural and non-agricultural workers from Maule, Chile

PubMed Central

Muñoz-Quezada, María Teresa; Lucero, Boris; Iglesias, Verónica; Levy, Karen; Muñoz, María Pía; Achú, Eduardo; Cornejo, Claudia; Concha, Carlos; Brito, Ana María; Villalobos, Marcos

2017-01-01

The objective was to evaluate the characteristics of exposure to OP pesticides and health status in Chilean farm workers from the Maule Region. An occupational health questionnaire was administered in 207 agricultural and non-agricultural workers. For the group of agricultural workers we asked about specific occupational exposure history and symptoms of OP pesticide poisoning. The main health problem of the exposed group was previous OP pesticide poisoning (p <0.001). Fifty-six percent of agricultural workers reported symptoms consistent with acute OP pesticide poisoning. The use of respiratory personal protective equipment and younger age were protective against these symptoms, and number of years of OP pesticide exposure was positively associated with reporting symptoms of poisoning. Of the pesticide applicators 47% reported using chlorpyrifos. The regulations regarding use and application of pesticides should be strengthened, as should training and intervention with workers to improve the use of personal protective equipment. PMID:28002976

Exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and health conditions in agricultural and non-agricultural workers from Maule, Chile.

PubMed

Muñoz-Quezada, María Teresa; Lucero, Boris; Iglesias, Verónica; Levy, Karen; Muñoz, María Pía; Achú, Eduardo; Cornejo, Claudia; Concha, Carlos; Brito, Ana María; Villalobos, Marcos

2017-02-01

The objective was to evaluate the characteristics of exposure to OP pesticides and health status in Chilean farm workers from the Maule Region. An occupational health questionnaire was administered in 207 agricultural and non-agricultural workers. For the group of agricultural workers, we asked about specific occupational exposure history and symptoms of OP pesticide poisoning. The main health problem of the exposed group was previous OP pesticide poisoning (p < 0.001). Fifty-six percent of agricultural workers reported symptoms consistent with acute OP pesticide poisoning. The use of respiratory personal protective equipment and younger age were protective against these symptoms, and number of years of OP pesticide exposure was positively associated with reporting symptoms of poisoning. Of the pesticide applicators 47 % reported using chlorpyrifos. The regulations regarding use and application of pesticides should be strengthened, as should training and intervention with workers to improve the use of personal protective equipment.

75 FR 35816 - Establishment of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Advisory Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... (CO-OP) Advisory Board AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight. ACTION: Federal Register Notice. Authority: The Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO... (PPACA) that calls for the establishment of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OP) Program...

Person-job and person-organization fits: Co-op fits in an aerospace engineering environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, Anthony John, Jr.

This dissertation research was a replication of a quantitative study completed by Dr. Cynthia Shantz at Wayne State University during 2003. The intent of the research was to investigate the fits of college students who participated in cooperative academic-work programs (co-ops) to employment positions within aerospace engineering. The objective of investigating person-job (P-J) and person-organization (P-O) fits was to determine if variables could be identified that indicated an individual's aptitude to complete successfully aerospace engineering standard work. Research participants were co-op employees who were surveyed during their employment to identify indications of their fits into their organization and job assignments. Dr. Shantz's research led to the thought employment success might increase when P-J and P-O fits increase. For example, reduced initial training investments and increased employee retention might result with improved P-O and P-J fits. Research data were gathered from surveys of co-ops who worked at a Connecticut aerospace engineering company. Data were collected by distributing invitations to co-ops to participate in three online surveys over a 9-11 week period. Distribution of survey invitations was accomplished through the Human Resources Department to ensure that respondent identities were maintained private. To protect anonymity and privacy further, no identifying information about individuals or the company is published. However, some demographic information was collected to ensure that correlations were based on valid and reliable data and research and analysis methods. One objective of this research was to determine if co-op characteristics could be correlated with successful employment in an aerospace engineering environment. A second objective was to determine if P-J and P-O fits vary over time as co-ops become increasing familiar with their assignments, organization, and environment. Understanding and incorporating the use P-J and P

Enzymatic degradation of monocrotophos by extracellular fungal OP hydrolases.

PubMed

Jain, Rachna; Garg, Veena

2013-11-01

The present study explores the potential of extracellular fungal organophosphate (OP) hydrolase for the degradation of monocrotophos. Extracellular OP hydrolases were isolated and purified from five different fungal isolates viz. Aspergillus niger (M1), Aspergillus flavus (M2), Penicillium aculeatum (M3), Fusarium pallidoroseum (M4), and Macrophomina sp. (M5) by AmSO4 precipitation, dialysis, and G-100 chromatography. M3 showed highest percentage yield of 68.81 followed by 55.41 % for M1. Each of the purified enzyme fraction constituted of two different subunits of 33- and 67-kDa molecular weight. Optimum enzyme fraction (150 μg ml(-1)) rapidly degraded monocrotophos within 120 h in phosphorus-free liquid culture medium (CZM) with K deg of 0.0368, 0.0138, 0.048, 0.016, 0.0138, and 0.048 day(-1) and half-life of 0.79, 2.11, 0.6, 1.8, and 2.11 days for M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5, respectively. The results were further confirmed by high performance thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared which indicate the disappearance of monocrotophos by hydrolytic cleavage of vinyl phosphate bond. The overall order of enzymatic degradation was found to be P. aculeatum > A. niger > F. pallidoroseum > A. flavus = Macrophomina sp. Hence, the study concludes that extracellular OP hydrolases efficiently degraded monocrotophos and could be used as a potential candidate for the detoxification of this neurotoxin pesticide.

Tailoring a ConOps for NASA LSP Integrated Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owens, Skip Clark V., III

2017-01-01

An integral part of the Systems Engineering process is the creation of a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for a given system, with the ConOps initially established early in the system design process and evolved as the system definition and design matures. As Integration Engineers in NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), our job is to manage the interface requirements for all the robotic space missions that come to our Program for a Launch Service. LSP procures and manages a launch service from one of our many commercial Launch Vehicle Contractors (LVCs) and these commercial companies are then responsible for developing the Interface Control Document (ICD), the verification of the requirements in that document, and all the services pertaining to integrating the spacecraft and launching it into orbit. However, one of the systems engineering tools that have not been employed within LSP to date is a Concept of Operations. The goal of this paper is to research the format and content that goes into these various aerospace industry ConOps and tailor the format and content into template form, so the template may be used as an engineering tool for spacecraft integration with future LSP procured launch services. This tailoring effort was performed as the authors final Masters Project in the Spring of 2016 for the Stevens Institute of Technology and modified for publication with INCOSE (Owens, 2016).

Operational trace gas column observations from GOME-2 on MetOp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valks, Pieter; Hao, Nan; Pinardi, Gaia; Hedelt, Pascal; Liu, Song; Van Roozendael, Michel; De Smedt, Isabelle; Theys, Nicolas; Koukouli, MariLiza; Balis, Dimitris

2017-04-01

This contribution focuses on the operational GOME-2 trace gas column products developed in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF). We present an overview of the retrieval algorithms for ozone, OClO, NO2, SO2 and formaldehyde, and we show examples of various applications such as air quality and climate monitoring, using observations from the GOME-2 instruments on MetOp-A and MetOp-B. Total ozone and the minor trace gas columns from GOME-2 are retrieved with the latest version 4.8 of the GOME Data Processor (GDP), which uses an optimized Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) algorithm, with air mass factor conversions based on the LIDORT model. Improved total and tropospheric NO2 columns are retrieved in the visible wavelength region between 425 and 497 nm. SO2 emissions from volcanic and anthropogenic sources can be measured by GOME-2 using the UV wavelength region around 320 nm. For formaldehyde, an optimal DOAS fitting window around 335 nm has been determined for GOME-2. The GOME-2 trace gas columns have reached the operational EUMETSAT product status, and are available to the users in near real time (within two hours after sensing by GOME-2). The use of trace gas observations from the GOME-2 instruments on MetOp-A and MetOp-B for air quality purposed will be illustrated, e.g. for South-East Asia and Europe. Furthermore, comparisons of the GOME-2 satellite observations with ground-based measurements will be shown. Finally, the use of GOME-2 trace-gas column data in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) will be presented.

Parents' experience of undertaking an intensive cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) group for children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Jackman, Michelle; Novak, Iona; Lannin, Natasha; Froude, Elspeth

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) who participated in an intensive cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) group program addressing child chosen goals. Participants were six parents of children with CP who participated in a CO-OP upper limb task-specific training program. Parents participated in semi-structured interviews conducted via phone. A grounded theory approach was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded to identify categories and overarching themes of the parent experience of CO-OP. The theory of CO-OP for children with CP was one of offering a unique and motivating learning experience for both the child and the parent, differing from other therapeutic approaches that families had previously been involved in. Five categories were identified: the unique benefits of CO-OP; the importance of intensity; the child's motivation; challenging the parent role; and the benefits and challenges of therapy within a group context. Parents felt that CO-OP was a worthwhile intervention that leads to achievement of goals involving upper limb function and had the capacity to be transferred to future goals. Intensity of therapy and a child's motivation were identified as important factors in improvements. Further studies using quantitative research methods are warranted to investigate the benefits of CO-OP for children with neurological conditions. Implications for rehabilitation The cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) is a promising upper limb cognitive motor training intervention for children with cerebral palsy. In a small sample, parents perceived that CO-OP leads to achievement of upper limb goals. Intensity of therapy, the child's motivation and the parents' ability to "step-back" were identified as important to the success of CO-OP.

Antagonism of SET using OP449 enhances the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and overcome drug resistance in myeloid leukemia

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Anupriya; MacKenzie, Ryan J.; Pippa, Raffaella; Eide, Christopher A.; Oddo, Jessica; Tyner, Jeffrey W.; Sears, Rosalie; Vitek, Michael P.; Odero, María D.; Christensen, Dale; Druker, Brian J.

2014-01-01

Purpose The SET oncoprotein, a potent inhibitor of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), is overexpressed in leukemia. We evaluated the efficacy of SET antagonism in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines, a murine leukemia model, and primary patient samples using OP449, a specific, cell-penetrating peptide that antagonizes SET's inhibition of PP2A. Experimental Design In vitro cytotoxicity and specificity of OP449 in CML and AML cell lines and primary samples were measured using proliferation, apoptosis and colonogenic assays. Efficacy of target inhibition by OP449 is evaluated by immunoblotting and PP2A assay. In vivo antitumor efficacy of OP449 was measured in human HL-60 xenografted murine model. Results We observed that OP449 inhibited growth of CML cells including those from patients with blastic phase disease and patients harboring highly drug-resistant BCR-ABL1 mutations. Combined treatment with OP449 and ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors was significantly more cytotoxic to K562 cells and primary CD34+ CML cells. SET protein levels remained unchanged with OP449 treatment, but BCR-ABL1-mediated downstream signaling was significantly inhibited with the degradation of key signaling molecules such as BCR-ABL1, STAT5, and AKT. Similarly, AML cell lines and primary patient samples with various genetic lesions showed inhibition of cell growth after treatment with OP449 alone or in combination with respective kinase inhibitors. Finally, OP449 reduced the tumor burden of mice xenografted with human leukemia cells. Conclusions We demonstrate a novel therapeutic paradigm of SET antagonism using OP449 in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of CML and AML. PMID:24436473

Upgrades of edge, divertor and scrape-off layer diagnostics of W7-X for OP1.2

DOE PAGES

Hathiramani, D.; Ali, A.; Anda, G.; ...

2018-02-07

In this work, Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is the world’s largest superconducting nuclear fusion experiment of the optimized stellarator type. In the first Operation Phase (OP1.1) helium and hydrogen plasmas were studied in limiter configuration. The heating energy was limited to 4 MJ and the main purpose of that campaign was the integral commissioning of the machine and diagnostics, which was achieved very successfully. Already from the beginning a comprehensive set of diagnostics was available to study the plasma. On the path towards high-power, high-performance plasmas, W7-X will be stepwise upgraded from an inertially cooled (OP1.2, limited to 80 MJ) tomore » an actively cooled island divertor (OP2, 10 MW steady-state plasma operation). The machine is prepared for OP1.2 with 10 inertially cooled divertor units, and the experimental campaign has started recently.The paper describes a subset of diagnostics which will be available for OP1.2 to study the plasma edge, divertor and scrape-off layer physics including those already available for OP1.1, plus modifications, upgrades and new systems. In conclusion, the focus of this summary will be on technical and engineering aspects, like feasibility and assembly but also on reliability, thermal loads and shielding against magnetic fields.« less

Examining the Effect of Co-Op Non-Employment and Rejection Sensitivity on Subjective Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cormier, Lauren; Drewery, David

2017-01-01

A growing body of literature suggests the need to better understand the subjective well-being (SWB) of students enrolled in cooperative education (co-op) programs. Some co-op students will be unsuccessful in securing employment, yet there is a scarcity of existing quantitative research outlining the impact that this will have on students,…

Overview of physics goals for OP1.2a on Wendelstein 7-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Thomas Sunn; W7-X Team

2017-10-01

Wendelstein 7-X achieved, and in many cases exceeded, the pre-defined goals for its first operation phase, OP1.1. Results include core values of Te = 8 keV, Ti = 2 keV and ne>3*1019 m-3 and confinement times of 100-150 ms. The next operation phase, OP1.2a, scheduled to start in fall 2017, features a much more elaborate set of plasma-facing components. 10 inertially cooled graphite test divertor units (TDU) have been installed, as have graphite tiles on all the heat shields and baffles. Upgrades have also been made to heating systems, diagnostics, and particle fueling systems. This will allow for significantly increased pulse lengths, heating power and plasma performance, in particular, higher plasma density, and higher ion temperatures, thereby enabling a much more detailed investigation of the W7-X optimization and significantly higher triple products than achieved in OP1.1. The robustness of the TDU allows for an aggressive exploration of divertor operation scenarios in this phase. The main goals and plans, and, if available, first results of OP1.2a will be presented. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under Grant agreement No 633053.

Speed Measuring System (Detectoren en Signaalbewerking Voor Het Snelheidsmeetsysteem 4-01)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

een hogere nauwkeurigheid te halen dan san de voet van bet signasi mogelijk is bij een grote signaalaniplitude, Wanneer de S/L < 6 is wordt de drempel...snelheidsmeetsysteem 4-01 Niets Uilf deze ultgave mag worden vermenigvuldigd en of openbaar gemaakt door mlddel van druk fotokope microfilm autour~s): of op welke...andere wijze dan 006 zonder voorafgaarode toestemming van TNO J. van der Haven Hetlter I zage geven van net TNO-rappoit aan direct belanghebbenoen is

Evaluatie Kennistechnologische Ondersteuning bij Diagnose van SEWACO systemen (Projectmanagementplan) (Evaluation of Knowledge Technological Support for Diagnosis of SEWACO Systems (Project Management Plan)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-01

diagnos van SE WACO systmnen/ AD-A245 424111 1fl1,l Niets uit deze uitgave mag warden vermenigvuldligd en/of oPenbaar gemaakt door middel van druk...fotakopie. microfilm of op welks andere whlze dan ook, zonder voorafgaande toeslemming van TNO. Hot ter inzage geven van het TNO-rapport aan direct...belanghebbenden is tegestaan. HYP. vanl OC dt Indian dit rapport in opdracht ward uitgebracht, wordt voor de, rechten en verpiichtingen van opdrachtgever en

Crossing Boundaries: Co-Op Students Relearning to Write

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brent, Doug

2012-01-01

This article reviews the deeply conflicted literature on learning transfer, especially as it applies to rhetorical knowledge and skill. It then describes a study in which six students are followed through their first co-op work term to learn about which resources they draw on as they enter a new environment of professional writing. It suggests…

Optogenetic manipulation of cGMP in cells and animals by the tightly light-regulated guanylyl-cyclase opsin CyclOp

PubMed Central

Gao, Shiqiang; Nagpal, Jatin; Schneider, Martin W.; Kozjak-Pavlovic, Vera; Nagel, Georg; Gottschalk, Alexander

2015-01-01

Cyclic GMP (cGMP) signalling regulates multiple biological functions through activation of protein kinase G and cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. In sensory neurons, cGMP permits signal modulation, amplification and encoding, before depolarization. Here we implement a guanylyl cyclase rhodopsin from Blastocladiella emersonii as a new optogenetic tool (BeCyclOp), enabling rapid light-triggered cGMP increase in heterologous cells (Xenopus oocytes, HEK293T cells) and in Caenorhabditis elegans. Among five different fungal CyclOps, exhibiting unusual eight transmembrane topologies and cytosolic N-termini, BeCyclOp is the superior optogenetic tool (light/dark activity ratio: 5,000; no cAMP production; turnover (20 °C) ∼17 cGMP s−1). Via co-expressed CNG channels (OLF in oocytes, TAX-2/4 in C. elegans muscle), BeCyclOp photoactivation induces a rapid conductance increase and depolarization at very low light intensities. In O2/CO2 sensory neurons of C. elegans, BeCyclOp activation evokes behavioural responses consistent with their normal sensory function. BeCyclOp therefore enables precise and rapid optogenetic manipulation of cGMP levels in cells and animals. PMID:26345128

Optogenetic manipulation of cGMP in cells and animals by the tightly light-regulated guanylyl-cyclase opsin CyclOp.

PubMed

Gao, Shiqiang; Nagpal, Jatin; Schneider, Martin W; Kozjak-Pavlovic, Vera; Nagel, Georg; Gottschalk, Alexander

2015-09-08

Cyclic GMP (cGMP) signalling regulates multiple biological functions through activation of protein kinase G and cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. In sensory neurons, cGMP permits signal modulation, amplification and encoding, before depolarization. Here we implement a guanylyl cyclase rhodopsin from Blastocladiella emersonii as a new optogenetic tool (BeCyclOp), enabling rapid light-triggered cGMP increase in heterologous cells (Xenopus oocytes, HEK293T cells) and in Caenorhabditis elegans. Among five different fungal CyclOps, exhibiting unusual eight transmembrane topologies and cytosolic N-termini, BeCyclOp is the superior optogenetic tool (light/dark activity ratio: 5,000; no cAMP production; turnover (20 °C) ∼17 cGMP s(-1)). Via co-expressed CNG channels (OLF in oocytes, TAX-2/4 in C. elegans muscle), BeCyclOp photoactivation induces a rapid conductance increase and depolarization at very low light intensities. In O2/CO2 sensory neurons of C. elegans, BeCyclOp activation evokes behavioural responses consistent with their normal sensory function. BeCyclOp therefore enables precise and rapid optogenetic manipulation of cGMP levels in cells and animals.

Creature co-op: Achieving robust remote operations with a community of low-cost robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonasso, R. Peter

1990-01-01

The concept is advanced of carrying out space based remote missions using a cooperative of low cost robot specialists rather than monolithic, multipurpose systems. A simulation is described wherein a control architecture for such a system of specialists is being investigated. Early results show such co-ops to be robust in the face of unforeseen circumstances. Descriptions of the platforms and sensors modeled and the beacon and retriever creatures that make up the co-op are included.

OMEGACAM and Gravitational Lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christen, Fabrice Frédéric Thiébaut

2007-04-01

Het proefschrift van Fabrice Christen gaat over de ontwikkeling van nieuwe methoden voor het corrigeren van (digitale) foto's van melkwegstelsels. Met deze methoden kunnen de beelden uit het heelal beter worden geanalyseerd. Het eerste gedeelte is gewijd aan het werk dat bij ESO is uitgevoerd aan de CCD's van de OmegaCAM camera, het enige instrument van de VST. OmegaCAM is een optische groothoekcamera met een beeldveld van een vierkante graad, opgebouwd uit een mozaiek van 8 bij 4 CCD's. Van elk onderdeel moeten alle kenmerken volledig bekend zijn voordat het in het CCD mozaiek geplaatst kan worden. In het tweede deel van dit proefschrift wordt de ontwikkeling van een nieuwe methode voor het corrigeren van de ``point-spread function'' (PSF) en schatten van de ellipticiteit van de melkwegstelsels besproken. De nieuwe techniek wordt getest en vergeleken met een door sterrenkundigen algemeen gebruikte methode in het veld van zwaartekrachtslenzen, de Kaiser, Squire en Broadhurst (KSB) methode. De nieuwe methode, gebaseerd op shapelet ontleding (vergelijkbaar met wavelet ontleding), gaat verder, en is sneller en theoretisch preciezer dan de KSB methode. Door gebruik te maken van de gecorrigeerde ellipticiteit, kunnen we een statistische analyse uitvoeren om er een kosmisch vervormingssignaal uit te halen. De licht vervormde beelden van de melkwegstelsels bewij zen dat de niet-homogene massaverdeling op megaparsec-schaal voornamelijk bestaat uit grote hoeveelheden donkere materie. Verder vergelijken we de schattingen van de ellipticiteit van de shapelet en KSB methode. Bovendien voeren we ook nog een melkwegstelsel-melkwegstelsel lens analyse uit op de 50 VLT Fors1 afbeeldingen en slagen we erin de belangrijkste eigenschappen van de halo's van de stelsels, die zich op een afstand van een- tot tweeduizend megaparsec (1 parsec = 3,26 lichtjaar = 3,085 x 10^16 meter) bevinden, te bepalen door gebruik te maken van twee modellen van melkwegstelselhalo's. Vergeleken met andere

Educational Intervention Improves Compliance With AAN Guidelines for Return Epilepsy Visits: A Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Nelson, Gary R; Filloux, Francis M; Kerr, Lynne M

2016-10-01

In 2011, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) released guidelines for return seizure visits detailing 8 points that should be addressed during such visits. These guidelines are designed to improve routine follow-up care for epilepsy patients. The authors performed a quality improvement project aimed at increasing compliance with these guidelines after educating providers about them. The authors performed a chart review before and after an intervention which included: education regarding the guidelines, providing materials to remind providers of the guidelines, and templates to facilitate compliance. The authors reviewed charts at 2 and 6 months after the intervention. Significant improvement in documentation of 4 of the 8 measures was observed after this educational intervention. This suggests that simple educational interventions may help providers change practice and can improve compliance with new guidelines while requiring minimal time and resources to implement. © The Author(s) 2016.

Comparison of posterolateral lumbar fusion rates of Grafton Putty and OP-1 Putty in an athymic rat model.

PubMed

Bomback, David A; Grauer, Jonathan N; Lugo, Roberto; Troiano, Nancy; Patel, Tushar Ch; Friedlaender, Gary E

2004-08-01

Posterolateral lumbar spine fusions in athymic rats. To compare spine fusion rates of two different osteoinductive products. Many osteoinductive bone graft alternatives are available. Grafton (a demineralized bone matrix [DBM]) and Osteogenic Protein-1 (OP-1, an individual recombinant bone morphogenetic protein) are two such alternatives. The relative efficacy of products from these two classes has not been previously studied. The athymic rat spine fusion model has been validated and demonstrated useful to minimize inflammatory responses to xenogeneic or differentially expressed proteins such as those presented by DBMs of human etiology. Single-level intertransverse process fusions were performed in 60 athymic nude rats with 2 cc/kg of Grafton or OP-1 Putty. Half of each study group was killed at 3 weeks and half at 6 weeks. Fusion masses were assessed by radiography, manual palpation, and histology. At 3 weeks, manual palpation revealed a 13% fusion rate with Grafton and a 100% fusion rate with OP-1 (P = 0.0001). At 6 weeks, manual palpation revealed a 39% fusion rate of with Grafton and a 100% fusion rate with OP-1 (P = 0.0007). Similar fusion rates were found by histology at 3 and 6 weeks. Of note, one or two adjacent levels were fused in all of the OP-1 animals and none of the Grafton animals. Significant differences between the ability of Grafton and OP-1 to induce bone formation in an athymic rat posterolateral lumbar spine fusion model were found.

A novel all-optical label processing for OPS networks based on multiple OOC sequences from multiple-groups OOC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Kun; Zhang, Chongfu; Ling, Yun; Wang, Yibo

2007-11-01

This paper proposes an all-optical label processing scheme using multiple optical orthogonal codes sequences (MOOCS) for optical packet switching (OPS) (MOOCS-OPS) networks, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. In this scheme, the multiple optical orthogonal codes (MOOC) from multiple-groups optical orthogonal codes (MGOOC) are permuted and combined to obtain the MOOCS for the optical labels, which are used to effectively enlarge the capacity of available optical codes for optical labels. The optical label processing (OLP) schemes are reviewed and analyzed, the principles of MOOCS-based optical labels for OPS networks are given, and analyzed, then the MOOCS-OPS topology and the key realization units of the MOOCS-based optical label packets are studied in detail, respectively. The performances of this novel all-optical label processing technology are analyzed, the corresponding simulation is performed. These analysis and results show that the proposed scheme can overcome the lack of available optical orthogonal codes (OOC)-based optical labels due to the limited number of single OOC for optical label with the short code length, and indicate that the MOOCS-OPS scheme is feasible.

In ovo exposure to o,p -DDE affects sexual development but not sexual differentiation in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Papoulias, D.M.; Villalobos, Sergio A.; Meadows, J.; Noltie, Douglas B.; Giesy, J.P.; Tillitt, D.E.

2003-01-01

Despite being banned in many countries, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) continue to be found in fish tissues at concentrations of concern. Like o,p -DDT, o,p -DDE is estrogenic and is believed to exert its effects through binding to the estrogen receptor. The limited toxicologic data for o,p -DDE suggest that it decreases fecundity and fertility of fishes. We conducted an egg injection study using the d-rR strain of medaka and environmentally relevant concentrations of o,p -DDE to examine its effects on sexual differentiation and development. The gonads of exposed fish showed no evidence of sex reversal or intersex. However, other gonad abnormalities occurred in exposed individuals. Females exhibited few vitellogenic oocytes and increased atresia. Male testes appeared morphologically normal but were very small. Gonadosomatic index values for both sexes were lower for exposed fish. Our observations of abnormal female and very small male gonads after in ovo o,p -DDE exposure may be indicative of effects on early endocrine processes important for normal ovarian and testicular development.

Examining the Influence of Selected Factors on Perceived Co-Op Work-Term Quality from a Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drewery, David; Nevison, Colleen; Pretti, T. Judene; Cormier, Lauren; Barclay, Sage; Pennaforte, Antoine

2016-01-01

This study discusses and tests a conceptual model of co-op work-term quality from a student perspective. Drawing from an earlier exploration of co-op students' perceptions of work-term quality, variables related to role characteristics, interpersonal dynamics, and organizational elements were used in a multiple linear regression analysis to…

Treatment of Early Post-Op Wound Infection after Internal Fixation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

the fracture stable while the bone heals. Approximately 10%-40% of severe fractures fixed with internal fixation develop a deep wound infection during...effect of treatment of post-op wound infection in bones after fracture fixation or joint fusion and either: (Group 1) operative debridement and PO

The development of a network for community-based obesity prevention: the CO-OPS Collaboration

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Community-based interventions are a promising approach and an important component of a comprehensive response to obesity. In this paper we describe the Collaboration of COmmunity-based Obesity Prevention Sites (CO-OPS Collaboration) in Australia as an example of a collaborative network to enhance the quality and quantity of obesity prevention action at the community level. The core aims of the CO-OPS Collaboration are to: identify and analyse the lessons learned from a range of community-based initiatives aimed at tackling obesity, and; to identify the elements that make community-based obesity prevention initiatives successful and share the knowledge gained with other communities. Methods Key activities of the collaboration to date have included the development of a set of Best Practice Principles and knowledge translation and exchange activities to promote the application (or use) of evidence, evaluation and analysis in practice. Results The establishment of the CO-OPS Collaboration is a significant step toward strengthening action in this area, by bringing together research, practice and policy expertise to promote best practice, high quality evaluation and knowledge translation and exchange. Future development of the network should include facilitation of further evidence generation and translation drawing from process, impact and outcome evaluation of existing community-based interventions. Conclusions The lessons presented in this paper may help other networks like CO-OPS as they emerge around the globe. It is important that networks integrate with each other and share the experience of creating these networks. PMID:21349185

The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach: Best responders in children with cerebral palsy and brain injury.

PubMed

Jackman, Michelle; Novak, Iona; Lannin, Natasha A; Galea, Claire; Froude, Elspeth

2018-07-01

Identifying the characteristics of individuals who are most likely to respond to a certain rehabilitation intervention is advantageous for the child, family, clinicians and the healthcare system. To investigate the individual characteristics of children with cerebral palsy or brain injury who responded best to the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach. Post hoc analyses were conducted on 30 participants who participated in CO-OP within a larger randomized controlled trial. Inclusion: cerebral palsy or brain injury; age 4-15 years; Manual Abilities Classification System (MACS) I-IV; goals related to hand function; sufficient cognitive, language and behavioral ability to undertake CO-OP. Outcome measures were the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) collected immediately following the two week intervention period. Following CO-OP, 67% (n = 20) of participants showed a statistically significant response on the COPM, and 73%(n = 22) on the GAS. Nine participants were classified as best responders. When compared to non-responders, best responders were more likely to be female (p = .025) and to have received a higher dose of CO-OP (p = .028). Neither age nor MACS were predictors of response. To be successful in CO-OP, children should meet the prerequisites of CO-OP, particularly the language and cognitive ability to set goals and communicate effectively with the therapist. In this small sample, children with comorbidities were less likely to achieve goals, females were more likely to respond and dose of therapy was important to success. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signals of Opportunity Earth Reflectometry (SoOp-ER): Enabling new microwave observations from small satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrison, J. L.; Piepmeier, J. R.; Shah, R.; Lin, Y. C.; Du Toit, C. F.; Vega, M. A.; Knuble, J. J.

2016-12-01

Several recent experiments have demonstrated remote sensing by reutilizing communication satellite transmissions as sources in a bistatic radar configuration. This technique, referred to as "Signals of Opportunity Earth Reflectometry" (SoOp-ER), combines aspects of passive radiometry, active scatterometry and radar altimetry, but is essentially a new and alternative approach to microwave remote sensing. Reflectometry was first demonstrated with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, enabled by their use of pseudorandom noise (PRN) codes for ranging. Two decades of research in GNSS reflectometry has culminated in the upcoming launches of several satellite missions within the next few years (TechDemoSat-1, CYGNSS, and GEROS-ISS). GNSS signals, however, have low power and are confined to a few L-band frequencies allocated to radionavigation. Communication satellites, in contrast, transmit in nearly all bands penetrating the Earth's atmosphere at very high radiated powers to assure a low bit-error-rate. High transmission power and a forward scatter geometry result in a very high signal to noise ratio at the receiver. Surface resolution is determined by the signal bandwidth, not the antenna beam. In many applications, this will allow small, low gain antennas to be used to make scientifically useful measurements. These features indicate that SoOp-ER instruments would be an ideal technology for microwave remote sensing from small platforms. SoOp-ER observations are referenced at the specular point and a constellation of small satellites, evenly spaced in the same orbit, would provide global coverage through parallel specular point ground tracks. This presentation will summarize the current instrument development work by the authors on three different application of SoOp-ER: P-band (230-270 MHz) sensing of root-zone soil moisture (RZSM), S-band sensing of ocean winds and Ku/Ka-band altimetry. Potential mission scenarios using small satellite constellations

Molecular spectroscopy from 5-12 μm using an OP-GaP OPO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maidment, Luke; Schunemann, Peter G.; Reid, Derryck T.

2017-02-01

We report a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on the new semiconductor gain material orientation patterned gallium phosphide (OP-GaP) and being the first example of a broadband OPO operating across the molecular fingerprint region. OP-GaP crystals with lengths of 1 mm and several patterning periods were diced, polished, and antireflection (AR) coated for near- to mid-infrared wavelengths. We configured a synchronously pumped OP-GaP OPO in a 101.2-MHz resonator with high reflectivity from 1.15-1.35 μm, pumped with 150-fs pulses from a 1040-nm femtosecond laser (Chromacity Spark). The coating of one spherical mirror was optimized for transmission at the pump wavelength of 1040 nm and for high reflectivity at the resonant signal wavelength in a range from 1.15-1.35 μm, while the other spherical mirror collimated the idler beam emerging from the OP-GaP crystal and was silver coated to provide high reflectivity for all idler wavelengths. This collimated idler beam was output-coupled from the cavity by transmission through a plane mirror coated with high transmission for the idler wavelengths (5-12 μm) and high reflectivity for the signal wavelengths (1.15-1.35 μm) on an infrared-transparent ZnSe substrate. Idler spectra centered from 5.4-11.8 μm and extending to 12.5 μm were collected. The maximum average power was 55 mW at 5.4 μm with 7.5 mW being recorded at 11.8 μm. Details of Fourier transform spectroscopy using water vapor and a polystyrene reference standard are presented.

High frequency characteristic of a monolithic 500 °C OpAmp-RC integrator in SiC bipolar IC technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Ye; Zetterling, Carl-Mikael

2017-09-01

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the frequency response of a monolithic OpAmp-RC integrator implemented in a 4H-SiC bipolar IC technology. The circuits and devices have been measured and characterized from 27 to 500 °C. The devices have been modelled to identify that the substrate capacitance is a dominant factor affecting the OpAmp's high-frequency response. Large Miller compensation capacitors of more than 540 pF are required to ensure stability of the internal OpAmp. The measured unit-gain-bandwidth product of the OpAmp is ∼1.1 MHz at 27 °C, and decreases to ∼0.5 MHz at 500 °C mainly due to the reduction of the transistor's current gain. On the other hand, it is not necessary to compensate the integrator in a relatively wide bandwidth ∼0.7 MHz over the investigated temperature range. At higher frequencies, the integrator's frequency response has been identified to be significantly affected by that of the OpAmp and load impedance. This work demonstrates the potential of this technology for high temperature applications requiring bandwidths of several megahertz.

Rescue of the colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)-nullizygous mouse (Csf1(op)/Csf1(op)) phenotype with a CSF-1 transgene and identification of sites of local CSF-1 synthesis.

PubMed

Ryan, G R; Dai, X M; Dominguez, M G; Tong, W; Chuan, F; Chisholm, O; Russell, R G; Pollard, J W; Stanley, E R

2001-07-01

Colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) regulates the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes. It is expressed as a secreted glycoprotein or proteoglycan found in the circulation or as a biologically active cell-surface glycoprotein. To investigate tissue CSF-1 regulation, CSF-1-null Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) mice expressing transgenes encoding the full-length membrane-spanning CSF-1 precursor driven by 3.13 kilobases of the mouse CSF-1 promoter and first intron were characterized. Transgene expression corrected the gross osteopetrotic, neurologic, weight, tooth, and reproductive defects of Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) mice. Detailed analysis of one transgenic line revealed that circulating CSF-1, tissue macrophage numbers, hematopoietic tissue cellularity, and hematopoietic parameters were normalized. Tissue CSF-1 levels were normal except for elevations in 4 secretory tissues. Skin fibroblasts from the transgenic mice secreted normal amounts of CSF-1 but also expressed some cell-surface CSF-1. Also, lacZ driven by the same promoter/first intron revealed beta-galactosidase expression in hematopoietic, reproductive, and other tissue locations proximal to CSF-1 cellular targets, consistent with local regulation by CSF-1 at these sites. These studies indicate that the 3.13-kilobase promoter/first intron confers essentially normal CSF-1 expression. They also pinpoint new cellular sites of CSF-1 expression, including ovarian granulosa cells, mammary ductal epithelium, testicular Leydig cells, serous acinar cells of salivary gland, Paneth cells of the small intestine, as well as local sites in several other tissues.

An Automated Medical Information Management System (OpScan-MIMS) in a Clinical Setting

PubMed Central

Margolis, S.; Baker, T.G.; Ritchey, M.G.; Alterescu, S.; Friedman, C.

1981-01-01

This paper describes an automated medical information management system within a clinic setting. The system includes an optically scanned data entry system (OpScan), a generalized, interactive retrieval and storage software system(Medical Information Management System, MIMS) and the use of time-sharing. The system has the advantages of minimal hardware purchase and maintenance, rapid data entry and retrieval, user-created programs, no need for user knowledge of computer language or technology and is cost effective. The OpScan-MIMS system has been operational for approximately 16 months in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. The system's application to medical audit, quality assurance, clinic management and clinical training are demonstrated.

Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) with children with Asperger's syndrome who have motor-based occupational performance goals.

PubMed

Rodger, Sylvia; Brandenburg, Julia

2009-02-01

Motor difficulties associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) are commonly reported, despite these not being diagnostically significant. Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a verbal problem-solving intervention developed for use with children with developmental coordination disorder to address their motor-based difficulties. This paper reports on two case studies of children with AS illustrating the outcomes of CO-OP to address motor-based occupational performance goals. A case study approach was used to document how two children with AS engaged in 10 weekly sessions of CO-OP addressing child-chosen motor-based occupational performance goals and the outcomes of this intervention. Pre and post-intervention assessment using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales and the Performance Quality Rating Scale indicated that both children were able to engage in CO-OP intervention to successfully improve their occupational performance. Further research into the application of CO-OP with children with AS is warranted based on preliminary positive findings regarding the efficacy of this intervention to address motor-based performance difficulties in two children with AS.

Tera-Ops Processing for ATR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Udomkesmalee, Suraphol; Padgett, Curtis; Zhu, David; Lung, Gerald; Howard, Ayanna

2000-01-01

A three-dimensional microelectronic device (3DANN-R) capable of performing general image convolution at the speed of 1012 operations/second (ops) in a volume of less than 1.5 cubic centimeter has been successfully built under the BMDO/JPL VIGILANTE program. 3DANN-R was developed in partnership with Irvine Sensors Corp., Costa Mesa, California. 3DANN-R is a sugar-cube-sized, low power image convolution engine that in its core computation circuitry is capable of performing 64 image convolutions with large (64x64) windows at video frame rates. This paper explores potential applications of 3DANN-R such as target recognition, SAR and hyperspectral data processing, and general machine vision using real data and discuss technical challenges for providing deployable systems for BMDO surveillance and interceptor programs.

UNBROKEN: UH 1N AIRCREW CONTINUE OPS DESPITE WEAK HEARING PROTECTION

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-29

AU/ACSC/2016 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY UNBROKEN: UH-1N AIRCREW CONTINUE OPS DESPITE WEAK HEARING... student training. The final one at Fairchild AFB, Washington, is focused on search and rescue operations and supports the Survival, Evasion

Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OP-SCC) of the Head and Neck: a Growing Epidemic

PubMed Central

Bauman, Jessica; Wirth, Lori

2015-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is now considered a major causative agent in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OP-SCC). The incidence of HPV+ OP-SCC is increasing dramatically, is higher in men, and is now more common than cervical cancer in the United States. HPV+ OPSCCs usually present as locally advanced, stage IV cancers, requiring intensive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation that can cause tremendous morbidity. HPV vaccination is predicted to prevent HPV+ OP-SCC because over 90% are caused by vaccine-type HPV. However, current vaccination rates are not yet high enough to be effective at preventing HPV-associated malignancies at a population level. PMID:27132327

Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Johnson, William C.; Swenson, Harry; Robinson, John E.; Prevot, Thomas; Callantine, Todd; Scardina, John; Greene, Michael

2012-01-01

The operational goal of the ATD-1 ConOps is to enable aircraft, using their onboard FMS capabilities, to fly Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from cruise to the runway threshold at a high-density airport, at a high throughput rate, using primarily speed control to maintain in-trail separation and the arrival schedule. The three technologies in the ATD-1 ConOps achieve this by calculating a precise arrival schedule, using controller decision support tools to provide terminal controllers with speeds for aircraft to fly to meet times at a particular meter points, and onboard software providing flight crews with speeds for the aircraft to fly to achieve a particular spacing behind preceding aircraft.

Identification of predominant odorants in thai desserts flavored by smoking with "Tian Op", a traditional Thai scented candle.

PubMed

Watcharananun, Wanwarang; Cadwallader, Keith R; Huangrak, Kittiphong; Kim, Hun; Lorjaroenphon, Yaowapa

2009-02-11

"Tian Op", a traditional Thai scented candle, is used for the smoking and flavoring of sweets, cakes, and other desserts for the purpose of adding a unique aroma to the final product. Gas chromatography-olfactometry, aroma extract dilution analysis, and GC-MS were applied to identify the potent odorants in two types of traditional Thai desserts ("num dok mai" and "gleep lum duan") prepared using a Tian Op smoking process. On the basis of the results of AEDA and calculated odor-activity values, the predominant odorants in the Tian Op flavored desserts were vinyl ketones (C(5)-C(9)), n-aldehydes (C(5)-C(11)), (E)-2-unsaturated aldehydes (C(8)-C(11)), and omega-1-unsaturated aldehydes (C(8) and C(9)). Sensory studies of model mixtures confirmed the importance of n-aldehydes, omega-1-unsaturated aldehydes, and guaiacol as predominant odorants; however, the results showed that vinyl ketones and (E)-2-unsaturated aldehydes, despite having high odor-activity values, may be of only minor importance in the typical aroma profiles of traditional Tian Op smoked desserts.

SpecOp: Optimal Extraction Software for Integral Field Unit Spectrographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarron, Adam; Ciardullo, Robin; Eracleous, Michael

2018-01-01

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope’s new low resolution integral field spectrographs, LRS2-B and LRS2-R, each cover a 12”x6” area on the sky with 280 fibers and generate spectra with resolutions between R=1100 and R=1900. To extract 1-D spectra from the instrument’s 3D data cubes, a program is needed that is flexible enough to work for a wide variety of targets, including continuum point sources, emission line sources, and compact sources embedded in complex backgrounds. We therefore introduce SpecOp, a user-friendly python program for optimally extracting spectra from integral-field unit spectrographs. As input, SpecOp takes a sky-subtracted data cube consisting of images at each wavelength increment set by the instrument’s spectral resolution, and an error file for each count measurement. All of these files are generated by the current LRS2 reduction pipeline. The program then collapses the cube in the image plane using the optimal extraction algorithm detailed by Keith Horne (1986). The various user-selected options include the fraction of the total signal enclosed in a contour-defined region, the wavelength range to analyze, and the precision of the spatial profile calculation. SpecOp can output the weighted counts and errors at each wavelength in various table formats using python’s astropy package. We outline the algorithm used for extraction and explain how the software can be used to easily obtain high-quality 1-D spectra. We demonstrate the utility of the program by applying it to spectra of a variety of quasars and AGNs. In some of these targets, we extract the spectrum of a nuclear point source that is superposed on a spatially extended galaxy.

Comparison of GOME-2/MetOp total ozone data with Brewer spectroradiometer data over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antón, M.; Loyola, D.; López, M.; Vilaplana, J. M.; Bañón, M.; Zimmer, W.; Serrano, A.

2009-04-01

The main objective of this article is to compare the total ozone data from the new Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment instrument (GOME-2/MetOp) with reliable ground-based measurement recorded by five Brewer spectroradiometers in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, a similar comparison for the predecessor instrument GOME/ERS-2 is described. The period of study is a whole year from May 2007 to April 2008. The results show that GOME-2/MetOp ozone data already has a very good quality, total ozone columns are on average 3.05% lower than Brewer measurements. This underestimation is higher than that obtained for GOME/ERS-2 (1.46%). However, the relative differences between GOME-2/MetOp and Brewer measurements show significantly lower variability than the differences between GOME/ERS-2 and Brewer data. Dependencies of these relative differences with respect to the satellite solar zenith angle (SZA), the satellite scan angle, the satellite cloud cover fraction (CF), and the ground-based total ozone measurements are analyzed. For both GOME instruments, differences show no significant dependence on SZA. However, GOME-2/MetOp data show a significant dependence on the satellite scan angle (+1.5%). In addition, GOME/ERS-2 differences present a clear dependence with respect to the CF and ground-based total ozone; such differences are minimized for GOME-2/MetOp. The comparison between the daily total ozone values provided by both GOME instruments shows that GOME-2/MetOp ozone data are on average 1.46% lower than GOME/ERS-2 data without any seasonal dependence. Finally, deviations of a priori climatological ozone profile used by the satellite retrieval algorithm from the true ozone profile are analyzed. Although excellent agreement between a priori climatological and measured partial ozone values is found for the middle and high stratosphere, relative differences greater than 15% are common for the troposphere and lower stratosphere.

Analysis Methods and Models for Small Unit Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

wordt in andere studies ogebruikt orn a-an te geven welke op welke wijze operationele effectiviteit kan worden gekwalificeerd en gekwanuificeerd...the node ’Prediction’ is called a child of the node ’Success’ and the node ’Success’ is called a parent of the node ’Prediction’. Figure C.2 A simple...event A is a child of event B and event B is a child of event C ( C -- B -- A). The belief network or influence diagram has to be a directed network

Kwaliteit van Expertsystemen: Algoritmen voor Integriteits-Controle (Quality of Expert Systems: Algorithms for Integrity Control)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

Dist~i~ Ulnre rbu~ on Una o~d0 9 ~ j 2 0 0 TNO rapport Pagina rappon no. .FEL-89-A312 f"It Kwaliteit van Expertsystemen: Algoritmen voor Integriteits...KNOWLEDGEBASE 7 2.1 Inleiding 7 2.2 Een uitbreiding op NIAM: E(xtended)NIAM 8 2.3 Specificatie in E(xtended)NIAM 11 2.4 Representatie in Prolog 13 3...instantiatie van cen ThO rapport Pagina 9 ’graph’ is gelijk aan ten propositie (ean uitspraak over dea werkelijkheid). ’Graph’- instantiaties zijn

Effectiveness of cognitive orientation to (daily) occupational performance (CO-OP) on children with cerebral palsy: A mixed design.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Neda; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Izadi-Najafabadi, Sara; Yazdani, Farzaneh; Akbarfahimi, Nazila; Havaei, Naser; Gharebaghy, Soraya

2017-12-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disabilities during childhood. Therapeutic interventions mainly focus on impairment reduction to address motor-based difficulties. In contrast, Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a cognitive approach, providing intervention at the level of activity and participation. This study aims to determine whether the CO-OP approach improves motor skills and achievement in motor-based occupational performance goals in children with CP. In this mixed design research (i.e., a multiple baseline single case experimental design and a one-group pretest-posttest design), five children with CP participated in 12 CO-OP intervention sessions. Repeated measures of motor skills for the multiple baseline single case experimental design were taken using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP); pre- and post-measures of parent/child perception of performance and satisfaction were identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM); level of achievement was identified using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). According to the BOTMP results, all children were able to engage in the CO-OP intervention to improve motor performance. Significant differences after treatment were found in both performance and performance satisfaction ratings using the COPM as rated by parents and children. The GAS results showed progress in achievement levels for all children; all goals were achieved or exceeded. CO-OP intervention can be helpful in improving motor skills and achieving self-identified, motor-based goals in children with CP. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparison of Total Dose Effects on Micropower Op-Amps: Bipolar and CMOS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C.; Johnston, A.

1998-01-01

This paper compares low-paper op-amps, OPA241 (bipolar) and OPA336 (CMOS), from Burr-Brown, MAX473 (bipolar) and MAX409 (CMOS), characterizing their total dose response with a single 2.7V power supply voltage.

One-Pot Approach to Organo-Phosphorus-Chalcogen Macrocycles Incorporating Double OP(S)SCn or OP(Se)SeCn Scaffolds: A Synthetic and Structural Study.

PubMed

Hua, Guoxiong; Du, Junyi; Slawin, Alexandra M Z; Woollins, J Derek

2016-06-01

The development of new methodology for the preparation of functional macrocycles with practical applications is an important research area in macromolecular science. In this study, we report a new one-pot route for the synthesis of a series of macro-heterocycles by incorporating two phosphorus atoms and two chalcogen atoms and two oxygen atoms (double OP(S)SCn or OP(Se)SeCn scaffolds). The three-component condensation reactions of 2,4-diferrocenyl-1,3,2,4-diathiadiphosphetane 2,4-disulfide (FcLR, a ferrocene analogue of Lawesson's reagent) or 2,4-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,2,4-dithiadiphosphetane 2,4-disulfide (LR, Lawesson's reagent), or 2,4-diphenyl-1,3,2,4-diselenadiphosphetane 2,4-diselenide (WR, Woollins' reagent), disodium alkenyl-diols, and dihalogenated alkanes are performed, giving rise to soluble and air or moisture-stable macrocycles in good-to-excellent yields (up to 92 %). This is the first systemically preparative and readily scalable example of one-pot ring opening/ring extending reaction of three-components to prepare phosphorus-chalcogen containing macrocycles. We also provide a systematic crystallographic study. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An investigation of potential applications of OP-SAPS: Operational Sampled Analog Processors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, E. A.; Mcvey, E. S.

1977-01-01

The application of OP-SAP's (operational sampled analog processors) in pattern recognition system is summarized. Areas investigated include: (1) human face recognition; (2) a high-speed programmable transversal filter system; (3) discrete word (speech) recognition; and (4) a resolution enhancement system.

Effects of orally administered OP-1206 alpha-CD with loxoprofen-Na on walking dysfunction in the rat neuropathic intermittent claudication model.

PubMed

Nakai, Katsuhiko; Takenobu, Yoshifumi; Takimizu, Hideyuki; Akimaru, Shinji; Ito, Hidenori; Maegawa, Hitoshi; Marsala, Martin; Katsube, Nobuo

2003-10-01

An orally active prostaglandin E1 analogue, OP-1206 alpha-CD improves walking dysfunction in the rat spinal stenosis model. Loxoprofen-Na, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is used to relieve chronic pain in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. To determine whether the OP-1206 alpha-CD in combination with loxoprofen-Na could induce a greater therapeutical effect on walking dysfunction and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) than OP-1206 alpha-CD treatment alone after chronic spinal stenosis in the rat. Spinal stenosis was induced by placing two pieces of silicon rubber strips in the lumbar (L4 and L6) epidural space of rats. After surgery, walking function was measured using a treadmill apparatus and SCBF was measured using a laser-Doppler flow meter. Drugs were administered orally twice a day for 11 days from the day 3 post-surgery. OP-1206 alpha-CD elicited a significant improvement of walking dysfunction on days 7 and 14 post-surgery and significantly increased spinal cord blood flow on day 15, whereas walking dysfunction and SCBF of rats treated with loxoprofen-Na alone remained unchanged. Combined treatment of OP-1206 alpha-CD with loxoprofen-Na did not provide additive therapeutical effect. These results suggest that a significant improvement seen after OP-1206 alpha-CD treatment is primarily mediated by improvement of the local spinal cord blood flow. This effect is not ameliorated or potentiated by a combined treatment with loxoprofen-Na.

Physiology and phylogeny of the candidate phylum "Atribacteria" (formerly OP9/JS1) inferred from single-cell genomics and metagenomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dodsworth, J. A.; Murugapiran, S.; Blainey, P. C.; Nobu, M.; Rinke, C.; Schwientek, P.; Gies, E.; Webster, G.; Kille, P.; Weightman, A.; Liu, W. T.; Hallam, S.; Tsiamis, G.; Swingley, W.; Ross, C.; Tringe, S. G.; Chain, P. S.; Scholz, M. B.; Lo, C. C.; Raymond, J.; Quake, S. R.; Woyke, T.; Hedlund, B. P.

2014-12-01

Single-cell sequencing and metagenomics have extended the genomics revolution to yet-uncultivated microorganisms and provided insights into the coding potential of this so-called "microbial dark matter", including microbes belonging candidate phyla with no cultivated representatives. As more datasets emerge, comparison of individual genomes from different lineages and habitats can provide insight into the phylogeny, conserved features, and potential metabolic diversity of candidate phyla. The candidate bacterial phylum OP9 was originally found in Obsidian Pool, Yellowstone National Park, and it has since been detected in geothermal springs, petroleum reservoirs, and engineered thermal environments worldwide. JS1, another uncultivated bacterial lineage affiliated with OP9, is often abundant in marine sediments associated with methane hydrates, hydrocarbon seeps, and on continental margins and shelves, and is found in other non-thermal marine and subsurface environments. The phylogenetic relationship between OP9, JS1, and other Bacteria has not been fully resolved, and to date no axenic cultures from these lineages have been reported. Recently, 31 single amplified genomes (SAGs) from six distinct OP9 and JS1 lineages have been obtained using flow cytometric and microfluidic techniques. These SAGs were used to inform metagenome binning techniques that identified OP9/JS1 sequences in several metagenomes, extending genomic coverage in three of the OP9 and JS1 lineages. Phylogenomic analyses of these SAG and metagenome bin datasets suggest that OP9 and JS1 constitute a single, deeply branching phylum, for which the name "Atribacteria" has recently been proposed. Overall, members of the "Atribacteria" are predicted to be heterotrophic anaerobes without the capacity for respiration, with some lineages potentially specializing in secondary fermentation of organic acids. A set of signature "Atribacteria" genes was tentatively identified, including components of a bacterial

Examining the Effects of Perceived Relevance and Work-Related Subjective Well-Being on Individual Performance for Co-Op Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drewery, Dave; Pretti, T. Judene; Barclay, Sage

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between co-op students' perceived relevance of their work term, work-related subjective well-being (SWB), and individual performance at work. Data were collected using a survey of co-op students (n = 1,989) upon completion of a work term. Results of regression analyses testing a…

A new look at Op art: towards a simple explanation of illusory motion.

PubMed

Zanker, Johannes M; Walker, Robin

2004-04-01

Vivid motion illusions created by some Op art paintings are at the centre of a lively scientific debate about possible mechanisms that might underlie these phenomena. Here we review emerging evidence from a new approach that combines perceptual judgements of the illusion and observations of eye movements with simulations of the induced optic flow. This work suggests that the small involuntary saccades which participants make when viewing such Op art patterns would generate an incoherent distribution of motion signals that resemble the perceptual effects experienced by the observers. The combined experimental and computational evidence supports the view that the illusion is indeed caused by involuntary image displacements picked up by low-level motion detectors, and further suggests that coherent motion signals are crucial to perceive a stable world.

A new look at Op art: towards a simple explanation of illusory motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanker, Johannes M.; Walker, Robin

Vivid motion illusions created by some Op art paintings are at the centre of a lively scientific debate about possible mechanisms that might underlie these phenomena. Here we review emerging evidence from a new approach that combines perceptual judgements of the illusion and observations of eye movements with simulations of the induced optic flow. This work suggests that the small involuntary saccades which participants make when viewing such Op art patterns would generate an incoherent distribution of motion signals that resemble the perceptual effects experienced by the observers. The combined experimental and computational evidence supports the view that the illusion is indeed caused by involuntary image displacements picked up by low-level motion detectors, and further suggests that coherent motion signals are crucial to perceive a stable world.

System study of the carbon dioxide observational platform system (CO-OPS): Project overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, J. Briscoe; Thompson, Wilbur E.

1987-01-01

The resulting options from a system study for a near-space, geo-stationary, observational monitoring platform system for use in the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Carbon Dioxide Observational Platform System (CO-OPS) on the greenhouse effect are discussed. CO-OPS is being designed to operate continuously for periods of up to 3 months in quasi-fixed position over most global regional targets of interest and could make horizon observations over a land-sea area of circular diameter up to about 600 to 800 statute miles. This affords the scientific and engineering community a low-cost means of operating their payloads for monitoring the regional parameters they deem relevant to their investigations of the carbon dioxide greenhouse effect at one-tenth the cost of most currently utilized comparable remote sensing techniques.

Cultured allogeneic keratinocyte sheets accelerate healing compared to Op-site treatment of donor sites in burns.

PubMed

Duinslaeger, L A; Verbeken, G; Vanhalle, S; Vanderkelen, A

1997-01-01

Donor site treatment is a crucial issue in the treatment of extensive burns. In this single-blind, randomized study treatment of donor sites with a polyurethane dressing, Op-Site (Smith & Nephew, York, U.K.) is compared to treatment with allogeneic cultured keratinocyte sheets. Results show a mean healing time of 6.7 days with use of cultured keratinocyte sheets compared to mean healing time of 13.6 days with Op-Site treatment. Also, improvement in the comfort of patients as the result of less exudate formation and pain attenuation was noted.

All Conservation Opportunity Areas (ECO.RES.ALL_OP_AREAS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The All_OP_Areas GIS layer are all the Conservation Opportunity Areas identified by MoRAP (produced for EPA Region 7). They designate areas with potential for forest, grassland and forest/grassland mosaic conservation. These are areas of natural or semi-natural forest land cover that are at least 75 meters away from roads and away from patch edges. OAs were modeled by creating distance grids using the National Land Cover Database and the Census Bureau's TIGER roads files.

Electronic and elastic properties of new semiconducting oP(12)-type RuB(2) and OsB(2).

PubMed

Hao, Xianfeng; Xu, Yuanhui; Gao, Faming

2011-03-30

Using first-principles total energy calculations we investigate the structural, elastic and electronic properties of new hypothetical oP(12)-type phase RuB(2) and OsB(2). The calculations indicate that the oP(12)-type phase RuB(2) and OsB(2) are thermodynamically and mechanically stable. Remarkably, the new phases RuB(2) and OsB(2) are predicted to be semiconductors, and the appearance of band gaps is ascribed to the enhanced B-B covalent hybridization. Compared to metallic oP(6)-type RuB(2) and OsB(2) phases, the new phases possess similar mechanical properties and hardness. The combination of the probability of tunable electronic properties, strong stiffness and high hardness make RuB(2) and OsB(2) attractive and interesting for advanced applications. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd

Compressive strength performance of OPS lightweight aggregate concrete containing coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthusamy, K.; Mohamad Hafizuddin, R.; Mat Yahaya, F.; Sulaiman, M. A.; Syed Mohsin, S. M.; Tukimat, N. N.; Omar, R.; Chin, S. C.

2018-04-01

Concerns regarding the negative impact towards environment due to the increasing use of natural sand in construction industry and dumping of industrial solid wastes namely coal bottom ash (CBA) and oil palm shell (OPS) has resulted in the development of environmental friendly lightweight concrete. The present study investigates the effect of coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement towards workability and compressive strength of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete (OPS LWAC). The fresh and mechanical properties of this concrete containing various percentage of coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement were investigated. The result was compared to OPS LWAC with 100 % sand as a control specimen. The concrete workability investigated by conducting slump test. All specimens were cast in form of cubes and water cured until the testing age. The compressive strength test was carried out at 7 and 28 days. The finding shows that integration of coal bottom ash at suitable proportion enhances the strength of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete.

Art or Science: Operational Logistics as Applied to Op Art

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-13

FINAL 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Art or Science : Operational Logistics as Applied to Op Art 5a. CONTRACT... Art or Science ? Operational Logistics as applied to Operational Art By Milo L. Shank Major, USMC A paper submitted to the...than just a science . Keeping Thorpe’s work in context, it was written circa World War One, before Operational Art was an established and accepted

Developing the Conditions for Co-Op Students' Organizational Commitment through Cooperative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennaforte, Antoine; Pretti, T. Judene

2015-01-01

Based in a French context, this research investigates the link between the French cooperative education (co-op) system and students' organizational commitment. Following a quasi-experimental design with a control group, in a longitudinal approach, the study focuses on under-baccalaureate, undergraduate and graduate students. Results show that in…

Octylphenol (OP) alters the expression of members of the amyloid protein family in the hypothalamus of the snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina.

PubMed Central

Trudeau, Vance L; Chiu, Suzanne; Kennedy, Sean W; Brooks, Ronald J

2002-01-01

The gonadal estrogen estradiol-17beta (E(2)) is important for developing and regulating hypothalamic function and many aspects of reproduction in vertebrates. Pollutants such as octylphenol (OP) that mimic the actions of estrogens are therefore candidate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We used a differential display strategy (RNA-arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction) to isolate partial cDNA sequences of neurotransmitter, developmental, and disease-related genes that may be regulated by OP or E(2) in the snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina serpentina hypothalamus. Hatchling and year-old male snapping turtles were exposed to a 10 ng/mL nominal concentration of waterborne OP or E(2) for 17 days. One transcript [421 base pairs (bp)] regulated by OP and E(2) was 93% identical to human APLP-2. APLP-2 and the amyloid precursor protein (APP) regulate neuronal differentiation and are also implicated in the genesis of Alzheimer disease in humans. Northern blot analysis determined that the turtle hypothalamus contains a single APLP-2 transcript of 3.75 kb in length. Exposure to OP upregulated hypothalamic APLP-2 mRNA levels 2-fold (p < 0.05) in month-old and yearling turtles. E(2) did not affect APLP-2 mRNA levels in hatchlings but stimulated a 2-fold increase (p < 0.05) in APLP-2 mRNA levels in yearling males. The protein beta-amyloid, a selectively processed peptide derived from APP, is also involved in neuronal differentiation, and accumulation of this neurotoxic peptide causes neuronal degeneration in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Therefore, we also sought to determine the effects of estrogens on the expression of beta-amyloid. Using homology cloning based on known sequences, we isolated a cDNA fragment (474 bp) from turtle brain with 88% identity to human APP. Northern blot analysis determined that a single 3.5-kb transcript was expressed in the turtle hypothalamus. Waterborne OP also increased the expression of hypothalamic APP after 35 days of

Octylphenol (OP) alters the expression of members of the amyloid protein family in the hypothalamus of the snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina.

PubMed

Trudeau, Vance L; Chiu, Suzanne; Kennedy, Sean W; Brooks, Ronald J

2002-03-01

The gonadal estrogen estradiol-17beta (E(2)) is important for developing and regulating hypothalamic function and many aspects of reproduction in vertebrates. Pollutants such as octylphenol (OP) that mimic the actions of estrogens are therefore candidate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We used a differential display strategy (RNA-arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction) to isolate partial cDNA sequences of neurotransmitter, developmental, and disease-related genes that may be regulated by OP or E(2) in the snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina serpentina hypothalamus. Hatchling and year-old male snapping turtles were exposed to a 10 ng/mL nominal concentration of waterborne OP or E(2) for 17 days. One transcript [421 base pairs (bp)] regulated by OP and E(2) was 93% identical to human APLP-2. APLP-2 and the amyloid precursor protein (APP) regulate neuronal differentiation and are also implicated in the genesis of Alzheimer disease in humans. Northern blot analysis determined that the turtle hypothalamus contains a single APLP-2 transcript of 3.75 kb in length. Exposure to OP upregulated hypothalamic APLP-2 mRNA levels 2-fold (p < 0.05) in month-old and yearling turtles. E(2) did not affect APLP-2 mRNA levels in hatchlings but stimulated a 2-fold increase (p < 0.05) in APLP-2 mRNA levels in yearling males. The protein beta-amyloid, a selectively processed peptide derived from APP, is also involved in neuronal differentiation, and accumulation of this neurotoxic peptide causes neuronal degeneration in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Therefore, we also sought to determine the effects of estrogens on the expression of beta-amyloid. Using homology cloning based on known sequences, we isolated a cDNA fragment (474 bp) from turtle brain with 88% identity to human APP. Northern blot analysis determined that a single 3.5-kb transcript was expressed in the turtle hypothalamus. Waterborne OP also increased the expression of hypothalamic APP after 35 days of

BlackOPs: increasing confidence in variant detection through mappability filtering.

PubMed

Cabanski, Christopher R; Wilkerson, Matthew D; Soloway, Matthew; Parker, Joel S; Liu, Jinze; Prins, Jan F; Marron, J S; Perou, Charles M; Hayes, D Neil

2013-10-01

Identifying variants using high-throughput sequencing data is currently a challenge because true biological variants can be indistinguishable from technical artifacts. One source of technical artifact results from incorrectly aligning experimentally observed sequences to their true genomic origin ('mismapping') and inferring differences in mismapped sequences to be true variants. We developed BlackOPs, an open-source tool that simulates experimental RNA-seq and DNA whole exome sequences derived from the reference genome, aligns these sequences by custom parameters, detects variants and outputs a blacklist of positions and alleles caused by mismapping. Blacklists contain thousands of artifact variants that are indistinguishable from true variants and, for a given sample, are expected to be almost completely false positives. We show that these blacklist positions are specific to the alignment algorithm and read length used, and BlackOPs allows users to generate a blacklist specific to their experimental setup. We queried the dbSNP and COSMIC variant databases and found numerous variants indistinguishable from mapping errors. We demonstrate how filtering against blacklist positions reduces the number of potential false variants using an RNA-seq glioblastoma cell line data set. In summary, accounting for mapping-caused variants tuned to experimental setups reduces false positives and, therefore, improves genome characterization by high-throughput sequencing.

A race against time: can CO-OPs and provider start-ups survive in the health insurance marketplaces?

PubMed

Eggbeer, Bill

2015-12-01

> The Affordable Care Act's state and federal health insurance marketplaces, designed to provide affordable insurance coverage to individuals and small groups, are proving hostile territory to new market entrants. Efforts to inject competition into the marketplaces are being challenged by the wide-scale withdrawal o consumer-operated and oriented plans (CO-OPs). Meanwhile, premiums appear likely to increase for consumers as plans seek to balance medical losses. Flaws in the "Three R's" (reinsurance, risk corridors, and risk-adjustment) program are viewed as a threat to the survival of CO-OPs and start-ups.

U.S. Exploration EVA: ConOps, Interfaces and Test Objectives for Airlocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buffington, J.

2017-01-01

NASA is moving forward on defining the xEVA System Architecture and its implications to the spacecraft that host exploration EVA systems. This presentation provides an overview of the latest information for NASA's Concept of Operations (ConOps), Interfaces and corresponding Test Objectives for Airlocks hosting the xEVA System.

Safety, Biodistribution, and Radiation Dosimetry of 68Ga-OPS202 in Patients with Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Prospective Phase I Imaging Study.

PubMed

Nicolas, Guillaume P; Beykan, Seval; Bouterfa, Hakim; Kaufmann, Jens; Bauman, Andreas; Lassmann, Michael; Reubi, Jean Claude; Rivier, Jean E F; Maecke, Helmut R; Fani, Melpomeni; Wild, Damian

2018-06-01

Preclinical and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that radiolabeled somatostatin (sst) receptor antagonists perform better than agonists in detecting neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). We performed a prospective phase I/II study to evaluate the sst receptor antagonist 68 Ga-OPS202 ( 68 Ga-NODAGA-JR11; NODAGA = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane,1-glutaric acid-4,7-acetic acid and JR11 = Cpa-c(dCys-Aph(Hor)-dAph(Cbm)-Lys-Thr-Cys)-dTyr-NH 2 )) for PET imaging. Here, we report the results of phase I of the study. Methods: Patients received 2 single 150-MBq intravenous injections of 68 Ga-OPS202 3-4 wk apart (15 μg of peptide at visit 1 and 50 μg at visit 2). At visit 1, a dynamic PET/CT scan over the kidney was obtained during the first 30 min after injection, and static whole-body scans were obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after injection; at visit 2, a static whole-body scan was obtained at 1 h. Blood samples and urine were collected at regular intervals to determine 68 Ga-OPS202 pharmacokinetics. Safety, biodistribution, radiation dosimetry, and the most appropriate imaging time point for 68 Ga-OPS202 were assessed. Results: Twelve patients with well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NETs took part in the study. 68 Ga-OPS202 cleared rapidly from the blood, with a mean residence time of 2.4 ± 1.1 min/L. The organs with the highest mean dose coefficients were the urinary bladder wall, kidneys, and spleen. The calculated effective dose was 2.4E-02 ± 0.2E-02 mSv/MBq, corresponding to 3.6 mSv, for a reference activity of 150 MBq. Based on total numbers of detected malignant lesions, the optimal time window for the scan was between 1 and 2 h. For malignant liver lesions, the time point at which most patients had the highest mean tumor contrast was 1 h. 68 Ga-OPS202 was well tolerated; adverse events were grade 1 or 2, and there were no signals of concern from laboratory blood or urinalysis tests. Conclusion: 68 Ga-OPS202 showed favorable biodistribution and imaging

TADIR: ElOp's high-resolution second-generation 480 x 4 TDI thermal imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarusi, Gabby; Ziv, Natan; Zioni, O.; Gaber, J.; Shechterman, Mark S.; Wiess, I.; Friedland, Igor V.; Lerner, M.; Friedenberg, Abraham

1998-10-01

'TADIR' is a new high-end thermal imager, developed in El-Op under contract with the Israeli MOD during the last three years. This new second generation thermal imager is based on 480 X 4 TDI MCT detector operated in the 8 - 12 micrometer spectral range. Although the prototype configuration of TADIR was design for the highly demanded light weight low volume and low power air applications, TADIR can be considered as a generic modular technology of which the future El-Op's FLIR applications such as ground fire control system and surveillance systems will be derived from. Besides the detector, what puts the system in the high-end category are the state of the art features implemented in each system's components. This paper describes the system concept and design considerations as well as the anticipated performances. TADIRs fist prototype was demonstrated at the beginning of 1998 and is currently under evaluation.

Flight Dynamics Performances of the MetOp A Satellite during the First Months of Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righetti, Pier Luigi; Meixner, Hilda; Sancho, Francisco; Damiano, Antimo; Lazaro, David

2007-01-01

The 19th of October 2006 at 16:28 UTC the first MetOp satellite (MetOp A) was successfully launched from the Baykonur cosmodrome by a Soyuz/Fregat launcher. After only three days of LEOP operations, performed by ESOC, the satellite was handed over to EUMETSAT, who is since then taking care of all satellite operations. MetOp A is the first European operational satellite for meteorology flying in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), all previous satellites operated by EUMETSAT, belonging to the METEOSAT family, being located in the Geo-stationary orbit. To ensure safe operations for a LEO satellite accurate and continuous commanding from ground of the on-board AOCS is required. That makes the operational transition at the end of the LEOP quite challenging, as the continuity of the Flight Dynamics operations is to be maintained. That means that the main functions of the Flight Dynamics have to be fully validated on-flight during the LEOP, before taking over the operational responsibility on the spacecraft, and continuously monitored during the entire mission. Due to the nature of a meteorological operational mission, very stringent requirements in terms of overall service availability (99 % of the collected data), timeliness of processing of the observation data (3 hours after sensing) and accuracy of the geo-location of the meteorological products (1 km) are to be fulfilled. That translates in tight requirements imposed to the Flight Dynamics facility (FDF) in terms of accuracy, timeliness and availability of the generated orbit and clock solutions; a detailed monitoring of the quality of these products is thus mandatory. Besides, being the accuracy of the image geo-location strongly related with the pointing performance of the platform and with the on-board timing stability, monitoring from ground of the behaviour of the on-board sensors and clock is needed. This paper presents an overview of the Flight Dynamics operations performed during the different phases of the MetOp A

Single-cell and metagenomic analyses indicate a fermentative and saccharolytic lifestyle for members of the OP9 lineage

PubMed Central

Dodsworth, Jeremy A.; Blainey, Paul C.; Murugapiran, Senthil K.; Swingley, Wesley D.; Ross, Christian A.; Tringe, Susannah G.; Chain, Patrick S. G.; Scholz, Matthew B.; Lo, Chien-Chi; Raymond, Jason; Quake, Stephen R.; Hedlund, Brian P.

2013-01-01

OP9 is a yet-uncultivated bacterial lineage found in geothermal systems, petroleum reservoirs, anaerobic digesters, and wastewater treatment facilities. Here we use single-cell and metagenome sequencing to obtain two distinct, nearly-complete OP9 genomes, one constructed from single cells sorted from hot spring sediments and the other derived from binned metagenomic contigs from an in situ-enriched cellulolytic, thermophilic community. Phylogenomic analyses support the designation of OP9 as a candidate phylum for which we propose the name ‘Atribacteria’. Although a plurality of predicted proteins is most similar to those from Firmicutes, the presence of key genes suggests a diderm cell envelope. Metabolic reconstruction from the core genome suggests an anaerobic lifestyle based on sugar fermentation by Embden-Meyerhof glycolysis with production of hydrogen, acetate, and ethanol. Putative glycohydrolases and an endoglucanase may enable catabolism of (hemi)cellulose in thermal environments. This study lays a foundation for understanding the physiology and ecological role of the ‘Atribacteria’. PMID:23673639

Assessing Protection Against OP Pesticides and Nerve Agents Provided by Wild-Type HuPON1 Purified from Trichoplusia ni Larvae or Induced via Adenoviral Infection

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

times the median lethal dose (LD50) of the OP nerve agents tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD), and cyclosarin (GF), or chlorpyrifos oxon, the toxic...metabolite of the OP pesticide chlorpyrifos . In the second model, mice were infected with an adenovirus that induced expression of HuPON1 and then...mice are dramati- cally more susceptible to the toxic metabolites of the OP pesticides diazinon and chlorpyrifos (diazoxon and chlorpyrifos oxon

VEP Responses to Op-Art Stimuli

PubMed Central

O’Hare, Louise; Clarke, Alasdair D. F.; Pollux, Petra M. J.

2015-01-01

Several types of striped patterns have been reported to cause adverse sensations described as visual discomfort. Previous research using op-art-based stimuli has demonstrated that spurious eye movement signals can cause the experience of illusory motion, or shimmering effects, which might be perceived as uncomfortable. Whilst the shimmering effects are one cause of discomfort, another possible contributor to discomfort is excessive neural responses: As striped patterns do not have the statistical redundancy typical of natural images, they are perhaps unable to be encoded efficiently. If this is the case, then this should be seen in the amplitude of the EEG response. This study found that stimuli that were judged to be most comfortable were also those with the lowest EEG amplitude. This provides some support for the idea that excessive neural responses might also contribute to discomfort judgements in normal populations, in stimuli controlled for perceived contrast. PMID:26422207

VEP Responses to Op-Art Stimuli.

PubMed

O'Hare, Louise; Clarke, Alasdair D F; Pollux, Petra M J

2015-01-01

Several types of striped patterns have been reported to cause adverse sensations described as visual discomfort. Previous research using op-art-based stimuli has demonstrated that spurious eye movement signals can cause the experience of illusory motion, or shimmering effects, which might be perceived as uncomfortable. Whilst the shimmering effects are one cause of discomfort, another possible contributor to discomfort is excessive neural responses: As striped patterns do not have the statistical redundancy typical of natural images, they are perhaps unable to be encoded efficiently. If this is the case, then this should be seen in the amplitude of the EEG response. This study found that stimuli that were judged to be most comfortable were also those with the lowest EEG amplitude. This provides some support for the idea that excessive neural responses might also contribute to discomfort judgements in normal populations, in stimuli controlled for perceived contrast.

Evolution post-opératoire des séquelles de tuberculose pulmonaire chez les séropositifs VIH

PubMed Central

Grégoire, Ayegnon Kouakou; Flavien, Kendja Hypolite; Raphaël, Ouédé; Démine, Blaise; Christophe, Ménéas Gueu; Marie, Ano Kounangui; Hervé, Yangni-Angaté Koffi; Yves, Tanauh

2014-01-01

Cette étude rapporte les aspects cliniques et évolutifs des séquelles pulmonaires tuberculeuses (SPT) opérées chez les séropositifs (VIH+). Il s'agit d'une étude prospective transversale réalisée entre Novembre 2005 et Octobre 2012. Elle a porté sur 20 patients VIH+, ayant dans leurs antécédents, une tuberculose pulmonaire (TP) traitée et déclarée guérie, et admise dans ladite période pour une chirurgie de la SPT secondaire. Une enquête sérologique VIH a été réalisée systématiquement au cours du bilan pré-opératoire. Le diagnostic pré-opératoire de la SPT, la mortalité, les complications post- opératoires (CPOP), le séjour hospitalier, le suivi à moyen terme des STP opérées ont été évalués. Les séropositifs étaient VIH1+ (n = 12; 60%), VIH1&2+ (n = 4; 20%) et VIH2+ (n = 4; 20%). La durée moyenne d’évolution des STP était de 26,22 ± 21,3 mois. Les STP étaient les pyothorax ou pleurésies enkystées (n = 16; 80%), le poumon détruit (n = 2;10%) et les dilatations de bronches (n = 2;10%). Les VIH+ ne présentaient pas d'aspergillome pulmonaire. Le séjour hospitalier moyen était 13,1 ± 10,2 jours. Le suivi total était de 82 patients-année avec une moyenne de suivi de 4,2 ± 2,3 ans (extrêmes: 1 et 7 ans). Le taux de mortalité à court et moyen terme était nul. Aucun décès post-opératoire immédiat n'a été noté. Les CPOP immédiates étaient les bullages prolongés chez 75% des immunodéprimés. Les CPOP tardives (n = 3) étaient un syndrome restrictif pulmonaire, un pyothorax persistant et une pachypleurite résiduelle restrictive. A court terme, le taux de guérison radiologique était de 80% (n = 16). PMID:24932331

Evaluation of Employer, Teacher, and Student Perceptions of CO-OP/PEL. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogue, Ken; And Others

A study compared the effectiveness of on-the-job work experience (CO-OP) with pre-employment laboratory experience (PEL) of the six instructional areas in vocational education. This was accomplished by obtaining the perceptions of program completers (1983 graduates), participating employers, and vocational education teachers from seven sample…

Exploring inter-task transfer following a CO-OP approach with four children with DCD: A single subject multiple baseline design.

PubMed

Capistran, Julie; Martini, Rose

2016-10-01

Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach has been shown to be effective for improving the performance of tasks worked on in therapy and the use of cognitive strategies. No study to date seems to have explored its effectiveness for improving performance of untrained tasks (inter-task transfer) in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). This study aimed to determine whether CO-OP leads to improved performance in an untrained task. A single-subject design with multiple baselines across skills was adopted, with three replications. Four children with DCD (7-12years) received 10 sessions of CO-OP intervention where each child worked on three tasks during therapy sessions and a fourth task was identified, but not worked on, to verify inter-task transfer. Task performance was rated over four phases (baseline, intervention, post-intervention, follow-up) using the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS-OD). Graphed data was statistically analyzed using a two or three standard deviation band method. Significant improvement was obtained for 11 of 12 tasks worked on during therapy and for two of the four untrained tasks. These results indicate that the effectiveness of CO-OP to improve untrained tasks in children merit further exploration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaze stability of observers watching Op Art pictures.

PubMed

Zanker, Johannes M; Doyle, Melanie; Robin, Walker

2003-01-01

It has been the matter of some debate why we can experience vivid dynamic illusions when looking at static pictures composed from simple black and white patterns. The impression of illusory motion is particularly strong when viewing some of the works of 'Op Artists, such as Bridget Riley's painting Fall. Explanations of the illusory motion have ranged from retinal to cortical mechanisms, and an important role has been attributed to eye movements. To assess the possible contribution of eye movements to the illusory-motion percept we studied the strength of the illusion under different viewing conditions, and analysed the gaze stability of observers viewing the Riley painting and control patterns that do not produce the illusion. Whereas the illusion was reduced, but not abolished, when watching the painting through a pinhole, which reduces the effects of accommodation, it was not perceived in flash afterimages, suggesting an important role for eye movements in generating the illusion for this image. Recordings of eye movements revealed an abundance of small involuntary saccades when looking at the Riley pattern, despite the fact that gaze was kept within the dedicated fixation region. The frequency and particular characteristics of these rapid eye movements can vary considerably between different observers, but, although there was a tendency for gaze stability to deteriorate while viewing a Riley painting, there was no significant difference in saccade frequency between the stimulus and control patterns. Theoretical considerations indicate that such small image displacements can generate patterns of motion signals in a motion-detector network, which may serve as a simple and sufficient, but not necessarily exclusive, explanation for the illusion. Why such image displacements lead to perceptual results with a group of Op Art and similar patterns, but remain invisible for other stimuli, is discussed.

Implementing the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach in a group format with children living with motor coordination difficulties.

PubMed

Anderson, Leanne; Wilson, Jessie; Carmichael, Kaity

2018-05-28

Children with developmental coordination disorder demonstrate limited participation in daily occupations which negatively impacts on their physical and psycho-social wellbeing. Literature is emerging supporting the use of the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) within a group format. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of the CO-OP approach in a group format for children with motor coordination difficulties. A single group mixed-method approach was employed. Four children with motor coordination difficulties between seven-to-nine years of age and their mothers, participated in a CO-OP group intervention once a week over 10 weeks. The study examined performance (perceived and actual) and satisfaction of family-chosen goals, gross and fine motor functioning and parental experience of participating in the intervention. Improvements in performance (perceived) and satisfaction ratings of family-chosen goals bordered on achieving statistical significance. Fine and gross motor functioning and performance (actual) improved, however, the change in performance was variable between participants and among the overarching goals. Semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed. Themes included: formation of the group, moving from disenabling to enabling, belonging and the importance of small successes. CO-OP offers a feasible intervention approach when delivered in a group format. Parental perceptions are valuable in shaping the delivery of the CO-OP in future studies. More research is needed to support these findings and contribute to evidence-based practice. © 2018 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Liberal Arts Faculty and Co-op: Attitudes for Success at a Small Private College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Dawn K.

1987-01-01

Results of a study indicate that faculty in a small private liberal arts institution which has an established co-op program value it for its ability to enhance students' career and professional development as well as for its contribution to students' total learning process. (JOW)

Evidence that a phosphorylated derivative of 5-oxoproline (5-OP) is an intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by 5-oxoprolinase

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

Seddon, A.P.; Meister, A.

1986-05-01

5-oxo-L-proline + ATP + 2 H/sub 2/O ..-->.. L-Glutamate + ADP + P/sub i/ Pseudomonas putida 5-oxoprolinase consists of 2 protein components (A and B). A catalyzes 5-OP-dependent ATPase. B, which does not appear to interact with ATP or 5-OP, is required for catalysis of the complete reaction. Application of the isotope trapping method showed that 5-OP is converted stoichiometrically to an enzyme-bound form in a process requiring ATP and its cleavage. The overall reaction is not inhibited by high concentrations of borohydride. When the reaction catalyzed by A alone is carried out in the presence of 0.1-0.6 M KBH/submore » 4/ there is catalytic formation of proline. Studies with KB/sup 3/H/sub 4/ showed incorporation of /sup 3/H into proline. Proline formation is prevented by addition of B.« less

Real-Time-Simulation of IEEE-5-Bus Network on OPAL-RT-OP4510 Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atul Bhandakkar, Anjali; Mathew, Lini, Dr.

2018-03-01

The Real-Time Simulator tools have high computing technologies, improved performance. They are widely used for design and improvement of electrical systems. The advancement of the software tools like MATLAB/SIMULINK with its Real-Time Workshop (RTW) and Real-Time Windows Target (RTWT), real-time simulators are used extensively in many engineering fields, such as industry, education, and research institutions. OPAL-RT-OP4510 is a Real-Time Simulator which is used in both industry and academia. In this paper, the real-time simulation of IEEE-5-Bus network is carried out by means of OPAL-RT-OP4510 with CRO and other hardware. The performance of the network is observed with the introduction of fault at various locations. The waveforms of voltage, current, active and reactive power are observed in the MATLAB simulation environment and on the CRO. Also, Load Flow Analysis (LFA) of IEEE-5-Bus network is computed using MATLAB/Simulink power-gui load flow tool.

Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) as group therapy for children living with motor coordination difficulties: An integrated literature review.

PubMed

Anderson, Leanne; Wilson, Jessie; Williams, Gary

2017-04-01

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) demonstrate limited participation in daily occupations which negatively impacts their physical and psycho-social wellbeing. The CO-OP approach is strongly supported within the literature as an effective treatment for DCD when delivered as a one-on-one therapy. Group interventions have proven to be effective in increasing self-esteem, decreasing feelings of isolation and are a cost effective way of delivering therapy. The purpose of this review was to explore the evidence for the use of the CO-OP approach in a group format for children with motor coordination difficulties. Searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Proquest, PsycINFO, ERIC and OTDBase, were conducted from 2000 through until September 30, 2015. Articles included were in English, peer reviewed articles, followed principals of CO-OP and were delivered through a group therapy approach. All articles were critically reviewed and thematically analysed. 192 studies were retrieved with a final number of six articles included in the review. Six themes were highlighted: achieving a new level of perceived competence; feeling a sense of belonging; children learning how the condition affected them and strategies to overcome these challenges; careful formation of intervention groups; the value of following the CO-OP protocols; and the significance of parental involvement. The findings of this review suggest that the CO-OP approach, when administered in a group format, has the potential to benefit children living with motor coordination difficulties in both physical and psycho-social domains. More research is required to confirm these findings and contribute to evidence-based practice. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

DoOP: Databases of Orthologous Promoters, collections of clusters of orthologous upstream sequences from chordates and plants

PubMed Central

Barta, Endre; Sebestyén, Endre; Pálfy, Tamás B.; Tóth, Gábor; Ortutay, Csaba P.; Patthy, László

2005-01-01

DoOP (http://doop.abc.hu/) is a database of eukaryotic promoter sequences (upstream regions) aiming to facilitate the recognition of regulatory sites conserved between species. The annotated first exons of human and Arabidopsis thaliana genes were used as queries in BLAST searches to collect the most closely related orthologous first exon sequences from Chordata and Viridiplantae species. Up to 3000 bp DNA segments upstream from these first exons constitute the clusters in the chordate and plant sections of the Database of Orthologous Promoters. Release 1.0 of DoOP contains 21 061 chordate clusters from 284 different species and 7548 plant clusters from 269 different species. The database can be used to find and retrieve promoter sequences of a given gene from various species and it is also suitable to see the most trivial conserved sequence blocks in the orthologous upstream regions. Users can search DoOP with either sequence or text (annotation) to find promoter clusters of various genes. In addition to the sequence data, the positions of the conserved sequence blocks derived from multiple alignments, the positions of repetitive elements and the positions of transcription start sites known from the Eukaryotic Promoter Database (EPD) can be viewed graphically. PMID:15608291

DoOP: Databases of Orthologous Promoters, collections of clusters of orthologous upstream sequences from chordates and plants.

PubMed

Barta, Endre; Sebestyén, Endre; Pálfy, Tamás B; Tóth, Gábor; Ortutay, Csaba P; Patthy, László

2005-01-01

DoOP (http://doop.abc.hu/) is a database of eukaryotic promoter sequences (upstream regions) aiming to facilitate the recognition of regulatory sites conserved between species. The annotated first exons of human and Arabidopsis thaliana genes were used as queries in BLAST searches to collect the most closely related orthologous first exon sequences from Chordata and Viridiplantae species. Up to 3000 bp DNA segments upstream from these first exons constitute the clusters in the chordate and plant sections of the Database of Orthologous Promoters. Release 1.0 of DoOP contains 21,061 chordate clusters from 284 different species and 7548 plant clusters from 269 different species. The database can be used to find and retrieve promoter sequences of a given gene from various species and it is also suitable to see the most trivial conserved sequence blocks in the orthologous upstream regions. Users can search DoOP with either sequence or text (annotation) to find promoter clusters of various genes. In addition to the sequence data, the positions of the conserved sequence blocks derived from multiple alignments, the positions of repetitive elements and the positions of transcription start sites known from the Eukaryotic Promoter Database (EPD) can be viewed graphically.

NASA KSC/AFRL Reusable Booster System (RBS) Concept of Operations (ConOps)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeno, Dnany; Mosteller, Ted; McCleskey, Carey; Jhnson, Robert; Hopkins, Jason; Miller, Thomas

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the study and findings of the study on the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for Reusable Booster System (RBS) centering on rapid turnaround and launch of a two-stage partially reusable payload delivery system (i.e., 8 hours between launches). The study was to develop rapid ground processing (aircraft like concepts) and identify areas for follow-on study, technology needs, and proof-of-concept demonstrations.

Linking School-Based and Work-Based Learning: The Implications of LaGuardia's Co-op Seminars for School-to-Work Programs. Technical Assistance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubb, W. Norton; Badway, Norena

Co-op seminars are a key component of the cooperative education (CE) program at LaGuardia Community College in New York City. All LaGuardia students must enroll in CE and attend a series of co-op seminars that raise general issues about work, occupations in general, and the competencies required on the job. The seminars serve as a form of career…

Cardiovascular risk assessment in elderly adults using SCORE OP model in a Latin American population: The experience from Ecuador.

PubMed

Sisa, Ivan

2018-02-09

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is predicted to increase in Latin America countries due to their rapidly aging population. However, there is very little information about CVD risk assessment as a primary preventive measure in this high-risk population. We predicted the national risk of developing CVD in Ecuadorian elderly population using the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation in Older Persons (SCORE OP) High and Low models by risk categories/CVD risk region in 2009. Data on national cardiovascular risk factors were obtained from the Encuesta sobre Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento. We computed the predicted 5-year risk of CVD risk and compared the extent of agreement and reclassification in stratifying high-risk individuals between SCORE OP High and Low models. Analyses were done by risk categories, CVD risk region, and sex. In 2009, based on SCORE OP Low model almost 42% of elderly adults living in Ecuador were at high risk of suffering CVD over a 5-year period. The extent of agreement between SCORE OP High and Low risk prediction models was moderate (Cohen's kappa test of 0.5), 34% of individuals approximately were reclassified into different risk categories and a third of the population would benefit from a pharmacologic intervention to reduce the CVD risk. Forty-two percent of elderly Ecuadorians were at high risk of suffering CVD over a 5-year period, indicating an urgent need to tailor primary preventive measures for this vulnerable and high-risk population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Co-op Essay - Tour 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, Derrick

2014-01-01

The Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) is responsible for the training, planning and performance of all U.S. manned operations in space. Within this directorate all responsibilities are divided up into divisions. The EVA, Robotics & Crew Systems Operations Division performs ground operations and trains astronauts to carry out some of the more "high action" procedures in space. For example they orchestrate procedures like EVAs, or ExtraVehicular Activities (spacewalks), and robotics operations external to the International Space Station (ISS). The robotics branch of this division is responsible for the use of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS). This system is a combination of two robotic mechanisms and a series of equipment used to transport them on the ISS. The MSS is used to capture and position visiting vehicles, transport astronauts during EVAs, and perform external maintenance tasks on the ISS. This branch consists of two groups which are responsible for crew training and flight controlling, respectively. My first co-op tour took place Fall 2013. During this time I was given the opportunity to work in the robotics operations branch of the Mission Operations Directorate at NASA's Johnson Space Center. I was given a variety of tasks that encompassed, at a base level, all the aspects of the branch.

MUSICA MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} pair retrieval simulations for validating tropospheric moisture pathways in atmospheric models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Matthias; Borger, Christian; Wiegele, Andreas; Hase, Frank; García, Omaira E.; Sepúlveda, Eliezer; Werner, Martin

2017-02-01

The project MUSICA (MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water) has shown that the sensor IASI aboard the satellite MetOp can measure the free tropospheric {H2O,δD} pair distribution twice per day on a quasi-global scale. Such data are very promising for investigating tropospheric moisture pathways, however, the complex data characteristics compromise their usage in the context of model evaluation studies. Here we present a tool that allows for simulating MUSICA MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} pair remote sensing data for a given model atmosphere, thereby creating model data that have the remote sensing data characteristics assimilated. This model data can then be compared to the MUSICA data. The retrieval simulation method is based on the physical principles of radiative transfer and we show that the uncertainty of the simulations is within the uncertainty of the MUSICA MetOp/IASI products, i.e. the retrieval simulations are reliable enough. We demonstrate the working principle of the simulator by applying it to ECHAM5-wiso model data. The few case studies clearly reveal the large potential of the MUSICA MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} data pairs for evaluating modelled moisture pathways. The tool is made freely available in form of MATLAB and Python routines and can be easily connected to any atmospheric water vapour isotopologue model.

Generation and Evaluation of PEGylated Recombinant Human Acetylcholinesterase as an Optimal OP-Bioscavenger

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-27

intramuscularly and then monitored at various time points for body weight and temperature, blood glucose levels, blood biochemistry and hematology. No...means for therapeutic treatment of OP compound poisoning without exerting any deleterious effect on the treated subjects...R.P., Castro, C.A., Finger, A.V. and Lenz, D.E. (1991). Protection by butyrylcholinesterase against organophosphorus poisoning in nonhuman primates

Looking at Op Art from a computational viewpoint.

PubMed

Zanker, Johannes M

2004-01-01

Arts history tells an exciting story about repeated attempts to represent features that are crucial for the understanding of our environment and which, at the same time, go beyond the inherently two-dimensional nature of a flat painting surface: depth and motion. In the twentieth century, Op artists such as Bridget Riley began to experiment with simple black and white patterns that do not represent motion in an artistic way but actually create vivid dynamic illusions in static pictures. The cause of motion illusions in such paintings is still a matter of debate. The role of involuntary eye movements in this phenomenon is studied here with a computational approach. The possible consequences of shifting the retinal image of synthetic wave gratings, dubbed as 'riloids', were analysed by a two-dimensional array of motion detectors (2DMD model), which generates response maps representing the spatial distribution of motion signals generated by such a stimulus. For a two-frame sequence reflecting a saccadic displacement, these motion signal maps contain extended patches in which local directions change only little. These directions, however, do not usually precisely correspond to the direction of pattern displacement that can be expected from the geometry of the curved gratings as an instance of the so-called 'aperture problem'. The patchy structure of the simulated motion detector response to the displacement of riloids resembles the motion illusion, which is not perceived as a coherent shift of the whole pattern but as a wobbling and jazzing of ill-defined regions. Although other explanations are not excluded, this might support the view that the puzzle of Op Art motion illusions could potentially have an almost trivial solution in terms of small involuntary eye movement leading to image shifts that are picked up by well-known motion detectors in the early visual system. This view can have further consequences for our understanding of how the human visual system usually

Membrane transport of WAVE2 and lamellipodia formation require Pak1 that mediates phosphorylation and recruitment of stathmin/Op18 to Pak1-WAVE2-kinesin complex.

PubMed

Takahashi, Kazuhide; Suzuki, Katsuo

2009-05-01

Membrane transport of WAVE2 that leads to lamellipodia formation requires a small GTPase Rac1, the motor protein kinesin, and microtubules. Here we explore the possibility of whether the Rac1-dependent and kinesin-mediated WAVE2 transport along microtubules is regulated by a p21-activated kinase Pak as a downstream effector of Rac1. We find that Pak1 constitutively binds to WAVE2 and is transported with WAVE2 to the leading edge by stimulation with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Concomitantly, phosphorylation of tubulin-bound stathmin/Op18 at serine 25 (Ser25) and Ser38, microtubule growth, and stathmin/Op18 binding to kinesin-WAVE2 complex were induced. The HGF-induced WAVE2 transport, lamellipodia formation, stathmin/Op18 phosphorylation at Ser38 and binding to kinesin-WAVE2 complex, but not stathmin/Op18 phosphorylation at Ser25 and microtubule growth, were abrogated by Pak1 inhibitor IPA-3 and Pak1 depletion with small interfering RNA (siRNA). Moreover, stathmin/Op18 depletion with siRNA caused significant inhibition of HGF-induced WAVE2 transport and lamellipodia formation, with HGF-independent promotion of microtubule growth. Collectively, it is suggested that Pak1 plays a critical role in HGF-induced WAVE2 transport and lamellipodia formation by directing Pak1-WAVE2-kinesin complex toward the ends of growing microtubules through phosphorylation and recruitment of tubulin-bound stathmin/Op18 to the complex.

OP16, a novel ent-kaurene diterpenoid, potentiates the antitumor effect of rapamycin by inhibiting rapamycin-induced feedback activation of Akt signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Peng, Ke-Zheng; Ke, Yu; Zhao, Qi; Tian, Fei; Liu, Hong-Min; Hou, Guiqin; Lu, Zhaoming

2017-09-15

Hyperactivation of mTOR signaling pathway has been viewed as a significant molecular pathogenesis of cancer. However, inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin and its analogs could induce numerous negative feedback loops to attenuate their therapeutic efficacy. As a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Rabdosia rubescens has been used to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) for hundreds of years, and its major effective component is oridonin. Here we reported that OP16, a novel analog of oridonin, showed potent inhibition of cell proliferation and Akt phosphorylation in ESCC cells. The combination of OP16 and rapamycin possesses synergistic anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects both in ESCC cells and ESCC xenografts, and no obvious adverse effect was observed in vivo. Mechanistic analysis revealed that OP16 could inhibit rapamycin-induced Akt activation through the p70S6K-mediated negative feedback loops, and the combination of OP16 and rapamycin was more effective in activating caspase-dependent apoptotic signaling cascade. This study supports the combined use of OP16 with rapamycin as a feasible and effective therapeutic approach for future treatment of ESCC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NASA's Participation in Joint SatOPS Compatibility Efforts 2009-2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Danford

2010-01-01

Many U.S. government organizations build or fly space systems: a) NASA, NOAA, Navy, Air Force, NRO, ORS. Others? b) Through the Joint SatOps Compatibility Committee (JSCC) we have increased the grass-roots interaction between many of these organizations. c) We all deal with many of the same challenges: More rapid deployments, lower budgets; Advancing technologies - frameworks, clouds, virtualization; Evolving concepts - automation, situational awareness, enterprise mngt. Standardization - formal or by common use. There is an inherently governmental role in creating the business case for contractors and commercial product vendors to move in directions beneficial to multiple government space organizations.

Lesion with morphologic feature of organizing pneumonia (OP) in CT-guided lung biopsy samples for diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP): a retrospective study of 134 cases in a single center.

PubMed

Miao, Liyun; Wang, Yongsheng; Li, Yan; Ding, Jingjing; Chen, Lulu; Dai, Jinghong; Cai, Hourong; Xiao, Yonglong; Cao, Min; Huang, Mei; Qiu, Yuying; Meng, Fanqing; Fan, Xiangshan; Zhang, Deping; Song, Yong

2014-09-01

Small biopsy samples are generally considered inconclusive for bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) diagnosis despite their potential to reveal organizing pneumonia (OP) pathologically, necessitating risky invasive tissue biopsy during surgery for reliable confirmation. OP by CT-guided lung biopsy was to evaluate the role in the diagnosis of BOOP. A retrospective review of 134 cases with the OP feature in the CT-guided lung biopsy samples between 2004 and 2011 at a single center was conducted. Diagnostic accuracy of OP by CT-guided lung biopsy and clinical-radiographic data alone were compared. After exclusion of 11 cases due to pathology with others besides OP and 15 cases for loss to follow-up, 108 were included. Of these, 95 cases and 13 cases were classified as BOOP and non-BOOP group, respectively. Among BOOP group, only 30 were initially diagnosed as BOOP according to the typical clinical and radiographic features. The other 65 cases with atypical features were diagnosed as BOOP mainly based on OP by CT-guided lung biopsy. Among non-BOOP group, one was misdiagnosed as BOOP, and others were not BOOP according to clinical and radiographic findings. Thus, OP by CT-guided lung biopsy produced a diagnostic accuracy of 87.96% (95/108), much higher than 31.25% (30/96) observed using clinical and radiographic data alone. Combined, these techniques produced diagnostic accuracy of 98.96% (95/96). OP by CT-guided lung biopsy can be effectively used as the pathological evidence for BOOP diagnosis and reducing unnecessary surgery.

Lesion with morphologic feature of organizing pneumonia (OP) in CT-guided lung biopsy samples for diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP): a retrospective study of 134 cases in a single center

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongsheng; Li, Yan; Ding, Jingjing; Chen, Lulu; Dai, Jinghong; Cai, Hourong; Xiao, Yonglong; Cao, Min; Huang, Mei; Qiu, Yuying; Meng, Fanqing; Fan, Xiangshan; Zhang, Deping

2014-01-01

Background Small biopsy samples are generally considered inconclusive for bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) diagnosis despite their potential to reveal organizing pneumonia (OP) pathologically, necessitating risky invasive tissue biopsy during surgery for reliable confirmation. Objective OP by CT-guided lung biopsy was to evaluate the role in the diagnosis of BOOP. Methods A retrospective review of 134 cases with the OP feature in the CT-guided lung biopsy samples between 2004 and 2011 at a single center was conducted. Diagnostic accuracy of OP by CT-guided lung biopsy and clinical-radiographic data alone were compared. Results After exclusion of 11 cases due to pathology with others besides OP and 15 cases for loss to follow-up, 108 were included. Of these, 95 cases and 13 cases were classified as BOOP and non-BOOP group, respectively. Among BOOP group, only 30 were initially diagnosed as BOOP according to the typical clinical and radiographic features. The other 65 cases with atypical features were diagnosed as BOOP mainly based on OP by CT-guided lung biopsy. Among non-BOOP group, one was misdiagnosed as BOOP, and others were not BOOP according to clinical and radiographic findings. Thus, OP by CT-guided lung biopsy produced a diagnostic accuracy of 87.96% (95/108), much higher than 31.25% (30/96) observed using clinical and radiographic data alone. Combined, these techniques produced diagnostic accuracy of 98.96% (95/96). Conclusions OP by CT-guided lung biopsy can be effectively used as the pathological evidence for BOOP diagnosis and reducing unnecessary surgery. PMID:25276367

Status of insecticide resistance in Culex pipiens field populations from north-eastern areas of Italy before the withdrawal of OP compounds.

PubMed

Toma, Luciano; Menegon, Michela; Romi, Roberto; De Matthaeis, Elvira; Montanari, Mario; Severini, Carlo

2011-01-01

Heavy and constant use of organophosphorus (OP) larvicides selected Culex pipiens L. resistant populations through two main mechanisms of genetic resistance, the increased activity of detoxifying esterase and the production of alterate acetylcholinesterase-1 (AChE1) by G119S mutation. The aim of this study was the assessment of the distribution of Cx. pipiens populations resistant to temephos and chlorpyrifos in the north-eastern regions of Italy and the occurrence of the insensitive AChE in these populations. Data describe the situation in the last years before European legislation prohibited the use of OP larvicides in mosquito control, up until 2007. For the first time a high level of OP resistance in the samples from Ravenna (182-fold, 80% A4/B4 or A5/B5 esterases and 38.3% Ester(5)), Emilia Romagna region, was detected; therefore, new data from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions were obtained and reinforced existing knowledge about resistance previously studied along the Adriatic coast. Nearby, in the Villa Verucchio locality, the highest (87.5%) AChE1R was found. Cx. pipiens resistance esterases A5/B5 and A4/B4 spread southward along the Adriatic coastal plain while OPs were being used in mosquito control, as confirmed by the first molecular screening of the AChE1 gene in these populations. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Organophosphorus (OP) Pesticide Degradation in the Presence of Chlorinated Oxidants: Kinetics, Modeling, and Structure-Activity Relationships

EPA Science Inventory

The rates and pathways for pesticide transformation during drinking water treatment are known for only a few pesticides and under limited conditions. The resulting oxons are more toxic than the parent pesticides. The transformation rates and pathways for chlorpyrifos, an OP pest...

Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps), Version 3.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Johnson, William C.; Scardina, John; Shay, Richard F.

2016-01-01

This document describes the goals, benefits, technologies, and procedures of the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1), and provides an update to the previous versions of the document [ref 1 and ref 2].

Behind the scenes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: the making of a health care co-op.

PubMed

Giaimo, Susan

2013-06-01

A primary goal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is to reduce the number of uninsured by making health insurance more affordable for small businesses and individuals. Toward that end, the PPACA encourages the creation of nonprofit, member-owned health insurance cooperatives to operate inside each state exchange. Co-ops face significant challenges in entering mature insurance markets, but they also possess unique characteristics that may help them survive and thrive. Using Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative in Wisconsin as a case study, this article traces the origins of co-ops in health care reform at national and state levels and analyzes the political and technical challenges and opportunities facing these organizations.

Structural Insights into the TLA-3 Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase and Its Inhibition by Avibactam and OP0595

PubMed Central

Jin, Wanchun; Yamaguchi, Yoshihiro; Kimura, Kouji; Kumar, Anupriya; Yamada, Mototsugu; Morinaka, Akihiro; Sakamaki, Yoshiaki; Yonezawa, Minoru; Kurosaki, Hiromasa; Arakawa, Yoshichika

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The development of effective inhibitors that block extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and restore the action of β-lactams represents an effective strategy against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of the diazabicyclooctanes avibactam and OP0595 against TLA-3, an ESBL that we identified previously. Avibactam and OP0595 inhibited TLA-3 with apparent inhibitor constants (Ki app) of 1.71 ± 0.10 and 1.49 ± 0.05 μM, respectively, and could restore susceptibility to cephalosporins in the TLA-3-producing Escherichia coli strain. The value of the second-order acylation rate constant (k2/K, where k2 is the acylation rate constant and K is the equilibrium constant) of avibactam [(3.25 ± 0.03) × 103 M−1 · s−1] was closer to that of class C and D β-lactamases (k2/K, <104 M−1 · s−1) than that of class A β-lactamases (k2/K, >104 M−1 · s−1). In addition, we determined the structure of TLA-3 and that of TLA-3 complexed with avibactam or OP0595 at resolutions of 1.6, 1.6, and 2.0 Å, respectively. TLA-3 contains an inverted Ω loop and an extended loop between the β5 and β6 strands (insertion after Ser237), which appear only in PER-type class A β-lactamases. These structures might favor the accommodation of cephalosporins harboring bulky R1 side chains. TLA-3 presented a high catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) against cephalosporins, including cephalothin, cefuroxime, and cefotaxime. Avibactam and OP0595 bound covalently to TLA-3 via the Ser70 residue and made contacts with residues Ser130, Thr235, and Ser237, which are conserved in ESBLs. Additionally, the sulfate group of the inhibitors formed polar contacts with amino acid residues in a positively charged pocket of TLA-3. Our findings provide a structural template for designing improved diazabicyclooctane-based inhibitors that are effective against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. PMID:28739781

Consequences of the Introduction of Insensitive Munitions on Safety, Collateral Damage and Operations (consequenties van de invoering van mkm-munitie op veiligheid, gevolgschade en (internationaal) opereren

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

van de werkzaamheden In dit rapport worden de gevolgen van initiatie van munitie door een ongewilde externe stimulus beschouwd aan de hand van reele...operationele scenario’s. Dit wordt vergeleken met de gevolgen in dezelfde scenario’s, waarin gebruik is gemaakt van Minder Kwetsbare Munitie (MKM). Naast...de historie van MKM wordt uitgelegd wat Inleiding of terroristische activiteiten, maar ook door MKM is. Vervolgens worden de gevolgen Munitie en de

Charge carrier mobility and electronic properties of Al(Op)3: impact of excimer formation

PubMed Central

Friederich, Pascal; Schäfer, Bernhard; Fattori, Valeria; Sun, Xiangnan; Strunk, Timo; Meded, Velimir; Hueso, Luis E; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Ruben, Mario

2015-01-01

Summary We have studied the electronic properties and the charge carrier mobility of the organic semiconductor tris(1-oxo-1H-phenalen-9-olate)aluminium(III) (Al(Op)3) both experimentally and theoretically. We experimentally estimated the HOMO and LUMO energy levels to be −5.93 and −3.26 eV, respectively, which were close to the corresponding calculated values. Al(Op)3 was successfully evaporated onto quartz substrates and was clearly identified in the absorption spectra of both the solution and the thin film. A structured steady state fluorescence emission was detected in solution, whereas a broad, red-shifted emission was observed in the thin film. This indicates the formation of excimers in the solid state, which is crucial for the transport properties. The incorporation of Al(Op)3 into organic thin film transistors (TFTs) was performed in order to measure the charge carrier mobility. The experimental setup detected no electron mobility, while a hole mobility between 0.6 × 10−6 and 2.1 × 10−6 cm2·V−1·s−1 was measured. Theoretical simulations, on the other hand, predicted an electron mobility of 9.5 × 10−6 cm2·V−1·s−1 and a hole mobility of 1.4 × 10−4 cm2·V−1·s−1. The theoretical simulation for the hole mobility predicted an approximately one order of magnitude higher hole mobility than was observed in the experiment, which is considered to be in good agreement. The result for the electron mobility was, on the other hand, unexpected, as both the calculated electron mobility and chemical common sense (based on the capability of extended aromatic structures to efficiently accept and delocalize additional electrons) suggest more robust electron charge transport properties. This discrepancy is explained by the excimer formation, whose inclusion in the multiscale simulation workflow is expected to bring the theoretical simulation and experiment into agreement. PMID:26171287

75 FR 81612 - The Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Advisory Board; Office of Consumer Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

... Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Advisory Board; Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight... and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) on the Department's strategy to foster the creation of qualified... and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) on the Department's strategy to foster the creation of qualified...

Process characteristics and design methods for a 300 deg quad OP amp

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beasom, J. D.; Patterson, R. B., III

1981-01-01

The results of process characterization, circuit design, and reliability studies for the development of a quad OP amplifier intended for use up to 300 C are presented. A dielectrically isolated complementary vertical bipolar process was chosen to fabricate the amplifier in order to eliminate isolation leakage and the possibility of latch up. Characterization of NPN and PNP junctions showed them to be suitable for use up to 300 C. Interconnect reliability was predicted to be greater than four years mean time between failure. Parasitic MOS formation was eliminated by isolation of each device.

Comparative pulsation calculations with OP and OPAL opacities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanbur, Shashi M.; Simon, Norman R.

1994-01-01

Comparative linear nonadiabatic pulsation calculations are presented using the OPAL and Opacity Project opacities. The two sets of opacities include effects due to intermediate coupling and fine structure as well as new abundances. We used two mass luminosity (M-L) relations, one standard (BIT), and one employing substantial convective core overshoot (COV). The two sets of opacities cannot be differentiated on the basis of the stellar pulsation calculations presented here. The BIT relation can model the beat and bump Cepheids with masses between 4 and 7 solar mass, while if the overshoot relation is used, masses between 2 and 6 solar mass are required. In the RR Lyrae regime, we find the inferred masses of globular cluster RRd stars to be little influenced by the choice of OPAL or OP. Finally, the limited modeling we have done is not able to constrain the Cepheid M-L relation based upon period ratios observed in the beat and bump stars.

Synergistic effect of mixed neutron and gamma irradiation in bipolar operational amplifier OP07

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Liu; Wei, Chen; Shanchao, Yang; Xiaoming, Jin; Chaohui, He

2016-09-01

This paper presents the synergistic effects in bipolar operational amplifier OP07. The radiation effects are studied by neutron beam, gamma ray, and mixed neutron/gamma ray environments. The characterateristics of the synergistic effects are studied through comparison of different experiment results. The results show that the bipolar operational amplifier OP07 exhibited significant synergistic effects in the mixed neutron and gamma irradiation. The bipolar transistor is identified as the most radiation sensitive unit of the operational amplifier. In this paper, a series of simulations are performed on bipolar transistors in different radiation environments. In the theoretical simulation, the geometric model and calculations based on the Medici toolkit are built to study the radiation effects in bipolar components. The effect of mixed neutron and gamma irradiation is simulated based on the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of radiation effects in bipolar transistors. The simulated results agree well with the experimental data. The results of the experiments and simulation indicate that the radiation effects in the bipolar devices subjected to mixed neutron and gamma environments is not a simple combination of total ionizing dose (TID) effects and displacement damage. The data suggests that the TID effect could enhance the displacement damage. The synergistic effect should not be neglected in complex radiation environments.

Advanced Technologies for Robotic Exploration Leading to Human Exploration: Results from the SpaceOps 2015 Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lupisella, Mark L.; Mueller, Thomas

2016-01-01

This paper will provide a summary and analysis of the SpaceOps 2015 Workshop all-day session on "Advanced Technologies for Robotic Exploration, Leading to Human Exploration", held at Fucino Space Center, Italy on June 12th, 2015. The session was primarily intended to explore how robotic missions and robotics technologies more generally can help lead to human exploration missions. The session included a wide range of presentations that were roughly grouped into (1) broader background, conceptual, and high-level operations concepts presentations such as the International Space Exploration Coordination Group Roadmap, followed by (2) more detailed narrower presentations such as rover autonomy and communications. The broader presentations helped to provide context and specific technical hooks, and helped lay a foundation for the narrower presentations on more specific challenges and technologies, as well as for the discussion that followed. The discussion that followed the presentations touched on key questions, themes, actions and potential international collaboration opportunities. Some of the themes that were touched on were (1) multi-agent systems, (2) decentralized command and control, (3) autonomy, (4) low-latency teleoperations, (5) science operations, (6) communications, (7) technology pull vs. technology push, and (8) the roles and challenges of operations in early human architecture and mission concept formulation. A number of potential action items resulted from the workshop session, including: (1) using CCSDS as a further collaboration mechanism for human mission operations, (2) making further contact with subject matter experts, (3) initiating informal collaborative efforts to allow for rapid and efficient implementation, and (4) exploring how SpaceOps can support collaboration and information exchange with human exploration efforts. This paper will summarize the session and provide an overview of the above subjects as they emerged from the SpaceOps 2015

The Melwood Manual: A Planning and Operations Manual for Horticultural Training and Work Co-op Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melwood Horticultural Training Center, Inc., Upper Marlboro, MD.

This manual is intended as a resource for anyone involved in planning, developing, and/or operating a horticultural training or work co-op program for the handicapped. Following an introductory chapter, the manual is divided into three parts with the greatest weight given to the second part. Part I elaborates on development of the horticulture…

Development Of VHF (240-270 MHz) Antennas For SoOp (Signal Of Opportunity) Receiver For 6u Cubesat Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joseph, A. T.; Deshpande, M.; O'Neill, P. E.; Miles, L.

2016-01-01

The main goal of this research is to design, fabricate, and test deployable VHF antennas for 6U Cubesat platforms to enable validation of root zone soil moisture (RZSM) estimation algorithms for signal of opportunity (SoOp) remote sensing over the 240-270 MHz frequency band. The proposed work provides a strong foundation for establishing a technology development path for maturing a truly global direct surface soil moisture (SM) and RZSM measurement system (Figure 1) over a variety of land covers with limited density restrictions. In SoOp methodology, signals transmitted by already existing transmitters (known as transmitters of opportunity, in this case the Military Satellite Communication (MilSatCom) System's UHF Follow-On program) are utilized to measure properties of reflecting targets by recording reflected signals using a simple passive microwave receiver.

Structural Insights into the TLA-3 Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase and Its Inhibition by Avibactam and OP0595.

PubMed

Jin, Wanchun; Wachino, Jun-Ichi; Yamaguchi, Yoshihiro; Kimura, Kouji; Kumar, Anupriya; Yamada, Mototsugu; Morinaka, Akihiro; Sakamaki, Yoshiaki; Yonezawa, Minoru; Kurosaki, Hiromasa; Arakawa, Yoshichika

2017-10-01

The development of effective inhibitors that block extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and restore the action of β-lactams represents an effective strategy against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae We evaluated the inhibitory effects of the diazabicyclooctanes avibactam and OP0595 against TLA-3, an ESBL that we identified previously. Avibactam and OP0595 inhibited TLA-3 with apparent inhibitor constants ( K i app ) of 1.71 ± 0.10 and 1.49 ± 0.05 μM, respectively, and could restore susceptibility to cephalosporins in the TLA-3-producing Escherichia coli strain. The value of the second-order acylation rate constant ( k 2 / K , where k 2 is the acylation rate constant and K is the equilibrium constant) of avibactam [(3.25 ± 0.03) × 10 3 M -1 · s -1 ] was closer to that of class C and D β-lactamases ( k 2 / K , <10 4 M -1 · s -1 ) than that of class A β-lactamases ( k 2 / K , >10 4 M -1 · s -1 ). In addition, we determined the structure of TLA-3 and that of TLA-3 complexed with avibactam or OP0595 at resolutions of 1.6, 1.6, and 2.0 Å, respectively. TLA-3 contains an inverted Ω loop and an extended loop between the β5 and β6 strands (insertion after Ser237), which appear only in PER-type class A β-lactamases. These structures might favor the accommodation of cephalosporins harboring bulky R1 side chains. TLA-3 presented a high catalytic efficiency ( k cat / K m ) against cephalosporins, including cephalothin, cefuroxime, and cefotaxime. Avibactam and OP0595 bound covalently to TLA-3 via the Ser70 residue and made contacts with residues Ser130, Thr235, and Ser237, which are conserved in ESBLs. Additionally, the sulfate group of the inhibitors formed polar contacts with amino acid residues in a positively charged pocket of TLA-3. Our findings provide a structural template for designing improved diazabicyclooctane-based inhibitors that are effective against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae . Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Brighter Bites: A Food Co-Op to Increase Access to Fruits and Vegetables and Nutrition Education among Low-income Children and Their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Shreela V.; Chow, Joanne; Pomeroy, Michael; Raber, Margaret; Salako, David; Markham, Christine

2017-01-01

Background: Food co-op models have gained popularity as a mechanism for offering affordable, quality produce. We describe the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from implementation of a school-based program using a food co-op model combined with nutrition education to improve access to and intake of fresh fruits and vegetables among…

Partial genome assembly for a candidate division OP11 single cell from an anoxic spring (Zodletone Spring, Oklahoma).

PubMed

Youssef, Noha H; Blainey, Paul C; Quake, Stephen R; Elshahed, Mostafa S

2011-11-01

Members of candidate division OP11 are widely distributed in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, yet little information regarding their metabolic capabilities and ecological role within such habitats is currently available. Here, we report on the microfluidic isolation, multiple-displacement-amplification, pyrosequencing, and genomic analysis of a single cell (ZG1) belonging to candidate division OP11. Genome analysis of the ∼270-kb partial genome assembly obtained showed that it had no particular similarity to a specific phylum. Four hundred twenty-three open reading frames were identified, 46% of which had no function prediction. In-depth analysis revealed a heterotrophic lifestyle, with genes encoding endoglucanase, amylopullulanase, and laccase enzymes, suggesting a capacity for utilization of cellulose, starch, and, potentially, lignin, respectively. Genes encoding several glycolysis enzymes as well as formate utilization were identified, but no evidence for an electron transport chain was found. The presence of genes encoding various components of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis indicates a Gram-negative bacterial cell wall. The partial genome also provides evidence for antibiotic resistance (β-lactamase, aminoglycoside phosphotransferase), as well as antibiotic production (bacteriocin) and extracellular bactericidal peptidases. Multiple mechanisms for stress response were identified, as were elements of type I and type IV secretion systems. Finally, housekeeping genes identified within the partial genome were used to demonstrate the OP11 affiliation of multiple hitherto unclassified genomic fragments from multiple database-deposited metagenomic data sets. These results provide the first glimpse into the lifestyle of a member of a ubiquitous, yet poorly understood bacterial candidate division.

Flight Deck Surface Trajectory-based Operations (STBO): Results of Piloted Simulations and Implications for Concepts of Operation (ConOps)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foyle, David C.; Hooey, Becky L.; Bakowski, Deborah L.

2013-01-01

The results offour piloted medium-fidelity simulations investigating flight deck surface trajectory-based operations (STBO) will be reviewed. In these flight deck STBO simulations, commercial transport pilots were given taxi clearances with time and/or speed components and required to taxi to the departing runway or an intermediate traffic intersection. Under a variety of concept of operations (ConOps) and flight deck information conditions, pilots' ability to taxi in compliance with the required time of arrival (RTA) at the designated airport location was measured. ConOps and flight deck information conditions explored included: Availability of taxi clearance speed and elapsed time information; Intermediate RTAs at intermediate time constraint points (e.g., intersection traffic flow points); STBO taxi clearances via ATC voice speed commands or datal ink; and, Availability of flight deck display algorithms to reduce STBO RTA error. Flight Deck Implications. Pilot RTA conformance for STBO clearances, in the form of ATC taxi clearances with associated speed requirements, was found to be relatively poor, unless the pilot is required to follow a precise speed and acceleration/deceleration profile. However, following such a precise speed profile results in inordinate head-down tracking of current ground speed, leading to potentially unsafe operations. Mitigating these results, and providing good taxi RTA performance without the associated safety issues, is a flight deck avionics or electronic flight bag (EFB) solution. Such a solution enables pilots to meet the taxi route RTA without moment-by-moment tracking of ground speed. An avionics or EFB "error-nulling" algorithm allows the pilot to view the STBO information when the pilot determines it is necessary and when workload alloys, thus enabling the pilot to spread his/her attention appropriately and strategically on aircraft separation airport navigation, and the many other flight deck tasks concurrently required

Whole brain radiotherapy plus stereotactic radiosurgery (WBRT+SRS) versus surgery plus whole brain radiotherapy (OP+WBRT) for 1-3 brain metastases: results of a matched pair analysis.

PubMed

Rades, Dirk; Kueter, Jan-Dirk; Veninga, Theo; Gliemroth, Jan; Schild, Steven E

2009-02-01

This study is the first one to compare WBRT+SRS to OP+WBRT for 1-3 brain metastases. Survival (OS), intracerebral control (IC) and local control (LC) of the treated metastases were retrospectively evaluated in 52 patients undergoing WBRT+SRS and in 52 patients undergoing OP+WBRT. Both groups were matched for WBRT schedule, age, gender, performance status, tumour, number of brain metastases, extracerebral metastases, RPA class and interval from tumour diagnosis to WBRT. One-year OS was 56% after WBRT+SRS and 47% after OP+WBRT (p=0.034). One-year IC was 66% and 50% (p=0.003). One-year LC was 82% and 66% (p=0.006). On multivariate analyses, it was found that improved OS was associated with younger age (p=0.044), no extracerebral metastases (p<0.001), RPA class 1 (p<0.001) and longer interval from tumour diagnosis to WBRT (p=0.001). IC was associated with younger age (p=0.002) and longer interval (p=0.004); WBRT+SRS achieved borderline significance (p=0.052). Improved LC was associated with longer interval (p=0.017); WBRT+SRS showed a trend (p=0.09). WBRT+SRS appears at least as effective as OP+WBRT.

Supporting Collaborative Model and Data Service Development and Deployment with DevOps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, O.

2016-12-01

Adopting DevOps practices for model service development and deployment enables a community to engage in service-oriented modeling and data management. The Cloud Services Integration Platform (CSIP) developed the last 5 years at Colorado State University provides for collaborative integration of environmental models into scalable model and data services as a micro-services platform with API and deployment infrastructure. Originally developed to support USDA natural resource applications, it proved suitable for a wider range of applications in the environmental modeling domain. While extending its scope and visibility it became apparent community integration and adequate work flow support through the full model development and application cycle drove successful outcomes.DevOps provide best practices, tools, and organizational structures to optimize the transition from model service development to deployment by minimizing the (i) operational burden and (ii) turnaround time for modelers. We have developed and implemented a methodology to fully automate a suite of applications for application lifecycle management, version control, continuous integration, container management, and container scaling to enable model and data service developers in various institutions to collaboratively build, run, deploy, test, and scale services within minutes.To date more than 160 model and data services are available for applications in hydrology (PRMS, Hydrotools, CFA, ESP), water and wind erosion prediction (WEPP, WEPS, RUSLE2), soil quality trends (SCI, STIR), water quality analysis (SWAT-CP, WQM, CFA, AgES-W), stream degradation assessment (SWAT-DEG), hydraulics (cross-section), and grazing management (GRAS). In addition, supporting data services include soil (SSURGO), ecological site (ESIS), climate (CLIGEN, WINDGEN), land management and crop rotations (LMOD), and pesticides (WQM), developed using this workflow automation and decentralized governance.

Implementation of an integrated op-amp based chaotic neuron model and observation of its chaotic dynamics

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

Jung, Jinwoo; Lee, Jewon; Song, Hanjung

2011-03-15

This paper presents a fully integrated circuit implementation of an operational amplifier (op-amp) based chaotic neuron model with a bipolar output function, experimental measurements, and analyses of its chaotic behavior. The proposed chaotic neuron model integrated circuit consists of several op-amps, sample and hold circuits, a nonlinear function block for chaotic signal generation, a clock generator, a nonlinear output function, etc. Based on the HSPICE (circuit program) simulation results, approximated empirical equations for analyses were formulated. Then, the chaotic dynamical responses such as bifurcation diagrams, time series, and Lyapunov exponent were calculated using these empirical equations. In addition, we performedmore » simulations about two chaotic neuron systems with four synapses to confirm neural network connections and got normal behavior of the chaotic neuron such as internal state bifurcation diagram according to the synaptic weight variation. The proposed circuit was fabricated using a 0.8-{mu}m single poly complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology. Measurements of the fabricated single chaotic neuron with {+-}2.5 V power supplies and a 10 kHz sampling clock frequency were carried out and compared with the simulated results.« less

Prospective study of cost of care at multidisciplinary ALS centers adhering to American Academy of Neurology (AAN) ALS practice parameters.

PubMed

Boylan, Kevin; Levine, Todd; Lomen-Hoerth, Catherine; Lyon, Mary; Maginnis, Kimberly; Callas, Peter; Gaspari, Celeste; Tandan, Rup

2015-01-01

Multidisciplinary care in ALS is associated with longer survival, improved quality of life, and reduced hospital admissions, but there are no published data on institutional costs associated with multidisciplinary ALS care at U.S. centers. We prospectively examined institutional costs, adherence to AAN Practice Parameters and patient satisfaction in multidisciplinary ALS clinics at 18 U.S. ALS centers. Centers reported patient volumes; direct costs for staff salary/benefits, supplies and equipment; and institutional non-salary and overhead costs over a three-month period. In 1117 patients seen during this period, mean age was 61.5 years (range 25-91 years), 56% were male, and mean ALSFRS-R score was 29. Mean total salary/benefit cost per clinic day for all providers was $2964 (range $1692-$5236 across centers). Mean salary/benefit cost per patient per clinic was $507 (range $258-$806 across centers). Differences among centers in reporting non-salary costs prevented meaningful analysis. Practice parameter adherence and patient satisfaction were high. This prospective collaborative study demonstrates the direct financial burden of evidence-based multidisciplinary ALS care in the U.S.; more refined non-salary and overhead cost data are needed to evaluate the full cost impact of care. These data may be useful in supporting evidence-based models of patient centered care for ALS.

Taking climate change seriously: An analysis of op-ed articles in Spanish press.

PubMed

Domínguez, Martí; Lafita, Íngrid; Mateu, Anna

2017-10-01

In this article, we study the evolution of opinion genres regarding climate change in three Spanish newspapers ( El País, El Mundo, and ABC). Analyzing the op-ed articles in these newspapers, we observe a significant change in the evolution of opinion. While denialism was very present in conservative press in 2007, 7 years later it is almost absent from El Mundo, and its presence in ABC is much lower and inactive: this shows that scientific consensus has prevailed over time and Spanish denialism has weakened, exclusively supported by political arguments by the most conservative parties.

76 FR 17653 - Public Meeting of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Advisory Board, April 15, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-30

...] Public Meeting of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Advisory Board, April 15, 2011 AGENCY... of the Department of Health and Human Services' through CCIIO strategy to foster the creation of... Oversight (CCIIO) on the Department's strategy to foster the creation of qualified consumer-operated...

The astrophysical S-factor of the direct 18O(p, γ)19F capture by the ANC method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burjan, V.; Hons, Z.; Kroha, V.; Mrázek, J.; Piskoř, Š.; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.; Trache, L.; Tribble, R. E.; La Cognata, M.; Lamia, L.; Pizzone, G. R.; Romano, S.; Spitaleri, C.; Tumino, A.

2018-01-01

We attempted to determine the astrophysical S-factor of the direct part of the 18O(p, γ)19F capture by the indirect method of asymptotic normalization coefficients (ANC). We measured the differential cross section of the transfer reaction 18O(3He, d)19F at a 3He energy of 24.6 MeV. The measurement was realized on the cyclotron of the NPI in Řež, Czech Republic, with the gas target consisting of the high purity 18O (99.9 %). The reaction products were measured by eight ΔE-E telescopes composed from thin and thick silicon surface-barrier detectors. The parameters of the optical model for the input channel were deduced by means of the code ECIS and the analysis of transfer reactions to 12 levels of the 19F nucleus up to 8.014 MeV was made by the code FRESCO. The deduced ANCs were then used to specify the direct contribution to the 18O(p, γ)19F capture process and were compared with the mutually different results of two works.

Effect of open pulled straw (OPS) vitrification on the fertilisation rate and developmental competence of porcine oocytes.

PubMed

Varga, Erika; Gardón, J C; Papp, Agnes Bali

2006-03-01

Freezing technologies are very important to preserve gametes and embryos of animals with a good pedigree or those having high genetic value. The aim of this work was to compare immature and in vitro matured porcine oocytes regarding their morphology and ability to be fertilised after vitrification by the open pulled straw (OPS) method. In four experiments 830 oocytes were examined. To investigate the effect of cumulus cells on oocyte survival after OPS vitrification, both denuded and cumulus-enclosed oocytes were vitrified at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, then after vitrification they were matured in vitro. Besides, in vitro matured oocytes surrounded with a cumulus and those without a cumulus were also vitrified. The survival of oocytes was evaluated by their morphology. After in vitro fertilisation the rates of oocytes penetrated by spermatozoa were compared. Our results suggest that the vitrification/warming procedure is the most effective in cumulus-enclosed oocytes (22.35 +/- 1.75%). There was no difference between the order of maturation and vitrification in cumulus-enclosed oocytes, which suggests the importance of cumulus cells in protecting the viability of oocytes during cryopreservation.

'Welzijn op Recept' (Social Prescribing): a helping hand in re-establishing social contacts - an explorative qualitative study.

PubMed

Heijnders, Miriam L; Meijs, J J

2018-05-01

'Welzijn op Recept' is an intervention in which primary care providers refer patients with psychosocial problems to a community well-being organisation. Welzijn op Recept has been helping participants in the town of Nieuwegein, the Netherlands for more than three years. An impact study was carried out from September to December 2014. The qualitative study aimed to determine what happens in the chain of the social prescription and what changes the participant experiences in terms of social participation. The participants in this study were selected by the well-being coaches. A total of 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. This study has shown that the participants had confidence in their referral to the community well-being organisation. The well-being coaches constitute a link between primary care providers, patients and the community well-being organisation. Participants have explicitly indicated that they experienced an increase in their own strength, self-confidence, self-reliance and the number of social contacts, and stated that they are experiencing better health. A point of special interest in the current programme is the planning of structured follow-up interviews after starting up an activity.

Changes in the Seasonal Cycle of δ18Op at Barrow, AK, US Between 1962 and 2013 Reflect the Importance of Proximal Sea Ice Coverage for Coastal Arctic Hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putman, A.; Feng, X.; Posmentier, E. S.; Bowen, G. J.

2017-12-01

The Arctic is sensitive to climate change, exhibiting increases in sea surface temperatures, coupled with decreased sea ice cover. The potential for increased local evaporative flux may affect the Arctic hydrologic cycle in two ways. The first is the direct effect of increased local vapor supply, which is supported by studies using isotope-enabled atmospheric circulation models. The second is an indirect effect via warming of Arctic associated with decreased sea ice cover. Changes in temperature gradient between the mid-latitudes and Arctic may affect circulation and thus meridional vapor flux. The isotopic observations combined with moisture source conditions may help disentangle the direct and indirect effects of sea ice change on Arctic hydrology and climate. We use two precipitation δ18O datasets, from 1962-1969 and 2009-2013, to investigate the hydrological response to sea ice cover changes on the seasonal scale at Barrow, AK, US, where strong seasonal variability and multi-decadal decrease in local summer/fall sea ice coverage are well documented. Previous research has shown that the vapor supplying June through November precipitation at Barrow originates in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, while December through May precipitation is supplied by vapor evaporated in the North Pacific and Gulf of Alaska. The seasonal cycle of δ18Op is amplified in the more recent dataset (-9.1‰ to -26.3‰) relative to the historic one (-12.9‰ to -24.9‰), with lower δ18Op during December through May and higher δ18Op during June through November. Deuterium excess tends to be greater during all months except July through September. The decrease in δ18Op during the cold season may indicate a change to water vapor transport to Barrow. May and November exhibited the greatest changes in δ18Op and d-excess. The May decrease in δ18Op of 8.3‰ and deuterium excess increase of 21‰ coupled with MODIS imagery from May 2011 that shows open ocean near Barrow, suggests that

The role of atmospheric stability/turbulence on wakes at the Egmond aan Zee offshore wind farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthelmie, R. J.; Churchfield, M. J.; Moriarty, P. J.; Lundquist, J. K.; Oxley, G. S.; Hahn, S.; Pryor, S. C.

2015-06-01

The aim of the paper is to present results from the NREL SOWFA project that compares simulations from models of different fidelity to meteorological and turbine data from the Egmond aan Zee wind farm. Initial results illustrate that wake behavior and impacts are strongly impacted by turbulence intensity [1]. This includes both power losses from wakes and loading illustrated by the out of plane bending moment. Here we focus on understanding the relationship between turbulence and atmospheric stability and whether power losses due to wakes can effectively be characterized by measures of turbulence alone or whether atmospheric stability as a whole plays a fundamental role in wake behavior. The study defines atmospheric stability using the Monin-Obukhov length estimated based on the temperature difference between 116 and 70 m. The data subset selected using this method for the calculation of the Monin-Obukhov length indicate little diurnal or directional dependence of the stability classes but a dominance of stable classes in the spring/unstable classes in fall and of near-neutral classes at high wind speeds (Figure 2). The analysis is complicated by the need to define turbulence intensity. We can select the ratio of the standard deviation of wind speed to mean wind speed in each observation period using data from the meteorological mast, in which case a substantial amount of data must be excluded due to the presence of the wind farm. An alternative is to use data from the wind turbines which could provide a larger data set for analysis. These approaches are examined and compared to illustrate their robustness. Finally, power losses from wakes are categorized according to stability and/or turbulence in order to understand their relative importance in determining the behavior of wind turbine wakes.

Antiepileptic drug selection for people with HIV/AIDS: evidence-based guidelines from the ILAE and AAN.

PubMed

Birbeck, Gretchen L; French, Jacqueline A; Perucca, Emilio; Simpson, David M; Fraimow, Henry; George, Jomy M; Okulicz, Jason F; Clifford, David B; Hachad, Houda; Levy, René H

2012-01-01

A joint panel of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) convened to develop guidelines for selection of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) among people with HIV/AIDS. The literature was systematically reviewed to assess the global burden of relevant comorbid entities, to determine the number of patients who potentially utilize AEDs and antiretroviral agents (ARVs), and to address AED-ARV interactions. Key findings from this literature search included the following: AED-ARV administration may be indicated in up to 55% of people taking ARVs. Patients receiving phenytoin may require a lopinavir/ritonavir dosage increase of approximately 50% to maintain unchanged serum concentrations (Level C). Patients receiving valproic acid may require a zidovudine dosage reduction to maintain unchanged serum zidovudine concentrations (Level C). Coadministration of valproic acid and efavirenz may not require efavirenz dosage adjustment (Level C). Patients receiving ritonavir/atazanavir may require a lamotrigine dosage increase of approximately 50% to maintain unchanged lamotrigine serum concentrations (Level C). Coadministration of raltegravir/atazanavir and lamotrigine may not require lamotrigine dosage adjustment (Level C). Coadministration of raltegravir and midazolam may not require midazolam dosage adjustment (Level C). Patients may be counseled that it is unclear whether dosage adjustment is necessary when other AEDs and ARVs are combined (Level U). It may be important to avoid enzyme-inducing AEDs in people on ARV regimens that include protease inhibitors or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors because pharmacokinetic interactions may result in virologic failure, which has clinical implications for disease progression and development of ARV resistance. If such regimens are required for seizure control, patients may be monitored through pharmacokinetic assessments to ensure efficacy of the ARV regimen (Level C). Wiley

The role of atmospheric stability/turbulence on wakes at the Egmond aan Zee offshore wind farm

DOE PAGES

Barthelmie, R. J.; Churchfield, Matthew J.; Moriarty, Patrick J.; ...

2015-06-18

Here, the aim of the paper is to present results from the NREL SOWFA project that compares simulations from models of different fidelity to meteorological and turbine data from the Egmond aan Zee wind farm. Initial results illustrate that wake behavior and impacts are strongly impacted by turbulence intensity. This includes both power losses from wakes and loading illustrated by the out of plane bending moment. Here we focus on understanding the relationship between turbulence and atmospheric stability and whether power losses due to wakes can effectively be characterized by measures of turbulence alone or whether atmospheric stability as amore » whole plays a fundamental role in wake behavior. The study defines atmospheric stability using the Monin-Obukhov length estimated based on the temperature difference between 116 and 70 m. The data subset selected using this method for the calculation of the Monin-Obukhov length indicate little diurnal or directional dependence of the stability classes but a dominance of stable classes in the spring/unstable classes in fall and of near-neutral classes at high wind speeds. The analysis is complicated by the need to define turbulence intensity. We can select the ratio of the standard deviation of wind speed to mean wind speed in each observation period using data from the meteorological mast, in which case a substantial amount of data must be excluded due to the presence of the wind farm. An alternative is to use data from the wind turbines which could provide a larger data set for analysis. These approaches are examined and compared to illustrate their robustness. Finally, power losses from wakes are categorized according to stability and/or turbulence in order to understand their relative importance in determining the behavior of wind turbine wakes.« less

Interdependence of skeletal sclerosis and elevated circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in osteopetrotic (op and tl) rats.

PubMed

Popoff, S N; Osier, L K; Zerwekh, J E; Marks, S C

1994-01-01

Osteopetrosis describes a heterogeneous group of inherited, metabolic bone disorders characterized by reduced bone resorption which coexists with elevated circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D]. To determine whether or not skeletal sclerosis and high concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D are interdependent, this study used two distinct, nonallelic osteopetrotic mutations in the rat, osteopetrosis (op) and toothless (tl). The op rat is a mutation in which skeletal sclerosis can be cured (mutant) or induced (normal) following the transfer of normal or mutant osteoclast progenitors, respectively. Although these procedures are ineffective in rats of tl stock, infusions of pharmacological doses of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) can stimulate bone resorption and eliminate most of the excess skeletal matrix in tl mutants. This study examined the effects of cure/induction in neonatal mutant/normal rats of op stock and CSF-1 infusions in mutant rats of tl stock on skeletal (bone resorption) and serum [1,25(OH)2D] parameters as a function of time after treatment. Osteopetrotic mutants transplanted (cured) with normal spleen cells demonstrated cellular changes in osteoclast phenotype within 2-3 days followed by histologic and radiographic evidence for increased bone resorption that culminated in a normal appearance of the skeleton by 4 weeks. The markedly elevated serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D observed in untreated mutants fell significantly in transplanted mutants by the end of the first week and were similar to those in normal littermates at 3 and 4 weeks. Normal littermates transplanted (induced) with mutant spleen cells showed a progressive increase in skeletal sclerosis paralleled by significant increases in circulating levels of 1,25(OH)2D.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Persistent explosive activity at Stromboli investigated with OP-FTIR and SO2 cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, M. R.; La Spina, A.; Sawyer, G. M.; Harris, A. J.

2012-12-01

Stromboli volcano in Italy exhibits what is perhaps one of the most well-known examples of cyclic activity, in the form of its regular explosions, which send a few m3 of material 100-200 m into the air every 10-20 minutes. Recent developments in measurements of volatile release from Stromboli using a series of novel approaches have allowed this cyclic behaviour to be examined in detail. In particular, the use of an automated OP-FTIR has revealed unprecedented detail in the dynamics of degassing from individual craters at the summit of Stromboli. Furthermore, the variations in composition of explosive degassing from Stromboli demonstrate a deep source ~2 km for the gas slugs which produce explosions at this volcano, in contrast to the commonly-held view that gas coalescence at shallow depth is responsible for the behaviour. The SO2 camera has revealed fascinating new details on the dynamics of degassing at Stromboli, and has allowed direct quantification of the amount of gas released during explosions and through quiescent degassing. The remarkable observation that 99% of degassing takes place quiescently, and that the explosions, whilst apparently more significant, are in fact a secondary process compared with the mass and energy involved in background, quiet processes. The new insight that the explosions are actually only a relatively minor aspect of the activity (in terms of mass and energy) actually makes the regularity of the cyclic explosive activity still more remarkable. In this paper we present a detailed overview of the state of the art of our understanding of cyclic explosive activity at Stromboli volcano from the perspective of recent advances in geochemical monitoring of the gas emissions. We also report initial results from a multidisciplinary campaign on Stromboli which utilised both OP-FTIR and SO2 camera techniques.

Hearing Pygmalion's Kiss: A Scientific Object at the Paris Opéra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, Kevin

2014-12-01

In 1748, in his acte de ballet Pygmalion, composer and music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau arranged the Paris Opéra orchestra to play "nature's chord," harmonies that reproduced the overtones an expert ear could detect in every natural musical vibrating body. The following year Rameau presented his music theory to the French Royal Academy of Sciences for their endorsement. Disillusionment with the promise of Cartesian mechanics as a source of a unified understanding of nature opened up the possibility that matter might have properties beyond extension and motion, such as aversion, desire, and memory. Speculations about this material sensibility also coincided with increasing claims about the authority of spontaneous emotion and feeling. The experience of music at the opera was a significant resource for claims about the cultural authority of sensibility.

Canada's Industry-University Co-Op Education Accreditation System and Its Inspiration for the Evaluation of China's Industry-University-Institute Cooperative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qiubo, Yang; Shibin, Wang; Zha, Qiang

2016-01-01

The high degree of interest that higher education systems around the world have in employability has driven the profound development of industry-university cooperative education. Canada's industry-university co-op education system has served as a model for global cooperative education, and its accreditation system guarantees the high quality of…

CardioOp: an integrated approach to teleteaching in cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Friedl, R; Preisack, M; Schefer, M; Klas, W; Tremper, J; Rose, T; Bay, J; Albers, J; Engels, P; Guilliard, P; Vahl, C F; Hannekum, A

2000-01-01

The complexity of cardiac surgery requires continuous training, education and information addressing different individuals: physicians (cardiac surgeons, residents, anaesthesiologists, cardiologists), medical students, perfusionists and patients. Efficacy and efficiency of education and training will likely be improved by the use of multimedia information systems. Nevertheless, computer-based education is facing some serious disadvantages: 1) multimedia productions require tremendous financial and time resources; 2) the obtained multimedia data are only usable for one specific target user group in one specific instructional context; 3) computer based learning programs often show deficiencies in the support of individual learning styles and in providing individual information adjusted to the learner's individual needs. In this paper we describe a computer-system, providing multiple re-use of multimedia-data in different instructional sceneries and providing flexible composition of content to different target user groups. The ZYX document model has been developed, allowing the modelling and flexible on-the-fly composition of multimedia fragments. It has been implemented as a DataBlade module into the object-relational database system Informix Dynamic Server and allows for presentation-neutral storage of multimedia content from the application domain, delivery and presentation of multimedia material, content based retrieval, re-use and composition of multimedia material for different instructional settings. Multimedia data stored in the repository, that can be processed and authored in terms of our identified needs is created by using a next generation authoring environment called CardioOP-Wizard. High-quality intra-operative video is recorded using a video-robot. Difficult surgical procedures are visualized with generic and CT-based 3D-animations. An on-line architecture for multiple re-use and flexible composition of media data has been established. The system

TADIR-production version: El-Op's high-resolution 480x4 TDI thermal imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarusi, Gabby; Ziv, Natan; Zioni, O.; Gaber, J.; Shechterman, Mark S.; Lerner, M.

1999-07-01

Efforts invested at El-Op during the last four years have led to the development of TADIR - engineering model thermal imager, demonstrated in 1998, and eventually to the final production version of TADIR to be demonstrated in full operation during 1999. Both versions take advantage of the high resolution and high sensitivity obtained by the 480 X 4 TDI MCT detector as well as many more features implemented in the system to obtain a state of the art high- end thermal imager. The production version of TADIR uses a 480 X 6 TDI HgCdTe detector made by the SCD Israeli company. In this paper, we will present the main features of the production version of TADIR.

"Keeping our mission, changing our system": translation and organizational change in natural foods co-ops.

PubMed

Haedicke, Michael A

2012-01-01

Institutional theory has played a central role in the study of organizations for over half a century, but it often overlooks the actions of the people who bring organizations to life. This article advances an inhabited approach to institutional analysis that foregrounds the creativity of organizational members. It argues that people use local cultures to translate and respond to institutional pressures. The article analyzes qualitative data from countercultural co-op stores that have been pushed to conform to mainstream forms of business organization by a competitive market and demonstrates that translation explains why outcomes that institutional theory would not predict have come to pass.

Signals of Opportunity Airborne Demonstrator (SoOP-AD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, James; Knuble, Joseph J.; Piepmeier, Jeffrey R.

2015-01-01

In the second year of the SoOp-AD project, a brassboard analog section has been completed, along with working designs for the digital section and an antenna compatible with the NASA Langley B-200 or UC-12B aircraft. Resource requirements for the digital section FPGA are being finalized. One technical challenge at P-band is that the low transmitted data rate makes isolation of the direct and reflected signals using path delay, the conventional practice for GNSS reflectometry, difficult. Any retrieval of surface reflectivity from these measurements must account for the combination of direct and reflected signal in both the sky-view and Earth-view antennas. We have approached this challenge on several fronts; First, through null steering of the antenna. Second, through the formulation of an empirical calibration function for the reflectivity; and finally through estimating the direct and reflected signal powers as independent states in a Kalman filter. In addition to the direct-reflected interference from the same transmitter, there is also the possibility of interference due to transmissions, in adjacent bands, from other satellites in the constellation. Ground-based repeaters are also present in the S-band spectrum. Digital filters are being designed to isolate these repeaters, using simulations to verify the magnitude of their effect on the reflectivity and soil moisture retrievals. Other contributions to the error budget include the uncertainty in aircraft altitude, and the antenna pattern.

SpaceOps 2012 Plus 2: Social Tools to Simplify ISS Flight Control Communications and Log Keeping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowart, Hugh S.; Scott, David W.

2014-01-01

A paper written for the SpaceOps 2012 Conference (Simplify ISS Flight Control Communications and Log Keeping via Social Tools and Techniques) identified three innovative concepts for real time flight control communications tools based on social mechanisms: a) Console Log Tool (CoLT) - A log keeping application at Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) that provides "anywhere" access, comment and notifications features similar to those found in Social Networking Systems (SNS), b) Cross-Log Communication via Social Techniques - A concept from Johnsson Space Center's (JSC) Mission Control Center Houston (MCC-H) that would use microblogging's @tag and #tag protocols to make information/requests visible and/or discoverable in logs owned by @Destination addressees, and c) Communications Dashboard (CommDash) - A MSFC concept for a Facebook-like interface to visually integrate and manage basic console log content, text chat streams analogous to voice loops, text chat streams dedicated to particular conversations, generic and position-specific status displays/streams, and a graphically based hailing display. CoLT was deployed operationally at nearly the same time as SpaceOps 2012, the Cross- Log Communications idea is currently waiting for a champion to carry it forward, and CommDash was approved as a NASA Iinformation Technoloby (IT) Labs project. This paper discusses lessons learned from two years of actual CoLT operations, updates CommDash prototype development status, and discusses potential for using Cross-Log Communications in both MCC-H and/or POIC environments, and considers other ways for synergizing console applcations.

Evénements indésirables peropératoire: lecture critique du registre du bloc opératoire de l’hôpital militaire Moulay Ismail Meknès

PubMed Central

Kechna, Hicham; Ouzzad, Omar; Chkoura, Khalid; Loutid, Jaouad; Hachimi, Moulay Ahmed; Hanafi, Sidi Mohamed

2016-01-01

Introduction Malgré les importants progrès qui ont été faits dans le domaine de la sécurité en anesthésie, la morbidité (grave ou non, liée complètement ou partiellement à l’anesthésie) reste cependant fréquente, et aucun praticien n’est aujourd’hui à l’abri d’un accident. Dans le contexte actuel où la priorité est donnée à la formation, à l’amélioration de la qualité et de la sécurité des soins, la survenue d’un accident d’anesthésie au bloc opératoire est un événement extrêmement traumatisant. La crainte de poursuite, le contexte émotionnel rendent cette gestion parfois très difficile. Pour cette raison, elle doit faire l’objet d’une codification, à la manière des protocoles de bloc, avec trois grands axes de gestion: le patient victime, le personnel médical et paramédical impliqué et l’analyse de l’incident pour éviter une récidive. Méthodes Dans un but d’améliorer les soins prodigués au bloc opératoire nous avons établi un registre où sont consignés continuellement les différents incidents et accidents survenu soit en salle opératoire ou en salle de surveillance post interventionnelle. Une première lecture a été faite à l’occasion des Journées d'Enseignement Post Universitaire (JEPU) de Fès (Maroc) organisées en partenariat avec les JEPU de la Pitié salpêtrière de Paris à la faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Fès sous le thème: «Les Situations Critiques Au Bloc Opératoire» les 17 et 18 Avril 2015. Résultats 1761 patients ont été admis aux différentes salles du bloc opératoire dont 96 en salle d’endoscopie et 17 sédations en radiologie. 29 patients (1.64%) ont présentés un incident et/ou un accident en péri opératoire. La plupart des effets indésirables sont survenus en per opératoire (58,6%). Dans 28,6% des cas en postopératoire immédiat ou en salle de surveillance post interventionnelle (SSPI). La plupart des complications survenues sont d�

Reference materials and representative test materials to develop nanoparticle characterization methods: the NanoChOp project case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roebben, Gert; Kestens, Vikram; Varga, Zoltan; Charoud-Got, Jean; Ramaye, Yannic; Gollwitzer, Christian; Bartczak, Dorota; Geißler, Daniel; Noble, James; Mazoua, Stéphane; Meeus, Nele; Corbisier, Philippe; Palmai, Marcell; Mihály, Judith; Krumrey, Michael; Davies, Julie; Resch-Genger, Ute; Kumarswami, Neelam; Minelli, Caterina; Sikora, Aneta; Goenaga-Infante, Heidi

2015-10-01

This paper describes the production and characteristics of the nanoparticle test materials prepared for common use in the collaborative research project NanoChOp (Chemical and optical characterisation of nanomaterials in biological systems), in casu suspensions of silica nanoparticles and CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots. This paper is the first to illustrate how to assess whether nanoparticle test materials meet the requirements of a 'reference material' (ISO Guide 30:2015) or rather those of the recently defined category of 'representative test material' (ISO TS 16195:2013). The NanoChOp test materials were investigated with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS) to establish whether they complied with the required monomodal particle size distribution. The presence of impurities, aggregates, agglomerates and viable microorganisms in the suspensions was investigated with DLS, CLS, optical and electron microscopy and via plating on nutrient agar. Suitability of surface functionalization was investigated with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and via the capacity of the nanoparticles to be fluorescently labeled or to bind antibodies. Between-unit homogeneity and stability were investigated in terms of particle size and zeta potential. This paper shows that only based on the outcome of a detailed characterization process one can raise the status of a test material to representative test material or reference material, and how this status depends on its intended use.

Dorothy Jorgensen - Co-Op Tour Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, Dorothy

2014-01-01

NASA is a household name in this day and age, known commonly as America's government-run powerhouse of innovation and space exploration. It is a common dream for students to be a part of NASA's workforce, but I did not realize that it was my dream until I found that I could not imagine working anywhere else. From August to December, I had the privilege of a co-op tour with NASA at the Johnson Space Center. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) first formed in the early hysteria of the Cold War, and in its early days it received enormous funding and political support. It was America's response to the Russian Sputnik, which was a not only a stark symbol of what was suddenly possible, but also of how far behind the United States had fallen in the race for technology. The political atmosphere in the world has since changed, but NASA's drive to push the boundaries of the impossible has not faded: NASA's primary mission has been exploration for the betterment of mankind, and it works towards that mission to this day. The specific NASA site that I worked in was by a coast near Houston, TX, at the Johnson Space Center (Figure 1). I was led on my first day of work to a building dedicated to Structural Engineering (Building 13), which was where I would be spending most of my time in the months to come. It was here that I had my desk and cubicle, and would later do the bulk of my computer modeling and theoretical planning. Later that day we traveled to the Vibrations and Acoustics Test Facility (Building 49), and here I was shown the parts we would use for our technical project and the locations we would work in. I worked in the Loads and Dynamics Branch of the Structural Engineering Division, in the Engineering Directorate.

Short range structure of 0.35Sb2O3-0.65(Li2O-P2O5) glass: A neutron diffraction study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, A. B.; Krishna, P. S. R.

2018-04-01

Neutron diffraction studies on Li2O-P2O5 and 0.35Sb2O3-0.65(Li2O-P2O5) glass are performed up to a Qmax of 15 Å-1 on the High-Q diffractometer, Dhruva. MCGR method is used to find pair correlation functions (g(r)) functions from experimentally obtained S(Q). We found that the Li-O and first Sb-O correlations to be around 2.04 Å & 2.15 Å. The O-O correlation from Phosphate & Antimony networks are found to be around 2.7 Å. The short range order of Sb is similar to its crystalline polymorph of valentinite instead of senarmonite. The short range order and network connectivity in this glass implies a structure composed of chains of corner sharing SbO3 pyramidal units connected to PO4 tetrahedra while Li acts as a modifier.

L’érysipèle sur cicatrice post opératoire en traumatologie: à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature

PubMed Central

Abid, Hatim; El Idrissi, Mohamed; Shimi, Mohamed; El Ibrahimi, Abdelhalim; El Mrini, Abdelmajid; Amraoui, Nissrine; Mernissi, Fatima Zohra

2015-01-01

L’érysipèle sur cicatrice post opératoire est une entité rare, décrite principalement chez des patients présentant les facteurs de risque classiques de la maladie au niveau des sites de veinectomie pour pontage coronarien. En traumatologie orthopédie, nous n'avons que les 3 cas rapportés dans le travail de Dhrif survenus au décours d'une implantation prothétique chez des malades à risque. Nous présentons à travers cet article, le cas d'un érysipèle post opératoire sur une cicatrice d'ostéosynthèse d'une fracture fermée du pilon tibial, ayant la particularité du terrain et des circonstances de survenues, pour enfin conclure aux principes de la prévention primaire à adopter. PMID:26401204

Co-op students' access to shared knowledge in science-rich workplaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munby, Hugh; Taylor, Jennifer; Chin, Peter; Hutchinson, Nancy L.

2007-01-01

Wenger's (1998) concepts community of practice, brokering, and transfer explain the challenges co-operative (co-op) education students face in relating the knowledge learned in school with what they learn while participating as members of a workplace. The research for this paper is set within the contexts of the knowledge economy and increased collaboration in the workplace. The paper draws on several qualitative studies of work-based education to examine the similarities and differences between learning in the workplace and learning in school, with a focus on science education and science-rich workplaces. Barriers to connecting school knowledge and workplace knowledge include the nature of science (its purpose, accountability, and substance), the structure of knowledge in each setting, the form content knowledge takes, the sequence that the curriculum is presented in, and the gatekeeping that occurs when knowledge is accessed. The paper addresses implications for interventions in school and the workplace, with attention to the transition from school to work, and concludes by pointing to profound obstacles to connecting school knowledge with workplace knowledge.

Haptic feedback in OP:Sense - augmented reality in telemanipulated robotic surgery.

PubMed

Beyl, T; Nicolai, P; Mönnich, H; Raczkowksy, J; Wörn, H

2012-01-01

In current research, haptic feedback in robot assisted interventions plays an important role. However most approaches to haptic feedback only regard the mapping of the current forces at the surgical instrument to the haptic input devices, whereas surgeons demand a combination of medical imaging and telemanipulated robotic setups. In this paper we describe how this feature is integrated in our robotic research platform OP:Sense. The proposed method allows the automatic transfer of segmented imaging data to the haptic renderer and therefore allows enriching the haptic feedback with virtual fixtures based on imaging data. Anatomical structures are extracted from pre-operative generated medical images or virtual walls are defined by the surgeon inside the imaging data. Combining real forces with virtual fixtures can guide the surgeon to the regions of interest as well as helps to prevent the risk of damage to critical structures inside the patient. We believe that the combination of medical imaging and telemanipulation is a crucial step for the next generation of MIRS-systems.

Project on Social Architecture in Education. Final Report. Part III: Case Studies. Chapter 9: Arts Co-op: An Experimental High School Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Ellen Wahl

This document contains chapter 9 of the final report of the Project on Social Architecture in Education. Chapter 9 is about a regional experimental high school program for the arts. Several features distinguished Arts Co-op from the other schools in the study. For one, it was a special purpose school, focused on the arts, and not offering a…

American Academy of Neurology policy on pharmaceutical and device industry support.

PubMed

Hutchins, J C; Rydell, C M; Griggs, R C; Sagsveen, M; Bernat, J L

2012-03-06

To examine the American Academy of Neurology (AAN)'s prevention and limitation of conflicts of interest (COI) related to relationships with pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and other medically related commercial product and service companies (industry). We reviewed the AAN's polices governing its interactions with industry, mechanisms for enforcement, and the recent findings of the board-appointed COI task force, in the context of the 2009 David Rothman and colleagues' article in JAMA, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) Code for Interactions with Companies (Code), efforts of the American Medical Association in this area, and increased public and Congressional scrutiny of physician/physician organizations' relationships with industry. The AAN's Policy on Conflicts of Interest provides 4 mechanisms for addressing COI: avoidance, separation, disclosure, and regulation. The AAN's Principles Governing Academy Relationships with External Sources of Support, including recent amendments proposed by the COI task force, regulate industry interaction with AAN programming, products, and leadership. With the Policy, Principles, and other methods of COI prevention, the AAN meets or exceeds all recommendations of the CMSS Code. With its adherence to the Principles since 2004, the AAN has been a leader among professional medical associations in appropriately managing COI related to interactions with industry. Recent amendments to the Principles maintain the AAN's position as a leader in a time of increased public scrutiny of physicians' and professional medical associations' relationships with industry. The AAN is responsive to the recommendations of the COI task force, and has adopted the CMSS Code.

Protein Activity of the Fusarium fujikuroi Rhodopsins CarO and OpsA and Their Relation to Fungus–Plant Interaction

PubMed Central

Adam, Alexander; Deimel, Stephan; Pardo-Medina, Javier; García-Martínez, Jorge; Konte, Tilen; Limón, M. Carmen; Avalos, Javier

2018-01-01

Fungi possess diverse photosensory proteins that allow them to perceive different light wavelengths and to adapt to changing light conditions in their environment. The biological and physiological roles of the green light-sensing rhodopsins in fungi are not yet resolved. The rice plant pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi exhibits two different rhodopsins, CarO and OpsA. CarO was previously characterized as a light-driven proton pump. We further analyzed the pumping behavior of CarO by patch-clamp experiments. Our data show that CarO pumping activity is strongly augmented in the presence of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid and in sodium acetate, in a dose-dependent manner under slightly acidic conditions. By contrast, under these and other tested conditions, the Neurospora rhodopsin (NR)-like rhodopsin OpsA did not exhibit any pump activity. Basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) searches in the genomes of ascomycetes revealed the occurrence of rhodopsin-encoding genes mainly in phyto-associated or phytopathogenic fungi, suggesting a possible correlation of the presence of rhodopsins with fungal ecology. In accordance, rice plants infected with a CarO-deficient F. fujikuroi strain showed more severe bakanae symptoms than the reference strain, indicating a potential role of the CarO rhodopsin in the regulation of plant infection by this fungus. PMID:29324661

[Kurt Goldstein's understanding of amnesic aphasia and its underlying disorder - an early model of the pensée opératoire of the French psychosomatic school?].

PubMed

Danzer, G; Eisenblätter, A; Belz, W; Schulz, A; Klapp, B F

2002-07-01

Kurt Goldstein's understanding of amnesic aphasia in some regards anticipated the model of the pensée opératoire, a concept developed during the 60's and 70's by the French psychoanalytical school of psychosomatics. Goldstein interpreted amnesic aphasia within the framework of a "basic disorder". Closely following the philosopher Ernst Cassirer, Goldstein described amnesic aphasia as an expression of a general alteration following localized or generalised brain damage. Due to various historical events (world war, fascism, the holocaust) as well as developments during the 20(th) century (dominance of the English language in many areas of science), these connections were forgotten or were no longer recognised as such. Without wanting to determine the extent to which the concept of pensée opératoire possesses validity, one can interpret Goldstein's reflections on aphasia as a heretofore unreceived preliminary model of the psychosomatic concept of the French School.

Comparative analysis of properties of channels of deuteron and tritium production in {sup 16}Op collisions at a projectile momentum of 3.25 GeV/c per nucleon

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

Olimov, K., E-mail: olimov@uzsci.net; Glagolev, V. V.; Gulamov, K. G.

2014-12-15

The results of a comparative analysis of channels involving the inclusive production of deuterons and tritons in {sup 16}Op collisions at a projectile momentum of 3.25 GeV/c per nucleon are presented. The mechanisms governing proton, deuteron, and triton production in the fragmentation of oxygen nuclei are found to be independent. It is shown that the observed proton-multiplicity correlations are associated predominantly with the character of the primary event of a proton-nucleon collision in {sup 16}Op interactions. It is found that, in reactions involving triton production, the contributions of processes leading to an increase in the mean proton multiplicity (n →more » p + π{sup −} and np → pn) and processes leading to its decrease (p → n + π{sup +}) compensate each other.« less

Looking at Op Art: Gaze stability and motion illusions.

PubMed

Hermens, Frouke; Zanker, Johannes

2012-01-01

Various Op artists have used simple geometrical patterns to create the illusion of motion in their artwork. One explanation for the observed illusion involves retinal shifts caused by small involuntary eye movements that observers make while they try to maintain fixation. Earlier studies have suggested a prominent role of the most conspicuous of these eye movements, small rapid position shifts called microsaccades. Here, we present data that could expand this view with a different interpretation. In three experiments, we recorded participants' eye movements while they tried to maintain visual fixation when being presented with variants of Bridget Riley's Fall, which were manipulated such as to vary the strength of induced motion. In the first two experiments, we investigated the properties of microsaccades for a set of stimuli with known motion strengths. In agreement with earlier observations, microsaccade rates were unaffected by the stimulus pattern and, consequently, the strength of induced motion illusion. In the third experiment, we varied the stimulus pattern across a larger range of parameters and asked participants to rate the perceived motion illusion. The results revealed that motion illusions in patterns resembling Riley's Fall are perceived even in the absence of microsaccades, and that the reported strength of the illusion decreased with the number of microsaccades in the trial. Together, the three experiments suggest that other sources of retinal image instability than microsaccades, such as slow oculomotor drift, should be considered as possible factors contributing to the illusion.

Looking at Op Art: Gaze stability and motion illusions

PubMed Central

Hermens, Frouke; Zanker, Johannes

2012-01-01

Various Op artists have used simple geometrical patterns to create the illusion of motion in their artwork. One explanation for the observed illusion involves retinal shifts caused by small involuntary eye movements that observers make while they try to maintain fixation. Earlier studies have suggested a prominent role of the most conspicuous of these eye movements, small rapid position shifts called microsaccades. Here, we present data that could expand this view with a different interpretation. In three experiments, we recorded participants' eye movements while they tried to maintain visual fixation when being presented with variants of Bridget Riley's Fall, which were manipulated such as to vary the strength of induced motion. In the first two experiments, we investigated the properties of microsaccades for a set of stimuli with known motion strengths. In agreement with earlier observations, microsaccade rates were unaffected by the stimulus pattern and, consequently, the strength of induced motion illusion. In the third experiment, we varied the stimulus pattern across a larger range of parameters and asked participants to rate the perceived motion illusion. The results revealed that motion illusions in patterns resembling Riley's Fall are perceived even in the absence of microsaccades, and that the reported strength of the illusion decreased with the number of microsaccades in the trial. Together, the three experiments suggest that other sources of retinal image instability than microsaccades, such as slow oculomotor drift, should be considered as possible factors contributing to the illusion. PMID:23145284

REMOTE LAND MINE(FIELD) DETECTION. An Overview of Techniques (DETECTIE VAN LANDMIJNEN EN MIJNENVELDEN OP AFSTAND. Een Overzicht van de technieken),

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

titel DETECTIE VAN LANDMIJNEN EN MIJNENVELDEN OP AFSTAND, een overzicht van de technieken auteur (s) Drs. J.S. Groot, Ir. Y.H.L. Janssen datum september...functions based on set theory . The fundamental theory is developed in the sixties. This theory was applicable to binary images (black-and-white images...held at TNO-FEL. Various subjects related to fusion techniques: Dempster Shafer theory , Bayesian inference, Kalman filtering, fuzzy logic. [A15], [B4

[Implementation of interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy according to OPS 8‑918 : Recommendations of the ad hoc commission for interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy of the German Pain Association].

PubMed

Arnold, B; Böger, A; Brinkschmidt, T; Casser, H-R; Irnich, D; Kaiser, U; Klimczyk, K; Lutz, J; Pfingsten, M; Sabatowski, R; Schiltenwolf, M; Söllner, W

2018-02-01

With the implementation of the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) reimbursement system in hospitals, interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy was incorporated into the associated catalogue of procedures (OPS 8‑918). Yet, the presented criteria describing the procedure of interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy are neither precise nor unambiguous. This has led to discrepancies in the interpretation regarding the handling of the procedure-making it difficult for medical services of health insurance companies to evaluate the accordance between the delivered therapy and the required criteria. Since the number of pain units has increased in recent years, the number of examinations by the medical service of health insurance companies has increased. This article, published by the ad hoc commission for interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy of the German Pain Association, provides specific recommendations for correct implementation of interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy in routine care. The aim is to achieve a maximum level of accordance between health care providers and the requirements of the medical examiners from health insurance companies. More extensive criteria regarding interdisciplinary multimodal pain treatment in an in-patient setting, especially for patients with chronic and complex pain, are obviously needed. Thus, the authors further discuss specific aspects towards further development of the OPS-code. However, the application of the OPS-code still leaves room regarding treatment intensity and process quality. Therefore, the delivery of pain management in sufficient quantity and quality still remains the responsibility of each health care provider.

Upholding professionalism: the disciplinary process of the American Academy of Neurology.

PubMed

Hutchins, John C; Sagsveen, Murray G; Larriviere, Dan

2010-12-14

To review the disciplinary process by which the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) enforces its formalized standards of professional conduct. We reviewed the AAN's Disciplinary Action Policy. We tracked the elapsed time from receipt to final decision of all allegations ("complaints") of improper conduct by AAN members submitted from 2004 to 2009. We placed each complaint into 1 of 4 categories: allegations of 1) improper expert witness testimony; 2) substandard care; 3) unprofessional conduct; 4) or both 2 and 3. We noted the type of complainant (AAN member or nonmember) and the final outcome for each complaint. The AAN's disciplinary process is a 5-step procedure with multiple reviewing bodies. From 2004 to 2009, the AAN received 3-16 complaints per year (total 58), with 16 filed each year in 2008 and 2009. Thirty-one complaints (53%) were submitted by nonmembers and 27 (47%) by members. Disciplinary action was recommended for 6 complaints (10.3%) with action taken in 3 (5.1%) and the member resigning in lieu of action in 3 (5.1%). The average number of days from receipt of complaint to final decision was 537, with an average of 890 days from 2004 to 2006, decreased to 184 days from 2007 to 2009. Recent revisions to the disciplinary process have increased efficiency and enhanced procedural safeguards. The AAN determined a mean of 12 months, from receipt of complaint to final decision rendered, is an appropriate benchmark when handling complaints. The AAN's disciplinary process upholds standards of professional conduct for AAN members and protects members from unsubstantiated complaints.

Cross-validation of IASI/MetOp derived tropospheric δD with TES and ground-based FTIR observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacour, J.-L.; Clarisse, L.; Worden, J.; Schneider, M.; Barthlott, S.; Hase, F.; Risi, C.; Clerbaux, C.; Hurtmans, D.; Coheur, P.-F.

2014-11-01

The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) flying on-board MetOpA and MetOpB is able to capture fine isotopic variations of the HDO to H2O ratio (δD) in the troposphere. Such observations at the high spatio temporal resolution of the sounder are of great interest to improve our understanding of the mechanisms controlling humidity in the troposphere. In this study we aim to empirically assess the validity of our error estimation previously evaluated theoretically. To achieve this, we compare IASI δD retrieved profiles with other available profiles of δD, from the TES infrared sounder onboard AURA and from three ground-based FTIR stations produced within the MUSICA project: the NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) sites Kiruna and Izana, and the TCCON site Karlsruhe, which in addition to near-infrared TCCON spectra also records mid-infrared spectra. We describe the achievable level of agreement between the different retrievals and show that these theoretical errors are in good agreement with empirical differences. The comparisons are made at different locations from tropical to Arctic latitudes, above sea and above land. Generally IASI and TES are similarly sensitive to δD in the free troposphere which allows to compare their measurements directly. At tropical latitudes where IASI's sensitivity is lower than that of TES, we show that the agreement improves when taking into account the sensitivity of IASI in the TES retrieval. For the comparison IASI-FTIR only direct comparisons are performed because of similar sensitivities. We identify a quasi negligible bias in the free troposphere (-3‰) between IASI retrieved δD with the TES one, which are bias corrected, but an important with the ground-based FTIR reaching -47‰. We also suggest that model-satellite observations comparisons could be optimized with IASI thanks to its high spatial and temporal sampling.

Effectiveness of functional hand splinting and the cognitive orientation to occupational performance (CO-OP) approach in children with cerebral palsy and brain injury: two randomised controlled trial protocols

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) and brain injury (BI) are common conditions that have devastating effects on a child’s ability to use their hands. Hand splinting and task-specific training are two interventions that are often used to address deficits in upper limb skills, both in isolation or concurrently. The aim of this paper is to describe the method to be used to conduct two randomised controlled trials (RCT) investigating (a) the immediate effect of functional hand splints, and (b) the effect of functional hand splints used concurrently with task-specific training compared to functional hand splints alone, and to task-specific training alone in children with CP and BI. The Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach will be the task-specific training approach used. Methods/Design Two concurrent trials; a two group, parallel design, RCT with a sample size of 30 participants (15 per group); and a three group, parallel design, assessor blinded, RCT with a sample size of 45 participants (15 per group). Inclusion criteria: age 4-15 years; diagnosis of CP or BI; Manual Abilities Classification System (MACS) level I – IV; hand function goals; impaired hand function; the cognitive, language and behavioural ability to participate in CO-OP. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of 3 groups; (1) functional hand splint only (n=15); (2) functional hand splint combined with task-specific training (n=15); (3) task-specific training only (n=15). Allocation concealment will be achieved using sequentially numbered, sealed opaque envelopes opened by an off-site officer after baseline measures. Treatment will be provided for a period of 2 weeks, with outcome measures taken at baseline, 1 hour after randomisation, 2 weeks and 10 weeks. The functional hand splint will be a wrist cock-up splint (+/- thumb support or supination strap). Task-specific training will involve 10 sessions of CO-OP provided in a group of 2-4 children. Primary outcome

Positive dermal hypersensitivity and specific antibodies in workers exposed to bio-engineered enzymes

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

Biagini, R.E.; Henningsen, G.M.; Driscoll, R.

1991-03-15

Thirty-six employees who produced industrial enzymes from bio-engineered strains of bacteria and fungi were evaluated by skin prick testing and enzyme linked immunosorbent assays for specific IgE and IgG antibodies. The workers complained of asthma- and flu-like' symptoms which generally lessened away from work. The enzymes evaluated were {alpha}-amylase from A. niger (ind-AAN), B. licheniformis (ind-AAL) and B. subtilis (ind-AAS); purified {alpha}-amylase from B. subtilis (AAS) and A. niger (AAN); alkaline protease from B. licheniformis (ind-APL) and purified alkaline protease (APL); amylase glucosidase from A. niger (ind-AGN) and purified amylase glucosidase (AGN). Significantly positive skin tests were found for APL,more » AGN and ind-AAN. Significantly elevated specific IgE results were observed for AAN, AGN, and ind-AAN; elevated specific IgGs were observed for AAN, ind-AAN, ind-AAS, ind-AAL and ind-AGN. Radioimmunoassays of air filter samples (using sera with high Ab titers) for 4 of the ind-enzymes showed only ind-AAN at extremely high environmental levels. These results indicate that occupational exposure to some ind-enzymes causes immediate onset dermal hypersensitivity reactions. The results are equivocal as to whether these reactions are IgE mediated, as IgE titers were low. Contrary to this, IgG titers were extremely high and suggest that these biomarkers can be used as indicators of both individual exposure and environmental analyses.« less

A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF DERMAL APPENDAGES (HAIR FOLLICLES) ON THE PERCUTANEOUS ABSORPTION OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS (OP) INSECTICIDES USING QSAR AND PBPK/PD MODELS FOR HUMAN RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The successful use of the Exposure Related Dose Estimating Model (ERDEM) for assessment of dermal exposure of humans to OP pesticides requires the input of representative and comparable input parameters. In the specific case of dermal exposure, regional anatomical variation in...

High-efficiency space-based software radio architectures & algorithms (a minimum size, weight, and power TeraOps processor)

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

Dunham, Mark Edward; Baker, Zachary K; Stettler, Matthew W

2009-01-01

Los Alamos has recently completed the latest in a series of Reconfigurable Software Radios, which incorporates several key innovations in both hardware design and algorithms. Due to our focus on satellite applications, each design must extract the best size, weight, and power performance possible from the ensemble of Commodity Off-the-Shelf (COTS) parts available at the time of design. In this case we have achieved 1 TeraOps/second signal processing on a 1920 Megabit/second datastream, while using only 53 Watts mains power, 5.5 kg, and 3 liters. This processing capability enables very advanced algorithms such as our wideband RF compression scheme tomore » operate remotely, allowing network bandwidth constrained applications to deliver previously unattainable performance.« less

The Role 1 capability review: mitigation and innovation for Op HERRICK 18 and into contingency.

PubMed

Wheatley, Robert J

2014-09-01

The Role 1 orientated JRAMC of September 2012 was a welcome addition to the body of Role 1 literature. In particular, the Role 1 capability review by Hodgetts and Findlay detailed both current issues and future aspirations for Role 1 provision. This personal view considers issues still prevalent during Op HERRICK 18 namely the provision of primary healthcare by combat medical technicians on operations and the organisational issues that contribute to historical structural and attitudinal obstructions to the employment of combat medical technicians in firm base primary healthcare. It also considers a dynamically updating dashboard capable of displaying risk across the Role 1 network with the implied move to a model of continuous healthcare assurance. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Identification of opsA, a Gene Involved in Solute Stress Mitigation and Survival in Soil, in the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacterium Novosphingobium sp. Strain LH128

PubMed Central

Fida, Tekle Tafese; Breugelmans, Philip; Lavigne, Rob; van der Meer, Jan Roelof; De Mot, René; Vaysse, Pierre-Joseph

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify genes involved in solute and matric stress mitigation in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading Novosphingobium sp. strain LH128. The genes were identified using plasposon mutagenesis and by selection of mutants that showed impaired growth in a medium containing 450 mM NaCl as a solute stress or 10% (wt/vol) polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 as a matric stress. Eleven and 14 mutants showed growth impairment when exposed to solute and matric stresses, respectively. The disrupted sequences were mapped on a draft genome sequence of strain LH128, and the corresponding gene functions were predicted. None of them were shared between solute and matric stress-impacted mutants. One NaCl-affected mutant (i.e., NA7E1) with a disruption in a gene encoding a putative outer membrane protein (OpsA) was susceptible to lower NaCl concentrations than the other mutants. The growth of NA7E1 was impacted by other ions and nonionic solutes and by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), suggesting that opsA is involved in osmotic stress mitigation and/or outer membrane stability in strain LH128. NA7E1 was also the only mutant that showed reduced growth and less-efficient phenanthrene degradation in soil compared to the wild type. Moreover, the survival of NA7E1 in soil decreased significantly when the moisture content was decreased but was unaffected when soluble solutes from sandy soil were removed by washing. opsA appears to be important for the survival of strain LH128 in soil, especially in the case of reduced moisture content, probably by mitigating the effects of solute stress and retaining membrane stability. PMID:24657861

Cross-validation of IASI/MetOp derived tropospheric δD with TES and ground-based FTIR observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacour, J.-L.; Clarisse, L.; Worden, J.; Schneider, M.; Barthlott, S.; Hase, F.; Risi, C.; Clerbaux, C.; Hurtmans, D.; Coheur, P.-F.

2015-03-01

The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) flying onboard MetOpA and MetOpB is able to capture fine isotopic variations of the HDO to H2O ratio (δD) in the troposphere. Such observations at the high spatio-temporal resolution of the sounder are of great interest to improve our understanding of the mechanisms controlling humidity in the troposphere. In this study we aim to empirically assess the validity of our error estimation previously evaluated theoretically. To achieve this, we compare IASI δD retrieved profiles with other available profiles of δD, from the TES infrared sounder onboard AURA and from three ground-based FTIR stations produced within the MUSICA project: the NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) sites Kiruna and Izaña, and the TCCON site Karlsruhe, which in addition to near-infrared TCCON spectra also records mid-infrared spectra. We describe the achievable level of agreement between the different retrievals and show that these theoretical errors are in good agreement with empirical differences. The comparisons are made at different locations from tropical to Arctic latitudes, above sea and above land. Generally IASI and TES are similarly sensitive to δD in the free troposphere which allows one to compare their measurements directly. At tropical latitudes where IASI's sensitivity is lower than that of TES, we show that the agreement improves when taking into account the sensitivity of IASI in the TES retrieval. For the comparison IASI-FTIR only direct comparisons are performed because the sensitivity profiles of the two observing systems do not allow to take into account their differences of sensitivity. We identify a quasi negligible bias in the free troposphere (-3‰) between IASI retrieved δD with the TES, which are bias corrected, but important with the ground-based FTIR reaching -47‰. We also suggest that model-satellite observation comparisons could be optimized with IASI thanks to its high

OpT2mise: a randomized controlled trial to compare insulin pump therapy with multiple daily injections in the treatment of type 2 diabetes-research design and methods.

PubMed

Aronson, Ronnie; Cohen, Ohad; Conget, Ignacio; Runzis, Sarah; Castaneda, Javier; de Portu, Simona; Lee, Scott; Reznik, Yves

2014-07-01

In insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes patients, current insulin therapy approaches such as basal-alone or basal-bolus multiple daily injections (MDI) have not consistently provided achievement of optimal glycemic control. Previous studies have suggested a potential benefit of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in these patients. The OpT2mise study is a multicenter, randomized, trial comparing CSII with MDI in a large cohort of subjects with evidence of persistent hyperglycemia despite previous MDI therapy. Subjects were enrolled into a run-in period for optimization of their MDI insulin regimen. Subjects showing persistent hyperglycemia (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≥8% and ≤12%) were then randomly assigned to CSII or continuing an MDI regimen for a 6-month phase followed by a single crossover of the MDI arm, switching to CSII. The primary end point is the between-group difference in mean change in HbA1c from baseline to 6 months. Secondary end points include change in mean 24-h glucose values, area under the curve and time spent in hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, measures of glycemic excursions, change in postprandial hyperglycemia, and evaluation of treatment satisfaction. Safety end points include hypoglycemia, hospital admissions, and emergency room visits. When subject enrollment was completed in May 2013, 495 subjects had been enrolled in the study. The study completion for the primary end point is expected in January 2014. OpT2mise will represent the largest studied homogeneous cohort of type 2 diabetes patients with persistent hyperglycemia despite optimized MDI therapy. OpT2mise will help define the role of CSII in insulin intensification and define its safety, rate of hypoglycemia, patient adherence, and patient satisfaction.

A Shovel-Ready Solution to Fill the Nursing Data Gap in the Interdisciplinary Clinical Picture.

PubMed

Keenan, Gail M; Lopez, Karen Dunn; Sousa, Vanessa E C; Stifter, Janet; Macieira, Tamara G R; Boyd, Andrew D; Yao, Yingwei; Herdman, T Heather; Moorhead, Sue; McDaniel, Anna; Wilkie, Diana J

2018-01-01

To critically evaluate 2014 American Academy of Nursing (AAN) call-to-action plan for generating interoperable nursing data. Healthcare literature. AAN's plan will not generate the nursing data needed to participate in big data science initiatives in the short term because Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms are not yet ripe for generating interoperable data. Well-tested viable alternatives exist. Authors present recommendations for revisions to AAN's plan and an evidence-based alternative to generating interoperable nursing data in the near term. These revisions can ultimately lead to the proposed terminology goals of the AAN's plan in the long term. © 2017 NANDA International, Inc.

The American Academy of Neurology's top five choosing wisely recommendations.

PubMed

Langer-Gould, Annette M; Anderson, Wayne E; Armstrong, Melissa J; Cohen, Adam B; Eccher, Matthew A; Iverson, Donald J; Potrebic, Sonja B; Becker, Amanda; Larson, Rod; Gedan, Alicia; Getchius, Thomas S D; Gronseth, Gary S

2013-09-10

To discuss the American Academy of Neurology (AAN)'s Top Five Recommendations in the Choosing Wisely campaign promoting high-value neurologic medicine and physician-patient communication. The AAN published its Top Five Recommendations in February 2013 in collaboration with the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation and Consumer Reports. A Choosing Wisely Working Group of 10 AAN members was formed to oversee the process and craft the evidence-based recommendations. AAN members were solicited for recommendations, the recommendations were sent out for external review, and the Working Group members (article authors) used a modified Delphi process to select their Top Five Recommendations. The Working Group submitted 5 neurologic recommendations to the AAN Practice Committee and Board of Directors; all 5 were approved by both entities in September 2012. Recommendation 1: Don't perform EEGs for headaches. Recommendation 2: Don't perform imaging of the carotid arteries for simple syncope without other neurologic symptoms. Recommendation 3: Don't use opioids or butalbital for treatment of migraine, except as a last resort. Recommendation 4: Don't prescribe interferon-β or glatiramer acetate to patients with disability from progressive, nonrelapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Recommendation 5: Don't recommend carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis unless the complication rate is low (<3%).

[Measurements of the concentration of atmospheric CO2 based on OP/FTIR method and infrared reflecting scanning Fourier transform spectrometry].

PubMed

Wei, Ru-Yi; Zhou, Jin-Song; Zhang, Xue-Min; Yu, Tao; Gao, Xiao-Hui; Ren, Xiao-Qiang

2014-11-01

The present paper describes the observations and measurements of the infrared absorption spectra of CO2 on the Earth's surface with OP/FTIR method by employing a mid-infrared reflecting scanning Fourier transform spectrometry, which are the first results produced by the first prototype in China developed by the team of authors. This reflecting scanning Fourier transform spectrometry works in the spectral range 2 100-3 150 cm(-1) with a spectral resolution of 2 cm(-1). Method to measure the atmospheric molecules was described and mathematical proof and quantitative algorithms to retrieve molecular concentration were established. The related models were performed both by a direct method based on the Beer-Lambert Law and by a simulating-fitting method based on HITRAN database and the instrument functions. Concentrations of CO2 were retrieved by the two models. The results of observation and modeling analyses indicate that the concentrations have a distribution of 300-370 ppm, and show tendency that going with the variation of the environment they first decrease slowly and then increase rapidly during the observation period, and reached low points in the afternoon and during the sunset. The concentrations with measuring times retrieved by the direct method and by the simulating-fitting method agree with each other very well, with the correlation of all the data is up to 99.79%, and the relative error is no more than 2.00%. The precision for retrieving is relatively high. The results of this paper demonstrate that, in the field of detecting atmospheric compositions, OP/FTIR method performed by the Infrared reflecting scanning Fourier transform spectrometry is a feasible and effective technical approach, and either the direct method or the simulating-fitting method is capable of retrieving concentrations with high precision.

China’s new-age small farms and their vertical integration: agribusiness or co-ops?

PubMed

Huang, Philip C C

2011-01-01

The future of Chinese agriculture lies not with large mechanized farms but with small capital-labor dual intensifying family farms for livestock-poultry-fish raising and vegetable-fruit cultivation. Chinese food consumption patterns have been changing from the old 8:1:1 pattern of 8 parts grain, 1 part meat, and 1 part vegetables to a 4:3:3 pattern, with a corresponding transformation in agricultural structure. Small family-farming is better suited for the new-age agriculture, including organic farming, than large-scale mechanized farming, because of the intensive, incremental, and variegated hand labor involved, not readily open to economies of scale, though compatible with economies of scope. It is also better suited to the realities of severe population pressure on land. But it requires vertical integration from cultivation to processing to marketing, albeit without horizontal integration for farming. It is against such a background that co-ops have arisen spontaneously for integrating small farms with processing and marketing. The Chinese government, however, has been supporting aggressively capitalistic agribusinesses as the preferred mode of vertical integration. At present, Chinese agriculture is poised at a crossroads, with the future organizational mode for vertical integration as yet uncertain.

American Association of Neurological Surgeons

MedlinePlus

... Discounted Online Courses for AANS Members Access Online Meetings and Course Calendar View a listing of neurosurgical ... Neurosurgical Societies Neurosurgery Blog 2018 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting NEUROSURGERY THE Privilege OF SERVICE April 28-May ...

Lessons Learned From the Implementation of Brighter Bites: A Food Co-op to Increase Access to Fruits and Vegetables and Nutrition Education Among Low-Income Children and Their Families.

PubMed

Sharma, Shreela V; Chow, Joanne; Pomeroy, Michael; Raber, Margaret; Salako, David; Markham, Christine

2017-04-01

Food co-op models have gained popularity as a mechanism for offering affordable, quality produce. We describe the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from implementation of a school-based program using a food co-op model combined with nutrition education to improve access to and intake of fresh fruits and vegetables among low-income children and their families. Brighter Bites is a 16-week intervention comprising of fresh produce deliveries, recipe demonstrations, and nutrition education. A mixed-methods approach was used comprising survey and focus group data collected from Brighter Bites staff, parents, and teachers. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were computed for the survey data collected. Brighter Bites was implemented across 9 schools, serving a total of 1530 predominantly low-income families in the 2013-2014 school year. Brighter Bites distributed an average 60.2 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per family per week. Lessons learned included the importance of leveraging existing infrastructure of food banks and schools to implement the program, early school and parent engagement, and incorporating strategies to track and optimize engagement. Clear expectations and reliable partnerships are keys to the delivery of the Brighter Bites program. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Fanconi's syndrome, interstitial fibrosis and renal failure by aristolochic acid in Chinese herbs.

PubMed

Hong, Yin-Tai; Fu, Lin-Shien; Chung, Lin-Huei; Hung, Shien-Chung; Huang, Yi-Ting; Chi, Chin-Shiang

2006-04-01

Aristolochic acid-associated nephropathy (AAN) has been identified as a separate entity of progressive tubulo-interstitial nephropathy. Its characteristic pathological findings, including hypocellular interstitial fibrosis, intimal thickening of interlobular and afferent arterioles with glomeruli sparing or mild sclerosis, have been identified. Many cases of AAN in adults have been reported in Taiwan as well as throughout the world, but it has seldom been described in children. We report on a 10-year-old boy who presented with severe anemia, Fanconi's syndrome, and progressive renal failure. Renal biopsy revealed typical findings of AAN. Aristolochic acids I and II were identified from a Chinese herb mixture ingested by the boy. AAN was diagnosed after other etiologies had been excluded. The case demonstrates the hazards of Chinese herbs with regard to children's health in Taiwan and suggests that more attention should be paid to this issue.

The COSMO-SkyMed ground and ILS and OPS segments upgrades for full civilian capacity exploitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasano, L.; De Luca, G. F.; Cardone, M.; Loizzo, R.; Sacco, P.; Daraio, M. G.

2015-10-01

COSMO-SkyMed (CSK), is an Earth Observation joint program between Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (Italian Space Agency, ASI) and Italian Ministry of Defense (It-MoD). It consists of a constellation of four X Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) whose first satellite of has been launched on June 2007. Today the full constellation is fully qualified and is in an operative phase. The COSMO-SkyMed System includes 3 Segments: the Space Segment, the Ground Segment and the Integrated Logistic Support and Operations Segment (ILS and OPS) As part of a more complex re-engineering process aimed to improve the expected constellation lifetime, to fully exploit several system capabilities, to manage the obsolescence, to reduce the maintenance costs and to exploit the entire constellation capability for Civilian users a series of activities have been performed. In the next months these activities are planned to be completed and start to be operational so that it will be possible the programming, planning, acquisition, raw processing and archiving of all the images that the constellation can acquire.

Brain&Life: The Magazine

MedlinePlus

... About Us About Brain & Life About the AAN Neurology FAQ Subscribe for free Neurology for Everyday Living Powered by Trusted Neurologists Subscribe ... About Us About the AAN About Brain & Life Neurology FAQ Contact Us Privacy Policy Rights and Permissions ...

Caractérisation de la flore bactérienne des péritonites communautaires opérées au Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Sanou, Mahamoudou; Ky, Armand; Ouangre, Edgard; Bisseye, Cyrille; Sanou, Adama; Nagalo, Bolni Marius; Sanou, Drissa; Simporé, Jacques; Sangare, Lassana; Traore, Rasmata

2014-01-01

Introduction La péritonite communautaire est une urgence chirurgicale récurrente chez l'adulte qui constitue une préoccupation majeure pour le chirurgien et l'anesthésiste-réanimateur dans sa prise en charge. L'objectif de cette étude était d’établir non seulement le profil bactériologique des péritoniques communautaires opérées dans le service de chirurgie générale et digestive du CHU-YO mais aussi d’évaluer la sensibilité aux antibiotiques des souches bactériennes isolées à partir de ces dernières. Méthodes Cent six (106) patients ont été recrutés dans cette étude et des prélèvements bactériologiques préopératoires ont été effectués dont 63 se sont révélés positifs. Résultats Sur les 63 prélèvements positifs, 78 germes ont été isolés soit une moyenne de 1,2 germe par échantillon. Escherichia coli été le germe le plus fréquemment isolé (33,3%), suivi des anaérobies (11,5%), Streptococcus sp (9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (6,4%) et Staphylococcus sp (5,1%). Les antibiotiques les plus efficaces sur les bactéries identifiées dans les péritonites communautaires étaient respectivement l'imipenème (100%), la colistine (100%), la céftriaxone (100%), et la ciprofloxacine (65,4%) Conclusion Le profil de sensibilité des bactéries identifiées dans les principales péritonites communautaires aux antibiotiques montre une augmentation inquiétante du nombre de souches résistantes, notamment à l'association amoxicilline/acide clavulanique PMID:25360201

Stabilities of lead(II) complexes formed in aqueous solution with methyl thiophosphate (MeOPS(2-)), uridine 5'- O-thiomonophosphate (UMPS(2-)) or adenosine 5'- O-thiomonophosphate (AMPS(2-)).

PubMed

Da Costa, Carla P; Krajewska, Danuta; Okruszek, Andrzej; Stec, Wojciech J; Sigel, Helmut

2002-04-01

The acidity constants of twofold protonated methyl thiophosphate (MeOPS(2-)) and of monoprotonated uridine 5'- O-thiomonophosphate (UMPS(2-)) have been determined in aqueous solution (25 degrees C; I= 0.1 M, NaNO(3)) by potentiometric pH titration. The stability constants of their 1:1 complexes formed with Pb(2+), i.e. Pb(MeOPS) and Pb(UMPS), have also been measured. The results show that replacement of a phosphate oxygen by a sulfur atom increases the acidity by about 1.4 p K units. On the basis of recently established log versus plots ( = simple phosphate or phosphonate ligands where R is a non-coordinating residue), it is shown that the stability of the Pb(thiophosphate) complexes is by log Delta= 2.43+/-0.09 larger than expected for a Pb(2+)-phosphate interaction. The identity of the stability increase (log Delta) observed for Pb(MeOPS) and Pb(UMPS) shows that the nucleobase residue in the Pb(UMPS) complex has no influence on complex formation. To be able to carry out the mentioned comparisons, we have also determined the stability constant of the complex formed between Pb(2+) and methyl phosphate; the corresponding data for Pb(UMP) were already known from our earlier studies. The present results allow an evaluation of other Pb(2+) complexes formed with thiophosphate derivatives and they are applied now to the Pb(2+) complexes of adenosine 5'- O-thiomonophosphate (AMPS(2-)). The stability constants of the Pb(H;AMPS)(+) and Pb(AMPS) complexes were measured and it is shown that, within the error limits, the stability of the Pb(AMPS) complex is determined by the basicity of the thiophosphate group of AMPS(2-); in other words, no hint for macrochelate formation involving N7 was observed. More important, with the aid of micro-stability-constant considerations it is concluded that the structure of the dominating isomer of the Pb(H;AMPS)(+) species is the one where the proton is located at the N1 site of the adenine residue and Pb(2+) is coordinated to the

Validity evidence for Surgical Improvement of Clinical Knowledge Ops: a novel gaming platform to assess surgical decision making.

PubMed

Lin, Dana T; Park, Julia; Liebert, Cara A; Lau, James N

2015-01-01

Current surgical education curricula focus mainly on the acquisition of technical skill rather than clinical and operative judgment. SICKO (Surgical Improvement of Clinical Knowledge Ops) is a novel gaming platform developed to address this critical need. A pilot study was performed to collect validity evidence for SICKO as an assessment for surgical decision making. Forty-nine subjects stratified into 4 levels of expertise were recruited to play SICKO. Later, players were surveyed regarding the realism of the gaming platform as well as the clinical competencies required of them while playing SICKO. Each group of increasing expertise outperformed the less experienced groups. Mean total game scores for the novice, junior resident, senior resident, and expert groups were 5,461, 8,519, 11,404, and 13,913, respectively (P = .001). Survey results revealed high scores for realism and content. SICKO holds the potential to be not only an engaging and immersive educational tool, but also a valid assessment in the armamentarium of surgical educators. Published by Elsevier Inc.

International science at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

PubMed

Henson, John W; Cascino, Gregory D; Post, Mary E

2007-10-23

The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is a major venue for presentation of the latest disease-related clinical and basic neurologic research and is attended by a large number of neurologists from countries outside the United States and Canada. One-third of annual meeting attendees and abstract submissions are international in origin, with wide variations between countries and world regions, and this proportion has remained stable for the past 5 years. By comparison, international neurologists constitute 12% (n = 2,485) of AAN membership, and international membership has declined slightly over the past 5 years compared to a 15% increase from the United States and Canada. The scientific topics covered by international abstracts are similar to those from the United States and Canada. Abstract acceptance rates are 15% lower for international submissions than for those from the United States and Canada although variations between countries are seen. Three times more European neurologists attend the annual meeting than are AAN members whereas Asian neurologists are more likely to be AAN members than to attend the annual meeting. The AAN is working to understand and address the issues that affect international physicians' decisions to participate in the annual meeting.

Ex ante Implementatietoetsing van Beleid, Een Methodiek Gebaseerd op Synergie Tussen Risicomanagement en Verandermanagement (Ex Ante Test for Policy Implementation - A Method Based Upon Synergy Between Risk Management an Change Management)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

ante implementatietoetsing van beleid Een methodiek gebaseerd op synergie tussen risicomnanagemnent en verandermanagemnent Datuni december 2006 Auteur (s...te analyseren. Het de resultaten van de interviews gebruikct bij de theorie van risicomanagement en project Verandermanagernent bij de de ontwikkehing...Opdrachtnummer Hoewel expliciet is gekeken naar voorbeelden van risico’s bij Datum december 2006 Auteur (s) PROGRAMMA PR03ECT drs. R.C.T. de Haas drs

Alopecic and Aseptic Nodules of the Scalp/Pseudocyst of the Scalp: Clinicopathological and Therapeutic Analyses in 11 Korean Patients.

PubMed

Seol, Jung Eun; Park, In Ho; Kim, Do Hyeong; Park, So Hee; Kang, Jeong Nan; Kim, Hyojin; Seo, Jong Keun

2016-01-01

Alopecic and aseptic nodule of the scalp (AANS) is a rare disease entity first reported in 1992 as pseudocyst of the scalp (PCS). Controversy exists regarding the histopathology and etiology of reported cases. We performed this study to analyze the clinical and histopathologic features of AANS/PCS in Korean patients. A retrospective review of medical records from 2008 to 2013 at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital was performed. Eleven patients were enrolled. All patients were male, and their mean age was 21.6 years. Most patients had a solitary nodule (10/11) located predominantly on the vertex. The mean nodule size was 20 mm. Inflammatory cell infiltration in the deep dermis was a histologic feature of AANS/PCS. Eight patients showed granulomatous infiltration. All patients were treated with short-term antibiotics and intralesional steroid injection. Our results suggest that dermatologists should consider AANS when diagnosing an alopecic nodule on the scalp. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

STS-100 Photo-op/Shut-up/Depart O&C/Launch Endeavour On Orbit/Landing/Crew Egress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This video shows an overview of crew activities from STS-100. The crew of Space Shuttle Shuttle Endeavour includes: Commander Kent Rominger; Pilot Jeffrey Ashby; and Mission Specialists Chris Hadfield, John Phillips, Scott Parazynski, Umberto Guidoni, and Yuri Lonchakov. Sections of the video include: Photo-op; Suit-up; Depart O&C; Ingress; Launch with Playbacks; On-orbit; Landing with Playbacks; Crew Egress & Departure. Voiceover narration introduces the astronauts at their pre-flight meal, and continues during the video, except for the launch and landing sequences. Launch playback views include: NEXT; Beach Tracker; VAB; PAD-A; Tower-1; UCS-15; Grandstand; OTV-60; OTV-70; OTV-71; DOAMS; UCS-10 Tracker; UCS-23 Tracker; On-board Ascent Camera. The On-orbit section of the video shows preparations for an extravehicular activity (EVA) to install Canadarm 2 on the International Space Station (ISS). Preparation for docking with the ISS, and the docking of the orbiter and ISS are shown. The attachment of Canadarm 2 and the Raffaello Logistics Module, a resupply vehicle, are shown. The crew also undertakes some maintenance of the ISS. Landing playback views include: TV-1; TV-2; LRO-1; LRO-2; PPOV.

Complementation Studies of Bacteriophage λ O Amber Mutants by Allelic Forms of O Expressed from Plasmid, and O-P Interaction Phenotypes.

PubMed

Hayes, Sidney; Rajamanickam, Karthic; Hayes, Connie

2018-04-05

λ genes O and P are required for replication initiation from the bacteriophage λ origin site, ori λ, located within gene O . Questions have persisted for years about whether O-defects can indeed be complemented in trans . We show the effect of original null mutations in O and the influence of four origin mutations (three are in-frame deletions and one is a point mutation) on complementation. This is the first demonstration that O proteins with internal deletions can complement for O activity, and that expression of the N-terminal portion of gene P can completely prevent O complementation. We show that O-P co-expression can limit the lethal effect of P on cell growth. We explore the influence of the contiguous small RNA OOP on O complementation and P-lethality.

Proteomics analysis of altered proteins in kidney of mice with aristolochic acid nephropathy using the fluorogenic derivatization-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

PubMed

Lin, Chia-En; Chang, Wen-Shin; Lee, Jen-Ai; Chang, Ting-Ya; Huang, Yu-Shen; Hirasaki, Yoshiro; Chen, Hung-Shing; Imai, Kazuhiro; Chen, Shih-Ming

2018-03-01

Aristolochic acid (AA) causes interstitial renal fibrosis, called aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). There is no specific indicator for diagnosing AAN, so this study aimed to investigate the biomarkers for AAN using a proteomics method. The C3H/He female mice were given ad libitum AA-distilled water (0.5 mg/kg/day) and distilled water for 56 days in the AA and normal groups, respectively. The AA-induced proteins in the kidney were investigated using a proteomics study, including fluorogenic derivatization with 7-chloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonamide, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with a MASCOT database searching system. There were two altered proteins, thrombospondin type 1 (TSP1) and G protein-coupled receptor 87 (GPR87), in the kidney of AA-group mice on day 56. GPR87, a tumorigenesis-related protein, is reported for the first time in the current study. The renal interstitial fibrosis was certainly induced in the AA-group mice under histological examination. Based on the results of histological examination and the proteomics study, this model might be applied to AAN studies in the future. TSP1 might be a novel biomarker for AAN, and the further role of GPR87 leading to AA-induced tumorigenesis should be researched in future studies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tomographic reconstruction of tracer gas concentration profiles in a room with the use of a single OP-FTIR and two iterative algorithms: ART and PWLS.

PubMed

Park, D Y; Fessler, J A; Yost, M G; Levine, S P

2000-03-01

Computed tomographic (CT) reconstructions of air contaminant concentration fields were conducted in a room-sized chamber employing a single open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) instrument and a combination of 52 flat mirrors and 4 retroreflectors. A total of 56 beam path data were repeatedly collected for around 1 hr while maintaining a stable concentration gradient. The plane of the room was divided into 195 pixels (13 x 15) for reconstruction. The algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) failed to reconstruct the original concentration gradient patterns for most cases. These poor results were caused by the "highly underdetermined condition" in which the number of unknown values (156 pixels) exceeds that of known data (56 path integral concentrations) in the experimental setting. A new CT algorithm, called the penalized weighted least-squares (PWLS), was applied to remedy this condition. The peak locations were correctly positioned in the PWLS-CT reconstructions. A notable feature of the PWLS-CT reconstructions was a significant reduction of highly irregular noise peaks found in the ART-CT reconstructions. However, the peak heights were slightly reduced in the PWLS-CT reconstructions due to the nature of the PWLS algorithm. PWLS could converge on the original concentration gradient even when a fairly high error was embedded into some experimentally measured path integral concentrations. It was also found in the simulation tests that the PWLS algorithm was very robust with respect to random errors in the path integral concentrations. This beam geometry and the use of a single OP-FTIR scanning system, in combination with the PWLS algorithm, is a system applicable to both environmental and industrial settings.

Tomographic Reconstruction of Tracer Gas Concentration Profiles in a Room with the Use of a Single OP-FTIR and Two Iterative Algorithms: ART and PWLS.

PubMed

Park, Doo Y; Fessier, Jeffrey A; Yost, Michael G; Levine, Steven P

2000-03-01

Computed tomographic (CT) reconstructions of air contaminant concentration fields were conducted in a room-sized chamber employing a single open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) instrument and a combination of 52 flat mirrors and 4 retroreflectors. A total of 56 beam path data were repeatedly collected for around 1 hr while maintaining a stable concentration gradient. The plane of the room was divided into 195 pixels (13 × 15) for reconstruction. The algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) failed to reconstruct the original concentration gradient patterns for most cases. These poor results were caused by the "highly underdetermined condition" in which the number of unknown values (156 pixels) exceeds that of known data (56 path integral concentrations) in the experimental setting. A new CT algorithm, called the penalized weighted least-squares (PWLS), was applied to remedy this condition. The peak locations were correctly positioned in the PWLS-CT reconstructions. A notable feature of the PWLS-CT reconstructions was a significant reduction of highly irregular noise peaks found in the ART-CT reconstructions. However, the peak heights were slightly reduced in the PWLS-CT reconstructions due to the nature of the PWLS algorithm. PWLS could converge on the original concentration gradient even when a fairly high error was embedded into some experimentally measured path integral concentrations. It was also found in the simulation tests that the PWLS algorithm was very robust with respect to random errors in the path integral concentrations. This beam geometry and the use of a single OP-FTIR scanning system, in combination with the PWLS algorithm, is a system applicable to both environmental and industrial settings.

Professional oversight of physician expert witnesses: an analysis of complaints to the Professional Conduct Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 1992-2006.

PubMed

Kesselheim, Aaron S; Studdert, David M

2009-01-01

To investigate the role of the professional conduct review program that is operated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). The program adjudicates complaints against AANS members for their work as expert witnesses in medical malpractice litigation. Policymakers worry that physician expert witnesses who espouse unfounded views in malpractice cases may fuel inappropriate litigation. A growing number of professional societies have sought to oversee their members' work as expert witnesses by instituting standards to regulate this conduct and enforcing those standards through formal disciplinary procedures. The AANS runs the longest-established and busiest program of this kind in the country. Plaintiffs' lawyers and consumer advocates have questioned the even-handedness of this form of self-regulation. We reviewed the confidential case summaries of all 59 complaints involving charges of inappropriate expert witness testimony adjudicated by the AANS Professional Conduct Committee from 1992 to 2006. We developed descriptive categories for the characteristics of the complainant and respondent, the types of misconduct alleged, and the outcomes of the review, including penalties imposed. The most common type of allegation was presentation of testimony that misrepresented the standard of care. Nineteen complaints (32%) were dismissed, but 40 (68%) resulted in sanctions ranging from censure to expulsion from membership. Both the frequency of complaints and length of sanctions have increased in the last 4 years. Although the AANS is highly attentive to procedural fairness, the overwhelming majority (57/59, 97%) of complaints related to testimony from witnesses acting for plaintiffs. Professional organizations may play a useful role in oversight of expert witness conduct, provided they maintain procedural fairness and strive for impartiality, as the AANS program seems to have done. However, from a policy perspective, this form of oversight is incomplete and

Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps), Version 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Johnson, William C.; Swenson, Harry N.; Robinson, John E.; Prevot, Tom; Callantine, Todd J.; Scardina, John; Greene, Michael

2013-01-01

This document is an update to the operations and procedures envisioned for NASA s Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) integrates three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to the Final Approach Fix. These arrival streams are Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and their implantation into an operational environment. The ATD-1 goals include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage.

A First-cut Concept Map: The Irregular Adversary (Insurgent)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

conceptuel des AANE aidera le spécialiste du renseignement militaire à brosser pour le commandant un tableau plus global des AANE dans leur...Crandall et al. (2006), « il est sage de toujours considérer les schémas conceptuels comme des représentations « vivantes » plutôt que des « produits

"Built-In" Action/Issues Tracking and Post-Ops Analysis Tool for Realtime Console Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, David W.

2008-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) for the International Space Station (ISS) uses a number of formal databases to manage and track flight plan changes, onboard and ground equipment anomalies, and other events. However, individual console positions encounter many action items and/or occurrences that don't fit neatly into the databases, and while console logs are comprehensive, manual or automated searches do not always yield consistent results. The Payload Communications Manager (PAYCOM) team, whose members speak directly with the ISS onboard crew with respect to NASA payload operations, has found a creative way to reformat a mandatory Daily Report to organize action items, standing reminders, significant events, and other comments. While the report keeps others appraised of PAYCOMs activities and issues of the moment, the format makes it easy to capture very brief summaries of the items in a "Roll Off Matrix", including start and stop dates, resolution, and possible applicability to future ops. The matrix provides accountability for all action items, gives direct insight into the issues surrounding various payloads and methods of dealing with them, yields indirect information on PAYCOM priorities and processes, and provides a roadmap that makes it easier to get back to extensive details if needed. This paper describes how the ISS PAYCOM Daily Report and Roll Off Matrix are organized, used, and inter-related to each other and the PAYCOM operations log. While the application is for a manned vehicle, the concepts could apply in a wide spectrum of operational settings.

Ca 45 Uptake in Fracture Callus of Normal and Aminoacetonitrile-Treated Rats

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

Bolognani, L.; Ponseti, T. V.

1962-04-01

Calcium content and Ca 45 uptake were measured in the fracture callus of normal and AAN-treated rats. It appears that total calcium deposition and Ca 45 uptake are both higher in the young callus, 5 and 10 days after fracture, of the AAN-treated animals. By the 20th day, mineralization of the callus in both groups is similar.

In memoriam of Professor Theodore L. Munsat (1930-2013): his outstanding legacy with the WFN.

PubMed

Medina, Marco T

2014-04-15

The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) lost an outstanding leader on November 22, 2013 with the death of Professor Theodore Leon Munsat ("Ted"), in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. Professor Munsat was Emeritus professor of Neurology at Tufts University School of Medicine and served the WFN in several capacities as trustee, chairman of the WFN Education and research committees, chairman of the WFN ALS Research group and founding director of the WFN Seminars in Clinical Neurology. He was president of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), 1989-1991, chairman of the Continuing Educational Committee of the AAN and founding director of AAN's premier continuing medical education journal Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology. He left an outstanding legacy with the WFN. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

OCRA radiometric cloud fractions for GOME-2 on MetOp-A/B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutz, R.; Loyola, D.; Gimeno García, S.; Romahn, F.

2015-12-01

This paper describes an approach for cloud parameter retrieval (radiometric cloud fraction estimation) using the polarization measurements of the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) on-board the MetOp-A/B satellites. The core component of the Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm (OCRA) is the calculation of monthly cloud-free reflectances for a global grid (resolution of 0.2° in longitude and 0.2° in latitude) and to derive radiometric cloud fractions. These cloud fractions will serve as a priori information for the retrieval of cloud top height (CTH), cloud top pressure (CTP), cloud top albedo (CTA) and cloud optical thickness (COT) with the Retrieval Of Cloud Information using Neural Networks (ROCINN) algorithm. This approach is already being implemented operationally for the GOME/ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT sensors and here we present version 3.0 of the OCRA algorithm applied to the GOME-2 sensors. Based on more than six years of GOME-2A data (February 2007-June 2013), reflectances are calculated for ≈ 35 000 orbits. For each measurement a degradation correction as well as a viewing angle dependent and latitude dependent correction is applied. In addition, an empirical correction scheme is introduced in order to remove the effect of oceanic sun glint. A comparison of the GOME-2A/B OCRA cloud fractions with co-located AVHRR geometrical cloud fractions shows a general good agreement with a mean difference of -0.15±0.20. From operational point of view, an advantage of the OCRA algorithm is its extremely fast computational time and its straightforward transferability to similar sensors like OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument), TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) on Sentinel 5 Precursor, as well as Sentinel 4 and Sentinel 5. In conclusion, it is shown that a robust, accurate and fast radiometric cloud fraction estimation for GOME-2 can be achieved with OCRA by using the polarization measurement devices (PMDs).

OCRA radiometric cloud fractions for GOME-2 on MetOp-A/B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutz, Ronny; Loyola, Diego; Gimeno García, Sebastián; Romahn, Fabian

2016-05-01

This paper describes an approach for cloud parameter retrieval (radiometric cloud-fraction estimation) using the polarization measurements of the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) onboard the MetOp-A/B satellites. The core component of the Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm (OCRA) is the calculation of monthly cloud-free reflectances for a global grid (resolution of 0.2° in longitude and 0.2° in latitude) to derive radiometric cloud fractions. These cloud fractions will serve as a priori information for the retrieval of cloud-top height (CTH), cloud-top pressure (CTP), cloud-top albedo (CTA) and cloud optical thickness (COT) with the Retrieval Of Cloud Information using Neural Networks (ROCINN) algorithm. This approach is already being implemented operationally for the GOME/ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT sensors and here we present version 3.0 of the OCRA algorithm applied to the GOME-2 sensors. Based on more than five years of GOME-2A data (April 2008 to June 2013), reflectances are calculated for ≈ 35 000 orbits. For each measurement a degradation correction as well as a viewing-angle-dependent and latitude-dependent correction is applied. In addition, an empirical correction scheme is introduced in order to remove the effect of oceanic sun glint. A comparison of the GOME-2A/B OCRA cloud fractions with colocated AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) geometrical cloud fractions shows a general good agreement with a mean difference of -0.15 ± 0.20. From an operational point of view, an advantage of the OCRA algorithm is its very fast computational time and its straightforward transferability to similar sensors like OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument), TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) on Sentinel 5 Precursor, as well as Sentinel 4 and Sentinel 5. In conclusion, it is shown that a robust, accurate and fast radiometric cloud-fraction estimation for GOME-2 can be achieved with OCRA using polarization measurement devices (PMDs).

Vrouwen bij de Koninklijke Landmacht: Een Onderzoek naar de Maatregelen die het Behoud en de Doorstroom van Vrouwelijke Militairen Verbeteren (Women in the Royal Netherlands Army: Measures for Retention and Career Development)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

mannencultuur. Uit onderzoek blijkt dat vrouwelijke BBT-ers (Beroeps Bepaalde Tijd ) zicb goed tbuis voelen bij de (masculiene) organisatiecultuur van...de KL. Zij ervaren bovendien geen benadeling of negatieve bejegening. Vrouwelijke BOT-ers (Beroeps Onbepaalde Tijd ) geven daarentegen wel aan dat zij...arbeid en zorg. Meer tijd voor de thuissituatie, waarbij de werknemner zelf kan beslissen hoe zij deze fijd bet beste kan aanpassen aan de behoefte van

Solid Catalyst Nanoparticles derived from Oil-Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OP-EFB) as a Renewable Catalyst for Biodiesel Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husin, H.; Asnawi, T. M.; Firdaus, A.; Husaini, H.; Ibrahim, I.; Hasfita, F.

2018-05-01

Solid nanocatalyst derived from oil-palm empty fruit bunches (OP-EFB) fiber was successfully synthesized and its application for biodiesel production was investigated. The OPEFB was treated by burning, milling and heating methods to generate ashes in a nanoparticle size. The nanoparticle palm-bunch ash was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The effects of the calcination temperature and catalyst amounts for transesterification reactions were investigated. XRD analysis of palm bunch ash exhibited that the highest composition of peaks characteristic were potassium oxide (K2O). SEM analysis showed that the nano palm bunch ash have a particle size ranging of 150-400 nm. The highest conversion of palm-oil to biodiesel reach to 97.90% was observed by using of palm bunch ash nanocatalyst which heated at 600°C, 3 h reaction time and 1% catalyst amount. Reusability of palm bunch ash catalysts was also examined. It was found that of its high active sites, reusable solid catalyst was obtained by just heating of palm bunch ash. It has a capability to reduce not only the amount of catalyst consumption but also reduce the reaction time of transesterification process.

Recent SO2 camera and OP-FTIR field measurements in Mexico and Guatemala

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Spina, Alessandro; Salerno, Giuseppe; Burton, Michael

2013-04-01

Between 22 and 30 November 2012 a field campaign was carried out at Mexico and Guatemala with the objectives of state the volcanic gas composition and flux fingerprints of Popocatepetl, Santiaguito, Fuego and Pacaya by exploiting simultaneously UV-camera and FTIR measurements. Gases were measured remotely using instruments sensitive to ultraviolet and infrared radiation (UV spectrometer, SO2-camera and OP-FTIR). Data collection depended on the requirements of the methodology, weather condition and eruptive stage of the volcanoes. OP-FTIR measurements were carried out using the MIDAC interferometer with 0.5 cm-1 resolution. Spectra were collected in solar occultation mode in which the Sun acts as an infrared source and the volcanic plume is interposed between the Sun and the spectrometer. At Santiaguito spectra were also collected in passive mode using the lava flow as a radiation source. The SO2-camera used for this study was a dual camera system consisting of two QS Imaging 640s cameras. Each of the two cameras was outfitted with two quartz 25mm lens, coupled with two band-pass filters centred at 310nm and at 330nm. The imaging system was managed by a custom-made software developed in LabView. The UV-camera system was coupled with a USB2000+ spectrometer connected to a QP1000-2-SR 1000 micron optical fiber with a 74-UV collimating lens. For calibration of plume imagery, images of five quartz cells containing known concentration path-lengths of SO2 were taken at the end of each sampling. Between 22 and 23 November 2012 UV-camera and FTIR observations were carried out at Popocatepetl. During the time of our observation, the volcano was characterised by pulsing degassing from the summit crater forming a whitish plume that dispersed rapidly in the atmosphere according to wind direction and speed. Data were collected from the Observatorio Atmosférico Altzomoni (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) at 4000 metre a.s.l. and at a distance of ~12 km from the volcano

Op-Ug TD Optimizer Tool Based on Matlab Code to Find Transition Depth From Open Pit to Block Caving / Narzędzie Optymalizacyjne Oparte O Kod Matlab Wykorzystane Do Określania Głębokości Przejściowej Od Wydobycia Odkrywkowego Do Wybierania Komorami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhtavar, E.

2015-09-01

In this study, transition from open pit to block caving has been considered as a challenging problem. For this purpose, the linear integer programing code of Matlab was initially developed on the basis of the binary integer model proposed by Bakhtavar et al (2012). Then a program based on graphical user interface (GUI) was set up and named "Op-Ug TD Optimizer". It is a beneficial tool for simple application of the model in all situations where open pit is considered together with block caving method for mining an ore deposit. Finally, Op-Ug TD Optimizer has been explained step by step through solving the transition from open pit to block caving problem of a case ore deposit. W pracy tej rozważano skomplikowane zagadnienie przejścia od wybierania odkrywkowego do komorowego. W tym celu opracowano kod programowania liniowego w środowisku MATLAB w oparciu o model liczb binarnych zaproponowany przez Bakhtavara (2012). Następnie opracowano program z wykorzystujący graficzny interfejs użytkownika o nazwie Optymalizator Op-Ug TD. Jest to niezwykle cenne narzędzie umożliwiające stosowanie modelu dla wszystkich warunków w sytuacjach gdy rozważamy prowadzenie wydobycia metodą odkrywkową oraz wydobycie komorowe przy eksploatacji złóż rud żelaza. W końcowej części pracy podano szczegółową instrukcję stosowanie programu Optymalizator na przedstawionym przykładzie przejścia od wydobycia rud żelaza metodami odkrywkowymi poprzez wydobycie komorami.

Biocompatibility and safety of a hybrid core-shell nanoparticulate OP-1 delivery system intramuscularly administered in rats.

PubMed

Haidar, Ziyad S; Hamdy, Reggie C; Tabrizian, Maryam

2010-04-01

A hybrid, localized and release-controlled delivery system for bone growth factors consisting of a liposomal core incorporated into a shell of alternating layer-by-layer self-assembled natural polyelectrolytes has been formulated. Hydrophilic, monodisperse, spherical and stable cationic nanoparticles (< or =350 nm) with an extended shelf-life resulted. Cytocompatibility was previously assayed with MC3T3-E1.4 mouse preosteoblasts showing no adverse effects on cell viability. In this study, the in vivo biocompatibility of unloaded and loaded nanoparticles with osteogenic protein-1 or OP-1 was investigated. Young male Wistar rats were injected intramuscularly and monitored over a period of 10 weeks for signs of inflammation and/or adverse reactions. Blood samples (600 microL/collection) were withdrawn followed by hematological and biochemical analysis. Body weight changes over the treatment period were noted. Major organs were harvested, weighed and examined histologically for any pathological changes. Finally, the injection site was identified and examined immunohistochemically. Overall, all animals showed no obvious toxic health effects, immune responses and/or change in organ functions. This hybrid core-shell nanoparticulate delivery system localizes the effect of the released bioactive load within the site of injection in muscle with no significant tissue distress. Hence, a safe and promising carrier for therapeutic growth factors and possibly other biomolecules is presented. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A[Bi(3)Ti(4)O(13)] and A[Bi(3)PbTi(5)O(16)] (A = K, Cs): New n = 4 and n = 5 Members of the Layered Perovskite Series, A[A'(n)()(-)(1)B(n)()O(3)(n)()(+1)], and Their Hydrates.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, J.; Sivakumar, T.; Thangadurai, V.; Subbanna, G. N.

1999-06-14

We describe the synthesis and structural characterization of new layered bismuth titanates, A[Bi(3)Ti(4)O(13)] and A[Bi(3)PbTi(5)O(16)] for A = K, Cs, corresponding to n = 4 and 5 members of the Dion-Jacobson series of layered perovskites of the general formula, A[A'(n)()(-)(1)B(n)()O(3)(n)()(+1)]. These materials have been prepared by solid state reaction of the constituents containing excess alkali, which is required to suppress the formation of competitive Aurivillius phases. Unlike the isostructural niobates and niobium titanates of the same series, the new phases reported here are spontaneously hydrated-a feature which could make them potentially useful as photocatalysts for water splitting reaction. On hydration of the potassium compounds, the c axis expands by ca. 2 Å and loses its doubling [for example, the tetragonal lattice parameters of K[Bi(3)Ti(4)O(13)] and its dihydrate are respectively a = 3.900(1) Å, c = 37.57(2) Å; a = 3.885(1) Å, c = 20.82(4) Å]; surprisingly, the cesium analogues do not show a similar change on hydration.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Brighter Bites: A Food Co-Op in Schools to Increase Access, Continuity and Education of Fruits and Vegetables Among Low-Income Populations.

PubMed

Sharma, Shreela; Helfman, Lisa; Albus, Katherine; Pomeroy, Mike; Chuang, Ru-Jye; Markham, Christine

2015-08-01

Intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V) continues to be low in children in the United States. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot feasibility evaluation of Brighter Bites, a school-based food co-op to provide access to fresh F&V and nutrition education to low-income children and their families. Brighter Bites is a 16-week school-based food co-op consisting of: (1) Weekly distribution of 50-60 servings of fresh F&V; (2) Weekly bilingual parent handouts and recipe demonstrations; and (3) implementing CATCH, a coordinated school health program in schools. Brighter Bites was pilot tested using a pre-post evaluation design in one charter school in Houston, TX, USA (n = 57 3rd grade parent-child dyads; 94.1 % Hispanic, 91 % low-income). Evaluation, at baseline, midpoint, and post-intervention, included self-reported child and parent surveys on psychosocial factors, dietary habits and mealtime practices. Pearson's Chi square test, Fisher's exact-test or paired t test were used to determine changes pre- to post-intervention (at p < 0.05). Process data using parent surveys, teacher surveys, attendance logs, and produce cost data were used to determine feasibility and acceptability of program. Participants received on average 61 servings of F&V weekly for 16 weeks at the cost of $4.31/family/week. Results showed significant increases in child reported self-efficacy, outcome expectations and attitudes towards consuming F&V (p < 0.05). We found significant increases in child exposure to F&V and child preference of various F&V from baseline to post-intervention (p < 0.05). Parent surveys showed significant improvements in mealtime practices at home: decrease in children eating while watching TV, increase in eating dinner with the family, less fast food, less sugary drinks with meals, more children asking for F&V as snacks. Process data showed 98 % retention rate and high parent acceptability of program components. Brighter Bites is a promising strategy to increase F

The effect of muscle weakness on the capability gap during gross motor function: a simulation study supporting design criteria for exoskeletons of the lower limb.

PubMed

Afschrift, Maarten; De Groote, Friedl; De Schutter, Joris; Jonkers, Ilse

2014-08-04

Enabling persons with functional weaknesses to perform activities of daily living (ADL) is one of the main challenges for the aging society. Powered orthoses, or exoskeletons, have the potential to support ADL while promoting active participation of the user. For this purpose, assistive devices should be designed and controlled to deliver assistance as needed (AAN). This means that the level of assistance should bridge the capability gap, i.e. the gap between the capabilities of the subjects and the task requirements. However, currently the actuators of exoskeletons are mainly designed using inverse dynamics (ID) based calculations of joint moments. The goal of the present study is to calculate the capability gap for the lower limb during ADL when muscle weakness is present, which is needed for appropriate selection of actuators to be integrated in exoskeletons. A musculoskeletal model (MM) is used to calculate the joint kinematics, joint kinetics and muscle forces of eight healthy subjects during ADL (gait, sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit, stair ascent, stair descent). Muscle weakness was imposed to the MM by a stepwise decrease in maximal isometric force imposed to all muscles. Muscle forces were calculated using static optimization. In order to compensate for muscle weakness, ideal moment actuators that represent the motors of an exoskeleton in the simulation were added to deliver AAN required to perform the task. The ID approach overestimates the required assistance since it relies solely on the demands of the task, whereas the AAN approach incorporates the capabilities of the subject. Furthermore, the ID approach delivers continuous support whereas the AAN approach targets the period where a capability gap occurs. The level of muscle weakness for which the external demands imposed by ADL can no longer be met by active muscle force production, is respectively 40%, 70%, 80% and 30%. The present workflow allows estimating the AAN during ADL for different levels of

Prizes, lectures, and awards of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors.

PubMed

Barker, Fred G; McDermott, Michael W

2005-04-15

An important goal of the Section on Tumors of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) since its founding in 1985 has been to foster both education and research in the field of brain tumor treatment. As one means of achieving this, the Section awards a number of prizes, research grants, and named lectures at the annual meetings of the AANS and CNS. After a brief examination of similar honors that were given in recognition of pioneering work by Knapp, Cushing, and other early brain tumor researchers, the authors describe the various awards given by the AANS/CNS Section on Tumors since its founding, their philanthropic donors, and the recipients of the awards. The subsequent career of the recipients is briefly examined, in terms of the rate of full publication of award-winning abstracts and achievement of grant funding by awardees.

Global height-resolved methane retrievals from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on MetOp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddans, Richard; Knappett, Diane; Kerridge, Brian; Waterfall, Alison; Hurley, Jane; Latter, Barry; Boesch, Hartmut; Parker, Robert

2017-11-01

This paper describes the global height-resolved methane (CH4) retrieval scheme for the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on MetOp, developed at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). The scheme precisely fits measured spectra in the 7.9 micron region to allow information to be retrieved on two independent layers centred in the upper and lower troposphere. It also uses nitrous oxide (N2O) spectral features in the same spectral interval to directly retrieve effective cloud parameters to mitigate errors in retrieved methane due to residual cloud and other geophysical variables. The scheme has been applied to analyse IASI measurements between 2007 and 2015. Results are compared to model fields from the MACC greenhouse gas inversion and independent measurements from satellite (GOSAT), airborne (HIPPO) and ground (TCCON) sensors. The estimated error on methane mixing ratio in the lower- and upper-tropospheric layers ranges from 20 to 100 and from 30 to 40 ppbv, respectively, and error on the derived column-average ranges from 20 to 40 ppbv. Vertical sensitivity extends through the lower troposphere, though it decreases near to the surface. Systematic differences with the other datasets are typically < 10 ppbv regionally and < 5 ppbv globally. In the Southern Hemisphere, a bias of around 20 ppbv is found with respect to MACC, which is not explained by vertical sensitivity or found in comparison of IASI to TCCON. Comparisons to HIPPO and MACC support the assertion that two layers can be independently retrieved and provide confirmation that the estimated random errors on the column- and layer-averaged amounts are realistic. The data have been made publically available via the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) data archive (Siddans, 2016).

Atoh1-lineal neurons are required for hearing and for the survival of neurons in the spiral ganglion and brainstem accessory auditory nuclei

PubMed Central

Maricich, Stephen M.; Xia, Anping; Mathes, Erin L.; Wang, Vincent Y.; Oghalai, John S.; Fritzsch, Bernd; Zoghbi, Huda Y.

2009-01-01

Atoh1 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor necessary for the specification of inner ear hair cells and central auditory system neurons derived from the rhombic lip. We used the Cre-loxP system and two Cre-driver lines (Egr2Cre and Hoxb1Cre) to delete Atoh1 from different regions of the cochlear nucleus (CN) and accessory auditory nuclei (AAN). Adult Atoh1-conditional knockout mice (Atoh1CKO) are behaviorally deaf, have diminished auditory brainstem evoked responses and disrupted CN and AAN morphology and connectivity. In addition, Egr2; Atoh1CKO mice lose spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea and AAN neurons during the first 3 days of life, revealing a novel critical period in the development of these neurons. These new mouse models of predominantly central deafness illuminate the importance of the CN for support of a subset of peripheral and central auditory neurons. PMID:19741118

Intelligent mobility for robotic vehicles in the army after next

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhart, Grant R.; Goetz, Richard C.; Gorsich, David J.

1999-07-01

The TARDEC Intelligent Mobility program addresses several essential technologies necessary to support the army after next (AAN) concept. Ground forces in the AAN time frame will deploy robotic unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in high-risk missions to avoid exposing soldiers to both friendly and unfriendly fire. Prospective robotic systems will include RSTA/scout vehicles, combat engineering/mine clearing vehicles, indirect fire artillery and missile launch platforms. The AAN concept requires high on-road and off-road mobility, survivability, transportability/deployability and low logistics burden. TARDEC is developing a robotic vehicle systems integration laboratory (SIL) to evaluate technologies and their integration into future UGV systems. Example technologies include the following: in-hub electric drive, omni-directional wheel and steering configurations, off-road tires, adaptive tire inflation, articulated vehicles, active suspension, mine blast protection, detection avoidance and evasive maneuver. This paper will describe current developments in these areas relative to the TARDEC intelligent mobility program.

Insights into different Strombolian explosive styles by remote controlled OP-FTIR (CERBERUS) measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spina Alessandro, La; Mike, Burton; Filippo, Murè; Roberto, Maugeri

2014-05-01

In this paper we present the results and interpretation of gas composition data collected by a permanent OP-FTIR system (CERBERUS) installed at Stromboli summit. The instrument allows remote control observation and measurement of gas emissions from different points within volcano's crater terrace, using an integrated infrared camera / scanning mirror / FTIR system. Given that an OpenPath Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer allows the simultaneously measure all the major species contained in volcanic gas emissions, we could observe the different explosive styles fed by Stromboli volcano. Stromboli volcano, in the Aeolian island arc, is known as the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean" for its regular (~every 10-20 min) explosive activity, launching crystal-rich black scoriae to 100-200 m height constituting a rich and impressive spectacle for both volcanologists and tourists from every part of the world. This ordinary activity has been classified in two types in relation to the their content of ash ejected. Type 1 is dominated melt ballistic particles whereas Type 2 consists of an ash-rich plume. On 18 July we recorded both explosive styles at the SW crater of Stromboli finding quite similar CO2/SO2 ratio, although we observed a higher value of SO2/HCl molar ratio for the Type 2. Moreover prior to both types of explosions the CO2 amount showed similar trend, whereas a different pattern in SO2 and in HCl gas content, was observed. In detail type 2 was preceded by decrease in SO2 and HCl amounts with respect to type 1. The decreasing trend observed before the onset of style 2 and the higher SO2/HCl ratio might be an indication of overpressure that might have induced the difference between the two types of explosions. In this context, the evidence of no change in the amount of CO2 and in CO2/SO2 ratio suggested us that this overpressure occurred in very shallow depths within the volcano feeding system. If our observations will be confirmed by other explosive

STS-102 Photo-op/Suit-up/Depart O&C/Launch Discovery On Orbit/Landing/Crew Egress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The spacecrews of STS-102 and the Expedition 1 and 2 crews of the International Space Station (ISS) are seen in this video, which presents an overview of their activities. The crew consists of Commander Jim Wetherbee, Pilot James Kelly, and Mission Specialists Andrew Thomas, and Paul Richards. The sections of the video include: Photo-op, Suit-up, Depart O&C, Ingress, Launch with Playbacks, On-orbit, Landing with Playbacks, and Crew Egress & Departs. The prelaunch activities are explained by two narrators, and the crew members are assisted in the White Room just before boarding the Space Shuttle Discovery. Isolated views of the shuttle's launch include: VAB, PAD-B, DLTR-3, UCS-23 Tracker, PATRICK IGOR, UCS-10 Tracker, Grandstand, Tower-1, OTV-160, OTV-170, OTV-171, and On-board Camera. The video shows two extravehicular activities (EVAs) to perform work on the ISS, one by astronauts Helms and Voss from Expedition 2, and another by Richards and Thomas. The attachment of the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module, a temporary resupply module, is shown in a series of still images. The on-orbit footage also includes a view of the Nile River, and a crew exhange ceremony between Expedition 1 (Commander Yuri Gidzenko, Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev) and Expedition 2 (Commander Yury Usachev, Flight Engineers James Voss, Susan Helms). Isolated views of the landing at Kennedy Space Center include: North Runway Camera, VAB, Tower-1, Mid-field, Midfield IR, Tower-2, and UCS-12 IR. The Crew Transfer Vehicle (CTV) for unloading the astronauts is shown, administrators greet the crew upon landing, and Commander Wetherbee gives a briefing.

On the Robustness of Herlihy’s Hierarchy

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

s op ’. 5 Thus, the order...includes all complete operations in H. 2. if two operations op and op’ are in S , op < s op ’ if and only if response of op precedes the response of op...in S different from (eý’, eje), op < S op ’ if and only if the response of op precedes the response of op’ in H. It is easy to verify that (i) S is

eddy4R 0.2.0: a DevOps model for community-extensible processing and analysis of eddy-covariance data based on R, Git, Docker, and HDF5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzger, Stefan; Durden, David; Sturtevant, Cove; Luo, Hongyan; Pingintha-Durden, Natchaya; Sachs, Torsten; Serafimovich, Andrei; Hartmann, Jörg; Li, Jiahong; Xu, Ke; Desai, Ankur R.

2017-08-01

Large differences in instrumentation, site setup, data format, and operating system stymie the adoption of a universal computational environment for processing and analyzing eddy-covariance (EC) data. This results in limited software applicability and extensibility in addition to often substantial inconsistencies in flux estimates. Addressing these concerns, this paper presents the systematic development of portable, reproducible, and extensible EC software achieved by adopting a development and systems operation (DevOps) approach. This software development model is used for the creation of the eddy4R family of EC code packages in the open-source R language for statistical computing. These packages are community developed, iterated via the Git distributed version control system, and wrapped into a portable and reproducible Docker filesystem that is independent of the underlying host operating system. The HDF5 hierarchical data format then provides a streamlined mechanism for highly compressed and fully self-documented data ingest and output. The usefulness of the DevOps approach was evaluated for three test applications. First, the resultant EC processing software was used to analyze standard flux tower data from the first EC instruments installed at a National Ecological Observatory (NEON) field site. Second, through an aircraft test application, we demonstrate the modular extensibility of eddy4R to analyze EC data from other platforms. Third, an intercomparison with commercial-grade software showed excellent agreement (R2 = 1.0 for CO2 flux). In conjunction with this study, a Docker image containing the first two eddy4R packages and an executable example workflow, as well as first NEON EC data products are released publicly. We conclude by describing the work remaining to arrive at the automated generation of science-grade EC fluxes and benefits to the science community at large. This software development model is applicable beyond EC and more generally builds

Catabolism of 4-alkylphenols by Acinetobacter sp. OP5: genetic organization of the oph gene cluster and characterization of alkylcatechol 2, 3-dioxygenase.

PubMed

Tuan, Nguyen Ngoc; Lin, Yi-Wen; Huang, Shir-Ly

2013-03-01

In this study, a specific PCR primer set was successfully designed for alkylcatechol 2, 3-dioxygenase genes and applied to detect the presence of this biomarker in 4-t-octylphenol-degrading Acinetobacter sp. strain OP5. A gene cluster (ophRBA1A2A3A4A5A6CEH) encoding multicomponent phenol hydroxylase and alkylcatechol 2, 3-dioxygenase was then cloned from this strain and showed the highest homology to those involved in the published medium-chain alkylphenol gene clusters. The pure enzyme of recombinant cell harboring ophB showed meta-cleavage activities for 4-methylcatechol (1,435%), 4-ethylcatechol (982%), catechol (100%), 4-t-butylcatechol (16.6%), and 4-t-octylcatechol (3.2%). The results suggest that the developed molecular technique is useful and easy in detection of medium/long-chain alkylphenol degradation gene cluster. In addition, it also provides a better understanding of the distribution of biodegradative genes and pathway for estrogenic-active long-chain alkylphenols in bacteria. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a diabetes prevention program for Surinamese South Asians in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Nicolaou, Mary; Vlaar, Evalina; van Valkengoed, Irene; Middelkoop, Barend; Stronks, Karien; Nierkens, Vera

2014-12-01

Type 2 diabetes is highly prevalent among South Asian origin groups around the world. Not only is prevalence higher than in other ethnic groups, age at presentation is lower and these groups are more likely to experience complications. Evidence suggests that lifestyle interventions may prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. However, little is known about diabetes prevention in South Asians (SA). DH!AAN is a diabetes prevention program designed for Surinamese SA in The Netherlands. In this paper, we describe the theoretical frameworks and formative research that guided the development and cultural adaptation of DH!AAN. Cultural adaptation was based on analysis of the determinants of diet and physical activity, including socio-cultural factors, within our study population. This led to the incorporation of surface and deep structure elements in the intervention. One-to-one counseling by dieticians using motivational interviewing (MI) was the basis for the intervention. Additionally, we aimed to generate social support by including family members in parts of the intervention and group sessions to address issues relating to traditional food habits. We discuss our reflections on the development process and the choices made in developing this intervention. The results of DH!AAN will provide insight into the use of MI for this population group. Moreover, DH!AAN will provide evidence regarding the feasibility of diabetes prevention among South Asian populations. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Decision Criteria to Select an Associative-Memory Organization That Minimizes the Execution Time of a Mix of Associative-Search Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

s )) = Op (C(s), db(s))" (26) Equation (27) defines OP. Brt(JxBR’T()-,BR as the complement of Op,. Op,(C(s), db(s)) = 0p,(C(s), db(s))’" (27) The...9.5 tf=13.0 t= 11.0 tf= 12.8 128 words tr-13.5 tf=16.9 t,=14.3 t(=17.3 t,=16.5 tf=22.0 Op,,(C(s), db( s )), Op .<(C(s), db( s )), Op ,(C(s), db( s )), Op >(C...OP.(C(s), db( s )), Op •(C(s), db( s )), Op <(C(s), db( s )), Op >(C(s), db( s )), Op .(C(s), db( s

Aerosol optical properties and trace gas emissions by PAX and OP-FTIR for laboratory-simulated western US wildfires during FIREX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selimovic, Vanessa; Yokelson, Robert J.; Warneke, Carsten; Roberts, James M.; de Gouw, Joost; Reardon, James; Griffith, David W. T.

2018-03-01

Western wildfires have a major impact on air quality in the US. In the fall of 2016, 107 test fires were burned in the large-scale combustion facility at the US Forest Service Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory as part of the Fire Influence on Regional and Global Environments Experiment (FIREX). Canopy, litter, duff, dead wood, and other fuel components were burned in combinations that represented realistic fuel complexes for several important western US coniferous and chaparral ecosystems including ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, chamise, and manzanita. In addition, dung, Indonesian peat, and individual coniferous ecosystem fuel components were burned alone to investigate the effects of individual components (e.g., duff) and fuel chemistry on emissions. The smoke emissions were characterized by a large suite of state-of-the-art instruments. In this study we report emission factor (EF, grams of compound emitted per kilogram of fuel burned) measurements in fresh smoke of a diverse suite of critically important trace gases measured using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (OP-FTIR). We also report aerosol optical properties (absorption EF; single-scattering albedo, SSA; and Ångström absorption exponent, AAE) as well as black carbon (BC) EF measured by photoacoustic extinctiometers (PAXs) at 870 and 401 nm. The average trace gas emissions were similar across the coniferous ecosystems tested and most of the variability observed in emissions could be attributed to differences in the consumption of components such as duff and litter, rather than the dominant tree species. Chaparral fuels produced lower EFs than mixed coniferous fuels for most trace gases except for NOx and acetylene. A careful comparison with available field measurements of wildfires confirms that several methods can be used to extract data representative of real wildfires from the FIREX laboratory fire data. This is especially valuable

Healthy Dietary Patterns and Oxidative Stress as Measured by Fluorescent Oxidation Products in Nurses' Health Study.

PubMed

Jung, Seungyoun; Smith-Warner, Stephanie A; Willett, Walter C; Wang, Molin; Wu, Tianying; Jensen, Majken; Hankinson, Susan E; Eliassen, A Heather

2016-09-21

Healthy diets may lower oxidative stress and risk of chronic diseases. However, no previous studies examined associations between diet and fluorescent oxidation products (FlOP), a global marker of oxidative stress. We evaluated associations between healthy eating patterns (Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED)) and FlOP, measured at three excitation/emission wavelengths (FlOP_360, FlOP_320, FlOP_400) from 2021 blood samples collected from 1688 women within the Nurses' Health Study. AHEI, DASH, and aMED scores were significantly positively associated with FlOP_360 and FlOP_320 concentrations ( p -trend ≤ 0.04), but not associated with FlOP_400. Among specific food groups that contribute to these diet scores, significantly positive associations were observed with legumes and vegetables for FlOP_360, vegetables and fruits for FlOP_320, and legumes and alcohol for FlOP_400. Inverse associations were observed with nuts, sweets or desserts, and olive oil for FlOP_360, nuts for FlOP_320 and sweets or desserts for FlOP_400 (all p -trend ≤ 0.05). However, FlOP variation due to diet was small compared to overall FlOP variation. In conclusion, AHEI, DASH, and aMED scores were unexpectedly positively, but weakly, associated with FlOP_360 and FlOP_320. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously as the determinants of FlOP concentrations are not fully understood.

Agreement of central site measurements and land use regression modeled oxidative potential of PM{sub 2.5} with personal exposure

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

Yang, Aileen, E-mail: Yang@uu.nl; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.178, 3508TD Utrecht; Hoek, Gerard

Oxidative potential (OP) of ambient particulate matter (PM) has been suggested as a health-relevant exposure metric. In order to use OP for exposure assessment, information is needed about how well central site OP measurements and modeled average OP at the home address reflect temporal and spatial variation of personal OP. We collected 96-hour personal, home outdoor and indoor PM{sub 2.5} samples from 15 volunteers living either at traffic, urban or regional background locations in Utrecht, the Netherlands. OP was also measured at one central reference site to account for temporal variations. OP was assessed using electron spin resonance (OP{sup ESR})more » and dithiothreitol (OP{sup DTT}). Spatial variation of average OP at the home address was modeled using land use regression (LUR) models. For both OP{sup ESR} and OP{sup DTT}, temporal correlations of central site measurements with home outdoor measurements were high (R>0.75), and moderate to high (R=0.49–0.70) with personal measurements. The LUR model predictions for OP correlated significantly with the home outdoor concentrations for OP{sup DTT} and OP{sup ESR} (R=0.65 and 0.62, respectively). LUR model predictions were moderately correlated with personal OP{sup DTT} measurements (R=0.50). Adjustment for indoor sources, such as vacuum cleaning and absence of fume-hood, improved the temporal and spatial agreement with measured personal exposure for OP{sup ESR}. OP{sup DTT} was not associated with any indoor sources. Our study results support the use of central site OP for exposure assessment of epidemiological studies focusing on short-term health effects. - Highlights: • Oxidative potential (OP) of PM was proposed as a health-relevant exposure metric. • We evaluated the relationship between measured and modeled outdoor and personal OP. • Temporal correlations of central site with personal OP are moderate to high. • Adjusting for indoor sources improved the agreement with personal OP. • Our

Publication patterns of oral and poster presentations at the annual meetings of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

PubMed

Patel, Akash J; Cherian, Jacob; Fox, Benjamin D; Whitehead, William E; Curry, Daniel J; Luerssen, Thomas G; Jea, Andrew

2011-12-01

National and international meetings, such as the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meetings, provide a central location for the gathering and dissemination of research. The purpose of this study was to determine the publication rates of both oral and poster presentations at CNS and AANS meetings in peer-reviewed journals. The authors reviewed all accepted abstracts, presented as either oral or poster presentations, at the CNS and AANS meetings from 2003 to 2005. This information was then used to search PubMed to determine the rate of publication of the abstracts presented at the meetings. Abstracts were considered published if the data presented at the meeting was identical to that in the publication. The overall publication rate was 32.48% (1243 of 3827 abstracts). On average, 41.28% of oral presentations and 29.03% of poster presentations were eventually published. Of those studies eventually published, 98.71% were published within 5 years of presentation at the meeting. Published abstracts were published most frequently in the Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery. Approximately one-third of all presentations at the annual CNS and AANS meetings will be published in peer-reviewed, MEDLINE-indexed journals. These meetings are excellent forums for neurosurgical practitioners to be exposed to current research. Oral presentations have a significantly higher rate of eventual publication compared with poster presentations, reflecting their higher quality. The Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery have been the main outlets of neurosurgical research from these meetings.

Readability of neurosurgery-related patient education materials provided by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.

PubMed

Schmitt, Paul J; Prestigiacomo, Charles J

2013-11-01

Most professional organizations now provide patient information material, and not all of this material is appropriate for the average American adult to comprehend. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services recommend that patient education materials be written at the sixth-grade level. Our aim was to assess the readability of neurosurgery-related patient education material and compare it with The American Medical Association, NIH, and United States Department of Health and Human Services recommendations. Materials provided by the American Association of Neurologic Surgeons (AANS) and the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and National Institutes of Health were assessed with the Flesch-Kincaid grade level and Flesch Reading Ease score with Microsoft Office Word software. None of the articles had Flesch-Kincaid grade levels at or below the sixth-grade level. All articles on the AANS Conditions and Treatments section were written at or above the ninth-grade level; three of the AANS Camera-Ready Fact Sheets and four of the NIH/NLM articles were written between the seventh- and eighth-grade levels. Current patient education material provided by the AANS is written well above the recommended level. Material from the NLM and NIH performed better, but was still above the recommended sixth-grade level. Education materials should contain information relevant to patients' conditions, be accurate in the information they present, and be written with the average patient in mind. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

9th Annual Systems Engineering Conference: Volume-1 Monday Tutorial

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-26

Joint Integrating Concepts (JIC) • Forceable Entry Ops • Undersea Superiority • Global Strike Ops • Sea-Basing Ops • Air & Missile Defense • JC2 • Joint...Forceable Entry Ops o Undersea Superiority o Global Strike Ops o Sea-Basing Ops o Air & Missile Defense o JC2 o Joint Logistics Includes an illustrative... Undersea Superiority • Global Strike Ops • Sea-Basing Ops • Air & Missile Defense • JC2 • Joint Logistics Universal Joint Task List (UJTL) • Strategic

Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of South Brazilian Organic Propolis.

PubMed

Tiveron, Ana Paula; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz; Franchin, Marcelo; Lacerda, Risia Cristina Coelho; Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Benso, Bruna; Denny, Carina; Ikegaki, Masaharu; Alencar, Severino Matias de

2016-01-01

South Brazilian organic propolis (OP), which has never been studied before, was assessed and its chemical composition, scavenging potential of reactive oxygen species, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities are herein presented. Based on the chemical profile obtained using HPLC, OP was grouped into seven variants (OP1-OP7) and all of them exhibited high scavenging activity, mainly against superoxide and hypochlorous acid species. OP1, OP2, and OP3 had the smallest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus aureus (12.5-100 μg/mL). OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4 were more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative), with MIC values ranging from 100 to 200 μg/mL. OP6 showed anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing NF-kB activation and TNF-α release in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and expressing the NF-κB-luciferase reporter stable gene. Therefore, south Brazilian OP can be considered an excellent source of bioactive compounds with great potential of application in the pharmaceutical and food industry.

Synthesis, bioactivity and preliminary biocompatibility studies of glasses in the system CaO-MgO-SiO2-Na2O-P2O5-CaF2.

PubMed

Tulyaganov, D U; Agathopoulos, S; Valerio, P; Balamurugan, A; Saranti, A; Karakassides, M A; Ferreira, J M F

2011-02-01

New compositions of bioactive glasses are proposed in the CaO-MgO-SiO(2)-Na(2)O-P(2)O(5)-CaF(2) system. Mineralization tests with immersion of the investigated glasses in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37°C showed that the glasses favour the surface formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) from the early stages of the experiments. In the case of daily renewable SBF, monetite (CaHPO(4)) formation competed with the formation of HA. The influence of structural features of the glasses on their mineralization (bioactivity) performance is discussed. Preliminary in vitro experiments with osteoblasts' cell-cultures showed that the glasses are biocompatible and there is no evidence of toxicity. Sintering and devitrification studies of glass powder compacts were also performed. Glass-ceramics with attractive properties were obtained after heat treatment of the glasses at relatively low temperatures (up to 850°C).

Enhancement of inflammatory protein expression and nuclear factor Κb (NF-Κb) activity by trichostatin A (TSA) in OP9 preadipocytes.

PubMed

Sato, Taiki; Kotake, Daisuke; Hiratsuka, Masahiro; Hirasawa, Noriyasu

2013-01-01

The production of inflammatory proteins such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) by preadipocytes and mature adipocytes is closely associated with the impairment of systemic glucose homeostasis. However, precisely how the production is regulated and the roles of histone deacetylases (HDACs) remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to establish whether HDAC inhibitors affect the expression of inflammatory proteins in pre/mature adipocytes, and, if so, to determine the mechanism involved. Trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor, enhanced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of IL-6 in OP9 preadipocytes but not the mature adipocytes. Moreover, TSA also enhanced palmitic acid-induced IL-6 production and the expression of inflammatory genes induced by LPS in preadipocytes. Although TSA did not affect TLR4 mRNA expression or the activation of MAPKs, a reporter gene assay revealed that the LPS-induced increase in nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity was enhanced by TSA. Moreover, TSA increased the level of NF-κB p65 acetylation at lysine 310 and duration of its translocation into the nucleus, which leads to enhancement of NF-κB activity and subsequently expression of inflammatory genes. These findings shed new light on the regulatory roles of HDACs in preadipocytes in the production of inflammatory proteins.

MELFI ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

ISS043E207615 (05/18/2015) --- Expedition 43 Commander Terry Virts on the International Space Station works with experiment samples stored inside one of the station’s Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS, or MELFI. These laboratory freezers are used to maintain experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission.

ATV ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

ISS036-E-009219 (18 June 2013) --- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, Expedition 36 commander, performs cargo operations in the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-4 (ATV-4) "Albert Einstein" currently docked to the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

ATV ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

ISS036-E-009246 (18 June 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, takes inventory of cargo in the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-4 (ATV-4) "Albert Einstein" currently docked to the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

ATV ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

ISS036-E-009256 (18 June 2013) --- NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Karen Nyberg, both Expedition 36 flight engineers, perform cargo operations in the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-4 (ATV-4) "Albert Einstein" currently docked to the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

ATV ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

ISS036-E-009184 (18 June 2013) --- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, Expedition 36 commander, opens the hatch in the Zvezda Service Module transfer tunnel/ATV vestibule of the International Space Station after European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-4 (ATV-4) "Albert Einstein" docked with the station.

Op. Cit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zemsky, Robert, Ed.

2001-01-01

The fundamental concern of the roundtable on which this essay is based was the world of scholarship's ability to sustain and develop a system of scholarly communication that makes individual contributions to the knowledge base broadly accessible for judgment within and among the academic disciplines. The focus was on the disciplines that have…

MELFI ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-06

Astronaut Karen Nyberg,Expedition 36 flight engineer,works with samples in Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI-3) in the Destiny laboratory of the Earth-orbiting International Space Station.

Prefrontal left--dominant hemisphere--gamma and delta oscillators in general anaesthesia with volatile anaesthetics during open thoracic surgery.

PubMed

Saniova, Beata; Drobny, Michal; Drobna, Eva; Hamzik, Julian; Bakosova, Erika; Fischer, Martin

2016-01-01

The main objective was to indicate sufficient general anaesthesia (GA) inhibition for negative experience rejection in GA. We investigated the group of patients (n = 17, mean age 63.59 years, 9 male--65.78 years, 8 female - 61.13 years) during GA in open thorax surgery and analyzed EEG signal by power spectrum (pEEG) delta (DR), and gamma rhythms (GR). EEG was performed: OPO - the day before surgery and in surgery phases OP1-OP5 during GA. Particular GA phases: OP1 = after pre- medication, OP2 = surgery onset, OP3 = surgery with one-side lung ventilation, OP4 = end of surgery, both sides ventilation, OP5 = end of GA. pEEG registering in the left frontal region Fp1-A1 montage in 17 right handed persons. Mean DR power in OP2 phase is significantly higher than in phase OP5 and mean DR power in OP3 is higher than in OP5. One-lung ventilation did not change minimal alveolar concentration and gases should not accelerate decrease in mean DR power. Higher mean value of GR power in OPO than in OP3 was statistically significant. Mean GR power in OP3 is statistically significantly lower than in OP4 correlating with the same gases concentration in OP3 and OP4. Our results showed DR power decreased since OP2 till the end of GA it means inhibition represented by power DR fluently decreasing is sufficient for GA depth. GR power decay near the working memory could reduce conscious cognition and unpleasant explicit experience in GA.

76 FR 5505 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 777-200 Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-01

... management units (ZMU) OPS, and the cabin system management unit (CSMU) OPS; installing OPS for the CSCP... require installing a new CSCP; installing a new cabin management system (CMS) CDB; and installing new OPS...), the zone management unit (ZMU) OPS, and the cabin system management unit (CSMU) OPS. Installing CSCP...

VHF SoOp (Signal of Opportunity) Technology Demonstration for Soil Moisture Measurement Using Microwave Hydraulic Boom Truck Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joseph, A. T.; Deshpande, M.; O'Neill, P. E.; Miles, L.

2017-01-01

A goal of this research is to test deployable VHF antennas for 6U Cubesat platforms to enable validation of root zone soil moisture (RZSM) estimation algorithms for signal of opportunity (SoOp) remote sensing over the 240-270 MHz frequency band. The proposed work provides a strong foundation for establishing a technology development path for maturing a global direct surface soil moisture (SM) and RZSM measurement system over a variety of land covers. Knowledge of RZSM up to a depth of 1 meter and surface SM up to a depth of 0.05 meter on a global scale, at a spatial resolution of 1-10 km through moderate-to-heavy vegetation, is critical to understanding global water resources and the vertical moisture gradient in the Earths surface layer which controls moisture interactions between the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. Current observations of surface SM from space by L-band radiometers (1.4 GHz) and radars (1.26 GHz) are limited to measurements of surface SM up to a depth of 0.05 meter through moderate amounts of vegetation. This limitation is mainly due to the inability of L-band signals to penetrate through dense vegetation and deep into the soil column. Satellite observations of the surface moisture conditions are coupled to sophisticated models which extrapolate the surface SM into the root zone, thus providing an indirect estimate rather than a direct measurement of RZSM. To overcome this limitation, low-frequency airborne radars operating at 435 MHz and 118 MHz have been investigated, since these lower frequencies should penetrate denser vegetation and respond to conditions deeper in the soil.

Distributions of δD observations from IASI/MetOp across the globe and intercomparison with other instruments/measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacour, Jean-Lionel; Clarisse, Lieven; Hurtmans, Daniel; Clerbaux, Cathy; Worden, John; Schneider, Matthias; Risi, Camille; Coheur, Pierre-François

2014-05-01

The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) onboard MetOp, through its observations of the water isotopologues, has great potential to support research on hydrological processes responsible for the moistening/drying of the atmosphere. The instrumental characteristics of the spectrometer (low radiometric noise and good spectral resolution) combined with its high sampling (global coverage twice a day) make it particularly suitable for providing numerous observations of the isotopologues ratio (δD) of water vapour in the troposphere. Retrieving isotopologues ratios at the required accuracy is, however, a challenging task. To get meaningful results, the retrieval needs to be well constrained. This can be achieved, with the optimal estimation method, by using an a priori probability density function containing correlation information between HDO and H2O. In this presentation, first, we will show that the measurements are mainly sensitive to δD in the troposphere between 3 and 6 km. We will illustrate the capabilities of IASI to provide δD observations at high spatio-temporal resolution with some distributions across the globe and we will discuss their added values to constrain hydrological processes. Second, we will document how IASI observations compare to other remote sounding observations of δD in the troposphere. Comparisons of IASI observations with the TES sounder and with three ground-based NDACC FTIR (Izaña, Kalsruhe and Kiruna, data generated within the project MUSICA) will be presented. The differences between the instruments as well as the methodology to compare them will be exposed. We will show that the different instruments agree within their own uncertainties and vertical sensitivities, asserting the use of IASI δD observations for scientific purposes.

Mass spectrometric analyses of organophosphate insecticide oxon protein adducts.

PubMed

Thompson, Charles M; Prins, John M; George, Kathleen M

2010-01-01

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides continue to be used to control insect pests. Acute and chronic exposures to OP insecticides have been documented to cause adverse health effects, but few OP-adducted proteins have been correlated with these illnesses at the molecular level. Our aim was to review the literature covering the current state of the art in mass spectrometry (MS) used to identify OP protein biomarkers. We identified general and specific research reports related to OP insecticides, OP toxicity, OP structure, and protein MS by searching PubMed and Chemical Abstracts for articles published before December 2008. A number of OP-based insecticides share common structural elements that result in predictable OP-protein adducts. The resultant OP-protein adducts show an increase in molecular mass that can be identified by MS and correlated with the OP agent. Customized OP-containing probes have also been used to tag and identify protein targets that can be identified by MS. MS is a useful and emerging tool for the identification of proteins that are modified by activated organophosphate insecticides. MS can characterize the structure of the OP adduct and also the specific amino acid residue that forms the key bond with the OP. Each protein that is modified in a unique way by an OP represents a unique molecular biomarker that with further research can lead to new correlations with exposure.

Neutron scattering study on cathode LiMn2O4 and solid electrolyte 5(Li2O)(P2O5)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartini, E.; Putra, Teguh P.; Jahya, A. K.; Insani, A.; Adams, S.

2014-09-01

Neutron scattering is very important technique in order to investigate the energy storage materials such as lithium-ion battery. The unique advantages, neutron can see the light atoms such as Hydrogen, Lithium, and Oxygen, where those elements are negligible by other corresponding X-ray method. On the other hand, the energy storage materials, such as lithium ion battery is very important for the application in the electric vehicles, electronic devices or home appliances. The battery contains electrodes (anode and cathode), and the electrolyte materials. There are many challenging to improve the existing lithium ion battery materials, in order to increase their life time, cyclic ability and also its stability. One of the most scientific challenging is to investigate the crystal structure of both electrode and electrolyte, such as cathodes LiCoO2, LiMn2O4 and LiFePO4, and solid electrolyte Li3PO4. Since all those battery materials contain Lithium ions and Oxygen, the used of neutron scattering techniques to study their structure and related properties are very important and indispensable. This article will review some works of investigating electrodes and electrolytes, LiMn2O4 and 5(Li2O)(P2O5), by using a high resolution powder diffraction (HRPD) at the multipurpose research reactor, RSG-Sywabessy of the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Indonesia.

Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of South Brazilian Organic Propolis

PubMed Central

Tiveron, Ana Paula; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz; Franchin, Marcelo; Lacerda, Risia Cristina Coelho; Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Benso, Bruna; Denny, Carina; Ikegaki, Masaharu; de Alencar, Severino Matias

2016-01-01

South Brazilian organic propolis (OP), which has never been studied before, was assessed and its chemical composition, scavenging potential of reactive oxygen species, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities are herein presented. Based on the chemical profile obtained using HPLC, OP was grouped into seven variants (OP1–OP7) and all of them exhibited high scavenging activity, mainly against superoxide and hypochlorous acid species. OP1, OP2, and OP3 had the smallest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus aureus (12.5–100 μg/mL). OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4 were more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative), with MIC values ranging from 100 to 200 μg/mL. OP6 showed anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing NF-kB activation and TNF-α release in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and expressing the NF-κB-luciferase reporter stable gene. Therefore, south Brazilian OP can be considered an excellent source of bioactive compounds with great potential of application in the pharmaceutical and food industry. PMID:27802316

Benchmarking of surgical complications in gynaecological oncology: prospective multicentre study.

PubMed

Burnell, M; Iyer, R; Gentry-Maharaj, A; Nordin, A; Liston, R; Manchanda, R; Das, N; Gornall, R; Beardmore-Gray, A; Hillaby, K; Leeson, S; Linder, A; Lopes, A; Meechan, D; Mould, T; Nevin, J; Olaitan, A; Rufford, B; Shanbhag, S; Thackeray, A; Wood, N; Reynolds, K; Ryan, A; Menon, U

2016-12-01

To explore the impact of risk-adjustment on surgical complication rates (CRs) for benchmarking gynaecological oncology centres. Prospective cohort study. Ten UK accredited gynaecological oncology centres. Women undergoing major surgery on a gynaecological oncology operating list. Patient co-morbidity, surgical procedures and intra-operative (IntraOp) complications were recorded contemporaneously by surgeons for 2948 major surgical procedures. Postoperative (PostOp) complications were collected from hospitals and patients. Risk-prediction models for IntraOp and PostOp complications were created using penalised (lasso) logistic regression using over 30 potential patient/surgical risk factors. Observed and risk-adjusted IntraOp and PostOp CRs for individual hospitals were calculated. Benchmarking using colour-coded funnel plots and observed-to-expected ratios was undertaken. Overall, IntraOp CR was 4.7% (95% CI 4.0-5.6) and PostOp CR was 25.7% (95% CI 23.7-28.2). The observed CRs for all hospitals were under the upper 95% control limit for both IntraOp and PostOp funnel plots. Risk-adjustment and use of observed-to-expected ratio resulted in one hospital moving to the >95-98% CI (red) band for IntraOp CRs. Use of only hospital-reported data for PostOp CRs would have resulted in one hospital being unfairly allocated to the red band. There was little concordance between IntraOp and PostOp CRs. The funnel plots and overall IntraOp (≈5%) and PostOp (≈26%) CRs could be used for benchmarking gynaecological oncology centres. Hospital benchmarking using risk-adjusted CRs allows fairer institutional comparison. IntraOp and PostOp CRs are best assessed separately. As hospital under-reporting is common for postoperative complications, use of patient-reported outcomes is important. Risk-adjusted benchmarking of surgical complications for ten UK gynaecological oncology centres allows fairer comparison. © 2016 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Readability and quality of wikipedia pages on neurosurgical topics.

PubMed

Modiri, Omeed; Guha, Daipayan; Alotaibi, Naif M; Ibrahim, George M; Lipsman, Nir; Fallah, Aria

2018-03-01

Wikipedia is the largest online encyclopedia with over 40 million articles, and generating 500 million visits per month. The aim of this study is to assess the readability and quality of Wikipedia pages on neurosurgical related topics. We selected the neurosurgical related Wikipedia pages based on the series of online patient information articles that are published by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). We assessed readability of Wikipedia pages using five different readability scales (Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG) Grade level, and Coleman-Liau Index). We used the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Clear Communication Index as well as the DISCERN Instrument to evaluate the quality of each Wikipedia article. We identified a total of fifty-five Wikipedia articles that corresponded with patient information articles published by the AANS. This constitutes 77.46% of the AANS topics. The mean Flesch Kincaid reading ease score for all of the Wikipedia articles we analyzed is 31.10, which indicates that a college-level education is necessary to understand them. In comparison to the readability analysis for the AANS articles, the Wikipedia articles were more difficult to read across every scale. None of the Wikipedia articles meet the CDC criterion for clear communications. Our analyses demonstrated that Wikipedia articles related to neurosurgical topics are associated with higher grade levels for reading and also below the expected levels of clear communications for patients. Collaborative efforts from the neurosurgical community are needed to enhance the readability and quality of Wikipedia pages related to neurosurgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organophosphorus Compounds at 80: Some Old and New Issues.

PubMed

Costa, Lucio G

2018-03-01

One of the major classes of pesticides is that of the organophosphates (OPs). Initial developments date back almost 2 centuries but it was only in the mid-1940s that OPs reached a prominent status as insecticides, a status that, albeit declining, is still ongoing. OPs are highly toxic to nontarget species including humans, the primary effects being an acute cholinergic toxicity (responsible for thousands of poisoning each year) and a delayed polyneuropathy. Several issues of current debate and investigation on the toxicology of OPs are discussed in this brief review. These include (1) possible additional targets of OPs, (2) OPs as developmental neurotoxicants, (3) OPs and neurodegenerative diseases, (4) OPs and the "aerotoxic syndrome," (5) OPs and the microbiome, and (6) OPs and cancer. Some of these issues have been debated and studied for some time, while others are newer, suggesting that the study of the toxicology of OPs will remain an important scientific and public health issue for years to come.

Round Robin evaluation of soil moisture retrieval models for the MetOp-A ASCAT Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, Alexander; Paloscia, Simonetta; Santi, Emanuele; Notarnicola, Claudia; Pasolli, Luca; Smolander, Tuomo; Pulliainen, Jouni; Mittelbach, Heidi; Dorigo, Wouter; Wagner, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

Global soil moisture observations are crucial to understand hydrologic processes, earth-atmosphere interactions and climate variability. ESA's Climate Change Initiative (CCI) project aims to create a global consistent long-term soil moisture data set based on the merging of the best available active and passive satellite-based microwave sensors and retrieval algorithms. Within the CCI, a Round Robin evaluation of existing retrieval algorithms for both active and passive instruments was carried out. In this study we present the comparison of five different retrieval algorithms covering three different modelling principles applied to active MetOp-A ASCAT L1 backscatter data. These models include statistical models (Bayesian Regression and Support Vector Regression, provided by the Institute for Applied Remote Sensing, Eurac Research Viale Druso, Italy, and an Artificial Neural Network, provided by the Institute of Applied Physics, CNR-IFAC, Italy), a semi-empirical model (provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute), and a change detection model (provided by the Vienna University of Technology). The algorithms were applied on L1 backscatter data within the period of 2007-2011, resampled to a 12.5 km grid. The evaluation was performed over 75 globally distributed, quality controlled in situ stations drawn from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) using surface soil moisture data from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS-) Noah land surface model as second independent reference. The temporal correlation between the data sets was analyzed and random errors of the the different algorithms were estimated using the triple collocation method. Absolute soil moisture values as well as soil moisture anomalies were considered including both long-term anomalies from the mean seasonal cycle and short-term anomalies from a five weeks moving average window. Results show a very high agreement between all five algorithms for most stations. A slight

Advice and Learning in Problem Solving

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

Person op Harry : Person op Ivy : Person op DarkRoom : Room op LightRoom : Room op RedRoom : Room op OrangeRoom : Room op...Time7) & % FreeRoom(DarkRoom, Time8) axiom RedRoom_Free_Time is FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time1) & FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time2) & FreeRoom... RedRoom , Time3) & FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time4) & % FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time5) & FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time6) & FreeRoom( RedRoom , Time7) & FreeRoom

Epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide poisoning in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Tzeng Jih; Walter, Frank Gardner; Hung, Dong Zong; Tsai, Jin Lian; Hu, Sheng Chuan; Chang, Jung San; Deng, Jou-Fang; Chase, Jung San; Denninghoff, Kurt; Chan, Hon Man

2008-11-01

The nationwide epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide (OP) poisoning has never been reported in detail for Taiwan. This study retrospectively reviewed all human OP exposures reported to Taiwan's Poison Control Centers (PCCs) from July 1985 through December 2006. There were 4799 OP exposures. Most OP exposures were acute (98.37%) ingestions (74.50%) of a single OP (80.37%) to attempt suicide (64.72%) in adults (93.25%). Males were the most common gender (64.95%). Most patients (61.97%) received atropine and/or pralidoxime. The mortality rate for all 4799 OP exposures was 12.71%. Exposures to single OPs without co-intoxicants caused 524 deaths; of these, 63.36% were due to dimethyl OPs. Dimethyl OPs cause the majority of deaths in Taiwan.

[Complications and costs in primary knee replacement surgery in an endoprosthetics centre : Influence of state of training].

PubMed

Windisch, C; Brodt, S; Röhner, E; Matziolis, G

2017-04-01

This work examines the hypothesis that in endoprosthesis implantation there are differences between experienced primary and senior caregivers (S-Op) and less experienced follow-up assistants (T-Op) with respect to process-relevant parameters. The main hypothesis is that compared to S‑Op, T‑Op cause significantly longer surgery times and thus additional operating theatre costs. As sub-hypotheses, differences in various perioperative (p-o) parameters between T‑Op and S‑Op were examined. The status of the operator (senior and/or senior main operator [S-Op]) and/or postoperative CRP, perioperative blood loss, the amount of transfused erythrocyte concentrates, patient age, gender, ASA risk classification (American Society of Anesthesiologists), duration of surgery and blood transfusion, duration of inpatient stay, as well as the rates of early revision surgery and complications were recorded. A comparison of patients who had been operated by an S‑Op and those who had been operated by a T‑Op was made for all parameters. Significant differences were found with respect to the duration of surgery, the duration of the hospital stay, and CRP on the third p‑o day. The T‑Op required an average of 11 min more than the S‑Op. CRP was significantly higher in the T‑Op group only on the third p‑o day, by 18 mg/l. In contrast, in the T‑Op group, a blood loss of 181 ml was lower than in the S‑Op group. This corresponded to a reduction of 0.26 transfused erythrocyte concentrates. There were no significant differences in complication rates between S‑Op and T‑Op. In the setting of a certified endoprosthetics centre, the comparison of T‑Op with S‑Op showed that the use of the former with at a non-increased complication rate led to a significant extension of the operating time. This leads to additional training costs in the amount of an estimated 3% of the current DRG remuneration. These additional costs are not represented adequately in the current

Diagnosis and outcome of psychiatric referrals to the Field Mental Health Team, 202 Field Hospital, Op Telic I.

PubMed

Scott, J N

2005-06-01

To assess referrals to a Field Hospital Mental Health Team (FMHT), assign a diagnosis, provide appropriate treatment, and decide whether suitable for safe return to unit in theatre (RTU), or evacuation home on psychiatric grounds (evac). All documented referrals to the FMHT of 202 Field Hospital during the Op Telic 1 study period of 17 March (day 1) to 23 July 2003 (day 129) were included. Data were collected on rank, gender, diagnosis, outcome (whether RTU or evac), and whether TA before mobilisation. Diagnosis was assigned by ICD-10 criteria. The FMHT documented 170 cases, 12 of whom were seen twice and one on three occasions, resulting in 184 referrals, all of whom were British. The commonest diagnosis was adjustment reaction (F43), accounting for 68% of all cases (n = 116). These were divided between chiefly theatre-related (n = 77) or chiefly home-related (n = 39) reactions. The majority (94%) of these cases were RTU. Referrals where the diagnosis was a Depressive disorder (F32, n = 23) or Intentional self-harm (by sharp object, X78, n = 7) were evacuated. Outcome was similar for Regular and TA personnel, with on average 72% of cases RTU. The majority of cases seen were ORs, reflecting their numbers in theatre. Only 14 NCOs and 14 officers were referred. Thirteen of the latter were TA before mobilisation. Gender was not associated with outcome, or TA status, but was associated with rank, in that significantly more female officers were referred. The FMHT role tasks emerged as (a) psychiatric triage and treatment, (b) psychological support of hospital staff, and (c) welfare and pastoral care liaison. The utility of the psychiatric management model employed, built upon previous military medical doctrines, was tested in a modern theatre of conflict, and seemed to prove its worth.

A Survey of Women's Awareness of and Reasons for Lack of Postfracture Osteoporotic Care.

PubMed

Boudreau, Denise M; Yu, Onchee; Balasubramanian, Akhila; Wirtz, Heidi; Grauer, Andreas; Crittenden, Daria B; Scholes, Delia

2017-08-01

To identify women's beliefs and other factors associated with lack of osteoporosis (OP) pharmacotherapy (OP-RX) during the 6 months after a fragility fracture, including the woman's perspective on fracture risk, OP, and treatment. Cross-sectional. Group Health Cooperative, a mixed-model delivery system. Female Group Health Cooperative enrollees aged 55 and older with an OP-related fracture according to diagnostic and procedure codes from January 1, 2013, to March 30, 2014 (N = 985). OP-RX and participant characteristics were ascertained from electronic health records including medications dispensed. A mailed survey was used to obtain data on health behaviors; OP-related history; concern about, knowledge of, and perceived risk of future fracture; beliefs about OP-RX; sources of information on OP; postfracture discussions with providers; and provider recommendations. The response rate was 73%. Of 634 eligible respondents, 84% did not undergo OP-RX during the 6 months after fracture. Fewer than 20% of women thought that OP caused their fracture, 52% did not think they were at risk of future fracture, and 75% did not think or know whether OP-RX reduces risk of fracture. Knowledge about OP and the benefits of treatment was higher in the 16% of women who underwent OP-RX after their fracture. Women reported low levels of engagement with their healthcare providers regarding OP and fracture risk management. These findings suggest low awareness about OP and its contribution to fracture risk, lack of understanding about the benefits of pharmacotherapy, and limited discussion about OP with primary care physicians. Information about individual's beliefs and knowledge gaps can help design targeted patient and provider education to improve treatment rates. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Challenges in atmospheric monitoring of areal emission sources - an Open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopic experience report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuetze, C.; Sauer, U.; Dietrich, P.

2015-12-01

Reliable detection and assessment of near-surface CO2 emissions from natural or anthropogenic sources require the application of various monitoring tools at different spatial scales. Especially, optical remote sensing tools for atmospheric monitoring have the potential to measure integrally CO2 emissions over larger scales (> 10.000m2). Within the framework of the MONACO project ("Monitoring approach for geological CO2 storage sites using a hierarchical observation concept"), an integrative hierarchical monitoring concept was developed and validated at different field sites with the aim to establish a modular observation strategy including investigations in the shallow subsurface, at ground surface level and the lower atmospheric boundary layer. The main aims of the atmospheric monitoring using optical remote sensing were the observation of the gas dispersion in to the near-surface atmosphere, the determination of maximum concentration values and identification of the main challenges associated with the monitoring of extended emission sources with the proposed methodological set up under typical environmental conditions. The presentation will give an overview about several case studies using the integrative approach of Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (OP FTIR) in combination with in situ measurements. As a main result, the method was validated as possible approach for continuous monitoring of the atmospheric composition, in terms of integral determination of GHG concentrations and to identify target areas which are needed to be investigated more in detail. Especially the data interpretation should closely consider the micrometeorological conditions. Technical aspects concerning robust equipment, experimental set up and fast data processing algorithms have to be taken into account for the enhanced automation of atmospheric monitoring.

OpTIIX: An ISS-Based Testbed Paving the Roadmap Toward a Next Generation Large Aperture UV/Optical Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Etemad, Shar; Seery, Bernard D.; Thronson, Harley; Burdick, Gary M.; Coulter, Dan; Goullioud, Renaud; Green, Joseph J.; Liu, Fengchuan; Ess, Kim;

How to engage occupational physicians in recruitment of research participants: a mixed-methods study of challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Arends, Iris; Bültmann, Ute; Shaw, William S; van Rhenen, Willem; Roelen, Corné; Nielsen, Karina; van der Klink, Jac J L

2014-03-01

To investigate barriers and facilitators for research participant recruitment by occupational physicians (OPs). A mixed-methods approach was used. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with OPs to explore perceived barriers and facilitators for recruitment. Based on data of a cluster-randomised controlled trial (cluster-RCT), univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to investigate associations between OPs' personal and work characteristics and the number of recruited participants for the cluster-RCT per OP. Perceived barriers and facilitators for recruitment were categorised into: study characteristics (e.g. concise inclusion criteria); study population characteristics; OP's attention; OP's workload; context (e.g. working at different locations); and OP's characteristics (e.g. motivated to help). Important facilitators were encouragement by colleagues and reminders by information technology tools. Multivariate analyses showed that the number of OPs within the clinical unit who recruited participants was positively associated with the number of recruited participants per OP [rate ratio of 1.43, 95 % confidence interval 1.24-1.64]. When mobilising OPs for participant recruitment, researchers need to engage entire clinical units rather than approach OPs on an individual basis. OPs consider regular communication, especially face-to-face contact and information technology tools serving as reminders, as helpful.

Comparison of neurological healthcare oriented educational resources for patients on the internet.

PubMed

Punia, Vineet; Dagar, Anjali; Agarwal, Nitin; He, Wenzhuan; Hillen, Machteld

2014-12-01

The internet has become a major contributor to health literacy promotion. The average American reads at 7th-8th grade level and it is recommended to write patient education materials at or below 6th grade reading level. We tried to assess the level of literacy required to read and understand online patient education materials (OPEM) for neurological diseases from various internet resources. We then compared those to an assumed reference OPEM source, namely the patient education brochures from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world's largest professional association of neurologists. Disease specific patient education brochures were downloaded from the AAN website. OPEM for these diseases were also accessed from other common online sources determined using a predefined criterion. All OPEM were converted to Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and their reading level was analyzed using Readability Studio Professional Edition version 2012.1 (Oleander Software, Vandalia, OH, USA). Descriptive analysis and analysis of variance were used to compare reading levels of OPEM from different resources. Medline Plus, Mayo clinic and Wikipedia qualified for OPEM analysis. All OPEM from these resources, including the AAN, were written above the recommended 6th grade reading level. They were also found to be "fairly difficult", "difficult" or "confusing" on the Flesch Reading Ease scale. AAN OPEM on average needed lower reading level, with Wikipedia OPEM being significantly (p<0.01) more difficult to read compared to the other three resources. OPEM on neurological diseases are being written at a level of reading complexity higher than the average American and the recommended reading levels. This may be undermining the utility of these resources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mass Spectrometric Analyses of Organophosphate Insecticide Oxon Protein Adducts

PubMed Central

Thompson, Charles M.; Prins, John M.; George, Kathleen M.

2010-01-01

Objective Organophosphate (OP) insecticides continue to be used to control insect pests. Acute and chronic exposures to OP insecticides have been documented to cause adverse health effects, but few OP-adducted proteins have been correlated with these illnesses at the molecular level. Our aim was to review the literature covering the current state of the art in mass spectrometry (MS) used to identify OP protein biomarkers. Data sources and extraction We identified general and specific research reports related to OP insecticides, OP toxicity, OP structure, and protein MS by searching PubMed and Chemical Abstracts for articles published before December 2008. Data synthesis A number of OP-based insecticides share common structural elements that result in predictable OP–protein adducts. The resultant OP–protein adducts show an increase in molecular mass that can be identified by MS and correlated with the OP agent. Customized OP-containing probes have also been used to tag and identify protein targets that can be identified by MS. Conclusions MS is a useful and emerging tool for the identification of proteins that are modified by activated organophosphate insecticides. MS can characterize the structure of the OP adduct and also the specific amino acid residue that forms the key bond with the OP. Each protein that is modified in a unique way by an OP represents a unique molecular biomarker that with further research can lead to new correlations with exposure. PMID:20056576

Proteomic analysis of adducted butyrylcholinesterase for biomonitoring organophosphorus exposures

PubMed Central

Marsillach, Judit; Hsieh, Edward J.; Richter, Rebecca J.; MacCoss, Michael J.; Furlong, Clement E.

2014-01-01

Organophosphorus (OP) compounds include a broad group of toxic chemicals such as insecticides, chemical warfare agents and antiwear agents. The liver cytochromes P450 bioactivate many OPs to potent inhibitors of serine hydrolases. Cholinesterases were the first OP targets discovered and are the most studied. They are used to monitor human exposures to OP compounds. However, the assay that is currently used has limitations. The mechanism of action of OP compounds is the inhibition of serine hydrolases by covalently modifying their active-site serine. After structural rearrangement, the complex OP inhibitor-enzyme is irreversible and will remain in circulation until the modified enzyme is degraded. Mass spectrometry is a sensitive technology for analyzing protein modifications, such as OP-adducted enzymes. These analyses also provide some information about the nature of the OP adduct. Our aim is to develop high-throughput protocols for monitoring OP exposures using mass spectrometry. PMID:23123252

Land use regression models for the oxidative potential of fine particles (PM2.5) in five European areas.

PubMed

Gulliver, John; Morley, David; Dunster, Chrissi; McCrea, Adrienne; van Nunen, Erik; Tsai, Ming-Yi; Probst-Hensch, Nicoltae; Eeftens, Marloes; Imboden, Medea; Ducret-Stich, Regina; Naccarati, Alessio; Galassi, Claudia; Ranzi, Andrea; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Curto, Ariadna; Donaire-Gonzalez, David; Cirach, Marta; Vermeulen, Roel; Vineis, Paolo; Hoek, Gerard; Kelly, Frank J

2018-01-01

Oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) is proposed as a biologically-relevant exposure metric for studies of air pollution and health. We aimed to evaluate the spatial variability of the OP of measured PM 2.5 using ascorbate (AA) and (reduced) glutathione (GSH), and develop land use regression (LUR) models to explain this spatial variability. We estimated annual average values (m -3 ) of OP AA and OP GSH for five areas (Basel, CH; Catalonia, ES; London-Oxford, UK (no OP GSH ); the Netherlands; and Turin, IT) using PM 2.5 filters. OP AA and OP GSH LUR models were developed using all monitoring sites, separately for each area and combined-areas. The same variables were then used in repeated sub-sampling of monitoring sites to test sensitivity of variable selection; new variables were offered where variables were excluded (p > .1). On average, measurements of OP AA and OP GSH were moderately correlated (maximum Pearson's maximum Pearson's R = = .7) with PM 2.5 and other metrics (PM 2.5 absorbance, NO 2 , Cu, Fe). HOV (hold-out validation) R 2 for OP AA models was .21, .58, .45, .53, and .13 for Basel, Catalonia, London-Oxford, the Netherlands and Turin respectively. For OP GSH , the only model achieving at least moderate performance was for the Netherlands (R 2 = .31). Combined models for OP AA and OP GSH were largely explained by study area with weak local predictors of intra-area contrasts; we therefore do not endorse them for use in epidemiologic studies. Given the moderate correlation of OP AA with other pollutants, the three reasonably performing LUR models for OP AA could be used independently of other pollutant metrics in epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulated charge injection in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells using fluorene-based light absorbers.

PubMed

Liu, Zonghao; Xiong, Dehua; Xu, Xiaobao; Arooj, Qudsia; Wang, Huan; Yin, Liyuan; Li, Wenhui; Wu, Huaizhi; Zhao, Zhixin; Chen, Wei; Wang, Mingkui; Wang, Feng; Cheng, Yi-Bing; He, Hongshan

2014-03-12

In this study, new pull-push arylamine-fluorene based organic dyes zzx-op1, zzx-op2, and zzx-op3 have been designed and synthesized for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSCs). In zzx-op1, a di(p-carboxyphenyl)amine (DCPA) was used as an electron donor, a perylenemonoimide (PMID) as an electron acceptor, and a fluorene (FLU) unit with two aliphatic hexyl chains as a π-conjugated linker. In zzx-op2 and zzx-op3, a 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and a thiophene were inserted consecutively between PMID and FLU to tune the energy levels of the frontier molecular orbitals of the dyes. The structural modification broadened the spectral coverage from an onset of 700 nm for zzx-op1 to 750 nm for zzx-op3. The electron-rich EDOT and thiophene lifted up the HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) levels of zzx-op2 and zzx-op3, making their potential more negative than zzx-op1. When three dyes were employed in p-type DSCs with I(-)/I3(-) as a redox couple and NiO nanoparticles as hole materials, zzx-op1 exhibited impressive energy conversion efficiency of 0.184% with the open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 112 mV and the short-circuit current density (JSC) of 4.36 mA cm(-2) under AM 1.5G condition. Density functional theory calculations, transient photovoltage decay measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies revealed that zzx-op1 sensitized solar cell exhibited much higher charge injection efficiency (90.3%) than zzx-op2 (53.9%) and zzx-op3 (39.0%), indicating a trade-off between spectral broadening and electron injection driving force in p-type DSCs.

Dynamical contibution of Mean Potential Vorticity pseudo-observations derived from MetOp/GOME2 Ozone data into weather forecast, a Mediterranean High Precipitation Event study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sbii, Siham; Zazoui, Mimoun; Semane, Noureddine

2015-04-01

In the absence of observations covering the upper troposphere - lower stratophere, headquarters of several disturbances, and knowing that satellites are uniquely capable of providing uniform data coverage globally, a methodology is followed [1] to convert Total Column Ozone, observed by MetOp/GOME2, into pseudo-observations of Mean Potential Vorticity (MPV). The aim is to study the dynamical impact of Ozone data in the prediction of a Mediterranean Heavy Precipitation Event observed during 28-29 September 2012 in the context of HYMEX1. This study builds on a previously described methodology [2] that generates numerical weather prediction model initial conditions from ozone data. Indeed, the assimilation of MPV in a 3D-var framework is based on a linear regression between observed Ozone and vertical integrated Ertel PV. The latter is calculated using dynamical fields from the moroccan operational limited area model ALADIN-MAROC according to [3]: δθ fp p0 -R δU δV P V = - gξaδp- g-R-(p )Cp [(δp-)2 + (δp-)2] (1) Where ξa is the vertical component of the absolute vorticity, U and V the horizontal wind components, θ the potential temperature, R gas constant, Cp specific heat at constant pressure, p the pressure, p0 a reference pressure, g the gravity and f is the Coriolis parameter. The MPV is estimated using the following expression: --1--∫ P2 M PV = P1 - P2 P P V.δp 1 (2) With P1 = 500hPa and P2 = 100hPa In the present study, the linear regression is performed over September 2012 with a correlation coefficient of 0.8265 and is described as follows: M P V = 5.314610- 2 *O3 - 13.445 (3) where O3 and MPV are given in Dobson Unit (DU) and PVU (1 PV U = 10-6 m2 K kg-1 s-1), respectively. It is found that the ozone-influenced upper-level initializing fields affect the precipitation forecast, as diagnosed by a comparison with the ECMWF model. References [1] S. Sbii, N. Semane, Y. Michel, P. Arbogast and M. Zazoui (2012). Using METOP/GOME-2 data and MSG ozone

SU-E-T-539: Fixed Versus Variable Optimization Points in Combined-Mode Modulated Arc Therapy Planning

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

Kainz, K; Prah, D; Ahunbay, E

2014-06-01

Purpose: A novel modulated arc therapy technique, mARC, enables superposition of step-and-shoot IMRT segments upon a subset of the optimization points (OPs) of a continuous-arc delivery. We compare two approaches to mARC planning: one with the number of OPs fixed throughout optimization, and another where the planning system determines the number of OPs in the final plan, subject to an upper limit defined at the outset. Methods: Fixed-OP mARC planning was performed for representative cases using Panther v. 5.01 (Prowess, Inc.), while variable-OP mARC planning used Monaco v. 5.00 (Elekta, Inc.). All Monaco planning used an upper limit of 91more » OPs; those OPs with minimal MU were removed during optimization. Plans were delivered, and delivery times recorded, on a Siemens Artiste accelerator using a flat 6MV beam with 300 MU/min rate. Dose distributions measured using ArcCheck (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Inc.) were compared with the plan calculation; the two were deemed consistent if they agreed to within 3.5% in absolute dose and 3.5 mm in distance-to-agreement among > 95% of the diodes within the direct beam. Results: Example cases included a prostate and a head-and-neck planned with a single arc and fraction doses of 1.8 and 2.0 Gy, respectively. Aside from slightly more uniform target dose for the variable-OP plans, the DVHs for the two techniques were similar. For the fixed-OP technique, the number of OPs was 38 and 39, and the delivery time was 228 and 259 seconds, respectively, for the prostate and head-and-neck cases. For the final variable-OP plans, there were 91 and 85 OPs, and the delivery time was 296 and 440 seconds, correspondingly longer than for fixed-OP. Conclusion: For mARC, both the fixed-OP and variable-OP approaches produced comparable-quality plans whose delivery was successfully verified. To keep delivery time per fraction short, a fixed-OP planning approach is preferred.« less

Identification of plant cells in black pigments of prehistoric Spanish Levantine rock art by means of a multi-analytical approach. A new method for social identity materialization using chaîne opératoire.

PubMed

López-Montalvo, Esther; Roldán, Clodoaldo; Badal, Ernestina; Murcia-Mascarós, Sonia; Villaverde, Valentín

2017-01-01

We present a new multi-analytical approach to the characterization of black pigments in Spanish Levantine rock art. This new protocol seeks to identify the raw materials that were used, as well as reconstruct the different technical gestures and decision-making processes involved in the obtaining of these black pigments. For the first of these goals, the pictorial matter of the black figurative motifs documented at the Les Dogues rock art shelter (Ares del Maestre, Castellón, Spain) was characterized through the combination of physicochemical and archeobotanical analyses. During the first stage of our research protocol, in situ and non-destructive analyses were carried out by means of portable Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF); during the second stage, samples were analyzed by Optical Microscopy (OM), Raman spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Two major conclusions have been drawn from these analyses: first, charred plant matter has been identified as a main component of these prehistoric black pigments; and second, angiosperm and conifer charcoal was a primary raw material for pigment production, identified by means of the archaeobotanical study of plant cells. For the second goal, black charcoal pigments were replicated in the laboratory by using different raw materials and binders and by reproducing two main chaînes opératoires. The comparative study of the structure and preservation of plant tissues of both prehistoric and experimental pigments by means of SEM-EDX underlines both a complex preparation process and the use of likely pigment recipes, mixing raw material with fatty or oily binders. Finally, the formal and stylistic analysis of the motifs portrayed at Les Dogues allowed us to explore the relationship between identified stylistic phases and black charcoal pigment use, raising new archaeological questions concerning the acquisition of know-how and the

Identification of plant cells in black pigments of prehistoric Spanish Levantine rock art by means of a multi-analytical approach. A new method for social identity materialization using chaîne opératoire

PubMed Central

Roldán, Clodoaldo; Badal, Ernestina; Murcia-Mascarós, Sonia; Villaverde, Valentín

2017-01-01

We present a new multi-analytical approach to the characterization of black pigments in Spanish Levantine rock art. This new protocol seeks to identify the raw materials that were used, as well as reconstruct the different technical gestures and decision-making processes involved in the obtaining of these black pigments. For the first of these goals, the pictorial matter of the black figurative motifs documented at the Les Dogues rock art shelter (Ares del Maestre, Castellón, Spain) was characterized through the combination of physicochemical and archeobotanical analyses. During the first stage of our research protocol, in situ and non-destructive analyses were carried out by means of portable Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF); during the second stage, samples were analyzed by Optical Microscopy (OM), Raman spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Two major conclusions have been drawn from these analyses: first, charred plant matter has been identified as a main component of these prehistoric black pigments; and second, angiosperm and conifer charcoal was a primary raw material for pigment production, identified by means of the archaeobotanical study of plant cells. For the second goal, black charcoal pigments were replicated in the laboratory by using different raw materials and binders and by reproducing two main chaînes opératoires. The comparative study of the structure and preservation of plant tissues of both prehistoric and experimental pigments by means of SEM-EDX underlines both a complex preparation process and the use of likely pigment recipes, mixing raw material with fatty or oily binders. Finally, the formal and stylistic analysis of the motifs portrayed at Les Dogues allowed us to explore the relationship between identified stylistic phases and black charcoal pigment use, raising new archaeological questions concerning the acquisition of know-how and the

Phenotypic effects of an allele causing obligate parthenogenesis in a rotifer.

PubMed

Scheuerl, Thomas; Riss, Simone; Stelzer, Claus-Peter

2011-01-01

Transitions to obligate asexuality have been documented in almost all metazoan taxa, yet the conditions favoring such transitions remained largely unexplored. We address this problem in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. In this species, a polymorphism at a single locus, op, can result in transitions to obligate parthenogenesis. Homozygotes for the op allele reproduce strictly by asexual reproduction, whereas heterozygous clones (+/op) and wild-type clones (+/+) are cyclical parthenogens that undergo sexual reproduction at high population densities. Here, we examine dosage effects of the op allele by analyzing various life-history characteristics and population traits in 10 clones for each of the 3 possible genotypes (op/op, +/op, and +/+). For most traits, we found that op/op clones differed significantly (P < 0.05) from the 2 cyclical parthenogenetic genotypes (+/+ and +/op). By contrast, the 2 cyclical parthenogenetic genotypes were almost indistinguishable, except that heterozygote individuals were slightly but significantly smaller in body size compared with wild-type individuals. Overall, this indicates that the op allele is selectively neutral in the heterozygous state. Thus, selective sweeps of this allele in natural populations would first require conditions favoring the generation of homozygotes. This may be given by inbreeding in very small populations or by double mutants in very large populations.

Phenotypic Effects of an Allele Causing Obligate Parthenogenesis in a Rotifer

PubMed Central

Scheuerl, Thomas; Riss, Simone

2011-01-01

Transitions to obligate asexuality have been documented in almost all metazoan taxa, yet the conditions favoring such transitions remained largely unexplored. We address this problem in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. In this species, a polymorphism at a single locus, op, can result in transitions to obligate parthenogenesis. Homozygotes for the op allele reproduce strictly by asexual reproduction, whereas heterozygous clones (+/op) and wild-type clones (+/+) are cyclical parthenogens that undergo sexual reproduction at high population densities. Here, we examine dosage effects of the op allele by analyzing various life-history characteristics and population traits in 10 clones for each of the 3 possible genotypes (op/op, +/op, and +/+). For most traits, we found that op/op clones differed significantly (P < 0.05) from the 2 cyclical parthenogenetic genotypes (+/+ and +/op). By contrast, the 2 cyclical parthenogenetic genotypes were almost indistinguishable, except that heterozygote individuals were slightly but significantly smaller in body size compared with wild-type individuals. Overall, this indicates that the op allele is selectively neutral in the heterozygous state. Thus, selective sweeps of this allele in natural populations would first require conditions favoring the generation of homozygotes. This may be given by inbreeding in very small populations or by double mutants in very large populations. PMID:21576287

Is the Grass Always Greener in Suburban Neighborhoods? Outdoors Play in Suburban and Inner-City Neighborhoods

PubMed Central

Moran, Mika R.; Plaut, Pnina; Merom, Dafna

2017-01-01

Children’s outdoors play (OP) is an important source of physical activity that has been decreasing in recent years due to changes in neighborhood design, parent safety concerns and child sedentary leisure. However, few studies examined such determinants from children’s perspectives. This study explores environmental and socio-cultural aspects of children’s OP using a qualitative and quantitative approach. Data was collected in two phases: (1) a survey on OP and related variables among 5th and 6th graders (10–12 years old) (n = 573); and (2) a mapping activity and semi-structured interview among a subsample of the survey (n = 80). The most common locations for routine OP were parks (40%) followed by public facilities (26%) and streets (17%). OP was significantly associated with perceived environment, independent mobility and gender, but not with neighborhood type. Inner-city participants reported a higher number and greater variety of OP areas (23 vs. 14). Three main barriers of OP were identified—low quality and poorly maintained play areas, other people in public spaces, and social norms that undermine OP. Thus, in order to encourage routine OP, environmental change to create safe and attractive OP settings should be accompanied by community interventions to enhance social norms that are supportive of OP. PMID:28696375

The CASE survey: Patient and physician perceptions regarding asthma medication use and associated oropharyngeal symptoms

PubMed Central

FitzGerald, J Mark; Chan, Charles KN; Holroyde, Martin C; Boulet, Louis-Philippe

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal (OP) symptoms are common in asthma patients using inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) alone and in combination with a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA). Patterns of medication use, level of asthma control and association with OP symptoms are not often reported in a nonstudy setting. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of OP symptoms among adult asthma patients using ICSs alone and an ICS plus a LABA; to investigate the relationships between medication use, asthma control and OP symptoms; and to assess family physicians’ (FPs’) perceptions of the prevalence and management of OP symptoms. METHODS: A random telephone survey of 1003 asthma patients and 250 FPs treating asthma patients was conducted from February to March 2005 across Canada. RESULTS: Twenty-four per cent of patients experienced OP symptoms; 67% of them spoke to their FPs about the OP symptoms. Thirty-one per cent of patients who experienced OP symptoms stopped or reduced their dose of medication. OP symptoms were reported by 25% of patients using ICSs and 22% using an ICS plus a LABA. The incidence of OP symptoms was not affected by the choice of inhalation device (metered-dose inhaler versus dry powder inhaler) or the use of a spacer. Fifty-eight per cent of patients had uncontrolled asthma; patients achieving a lower level of general education were more likely to have poor control. Patients with uncontrolled asthma were more likely than those with controlled asthma to report OP symptoms (28% versus 18%, respectively; P<0.05). Eighty-nine per cent of FPs had patients who had reported OP symptoms to them. FPs estimated that 15% of their patients experienced OP symptoms and that compliance to treatment worsened in approximately 20% of them. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of OP symptoms in asthma patients using ICSs and an ICS plus a LABA is significant. OP symptoms were found to be associated with a reduced patient education level, with a likelihood of reducing or stopping

Type 1 Hot Corrosion Furnace Testing and Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

Mixed Temperature Mode Burner Rig Test, Aprigliano, L. F., pp. 6-7, September 1980. 18. Giggins, C. S. and Pettit, F. S ., op . cit. 19. David W. Taylor...X. and Duhl, D. N., op. cit. 24. Green, K. A. and Nichols, E. S ., op . cit. 25. Aprigliano, L. F., op. cit. 26. Green, K. A. and Nichols, E. S ., op . cit

Mitochondrial dysfunction and organophosphorus compounds

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

Karami-Mohajeri, Somayyeh; Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman; Abdollahi, Mohammad, E-mail: Mohammad.Abdollahi@UToronto.Ca

2013-07-01

Organophosphorous (OPs) pesticides are the most widely used pesticides in the agriculture and home. However, many acute or chronic poisoning reports about OPs have been published in the recent years. Mitochondria as a site of cellular oxygen consumption and energy production can be a target for OPs poisoning as a non-cholinergic mechanism of toxicity of OPs. In the present review, we have reviewed and criticized all the evidences about the mitochondrial dysfunctions as a mechanism of toxicity of OPs. For this purpose, all biochemical, molecular, and morphological data were retrieved from various studies. Some toxicities of OPs are arisen frommore » dysfunction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation through alteration of complexes I, II, III, IV and V activities and disruption of mitochondrial membrane. Reductions of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis or induction of its hydrolysis can impair the cellular energy. The OPs disrupt cellular and mitochondrial antioxidant defense, reactive oxygen species generation, and calcium uptake and promote oxidative and genotoxic damage triggering cell death via cytochrome C released from mitochondria and consequent activation of caspases. The mitochondrial dysfunction induced by OPs can be restored by use of antioxidants such as vitamin E and C, alpha-tocopherol, electron donors, and through increasing the cytosolic ATP level. However, to elucidate many aspect of mitochondrial toxicity of Ops, further studies should be performed. - Highlights: • As a non-cholinergic mechanism of toxicity, mitochondria is a target for OPs. • OPs affect action of complexes I, II, III, IV and V in the mitochondria. • OPs reduce mitochondrial ATP. • OPs promote oxidative and genotoxic damage via release of cytochrome C from mitochondria. • OP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction can be restored by increasing the cytosolic ATP.« less

PROTEIN ADDUCTS AS BIOMAKERS OF EXPOSURE TO ORGANOPHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS

PubMed Central

Marsillach, Judit; Costa, Lucio G.; Furlong, Clement E.

2013-01-01

Exposure to organophosphorus (OP) compounds can lead to serious neurological damage or death. Following bioactivation by the liver cytochromes P450, the OP metabolites produced are potent inhibitors of serine active-site enzymes including esterases, proteases and lipases. OPs may form adducts on other cellular proteins. Blood cholinesterases (ChEs) have long served as biomarkers of OP exposure in humans. However, the enzymatic assays used for biomonitoring OP exposures have several drawbacks. A more useful approach will focus on multiple biomarkers and avoid problems with the enzymatic activity assays. OP inhibitory effects result from a covalent bond with the active-site serine of the target enzymes. The serine OP adducts become irreversible following a process referred to as aging where one alkyl group dissociates over variable lengths of time depending on the OP adduct. The OP-adducted enzyme then remains in circulation until it is degraded, allowing for a longer window of detection compared with direct analysis of OPs or their metabolites. Mass spectrometry (MS) provides a very sensitive method for identification of post-translational protein modifications. MS analyses of the percentage adduction of the active-site serine of biomarker proteins such as ChEs will eliminate the need for basal activity levels of the individual and will provide for a more accurate determination of OP exposure. MS analysis of biomarker proteins also provides information about the OP that has caused inhibition. Other useful biomarker proteins include other serine hydrolases, albumin, tubulin and transferrin. PMID:23261756

Protective effects of ginger root extract on Alzheimer disease-induced behavioral dysfunction in rats.

PubMed

Zeng, Gao-Feng; Zhang, Zhi-Yong; Lu, Li; Xiao, De-Qiang; Zong, Shao-Hui; He, Jian-Ming

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the ability of a traditional Chinese medicinal ginger root extract (GRE) to prevent behavioral dysfunction in the Alzheimer disease (AD) rat model. Rat AD models were established by an operation (OP) in which rats were treated with a one-time intra-cerebroventricuIar injection of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) and continuous gavage of aluminum chloride every day for 4 weeks. GRE was administered intra-gastrically to rats. After 35 days, learning and memory were assessed in all of the rats. Brain sections were processed for immunohistochemistry and Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Nissl staining. The latency to show significant memory deficits was shorter in the group that received OP with a high dose of GRE (HG)(OP+HG) than in the groups that received OP with a low or moderate dose of GRE (LG, MG)(OP+LG, OP+MG) (p<0.05). The expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the OP+MG and OP+LG groups was up-regulated compared to the OP+HG groups (p<0.05). The rats in the OP+HG groups had lower levels of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and malondialdehyde (MDA) expression than the rats in the OP+MG and OP+LG groups (p<0.05). This experiment demonstrates that the administration of GRE reverses behavioral dysfunction and prevents AD-like symptoms in our rat model.

OCTOPUS-LIKE 2, a novel player in Arabidopsis root and vascular development, reveals a key role for OCTOPUS family genes in root metaphloem sieve tube differentiation.

PubMed

Ruiz Sola, M Aguila; Coiro, Mario; Crivelli, Simona; Zeeman, Samuel C; Schmidt Kjølner Hansen, Signe; Truernit, Elisabeth

2017-12-01

Protophloem and metaphloem sieve tubes are essential for transporting carbohydrates and signalling molecules towards sink tissues. OCTOPUS (OPS) was previously identified as an important regulator of protophloem differentiation in Arabidopsis roots. Here, we investigated the role of OCTOPUS-LIKE 2 (OPL2), a gene homologous to OPS. OPL2 expression patterns were analysed, and functional equivalence of OPS and OPL2 was tested. Mutant and double mutant phenotypes were investigated. OPS and OPL2 displayed overlapping expression patterns and a high degree of functional overlap. A mutation in OPL2 revealed redundant functions of OPS and OPL2 in developmental processes in which OPS was known to play a role, notably cotyledon vascular patterning and protophloem development. Moreover, we also uncovered redundant roles for OPS and OPL2 in leaf vascular patterning and, most interestingly, metaphloem sieve tube differentiation. Our results reveal a novel OPS-like protein that, together with OPS, is an important regulator of vascular patterning, root growth and phloem development. OPS and OPL2 are the first genes identified that play a role in metaphloem sieve tube differentiation. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Linking Training Course Support to Fleet Platforms: An Equipment-Based Approach.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

6408 ZDB:ZT-2154T CAT:AP NEC 1: NEC 2: REQUIREMENT SPONSOR:OP-120E RESOURCE SPONSOR:OP-Ol COURSE TITLE - BE/E-ET-COMM 4YO ACTIVITY ADDRESS...CAT:AP NEC 1: NEC 2: REQUIREMENT SPONSOR:OP-120E RESOURCE SPONSOR:OP-01 COURSE TITLE - BE/E-ET-RAD 4YO ACTIVITY ADDRESS- SERVSCOLCOM SAN DIEGO FIND...0454S CAT:AP NEC 1: NEC 2: REQUIREMENT SPONSOR:OP-120E RESOURCE SPONSOR:OP-O1 COURSE TITLE - BE/E-ET-COMM 4YO ACTIVITY ADDRESS- SERVSCOLCOM GREAT LAKES

Effect of preoperative consumption of high carbohydrate drink (Pre-Op) on postoperative metabolic stress reaction in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

PubMed

Canbay, Özgür; Adar, Serdar; Karagöz, Ayşe Heves; Çelebi, Nalan; Bilen, Cenk Yücel

2014-07-01

To investigate the effects of oral carbohydrate solution consumed until 2 h before the surgery in the patients that would undergo open radical retropubic prostatectomy on postoperative metabolic stress, patient anxiety, and comfort. A total of 50 adult patients, who were in ASA I-II group and would undergo open radical retropubic prostatectomy, were included in the study. While Group 1 = CH (n = 25) received oral glucose solution, Group 2 = FAM (n = 25) was famished starting from 24:00 h. Blood glucose, insulin, and procalcitonin levels of the patients were recorded, and the patients completed state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) test, which reflects the anxiety level of the patients, both before surgery and on the postoperative 24th hour. In order to evaluate patient comfort, senses of hunger, thirst, nausea, and cold were assessed in the morning prior to the surgery. No difference was observed between the two groups in terms of demographic data and insulin resistance levels (p > 0.05). Comparing with the preoperative levels, insulin resistance showed statistically significant elevation in both groups (p < 0.05). Procalcitonin levels were similarly increased in both groups in the postoperative period (p < 0.05). Preoperative and postoperative STAI state scores were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). With regard to preoperative patient comfort, sense of hunger was present in lesser number of subjects and at lower level in Group 1 (p < 0.05). Preoperative consumption of high carbohydrate drink (Pre-op) decreases insulin resistance and enhances patient comfort leading to lesser sense of hunger and thirst in the preoperative period in open radical retropubic prostatectomies.

Occult pneumothorax in Chinese patients with significant blunt chest trauma: incidence and management.

PubMed

Lee, Ka L; Graham, Colin A; Yeung, Janice H H; Ahuja, Anil T; Rainer, Timothy H

2010-05-01

Occult pneumothorax (OP) is a pneumothorax not visualised on a supine chest X-ray (CXR) but detected on computed tomography (CT) scanning. With increasing CT use for trauma, more OP may be detected. Management of OP remains controversial, especially for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. This study aimed to identify the incidence of OP using thoracic CT as the gold standard and describe its management amongst Hong Kong Chinese trauma patients. Analysis of prospectively collected trauma registry data. Consecutive significantly injured trauma patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) suffering from blunt chest trauma who underwent thoracic computed tomography (TCT) between in calendar years 2007 and 2008 were included. An OP was defined as the identification (by a specialist radiologist) of a pneumothorax on TCT that had not been previously detected on supine CXR. 119 significantly injured patients were included. 56 patients had a pneumothorax on CXR and a further 36 patients had at least one OP [OP incidence 30% (36/119)]. Bilateral OP was present in 8/36 patients, so total OP numbers were 44. Tube thoracostomy was performed for 8/44 OP, all were mechanically ventilated in the ED. The remaining 36 OP were managed expectantly. No patients in the expectant group had pneumothorax progression, even though 8 patients required subsequent ventilation in the operating room for extrathoracic surgery. The incidence of OP (seen on TCT) in Chinese patients in Hong Kong after blunt chest trauma is higher than that typically reported in Caucasians. Most OP were managed expectantly without significant complications; no pneumothorax progressed even though some patients were mechanically ventilated. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen bonding strength of diblock copolymers affects the self-assembled structures with octa-functionalized phenol POSS nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lu, Yi-Syuan; Yu, Chia-Yu; Lin, Yung-Chih; Kuo, Shiao-Wei

2016-02-28

In this study, the influence of the functional groups by the diblock copolymers of poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP), poly(styrene-b-2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP), and poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) on their blends with octa-functionalized phenol polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OP-POSS) nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated. The relative hydrogen bonding strengths in these blends follow the order PS-b-P4VP/OP-POSS > PS-b-P2VP/OP-POSS > PS-b-PMMA/OP-POSS based on the Kwei equation from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses. Small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopic analyses show that the morphologies of the self-assembly structures are strongly dependent on the hydrogen bonding strength at relatively higher OP-POSS content. The PS-b-P4VP/OP-POSS hybrid complex system with the strongest hydrogen bonds shows the order-order transition from lamellae to cylinders and finally to body-centered cubic spheres upon increasing OP-POSS content. However, PS-b-P2VP/OP-POSS and PS-b-PMMA/OP-POSS hybrid complex systems, having relatively weaker hydrogen bonds, transformed from lamellae to cylinder structures at lower OP-POSS content (<50 wt%), but formed disordered structures at relatively high OP-POSS contents (>50 wt%).

Influence of nonylphenol and octylphenol exposure on 5-HT, 5-HT transporter, and 5-HT2A receptor.

PubMed

Liu, Chunhong; Lai, Yuting; Ouyang, Junyan; Yang, Tongwang; Guo, Youting; Yang, Jie; Huang, Shaowen

2017-03-01

Nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) are priority environmental contaminants that have a potential role as endocrine disruptors. They can be biomagnified in the food chain and pose an estrogenic health risk to human health. A 28-day oral toxicity study was performed to observe the impact of single and combined exposure to NP and OP on 5-HT transporter (SERT) as well as 5-HT 2A receptor. Results showed that the 5-HT levels in rat plasma increased with exposure to middle-dose and high-dose NP, to high-dose OP, and to low, middle, and high doses of combined NP and OP (P < 0.05), while the 5-HT levels in rat platelets increased when exposed to NP/OP or combined NP and OP of middle or high dose (P < 0.05). The expression levels of SERT in rat platelets decreased when exposed to high-dose NP/OP or high dose of combined NP and OP (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression levels of 5-HT 2A in rat platelets decreased when exposed to high-dose NP/OP as well as combined NP and OP (P < 0.05). These findings suggested that exposure to NP and OP could influence the metabolic network of 5-hydroxytryptamine via transportation and receptor binding pathways.

Effect of feeding olive-pulp ensiled with additives on feedlot performance and carcass attributes of fat-tailed lambs.

PubMed

Taheri, Mohammad Reza; Zamiri, Mohammad Javad; Rowghani, Ebrahim; Akhlaghi, Amir

2013-01-01

Feed cost has a significant effect on the economic efficiency of feedlot lambs; therefore, the use of low-cost non-conventional feedstuffs, such as olive pulp (OP), has the potential to decrease the production costs. Because optimum inclusion of OP-treated silages has not been determined in feedlot lambs, an experiment was conducted to determine the effect of inclusion of OP ensiled with additives in the diet on the feedlot performance and carcass attributes of feedlot lambs. Ram lambs of Mehraban and Ghezel breeds (n = 50 lambs per breed) were randomly allotted to 10 groups and fed with one of the nine diets containing OP silage or a control diet. Silage treatments were: (1) OP silage without additives (OPS), (2) OP ensiled with 8 % beet molasses and 0.4 % formic acid (OP-MF), and (3) OP ensiled with 8 % beet molasses, 0.4 % formic acid and 0.5 % urea (OP-MFU). The control diet contained 50 % alfalfa hay and 50 % barley grain. Three levels from each silage were chosen to replace the barley grain (10, 20, or 30 % dry matter basis). The lambs were slaughtered after 92 days, and the average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and carcass characteristics were determined. Feeding OPS to fat-tailed lambs, at an inclusion level of 30 %, decreased the carcass dressing percentage, mainly as a result of decreased brisket percentage, but the ADG and FCR values were not adversely affected. Ghezel lambs had higher ADG than Mehraban lambs, but the visceral fat weight percentage, flap weight percentage, and back fat depth were higher in Mehraban. The crude protein content in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was higher in Ghezel, but the dry matter percentage was higher in Mehraban (P < 0.05). Other attributes were not significantly affected by breed (P > 0.05). Most carcass characteristics, including major cuts, were not affected by OPS feeding; therefore, feeding OPS (up to 30 %) can be economical for feedlot lambs. Most carcass characteristics, including major cuts

The Impact of Army Transformation on the Integration of Enlisted Women

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-07

Como & Info Ops 320 5421 5741 94% 6 CMF 31/Signal Ops 2783 20449 23232 88% CMF 37/Psych Ops 109 394 503 78% CMF 51/Gen Eng 293 5099 5392 95% CMF 54...31/Signal Ops 2499 20449 12% CMF 37/Psych Ops 36 394 9% CMF 51/Gen Eng 428 5099 8% CMF 54/Chemical 1237 4980 25% CMF 55/Ammunition 850 3322 26% CMF 81

Spatial and historical distribution of organic phosphorus driven by environment conditions in lake sediments.

PubMed

Lü, Changwei; He, Jiang; Wang, Bing

2018-02-01

The chemistry of sedimentary organic phosphorus (OP) and its fraction distribution in sediments are greatly influenced by environmental conditions such as terrestrial inputs and runoffs. The linkage of OP with environmental conditions was analyzed on the basis of OP spatial and historical distributions in lake sediments. The redundancy analysis and OP spatial distribution results suggested that both NaOH-OP (OP extracted by NaOH) and Re-OP (residual OP) in surface sediments from the selected 13 lakes reflected the gradient effects of environmental conditions and the autochthonous and/or allochthonous inputs driven by latitude zonality in China. The lake level and salinity of Lake Hulun and the runoff and precipitation of its drainage basin were reconstructed on the basis of the geochemistry index. This work showed that a gradient in weather conditions presented by the latitude zonality in China impacts the OP accumulation through multiple drivers and in many ways. The drivers are mainly precipitation and temperature, governing organic matter (OM) production, degradation rate and transportation in the watershed. Over a long temporal dimension (4000years), the vertical distributions of Re-OP and NaOH-OP based on a dated sediment profile from HLH were largely regulated by the autochthonous and/or allochthonous inputs, which depended on the environmental and climate conditions and anthropogenic activities in the drainage basin. This work provides useful environmental geochemistry information to understand the inherent linkage of OP fractionation with environmental conditions and lake evolution. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Educational status and knowledge level of pre- and postmenopausal women about osteoporosis and risk factors: a cross-sectional study in a group of Turkish female subjects.

PubMed

Okumus, M; Ceceli, E; Tasbas, O; Kocaoglu, S; Akdogan, S; Borman, P

2013-01-01

Most women are unaware of the risk factors for osteoporosis (OP). In an effort to prevent the development of OP, women need to have a raised awareness on this issue. The aims of this study were to determine any differences in the level of awareness and knowledge about OP between pre- and postmenopausal women. Three hundred and six women who presented to the outpatient clinic of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department were included into the study. Demographic characteristics of the subjects were recorded. The participants were interviewed via an OP awareness questionnaire, which was designed to determine their knowledge of OP and risk factors. The mean ages of the 126 pre- and 180 postmenopausal women were 41.3 ± 5.9 and 58.9 ± 8.1 years, respectively. Thirty-two percent of premenopausal and 51% of postmenopausal women had heard about OP (p< 0.001), but the mean scores of OP knowledge according to the OP questionnaire were not different between the groups (p> 0.05). Both pre- and postmenopausal women with a higher level of education demonstrated better knowledge of OP based on their awareness questionnaire score (p< 0.001). Although half of the pre- and postmenopausal women reported having some awareness of OP, their level of knowledge was poor, particularly with regard to the risk factors associated with the condition and its complications. Having information about the risks of OP and a better understanding of the health beliefs of those at risk are important, as both may play a major role in influencing an individual's OP-preventing behaviors.

Lateral interbody fusion combined with open posterior surgery for adult spinal deformity.

PubMed

Strom, Russell G; Bae, Junseok; Mizutani, Jun; Valone, Frank; Ames, Christopher P; Deviren, Vedat

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE Lateral interbody fusion (LIF) with percutaneous screw fixation can treat adult spinal deformity (ASD) in the coronal plane, but sagittal correction is limited. The authors combined LIF with open posterior (OP) surgery using facet osteotomies and a rod-cantilever technique to enhance lumbar lordosis (LL). It is unclear how this hybrid strategy compares to OP surgery alone. The goal of this study was to evaluate the combination of LIF and OP surgery (LIF+OP) for ASD. METHODS All thoracolumbar ASD cases from 2009 to 2014 were reviewed. Patients with < 6 months follow-up, prior fusion, severe sagittal imbalance (sagittal vertical axis > 200 mm or pelvic incidence-LL > 40°), and those undergoing anterior lumbar interbody fusion were excluded. Deformity correction, complications, and outcomes were compared between LIF+OP and OP-only surgery patients. RESULTS LIF+OP (n = 32) and OP-only patients (n = 60) had similar baseline features and posterior fusion levels. On average, 3.8 LIFs were performed. Patients who underwent LIF+OP had less blood loss (1129 vs 1833 ml, p = 0.016) and lower durotomy rates (0% vs 23%, p = 0.002). Patients in the LIF+OP group required less ICU care (0.7 vs 2.8 days, p < 0.001) and inpatient rehabilitation (63% vs 87%, p = 0.015). The incidence of new leg pain, numbness, or weakness was similar between groups (28% vs 22%, p = 0.609). All leg symptoms resolved within 6 months, except in 1 OP-only patient. Follow-up duration was similar (28 vs 25 months, p = 0.462). LIF+OP patients had significantly less pseudarthrosis (6% vs 27%, p = 0.026) and greater improvement in visual analog scale back pain (mean decrease 4.0 vs 1.9, p = 0.046) and Oswestry Disability Index (mean decrease 21 vs 12, p = 0.035) scores. Lumbar coronal correction was greater with LIF+OP surgery (mean [± SD] 22° ± 13° vs 14° ± 13°, p = 0.010). LL restoration was 22° ± 13°, intermediately between OP-only with facet osteotomies (11° ± 7°, p < 0.001) and

Dissociation of the Tubulin-sequestering and Microtubule Catastrophe-promoting Activities of Oncoprotein 18/Stathmin

PubMed Central

Howell, Bonnie; Larsson, Niklas; Gullberg, Martin; Cassimeris, Lynne

1999-01-01

Oncoprotein 18/stathmin (Op18) has been identified recently as a protein that destabilizes microtubules, but the mechanism of destabilization is currently controversial. Based on in vitro microtubule assembly assays, evidence has been presented supporting conflicting destabilization models of either tubulin sequestration or promotion of microtubule catastrophes. We found that Op18 can destabilize microtubules by both of these mechanisms and that these activities can be dissociated by changing pH. At pH 6.8, Op18 slowed microtubule elongation and increased catastrophes at both plus and minus ends, consistent with a tubulin-sequestering activity. In contrast, at pH 7.5, Op18 promoted microtubule catastrophes, particularly at plus ends, with little effect on elongation rates at either microtubule end. Dissociation of tubulin-sequestering and catastrophe-promoting activities of Op18 was further demonstrated by analysis of truncated Op18 derivatives. Lack of a C-terminal region of Op18 (aa 100–147) resulted in a truncated protein that lost sequestering activity at pH 6.8 but retained catastrophe-promoting activity. In contrast, lack of an N-terminal region of Op18 (aa 5–25) resulted in a truncated protein that still sequestered tubulin at pH 6.8 but was unable to promote catastrophes at pH 7.5. At pH 6.8, both the full length and the N-terminal–truncated Op18 bound tubulin, whereas truncation at the C-terminus resulted in a pronounced decrease in tubulin binding. Based on these results, and a previous study documenting a pH-dependent change in binding affinity between Op18 and tubulin, it is likely that tubulin sequestering observed at lower pH resulted from the relatively tight interaction between Op18 and tubulin and that this tight binding requires the C-terminus of Op18; however, under conditions in which Op18 binds weakly to tubulin (pH 7.5), Op18 stimulated catastrophes without altering tubulin subunit association or dissociation rates, and Op18 did not

Geomechanical Assessments of Simultaneous Operation in the Case of Transition from Open Pit to Underground Mine in Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedbalski, Zbigniew; Nguyen, Phu Minh Vuong; Widzyk-Capehart, Eleonora

2018-03-01

Nowadays, for a number of reasons, many open pit mines are considering a transition from Open Pit (OP) to Underground (UG) to remain competitive. In OP-UG transition, UG operation is operated simultaneously with the OP operation for a certain period of time. Guidelines for the simultaneous operation of OP and UG are very difficult to establish, as there are very few case studies available. Yet, because of the OP-UG interactions; the operation has a higher safety, technical and management requirements than the OP or UG methods when considered separately. In Vietnam, Cao Son is one of many OP mines, which decided to change the operational system from OP to UG. Simultaneous operation started in 2015 and will be conducted until 2030 when the OP mine Cao Son ends its mining activities. In this paper, selected geomechanical considerations of the simultaneous operation are presented. A number of numerical modelling calculations using finitedifference software with code FLAC were carried out for calibration process, slope stability analysis and the OP-UG interaction analysis for the Cao Son - Khe Cham II-IV mine. Based on the results obtained from numerical modelling, the geomechanical assessments of simultaneous operation Cao Son - Khe Cham II-IV are discussed in this paper.

A dose related response of 6-OHDA on chicken spectral sensitivity and oscillatory potentials of recording electroretinograms.

PubMed

Li, X; Schaeffel, F; Konrad, K; Eberhart, Z

1996-10-01

To further study the contribution of dopamine system to the local growth controlling mechanisms, a dose related response of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was studied by recording electroretinograms (ERGs). The spectral sensitivity of the b-waves and spectral efficiency function of oscillatory potentials (OPs) including OP1, OP2 and OP3 in 4 different doses group were measured. The effect of ascorbate that must be contained in solution of 6-OHDA was first tested with the spectral sensitivity of the b-waves and a correlation between response of the OPs and age, as well as a difference in both own eyes was analyzed for determining an intra-subject and inter-subject variance. An enhanced response was found in OP1, OP2 with doses of 175 micrograms and OP3 with dose of 150 micrograms, and the effect of OPs was mainly in wavelength from 620 nm to 480 nm. No significant increase was found in the spectral sensitivity of the b-waves. The dose 200 micrograms seemed to be toxic to the retina estimated by both spectral sensitivity of the b-waves and spectral efficiency function of the OPs. The dose 175 micrograms and 150 micrograms of 6-OHDA yielded an effect on the chicken retina.

Butyrylcholinesterase for protection from organophosphorus poisons; catalytic complexities and hysteretic behavior

PubMed Central

Masson, Patrick; Lockridge, Oksana

2009-01-01

Butyrylcholinesterase is a promiscuous enzyme that displays complex kinetic behavior. It is toxicologically important because it detoxifies organophosphorus poisons (OP) by making a covalent bond with the OP. The OP and the butyrylcholinesterase are both inactivated in the process. Inactivation of butyrylcholinesterase has no adverse effects. However inactivation of acetylcholinesterase in nerve synapses can be lethal. OP-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase can be reactivated with oximes provided the OP has not aged. Strategies for preventing the toxicity of OP include a) treatment with an OP scavenger, b) reaction of nonaged enzyme with oximes, c) reactivation of aged enzyme, d) slowing down aging with peripheral site ligands, and e) design of mutants that rapidly hydrolyze OP. Option (a) has progressed through phase I clinical trials with human butyrylcholinesterase. Option (b) is in routine clinical use. The others are at the basic research level. Butyrylcholinesterase displays complex kinetic behavior including activation by positively charged esters, ability to hydrolyze amides, and a lag time (hysteresis) preceding hydrolysis of benzoylcholine and N-methyl indoxyl acetate. Mass spectrometry has identified new OP binding motifs on tyrosine and lysine in proteins that have no active site serine. It is proposed, but not yet proven, that low dose exposure involves OP modification of proteins that have no active site serine. PMID:20004171

Extracting oil palm crown from WorldView-2 satellite image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korom, A.; Phua, M.-H.; Hirata, Y.; Matsuura, T.

2014-02-01

Oil palm (OP) is the most commercial crop in Malaysia. Estimating the crowns is important for biomass estimation from high resolution satellite (HRS) image. This study examined extraction of individual OP crown from a WorldView-2 image using twofold algorithms, i.e., masking of Non-OP pixels and detection of individual OP crown based on the watershed segmentation of greyscale images. The study site was located in Beluran district, central Sabah, where matured OPs with the age ranging from 15 to 25 years old have been planted. We examined two compound vegetation indices of (NDVI+1)*DVI and NDII for masking non-OP crown areas. Using kappa statistics, an optimal threshold value was set with the highest accuracy at 90.6% for differentiating OP crown areas from Non-OP areas. After the watershed segmentation of OP crown areas with additional post-procedures, about 77% of individual OP crowns were successfully detected in comparison to the manual based delineation. Shape and location of each crown segment was then assessed based on a modified version of the goodness measures of Möller et al which was 0.3, indicating an acceptable CSGM (combined segmentation goodness measures) agreements between the automated and manually delineated crowns (perfect case is '1').

Prospective multicenter study of ultrasound-based measurements of fetal head station and position throughout labor.

PubMed

Vitner, D; Paltieli, Y; Haberman, S; Gonen, R; Ville, Y; Nizard, J

2015-11-01

To assess the relationship between fetal head position and head station during labor, as measured using an ultrasound-based system, and the occurrence of occiput posterior (OP) position at delivery. This was an international prospective observational study including women who delivered between January 2009 and September 2013 in four centers: one in Brooklyn, NY, USA; one in Haifa, Israel; and two in Paris, France. We used an ultrasound-based system (LaborPro) to monitor fetal head station and position non-invasively throughout labor. We collected data on demographics, labor parameters and outcome. A total of 595 women were included. In 563 (94.6%) women, fetal head position at delivery was occiput anterior (OA), in 31 (5.2%) it was OP and in one (0.2%) it was occiput transverse. In 89% of pregnancies with intrapartum OP when fetal head station was above -2, the head position turned to OA at delivery; the equivalent figures were 74% and 63% OA at delivery when intrapartum OP was diagnosed at head stations of -2 to < 0, and 0 and below, respectively. Cesarean delivery was performed in 35% of pregnancies with fetal head in OP position at delivery, as opposed to 10% of those with non-OP position at delivery. On retrospective analysis, all deliveries in OP were already in OP at station -2 and below. In this first assessment of fetal head position at delivery according to fetal head position at various station levels, our data show that 100% of OP positions at delivery were already in OP position at station -2 and below. We did not observe rotation from a non-OP to an OP position from station -2 and below. Nearly two-thirds of fetuses in OP at station 0 and below will rotate to an OA position for delivery. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Passion and dependency in online shopping activities.

PubMed

Wang, Chih-Chien; Yang, Hui-Wen

2007-04-01

This study examines the influence of harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP) to online shopping dependency. The results show that both HP and OP might lead to online shopping dependency and online shoppers with OP are more dependent on online shopping activities. In addition, this study also found out that HP and OP could be denoted as a sequence of different intensities of passion, where HP might be a necessity of OP.

Occult pneumothoraces in Chinese patients with significant blunt chest trauma: radiological classification and proposed clinical significance.

PubMed

Lee, Ryan K L; Graham, Colin A; Yeung, Janice H H; Ahuja, Anil T; Rainer, Timothy H

2012-12-01

An occult pneumothorax (OP) is a pneumothorax not seen on a supine chest X-ray (CXR) but detected on abdominal or thoracic computed tomography (CT) scanning. With the increasing use of CT in the management of significantly injured trauma patients, more OPs are being detected. The aim of this study was to classify OPs diagnosed on thoracic CT (TCT) and correlate them with their clinical significance. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected trauma registry data. Total 36 (N=36) consecutive significantly injured trauma patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) who sustained blunt chest trauma and underwent TCT between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2008 were included. OP was defined as the identification (by a consultant radiologist) of a pneumothorax on TCT that had not been detected on supine CXR. OPs were classified by laterality (unilateral/bilateral) and location (apical, basal, non apical/basal). The size of pneumothoraces, severity of injury [including number of associated thoracic injuries and injury severity score (ISS)], length of hospital stay and mortality were compared between groups. The need for tube thoracostomy and clinical outcome were also analysed. Patients with bilateral OPs (N=8) had significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 23, p=0.02) and longer hospital stay (median: 20 days vs. 11 days, p=0.01) than those with a unilateral OP (N=28). Basal OPs (N=7) were significantly larger than apical (N=10) and non-apical/basal Ops (N=11). Basal OPs were associated with significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 17 days, p=0.02) than apical Ops, which had higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 15 days, p=0.02) than non-apical/basal OPs. Non-apical/basal OPs were associated with more related injuries (median: 2

[Current status and issues in development of occupational physicians in Japan].

PubMed

Mori, Koji

2013-10-01

Training systems for occupational physicians (OPs) have existed since the Industrial Safety and Health Act was enacted in 1972. However, it is necessary to enhance them because of changes in the business environment of Japanese corporations and working patterns have brought about new needs of occupational health (OH) activities. In this paper, OPs were classified into three categories; doctors who spend a part of working time on OH activities, i.e. "non-specialist OPs", doctors who engage in OH activities full-time, i.e. "specialists OPs", and doctors who manage corporate-wide occupational health programs or lead programs at OH service institutes, i.e. "lead OPs", and the status and the issues were reviewed. The major concern identified for each of the three categories in training were found to be quality management for non-specialist OPs, short supply for specialists OPs, and development of competencies such as leadership and management skills for lead OPs, respectively. Current efforts and ideas to improve the training systems were discussed.

Regulatory cascade and biological activity of Beauveria bassiana oosporein that limits bacterial growth after host death

PubMed Central

Fan, Yanhua; Liu, Xi; Keyhani, Nemat O.; Tang, Guirong; Pei, Yan; Zhang, Wenwen; Tong, Sheng

2017-01-01

The regulatory network and biological functions of the fungal secondary metabolite oosporein have remained obscure. Beauveria bassiana has evolved the ability to parasitize insects and outcompete microbial challengers for assimilation of host nutrients. A novel zinc finger transcription factor, BbSmr1 (B. bassiana secondary metabolite regulator 1), was identified in a screen for oosporein overproduction. Deletion of Bbsmr1 resulted in up-regulation of the oosporein biosynthetic gene cluster (OpS genes) and constitutive oosporein production. Oosporein production was abolished in double mutants of Bbsmr1 and a second transcription factor, OpS3, within the oosporein gene cluster (ΔBbsmr1ΔOpS3), indicating that BbSmr1 acts as a negative regulator of OpS3 expression. Real-time quantitative PCR and a GFP promoter fusion construct of OpS1, the oosporein polyketide synthase, indicated that OpS1 is expressed mainly in insect cadavers at 24–48 h after death. Bacterial colony analysis in B. bassiana-infected insect hosts revealed increasing counts until host death, with a dramatic decrease (∼90%) after death that correlated with oosporein production. In vitro studies verified the inhibitory activity of oosporein against bacteria derived from insect cadavers. These results suggest that oosporein acts as an antimicrobial compound to limit microbial competition on B. bassiana-killed hosts, allowing the fungus to maximally use host nutrients to grow and sporulate on infected cadavers. PMID:28193896

Regulatory cascade and biological activity of Beauveria bassiana oosporein that limits bacterial growth after host death.

PubMed

Fan, Yanhua; Liu, Xi; Keyhani, Nemat O; Tang, Guirong; Pei, Yan; Zhang, Wenwen; Tong, Sheng

2017-02-28

The regulatory network and biological functions of the fungal secondary metabolite oosporein have remained obscure. Beauveria bassiana has evolved the ability to parasitize insects and outcompete microbial challengers for assimilation of host nutrients. A novel zinc finger transcription factor, BbSmr1 ( B. bassiana secondary metabolite regulator 1), was identified in a screen for oosporein overproduction. Deletion of Bbsmr1 resulted in up-regulation of the oosporein biosynthetic gene cluster ( OpS genes) and constitutive oosporein production. Oosporein production was abolished in double mutants of Bbsmr1 and a second transcription factor, OpS3 , within the oosporein gene cluster ( ΔBbsmr1ΔOpS3 ), indicating that BbSmr1 acts as a negative regulator of OpS3 expression. Real-time quantitative PCR and a GFP promoter fusion construct of OpS1 , the oosporein polyketide synthase, indicated that OpS1 is expressed mainly in insect cadavers at 24-48 h after death. Bacterial colony analysis in B. bassiana -infected insect hosts revealed increasing counts until host death, with a dramatic decrease (∼90%) after death that correlated with oosporein production. In vitro studies verified the inhibitory activity of oosporein against bacteria derived from insect cadavers. These results suggest that oosporein acts as an antimicrobial compound to limit microbial competition on B. bassiana -killed hosts, allowing the fungus to maximally use host nutrients to grow and sporulate on infected cadavers.

The 2012 AANS Presidential Address. We are neurosurgery.

PubMed

McCormick, Paul C

2012-12-01

The theme of the 80th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the title of this presidential address, "We are neurosurgery," is a simple 3-word affirmation of who neurosurgeons are, what they have achieved, and how much there is yet to accomplish. Recent advances in neurobiology and the clinical neurosciences have brought an unprecedented understanding of the human nervous system in both health and disease. As a specialty, neurosurgery has translated knowledge, expanded techniques, and incorporated technology to exponentially expand the science and scope of neurosurgical practice. However, the rapidly advancing, divergently evolving growth of neurosurgery has had profound effects on all aspects of neurosurgery. In this address, the author examines the contemporary meaning of the annual meeting's theme as it relates to the science, practice, specialty, and profession of neurosurgery, as well as the neurosurgeon. In doing so, the author reveals his interpretation of "We are neurosurgery," which he hopes will have an effect on others.

Role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-dependent macrophages in gastric ulcer healing in mice.

PubMed

Kawahara, Y; Nakase, Y; Isomoto, Y; Matsuda, N; Amagase, K; Kato, S; Takeuchi, K

2011-08-01

We examined the role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-dependent macrophages in the healing of gastric ulcers in mice. Male M-CSF-deficient (op/op) and M-CSF-expressing heterozygote (+/?) mice were used. Gastric ulcers were induced by thermal cauterization under ether anesthesia, and healing was observed for 14 days after ulceration. The numbers of macrophages and microvessels in the gastric mucosa were determined immunohistochemically with anti-CD68 and anti-CD31 antibodies, respectively. Expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA was determined via real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the mucosal content of prostaglandin (PG) E(2) was determined via enzyme immunoassay on day 10 after ulceration. The healing of gastric ulcers was significantly delayed in op/op mice compared with +/? mice. Further, significantly fewer macrophages were observed in the normal gastric mucosa of op/op mice than in +/? mice. Ulcer induction caused a marked accumulation of macrophages around the ulcer base in +/? mice, but this response was attenuated in op/op mice. The mucosal PGE(2) content as well as the expression of COX-2, VEGF, and TNF-α mRNA were all upregulated in the ulcerated area of +/? mice but significantly suppressed in op/op mice. The degree of vascularization in the ulcerated area was significantly lower in op/op mice than in +/? mice. Taken together, these results suggest that M-CSF-dependent macrophages play an important role in the healing of gastric ulcers, and that this action may be associated with angiogenesis promoted by upregulation of COX-2/PGE(2) production.

Retrospective evaluation of patients with organizing pneumonia: is cryptogenic organizing pneumonia different from secondary organizing pneumonia?

PubMed

Yılmaz, Saliha; Akıncı Özyürek, Berna; Erdoğan, Yurdanur; Cirit Koçer, Burcu; Demirağ, Funda; Dadalı, Yeliz; Büyükyaylacı Özden, Sertaç

2017-03-01

Organizing pneumonia (OP) is an uncommon clinic opathological situation among lung diseases. If no underlying cause can be detected, it is named as cryptogenic OP (COP). In this study, the etiologic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed as OP in our hospital in the last ten years were evaluated retrospectively. It was also aimed to make a comparison between COP and secondary OP patients. One hundred sixty-five patients diagnosed as OP pathologically in the 10 year period from August 2003 to August 2013 were included into that study. Patients' data were evaluated retrospectively from the medical records. One hundred sixty five patients pathologically diagnosed as OP were included. Diagnostic methods were trans-thoracic fine-needle biopsy (TTFNB) in 89 (53.9%) patients, open lung biopsy (lobectomy, wedge resection, segmentectomy) in 52 (31.5%) patients and transbronchial biyopsy (TBB) in 24 (14.5%) patients. One hundred (60.6%) of the patients were defined as COP and 65 (39.4%) as secondary OP. Cough, fatigue and dyspnea were the most common symptoms on admission. We detected OP cases secondary to anthracosis and cyst hydatic besides other well known etiologies. In 61 patients, the main radiologic manifestation was multiple bilateral patchy consolidation typical for OP. In 76 patients focal lesions (solid mass, cavitating mass lesion) and in 6 patients infiltrative opacities were detected radiologically. There is no difference between properties of OP from clinical, laboratory and radiologic finding sin the criptogenic and seconder form of OP. Although it is not asserted, cyst hidatic and anthracosis could be kept in mind for the list of underlying ethiologies for secondary OP.

Evaluation of the efficacy of the four tests (p16 immunochemistry, PCR, DNA and RNA In situ Hybridization) to evaluate a Human Papillomavirus infection in head and neck cancers: a cohort of 348 French squamous cell carcinomas.

PubMed

Augustin, Jérémy; Outh-Gauer, Sophie; Mandavit, Marion; Gasne, Cassandre; Grard, Ophélie; Denize, Thomas; Nervo, Marine; Mirghani, Haïtham; Laccourreye, Ollivier; Bonfils, Pierre; Bruneval, Patrick; Veyer, David; Péré, Hélène; Tartour, Eric; Badoual, Cécile

2018-04-20

It is now established that HPV plays a role in the development of a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), notably oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). However, it is not clear which test one should use to detect HPV in oropharyngeal (OP) and non-OP SCCs. In this study, using 348 HNSCCs (126 OP SCCs and 222 non-OP SCCs), we evaluated diagnostic performances of different HPV tests in OP and non-OP SCCs: PCR, p16 immunostaining, in situ hybridization targeting DNA (DNA-CISH) and RNA (RNA-CISH), combined p16 + DNA-CISH, and combined p16 + RNA-CISH. HPV DNA (PCR) was detected in 26% of all tumors (44% of OP SCCs and 17% of non-OP SCCs). For OP SCCs, RNA-CISH was the most sensitive standalone test (88%), but p16 + RNA-CISH was even more sensitive (95%). Specificities were the same for RNA-CISH and DNA-CISH (97%) but it was better for p16 + RNA-CISH (100%). For non-OP SCCs, all tests had sensitivities below 50%, and RNA-CISH, DNA-CISH and p16 + DNA-CISH had respectively 100%, 97% and 99% specificities. As a standalone test, RNA-CISH is the most performant assay to detect HPV in OP SCCs, and combined p16 + RNA-CISH test slightly improves its performances. However, RNA-CISH has the advantage of being one single test. Like p16 and DNA-CISH, RNA-CISH performances are poor in non-OP SCCs to detect HPV, and combining tests does not improve performances. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Identification of an opd (organophosphate degradation) gene in an Agrobacterium isolate.

PubMed

Horne, Irene; Sutherland, Tara D; Harcourt, Rebecca L; Russell, Robyn J; Oakeshott, John G

2002-07-01

We isolated a bacterial strain, Agrobacterium radiobacter P230, which can hydrolyze a wide range of organophosphate (OP) insecticides. A gene encoding a protein involved in OP hydrolysis was cloned from A. radiobacter P230 and sequenced. This gene (called opdA) had sequence similarity to opd, a gene previously shown to encode an OP-hydrolyzing enzyme in Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 27551 and Brevundimonas diminuta MG. Insertional mutation of the opdA gene produced a strain lacking the ability to hydrolyze OPs, suggesting that this is the only gene encoding an OP-hydrolyzing enzyme in A. radiobacter P230. The OPH and OpdA proteins, encoded by opd and opdA, respectively, were overexpressed and purified as maltose-binding proteins, and the maltose-binding protein moiety was cleaved and removed. Neither protein was able to hydrolyze the aliphatic OP malathion. The kinetics of the two proteins for diethyl OPs were comparable. For dimethyl OPs, OpdA had a higher k(cat) than OPH. It was also capable of hydrolyzing the dimethyl OPs phosmet and fenthion, which were not hydrolyzed at detectable levels by OPH.

A systems-level approach for investigating organophosphorus pesticide toxicity.

PubMed

Zhu, Jingbo; Wang, Jing; Ding, Yan; Liu, Baoyue; Xiao, Wei

2018-03-01

The full understanding of the single and joint toxicity of a variety of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides is still unavailable, because of the extreme complex mechanism of action. This study established a systems-level approach based on systems toxicology to investigate OP pesticide toxicity by incorporating ADME/T properties, protein prediction, and network and pathway analysis. The results showed that most OP pesticides are highly toxic according to the ADME/T parameters, and can interact with significant receptor proteins to cooperatively lead to various diseases by the established OP pesticide -protein and protein-disease networks. Furthermore, the studies that multiple OP pesticides potentially act on the same receptor proteins and/or the functionally diverse proteins explained that multiple OP pesticides could mutually enhance toxicological synergy or additive on a molecular/systematic level. To the end, the integrated pathways revealed the mechanism of toxicity of the interaction of OP pesticides and elucidated the pathogenesis induced by OP pesticides. This study demonstrates a systems-level approach for investigating OP pesticide toxicity that can be further applied to risk assessments of various toxins, which is of significant interest to food security and environmental protection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Orthostatically Induced Panic Attacks among Cambodian Refugees: Flashbacks, Catastrophic Cognitions, and Associated Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinton, Devon E.; Pollack, Mark H.; Pich, Vuth; Fama, Jeanne M.; Barlow, David H.

2005-01-01

Consecutive Cambodian refugees (N = 100) attending a psychiatric clinic were assessed for the presence and severity of current orthostatic panic (OP), which is defined as panic triggered by standing up. The patients with current OP (n = 36) had significantly greater psychopathology than patients without current OP. During OP, trauma associations…

The panic attack-posttraumatic stress disorder model: applicability to orthostatic panic among Cambodian refugees.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Hofmann, Stefan G; Pitman, Roger K; Pollack, Mark H; Barlow, David H

2008-01-01

This article examines the ability of the panic attack-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) model to predict how panic attacks are generated and how panic attacks worsen PTSD. The article does so by determining the validity of the panic attack-PTSD model in respect to one type of panic attack among traumatized Cambodian refugees: orthostatic panic (OP) attacks (i.e. panic attacks generated by moving from lying or sitting to standing). Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, the authors conducted two studies to explore the validity of the panic attack-PTSD model as applied to OP patients (i.e. patients with at least one episode of OP in the previous month). In Study 1, the panic attack-PTSD model accurately indicated how OP is seemingly generated: among OP patients (N = 58), orthostasis-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions predicted OP severity beyond a measure of anxious-depressive distress (Symptom Checklist-90-R subscales), and OP severity significantly mediated the effect of anxious-depressive distress on Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale severity. In Study 2, as predicted by the panic attack-PTSD model, OP had a mediational role in respect to the effect of treatment on PTSD severity: among Cambodian refugees with PTSD and comorbid OP who participated in a cognitive behavioural therapy study (N = 56), improvement in PTSD severity was partially mediated by improvement in OP severity.

THE PANIC ATTACK–PTSD MODEL: APPLICABILITY TO ORTHOSTATIC PANIC AMONG CAMBODIAN REFUGEES

PubMed Central

Hinton, Devon E.; Hofmann, Stefan G.; Pitman, Roger K.; Pollack, Mark H.; Barlow, David H.

2009-01-01

This article examines the ability of the “Panic Attack–PTSD Model” to predict how panic attacks are generated and how panic attacks worsen posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The article does so by determining the validity of the Panic Attack–PTSD Model in respect to one type of panic attacks among traumatized Cambodian refugees: orthostatic panic (OP) attacks, that is, panic attacks generated by moving from lying or sitting to standing. Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, we conducted two studies to explore the validity of the Panic Attack–PTSD Model as applied to OP patients, meaning patients with at least one episode of OP in the previous month. In Study 1, the “Panic Attack–PTSD Model” accurately indicated how OP is seemingly generated: among OP patients (N = 58), orthostasis-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions predicted OP severity beyond a measure of anxious–depressive distress (SCL subscales), and OP severity significantly mediated the effect of anxious–depressive distress on CAPS severity. In Study 2, as predicted by the Panic Attack–PTSD Model, OP had a mediational role in respect to the effect of treatment on PTSD severity: among Cambodian refugees with PTSD and comorbid OP who participated in a CBT study (N = 56), improvement in PTSD severity was partially mediated by improvement in OP severity. PMID:18470741

Hatch Opening OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-31

S128-E-007008 (30 Aug. 2009) --- Astronauts Rick Sturckow (right), STS-128 commander; and Patrick Forrester, mission specialist, are pictured near the hatch on the middeck of Space Shuttle Discovery after docking with the International Space Station. The two spacecraft docked at 7:54 p.m. (CDT), and the Discovery crew entered the orbital outpost at 9:59 p.m. (CDT) on Aug. 30.

Hatch Opening OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-31

S128-E-007010 (30 Aug. 2009) --- Astronauts Rick Sturckow (bottom), STS-128 commander; John “Danny” Olivas (right) and Patrick Forrester, both mission specialists, are pictured near the hatch on the middeck of Space Shuttle Discovery after docking with the International Space Station. The two spacecraft docked at 7:54 p.m. (CDT), and the Discovery crew entered the orbital outpost at 9:59 p.m. (CDT) on Aug. 30.

SILTECH OP-40

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technical product bulletin: this surface collecting agent used in oil spill cleanups should be sprayed on water around the perimeter of an oil slick using a pressurized backpack sprayer or aerial applicator, to aid in situ burning.

MPLM Transfer OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-09

S131-E-008380 (9 April 2010) --- NASA astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger is pictured during the transfer of a spare Rate Gyro Assembly aboard the International Space Station. She is one of the 13 astronauts and cosmonauts currently sharing work aboard the orbital outpost.

Hatch Opening OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-31

S128-E-007009 (30 Aug. 2009) --- Astronaut Patrick Forrester, STS-128 mission specialist, prepares to open the hatch that will lead the entire Space Shuttle Discovery crew into the International Space Station. The two spacecraft docked at 7:54 p.m. (CDT), and the Discovery crew entered the orbital outpost at 9:59 p.m. (CDT) on Aug. 30.

CARDIOCOG. Experiment ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-11-29

ISS014-E-08795 (29 Nov. 2006) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter, Expedition 14 flight engineer, works with the Cognitive Cardiovascular (Cardiocog-2) experiment in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Cardiocog-2 will determine the impact of weightlessness on the cardiovascular system and respiratory system and the cognitive reactions of crewmembers. The results of this study will be used to develop additional countermeasures that will continue to keep crewmembers healthy during long-duration space exploration.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091634 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (left) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, monitor the approach and docking of ESA's "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091638 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (left) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, monitor the approach and docking of ESA's "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091635 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (left) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, monitor the approach and docking of ESA's "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091673 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (right) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, take a brief moment for a photo during the approach and docking operations of ESA's "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091655 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (right) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, monitor the approach and docking of ESA's "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

ATV docking ops

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-12

ISS040-E-091688 (12 Aug. 2014) --- In the Zvezda Service Module, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (left) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, monitor the approach and docking of ESA?s "Georges Lemaitre" Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) to the International Space Station.

JEM RMS OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-23

ISS020-E-042237 (23 Sept. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne, both Expedition 20 flight engineers, work the controls of the JEM Robotic Manipulator System (JEM-RMS) in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. De Winne and Stott used the JEM-RMS to grapple the Exposed Pallet (EP) from the station’s Canadarm2 and berth it to the JEM Exposed Facility / Exposed Facility Unit 10 (JEF EFU10).

JEM RMS OPS

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-23

ISS020-E-042225 (23 Sept. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne, both Expedition 20 flight engineers, work the controls of the JEM Robotic Manipulator System (JEM-RMS) in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. De Winne and Stott used the JEM-RMS to grapple the Exposed Pallet (EP) from the station’s Canadarm2 and berth it to the JEM Exposed Facility / Exposed Facility Unit 10 (JEF EFU10).

Rejected applications

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objective: To review membership application materials (especially rejected applications) to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) during its formative years (1947–1953). Methods: Detailed study of materials in the AAN Historical Collection. Results: The author identified 73 rejected applications. Rejected applicants (71 male, 2 female) lived in 25 states. The largest number was for the Associate membership category (49). These were individuals “in related fields who have made and are making contributions to the field of neurology.” By contrast, few applicants to Active membership or Fellowship status were rejected. The largest numbers of rejectees were neuropsychiatrists (19), neurosurgeons (16), and psychiatrists (14). Conclusion: The AAN, established in the late 1940s, was a small and politically vulnerable organization. A defining feature of the fledgling society was its inclusiveness; its membership was less restrictive than that of the older American Neurological Association. At the same time, the society needed to preserve its core as a neurologic society rather than one of psychiatry or neurosurgery. Hence, the balance between inclusiveness and exclusive identity was a difficult one to maintain. The Associate membership category, more than any other, was at the heart of this issue of self-definition. Associate members were largely practitioners of psychiatry or neurosurgery. Their membership was a source of consternation and was to be carefully been held in check during these critical formative years. PMID:24944256

Rejected applications: an early American Academy of Neurology struggles to define its membership.

PubMed

Louis, Elan D

2014-07-22

To review membership application materials (especially rejected applications) to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) during its formative years (1947-1953). Detailed study of materials in the AAN Historical Collection. The author identified 73 rejected applications. Rejected applicants (71 male, 2 female) lived in 25 states. The largest number was for the Associate membership category (49). These were individuals "in related fields who have made and are making contributions to the field of neurology." By contrast, few applicants to Active membership or Fellowship status were rejected. The largest numbers of rejectees were neuropsychiatrists (19), neurosurgeons (16), and psychiatrists (14). The AAN, established in the late 1940s, was a small and politically vulnerable organization. A defining feature of the fledgling society was its inclusiveness; its membership was less restrictive than that of the older American Neurological Association. At the same time, the society needed to preserve its core as a neurologic society rather than one of psychiatry or neurosurgery. Hence, the balance between inclusiveness and exclusive identity was a difficult one to maintain. The Associate membership category, more than any other, was at the heart of this issue of self-definition. Associate members were largely practitioners of psychiatry or neurosurgery. Their membership was a source of consternation and was to be carefully been held in check during these critical formative years. © 2014 American Academy of Neurology.

Education research: a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents.

PubMed

Tolchin, Benjamin; Willey, Joshua Z; Prager, Kenneth

2015-03-31

In 2012, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) updated and expanded its ethics curriculum into Practical Ethics in Clinical Neurology, a case-based ethics curriculum for neurologists. We piloted a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents using the framework and topics recommended by the AAN, matched to clinical cases drawn from Columbia's neurologic services. Our primary outcome was residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured on precurriculum and postcurriculum multiple-choice quizzes. Secondary outcomes included precurriculum and postcurriculum self-assessed comfort in discussing and managing ethically complex cases, as well as attendance at ethics discussion sessions as compared to attendance at other didactic sessions. Resident performance on quizzes improved from 75.8% to 86.7% (p = 0.02). Comfort in discussing ethically complex cases improved from 6.4 to 7.4 on a 10-point scale (p = 0.03). Comfort in managing such cases trended toward improvement but did not reach statistical significance. Attendance was significantly better at ethics discussions (73.5%) than at other didactic sessions (61.7%, p = 0.04). Our formal case-based ethics curriculum for neurology residents, based on core topics drawn from the AAN's published curricula, was successfully piloted. Our study showed a statistically significant improvement in residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured by multiple-choice tests and self-assessments. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

CO Seasonal Variability and Trend over Paris Megacity Using Ground-Based QualAir FTS and Satellite IASI-MetOp Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Te, Yao; Jeseck, Pascal; Hadji-Lazaro, Juliette

2012-11-01

In a growing world with more than 7 billion inhabitants and big emerging countries such as China, Brazil and India, emissions of anthropogenic pollutants are increasing continuously. Monitoring and control of atmospheric pollutants in megacities have become a major challenge for scientists and public health authorities in environmental research area. The QualAir platform at University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), is an innovating experimental research platform dedicated to survey urban atmospheric pollution and air quality. A Bruker Optics IFS 125HR Fourier transform spectrometer belonged to the Laboratoire de Physique Moléculaire pour l'Atmosphère et l'Astrophysique (LPMAA), was adapted for ground-based atmospheric measurements. As one of the major instruments of the QualAir platform, this ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer (QualAir FTS) analyses the composition of the urban atmosphere of Paris, which is the third largest European megacity. The continuous monitoring of atmospheric pollutants is essential to improve the understanding of urban air pollution processes. Associated with a sun-tracker, the QualAir remote sensing FTS operates in solar infrared absorption and enables to monitor many trace gases, and to follow up their variability in the Ile-de-France region. Concentrations of atmospheric pollutants are retrieved by the radiative transfer model PROFFIT. These ground-based remote sensing measurements are compared to ground in-situ measurements and to satellite data from IASI-MetOp (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer). The remote sensing total column of the carbon monoxide (CO) obtained from January 2009 to June 2012, has a seasonal variability with a maximum in April and a minimum in October. While, after 2008, the mean CO level is quite stable (no significant decrease as before 2008).

Organisational performance and business continuity management: a theoretical perspective and a case study.

PubMed

Sawalha, Ihab Hanna Salman

2013-01-01

This paper seeks to extend the research relating to the strategic view of business continuity management (BCM) to the context of organisational performance (OP). It discusses potential performance consequences resulting from applying BCM aspects/elements within an organisation. The paper contributes to the understanding of the role of BCM in OP by discussing how deployment of BCM key aspects/elements can improve OP. Two main issues are discussed: first, background to performance and the elements of OP; and secondly, the role of BCM in achieving optimised OP. These issues are significant, as they go further than the extant literature relating to the significance of BCM and its potential influence on OP. The study focuses on Jordanian banks as a case study and as a way of illustrating how BCM helps improve OP for those organisations facing performance shortcomings or difficulties.

A Review of Experimental Evidence Linking Neurotoxic Organophosphorus Compounds and Inflammation

PubMed Central

Banks, Christopher N.; Lein, Pamela J.

2012-01-01

Organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents and pesticides inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and this is thought to be a primary mechanism mediating the neurotoxicity of these compounds. However, a number of observations suggest that mechanisms other than or in addition to AChE inhibition contribute to OP neurotoxicity. There is significant experimental evidence that acute OP intoxication elicits a robust inflammatory response, and emerging evidence suggests that chronic repeated low-level OP exposure also upregulates inflammatory mediators. A critical question that is just beginning to be addressed experimentally is the pathophysiologic relevance of inflammation in either acute or chronic OP intoxication. The goal of this article is to provide a brief review of the current status of our knowledge linking inflammation to OP intoxication, and to discuss the implications of these findings in the context of therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to OP neurotoxicity. PMID:22342984

Health Aspects of Organophosphorous Pesticides in Asian Countries

PubMed Central

Balali-Mood, M; Balali-Mood, K; Moodi, M; Balali-Mood, B

2012-01-01

Organophosphorous (OP) pesticides are used frequently in agriculture, particularly in Asian countries over the past decades. Poisoning by these agents, either as acute or chronic in these nations, is a serious health problem. OP pesticides residue in fruits and vegetables that may not induce early clinical features, could also affect the human health. Therefore, medical and health professionals should be aware and learn more on the toxicology, prevention and proper management of OP poisoning. The well-known mechanism of OP toxicity is the inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase, resulting in an accumulation of acetylcholine and continued stimulation of acetylcholine receptors. Therefore, they are also called anticholinesterase agents. Determination of blood acetyl cholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase activities remains a mainstay for the rapid initial screening of OP pesticides. Quantitative analysis of OP and their degradation products in plasma and urine by mass spectrometric methods is a more specific method, but is expensive and limited to specialized laboratories. Therefore, history of OP pesticides exposure and clinical manifestations of a cholinergic syndrome is sufficient for management of the exposed patients. However, electrophysiological tests may be required for the diagnosis of delayed neuropathy of OP poisoning. The standard management of OP poisoning includes decontamination, atropine sulphate with an oxime. Recent advances focus on blood alkalinisation and magnesium sulphate as promising adjunctive therapies. Preventive measures in OP exposure are of great importance in human health in developing countries. Therefore, regulations and controls on safe use of OP particularly in Asian countries are recommended. PMID:23304659

Process Evaluation of a Blended Web-Based Intervention on Return to Work for Sick-Listed Employees with Common Mental Health Problems in the Occupational Health Setting.

PubMed

Volker, D; Zijlstra-Vlasveld, M C; Brouwers, E P M; van der Feltz-Cornelis, C M

2017-06-01

Purpose A blended web-based intervention, "eHealth module embedded in collaborative occupational health care" (ECO), aimed at return to work, was developed and found effective in sick-listed employees with common mental disorders. In order to establish the feasibility of ECO, a process evaluation was conducted. Methods Seven process components were investigated: recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, satisfaction and context. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect data: an online questionnaire for the employees, website data, telephonic interviews with occupational physicians (OPs) and observations of the researchers. Results Recruitment was uncomplicated for the employees, but required several steps for the OPs. Reach was 100 % at the OP level and 76.3 % at the employee level. Dose delivered and received for OPs: 91.6 % received minimally one email message. Dose delivered and received for the employees: finishing of the different modules of ECO varied between 13 and 90 %. Fidelity: the support of the OP to the employee in ECO was lower than anticipated. Satisfaction: both employees and OPs were satisfied with the intervention. However, employees reported a need for more support in ECO. The context showed that OPs had limited time to support the employees and it was impossible for the employee to contact the OP outside their regular contacts. Conclusion Feasibility of ECO and satisfaction of employees and OPs with ECO were good. Fidelity of OPs was limited. For further implementation in the occupational health setting, especially contextual barriers regarding time limitation and accessibility of OPs for employees should be addressed.

Differentially expressed genes and pathways induced by organophosphates in human neuroblastoma cells.

PubMed

Li, Tianwei; Zhao, Hongtao; Hung, Guo-Chiuan; Han, Jing; Tsai, Shien; Li, Bingjie; Zhang, Jing; Puri, Raj K; Lo, Shyh-Ching

2012-12-01

Organophosphates (OPs) are toxic chemicals commonly used as pesticides and herbicides. Some OPs are highly toxic to humans and have been used in warfare and terrorist attacks. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of injury caused by OPs, the differentially expressed genes were analyzed in human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells induced by three OPs. The SK-N-SH cells were treated with one of the three OPs, chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos or methamidophos at LC20 (high-dose), the concentration causing 20% cell death, as well as 1/20 of LC20 (low-dose), a sub-lethal concentration with no detectable cell death, for 24 h. The genome-wide gene changes were identified by Agilent Microarray System, and analyzed by microarray analysis tools. The analysis revealed neuroblastoma cells treated with the high doses of all three OPs markedly activated cell apoptosis and inhibited cell growth and proliferation genes, which would most likely lead to the process of cell death. Interestingly, the analysis also revealed significant decrease in expressions of many genes in a specific spliceosome pathway in cells treated with the low doses of all three different OPs. The change of spliceosome pathway may represent an important mechanism of injury in neuronal cells exposed to low doses of various OPs. In addition to unraveling a potentially different form of OP pathogenesis, this finding could provide a new diagnostic marker in assessing OP-associated injury in cells or tissues. In addition, these results could also contribute to the development of new prevention and/or therapeutic regimens against OP toxicity.

Association between plasma fluorescent oxidation products and erectile dysfunction: A prospective study.

PubMed

Yang, Shuman; Giovannucci, Edward; Bracken, Bruce; Ho, Shuk-Mei; Wu, Tianying

2015-08-14

Existing epidemiological studies of the association between oxidative stress and erectile dysfunction (ED) are sparse and inconclusive, which is likely due to cross-sectional design and small sample size. Therefore, we investigated the association between biomarkers of oxidative stress and ED in prospective setting among a relatively large sample size of men. We conducted the prospective study among 917 men ages between 47 and 80 years at the time of blood draw, which is a part of nested prospective case-control study of prostate cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Plasma fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs), a global biomarker for oxidative stress, were measured at three excitation/emission wavelengths (360/420 nm named as FlOP_360; 320/420 nm named as FlOP_320 and 400/475 nm named as FlOP_400). Approximately 35% of men developed ED during follow-up. We did not find an independent association between FlOP_360, FlOP_320, FlOP_400 and risk of ED in the multivariable adjusted model (Tertile 3 vs. tertile 1: odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61-1.34, P(trend) = 0.54 for FlOP_360; OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.49-1.07, P(trend) = 0.27 for FlOP_320; and OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.66-1.45, P(trend) = 0.72 for FlOP_400). Further analysis of the association between FlOPs and ED in the fasting samples or controls only (free of prostate cancer incidence) did not change the results appreciably. Plasma FlOPs were not associated with the risk of ED, suggesting oxidative stress may not be an independent risk factor for ED.

Are there advantages of the combined latissimus-dorsi transfer according to L'Episcopo compared to the isolated latissimus-dorsi transfer according to Herzberg after a mean follow-up of 6 years? A matched-pair analysis.

PubMed

Lichtenberg, Sven; Magosch, Petra; Habermeyer, Peter

2012-11-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate differences of clinical results between the latissimus-dorsi transfer combined with teres-major transfer (G1) and the isolated latissimus-dorsi transfer (G2) for the treatment of massive irreparable postero-superior rotator cuff tears. We performed the combined latissimus-dorsi/teres-major transfer in 17 patients at a mean age of 57 years. Furthermore, 17 patients at a mean age of 61 years were treated using the isolated latissimus-dorsi transfer. Both groups were followed-up clinically, radiologically, and with surface electromyography using the same study protocol. The Constant score (CS) improved significantly from 48.3 points pre-op to 69.5 points post-op after a follow-up of 58 months in G1. The active range of motion improved in G1 sig. for flexion (124° pre-op, 166.5° post-op) and for abduction (117° pre-op, 163° post-op). The CS improved significantly from 45.1 points pre-op to 74.2 points post-op after a follow-up of 51 months in G2. The flexion and abduction increased significantly from 133.3° pre-op to 176° post-op, resp. from 113.3° pre-op to 173° post-op. The comparison of both surgical techniques showed a significant better active flexion and abduction for G2. Both techniques achieved good functional results but the isolated latissimus-dorsi transfer produced a better active abduction and flexion, whereas the combined latissmus-dorsi/teres-major transfer achieved an increase in abduction strength. In contrast to the combined latissimus-dorsi/teres-major transfer, a progression of cuff tear arthropathy was not observed with the isolated latissimus-dorsi transfer. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Control strategies for effective robot assisted gait rehabilitation: the state of art and future prospects.

PubMed

Cao, Jinghui; Xie, Sheng Quan; Das, Raj; Zhu, Guo L

2014-12-01

A large number of gait rehabilitation robots, together with a variety of control strategies, have been developed and evaluated during the last decade. Initially, control strategies applied to rehabilitation robots were adapted from those applied to traditional industrial robots. However, these strategies cannot optimise effectiveness of gait rehabilitation. As a result, researchers have been investigating control strategies tailored for the needs of rehabilitation. Among these control strategies, assisted-as-needed (AAN) control is one of the most popular research topics in this field. AAN training strategies have gained the theoretical and practical evidence based backup from motor learning principles and clinical studies. Various approaches to AAN training have been proposed and investigated by research groups all around the world. This article presents a review on control algorithms of gait rehabilitation robots to summarise related knowledge and investigate potential trends of development. There are existing review papers on control strategies of rehabilitation robots. The review by Marchal-Crespo and Reinkensmeyer (2009) had a broad cover of control strategies of all kinds of rehabilitation robots. Hussain et al. (2011) had specifically focused on treadmill gait training robots and covered a limited number of control implementations on them. This review article encompasses more detailed information on control strategies for robot assisted gait rehabilitation, but is not limited to treadmill based training. It also investigates the potential to further develop assist-as-needed gait training based on assessments of patients' ability. In this paper, control strategies are generally divided into the trajectory tracking control and AAN control. The review covers these two basic categories, as well as other control algorithm and technologies derived from them, such as biofeedback control. Assessments on human gait ability are also included to investigate how to

Evaluation of gas and carbon transport in a methanogenic bioelectrochemical system (BES).

PubMed

Dykstra, Christy M; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2017-05-01

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) may be used to upgrade anaerobic digester biogas by directly converting CO 2 to CH 4 . The objective of this study was to evaluate gas (N 2 , CO 2 , CH 4 , and H 2 ) and carbon transport within a methanogenic BES. Four BES configurations were evaluated: abiotic anode with abiotic cathode (AAn-ACa), bioanode with abiotic cathode (BAn-ACa), abiotic anode with biocathode (AAn-BCa), and bioanode with biocathode (BAn-BCa). Transport of N 2 , a gas commonly used for flushing anoxic systems, out of the anode headspace ranged from 3.7 to 6.2 L/d-atm-m 2 , normalized to the proton exchange membrane (PEM) surface area and net driving pressure (NDP). CO 2 was transported from the cathode to the anode headspace at rates from 3.7 to 5.4 L/d-atm-m 2 . The flux of H 2 from cathode to anode headspace was 48% greater when the system had a biocathode (AAn-BCa) than when H 2 was produced at an abiotic cathode (BAn-ACa), even though the abiotic cathode headspace had 75% more H 2 than the AAn-BCa biocathode at the end of 1 day. A 7-day carbon balance of a batch-fed BAn-BCa BES showed transient microbial carbon storage and a net transport of carbon from anode to cathode. After a 7-day batch incubation, the CH 4 production in the biocathode was 27% greater on a molar basis than the initial CO 2 supplied to the biocathode headspace, indicating conversion of CO 2 produced in the anode. This research expands the current understanding of methanogenic BES operation, which may be used in improving the assessment of BES performance and/or in the development of alternative BES designs and mathematical models. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 961-969. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

6.1.3) All Ops All Ops Joint Critical Ops All Ops All Ops Missile Reliability (KSA) (CPD para 6.2.8) 4th Lot .91 4th Lot .91 IOT &E .80 4th Lot .85 IOT &E...the ORD 303-95-III dated January 20, 2004 Change Explanations None Acronyms and Abbreviations IOT &E - Initial Operational Test and Evaluation KSA... Actuator Control Card, Lots 12 and 4 Systems Engineering Program Support/Program Tooling and Test Equipment, and JASSM-ER Standard Data Protocol (DS

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treating Epilepsy

MedlinePlus

... and their FAMILIES VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR TREATING EPILEPSY This information sheet is provided to help you ... how vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may help treat epilepsy. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is the ...

Army Strategic Logistics Plan: Enabling Strategic Responsiveness Through a Revolution in Military Logistics

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

D-5 AAN CSS Franchise Report...D-6 CSS Franchise Issues Summary for TDAPII...Appendix D. The ASLP groups the initiatives in the six investment categories of automation and communications, business process change, organizational

Climate change affecting oil palm agronomy, and oil palm cultivation increasing climate change, require amelioration.

PubMed

Paterson, R Russell M; Lima, Nelson

2018-01-01

Palm oil is used in various valued commodities and is a large global industry worth over US$ 50 billion annually. Oil palms (OP) are grown commercially in Indonesia and Malaysia and other countries within Latin America and Africa. The large-scale land-use change has high ecological, economic, and social impacts. Tropical countries in particular are affected negatively by climate change (CC) which also has a detrimental impact on OP agronomy, whereas the cultivation of OP increases CC. Amelioration of both is required. The reduced ability to grow OP will reduce CC, which may allow more cultivation tending to increase CC, in a decreasing cycle. OP could be increasingly grown in more suitable regions occurring under CC. Enhancing the soil fauna may compensate for the effect of CC on OP agriculture to some extent. The effect of OP cultivation on CC may be reduced by employing reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation plans, for example, by avoiding illegal fire land clearing. Other ameliorating methods are reported herein. More research is required involving good management practices that can offset the increases in CC by OP plantations. Overall, OP-growing countries should support the Paris convention on reducing CC as the most feasible scheme for reducing CC.

Tyrosines of Human and Mouse Transferrin Covalently Labeled by Organophosphorus Agents: A New Motif for Binding to Proteins that Have No Active Site Serine

PubMed Central

Li, Bin; Schopfer, Lawrence M.; Grigoryan, Hasmik; Thompson, Charles M.; Hinrichs, Steven H.; Masson, Patrick; Lockridge, Oksana

2009-01-01

The expectation from the literature is that organophosphorus (OP) agents bind to proteins that have an active site serine. However, transferrin, a protein with no active site serine, was covalently modified in vitro by 0.5mM 10-fluoroethoxyphosphinyl-N-biotinamido pentyldecanamide, chlorpyrifos oxon, diisopropylfluorophosphate, dichlorvos, sarin, and soman. The site of covalent attachment was identified by analyzing tryptic peptides in the mass spectrometer. Tyr 238 and Tyr 574 in human transferrin and Tyr 238, Tyr 319, Tyr 429, Tyr 491, and Tyr 518 in mouse transferrin were labeled by OP. Tyrosine in the small synthetic peptide ArgTyrThrArg made a covalent bond with diisopropylfluorophosphate, chlorpyrifos oxon, and dichlorvos at pH 8.3. These results, together with our previous demonstration that albumin and tubulin bind OP on tyrosine, lead to the conclusion that OP bind covalently to tyrosine, and that OP binding to tyrosine is a new OP-binding residue. The OP-reactive tyrosines are activated by interaction with Arg or Lys. It is suggested that many proteins in addition to those already identified may be modified by OP on tyrosine. The extent to which tyrosine modification by OP can occur in vivo and the toxicological implications of such modifications require further investigation. PMID:18930948

Assessing the Contribution of the Oscillatory Potentials to the Genesis of the Photopic ERG with the Discrete Wavelet Transform.

PubMed

Gauvin, Mathieu; Dorfman, Allison L; Trang, Nataly; Gauthier, Mercedes; Little, John M; Lina, Jean-Marc; Lachapelle, Pierre

2016-01-01

The electroretinogram (ERG) is composed of slow (i.e., a-, b-waves) and fast (i.e., oscillatory potentials: OPs) components. OPs have been shown to be preferably affected in some diseases (such as diabetic retinopathy), while the a- and b-waves remain relatively intact. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of OPs to the building of the ERG and to examine whether a signal mostly composed of OPs could also exist. DWT analyses were performed on photopic ERGs (flash intensities: -2.23 to 2.64 log cd·s·m -2 in 21 steps) obtained from normal subjects ( n = 40) and patients ( n = 21) affected with a retinopathy. In controls, the %OP value (i.e., OPs energy/ERG energy) is stimulus- and amplitude-independent (range: 56.6-61.6%; CV = 6.3%). In contrast, the %OPs measured from the ERGs of our patients varied significantly more (range: 35.4%-89.2%; p < 0.05) depending on the pathology, some presenting with ERGs that are almost solely composed of OPs. In conclusion, patients may present with a wide range of %OP values. Findings herein also support the hypothesis that, in certain conditions, the photopic ERG can be mostly composed of high-frequency components.

Association between Global Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Hip Fracture in Postmenopausal Women: A Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Yang, Shuman; Feskanich, Diane; Willett, Walter C.; Eliassen, A. Heather; Wu, Tianying

2014-01-01

Human studies suggest that oxidative stress is a risk factor for osteoporosis, but its relationship with fracture risk is poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between biomarkers of oxidative stress and hip fracture in postmenopausal women. We conducted a prospective study in the Nurses’ Health Study among 996 women aged 60 years or older at baseline blood collection in 1989–1990. Plasma fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) were measured at three excitation/emission wavelengths (360/420 nm named as FlOP_360; 320/420 nm named as FlOP_320 and 400/475 nm named as FlOP_400). FlOPs are generated from many different pathways (lipid, protein and DNA) and reflect a global oxidation burden. FlOP assay is 10–100 times more sensitive than measurement of malondialdehyde. We used Cox proportional hazards regression model to investigate the association between baseline plasma FlOPs and risk of hip fracture, adjusting for multiple hip fracture risk factors such as age, history of osteoporosis, history of hypertension, prior fracture and smoking status. Forty four hip fractures (4.4%) were identified during the follow-up (Maximum = 23 years). In the multivariable model, the hazard ratios (HR) of hip fracture in the second and third tertiles of FlOP_320 were 2.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.88–5.10) and 2.67 (95% CI = 1.14–6.27), respectively, in comparison with the lowest tertile, and the risk increased linearly with increasing FlOP_320 (P for trend = 0.021). Neither FlOP_360 nor FlOP_400 was significantly associated with risk of hip fracture (Tertile 3 versus tertile 1: HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.32–1.54, P for trend = 0.386 for FlOP_360; and HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.40–1.96, P for trend = 0.900 for FlOP_400). In this prospective study, higher plasma FlOP_320 was an independent risk factor for hip fracture. Our results need further confirmation. PMID:24957524

Association between global biomarkers of oxidative stress and hip fracture in postmenopausal women: a prospective study.

PubMed

Yang, Shuman; Feskanich, Diane; Willett, Walter C; Eliassen, A Heather; Wu, Tianying

2014-12-01

Human studies suggest that oxidative stress is a risk factor for osteoporosis, but its relationship with fracture risk is poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between biomarkers of oxidative stress and hip fracture in postmenopausal women. We conducted a prospective study in the Nurses' Health Study among 996 women aged 60 years or older at baseline blood collection in 1989-1990. Plasma fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) were measured at three excitation/emission wavelengths (360/420 nm named as FlOP_360; 320/420 nm named as FlOP_320; and 400/475 nm named as FlOP_400). FlOPs are generated from many different pathways (lipid, protein, and DNA) and reflect a global oxidation burden. FlOP assay is 10-100 times more sensitive than measurement of malondialdehyde. We used Cox proportional hazards regression model to investigate the association between baseline plasma FlOPs and the risk of hip fracture, adjusting for multiple hip fracture risk factors such as age, history of osteoporosis, history of hypertension, prior fracture, and smoking status. Forty-four hip fractures (4.4%) were identified during the follow-up (maximum = 23 years). In the multivariable model, the hazard ratios (HRs) of hip fracture in the second and third tertiles of FlOP_320 were 2.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.88-5.10) and 2.67 (95% CI = 1.14-6.27), respectively, in comparison with the lowest tertile, and the risk increased linearly with increasing FlOP_320 (p for trend = 0.021). Neither FlOP_360 nor FlOP_400 was significantly associated with risk of hip fracture (tertile 3 versus tertile 1: HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.32-1.54, p for trend = 0.386 for FlOP_360; and HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.40-1.96, p for trend = 0.900 for FlOP_400). In this prospective study, higher plasma FlOP_320 was an independent risk factor for hip fracture. Our results need further confirmation. © 2014 American Society for Bone

The genetics of obligate parthenogenesis in an aphid species and its consequences for the maintenance of alternative reproductive modes.

PubMed

Dedryver, C-A; Le Gallic, J-F; Mahéo, F; Simon, J-C; Dedryver, F

2013-01-01

Although loss of sex is widespread among metazoans, the genetic mechanisms underlying the transition to asexuality are poorly understood. Aphids are good models to address this issue because they frequently show reproductive-mode variation at the species level, involving cyclical parthenogens (CP) that reproduce sexually once a year and obligate parthenogens (OP) that reproduce asexually all year round. Here, we explore the genetic basis of OP in the cereal aphid Sitobion avenae by crossing several genotypes with contrasting reproductive modes and then characterising the reproductive phenotypes of F1 and F2 offspring. The analysis of phenotypic variation in F1 and F2 progenies suggests that at least two autosomal loci control OP in S. avenae. First, the transition to asexuality seems to depend on a single recessive locus, because the offspring from self-crossed cyclical parthenogenetic genotypes contain either 0 or 25% OP. Second, as we observed OP in the F1 progenies from crosses between CP and OP, and some CP in the offspring from outcrossed OP, a dominant 'suppressor' gene may also be involved, being inactive when in a recessive homozygous state in CP; this is the most parsimonious explanation for these results. This oligogenic inheritance of OP in S. avenae appears to be an efficient genetic system to generate new OP genotypes continually. It also allows asexuality-inducing alleles to be protected locally during harsh winters when extreme frost kills most OP, and then to spread very quickly after winter.

A comparative study on the relationship between various toxicological endpoints in Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to organophosphorus insecticides.

PubMed

Rajini, P S; Melstrom, Paul; Williams, Phillip L

2008-01-01

The toxicity of 10 organophophorus (OP) insecticides-acephate, dimethoate, dichlorvos, dicrotophos, monocrotophos, methamidophos, phosphamidon, omethoate, phosdrin, and trichlorfon-was evaluated in Caenorhabditis elegans using lethality, movement, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity as the endpoints after a 4-hr- exposure period. The OP insecticides tested showed LC50 values ranging from 0.039 mM (for dichlorovs) to 472.8 mM (for methamidophos). The order of toxicity for lethality and movement was not significantly different when tested using the rank order correlation coefficient. AChE activity was markedly affected by all the OP insecticide exposures that caused significant inhibition in movement, indicating that the mechanism of toxicity of OP insecticides in C. elegans is the same as in higher animals. All OP insecticides induced greater than 50% inhibition of AChE at the lowest tested OP insecticide concentration resulting in inhibition in movement. While a significant correlation was evident between LC50 values in C. elegans and the LD50 values in rats for the 10 OP insecticides studied, a correlation was not evident between EC50 values in C. elegans and LD50 values in rats. Overall, the two endpoints, LC50 and movement, were more reliable and easier to perform than measurement of AChE activity in C. elegans for determining the toxicity of OP insecticides. Further, ranking of these endpoints with respect to the OP insecticides studied indicates that these parameters in C. elegans are predictive of OP insecticides mammalian neurotoxicity.

Simulation of Organic Matter and Pollutant Evolution during Composting: The COP-Compost Model.

PubMed

Lashermes, G; Zhang, Y; Houot, S; Steyer, J P; Patureau, D; Barriuso, E; Garnier, P

2013-01-01

Organic pollutants (OPs) are potentially present in composts and the assessment of their content and bioaccessibility in these composts is of paramount importance. In this work, we proposed a model to simulate the behavior of OPs and the dynamic of organic C during composting. This model, named COP-Compost, includes two modules. An existing organic C module is based on the biochemical composition of the initial waste mixture and simulates the organic matter transformation during composting. An additional OP module simulates OP mineralization and the evolution of its bioaccessibility. Coupling hypotheses were proposed to describe the interactions between organic C and OP modules. The organic C module, evaluated using experimental data obtained from 4-L composting pilots, was independently tested. The COP-Compost model was evaluated during composting experiments containing four OPs representative of the major pollutants detected in compost and targeted by current and future regulations. These OPs included a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (fluoranthene), two surfactants (4--nonylphenol and a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate), and an herbicide (glyphosate). Residues of C-labeled OP with different bioaccessibility were characterized by sequential extraction and quantified as soluble, sorbed, and nonextractable fractions. The model was calibrated and coupling the organic C and OP modules improved the simulation of the OP behavior and bioaccessibility during composting. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Organizing Pneumonia in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Case-Based Review

PubMed Central

Mori, Shunsuke; Koga, Yukinori; Sugimoto, Mineharu

2015-01-01

We treated 21 patients with organizing pneumonia (OP) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or related to biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at our institution between 2006 and 2014. Among these cases, 3 (14.3%) preceded articular symptoms of RA, 4 (19.0%) developed simultaneously with RA onset, and 14 (66.7%) occurred during follow-up periods for RA. In the case of OP preceding RA, increased levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies and rheumatoid factor were observed at the OP onset. RA disease activity was related to the development of OP in the simultaneous cases. In the cases of OP developing after RA diagnosis, 10 of 14 patients had maintained low disease activity with biological DMARD therapy at the OP onset, and among them, 6 patients developed OP within the first year of this therapy. In the remaining four patients, RA activity was not controlled at the OP onset. All patients responded well to systemic steroid therapy, but two patients suffered from relapses of articular and pulmonary symptoms upon steroid tapering. In most of the RA patients, DMARD therapy was introduced or restarted during the steroid tapering. We successfully restarted a biological DMARD that had not been previously used for patients whose RA would otherwise have been difficult to control. In this study, we also perform a review of the literature on RA-associated or biological DMARD-related OP and discuss the pathogenesis and management of OP occurring in RA patients. PMID:26543387

A Behavior Focused Assessment of Co-Op Performance: A Comparison of Co-Op and Non-Co-Op Graduating Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennaforte, Antoine

2016-01-01

This paper investigates how student-workers' performance can be assessed through the notion of work-role performance, on the basis of three behavioral-related dimensions (proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity), and proposes a definition of performance prior to graduation. By taking into account the accumulation of work experience, this article…

A Routing Protocol for Packet Radio Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-01-01

table of node K is a matrix containing, for each destination L and each neighbor of K (say M ), the distance to L ( NEOPRQ ) and the predecessor ( S OP Q...identifier T The distance to the destination ( N OP ) T The predecessor of the shortest path chosen toward L ( S OP ) T The successor ( U OP ) of the shortest...P and the predecessor is updated as S OP À ¾ S Q P . Thus, a node can determine whether or not an update received from M affects its other distance

The Disposition of Topically Applied Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-24

S . op . cit. 28. Scheuplein R.J., Blank I.H. op. cit. 29. Lorenzetti O.J. Cosmet. Toil. 93_:49-50, 1978. 30. Scheuplein R.J., Blank I.H. op. cit...Riegelman S . op . cit. 37. Wester R. , Noonan P J. invest. Derm. 72:92-94, 1978. 38. Mansel-Jones D., Taylor T., Doyle E., Chasseud L.F., Darraugh A

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships for Organophosphate Enzyme Inhibition (Briefing Charts)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-22

OPs) are a group of pesticides that inhibit enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase. Numerous OP structural variants exist and toxicity data can be...and human toxicity studies especially for OPs lacking experimental data. 15. SUBJECT TERMS QSAR Organophosphates...structure and mechanism of toxicity c) Linking QSAR and OP PBPK/PD 2. Methods a) Physiochemical Descriptors b) Regression Techniques 3. Results a

Fresh and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete with coarse aggregate replacement using Waste of Oil Palm Shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prayuda, Hakas; Saleh, Fadillawaty; Ilham Maulana, Taufiq; Monika, Fanny

2018-05-01

Self-compacting Concrete (SCC) is a real innovation that can solidify itself without the help of tools to ease field practice. In its implementation, SCC can use alternative materials to reduce waste, such as Oil Palm Shell (OPS). In this research, OPS used as a replacement of crushed stone as the main coarse aggregate. The concrete mixture used consists of cement, sand, crushed stone, OPS as a variation of aggregate substitutes, palm oil fuel ash, and superplasticizer. OPS used were variated with 0%, 5%, 10%, 25% and 50% of crushed stone aggregate weight with age up to 28 days. Tests were conducted on fresh and mechanical properties. From the results, it is known that replacement of aggregate using OPS meets fresh properties criteria and although the compressive strength of OPS concrete mixture is lower than normal SCC, OPS still can be an alternative in making SCC and reducing palm oil industrial waste.

Inter-physician agreement on the readiness of sick-listed employees to return to work.

PubMed

Schreuder, Jolanda A H; Roelen, Corné A M; de Boer, Mintje; Brouwer, Sandra; Groothoff, Johan W

2012-01-01

To determine the agreement between occupational physician (OP) ratings of an employee's readiness to return to work (RRTW). Anonymized written vignettes of 132 employees, sick-listed for at least 3 weeks, were reviewed by 5 OPs. The OPs intuitively rated RRTW as the ability (knowledge and skills) and willingness (motivation and confidence) of sick-listed employees to resume work. Inter-OP percentages of agreement were calculated and Cohen's kappas (κ) were determined to correct for agreement by chance. The percentage of agreement between OPs was 57% (range 39-89%) on the ability and 63% (range 48-87%) on the willingness of sick-listed employees to resume work. The mean κ was 0.14 (range from -0.21 to 0.79) for ability and 0.25 (range from -0.11 to 0.74) for willingness. The OP-rating of RRTW of employees sick-listed with mental disorders did not differ from the OP-rating of RRTW of employees with musculoskeletal disorders. The inter-OP agreement on intuitively rated RRTW showed a wide variability, which accentuates the need for instruments to establish an employee's RRTW and for training in giving well founded return to work recommendations.

Enhancement of durability properties of heat-treated oil palm shell species lightweight concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yew, Ming Kun; Yew, Ming Chian; Saw, Lip Huat; Ang, Bee Chin; Lee, Min Lee; Lim, Siong Kang; Lim, Jee Hock

2017-04-01

Oil palm shell (OPS) are non-hazardous waste materials and can be used as alternative coarse aggregates to substitute depleting conventional raw materials. A study on preparing the OPS species (dura and tenera) lightweight concrete (LWC) using with and without heat-treated OPS aggregate has been investigated. Two different species of OPS coarse aggregate are subjected to heat treatment at 65 and 130 °C with duration of 1 hour. The results reveal that the slump value of the OPSC increases significantly with an increase in temperature of heat treatment of the tenera OPS aggregates. It is found that the maximum achievable 28-days and 180-days compressive strength is 45.6 and 47.5 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT) and water absorption tests were performance to signify the effects of heat-treated on OPS species LWC. The use of heat-treated OPS LWC induced the advantageous of reducing the permeability and capillary porosity as well as water absorption. Hence, the findings of this study are of primary importance as they revealed the heat treatment on OPS species LWC can be used as a new environmentally friendly method to enhance the durability of OPSLWC.

Familial and microbiological contribution to the otitis-prone condition.

PubMed

Morris, Matthew C; Almudevar, Anthony L; Casey, Janet R; Pichichero, Michael E

2015-12-01

Our group has an ongoing clinical research project investigating the immunology of the otitis-prone (OP) phenotype. In light of evidence that this condition arises from underlying immunological defects, we examined our sample population of stringently defined OP (sOP) children suffering 3 episodes of acute otitis media within 6 months or 4 within a year for a familial association with the sOP phenotype. We analyzed the frequency of sOP within and between families and the nasopharyngeal (NP) otopathogen colonization patterns within and between families. The presence of sOP siblings significantly predicted that additional children in the same family would likewise become sOP, with an odds ratio of 3.7 (95% CI 0.77-15.2, 95% lower bound 0.95). We further present evidence for an environmental contribution to this effect by means of prolonged exposure to otopathogens within family units. sOP children have a significant familial association. The tendency of siblings to share similar patterns of microbial NP colonization contributes to this association. Further research is necessary to determine whether and to what extent genetics are involved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle-Based Immunochromatographic Test Strip with Fluorescent Detector for Quantification of Phosphorylated Acetycholinesterase: An Exposure Biomarker of Organophosphorous Agents

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

Zhang, Weiying; Ge, Xiaoxiao; Tang, Yong

A nanoparticle-based fluorescence immunochromatographic test strip (FITS) coupled with a hand-held detector for highly selective and sensitive detection of phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an exposure biomarker of organophosphate (OP) pesticides and nerve agents, is reported. In this approach, OP-AChE adducts were selectively captured by quantum dot-tagged anti-AChE antibodies (Qdot-anti-AChE) and zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs). The sandwich-like immunoreactions were performed among the Qdot-anti-AChE, OP-AChE and ZrO2 NPs to form Qdot-anti-AChE/OP-AChE/ZrO2 complex, which was detected by recording the fluorescence intensity of Qdot captured on the test line. Paraoxon was used as the model OP pesticides. Under optimal conditions, this portable FITS immunosensor demonstratesmore » a highly linear absorption response over the range of 0.01 nM to 10 nM OP-AChE, with a detection limit of 4 pM, coupled with a good reproducibility. Moreover, the FITS immunosensor has been validated with OP-AChE spiked human plasma samples. This is the first report on the development of ZrO2 NPs-based FITS for detection of OP-AChE adduct. The FITS immunosensor provides a sensitive and low-cost sensing platform for on-site screening/evaluating OP pesticides and nerve agents poisoning.« less

Sonographic assessment of fetal occiput position during labor for the prediction of labor dystocia and perinatal outcomes.

PubMed

Choi, Sae Kyung; Park, Yong Gyu; Lee, Da Hye; Ko, Hyun Sun; Park, In Yang; Shin, Jong Chul

2016-12-01

To evaluate the effect of the occiput posterior (OP) position on dystocia and perinatal outcomes. This was a prospective cohort study of 162 primiparous women. We performed intrapartum sonography, and fetal occiput positions were recorded. The relationships between the position of the occiput and the course of labor and perinatal outcomes were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.2. Fifty-six of 162 fetuses were found to be in the OP position during the first stage of labor. Eight (80.0%) of 10 fetuses in the OP position during the second stage were among the 56 that were in OP position during the first stage. The rate of cesarean sections performed in the OP position group during the first stage was significantly higher than the rate in the non-OP position group (37.5% versus 8.5%, p < 0.0001). The duration of the second stage of labor was longer and neonatal complications occurred more frequently in the OP position group during the second stage than in the non-OP position group (77.9  ±  33.4 min versus 52.2  ± 26.6 min, p = 0.0104; 50.0% versus 17.2%, p = 0.0118). The OP position may be a useful predicator for labor dystocia that can lead to poor neonatal outcomes.

Microbial Community Analysis in the Roots of Aquatic Plants and Isolation of Novel Microbes Including an Organism of the Candidate Phylum OP10

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Yasuhiro; Tamaki, Hideyuki; Matsuzawa, Hiroaki; Nigaya, Masahiro; Mori, Kazuhiro; Kamagata, Yoichi

2012-01-01

A number of molecular ecological studies have revealed complex and unique microbial communities in various terrestrial plant roots; however, little is known about the microbial communities of aquatic plant roots in spite of their potential use for water quality improvement in aquatic environments (e.g. floating treatment wetland system). Here, we report the microbial communities inhabiting the roots of emerged plants, reed (Phragmites australis) and Japanese loosestrife (Lythrum anceps), collected from a floating treatment wetland in a pond by both culture-independent and culture-dependent approaches. Culture-independent analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the microbial compositions between the two aquatic plant roots were clearly different (e.g. the predominant microbe was Betaproteobacteria for reed and Alphaproteobacteria for Japanese loosestrife). In comparisons of microbial communities between the plant roots and pond water taken from near the plants, the microbial diversity in the plant roots (e.g. 4.40–4.26 Shannon-Weiner index) were higher than that of pond water (e.g. 3.15 Shannon-Weiner index). Furthermore, the plant roots harbored 2.5–3.5 times more phylogenetically novel clone phylotypes than pond water. The culture-dependent approach also revealed differences in the microbial composition and diversity among the two plant roots and pond water. More importantly, compared to pond water, we succeeded in isolating approximately two times more novel isolate phylotypes, including a bacterium of candidate phylum OP10 (recently named Armatimonadetes) from the plant roots. These findings suggest that aquatic plants roots are significant sources for a variety of novel organisms. PMID:22791047

Osteoporotic Caucasian and South Asian women: a qualitative study of general practitioners' support.

PubMed

McKenna, Jim; Ludwig, Alison Frances

2008-09-01

Health professionals face two complicated but contradictory epidemics: obesity and osteoporosis (OP). While obesity is obvious, OP progresses silently affecting one in two UK women. Both South Asian and Caucasian women are at OP risk. This study compared experiences of osteoporotic Caucasian and South Asian women in a purposive sample of 21 volunteers from south east England, aged 43 to 82 years. The women had been diagnosed for eight months to 40 years. Long disease duration was marked by complacent OP dialogue, although OP was objectionable and marked a loss of quality of life. Inductive content analysis of transcripts showed that 'uncertainty'--about one another and about what constituted helpful self-care--affected both GPs and patients. Instead, support groups and the media supported learning about OP care. Beyond providing drug prescriptions, women reported desiring, but rarely feeling, that GPs fully supported their preferences for self-care. Self-care often included specialist exercise classes. Some younger women led their GPs to better understand the range of self-care options. GPs were seen as being unsure about how and when to discuss physical activity (PA). In conclusion, women with OP in this sample are sensitive to their GP's hesitance about offering detailed PA recommendations. Regardless of ethnicity, younger women undertook PA based on personal initiative. Positive PA experiences stimulated an interest in discussing PA with GPs, and these dialogues broke the silence surrounding OP care. By providing important information regarding the OP patient experience, the findings highlight the unmet desire of OP sufferers for better and closer attention from GPs.

Treatment with low-dose resveratrol reverses cardiac impairment in obese prone but not in obese resistant rats.

PubMed

Louis, Xavier L; Thandapilly, Sijo J; MohanKumar, Suresh K; Yu, Liping; Taylor, Carla G; Zahradka, Peter; Netticadan, Thomas

2012-09-01

We hypothesized that a low-dose resveratrol will reverse cardiovascular abnormalities in rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet. Obese prone (OP) and obese resistant (OR) rats were fed an HF diet for 17 weeks; Sprague-Dawley rats fed laboratory chow served as control animals. During the last 5 weeks of study, treatment group received resveratrol daily by oral gavage at a dosage of 2.5 mg/kg body weight. Assessments included echocardiography, blood pressure, adiposity, glycemia, insulinemia, lipidemia, and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Body weight and adiposity were significantly higher in OP rats when compared to OR rats. Echocardiographic measurements showed prolonged isovolumic relaxation time in HF-fed OP and OR rats. Treatment with resveratrol significantly improved diastolic function in OP but not in OR rats without affecting adiposity. OP and OR rats had increased blood pressure which remained unchanged with treatment. OP rats had elevated fasting serum glucose and insulin, whereas OR rats had increased serum glucose and normal insulin concentrations. Resveratrol treatment significantly reduced serum glucose while increasing serum insulin in both OP and OR rats. Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, serum triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein were higher in OP rats, which were significantly reduced with treatment. In conclusion, HF induced cardiac dysfunction in both OP and OR rats. Treatment reversed abnormalities in diastolic heart function associated with HF feeding in OP rats, but not in OR rats. The beneficial effects of resveratrol may be mediated through regression of hyperglycemia, oxidative stress and inflammation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composite wound dressings of pectin and gelatin with aloe vera and curcumin as bioactive agents.

PubMed

Tummalapalli, Mythili; Berthet, Morgane; Verrier, Bernard; Deopura, B L; Alam, M S; Gupta, Bhuvanesh

2016-01-01

Aloe vera and curcumin loaded oxidized pectin-gelatin (OP-Gel) matrices were used as antimicrobial finishes on nonwoven cotton fabrics to produce composite wound care devices. The drug release characteristics of the biocomposite dressings indicated that curcumin is released through a biphasic mechanism - erosion of the polymeric matrix, followed by diffusion, while aloe vera is released upon leaching of the polymeric matrix. A 50/50 composition of aloe vera/curcumin was used to fabricate OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin dressings. However, contrary to our expectations, OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin dressings exhibited lesser antimicrobial activity compared to OP-Gel-Aloe and OP-Gel-Curcumin dressings. The cytocompatibility of the fabricated dressings was evaluated using NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. OP-Gel-Aloe treated fibroblasts had the highest viability, with the matrices providing a substrate for good cell attachment and proliferation. On the other hand, OP-Gel-Curcumin and OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin seemed to have induced apoptosis in NIH3T3 cells. In vivo wound healing analysis was carried out using an excisional splint wound model on C57BL/6J mice. OP-Gel-Aloe treated wounds exhibited very rapid healing with 80% of the wound healing in just 8 days. Furthermore, aloe vera exerted a strong anti-inflammatory effect and prominent scar prevention. Histological examination revealed that an ordered collagen formation and neovascularization could be observed along with migration of nuclei. Therefore, OP-Gel-Aloe biocomposite dressings are proposed as viable materials for effective wound management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrated molecular docking and rescoring method for predicting the sensitivity spectrum of various serine hydrolases to organophosphorus pesticides.

PubMed

Yang, Ling-Ling; Yang, Xiao; Li, Guo-Bo; Fan, Kai-Ge; Yin, Peng-Fei; Chen, Xiang-Gui

2016-04-01

The enzymatic chemistry method is currently the most widely used method for the rapid detection of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, but the enzymes used, such as cholinesterases, lack sufficient sensitivity to detect low concentrations of OP pesticides present in given samples. Serine hydrolase is considered an ideal enzyme source in seeking high-sensitivity enzymes used for OP pesticide detection. However, it is difficult to systematically evaluate sensitivities of various serine hydrolases to OP pesticides by in vitro experiments. This study aimed to establish an in silico method to predict the sensitivity spectrum of various serine hydrolases to OP pesticides. A serine hydrolase database containing 219 representative serine hydrolases was constructed. Based on this database, an integrated molecular docking and rescoring method was established, in which the AutoDock Vina program was used to produce the binding poses of OP pesticides to various serine hydrolases and the ID-Score method developed recently by us was adopted as a rescoring method to predict their binding affinities. In retrospective case studies, this method showed good performance in predicting the sensitivities of known serine hydrolases to two OP pesticides: paraoxon and diisopropyl fluorophosphate. The sensitivity spectrum of the 219 collected serine hydrolases to 37 commonly used OP pesticides was finally obtained using this method. Overall, this study presented a promising in silico tool to predict the sensitivity spectrum of various serine hydrolases to OP pesticides, which will help in finding high-sensitivity serine hydrolases for OP pesticide detection. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Semen quality in Peruvian pesticide applicators: association between urinary organophosphate metabolites and semen parameters

PubMed Central

Yucra, Sandra; Gasco, Manuel; Rubio, Julio; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2008-01-01

Background Organophosphates are broad class of chemicals widely used as pesticides throughout the world. We performed a cross-sectional study of associations between dialkylphosphate metabolites of organophosphates and semen quality among pesticide applicators in Majes (Arequipa), Peru. Methods Thirty-one men exposed to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and 31 non-exposed were recruited (age, 20–60 years). In exposed subjects, semen and a blood sample were obtained one day after the last pesticide application. Subjects were grouped according to levels of OP metabolites in urine. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, percentage of sperm motility, percentage of normal morphology, semen leucocytes and concentrations of fructose and zinc. Exposure to OP was assessed by measuring six urinary OP metabolites (dimethyl and diethyl phosphates and thiophosphates) by gas chromatography using a single flame photometric detector. Results Diethyldithiophosphate (p = 0.04) and diethylthiophosphate (p = 0.02) better reflected occupational pesticide exposure than other OP metabolites. Semen analysis revealed a significant reduction of semen volume and an increase in semen pH in men with OP metabolites. Multiple regression analysis showed that both occupational exposure to pesticides and the time of exposure to pesticides were more closely related to alterations in semen quality parameters than the single measurement of OP metabolites in urine. Conclusion The study demonstrated that occupational exposure to OP pesticides was more closely related to alterations in semen quality than a single measurement of urine OP metabolites. Current measurement of OP metabolites in urine may not reflect the full risk. PMID:19014632

A randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a universal school-based depression prevention program 'Op Volle Kracht' in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Tak, Yuli R; Van Zundert, Rinka Mp; Kuijpers, Rowella Cwm; Van Vlokhoven, Boukje S; Rensink, Hettie Fw; Engels, Rutger Cme

2012-01-10

The incidence of depressive symptoms increases during adolescence, from 10.0% to 24.5% at age 11 to 15, respectively. Experiencing elevated levels of depressive symptoms increases the risk of a depressive disorder in adulthood. A universal school-based depression prevention program Op Volle Kracht (OVK) was developed, based on the Penn Resiliency Program, aimed at preventing the increase of depressive symptoms during adolescence and enhancing positive development. In this study the effectiveness of OVK will be tested and possible mediators of program effects will be focus of study as well. The effectiveness of OVK will be tested in a randomized controlled trial with two conditions, intervention (OVK) and control condition (care as usual). Schools are randomly assigned to research conditions. OVK will be incorporated in the school curriculum, maximizing program attendance. OVK consists of 16 lessons of 50 min, given by trained psychologists to groups of 11-15 students. OVK contains Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, social skills training, problem solving and decision making. Outcomes are measured at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months follow up, to monitor long term program effects. Primary outcome is level of depressive symptoms, secondary outcomes are: anxiety, hopelessness, cognitive bias, substance use, truancy, life satisfaction, coping, self-efficacy, optimism, happiness, friendship, school performance and school attitude. The questionnaires for students will be administered in the school setting. Parents will complete a questionnaire at baseline only. In this paper the study into the effectiveness of the depression prevention program OVK was described. It is expected that OVK will prevent the increase in depressive symptoms during adolescence and enhance positive development in the intervention condition, compared to the control condition. If OVK will be effective, it can be implemented in the school context by which numerous adolescents can be reached. Netherlands Trial

Oxidative potential and chemical composition of PM2.5 in office buildings across Europe - The OFFICAIR study.

PubMed

Szigeti, Tamás; Dunster, Christina; Cattaneo, Andrea; Cavallo, Domenico; Spinazzè, Andrea; Saraga, Dikaia E; Sakellaris, Ioannis A; de Kluizenaar, Yvonne; Cornelissen, Eric J M; Hänninen, Otto; Peltonen, Matti; Calzolai, Giulia; Lucarelli, Franco; Mandin, Corinne; Bartzis, John G; Záray, Gyula; Kelly, Frank J

2016-01-01

In the frame of the OFFICAIR project, indoor and outdoor PM2.5 samples were collected in office buildings across Europe in two sampling campaigns (summer and winter). The ability of the particles to deplete physiologically relevant antioxidants (ascorbic acid (AA), reduced glutathione (GSH)) in a synthetic respiratory tract lining fluid, i.e., oxidative potential (OP), was assessed. Furthermore, the link between particulate OP and the concentration of the PM constituents was investigated. The mean indoor PM2.5 mass concentration values were substantially lower than the related outdoor values with a mean indoor/outdoor PM2.5 mass concentration ratio of 0.62 and 0.61 for the summer and winter campaigns respectively. The OP of PM2.5 varied markedly across Europe with the highest outdoor OP(AA) m(-3) and OP(GSH) m(-3) (% antioxidant depletion/m(3) air) values obtained for Hungary, while PM2.5 collected in Finland exhibited the lowest values. Seasonal variation could be observed for both indoor and outdoor OP(AA) m(-3) and OP(GSH) m(-3) with higher mean values during winter. The indoor/outdoor OP(AA) m(-3) and OP(GSH) m(-3) ratios were less than one with 4 and 17 exceptions out of the 40 cases respectively. These results indicate that indoor air is generally less oxidatively challenging than outdoors. Correlation analysis revealed that trace elements play an important role in determining OP, in particular, the Cu content. Indoor air chemistry might affect OP since weaker correlations were obtained for indoor PM2.5. Our findings also suggest that office workers may be exposed to health relevant PM constituents to a different extent within the same building. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations between three specific a-cellular measures of the oxidative potential of particulate matter and markers of acute airway and nasal inflammation in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Janssen, Nicole A H; Strak, Maciej; Yang, Aileen; Hellack, Bryan; Kelly, Frank J; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A J; Harrison, Roy M; Brunekreef, Bert; Cassee, Flemming R; Steenhof, Maaike; Hoek, Gerard

2015-01-01

We evaluated associations between three a-cellular measures of the oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) and acute health effects. We exposed 31 volunteers for 5 h to ambient air pollution at five locations: an underground train station, two traffic sites, a farm and an urban background site. Each volunteer visited at least three sites. We conducted health measurements before exposure, 2 h after exposure and the next morning. We measured air pollution on site and characterised the OP of PM2.5 and PM10 using three a-cellular assays; dithiotreitol (OP(DTT)), electron spin resonance (OP(ESR)) and ascorbic acid depletion (OP(AA)). In single-pollutant models, all measures of OP were significantly associated with increases in fractional exhaled nitric oxide and increases in interleukin-6 in nasal lavage 2 h after exposure. These OP associations remained significant after adjustment for co-pollutants when only the four outdoor sites were included, but lost significance when measurements at the underground site were included. Other health end points including lung function and vascular inflammatory and coagulation parameters in blood were not consistently associated with OP. We found significant associations between three a-cellular measures of OP of PM and markers of airway and nasal inflammation. However, consistency of these effects in two-pollutant models depended on how measurements at the underground site were considered. Lung function and vascular inflammatory and coagulation parameters in blood were not consistently associated with OP. Our study, therefore, provides limited support for a role of OP in predicting acute health effects of PM in healthy young adults. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A statistical retrieval of cloud parameters for the millimeter wave Ice Cloud Imager on board MetOp-SG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prigent, Catherine; Wang, Die; Aires, Filipe; Jimenez, Carlos

2017-04-01

The meteorological observations from satellites in the microwave domain are currently limited to below 190 GHz. However, the next generation of European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Polar System-Second Generation-EPS-SG will carry an instrument, the Ice Cloud Imager (ICI), with frequencies up to 664 GHz, to improve the characterization of the cloud frozen phase. In this paper, a statistical retrieval of cloud parameters for ICI is developed, trained on a synthetic database derived from the coupling of a mesoscale cloud model and radiative transfer calculations. The hydrometeor profiles simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) for twelve diverse European mid-latitude situations are used to simulate the brightness temperatures with the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator (ARTS) to prepare the retrieval database. The WRF+ARTS simulations have been compared to the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) observations up to 190 GHz: this successful evaluation gives us confidence in the simulations at the ICI channels from 183 to 664 GHz. Statistical analyses have been performed on this simulated retrieval database, showing that it is not only physically realistic but also statistically satisfactory for retrieval purposes. A first Neural Network (NN) classifier is used to detect the cloud presence. A second NN is developed to retrieve the liquid and ice integrated cloud quantities over sea and land separately. The detection and retrieval of the hydrometeor quantities (i.e., ice, snow, graupel, rain, and liquid cloud) are performed with ICI-only, and with ICI combined with observations from the MicroWave Imager (MWI, with frequencies from 19 to 190 GHz, also on board MetOp-SG). The ICI channels have been optimized for the detection and quantification of the cloud frozen phases: adding the MWI channels improves the performance of the vertically integrated hydrometeor contents, especially for

Risk factors and clinical features of ovarian pregnancy: a case–control study

PubMed Central

Zhu, Qian; Li, Cheng; Zhao, Wei-Hong; Yuan, Jiang-Jing; Yan, Ming-Xing; Qin, Guo-Juan; Zhang, Jian

2014-01-01

Objective To identify risk factors for ovarian pregnancy (OP) and compare clinical features between OP and tubal pregnancy (TP) patients. Design Case–control study. Setting University hospital. Participants A case–control study was conducted from January 2005 to May 2014. Women diagnosed with OP were recruited as the case group (n=71), 145 women with TP and 146 with intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) were matched as controls at a ratio of 1:2:2. Women who refused interviews or provided incomplete information were excluded. Results OP risk was lower than TP risk in women with serological evidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection (adjusted OR1 0.17, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.52), previous adnexal surgery (adjusted OR1 0.25, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.95), and current levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive use (adjusted OR1 0.24, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.78). In vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) carried a higher risk of OP (adjusted OR1 12.18, 95% CI 2.23 to 66.58) than natural conception. When Controlled by IUP women, current users of intrauterine devices (IUDs) carried a higher risk of OP than non-users of any contraceptives (adjusted OR2 9.60, 95% CI 1.76 to 42.20). β-Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels on the day of surgery were higher in OP patients than in TP patients (p<0.01). Women with OP were less likely to initially present with vaginal bleeding than those with TP (p=0.02). Moreover, shock (p=0.02), rupture (p<0.01), haemoperitoneum (p<0.01) and emergency laparotomy (p<0.01) were more common in the OP group than in the TP group. Conclusions IVF-ET and IUD use may be risk factors for OP, and OP patients tend to have high β-hCG levels and a poor clinical outcome (shock, rupture, haemoperitoneum and need for emergency laparotomy). Our findings may contribute to the prevention and early diagnosis of OP. PMID:25472658

Efficacy of lycopene in the treatment of gingivitis: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Chandra, Rampalli Viswa; Prabhuji, M L Venkatesh; Roopa, D Adinarayana; Ravirajan, Sandhya; Kishore, Hadal C

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of systemically administered lycopene (LycoRed) as a monotherapy and as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in gingivitis patients. Twenty systemically healthy patients showing clinical signs of gingivitis were involved in a randomised, double-blind, parallel, split-mouth study. The subjects were randomly distributed between the two treatment groups: experimental group (n = 10), 8 mg lycopene/day for 2 weeks; and controls (n = 10), placebo for 2 weeks. Quadrant allocation within each group was randomised with two quadrants treated with oral prophylaxis (OP) and two quadrants not receiving any form of treatment (non-OP). Bleeding index (SBI) and non-invasive measures of plaque (PI) and gingivitis (GI) were assessed at baseline, 1 and 2 weeks. Salivary uric acid levels were also measured. All the treatment groups demonstrated statistically significant reductions in the GI, SBI and PI. Treatment with OP-lycopene resulted in a statistically significant decrease in GI when compared with OP-placebo (p < 0.05) and non-OP-placebo (p < 0.01). Treatment with non-OP-lycopene resulted in a statistically significant decrease in GI when compared with non-OP-placebo (p < 0.01). The OP-lycopene group showed a statistically significant reduction in SBI values when compared with the non-OP-lycopene group (p < 0.05) and the non-OP-placebo group (p < 0.001). There was a strong negative correlation between the salivary uric acid levels and the percentage reduction in GI at 1 and 2 weeks in the OP-lycopene group (r = -0.852 and -0.802 respectively) and in the non-OP-lycopene group (r = -0.640 and -0.580 respectively). The results presented in this study suggest that lycopene shows great promise as a treatment modality in gingivitis. The possibility of obtaining an additive effect by combining routine oral prophylaxis with lycopene is also an exciting possibility, which deserves further study.

Short-term associations between particle oxidative potential and daily mortality and hospital admissions in London.

PubMed

Atkinson, Richard W; Samoli, Evangelia; Analitis, Antonis; Fuller, Gary W; Green, David C; Anderson, H Ross; Purdie, Esme; Dunster, Chrissi; Aitlhadj, Layla; Kelly, Frank J; Mudway, Ian S

2016-08-01

Particulate matter (PM) from traffic and other sources has been associated with adverse health effects. One unifying theory is that PM, whatever its source, acts on the human body via its capacity to cause damaging oxidation reactions related to its content of pro-oxidants components. Few epidemiological studies have investigated particle oxidative potential (OP) and health. We conducted a time series analysis to assess associations between daily particle OP measures and numbers of deaths and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. During 2011 and 2012 particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 and 10μm (PM2.5 and PM10 respectively) were collected daily on Partisol filters located at an urban background monitoring station in Central London. Particulate OP was assessed based on the capacity of the particles to oxidize ascorbate (OP(AA)) and glutathione (OP(GSH)) from a simple chemical model reflecting the antioxidant composition of human respiratory tract lining fluid. Particulate OP, expressed as % loss of antioxidant per μg of PM, was then multiplied by the daily concentrations of PM to derive the daily OP of PM mass concentrations (% loss per m(3)). Daily numbers of deaths and age- and cause-specific hospital admissions in London were obtained from national registries. Poisson regression accounting for seasonality and meteorology was used to estimate the percentage change in risk of death or admission associated with an interquartile increment in particle OP. We found little evidence for adverse associations between OP(AA) and OP(GSH) and mortality. Associations with cardiovascular admissions were generally positive in younger adults and negative in older adults with confidence intervals including 0%. For respiratory admissions there was a trend, from positive to negative associations, with increasing age although confidence intervals generally included 0%. Our study, the first to analyse daily particle OP measures and

The prognostic importance of CXCR3 chemokine during organizing pneumonia on the risk of chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation

PubMed Central

Weigt, S. Samuel; Li, Ning; Palchevskiy, Vyacheslav; Derhovanessian, Ariss; Saggar, Rajan; Sayah, David M.; Huynh, Richard H.; Gregson, Aric L.; Fishbein, Michael C.; Ardehali, Abbas; Ross, David J.; Lynch, Joseph P.; Elashoff, Robert M.; Belperio, John A.

2017-01-01

Rationale Since the pathogenesis of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) remains poorly defined with no known effective therapies, the identification and study of key events which increase CLAD risk is a critical step towards improving outcomes. We hypothesized that bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) CXCR3 ligand concentrations would be augmented during organizing pneumonia (OP) and that episodes of OP with marked chemokine elevations would be associated with significantly higher CLAD risk. Methods All transbronchial biopsies (TBBX) from patients who received lung transplantation between 2000 to 2010 were reviewed. BALF concentrations of the CXCR3 ligands (CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11) were compared between episodes of OP and “healthy” biopsies using linear mixed-effects models. The association between CXCR3 ligand concentrations during OP and CLAD risk was evaluated using proportional hazards models with time-dependent covariates. Results There were 1894 bronchoscopies with TBBX evaluated from 441 lung transplant recipients with 169 (9%) episodes of OP and 907 (49%) non-OP histopathologic injuries. 62 (37%) episodes of OP were observed during routine surveillance bronchoscopy. Eight hundred thirty-eight (44%) TBBXs had no histopathology and were classified as “healthy” biopsies. There were marked elevations in BALF CXCR3 ligand concentrations during OP compared with “healthy” biopsies. In multivariable models adjusted for other injury patterns, OP did not significantly increase the risk of CLAD when BAL CXCR3 chemokine concentrations were not taken into account. However, OP with elevated CXCR3 ligands markedly increased CLAD risk in a dose-response manner. An episode of OP with CXCR3 concentrations greater than the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles had HRs for CLAD of 1.5 (95% CI 1.0–2.3), 1.9 (95% CI 1.2–2.8) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.4–3.4), respectively. Conclusions This study identifies OP, a relatively uncommon histopathologic finding after lung

Demodulation Radio Frequency Interference Effects in Operational Amplifier Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutu, Yue-Hong

A series of investigations have been carried out to determine RFI effects in analog circuits using monolithic integrated operational amplifiers (op amps) as active devices. The specific RFI effect investigated is how amplitude-modulated (AM) RF signals are demodulated in op amp circuits to produce undesired low frequency responses at AM-modulation frequency. The undesired demodulation responses were shown to be characterized by a second-order nonlinear transfer function. Four representative op amp types investigated were the 741 bipolar op amp, the LM10 bipolar op amp, the LF355 JFET-Bipolar op amp, and the CA081 MOS-Bipolar op amp. Two op amp circuits were investigated. The first circuit was a noninverting unity voltage gain buffer circuit. The second circuit was an inverting op amp configuration. In the second circuit, the investigation includes the effects of an RFI suppression capacitor in the feedback path. Approximately 30 units of each op amp type were tested to determine the statistical variations of RFI demodulation effects in the two op amp circuits. The Nonlinear Circuit Analysis Program, NCAP, was used to simulate the demodulation RFI response. In the simulation, the op amp was replaced with its incremental macromodel. Values of macromodel parameters were obtained from previous investigations and manufacturer's data sheets. Some key results of this work are: (1) The RFI demodulation effects are 10 to 20 dB lower in CA081 and LF355 FET-bipolar op amp than in 741 and LM10 bipolar op amp except above 40 MHz where the LM10 RFI response begins to approach that of CA081. (2) The experimental mean values for 30 741 op amps show that RFI demodulation responses in the inverting amplifier with a 27 pF feedback capacitor were suppressed from 10 to 35 dB over the RF frequency range 0.1 to 150 MHz except at 0.15 MHz where only 3.5 dB suppression was observed. (3) The NCAP program can predict RFI demodulation responses in 741 and LF355 unity gain buffer circuits

Collaboration between general practitioners and occupational physicians: a comparison of the results of two national surveys in France.

PubMed

Verger, Pierre; Ménard, Colette; Richard, Jean-Baptiste; Demortière, Gérard; Beck, François

2014-02-01

To study the perceptions that general practitioners (GPs) and occupational physicians (OPs) have of GPs' role in occupational health and their willingness to work together to prevent the exclusion of patients with disabilities from the workplace. Cross-sectional telephone survey of two randomly selected national samples of GPs and OPs was conducted. The majority of GPs and OPs are in favor of cooperation, especially to prevent exclusion from the workplace. However, some GPs lack trust in OPs' independence, an attitude associated negatively with the practice of GP referral to OPs to anticipate disability-related problems likely to occur when returning to work after a prolonged sick leave. There are some barriers to cooperation, on the part of both OPs and GPs. Initiatives are needed to encourage cooperation between these two types of physicians.

Bioscavengers for the protection of humans against organophosphate toxicity.

PubMed

Doctor, Bhupendra P; Saxena, Ashima

2005-12-15

Current antidotes for organophosphorus compounds (OP) poisoning consist of a combination of pretreatment with carbamates (pyridostigmine bromide), to protect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from irreversible inhibition by OP compounds, and post-exposure therapy with anti-cholinergic drugs (atropine sulfate) to counteract the effects of excess acetylcholine and oximes (e.g., 2-PAM chloride) to reactivate OP-inhibited AChE. These antidotes are effective in preventing lethality from OP poisoning, but they do not prevent post-exposure incapacitation, convulsions, seizures, performance decrements, or in many cases permanent brain damage. These symptoms are commonly observed in experimental animals and are likely to occur in humans. The problems intrinsic to these antidotes stimulated attempts to develop a single protective drug, itself devoid of pharmacological effects, which would provide protection against the lethality of OP compounds and prevent post-exposure incapacitation. One approach is the use of enzymes such as cholinesterases (ChEs), beta-esterases in general, as single pretreatment drugs to sequester highly toxic OP anti-ChEs before they reach their physiological targets. This approach turns the irreversible nature of the OP: ChE interaction from disadvantage to an advantage; instead of focusing on OP as an anti-ChE, one can use ChE as an anti-OP. Using this approach, it was shown that administration of fetal bovine serum AChE (FBSAChE) or equine serum butyrylcholinesterase (EqBChE) or human serum BChE (HuBChE) protected the animals from multiple LD50s of a variety of highly toxic OPs without any toxic effects or performance decrements. The bioscavengers that have been explored to date for the detoxification of OPs fall into three categories: (A) those that can catalytically hydrolyze OPs and thus render them non-toxic, such as OP hydrolase and OP anhydrase; (B) those that stoichiometrically bind to OPs, that is, 1 mol of enzyme neutralizes one or 2 mol of OP

Spacecraft operations automation: Automatic alarm notification and web telemetry display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Owen G.; Leonard, Robert E.; Bucher, Allen W.; Allen, Bryan

1999-11-01

In these times of Faster, Better, Cheaper (FBC) spacecraft, Spacecraft Operations Automation is an area that is targeted by many Operations Teams. To meet the challenges of the FBC environment, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Operations Team designed and quickly implemented two new low-cost technologies: one which monitors spacecraft telemetry, checks the status of the telemetry, and contacts technical experts by pager when any telemetry datapoints exceed alarm limits, and a second which allows quick and convenient remote access to data displays. The first new technology is Automatic Alarm Notification (AAN). AAN monitors spacecraft telemetry and will notify engineers automatically if any telemetry is received which creates an alarm condition. The second new technology is Web Telemetry Display (WTD). WTD captures telemetry displays generated by the flight telemetry system and makes them available to the project web server. This allows engineers to check the health and status of the spacecraft from any computer capable of connecting to the global internet, without needing normally-required specialized hardware and software. Both of these technologies have greatly reduced operations costs by alleviating the need to have operations engineers monitor spacecraft performance on a 24 hour per day, 7 day per week basis from a central Mission Support Area. This paper gives details on the design and implementation of AAN and WTD, discusses their limitations, and lists the ongoing benefits which have accrued to MGS Flight Operations since their implementation in late 1996.

Oximes in organophosphate poisoning: 60 years of hope and despair.

PubMed

Worek, Franz; Thiermann, Horst; Wille, Timo

2016-11-25

The high number of annual fatalities following suicidal poisoning by organophosphorus (OP) pesticides and the recent homicidal use of the chemical warfare nerve agent sarin against civilian population in Syria underlines the continuous threat by these highly toxic agents. The need for an effective treatment of OP poisoning resulted in the implementation of a combination therapy with the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine and an oxime for the reactivation of OP-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Since the invention of the first clinically used oxime pralidoxime (2-PAM) in the 1950s ongoing research attempted to identify more effective oximes. In fact, several thousand oximes were synthesized in the past six decades. These include charged and non-charged compounds, mono- and bispyridinium oximes, asymmetric oximes, oximes with different substitutes and more recently non-oxime reactivators. Multiple in vitro and in vivo studies investigated the potential of oximes to reactivate OP-inhibited AChE and to reverse OP-induced cholinergic signs. Depending on the experimental model, the investigated species and the tested OP largely variable results were obtained by different laboratories. These findings and the inconsistent effectiveness of oximes in the treatment of OP-pesticide poisoned patients led to a continuous discussion on the value of oximes. In order to provide a forward-looking evaluation of the significance of oximes in OP poisoning multiple aspects, including intrinsic toxicity, in vitro reactivation potency, efficacy and pharmacokinetics, as well as the impact of the causative OP have to be considered. The different influencing factors in order to define the benefit and limitations of oximes in OP poisoning will be discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phobic Anxiety and Plasma Levels of Global Oxidative Stress in Women

PubMed Central

Hagan, Kaitlin A.; Wu, Tianying; Rimm, Eric B.; Eliassen, A. Heather; Okereke, Olivia I.

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives Psychological distress has been hypothesized to be associated with adverse biologic states such as higher oxidative stress and inflammation. Yet, little is known about associations between a common form of distress – phobic anxiety – and global oxidative stress. Thus, we related phobic anxiety to plasma fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs), a global oxidative stress marker. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 1,325 women (aged 43-70 years) from the Nurses’ Health Study. Phobic anxiety was measured using the Crown-Crisp Index (CCI). Adjusted least-squares mean log-transformed FlOPs were calculated across phobic categories. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) comparing the highest CCI category (≥6 points) vs. lower scores, across FlOPs quartiles. Results No association was found between phobic anxiety categories and mean FlOP levels in multivariable adjusted linear models. Similarly, in multivariable logistic regression models there were no associations between FlOPs quartiles and likelihood of being in the highest phobic category. Comparing women in the highest vs. lowest FlOPs quartiles: FlOP_360: OR=0.68 (95% CI: 0.40-1.15); FlOP_320: OR=0.99 (95% CI: 0.61-1.61); FlOP_400: OR=0.92 (95% CI: 0.52, 1.63). Conclusions No cross-sectional association was found between phobic anxiety and a plasma measure of global oxidative stress in this sample of middle-aged and older women. PMID:26635425

Phobic Anxiety and Plasma Levels of Global Oxidative Stress in Women.

PubMed

Hagan, Kaitlin A; Wu, Tianying; Rimm, Eric B; Eliassen, A Heather; Okereke, Olivia I

2015-01-01

Psychological distress has been hypothesized to be associated with adverse biologic states such as higher oxidative stress and inflammation. Yet, little is known about associations between a common form of distress - phobic anxiety - and global oxidative stress. Thus, we related phobic anxiety to plasma fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs), a global oxidative stress marker. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 1,325 women (aged 43-70 years) from the Nurses' Health Study. Phobic anxiety was measured using the Crown-Crisp Index (CCI). Adjusted least-squares mean log-transformed FlOPs were calculated across phobic categories. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) comparing the highest CCI category (≥6 points) vs. lower scores, across FlOPs quartiles. No association was found between phobic anxiety categories and mean FlOP levels in multivariable adjusted linear models. Similarly, in multivariable logistic regression models there were no associations between FlOPs quartiles and likelihood of being in the highest phobic category. Comparing women in the highest vs. lowest FlOPs quartiles: FlOP_360: OR=0.68 (95% CI: 0.40-1.15); FlOP_320: OR=0.99 (95% CI: 0.61-1.61); FlOP_400: OR=0.92 (95% CI: 0.52, 1.63). No cross-sectional association was found between phobic anxiety and a plasma measure of global oxidative stress in this sample of middle-aged and older women.

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

Uozumi, Naoki; Matsumoto, Hotaru; Saitoh, Hisato, E-mail: hisa@kumamoto-u.ac.jp

The amino-nucleoside antibiotic, puromycin, acts by covalently linking to elongating polypeptide chains on ribosomes to generate prematurely terminated immature polypeptides. The trafficking of puromycin-conjugated (puromycylated) immature polypeptides within cell has, however, remained elusive. In this study, using O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro), the distribution of puromycylated polypeptides was assessed in HeLa cells by click chemistry. Under standard culture conditions, OP-Puro signals were detected in the cytoplasm and nucleus with the highest concentrations in the nucleolus. Intriguingly, when proteasome activities were aborted using MG132, OP-Puro signals began to accumulate at promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in addition to the nucleolus. We also found promiscuousmore » association of OP-Puro signals with SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin at PML-NBs, but not at the nucleolus, during abortive proteasome activities. This study reveals a previously unknown distribution of OP-Puro that argues for a nuclear function in regulating immature protein homeostasis. -- Highlights: •Click chemistry detects O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro) signals in the nucleus. •OP-Puro accumulates at PML-NBs during abortive proteasome activities. •SUMO and ubiquitin are promiscuously associated with OP-Puro at PML-NBs. •The nucleus may function in immature protein homeostasis.« less

Infantile osteopetrosis and juvenile xanthogranuloma presenting together in a newborn: a case report and literature review.

PubMed

Almarzooqi, Saeeda; Reed, Suzanne; Fung, Bonita; Boué, Daniel R; Prasad, Vinay; Pietryga, Daniel

2011-01-01

Osteopetrosis (OP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by increased bone density. Associations between OP and other clinical entities are rare but include muscular degeneration, Dandy-Walker syndrome, craniosynostosis, and poikiloderma. Infantile OP has also been diagnosed in a group of infants with neuronal storage disease. An association between OP and juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) has never been previously reported. Herein we present a case of an intermediate form of OP in a newborn who presented with hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. Histologic evaluation of a bone marrow biopsy demonstrated abnormally thickened bony trabeculae. A liver biopsy demonstrated prominent expansion of portal areas by a histiocytic infiltrate expressing CD45, CD14, CD68, CD163, factor XIIIa, and fascin, while the biopsy was negative for S100 and CD1a. These findings were those associated with JXG. Genetic testing demonstrated a mutation involving the Pleckstrin homology domain-containing family M member 1 ( PLEKHM1 ) gene. A different mutation in this gene has been previously reported in one other patient with OP. Our case is the 2nd reported case with PLEKHM1 mutation in a patient with a mild form of OP. It also demonstrates the 1st reported occurrence of OP concomitantly with JXG.

Characterizing the oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate sources to aquatic ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, M.B.; McLaughlin, K.; Kendall, C.; Stringfellow, W.; Rollog, M.; Elsbury, K.; Donald, E.; Paytan, A.

2009-01-01

The oxygen isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic phosphate (δ18Op) in many aquatic ecosystems is not in isotopic equilibrium with ambient water and, therefore, may reflect the source δ18Op. Identification of phosphate sources to water bodies is critical for designing best management practices for phosphate load reduction to control eutrophication. In order for δ18O p to be a useful tool for source tracking, the δ18Op of phosphate sources must be distinguishable from one another; however, the δ18Op of potential sources has not been well characterized. We measured the δ18O p of a variety of known phosphate sources, including fertilizers, semiprocessed phosphorite ore, particulate aerosols, detergents, leachates of vegetation, soil, animal feces, and wastewater treatment plant effluent. We found a considerable range of δ18Op values (from +8.4 to +24.9‰) for the various sources, and statistically significant differences were found between several of the source types. δ18Op measured in three different fresh water systems was generally not in equilibrium with ambient water. Although there is overlap in δ18Op values among the groups of samples, our results indicate that some sources are isotopically distinct and δ18Op can be used for identifying phosphate sources to aquatic systems.

Potential of agroindustrial waste from olive oil industry for fuel ethanol production.

PubMed

Georgieva, Tania I; Ahring, Birgitte K

2007-12-01

Olive pulp (OP) is a highly polluting semi-solid residue generated from the two-stage extraction processing of olives and is a major environmental issue in Southern Europe, where 80% of the world olive oil is produced. At present, OP is either discarded to the environment or combusted with low calorific value. In this work, utilization of OP as a potential substrate for production of bioethanol was studied. Enzymatic hydrolysis and subsequent glucose fermentation by baker's yeast were evaluated for OP from 10% to 30% dry matter (i.e., undiluted). Enzymatic hydrolysis resulted in an increase in glucose concentration by 75%, giving final glucose yields near 70%. Fermentation of undiluted OP hydrolysate (OPH) resulted in the maximum ethanol produced (11.2 g/L) with productivity of 2.1 g/L/h. Ethanol yields were similar for all tested OPH concentrations and were in the range of 0.49-0.51 g/g. Results showed that yeast could effectively ferment OPH even without nutrient addition, revealing the tolerance of yeast to OP toxicity. Because of low xylan (12.4%) and glucan (16%) content in OP, this specific type of OP is not a suitable material for producing only ethanol and thus, bioethanol production should be integrated with production of other value-added products.

Glutathione biosynthesis plays an important role against 4-tert-octylphenol-induced oxidative stress in Ceratophyllum demersum.

PubMed

Cahyanurani, Annisa' Bias; Chiu, Kuo-Hsun; Wu, Tsung-Meng

2017-09-01

4-tert-octylphenol (OP) is a persistent environmental pollutant with an endocrine-disrupting property. In the present study, we examined the effect of various concentrations of OP (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 mg L -1 ) applied to an aquatic plant, the submersed macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum. The toxic effect caused by OP inhibited the plant's growth rate, reduced total chlorophyll content and increased levels of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) O 2 •- and H 2 O 2 . OP treatment significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase. The contents of the non-enzymatic antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and ratio of GSH to glutathione disulfide were markedly increased with OP treatment. Pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine, a specific and potent inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis, significantly reduced total GSH content and conferred a more severe toxic phenotype on OP exposure. Thus, with OP-induced oxidative stress, C. demersum might actively regulate the antioxidant machinery, especially the biosynthesis and redox state of GSH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mature oil palm plantations are thirstier than tropical forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manoli, G.; Meijide, A.; Huth, N.; Knohl, A.; Kosugi, Y.; Burlando, P.; Ghazoul, J.; Fatichi, S.

2017-12-01

Oil Palm (OP) is the highest yielding cash-crop in the world but, being the driver of significant tropical forest losses, it is also considered the "world's most hated crop". Despite substantial research on the impact of OP on ecosystem degradation, biodiversity losses, and carbon emissions, little is known on the ecohydrological impacts of forest conversion to OP. Here we employ numerical simulations constrained by field observations to quantify changes in ecosystem evapotranspiration (ET), infiltration/runoff, gross primary productivity (GPP) and surface temperature (Ts) due to OP establishment. Compared to pristine forests, young OP plantations decrease ET, causing an increase in Ts, but the changes become less pronounced as plantations grow. Mature plantations have a very high GPP to sustain the oil palm yield and, given relatively similar water use efficiency, they transpire more water that the forests they have replaced. Hence, the high fruit productivity of OP comes at the expense of water consumption. Our mechanistic modeling results corroborate anecdotal evidence of water scarcity issues in OP-dominated landscapes.

Children's Contrast Sensitivity Function in Relation to Organophosphate Insecticide Prenatal Exposure in the Mother-Child PELAGIE Cohort.

PubMed

Cartier, Chloé; Warembourg, Charline; Monfort, Christine; Rouget, Florence; Limon, Gwendolina; Durand, Gaël; Cordier, Sylvaine; Saint-Amour, Dave; Chevrier, Cécile

2018-05-24

Human exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OP) is widespread. Several studies suggest that OP prenatal exposure alters the development of cognitive and behavioural functions in children, but the effects of OP prenatal exposure on child sensory functions are largely unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between OP prenatal exposure and visual processing in school-aged children from the mother-child PELAGIE cohort (France). OP biomarkers of exposure were measured in maternal urine samples at the beginning of pregnancy. The Functional Acuity Contrast Test (FACT) was used to assess visual contrast sensitivity in 180 children at 6 years of age. Linear regression models were performed on all children, and separately for boys and girls, taking into account various potential confounders, including maternal education and breastfeeding. No associations were observed in the whole sample, while maternal OP urinary metabolite levels were associated with a decrease of FACT scores in boys. These findings indicate that OP prenatal exposure might impair visual processing later in life in boys only. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Respiratory Complications of Organophosphorus Nerve Agent and Insecticide Poisoning. Implications for Respiratory and Critical Care

PubMed Central

Hulse, Elspeth J.; Davies, James O. J.; Simpson, A. John; Sciuto, Alfred M.

2014-01-01

Organophosphorus (OP) compound poisoning is a major global public health problem. Acute OP insecticide self-poisoning kills over 200,000 people every year, the majority from self-harm in rural Asia. Highly toxic OP nerve agents (e.g., sarin) are a significant current terrorist threat, as shown by attacks in Damascus during 2013. These anticholinesterase compounds are classically considered to cause an acute cholinergic syndrome with decreased consciousness, respiratory failure, and, in the case of insecticides, a delayed intermediate syndrome that requires prolonged ventilation. Acute respiratory failure, by central and peripheral mechanisms, is the primary cause of death in most cases. However, preclinical and clinical research over the last two decades has indicated a more complex picture of respiratory complications after OP insecticide poisoning, including onset of delayed neuromuscular junction dysfunction during the cholinergic syndrome, aspiration causing pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, and the involvement of solvents in OP toxicity. The treatment of OP poisoning has not changed over the last 50 years. However, a better understanding of the multiple respiratory complications of OP poisoning offers additional therapeutic opportunities. PMID:25419614

[Issues of osteoporosis in present-day medicine].

PubMed

Benevolenskaia, L I

2003-01-01

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic lesion of the skeleton involving a reduced osseous tissue weight and an impaired microarchitectonics, which worsens the bone strength and contributes to a higher risk of bone fractures. An essential spread of OP and of osteoporotic fractures among populations in various countries, including Russia, a high-severity outcome, and big economic expenses related with treatment and rehabilitation are indicative of a high social OP significance. OP is a multi-factor pathology provoked by impaired processes in osseous remodeling with a higher resorption of osseous tissue and a reduced osteogenesis. A study of molecular mechanisms of intercellular interaction in OP resulted in discovering new elements in the family of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and their ligands and receptors (RANKL-RANK-OPG), which are of primary importance in osteoclastogenesis and which are molecular mediators in many regulatory effects. The key drugs applicable to prevention and treatment of OP are also described in the article. The current methods of OP prevention and treatment improve the bone quality and reduce the incidence rate of fracture in an essential share of patients.

Portable Analytical Systems for On-Site Diagnosis of Exposure to Pesticides and Nerve Agents

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

Lin, Yuehe; Wang, Jun; Liu, Guodong

In this chapter, we summarize recent work in our laboratory on the development of sensitive portable analytical systems for use in on-site detection of exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and chemical nerve agents. These systems are based on various nanomaterials functioning as transducers; recognition agents or labels and various elelectrochemical/immunoassay techniques. The studied nanomaterials included functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT), zirconia nanoparticles (NPs) and quantum dots (QDs). Three biomarkers e.g. the free OPs, metabolites of OPs and protein-OP adducts in biological matrices have been employed for biomonitoring of OP exposure with our developed system. It has been found that the nanomaterial-basedmore » portable analytical systems have high sensitivity for the detection of the biomarkers, which suggest that these technologies offer great promise for the rapid and on-site detection and evaluation of OP exposure.« less

A Hybrid Method Which Combines a Moment Method Current with an Asymptotic Current

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

s op SinceJp(x) in Equation (2.12) and Jp(R) in Equation (2.14) op op are approximations for Vt(K) and jS(f), respectively...approxi- mations for TM(R) and ImM can be written as 2 W f T M(R’)xV’G(r)ds’ + 2x TsM( ’)xV’G(r)ds’ MM St MS MM M + 2nix f iSp (R’)xv’G(r)ds’ (2.29) s op and...8217 (2.37) Jp(R) = 2fi’(R) + 2^nx fI ( pI)xv’G(r)ds’ op top + 2’x i s (R’)xV’G(r)ds’ (2.38) s op 20 .;ALI T;()= 2Rx f

Oxidation of octylphenol by ferrate(VI).

PubMed

Anquandah, George A K; Sharma, Virender K

2009-01-01

The rates of the oxidation of octylphenols (OP) by potassium ferrate(VI) (K(2)FeO(4)) in water were determined as a function of pH (8.0-10.9) at 25 degrees C. The rate law for the oxidation of OP by Fe(VI) was found to be first order with each reactant. The observed second-order rate constants, k(obs), for the oxidation of alkylphenols decreased with an increase in pH. The speciation of Fe(VI) (HFeO(4)(-) and FeO(4)(2 -)) and OP (OP-OH and OP-O(-)) species were used to determine individual rate constants of the reactions. Comparison of rate constants and half-lives of oxidation of OP by Fe(VI) with nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol-A (BPA) were conducted to demonstrate that Fe(VI) efficiently oxidizes environmentally relevant alkylphenols in water.

Adiabatic Computation of Internal Blast from Aluminum-Cased Charges in Air.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

512 (I) AIR-533 (1) AIR- 541 (1) 5 Chief of Naval Operations OP-03 (2) OP- 05 (1) OP-098 (1) OP-55 (1) I Chief of Naval Material (MAT-08L) 7 Naval Sea...CALIFORNIA 93555 Approvd for pubic mie; isMDO -1n unfftd. S DTIC rn-i 111 ELECTEI - JUL 9 IM. B 82 07 09 054 .. , ’. ..... 6. * NavdWep:s Cenr AN...7 Equilibrium Calculations ............................................. 9 Results.............................................................. 9

Revisiting COIN Theory and Instruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-13

Light ning II PE (12-24 Dec) B-10* Analy st Note book/ ARC GIS/ OP Dese rt Light ning II PE B-9...3 Mod B Final Test OP Deser t Light ning II PE (BUB 4) Mod B AAR B-16* Quiz 3 OP Deser t Light ning...Dec) (BUB 3 PMB) Quiz 3 Study Focus B-13* OP Desert Light ning II PE (BUB 2 Bn MB) B-11*

Low Frequency Seismo-Acoustic Propagation in a Sloping Ocean Environment: Measured Results and Numerical Predictions

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

15407 - 1525,1 m/s Cp = 1900 m/ s , op = 0,2, p= 1.8 L . Cp = 2340 m/ s . Op = 02, p= 1,9 Cp = 3000 m/ s . Op = 02, P = 2,2 Cj = 1500 m/s, oj = 02 Cp...4300 m/ s , op = 005, p = 24 Cc = 2150 m/s, o^ = 01 20 Figure 5. Geoacoustic input parameters for SAFARI model. 0.0 10.0 30.0 30.0 RANGE IKM

Changing case Order to Optimise patterns of Performance in mammography Screening (CO-OPS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background X-ray mammography remains the predominant test for screening for breast cancer, with the aim of reducing breast cancer mortality. In the English NHS Breast Screening Programme each woman’s mammograms are examined separately by two expert readers. The two readers read each batch in the same order and each indicates if there should be recall for further tests. This is a highly skilled, pressurised, repetitive and frequently intellectually unchallenging activity where readers examine one or more batches of 30–50 women’s mammograms in each session. A vigilance decrement or performance decrease over time has been observed in similar repetitive visual tasks such as radar operation. Methods/Design The CO-OPS study is a pragmatic, multi-centre, two-arm, double blind cluster randomised controlled trial of a computer software intervention designed to reduce the effects of a vigilance decrement in breast cancer screening. The unit of randomisation is the batch. Intervention batches will be examined in the opposite order by the two readers (one forwards, one backwards). Control batches will be read in the same order as one another, as is current standard practice. The hypothesis is that cancer detection rates will be higher in the intervention group because each readers’ peak performance will occur when examining different women’s mammograms. The trial will take place in 44 English breast screening centres for 1 year and 4 months. The primary outcome is cancer detection rate, which will be extracted from computer records after 1 year of the trial. The secondary outcomes include rate of disagreement between readers (a more statistically powerful surrogate for cancer detection rate), recall rate, positive predictive value, and interval cancer rate (cancers found between screening rounds which will be measured three years after the end of the trial). Discussion This is the first trial of an intervention to ameliorate a vigilance decrement in breast cancer

Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Migrant Farmworker Children of Mexican Origin from Urban and Agricultural Regions of Texas

EPA Science Inventory

Some organophosphate pesticides (OPs) induce chromosome aberrations (CA) in experimental systems and may be genotoxic in persons exposed to home-use levels of OPs. However, the genotoxic effects of OPs have not been studied extensively in environmentally exposed children, such a...

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D

MedlinePlus

... vitamin D and which were in the placebo group. Copyright © 2011 by AAN Enterprises, Inc. e99 Previous studies on vitamin D in MS did not have such a strong study design. They were more suscepti- ble to bias, and ...

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Multiple Sclerosis

MedlinePlus

... Oral cannabis extract (OCE) – a cannabis pill • Synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a cannabis pill • Oromucosal cannabinoid spray – a spray ... Academy of Neurology AAN. com OCE and Synthetic THC OCE is taken orally (by mouth) in pill ...

Land use regression modeling of oxidative potential of fine particles, NO2, PM2.5 mass and association to type two diabetes mellitus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellack, Bryan; Sugiri, Dorothea; Schins, Roel P. F.; Schikowski, Tamara; Krämer, Ursula; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A. J.; Hoffmann, Barbara

2017-12-01

While land use regression models (LUR) are commonly used, e.g. for the prediction of spatially variable air pollutant mass concentrations, they are scarcely used for predicting the oxidative potential (OP), a suggested unifying predictor of health effects. Therefore a LUR model was developed to examine if long-term OP of fine particulate exposure can be reasonably predicted by LUR modeling and whether it is related to health effects in a study region comprised of urban and rural areas. Four 14-day sampling periods over 1 year at 40 sites in the western Ruhr Area and adjacent northern rural area, Germany, in 2002/2003 were conducted and annual Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), fine particles (PM2.5), and OP were calculated. LUR models were developed to estimate spatially-resolved annual OP, NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations. The model performance was checked by leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) and cox regression was used to analyze the association of modeled residential OP and NO2 with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in 1784 elderly women during a mean follow-up of 16 years (baseline 1985-1994). The measured OP and NO2 concentrations were moderately correlated (rSpearman 0.57). The LUR models explained 62% and 92% of the OP and NO2 variance (adjusted LOOCV R2 57% and 90%). PM10 emission from combustion in a 5000 m buffer was the most important predictor for OP and NO2. Modeled pollutants were highly correlated (rSpearman 0.87). Model quality for OP was sensitive to the inclusion of a single influential measurement site. For PM2.5 mass only an insufficient model with a low explained variance of 22% (adjusted R2) was developed so no health effects analyses were conducted with estimated PM2.5. Increases in OP and NO2 were associated with an increase in risk of T2DM by a hazard ratio of 1.38 (95% CI 1.06-1.80) and 1.39 (95% CI 1.07-1.81) per interquartile range of OP and NO2, respectively. We conclude that spatially-resolved OP can be predicted by LUR modeling, but

Cycloartanes from Oxyanthus pallidus and derivatives with analgesic activities.

PubMed

Piegang, Basile Nganmegne; Tigoufack, Ignas Bertrand Nzedong; Ngnokam, David; Achounna, Angèle Sorel; Watcho, Pierre; Greffrath, Wolfgang; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Nguelefack, Télesphore Benoît

2016-03-09

The leaves of Oxyanthus pallidus Hiern (Rubiaceae) are extensively used in the west region of Cameroon as analgesic. These leaves are rich in cycloartanes, a subclass of triterpenes known to possess analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed at evaluating the analgesic properties of three cycloartanes isolated from Oxyanthus pallidus leaves as well as their aglycones and acetylated derivatives. Three cycloartanes OP3, OP5 and OP6 obtained by successive chromatography of the crude methanol extract of the leaves were hydrolysed to yield respective aglycone AOP1, AOP2, AOP3 and acetylated to HOP1, HOP2 and HOP3 respectively. Formalin-induced pain model was used to evaluate the acute anti-nociceptive properties of these cycloartanes (5 mg/kg, p.o) in mice and to determine the structure-activity relationship. Acute (24 h) and chronic (10 days) anti-hyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of OP5 were evaluated at the doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day administered orally. OP6 was also evaluated in acute experiments. The antioxidant and hepato-protective activities of OP5 were evaluated at the end of the chronic treatment. The mixture and the individual isolated cycloartanes significantly inhibited both phases of formalin-induced pain with percentage inhibition ranging from 13 to 78%. Acid hydrolysis did not significantly affect their antinociceptive activities while acetylation significantly reduced the effects of these compounds during the second phase of pain. OP5 and OP6 induced acute anti-hyperalgesic activity in formalin-induced mechanical hyperalgesia but not an anti-inflammatory effect. Repeated administration of OP5 for 10 days did not induce any anti-hyperalgesic effect. The evaluation of in vivo antioxidant properties showed that OP5 significantly reduced malondialdehyde and increased superoxide dismutase levels in liver without significantly affecting other oxidative stress and hepatotoxic parameters. Chronic administration of OP5 did

Transformation of Organophosphorus Pesticides in the Presence of Aqueous Chlorine: Kinetics, Pathways, and Structure-Activity Relationships

EPA Science Inventory

The fate of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides in the presence of aqueous chlorine was investigated under simulated drinking water treatment conditions. Intrinsic rate coefficients were found for the reaction of hypochlorous acid (kHOCl,OP) and hypochlorite ion (kOCl,OP) for eight...

Lifetime Organophosphorous Insecticide Used among Private Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study

EPA Science Inventory

Organophosphorous insecticides (OPs) are the most commonly used insecticides in US agriculture, but little information is available regarding specific OP use by individual farmers. We describe OP use for licensed private pesticide applicators from Iowa and North Carolina in the Ag...

DETERMINATION OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS BY GC-ICPMS

EPA Science Inventory

Accidental or intentional release of neurotoxic organophosphorus (OP) pesticides and OP chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are potential threats to public health and the environment. Such a release could involve any number of a large suite of OP chemicals. These compounds, as well a...

New insights on molecular interactions of organophosphorus pesticides with esterases.

PubMed

Mangas, Iris; Estevez, Jorge; Vilanova, Eugenio; França, Tanos Celmar Costa

2017-02-01

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are a large and diverse class of chemicals mainly used as pesticides and chemical weapons. People may be exposed to OPs in several occasions, which can produce several distinct neurotoxic effects depending on the dose, frequency of exposure, type of OP, and the host factors that influence susceptibility and sensitivity. These neurotoxic effects are mainly due to the interaction with enzyme targets involved in toxicological or detoxication pathways. In this work, the toxicological relevance of known OPs targets is reviewed. The main enzyme targets of OPs have been identified among the serine hydrolase protein family, some of them decades ago (e.g. AChE, BuChE, NTE and carboxylesterases), others more recently (e.g. lysophospholipase, arylformidase and KIA1363) and others which are not molecularly identified yet (e.g. phenylvalerate esterases). Members of this family are characterized by displaying serine hydrolase activity, containing a conserved serine hydrolase motif and having an alpha-beta hydrolase fold. Improvement in Xray-crystallography and in silico methods have generated new data of the interactions between OPs and esterases and have established new methods to study new inhibitors and reactivators of cholinesterases. Mass spectrometry for AChE, BChE and APH have characterized the active site serine adducts with OPs being useful to detect biomarkers of OPs exposure and inhibitory and postinhibitory reactions of esterases and OPs. The purpose of this review is focus specifically on the interaction of OP with esterases, mainly with type B-esterases, which are able to hydrolyze carboxylesters but inhibited by OPs by covalent phosphorylation on the serine or tyrosine residue in the active sites. Other related esterases in some cases with no-irreversible effect are also discussed. The understanding of the multiple molecular interactions is the basis we are proposing for a multi-target approach for understanding the

Decision to take osteoporosis medication in patients who have had a fracture and are 'high' risk for future fracture: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sale, Joanna E M; Gignac, Monique A; Hawker, Gillian; Frankel, Lucy; Beaton, Dorcas; Bogoch, Earl; Elliot-Gibson, Victoria

2011-05-09

Patients' values and preferences are fundamental tenets of evidence-based practice, yet current osteoporosis (OP) clinical guidelines pay little attention to these issues in therapeutic decision making. This may be in part due to the fact that few studies have examined the factors that influence the initial decision to take OP medication. The purpose of our study was to examine patients' experiences with the decision to take OP medication after they sustained a fracture. A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with outpatients identified in a university teaching hospital fracture clinic OP program. Individuals aged 65+ who had sustained a fragility fracture within 5 years, were 'high risk' for future fracture, and were prescribed OP medication were eligible. Analysis of interview data was guided by Giorgi's methodology. 21 patients (6 males, 15 females) aged 65-88 years participated. All participants had low bone mass; 9 had OP. Fourteen patients were taking a bisphosphonate while 7 patients were taking no OP medications. For 12 participants, the decision to take OP medication occurred at the time of prescription and involved minimal contemplation (10/12 were on medication). These patients made their decision because they liked/trusted their health care provider. However, 4/10 participants in this group indicated their OP medication-taking status might change. For the remaining 9 patients, the decision was more difficult (4/9 were on medication). These patients were unconvinced by their health care provider, engaged in risk-benefit analyses using other information sources, and were concerned about side effects; 7/9 patients indicated that their OP medication-taking status might change at a later date. Almost half of our older patients who had sustained a fracture found the decision to take OP medication a difficult one. In general, the decision was not considered permanent. Health care providers should be aware of their potential role in patients

Screening of differentially expressed genes in male idiopathic osteoporosis via RNA sequencing.

PubMed

Feng, Li; Wang, Yan; Zhou, Jing; Tian, Baofang; Xia, Bo

2018-05-07

As a type of osteoporosis (OP), male idiopathic OP (MIO) is a bone disorder that occurs in young males and is a public health problem worldwide. However, the detailed pathogenesis of MIO remains to be elucidated. In the present study, blood samples of patients with MIO, senile OP, postmenopausal OP and normal controls (NCs) were obtained for RNA sequencing. Compared with the NC group, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the three types of OP were identified. DEGs that were common among the three types of OP and the DEGs that were unique to patients with MIO were determined. Gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were conducted. MIO‑specific and OP‑specific protein‑protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed. Compared with NCs, a total of 519, 368 and 1,472 DEGs were identified in samples from MIO, senile OP and postmenopausal OP, respectively. Tetraspanin 5 (TSPAN5) and α‑synuclein (SNCA) were unique DEGs in MIO that were not identified in the other two types of OP compared with NCs. Furthermore, the expression of carbonic anhydrase 1 (CA1) and S100 calcium‑binding protein P (S100P) in MIO was significantly different compared with senile OP, postmenopausal OP and NC samples. 'MAPK signaling pathway', 'type I diabetes mellitus' and 'hematopoietic cell lineage' were among significantly enriched pathways of DEGs in MIO. SNCA and CDC‑like kinase 1 were the hub genes in the MIO‑specific PPI network. In conclusion, the mitogen‑activated protein kinase signaling and type I diabetes mellitus pathways may be involved in bone formation; SNCA and TSPAN5 may be associated with bone resorption. These two pathways and two genes may serve a role in MIO. CA1 and S100P may regulate the process of MIO by modulation of calcification and dysregulation of calcium binding. These findings may have provided an experimental basis for elucidating the underlying mechanisms and developing

Software Sustainment -- Now and Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

today the commercial environment is using something referred to as DevOps . What is DevOps ? What it is. A way of working that encourages the Develop...section. However, there are some major differences. DevOps seems to be the Agile community’s term for doing sustainment and opera- tions in parallel...methods in sustainment within the federal government. This research is how I came upon the term DevOps . In addition, Gene Kim provided a keynote

Medical care of employees long-term sick listed due to mental health problems: a cohort study to describe and compare the care of the occupational physician and the general practitioner.

PubMed

Anema, J R; Jettinghoff, K; Houtman, I; Schoemaker, C G; Buijs, P C; van den Berg, R

2006-03-01

To describe medical management by the general practitioner (GP) and occupational physician (OP) of workers sick listed due to mental health problems, and to determine agreement in diagnosis, main cause of sickness absence and obstacles in return to work. A cohort of 555 employees being sick listed for 12 to 20 weeks due to mental health problems was recruited and followed for 1 year. These employees were interviewed about their mental health and contacts with GP, OP, other specialists and employer. In addition, the GP and/or the OP of 72 employees were interviewed about the medical diagnosis and management. Most employees sick listed for 12-20 weeks visited their GP and OP. According to the employees most interventions applied by the GP were medical interventions, such as referral of employees and prescription of medical drugs. Working conditions were seldom discussed by the GP and work-related interventions were never applied. Most interventions applied by the OP were work-related interventions and/or contact with the employer. The OP more often talked about working conditions and conflicts. According to the employees, the communication between GP and OP only took place in 8% of the cases. Agreement in the diagnosis, main cause of sickness absence, and obstacles in return to work reported by the GPs and OPs of the same employee was poor. In addition, similarity in reported diagnosis by GP and/or OP and the employees' scores on valid questionnaires on (mental) health was limited. The lack of communication and agreement by Dutch GPs and OPs in medical diagnosis and management of employees long-term sick listed due to mental health problems are indicators of sub-optimal medical treatment and return-to-work strategies.

Increased risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with organophosphate intoxication: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lim, Yun-Ping; Lin, Cheng-Li; Hung, Dong-Zong; Ma, Wei-Chih; Lin, Yen-Ning; Kao, Chia-Hung

2015-01-01

Organophosphate (OP) poisoning is a critical cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We conducted a nationwide longitudinal cohort study to investigate the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) among patients admitted with OP intoxication.We identified patients with OP intoxication by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and enrolled 9223 patients who were hospitalized for OP intoxication between 2000 and 2011. OP intoxication was diagnosed based on a clinical assessment and serum acetylcholinesterase levels at the time of hospital admission. Each patient in the OP intoxication cohort was randomly frequency matched with 4 patients without OP intoxication based on their age, sex, and index year (36,892 patients as control cohort), and all patients were observed from the index date until the appearance of a DVT or a PTE event, or until December 31, 2011. We analyzed the risks of DVT and PTE by using Cox proportional hazards regression models that included the demographic variables of sex, age, and comorbidities (eg, hypertension, diabetes, cerebral vascular disease, heart failure, all cancer types, and lower leg fracture or surgery).The results revealed a significantly increased risk of developing DVT among patients with OP poisoning (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-2.34) but not PTE (adjusted HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 0.83-2.52). Among the patients without comorbidities, the OP poisoning patients compared with controls had a higher adjusted HR of 2.12 (95% CI = 1.21-3.71) for DVT.The results of this nationwide cohort study indicate that the risk of developing DVT is markedly higher in patients with OP intoxication compared with that of the general population.

Biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides by soil bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Pasquale, C.; Fodale, R.; Lo Piccolo, L.; Palazzolo, E.; Alonzo, G.; Quatrini, P.

2009-04-01

A number of studies in the 1980s and 1990s showed that crop-protection products, applied to drained fields, could move downwards through the soil profile and to the groundwater. Organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) are used all over the world for crop protection, for other agricultural practices such as sheep dipping and, in aquaculture, for the control of sea lice. Ops besides showing a specific neurotoxicity and have also been related to various modern diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD) and the Gulf War syndrome. Although OPs are less persistent than Organoclorine pesticides (OCs), they still constitute an environmental risks thus increasing the social concern about their levels in soils, surface waters, and ground waters. Degradation of OPs by microorganisms has been assessed for a few bacterial strains. In the present study the OPs degrading potential of indigenous soil microorganisms was investigated. Using enrichment cultures in which parathion was the only C and energy sources many bacterial strains were isolated from OPs contaminated and pristine agricultural soils characterized by different physico-chemical properties. More than 40 potential OPs degraders were isolated and grouped in operational taxonomic units (OTU) using analysis of polymorphism showed by the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Partial sequencing of 16S rRNA gene of representative isolates of each OTU revealed that most of them belong to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. All the analyzed soils showed the presence of putative OPs degraders: the highest diversity was found in organic cultivated soils, the lowest in chemically cultivated soils. Degradation of different OPs, characterized by different physical and chemical properties, was obtained by different selected representative strains using SPME GC-MS analysis on water and soil microcosms. The results showed that, after the incubation period, the amount of pesticide residues were in the range 20-80%. Some of the

Periodontal tissue regeneration by combined applications of recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 and bone morphogenetic protein-2. A pilot study in Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus).

PubMed

Ripamonti, U; Crooks, J; Petit, J C; Rueger, D C

2001-08-01

Native and recombinant human bone morphogenetic/osteogenic proteins (BMPs/ OPs) singly initiate bone induction in vivo. The finding of synchronous but spatially different BMPs/OPs expression during periodontal tissue morphogenesis suggests novel therapeutic approaches using morphogen combinations based on recapitulation of embryonic development. Twelve furcation defects prepared in the first and second mandibular molars of three adult baboons (Papio ursinus) were used to assess whether qualitative histological aspects of periodontal tissue regeneration could be enhanced and tissue morphogenesis modified by combined or single applications of recombinant hOP-1 and hBMP-2. Doses of BMPs/OPs were 100 microg of each protein per 1 g of insoluble collagenous bone matrix as carrier. Approximately 200 mg of carrier matrix was used per furcation defect. Undecalcified sections cut for histological analysis 60 d after healing of hOP-1-treated specimens showed substantial cementogenesis with scattered remnants of the collagenous carrier. hBMP-2 applied alone induced greater amounts of mineralized bone and osteoid when compared to hOP-1 alone or to combined morphogen applications. Combined applications of hOP-1 and hBMP-2 did not enhance alveolar bone regeneration or new attachment formation over and above the single applications of the morphogens. The results of this study, which is the first to attempt to address the structure-activity relationship amongst BMP/OP family members, indicate that tissue morphogenesis induced by hOP-1 and hBMP-2 is qualitatively different when the morphogens are applied singly, with hOP-1 inducing substantial cementogenesis. hBMP-2 treated defects, on the other hand, showed limited cementum formation but a temporal enhancement of alveolar bone regeneration and remodelling. The demonstration of therapeutic mosaicism in periodontal regeneration will require extensive testing of ratios and doses of recombinant morphogen combinations for optimal tissue

PON1Q192R genetic polymorphism modifies organophosphorous pesticide effects on semen quality and DNA integrity in agricultural workers from southern Mexico

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

Perez-Herrera, N.; Polanco-Minaya, H.; Salazar-Arredondo, E.

Pesticide exposure, including organophosphorous (OP) insecticides, has been associated with poor semen quality, and paraoxonase (PON1), an enzyme involved in OP deactivation, may have a role on their susceptibility, due to PON1 polymorphisms. Our objective was to evaluate the role of PON1Q192R polymorphism on the susceptibility to OP toxicity on semen quality and DNA integrity in agricultural workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in farmers with Mayan ascendancy from southeastern Mexico chronically exposed to pesticides; mostly OP. Fifty four agricultural workers (18-55 years old) were included, who provided semen and blood samples. Semen quality was evaluated according to WHO, spermmore » DNA damage by in situ-nick translation (NT-positive cells), PON1Q192R polymorphism by real-time PCR and serum PON1 activity by using phenylacetate and paraoxon. Two OP exposure indexes were created: at the month of sampling and during 3 months before sampling, representing the exposure to spermatids-spermatozoa and to cells at one spermatogenic cycle, respectively. PON1 192R and 192Q allele frequencies were 0.54 and 0.46, respectively. Significant associations were found between OP exposure at the month of sampling and NT-positive cells and sperm viability in homozygote 192RR subjects, and dose-effect relationships were observed between OP exposure during 3 months before sampling and sperm quality parameters and NT-positive cells in homozygote 192RR farmers. This suggests that cells at all stages of spermatogenesis are target of OP, and that there exists an interaction between OP exposure and PON1Q192R polymorphism on these effects; farmers featuring the 192RR genotype were more susceptible to develop reproductive toxic effects by OP exposure.« less

Gastroesophageal reflux evaluation in patients affected by chronic cough: Restech versus multichannel intraluminal impedance/pH metry.

PubMed

Ummarino, Dario; Vandermeulen, Liv; Roosens, Bart; Urbain, Daniel; Hauser, Bruno; Vandenplas, Yvan

2013-04-01

Oropharyngeal (OP) pH monitoring has been developed to detect supra-esophageal gastric reflux (SEGR). The results obtained with OP pH-metry and multichannel intraluminal impedance/pH monitoring (MII/pH) were compared. Diagnostic study. Ten patients (age 46.33 ± 9.86 years) presenting with chronic coughing underwent simultaneous OP and MII/pH recording. A 2-minute interval was allowed between events detected with both techniques to be considered simultaneous. A total of 515 reflux episodes were recorded with MII/pH (acid: 181; weakly acid: 310; weakly alkaline: 24); 180 (35%) reached the highest impedance channel (hypo-pharynx); 74/180 (41%) were not related to a change in pH, according to the antimony electrode of the MII/pH catheter located at the upper esophageal sphincter. The OP monitoring measured 39 acid events; 17 (43.6%) were swallows according to MII, and 15 (38.5%) were not associated with MII or pH change. Only seven episodes were detected simultaneously with both techniques (1.3% for MII vs. 18% for OP; P = 0.0002). We found 49 pH-only refluxes at the pH sensor in the hypo-pharynx with MII/pH; only three (6.1%) correlated with OP reflux. Correlation in time between cough and reflux events was positive in 5/10 patients for MII (symptom index 5/10, symptom association probability 4/10), but in 0/10 patients according to OP pH metry. OP pH metry detected less reflux episodes than MII/pH; 35% of the OP events were swallows according to impedance. Time correlation between cough and reflux could not be demonstrated with OP pH metry. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Increased Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Thromboembolism in Patients With Organophosphate Intoxication

PubMed Central

Lim, Yun-Ping; Lin, Cheng-Li; Hung, Dong-Zong; Ma, Wei-Chih; Lin, Yen-Ning; Kao, Chia-Hung

2015-01-01

Abstract Organophosphate (OP) poisoning is a critical cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We conducted a nationwide longitudinal cohort study to investigate the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) among patients admitted with OP intoxication. We identified patients with OP intoxication by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and enrolled 9223 patients who were hospitalized for OP intoxication between 2000 and 2011. OP intoxication was diagnosed based on a clinical assessment and serum acetylcholinesterase levels at the time of hospital admission. Each patient in the OP intoxication cohort was randomly frequency matched with 4 patients without OP intoxication based on their age, sex, and index year (36,892 patients as control cohort), and all patients were observed from the index date until the appearance of a DVT or a PTE event, or until December 31, 2011. We analyzed the risks of DVT and PTE by using Cox proportional hazards regression models that included the demographic variables of sex, age, and comorbidities (eg, hypertension, diabetes, cerebral vascular disease, heart failure, all cancer types, and lower leg fracture or surgery). The results revealed a significantly increased risk of developing DVT among patients with OP poisoning (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–2.34) but not PTE (adjusted HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 0.83–2.52). Among the patients without comorbidities, the OP poisoning patients compared with controls had a higher adjusted HR of 2.12 (95% CI = 1.21–3.71) for DVT. The results of this nationwide cohort study indicate that the risk of developing DVT is markedly higher in patients with OP intoxication compared with that of the general population. PMID:25569651

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

Myllymaeki, S.A.; Karjalainen, M.; Haavisto, T.E.

Phenolic compounds, such as 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), have been shown to interfere with rat ovarian steroidogenesis. However, little is known about steroidogenic effects of infantile OP exposure on immature ovary. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of infantile OP exposure on plasma FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone levels in 14-day-old female rats. The effect on ovarian steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and FSH receptor (FSHr) expression was analyzed by Western blotting. Ex vivo analysis was carried out for follicular estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and cAMP production. Sprague-Dawley rats were given OP (0, 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg)more » subcutaneously on postnatal days 6, 8, 10, and 12. On postnatal day 14, plasma FSH was decreased and progesterone increased significantly at a dose of 100 mg OP/kg. In addition, the highest OP dose advanced the time of vaginal opening in puberty. OP had no effect on infantile LH and estradiol levels or ovarian FSHr content. Ovarian StAR protein content and ex vivo hormone and cAMP production were decreased at all OP doses compared to controls. However, hormone levels recovered independent on FSH and even increased above the control level during a prolonged culture. On postnatal day 35, no statistically significant differences were seen between control and OP-exposed animals in plasma FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone levels, or in ovarian StAR protein content. The results indicate that the effect of OP on the infantile ovary is reversible, while more permanent effects in the hypothalamus and pituitary, as described earlier, are involved in the reduction of circulating FSH levels and premature vaginal opening.« less

Prevention of injuries at work: the role of the occupational physician.

PubMed

Porru, Stefano; Placidi, Donatella; Carta, Angela; Alessio, Lorenzo

2006-03-01

To highlight the role of occupational physician (OP) in occupational injuries (OI) prevention and management. To suggest an approach beyond traditional focus on descriptive epidemiology, engineering interventions, administrative aspects of OI prevention. To promote a person- and enterprise-tailored approach, entailing greater attention to human factors and to practical problems of the specific workplace, with a call to a leading role played by OP. Analysis of the literature on the broader topic of OI prevention revealed thousands of publications; however, only a handful of them mention or describe the participation of OP in OI prevention. While recognizing that literature search is not the proper and only way to appreciate the current role of OP in this field, therefore, it seems necessary to call OP to a stronger effort in prevention and management of OI, through the context of a comprehensive intervention in cooperation with managers, supervisors, safety personnel and workers, focusing on specific needs of each enterprise. The following areas of OP intervention were examined: risk assessment, health surveillance, management, scientific research and health education. Within each of these topics, possible contributions, methodologies, instruments available for the OP were discussed, taking into account the relevant literature. Pathways for practical applications were illustrated, e.g., OI data generation and analyses, predictors of OI, fitness for work, case management, team work, educational issues, first aid, suggestion for OP contribution in specific research questions. OI continue to take a remarkable toll from individuals and society. New multidisciplinary interventions are needed to prevent OI. Focused activities at the single worksite with a central role from OP are definite options. OP is an effective interface between workforce and management and may offer, through a proactive approach, valuable practical and cultural contributions, while respecting

Factors favoring regain of the lost vertical spinal height through posterior spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Shi, Benlong; Mao, Saihu; Xu, Leilei; Sun, Xu; Liu, Zhen; Zhu, Zezhang; Lam, Tsz Ping; Cheng, Jack Cy; Ng, Bobby; Qiu, Yong

2016-07-04

Height gain is a common beneficial consequence following correction surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), yet little is known concerning factors favoring regain of the lost vertical spinal height (SH) through posterior spinal fusion. A consecutive series of AIS patients from February 2013 to August 2015 were reviewed. Surgical changes in SH (ΔSH), as well as the multiple coronal and sagittal deformity parameters were measured and correlated. Factors associated with ΔSH were identified through Pearson correlation analysis and multivariate regression analysis. A total of 172 single curve and 104 double curve patients were reviewed. The ΔSH averaged 2.5 ± 0.9 cm in single curve group and 2.9 ± 1.0 cm in double curve group. The multivariate regression analysis revealed the following pre-operative variables contributed significantly to ΔSH: pre-op Cobb angle, pre-op TK (single curve group only), pre-op GK (double curve group only) and pre-op LL (double curve group only) (p < 0.05). Thus change in height (in cm) = 0.044 × (pre-op Cobb angle) + 0.012 × (pre-op TK) (Single curve, adjusted R(2) = 0.549) or 0.923 + 0.021 × (pre-op Cobb angle1) + 0.028 × (pre-op Cobb angle2) + 0.015 × (pre-op GK)-0.012 × (pre-op LL) (Double curve, adjusted R(2) = 0.563). Severer pre-operative coronal Cobb angle and greater sagittal curves were beneficial factors favoring more contribution to the surgical lengthening effect in vertical spinal height in AIS.

Organophosphate esters in East Greenland polar bears and ringed seals: Adipose tissue concentrations and in vitro depletion and metabolite formation.

PubMed

Strobel, Adelle; Willmore, William G; Sonne, Christian; Dietz, Rune; Letcher, Robert J

2018-04-01

East Greenland is a contamination "hot spot" for long-range transported anthropogenic chemicals, including organophosphate esters (OPEs). High concentrations of OPEs have been reported in arctic air while very little is known for wildlife where OPE tissue residues levels appear to be strongly influenced by biotransformation. In the present study, the hepatic in vitro metabolism of six environmentally relevant organophosphate (OP) triesters and corresponding OP diester formation were investigated in East Greenland polar bears (PBs) and ringed seals (RSs). The in vitro metabolism assay results were compared to adipose levels in field samples from the same individuals. In vitro OP triester metabolism was generally rapid and structure-dependent, where PBs metabolized OPEs more rapidly than RSs. Exceptions were the lack of triethyl phosphate (TEP) metabolism and slow metabolism of tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) in both species. OP diester metabolites were also formed with the exception of TEP which was not metabolized at all. Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate was completely converted to its corresponding diester. However, the mass balances showed that OP diester formation corresponding to TEHP, tri(n-butyl) phosphate, and tris(2-butyoxyethyl) phosphate did not account for 100% of the OP triester depletion, which indicated alternate pathways of OP triester metabolism had occurred. Triphenyl phosphate was completely converted to its OP diester metabolite in PBs but not in RSs suggesting species-specific differences. The results demonstrated that OP triester bioaccumulation and fate in PBs versus their RS prey is substantially influenced by biotransformation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of E-waste Recycling on Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Flame Retardants and Plasticizers and Their Association with Oxidative Stress.

PubMed

Lu, Shao-You; Li, Yan-Xi; Zhang, Tao; Cai, Dan; Ruan, Ju-Jun; Huang, Ming-Zhi; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Jian-Qing; Qiu, Rong-Liang

2017-02-21

In this study, three chlorinated (Cl-mOPs) and five nonchlorinated (NCl-mOPs) organophosphate metabolites were determined in urine samples collected from participants living in an electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling area (n = 175) and two reference areas (rural, n = 29 and urban, n = 17) in southern China. Bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate [BCEP, geometric mean (GM): 0.72 ng/mL] was the most abundant Cl-mOP, and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP, 0.55 ng/mL) was the most abundant NCl-mOP. The GM concentrations of mOPs in the e-waste dismantling sites were higher than those in the rural control site. These differences were significant for BCEP (p < 0.05) and DPHP (p < 0.01). Results suggested that e-waste dismantling activities contributed to human exposure to OPs. In the e-waste sites, the urinary concentrations of bis(2-chloro-isopropyl) phosphate (r = 0.484, p < 0.01), BCEP (r = 0.504, p < 0.01), dibutyl phosphate (r = 0.214, p < 0.05), and DPHP (r = 0.440, p < 0.01) were significantly increased as the concentration of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of DNA oxidative stress, increased. Our results also suggested that human exposure to OPs might be correlated with DNA oxidative stress for residents in e-waste dismantling areas. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the urinary levels of mOPs in China and examine the association between OP exposure and 8-OHdG in humans.

The effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve knowledge and perceptions for reducing organophosphate pesticide exposure among Indonesian and South Australian migrant farmworkers

PubMed Central

Suratman, Suratman; Ross, Kirstin E; Babina, Kateryna; Edwards, John William

2016-01-01

Background Farmworkers are at risk of exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPs). Improvements of knowledge and perceptions about organophosphate (OP) exposure may be of benefit for the reduction in OP exposure. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve knowledge and perceptions for reducing OP exposure among Indonesian and South Australian (SA) migrant farmworkers. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study. The educational intervention used a method of group communication for 30 Indonesian farmworkers and individual communication for seven SA migrant farmworkers. Knowledge and perceptions about OP exposure were measured pre-intervention and 3 months after the intervention. Results Unadjusted intervention effects at follow-up showed statistically significantly improved scores of knowledge (both adverse effects of OPs and self-protection from OP exposure), perceived susceptibility, and perceived barriers among Indonesian farmworkers compared with SA migrant farmworkers. Furthermore, these four significant variables in the unadjusted model and the two other variables (perceived severity and perceived benefits) were statistically significant after being adjusted for the level of education and years working as a farmworker. In contrast, knowledge about adverse effects of OPs was the only variable that was statistically significantly improved among SA migrant farmworkers. The results of this study suggests educational interventions using a method of group communication could be more effective than using individual intervention. Conclusion These improvements provide starting points to change health behavior of farmworkers, particularly to reduce OP exposure, both at the workplace and at home. PMID:26855602

A mechanism-based 3D-QSAR approach for classification and prediction of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potency of organophosphate and carbamate analogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sehan; Barron, Mace G.

2016-04-01

Organophosphate (OP) and carbamate esters can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by binding covalently to a serine residue in the enzyme active site, and their inhibitory potency depends largely on affinity for the enzyme and the reactivity of the ester. Despite this understanding, there has been no mechanism-based in silico approach for classification and prediction of the inhibitory potency of ether OPs or carbamates. This prompted us to develop a three dimensional prediction framework for OPs, carbamates, and their analogs. Inhibitory structures of a compound that can form the covalent bond were identified through analysis of docked conformations of the compound and its metabolites. Inhibitory potencies of the selected structures were then predicted using a previously developed three dimensional quantitative structure-active relationship. This approach was validated with a large number of structurally diverse OP and carbamate compounds encompassing widely used insecticides and structural analogs including OP flame retardants and thio- and dithiocarbamate pesticides. The modeling revealed that: (1) in addition to classical OP metabolic activation, the toxicity of carbamate compounds can be dependent on biotransformation, (2) OP and carbamate analogs such as OP flame retardants and thiocarbamate herbicides can act as AChEI, (3) hydrogen bonds at the oxyanion hole is critical for AChE inhibition through the covalent bond, and (4) π-π interaction with Trp86 is necessary for strong inhibition of AChE. Our combined computation approach provided detailed understanding of the mechanism of action of OP and carbamate compounds and may be useful for screening a diversity of chemical structures for AChE inhibitory potency.

Functional characterization of carboxylesterase gene mutations involved in Aphis gossypii resistance to organophosphate insecticides.

PubMed

Gong, Y-H; Ai, G-M; Li, M; Shi, X-Y; Diao, Q-Y; Gao, X-W

2017-12-01

Carboxylesterases (CarEs) play an important role in detoxifying insecticides in insects. Over-expression and structural modification of CarEs have been implicated in the development of organophosphate (OP) insecticide resistance in insects. A previous study identified four nonsynonymous mutations (resulting in four amino acid residue substitutions) in the open reading frame of the carboxylesterase gene of resistant cotton aphids compared to the omethoate susceptible strain, which has possibly influenced the development of resistance to omethoate (a systemic OP insecticide). The current study further characterized the function of these mutations, both alone and in combination, in the hydrolysis of OP insecticides. The metabolism results suggest that the combination of four mutations, mainly existing in the laboratory-selected OP-resistant cotton aphid population, increased the OP hydrolase activity (approximately twofold) at the cost of detectable carboxylesterase activity. The functional studies of single or multiple mutations suggest the positive effect of H104R, A128V and T333P on the acquisition of OP hydrolase activity, especially the combination of H104R with A128V or T333P. K484R substitution decreased both the OP hydrolase activity and the CarE activity, indicating that this mutation primarily drives the negative effect on the acquisition of OP hydrolase activity amongst these four mutations in the resistant strain. The modelling and docking results are basically consistent with the metabolic results, which strongly suggest that the structural gene modification is the molecular basis for the OP resistance in this laboratory-selected cotton aphid strain. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

A γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase-Independent Pathway of Glutathione Catabolism to Glutamate via 5-Oxoproline in Arabidopsis1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Ohkama-Ohtsu, Naoko; Oikawa, Akira; Zhao, Ping; Xiang, Chengbin; Saito, Kazuki; Oliver, David J.

2008-01-01

The degradation pathway of glutathione (GSH) in plants is not well understood. In mammals, GSH is predominantly metabolized through the γ-glutamyl cycle, where GSH is degraded by the sequential reaction of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase, and 5-oxoprolinase to yield glutamate (Glu) and dipeptides that are subject to peptidase action. In this study, we examined if GSH is degraded through the same pathway in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as occurs in mammals. In Arabidopsis, the oxoprolinase knockout mutants (oxp1-1 and oxp1-2) accumulate more 5-oxoproline (5OP) and less Glu than wild-type plants, suggesting substantial metabolite flux though 5OP and that 5OP is a major contributor to Glu steady-state levels. In the ggt1-1/ggt4-1/oxp1-1 triple mutant with no GGT activity in any organs except young siliques, the 5OP concentration in leaves was not different from that in oxp1-1, suggesting that GGTs are not major contributors to 5OP production in Arabidopsis. 5OP formation strongly tracked the level of GSH in Arabidopsis plants, suggesting that GSH is the precursor of 5OP in a GGT-independent reaction. Kinetics analysis suggests that γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase is the major source of GSH degradation and 5OP formation in Arabidopsis. This discovery led us to propose a new pathway for GSH turnover in plants where GSH is converted to 5OP and then to Glu by the combined action of γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase and 5-oxoprolinase in the cytoplasm. PMID:18768907

A gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-independent pathway of glutathione catabolism to glutamate via 5-oxoproline in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Ohkama-Ohtsu, Naoko; Oikawa, Akira; Zhao, Ping; Xiang, Chengbin; Saito, Kazuki; Oliver, David J

2008-11-01

The degradation pathway of glutathione (GSH) in plants is not well understood. In mammals, GSH is predominantly metabolized through the gamma-glutamyl cycle, where GSH is degraded by the sequential reaction of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase, and 5-oxoprolinase to yield glutamate (Glu) and dipeptides that are subject to peptidase action. In this study, we examined if GSH is degraded through the same pathway in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as occurs in mammals. In Arabidopsis, the oxoprolinase knockout mutants (oxp1-1 and oxp1-2) accumulate more 5-oxoproline (5OP) and less Glu than wild-type plants, suggesting substantial metabolite flux though 5OP and that 5OP is a major contributor to Glu steady-state levels. In the ggt1-1/ggt4-1/oxp1-1 triple mutant with no GGT activity in any organs except young siliques, the 5OP concentration in leaves was not different from that in oxp1-1, suggesting that GGTs are not major contributors to 5OP production in Arabidopsis. 5OP formation strongly tracked the level of GSH in Arabidopsis plants, suggesting that GSH is the precursor of 5OP in a GGT-independent reaction. Kinetics analysis suggests that gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase is the major source of GSH degradation and 5OP formation in Arabidopsis. This discovery led us to propose a new pathway for GSH turnover in plants where GSH is converted to 5OP and then to Glu by the combined action of gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase and 5-oxoprolinase in the cytoplasm.

Determination of organophosphate diesters in urine samples by a high-sensitivity method based on ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Su, Guanyong; Letcher, Robert J; Yu, Hongxia

2015-12-24

Organophosphate (OP) diesters in urine samples have potential use as biomarkers of organism exposure to environmentally relevant OP triester precursors and in particular OP triester flame retardants. This present study developed a quantitatively sensitive ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS) based method for urine and the determination of OP diesters (i.e. diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), di-n-butyl phosphate (DNBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (DEHP), bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), and bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP)). Fortified with the 7 OP diesters, 1mL of human urine sample was cleaned up using weak anion exchange solid phase extraction and eluted with high ionic strength ammonium acetate buffer. Subsequently, 4 non-chlorinated OP diesters were directly determined using UHPLC-electrospray(-)-triple quadrupole-MS (UHPLC-ESI(-)-QqQ-MS), and UHPLC-ESI(+)-QqQ-MS was used for determination of 3 chlorinated OP diesters after methylation using diazomethane. Recovery efficiencies of OP diesters ranged from 88 to 160% at three spiking levels (0.4, 2 and 10ng/mL urine). Matrix effects (MEs) and method limits of quantification (MLOQs) were 15-134% and 0.10-0.32ng/mL urine, respectively. Concentrations of OP diesters in n=12 urine samples (from 4 Canadian residents, 2014) varied as follows, nd-<0.28 (DNBP), nd-1.29 (DPHP), nd-<0.28 (DEHP), <0.16-12.33 (BCEP), nd-1.17 (BCDIPP) and nd-0.68ng/mL (BCIPP). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Real-Time Implementation of a Speech Digitization Algorithm Combining Time-Domain Harmonic Scaling and Adaptive Residual Coding. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

V4.0 MODULE PAGE 6 LOC OBJ LINE SOURCE STATEMENT 0 0178 30 275 Sim () 0179 F3 276 DI 277 ; 017A C38700 278 JP PXNXT 279 ; 0000 280 END RSTOO I6 j 6 B.3...003E XOR ACCB,IDB 0089 003F LD! ITR,000H 0090 0040 SPOS: LDI eg,-6 0091 0041 OP NOV @K,A 0092 0042 OP SUB ACCA ,IDD 0092 0042 NOV £NONRO 0092 0042...004B NOv NON,RP / 0102 004C OP XCHG ACCA 1$ STEP BITS .1 0102 004C NOV @RPv 0103 004D OP ADD ACCAIDB 0103 004D NOV @NONtRO ; le ADD CORD *1 0104 004E OP

Joint Transmit Antenna Selection and Power Allocation for ISDF Relaying Mobile-to-Mobile Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Lingwei; Zhang, Hao; Gulliver, T. Aaron

2016-01-01

The outage probability (OP) performance of multiple-relay incremental-selective decode-and-forward (ISDF) relaying mobile-to-mobile (M2M) sensor networks with transmit antenna selection (TAS) over N-Nakagami fading channels is investigated. Exact closed-form OP expressions for both optimal and suboptimal TAS schemes are derived. The power allocation problem is formulated to determine the optimal division of transmit power between the broadcast and relay phases. The OP performance under different conditions is evaluated via numerical simulation to verify the analysis. These results show that the optimal TAS scheme has better OP performance than the suboptimal scheme. Further, the power allocation parameter has a significant influence on the OP performance. PMID:26907282

Use of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer to calibrate the optical sensor on board the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Robert O.; Conel, James E.; Vandenbosch, Jeannette; Shimada, Masanobu

1993-01-01

We describe an experiment to calibrate the optical sensor (OPS) on board the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 with data acquired by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). On 27 Aug. 1992 both the OPS and AVIRIS acquired data concurrently over a calibration target on the surface of Rogers Dry Lake, California. The high spectral resolution measurements of AVIRIS have been convolved to the spectral response curves of the OPS. These data in conjunction with the corresponding OPS digitized numbers have been used to generate the radiometric calibration coefficients for the eight OPS bands. This experiment establishes the suitability of AVIRIS for the calibration of spaceborne sensors in the 400 to 2500 nm spectral region.

76 FR 77392 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-13

... to protect CO-OP members against insurance industry involvement and interference. To ensure consumer... Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program... the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program, which provides loans to foster the creation...

A Mechanism-based 3D-QSAR Approach for Classification ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Organophosphate (OP) and carbamate esters can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by binding covalently to a serine residue in the enzyme active site, and their inhibitory potency depends largely on affinity for the enzyme and the reactivity of the ester. Despite this understanding, there has been no mechanism-based in silico approach for classification and prediction of the inhibitory potency of ether OPs or carbamates. This prompted us to develop a three dimensional prediction framework for OPs, carbamates, and their analogs. Inhibitory structures of a compound that can form the covalent bond were identified through analysis of docked conformations of the compound and its metabolites. Inhibitory potencies of the selected structures were then predicted using a previously developed three dimensional quantitative structure-active relationship. This approach was validated with a large number of structurally diverse OP and carbamate compounds encompassing widely used insecticides and structural analogs including OP flame retardants and thio- and dithiocarbamate pesticides. The modeling revealed that: (1) in addition to classical OP metabolic activation, the toxicity of carbamate compounds can be dependent on biotransformation, (2) OP and carbamate analogs such as OP flame retardants and thiocarbamate herbicides can act as AChEI, (3) hydrogen bonds at the oxyanion hole is critical for AChE inhibition through the covalent bond, and (4) π–π interaction with Trp86

Biomarkers of Sensitivity and Exposure in Washington State Pesticide Handlers

PubMed Central

Keifer, M.C.; Checkoway, H.; De Roos, A.J.; Farin, F.M.; Fenske, R.A.; Richter, R.J.; van Belle, G.; Furlong, C.E.

2011-01-01

Organophosphate (OP) and N-methyl-carbamate (CB) insecticides are widely used in agriculture in the US and abroad. These compounds – which inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activity – continue to be responsible for a high proportion of pesticide poisonings among US agricultural workers. It is possible that some individuals may be especially susceptible to health effects related to OP/CB exposure. The paraoxonase (PON1) enzyme metabolizes the highly toxic oxon forms of some OPs, and an individual's PON1 status may be an important determinant of his or her sensitivity to these chemicals. This chapter discusses methods used to characterize individual PON1 status and reviews previous epidemiologic studies that have evaluated PON1-related sensitivity to OPs in relation to various health endpoints. It also describes an ongoing longitudinal study among OP-exposed agricultural pesticide handlers who are participating in a recently implemented cholinesterase monitoring program in Washington State. This study will evaluate handlers' PON1 status as a hypothesized determinant of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition. Such studies will be useful to determine how regulatory risk assessments might account for differences in PON1-related OP sensitivity when characterizing inter-individual variability in risk related to OP exposure. Recent work assessing newer and more sensitive biomarkers of OP exposure is also discussed briefly in this chapter. PMID:20221867

Postfledging survival of European starlings exposed as nestlings to an organophosphorus insecticide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stromborg, K.L.; Grue, C.E.; Nichols, J.D.; Hepp, G.R.; Hines, J.E.; Bourne, H.C.

1988-01-01

To test the hypothesis that exposure to organophosphorus (OP) insecticides reduces postfledging survival of altricial birds, 16-d-old European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were weighed and orally dosed with corn oil containing 6.0 mg of dicrotophos per kilogram of body mass or an equivalent exposure of pure corn oil (controls). Two days later, each survivor was weighed again and patagially tagged for identification after fledging. Resightings of marked fledglings were made during weekly 2-d intensive observations yielding four estimates of postfledging survival. Before fledging, only OP-dosed birds died (18.5%), and OP-dosed survivors lost more mass (5.2%, P = .001) than controls (1.4%) but their masses on day 18 were only slightly lower (2% of control mean, P = .10). Brain cholinesterase activity, a sensitive indicator of OP exposure in birds, was depressed and average of 93% in OP-dosed nestlings that died compared to controls, and an average of 46% in OP-dosed nestlings alive on day 18. Age at fledging, postfledging survival, flocking behavior, and habitat use, however, did not differ between OP-dosed and control birds. The effects of the OP on the nestlings appeared to be rapid, to be reversible in survivors, and did not extend into the postfledging period. In addition, we found no relationship between body mass at fledging and postfledging survival.

The Association Between Ambient Exposure to Organophosphates and Parkinson’s Disease Risk

PubMed Central

Wang, Anthony; Cockburn, Myles; Ly, Thomas T.; Bronstein, Jeff; Ritz, Beate

2014-01-01

Objectives There is a general consensus that pesticides are involved in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD), although associations between specific pesticides and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease have not been well studied. This study examines the risk of developing PD associated with specific organophosphate pesticides and their mechanisms of toxicity. Methods This case-control study uses a geographic information system (GIS)-based exposure assessment tool to estimate ambient exposure to 36 commonly used organophosphates (OPs) from 1974-1999. All selected OPs were analyzed individually and also in groups formed according to their presumed mechanisms of toxicity. Results The study included 357 incident PD cases and 752 population controls living in the Central Valley of California. Ambient exposure to each OP evaluated separately increased the risk of developing PD. However, most participants were exposed to combinations of OPs rather than a single pesticide. Risk estimates for OPs grouped according to different presumed functionalities and toxicities were similar and did not allow us to distinguish between them. However, we observed exposure-response patterns with exposure to an increasing number of OPs. Conclusions This study adds strong evidence that OPs are implicated in the etiology of idiopathic PD. However, studies of OPs at low doses reflective of real-world ambient exposure are needed to determine the mechanisms of neurotoxicity. PMID:24436061

Characterization of biodegradation intermediates of nonionic surfactants by MALDI-MS. 2. Oxidative biodegradation profiles of uniform octylphenol polyethoxylate in 18O-labeled water.

PubMed

Sato, Hiroaki; Shibata, Atsushi; Wang, Yang; Yoshikawa, Hiromichi; Tamura, Hiroto

2003-01-01

This paper reports the characterization of the biodegradation intermediates of octylphenol octaethoxylate (OP(8)EO) by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The biodegradation test study was carried out in a pure culture (Pseudomonas putida S-5) under aerobic conditions using OP(8)EO as the sole carbon source and (18)O-labeled water as an incubation medium. In the MALDI-MS spectra of biodegraded samples, a series of OP(n)EO molecules with n = 2-8 EO units and their corresponding carboxylic acid products (OP(n)EC) were observed. The use of purified OP(8)EO enabled one to distinguish the shortened OPEO molecules as biodegradation intermediates. Furthermore, the formation of OP(8)EC (the oxidized product of OP(8)EO) supported the notion that terminal oxidation is a step in the biodegradation process. When biodegradation study was carried out in (18)O-labeled water, incorporation of (18)O atoms into the carboxyl group was observed for OPEC, while no incorporation was observed for the shortened OPEO products. These results could provide some rationale to the biodegradation mechanism of alkylphenol polyethoxylates.

Neurotoxicity in Preclinical Models of Occupational Exposure to Organophosphorus Compounds.

PubMed

Voorhees, Jaymie R; Rohlman, Diane S; Lein, Pamela J; Pieper, Andrew A

2016-01-01

Organophosphorus (OPs) compounds are widely used as insecticides, plasticizers, and fuel additives. These compounds potently inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine at neuronal synapses, and acute exposure to high OP levels can cause cholinergic crisis in humans and animals. Evidence further suggests that repeated exposure to lower OP levels insufficient to cause cholinergic crisis, frequently encountered in the occupational setting, also pose serious risks to people. For example, multiple epidemiological studies have identified associations between occupational OP exposure and neurodegenerative disease, psychiatric illness, and sensorimotor deficits. Rigorous scientific investigation of the basic science mechanisms underlying these epidemiological findings requires valid preclinical models in which tightly-regulated exposure paradigms can be correlated with neurotoxicity. Here, we review the experimental models of occupational OP exposure currently used in the field. We found that animal studies simulating occupational OP exposures do indeed show evidence of neurotoxicity, and that utilization of these models is helping illuminate the mechanisms underlying OP-induced neurological sequelae. Still, further work is necessary to evaluate exposure levels, protection methods, and treatment strategies, which taken together could serve to modify guidelines for improving workplace conditions globally.

Mixtures of Olive Pomace with Different Nitrogen Sources for the Control of Meloidogyne spp. on Tomato