SU-E-I-55: The Contribution to Skin Dose Due to Scatter From the Patient Table and the Head Holder During Fluoroscopy

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

Islam, N; Xiong, Z; Vijayan, S

2015-06-15

Purpose: To determine contributions to skin dose due to scatter from the table and head holder used during fluoroscopy, and also to explore alternative design material to reduce the scatter dose. Methods: Measurements were made of the primary and scatter components of the xray beam exiting the patient table and a cylindrical head holder used on a Toshiba Infinix c-arm unit as a function of kVp for the various beam filters on the machine and for various field sizes. The primary component of the beam was measured in air with the object placed close to the x-ray tube with anmore » air gap between it and a 6 cc parallel-plate ionization chamber and with the beam collimated to a size just larger than the chamber. The primary plus scatter radiation components were measured with the object moved to a position in the beam next to the chamber for larger field sizes. Both sets of measurements were preformed while keeping the source-to-chamber distance fixed. The scatter fraction was estimated by taking the ratio of the difference between the two measurements and the reading that included both primary and scatter. Similar measurements were also made for a 2.3 cm thick Styrofoam block which could substitute for the patient support. Results: The measured scatter fractions indicate that the patient table as well as the head holder contributes an additional 10–16% to the patient entrance dose depending on field size. Forward scatter was reduced with the Styrofoam block so that the scatter fraction was about 4–5%. Conclusion: The results of this investigation demonstrated that scatter from the table and head holder used in clinical fluoroscopy contribute substantially to the skin dose. The lower contribution of scatter from Styrofoam suggests that there is an opportunity to redesign patient support accessories to reduce the skin dose. Partial support from NIH grant R01EB002873 and Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation Equipment Grant.« less

Additive Genetic Effects on Circulating Periostin Contribute to the Heritability of Bone Microstructure.

PubMed

Bonnet, N; Biver, E; Durosier, C; Chevalley, T; Rizzoli, R; Ferrari, S

2015-07-01

Genetic factors account for 60-80% of the areal bone mineral density (aBMD) variance, whereas the heritability of bone microstructure is not clearly established. aBMD and microstructure are under the control of osteocytes, which regulate bone formation through the expression of molecules such as sclerostin (SOST) and periostin (POSTN). We hypothesized that additive genetic effects contribute to serum levels of SOST and POSTN and thereby to the individual variance of bone microstructure. In a retrospective analysis of 432 subjects from the Geneva Retiree Cohort age 64.9 ± 1.4 years and 96 of their offspring age 37.9 ± 5.7 years, we measured serum SOST (sSOST) and serum POSTN (sPOSTN), distal radius and tibia microstructure, hip and lumbar spine aBMD, and bone turnover markers, Heritability (h(2), %) was calculated as twice the slope of the regression (β) between parents and offspring. cPOSTN levels were significantly higher in men than women and in offspring than parents. h(2) values for bone microstructural traits ranged from 22-64% depending on the envelope (trabecular [Tb] or cortical [Ct]) and skeletal site (radius or tibia), whereas h(2) for sPOSTN and sSOST was 50% and 40%, respectively. sPOSTN was positively associated with Tb bone volume on total volume and Ct thickness, and negatively with Ct porosity. The associations for Ct parameters remain significant after adjustment for propetide of type-I procollagen, cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen, femoral neck aBMD, sex or age. After adjustment of bone traits for sPOSTN, h(2) values decreased for several Tb and Ct bone parameters, but not for aBMD. In contrast, adjusting for sSOST did not alter h(2) values for bone traits. Additive genetic effects account for a substantial proportion of the individual variance of bone microstructure, sPOSTN, and sSOST. sPOSTN is largely inherited as a sex-related trait and carries an important contribution to the heritability of bone microstructure, indicating that

Additive genetic contribution to symptom dimensions in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Pearson, Rahel; Palmer, Rohan H C; Brick, Leslie A; McGeary, John E; Knopik, Valerie S; Beevers, Christopher G

2016-05-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a phenotypically heterogeneous disorder with a complex genetic architecture. In this study, genomic-relatedness-matrix restricted maximum-likelihood analysis (GREML) was used to investigate the extent to which variance in depression symptoms/symptom dimensions can be explained by variation in common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a sample of individuals with MDD (N = 1,558) who participated in the National Institute of Mental Health Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study. A principal components analysis of items from the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) obtained prior to treatment revealed 4 depression symptom components: (a) appetite, (b) core depression symptoms (e.g., depressed mood, anhedonia), (c) insomnia, and (d) anxiety. These symptom dimensions were associated with SNP-based heritability (hSNP2) estimates of 30%, 14%, 30%, and 5%, respectively. Results indicated that the genetic contribution of common SNPs to depression symptom dimensions were not uniform. Appetite and insomnia symptoms in MDD had a relatively strong genetic contribution whereas the genetic contribution was relatively small for core depression and anxiety symptoms. While in need of replication, these results suggest that future gene discovery efforts may strongly benefit from parsing depression into its constituent parts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

[Correction of schoolchildren's diets with biologically active additives].

PubMed

Diudiakov, A A; Rakhmanov, R S; Korotunov, Iu V; Gruzdeva, A E

2002-01-01

The actual nutrition of schoolchildren in the Nizni-Novgorod district is imbalanced due to the deficiency of protein and vitamins and to the high contents of fats and carbohydrates. The authors provide evidence for a combined preparation to correct the children's diets, which incorporates animal protein, biologically active plant additives, and egg-shell calcium. The use of the preparation in combination with liquid bifidumbacterin contributes to increases in morphofunctional parameters in adolescents.

Additional Term in the Webb-Pearman-Leuning Correction due to Surface Heating From an Open-Path Gas Analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burba, G. G.; Anderson, D. J.; Xu, L.; McDermitt, D. K.

2006-12-01

One laboratory and two field experiments were conducted between September 2005 and September 2006 to investigate the impact of an added heat flux in the sample path of the LI-7500 CO2/H2O gas analyzer caused by the difference in temperatures between the ambient air and the surface of the instrument. Contribution of heat dissipated from the internal instrument electronics toward the instrument surface was substantial, especially in cold conditions. In the environmental chamber, surface heating ranged from about 0 °C above ambient, at air temperatures above +40 °C, to about 7 °C, at an air temperature of -25 °C. In the field, daytime temperature differences were overall smaller than in the chamber due to convective cooling by the wind and some long-wave cooling, despite the added sunlight contribution. However, considerable temperature gradients (up to 2 °C per 1mm) were still observed over the lower window of the LI-7500, suggesting strong sensible heat fluxes above the instrument surface. The nighttime situation was different due to strong long-wave cooling of some parts of the instrument, partially (and sometimes, fully) offsetting effects of the electronics heating in the other parts. The concept of an added heat flux term in the Web-Pearman-Leuning correction is revisited, and effect of the instrument surface heating on the CO2 flux measurements is examined. The proposed concept is presented in detail, along with resulted corrections to the originally computed flux. Field data are examined separately for daytime and nighttime cases, and on hourly and seasonal time scales. Significant reduction in the apparent CO2 uptake during off-season periods was observed as a result of applying correction due to the added heat, while fluxes during the growing season have not been noticeably affected. The correction also resulted in the elimination of most of the wrong signs from the off-season open- path CO2 fluxes, in considerable reduction in variability of the data

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

PubMed

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

2015-02-01

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

Repaglinide-gemfibrozil drug interaction: inhibition of repaglinide glucuronidation as a potential additional contributing mechanism

PubMed Central

Gan, Jinping; Chen, Weiqi; Shen, Hong; Gao, Ling; Hong, Yang; Tian, Yuan; Li, Wenying; Zhang, Yueping; Tang, Yuwei; Zhang, Hongjian; Humphreys, William Griffith; Rodrigues, A David

2010-01-01

AIM To further explore the mechanism underlying the interaction between repaglinide and gemfibrozil, alone or in combination with itraconazole. METHODS Repaglinide metabolism was assessed in vitro (human liver subcellular fractions, fresh human hepatocytes, and recombinant enzymes) and the resulting incubates were analyzed, by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and radioactivity counting, to identify and quantify the different metabolites therein. Chemical inhibitors, in addition to a trapping agent, were also employed to elucidate the importance of each metabolic pathway. Finally, a panel of human liver microsomes (genotyped for UGT1A1*28 allele status) was used to determine the importance of UGT1A1 in the direct glucuronidation of repaglinide. RESULTS The results of the present study demonstrate that repaglinide can undergo direct glucuronidation, a pathway that can possibly contribute to the interaction with gemfibrozil. For example, [3H]-repaglinide formed glucuronide and oxidative metabolites (M2 and M4) when incubated with primary human hepatocytes. Gemfibrozil effectively inhibited (∼78%) both glucuronide and M4 formation, but had a minor effect on M2 formation. Concomitantly, the overall turnover of repaglinide was also inhibited (∼80%), and was completely abolished when gemfibrozil was co-incubated with itraconazole. These observations are in qualitative agreement with the in vivo findings. UGT1A1 plays a significant role in the glucuronidation of repaglinide. In addition, gemfibrozil and its glucuronide inhibit repaglinide glucuronidation and the inhibition by gemfibrozil glucuronide is time-dependent. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of UGT enzymes, especially UGT1A1, by gemfibrozil and its glucuronide is an additional mechanism to consider when rationalizing the interaction between repaglinide and gemfibrozil. PMID:21175442

Repaglinide-gemfibrozil drug interaction: inhibition of repaglinide glucuronidation as a potential additional contributing mechanism.

PubMed

Gan, Jinping; Chen, Weiqi; Shen, Hong; Gao, Ling; Hong, Yang; Tian, Yuan; Li, Wenying; Zhang, Yueping; Tang, Yuwei; Zhang, Hongjian; Humphreys, William Griffith; Rodrigues, A David

2010-12-01

To further explore the mechanism underlying the interaction between repaglinide and gemfibrozil, alone or in combination with itraconazole. Repaglinide metabolism was assessed in vitro (human liver subcellular fractions, fresh human hepatocytes, and recombinant enzymes) and the resulting incubates were analyzed, by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and radioactivity counting, to identify and quantify the different metabolites therein. Chemical inhibitors, in addition to a trapping agent, were also employed to elucidate the importance of each metabolic pathway. Finally, a panel of human liver microsomes (genotyped for UGT1A1*28 allele status) was used to determine the importance of UGT1A1 in the direct glucuronidation of repaglinide. The results of the present study demonstrate that repaglinide can undergo direct glucuronidation, a pathway that can possibly contribute to the interaction with gemfibrozil. For example, [³H]-repaglinide formed glucuronide and oxidative metabolites (M2 and M4) when incubated with primary human hepatocytes. Gemfibrozil effectively inhibited (∼78%) both glucuronide and M4 formation, but had a minor effect on M2 formation. Concomitantly, the overall turnover of repaglinide was also inhibited (∼80%), and was completely abolished when gemfibrozil was co-incubated with itraconazole. These observations are in qualitative agreement with the in vivo findings. UGT1A1 plays a significant role in the glucuronidation of repaglinide. In addition, gemfibrozil and its glucuronide inhibit repaglinide glucuronidation and the inhibition by gemfibrozil glucuronide is time-dependent. Inhibition of UGT enzymes, especially UGT1A1, by gemfibrozil and its glucuronide is an additional mechanism to consider when rationalizing the interaction between repaglinide and gemfibrozil. © 2010 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2010 The British Pharmacological Society.

Additives for cement compositions based on modified peat

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

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

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

The Additional Contribution of White Matter Hyperintensity Location to Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment: Insights From a Multiple-Lesion Symptom Mapping Study.

PubMed

Zhao, Lei; Wong, Adrian; Luo, Yishan; Liu, Wenyan; Chu, Winnie W C; Abrigo, Jill M; Lee, Ryan K L; Mok, Vincent; Shi, Lin

2018-01-01

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in acute ischemic stroke patients. Although WMH volume has been reported to influence post-stroke cognition, it is still not clear whether WMH location, independent of acute ischemic lesion (AIL) volume and location, contributes to cognitive impairment after stroke. Here, we proposed a multiple-lesion symptom mapping model that considers both the presence of WMH and AIL to measure the additional contribution of WMH locations to post-stroke cognitive impairment. Seventy-six first-ever stroke patients with AILs in the left hemisphere were examined by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline and 1 year after stroke. The association between the location of AIL and WMH and global cognition was investigated by a multiple-lesion symptom mapping (MLSM) model based on support vector regression (SVR). To explore the relative merits of MLSM over the existing lesion-symptom mapping approaches with only AIL considered (mass-univariate VLSM and SVR-LSM), we measured the contribution of the significant AIL and/or WMH clusters from these models to post-stroke cognitive impairment. In addition, we compared the significant WMH locations identified by the optimal SVR-MLSM model for cognitive impairment at baseline and 1 year post stroke. The identified strategic locations of WMH significantly contributed to the prediction of MoCA at baseline (short-term) and 1 year (long-term) after stroke independent of the strategic locations of AIL. The significant clusters of WMH for short-term and long-term post-stroke cognitive impairment were mainly in the corpus callosum, corona radiata, and posterior thalamic radiation. We noted that in some regions, the AIL clusters that were significant for short-term outcome were no longer significant for long-term outcome, and interestingly more WMH clusters in these regions became significant for long-term outcome compared to short-term outcome. This indicated that there are some regions where local

Centuries of thermal sea-level rise due to anthropogenic emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases

PubMed Central

Zickfeld, Kirsten

2017-01-01

Mitigation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases with short lifetimes (order of a year to decades) can contribute to limiting warming, but less attention has been paid to their impacts on longer-term sea-level rise. We show that short-lived greenhouse gases contribute to sea-level rise through thermal expansion (TSLR) over much longer time scales than their atmospheric lifetimes. For example, at least half of the TSLR due to increases in methane is expected to remain present for more than 200 y, even if anthropogenic emissions cease altogether, despite the 10-y atmospheric lifetime of this gas. Chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have already been phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to concerns about ozone depletion and provide an illustration of how emission reductions avoid multiple centuries of future TSLR. We examine the “world avoided” by the Montreal Protocol by showing that if these gases had instead been eliminated in 2050, additional TSLR of up to about 14 cm would be expected in the 21st century, with continuing contributions lasting more than 500 y. Emissions of the hydrofluorocarbon substitutes in the next half-century would also contribute to centuries of future TSLR. Consideration of the time scales of reversibility of TSLR due to short-lived substances provides insights into physical processes: sea-level rise is often assumed to follow air temperature, but this assumption holds only for TSLR when temperatures are increasing. We present a more complete formulation that is accurate even when atmospheric temperatures are stable or decreasing due to reductions in short-lived gases or net radiative forcing. PMID:28069937

Centuries of thermal sea-level rise due to anthropogenic emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Zickfeld, Kirsten; Solomon, Susan; Gilford, Daniel M

2017-01-24

Mitigation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases with short lifetimes (order of a year to decades) can contribute to limiting warming, but less attention has been paid to their impacts on longer-term sea-level rise. We show that short-lived greenhouse gases contribute to sea-level rise through thermal expansion (TSLR) over much longer time scales than their atmospheric lifetimes. For example, at least half of the TSLR due to increases in methane is expected to remain present for more than 200 y, even if anthropogenic emissions cease altogether, despite the 10-y atmospheric lifetime of this gas. Chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have already been phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to concerns about ozone depletion and provide an illustration of how emission reductions avoid multiple centuries of future TSLR. We examine the "world avoided" by the Montreal Protocol by showing that if these gases had instead been eliminated in 2050, additional TSLR of up to about 14 cm would be expected in the 21st century, with continuing contributions lasting more than 500 y. Emissions of the hydrofluorocarbon substitutes in the next half-century would also contribute to centuries of future TSLR. Consideration of the time scales of reversibility of TSLR due to short-lived substances provides insights into physical processes: sea-level rise is often assumed to follow air temperature, but this assumption holds only for TSLR when temperatures are increasing. We present a more complete formulation that is accurate even when atmospheric temperatures are stable or decreasing due to reductions in short-lived gases or net radiative forcing.

45 CFR 1627.5 - Contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contributions. 1627.5 Section 1627.5 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION SUBGRANTS AND MEMBERSHIP FEES OR DUES § 1627.5 Contributions. Any contributions or gifts of Corporation funds to another organization or to an individual are prohibited...

Up-regulation of Thrombospondin-2 in Akt1-null Mice Contributes to Compromised Tissue Repair Due to Abnormalities in Fibroblast Function*

PubMed Central

Bancroft, Tara; Bouaouina, Mohamed; Roberts, Sophia; Lee, Monica; Calderwood, David A.; Schwartz, Martin; Simons, Michael; Sessa, William C.; Kyriakides, Themis R.

2015-01-01

Vascular remodeling is essential for tissue repair and is regulated by multiple factors, including thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) and hypoxia/VEGF-induced activation of Akt. In contrast to TSP2 knock-out (KO) mice, Akt1 KO mice have elevated TSP2 expression and delayed tissue repair. To investigate the contribution of increased TSP2 to Akt1 KO mice phenotypes, we generated Akt1/TSP2 double KO (DKO) mice. Full-thickness excisional wounds in DKO mice healed at an accelerated rate when compared with Akt1 KO mice. Isolated dermal Akt1 KO fibroblasts expressed increased TSP2 and displayed altered morphology and defects in migration and adhesion. These defects were rescued in DKO fibroblasts or after TSP2 knockdown. Conversely, the addition of exogenous TSP2 to WT cells induced cell morphology and migration rates that were similar to those of Akt1 KO cells. Akt1 KO fibroblasts displayed reduced adhesion to fibronectin with manganese stimulation when compared with WT and DKO cells, revealing an Akt1-dependent role for TSP2 in regulating integrin-mediated adhesions; however, this effect was not due to changes in β1 integrin surface expression or activation. Consistent with these results, Akt1 KO fibroblasts displayed reduced Rac1 activation that was dependent upon expression of TSP2 and could be rescued by a constitutively active Rac mutant. Our observations show that repression of TSP2 expression is a critical aspect of Akt1 function in tissue repair. PMID:25389299

Acoustic-optic spectrometer. 1: Noise contributions and system consideration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, G.

1984-01-01

An acousto-optic spectrometer (AOS) used as an IF spectrometer to a heterodyne receiver is modeled as a total power multi-channel integrating receiver. Systematic noise contributions common to all total power, time integrating receivers, as well as noise terms unique to the use of optical elements and photo-detectors in an AOS are identified and discussed. In addition, degradation of signal-to-noise ratio of an unbalanced Dicke receiver compared to a balanced Dicke receiver is found to be due to gain calibration processing and is not an instrumental effect.

26 CFR 31.6001-2 - Additional records under Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other... name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security... number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security...

26 CFR 31.6001-2 - Additional records under Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other... name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security... number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security...

26 CFR 31.6001-2 - Additional records under Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other... name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security... number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security...

26 CFR 31.6001-2 - Additional records under Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other... name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security... number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security...

26 CFR 31.6001-2 - Additional records under Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other... name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security... number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security...

Experimental investigations of the hydrogen addition effects on diesel engine performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirica, I.; Pana, C.; Negurescu, N.; Cernat, A.; Nutu, C.

2016-08-01

In the global content regarding the impact on the environmental of the gases emissions resulted from the fossil fuels combustion, an interest aspect discussed on the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties from the 2015 Paris Climate Conference and the gradual diminution of the worldwide oil reserves contribute to the necessity of searching of alternative energy from durable and renewable resources. At the use of hydrogen as addition in air to diesel engine, the level of CO, HC and smoke from the exhaust gases will decrease due to the improvement of the combustion process. At low and medium partial loads and low hydrogen energetic ratios used the NOX emission level can decrease comparative to classic diesel engine. The hydrogen use as fuel for diesel engine leads to the improving of the energetic and emissions performance of the engine due to combustion improvement and reduction of carbon content. The paper presents, in a comparative way, results of the experimental researches carried on a truck compression ignition engine fuelled with diesel fuel and with hydrogen diesel fuel and hydrogen as addition in air at different engine operation regimes. The results obtained during experimental investigations show better energetic and pollution performance of the engine fuelled with hydrogen as addition in air comparative to classic engine. The influences of hydrogen addition on engine operation are shown.

7 CFR 983.72 - Contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO Expenses and Assessments § 983.72 Contributions. The committee may accept... support of research under § 983.46. Furthermore, research contributions shall be free of additional...

Structuring in Cement Systems with Introduction of Graphene Nano-Additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanturina, R. A.; Trofimov, B. Ya; Ahmedjanov, R. M.

2017-11-01

At present, one of the most promising areas in the field of concrete research is the study of the effect of nano-additives for the production of highly effective concretes. Many authors have already obtained primary results which testify to the very effective role of nanoadditives based on carbon in modifying concrete. In this paper, the influence of a nano-additive of graphene on the phase composition and microstructure of the cement stone was studied. It has been found that, when a nano-additive of graphene is introduced, low-basic calcium hydrosilicates are mainly formed. This leads to an increase in the compressive strength of concrete. The results of the study of the microstructure of cement stone with nano-additive graphene showed that the high compressive strength of concrete modified with nano-additive graphene is explained by the cement stone dense structure. Thus, it was found that the nanoadditive of graphene contributes to the formation of a dense structure of cement stone, composed mainly of low-basic calcium hydrosilicates, and due to this, the physical and mechanical characteristics of concrete and its resistance to frost and other forms of aggression.

Long-term nitrogen addition leads to loss of species richness due to litter accumulation and soil acidification in a temperate steppe.

PubMed

Fang, Ying; Xun, Fen; Bai, Wenming; Zhang, Wenhao; Li, Linghao

2012-01-01

Although community structure and species richness are known to respond to nitrogen fertilization dramatically, little is known about the mechanisms underlying specific species replacement and richness loss. In an experiment in semiarid temperate steppe of China, manipulative N addition with five treatments was conducted to evaluate the effect of N addition on the community structure and species richness. Species richness and biomass of community in each plot were investigated in a randomly selected quadrat. Root element, available and total phosphorus (AP, TP) in rhizospheric soil, and soil moisture, pH, AP, TP and inorganic N in the soil were measured. The relationship between species richness and the measured factors was analyzed using bivariate correlations and stepwise multiple linear regressions. The two dominant species, a shrub Artemisia frigida and a grass Stipa krylovii, responded differently to N addition such that the former was gradually replaced by the latter. S. krylovii and A. frigida had highly-branched fibrous and un-branched tap root systems, respectively. S. krylovii had higher height than A. frigida in both control and N added plots. These differences may contribute to the observed species replacement. In addition, the analysis on root element and AP contents in rhizospheric soil suggests that different calcium acquisition strategies, and phosphorus and sodium responses of the two species may account for the replacement. Species richness was significantly reduced along the five N addition levels. Our results revealed a significant relationship between species richness and soil pH, litter amount, soil moisture, AP concentration and inorganic N concentration. Our results indicate that litter accumulation and soil acidification accounted for 52.3% and 43.3% of the variation in species richness, respectively. These findings would advance our knowledge on the changes in species richness in semiarid temperate steppe of northern China under N

[Mortality due to traffic injuries and its impact on life expectancy: a comparison between Mexico and Spain].

PubMed

González-Pérez, Guillermo Julián; Vega-López, María Guadalupe; Cabrera-Pivaral, Carlos Enrique

2015-09-01

To determine the impact of mortality due to motor vehicle traffic injuries (MVTI) compared with other causes of death on life expectancy in Mexico and Spain during the three-year periods 2000-2002 and 2010-2012 and the weight of the different age groups in years of life expectancy lost (YLEL) due to this cause. Based on official death and population data, abridged life tables in Mexico and Spain were constructed for the three-year periods studied. Temporary life expectancy and YLEL for persons aged 15 to 75 years were calculated by selected causes (MVTI, diabetes mellitus, malignant neoplasms and ischemic heart diseases) and age groups in each three-year period. In Spain, YLEL decreased in both sexes from all the causes studied, especially MVTI; this reduction was greater in the younger ages. In addition, temporary life expectancy increased. In Mexico, YLEL due to MVTI increased in men, mainly in young people, and remained unchanged among women. Temporary life expectancy declined in men but increased slightly among women. The reduction in YLEL due to MVTI in Spain has contributed to increased life expectancy. By contrast, the increase in YLEL due to MVTI among Mexican men has contributed to the decline in male life expectancy. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Proteomic contributions to our understanding of vaccine and immune responses

PubMed Central

Galassie, Allison C.; Link, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Vaccines are one of the greatest public health successes; yet, due to the empirical nature of vaccine design, we have an incomplete understanding of how the genes and proteins induced by vaccines contribute to the development of both protective innate and adaptive immune responses. While the advent of genomics has enabled new vaccine development and facilitated understanding of the immune response, proteomics identifies potentially new vaccine antigens with increasing speed and sensitivity. In addition, as proteomics is complementary to transcriptomic approaches, a combination of both approaches provides a more comprehensive view of the immune response after vaccination via systems vaccinology. This review details the advances that proteomic strategies have made in vaccine development and reviews how proteomics contributes to the development of a more complete understanding of human vaccines and immune responses. PMID:26172619

Finite-nuclear-size contribution to the g factor of a bound electron: Higher-order effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karshenboim, Savely G.; Ivanov, Vladimir G.

2018-02-01

A precision comparison of theory and experiments on the g factor of an electron bound in a hydrogenlike ion with a spinless nucleus requires a detailed account of finite-nuclear-size contributions. While the relativistic corrections to the leading finite-size contribution are known, the higher-order effects need an additional consideration. Two results are presented in the paper. One is on the anomalous-magnetic-moment correction to the finite-size effects and the other is due to higher-order effects in Z α m RN . We also present here a method to relate the contributions to the g factor of a bound electron in a hydrogenlike atom to its energy within a nonrelativistic approach.

Uncertainty contribution on the density of liquids due to unknown sinker temperature in hydrostatic weighing apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiebl, M.; Zelenka, Z.; Buchner, C.; Pohl, R.; Steindl, D.

2018-02-01

In this study, the influence of the unknown sinker temperature on the measured density of liquids is evaluated. Generally, due to the intrinsic temperature instability of the heat bath temperature controller, the system will never reach thermal equilibrium but instead will oscillate around a mean temperature. The sinker temperature follows this temperature oscillation with a certain time lag. Since the sinker temperature is not measured directly in a hydrostatic weighing apparatus, the temperature of the sinker, and thus in turn the volume of the sinker, is not known exactly. As a consequence, this leads to uncertainty in the value of the density of the liquid. From an analysis of the volume relaxation of the sinker immersed into a heat bath with time-dependent temperature characteristics, the heat transfer coefficient can be estimated, and thus a characteristic time constant for achieving quasi thermal equilibrium for a hydrostatic weighing apparatus is proposed. Additionally, from a theoretical analysis of the transient behavior of the sinker volume, the systematic deviation of the theoretical to the actual measured liquid density is calculated.

Defining the Diverse Cell Populations Contributing to Lignification in Arabidopsis Stems.

PubMed

Smith, Rebecca A; Schuetz, Mathias; Karlen, Steven D; Bird, David; Tokunaga, Naohito; Sato, Yasushi; Mansfield, Shawn D; Ralph, John; Samuels, A Lacey

2017-06-01

Many land plants evolved tall and sturdy growth habits due to specialized cells with thick lignified cell walls: tracheary elements that function in water transport and fibers that function in structural support. The objective of this study was to define how and when diverse cell populations contribute lignin precursors, monolignols, to secondary cell walls during lignification of the Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) inflorescence stem. Previous work demonstrated that, when lignin biosynthesis is suppressed in fiber and tracheary element cells with thickened walls, fibers become lignin-depleted while vascular bundles still lignify, suggesting that nonlignifying neighboring xylem cells are contributing to lignification. In this work, we dissect the contributions of different cell types, specifically xylary parenchyma and fiber cells, to lignification of the stem using cell-type-specific promoters to either knock down an essential monolignol biosynthetic gene or to introduce novel monolignol conjugates. Analysis of either reductions in lignin in knockdown lines, or the addition of novel monolignol conjugates, directly identifies the xylary parenchyma and fiber cell populations that contribute to the stem lignification and the developmental timing at which each contribution is most important. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Decrease in corneal damage due to benzalkonium chloride by the addition of sericin into timolol maleate eye drops.

PubMed

Nagai, Noriaki; Ito, Yoshimasa; Okamoto, Norio; Shimomura, Yoshikazu

2013-01-01

We investigated the protective effects of sericin on corneal damage due to benzalkonium chloride (BAC) used as a preservative in commercially available timolol maleate eye drops using rat debrided corneal epithelium and a human cornea epithelial cell line (HCE-T). Corneal wounds were monitored using a fundus camera TRC-50X equipped with a digital camera; eye drops were instilled into the rat eyes five times a day after corneal epithelial abrasion. The viability of HCE-T cells was calculated by TetraColor One; and Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739) were used to measure antimicrobial activity. The reducing effects on transcorneal penetration and intraocular pressure (IOP) of the eye drops were determined using rabbits. The corneal wound healing rate and rate constants (kH) as well as cell viability were higher following treatment with 0.005% BAC solution containing 0.1% sericin than in the case of treatment with BAC solution alone; the antimicrobial activity was approximately the same for BAC solutions with and without sericin. In addition, the kH for rat eyes instilled with commercially available timolol maleate eye drops containing 0.1% sericin was significantly higher than that of eyes instilled with timolol maleate eye drops without sericin, and the addition of sericin did not affect the corneal penetration or IOP reducing effect of commercially available timolol maleate eye drops. A preservative system comprising BAC and sericin may provide effective therapy for glaucoma patients requiring long-term anti-glaucoma agents.

Quantum corrections to the gravitational potentials of a point source due to conformal fields in de Sitter

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

Fröb, Markus B.; Verdaguer, Enric, E-mail: mfroeb@itp.uni-leipzig.de, E-mail: enric.verdaguer@ub.edu

We derive the leading quantum corrections to the gravitational potentials in a de Sitter background, due to the vacuum polarization from loops of conformal fields. Our results are valid for arbitrary conformal theories, even strongly interacting ones, and are expressed using the coefficients b and b' appearing in the trace anomaly. Apart from the de Sitter generalization of the known flat-space results, we find two additional contributions: one which depends on the finite coefficients of terms quadratic in the curvature appearing in the renormalized effective action, and one which grows logarithmically with physical distance. While the first contribution corresponds tomore » a rescaling of the effective mass, the second contribution leads to a faster fall-off of the Newton potential at large distances, and is potentially measurable.« less

Late peripheral stent thrombosis due to stent fracture, vigorous exercise and hyporesponsiveness to clopidogrel.

PubMed

Linnemann, Birgit; Thalhammer, Axel; Wolf, Zsuzsanna; Tirneci, Vanessa; Vogl, Thomas J; Edelgard Lindhoff-Last, And

2012-03-01

Late peripheral arterial stent thrombosis usually occurs due to haemodynamically relevant in-stent restenosis. However, late stent thrombosis may be multicausal. We report here the well-documented case of a 69-year-old man with acute thrombosis of the stented superficial femoral artery after a long-distance bicycle tour. Catheter-directed thrombolysis revealed a residual stenosis located at a stent fracture site. In addition, platelet function tests revealed an inadequate platelet response to clopidogrel. In conclusion, stent fracture, strenuous exercise and hyporesponsiveness to clopidogrel may have contributed to the development of late peripheral stent thrombosis.

20 CFR 345.116 - Payment of contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... contribution report is due and payable to the Board without assessment or notice, at the time fixed for filing the contribution report as provided for in § 345.115 of this part. (b) An employer shall deposit the...

[Method to calculate the additional hospital stay in patients with cross infection].

PubMed

Angeles-Garay, Ulises; Velázquez-Chávez, Yesenia; Molinar-Ramos, Fernando; Anaya-Flores, Verónica E; Uribe-Márquez, Samuel E

2009-01-01

To calculate additional hospital stay due to specific cross infection. Cases and controls study; matched by age +/- 2 years, sex, specialty in which were taken care, diagnosis, surgical procedure and hospitalization stay, between July 2005-June 2006. t test, chi(2) to calculate death risk, Kaplan-Meier analysis to calculate survival, Hosmer-Lemeshow test to know the contribution of cross infection for additional hospital stay due to cross infection (AHSDCI). We identified 851 patients with 1347 cross infection in 16 528 discharges. We could match 677. The cases stayed 25.42 days and the controls 13.29 (p < 0.01). The death risk for the cases was 5.8 (CI 95 % = 3.7-8.6, p < 0.01), four weeks survival 55.3 % for cases and 79.2 % for the controls. The AHSDCI for pneumonia was 10.39 days, urinary-tract-infection 6.28, bacteremia 8.92, vascular-catheter-related infection 3.31, surgical site infections 7.42, and skin and soft-tissue-infection 3.31 (p < 0.05). We used a multivariate model fitted to patient's gravity and complexity to extract the proportion days of AHSDCI of each cross infection.

Nobel prizes: contributions to cardiology.

PubMed

Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Marchese, Luana de Decco; Dias, Danielle Warol; Barbeito, Andressa Brasil; Gomes, Jonathan Costa; Muradas, Maria Clara Soares; Lanzieri, Pedro Gemal; Gismondi, Ronaldo Altenburg

2015-08-01

The Nobel Prize was created by Alfred Nobel. The first prize was awarded in 1901 and Emil Adolf von Behring was the first laureate in medicine due to his research in diphtheria serum. Regarding cardiology, Nobel Prize's history permits a global comprehension of progress in pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics of various cardiac diseases in last 120 years. The objective of this study was to review the major scientific discoveries contemplated by Nobel Prizes that contributed to cardiology. In addition, we also hypothesized why Carlos Chagas, one of our most important scientists, did not win the prize in two occasions. We carried out a non-systematic review of Nobel Prize winners, selecting the main studies relevant to heart diseaseamong the laureates. In the period between 1901 and 2013, 204 researches and 104 prizes were awarded in Nobel Prize, of which 16 (15%) studies were important for cardiovascular area. There were 33 (16%) laureates, and two (6%) were women. Fourteen (42%) were American, 15 (45%) Europeans and four (13%) were from other countries. There was only one winner born in Brazil, Peter Medawar, whose career was all in England. Reviewing the history of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine area made possible to identify which researchers and studies had contributed to advances in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Most winners were North Americans and Europeans, and male.

Addition Table of Colours: Additive and Subtractive Mixtures Described Using a Single Reasoning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mota, A. R.; Lopes dos Santos, J. M. B.

2014-01-01

Students' misconceptions concerning colour phenomena and the apparent complexity of the underlying concepts--due to the different domains of knowledge involved--make its teaching very difficult. We have developed and tested a teaching device, the addition table of colours (ATC), that encompasses additive and subtractive mixtures in a single…

Recent Changes in Land Water Storage and its Contribution to Sea Level Variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Reager, John T.; Chao, Benjamin F.; Wang, Jida; Lo, Min-Hui; Song, Chunqiao; Li, Yuwen; Gardner, Alex S.

2017-01-01

Sea level rise is generally attributed to increased ocean heat content and increased rates glacier and ice melt. However, human transformations of Earth's surface have impacted water exchange between land, atmosphere, and ocean, ultimately affecting global sea level variations. Impoundment of water in reservoirs and artificial lakes has reduced the outflow of water to the sea, while river runoff has increased due to groundwater mining, wetland and endorheic lake storage losses, and deforestation. In addition, climate-driven changes in land water stores can have a large impact on global sea level variations over decadal timescales. Here, we review each component of negative and positive land water contribution separately in order to highlight and understand recent changes in land water contribution to sea level variations.

Recent Changes in Land Water Storage and Its Contribution to Sea Level Variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Reager, John T.; Chao, Benjamin F.; Wang, Jida; Lo, Min-Hui; Song, Chunqiao; Li, Yuwen; Gardner, Alex S.

2016-01-01

Sea level rise is generally attributed to increased ocean heat content and increased rates glacier and ice melt. However, human transformations of Earth's surface have impacted water exchange between land, atmosphere, and ocean, ultimately affecting global sea level variations. Impoundment of water in reservoirs and artificial lakes has reduced the outflow of water to the sea, while river runoff has increased due to groundwater mining, wetland and endorheic lake storage losses, and deforestation. In addition, climate-driven changes in land water stores can have a large impact on global sea level variations over decadal timescales. Here, we review each component of negative and positive land water contribution separately in order to highlight and understand recent changes in land water contribution to sea level variations.

Optimising UK urban road verge contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem services with cost-effective management.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Odhran S; Holt, Alison R; Warren, Philip H; Evans, Karl L

2017-04-15

Urban road verges can contain significant biodiversity, contribute to structural connectivity between other urban greenspaces, and due to their proximity to road traffic are well placed to provide ecosystem services. Using the UK as a case study we review and critically evaluate a broad range of evidence to assess how this considerable potential can be enhanced despite financial, contractual and public opinion constraints. Reduced mowing frequency and other alterations would enhance biodiversity, aesthetics and pollination services, whilst delivering costs savings and potentially being publically acceptable. Retaining mature trees and planting additional ones is favourable to residents and would enhance biodiversity, pollution and climate regulation, carbon storage, and stormwater management. Optimising these services requires improved selection of tree species, and creating a more diverse tree stock. Due to establishment costs additional tree planting and maintenance could benefit from payment for ecosystem service schemes. Verges could also provide areas for cultivation of biofuels and possibly food production. Maximising the contribution of verges to urban biodiversity and ecosystem services is economical and becoming an increasingly urgent priority as the road network expands and other urban greenspace is lost, requiring enhancement of existing greenspace to facilitate sustainable urban development. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Impact on short-lived climate forcers increases projected warming due to deforestation.

PubMed

Scott, C E; Monks, S A; Spracklen, D V; Arnold, S R; Forster, P M; Rap, A; Äijälä, M; Artaxo, P; Carslaw, K S; Chipperfield, M P; Ehn, M; Gilardoni, S; Heikkinen, L; Kulmala, M; Petäjä, T; Reddington, C L S; Rizzo, L V; Swietlicki, E; Vignati, E; Wilson, C

2018-01-11

The climate impact of deforestation depends on the relative strength of several biogeochemical and biogeophysical effects. In addition to affecting the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and moisture with the atmosphere and surface albedo, vegetation emits biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) that alter the formation of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs), which include aerosol, ozone and methane. Here we show that a scenario of complete global deforestation results in a net positive radiative forcing (RF; 0.12 W m -2 ) from SLCFs, with the negative RF from decreases in ozone and methane concentrations partially offsetting the positive aerosol RF. Combining RFs due to CO 2 , surface albedo and SLCFs suggests that global deforestation could cause 0.8 K warming after 100 years, with SLCFs contributing 8% of the effect. However, deforestation as projected by the RCP8.5 scenario leads to zero net RF from SLCF, primarily due to nonlinearities in the aerosol indirect effect.

Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions.

PubMed

Solomon, Susan; Plattner, Gian-Kasper; Knutti, Reto; Friedlingstein, Pierre

2009-02-10

The severity of damaging human-induced climate change depends not only on the magnitude of the change but also on the potential for irreversibility. This paper shows that the climate change that takes place due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely irreversible for 1,000 years after emissions stop. Following cessation of emissions, removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide decreases radiative forcing, but is largely compensated by slower loss of heat to the ocean, so that atmospheric temperatures do not drop significantly for at least 1,000 years. Among illustrative irreversible impacts that should be expected if atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase from current levels near 385 parts per million by volume (ppmv) to a peak of 450-600 ppmv over the coming century are irreversible dry-season rainfall reductions in several regions comparable to those of the "dust bowl" era and inexorable sea level rise. Thermal expansion of the warming ocean provides a conservative lower limit to irreversible global average sea level rise of at least 0.4-1.0 m if 21st century CO(2) concentrations exceed 600 ppmv and 0.6-1.9 m for peak CO(2) concentrations exceeding approximately 1,000 ppmv. Additional contributions from glaciers and ice sheet contributions to future sea level rise are uncertain but may equal or exceed several meters over the next millennium or longer.

Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency: evidence for additional genetic contributions to severity.

PubMed

Hunter, Jessica Ezzell; Epstein, Michael P; Tinker, Stuart W; Charen, Krista H; Sherman, Stephanie L

2008-09-01

The fragile X mental retardation gene (FMR1) contains a CGG repeat sequence in its 5' untranslated region that can become unstable and expand in length from generation to generation. Alleles with expanded repeats in the range of approximately 55-199, termed premutation alleles, are associated with an increased risk for fragile-X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). However, not all women who carry the premutation develop FXPOI. To determine if additional genes could explain variability in onset and severity, we used a random-effects Cox proportional hazards model to analyze age at menopause on 680 women from 225 families who have a history of fragile X syndrome and 321 women from 219 families from the general population. We tested for the presence of a residual additive genetic effect after adjustment for FMR1 repeat length, race, smoking, body mass index, and method of ascertainment. Results showed significant familial aggregation of age at menopause with an estimated additive genetic variance of 0.55-0.96 depending on the parameterization of FMR1 repeat size and definition of age at menopause (P-values ranging between 0.0002 and 0.0027). This is the first study to analyze familial aggregation of FXPOI. This result is important for proper counseling of women who carry FMR1 premutation alleles and for guidance of future studies to identify additional genes that influence ovarian insufficiency. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Significant Contributions to Collaborative Scholarship and Tenure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Facione, Peter A.

2006-01-01

Senior academic leaders are in consensus that, for purposes of tenure, a candidate's significant contributions to collaborative scholarship should be valued highly. The fundamental issue is how to give due weight and proper consideration for purposes of tenure to the intellectual work and scholarly worth of various kinds of contributions. As a…

Respiratory infections due to nontuberculous mycobacterias.

PubMed

Máiz Carro, Luis; Barbero Herranz, Esther; Nieto Royo, Rosa

2018-03-09

The most common infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are lung infections. The microorganisms causing these infections most frequently are Mycobacterium avium complex, Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium abscessus complex. Their incidence has increased in the last three decades. After identifying an NTM in the respiratory tract, clinical and radiological aspects must be considered to determine if isolations are clinically relevant. Predisposing conditions that could contribute to infection must also be investigated. Pulmonary disease due to NTM is presented in three clinical forms: a) pneumonitis due to hypersensitivity; b) fibrocavitary form; and c) nodular-bronchiectasic. The diagnosis of respiratory disease due to NTM does not make it obligatory to immediately initiate treatment. Before initiating the latter, other factors must be considered, such as age, comorbidities, life expectancy, due to the prolonged nature of treatments, with potential side effects and, in many cases, only a slight response to the treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

Cuatianquiz Lima, Cecilia

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed

Cuatianquiz Lima, Cecilia; Macías Garcia, Constantino

2016-01-01

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

SU-F-T-361: Dose Enhancement Due to Nanoparticle Addition in Skin Radiotherapy: A Monte Carlo Study Using Kilovoltage Photon Beams

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

Zheng, X; Chow, J

Purpose: This study investigated the dose enhancement due to addition of nanoparticles with different types and concentrations in skin radiotherapy using kilovoltage photon beams. Methods: An inhomogeneous water phantom (15×15×10 cm{sup 3}) having the skin target layer (0.5–5 mm), added with different concentrations (3–40 mg/ml) of nanoparticles (Au, Pt, I, Ag and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}), was irradiated by the 105 and 220 kVp photon beams produced by a Gulmay D3225 Orthovoltage unit. The circular cone of 5-cm diameter and source-to-surface distance of 20 cm were used. Doses in the skin target layer with and without adding the nanoparticles were calculatedmore » using Monte Carlo simulation (the EGSnrc code) through the macroscopic approach. Dose enhancement ratio (DER), defined as the ratio of dose at the target with nanoparticle addition to the dose without addition, was calculated for each type and concentration of nanoparticle in different target thickness. Results: For Au nanoparticle, DER dependence on target thickness for the 220 kVp photon beams was not significant. However, DER for Au nanoparticle was found decreasing with an increase of target thickness when the nanoparticle concentration was increased from 18 to 40 mg/ml using the 105 kVp photon beams. For nanoparticle concentration of 40 mg/ml, DER variation with target thickness was not significant for the 220 kVp photon beams, but DEF was found decreasing with the target thickness when lower energy of photon beam (105 kVp) was used. DEF was found increasing with an increase of nanoparticle concentration. The higher the DEF increasing rate, the higher the atomic number of the nanoparticle except I and Ag for the same target thickness. Conclusion: It is concluded that nanoparticle addition can result in dose enhancement in kilovoltage skin radiotherapy. Moreover, the DER is related to the photon beam energy, target thickness, atomic number and concentration of nanoparticles.« less

5 CFR 831.407 - Purchase of additional annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Purchase of additional annuity. 831.407 Section 831.407 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) RETIREMENT Voluntary Contributions § 831.407 Purchase of additional annuity. (a) At...

Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions

PubMed Central

Solomon, Susan; Plattner, Gian-Kasper; Knutti, Reto; Friedlingstein, Pierre

2009-01-01

The severity of damaging human-induced climate change depends not only on the magnitude of the change but also on the potential for irreversibility. This paper shows that the climate change that takes place due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely irreversible for 1,000 years after emissions stop. Following cessation of emissions, removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide decreases radiative forcing, but is largely compensated by slower loss of heat to the ocean, so that atmospheric temperatures do not drop significantly for at least 1,000 years. Among illustrative irreversible impacts that should be expected if atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase from current levels near 385 parts per million by volume (ppmv) to a peak of 450–600 ppmv over the coming century are irreversible dry-season rainfall reductions in several regions comparable to those of the “dust bowl” era and inexorable sea level rise. Thermal expansion of the warming ocean provides a conservative lower limit to irreversible global average sea level rise of at least 0.4–1.0 m if 21st century CO2 concentrations exceed 600 ppmv and 0.6–1.9 m for peak CO2 concentrations exceeding ≈1,000 ppmv. Additional contributions from glaciers and ice sheet contributions to future sea level rise are uncertain but may equal or exceed several meters over the next millennium or longer. PMID:19179281

5 CFR 831.407 - Purchase of additional annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... benefit, each $100 credited to his or her voluntary contribution account, including interest, purchases an additional annuity at the rate of $7 per year, plus 20 cents for each full year, if any, he or she is over... benefit, each $100 credited to his or her voluntary contribution account, including interest, purchases an...

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

PubMed Central

van de Nobelen, Suzanne; Kienhuis, Anne S.

2016-01-01

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

Anomalous yield reduction in direct-drive DT implosions due to 3He addition

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

Herrmann, Hans W; Langenbrunner, James R; Mack, Joseph M

2008-01-01

Glass capsules were imploded in direct drive on the OMEGA laser [T. R. Boehly et aI., Opt. Commun. 133, 495, 1997] to look for anomalous degradation in deuterium/tritium (DT) yield (i.e., beyond what is predicted) and changes in reaction history with {sup 3}He addition. Such anomalies have previously been reported for D/{sup 3}He plasmas, but had not yet been investigated for DT/{sup 3}He. Anomalies such as these provide fertile ground for furthering our physics understanding of ICF implosions and capsule performance. A relatively short laser pulse (600 ps) was used to provide some degree of temporal separation between shock andmore » compression yield components for analysis. Anomalous degradation in the compression component of yield was observed, consistent with the 'factor of two' degradation previously reported by MIT at a 50% {sup 3}He atom fraction in D{sub 2} using plastic capsules [Rygg et aI., Phys. Plasmas 13, 052702 (2006)]. However, clean calculations (i.e., no fuel-shell mixing) predict the shock component of yield quite well, contrary to the result reported by MIT, but consistent with LANL results in D{sub 2}/{sup 3}He [Wilson, et aI., lml Phys: Conf Series 112, 022015 (2008)]. X-ray imaging suggests less-than-predicted compression ofcapsules containing {sup 3}He. Leading candidate explanations are poorly understood Equation-of-State (EOS) for gas mixtures, and unanticipated particle pressure variation with increasing {sup 3}He addition.« less

Effects of various additives on sintering of aluminum nitride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komeya, K.; Inoue, H.; Tsuge, A.

1982-01-01

Effects of thirty additives on sintering A/N were investigated. The addition of alkali earth oxides and rare earth oxides gave fully densified aluminum nitride. This is due to the formation of nitrogen-containing aluminate liquid in the system aluminum nitride-alkali earth oxides or rare earth oxides. Microstructural studies of the sintered specimens with the above two types of additives suggested that the densification was due to the liquid phase sintering. Additions of silicon compounds resulted in poor densification by the formation of highly refractory compounds such as A/N polytypes.

Mechanism of wiggling enhancement due to HBr gas addition during amorphous carbon etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kofuji, Naoyuki; Ishimura, Hiroaki; Kobayashi, Hitoshi; Une, Satoshi

2015-06-01

The effect of gas chemistry during etching of an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) on wiggling has been investigated, focusing especially on the changes in residual stress. Although the HBr gas addition reduces critical dimension loss, it enhances the surface stress and therefore increases wiggling. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the increase in surface stress was caused by hydrogenation of the ACL surface with hydrogen radicals. Three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element method analysis confirmed that the increase in surface stress is large enough to cause the wiggling. These results also suggest that etching with hydrogen compound gases using an ACL mask has high potential to cause the wiggling.

Anomalous yield reduction in direct-drive deuterium/tritium implosions due to 3He addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, H. W.; Langenbrunner, J. R.; Mack, J. M.; Cooley, J. H.; Wilson, D. C.; Evans, S. C.; Sedillo, T. J.; Kyrala, G. A.; Caldwell, S. E.; Young, C. S.; Nobile, A.; Wermer, J.; Paglieri, S.; McEvoy, A. M.; Kim, Y.; Batha, S. H.; Horsfield, C. J.; Drew, D.; Garbett, W.; Rubery, M.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Roberts, S.; Frenje, J. A.

2009-05-01

Glass capsules were imploded in direct drive on the OMEGA laser [Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] to look for anomalous degradation in deuterium/tritium (DT) yield and changes in reaction history with H3e addition. Such anomalies have previously been reported for D/H3e plasmas but had not yet been investigated for DT/H3e. Anomalies such as these provide fertile ground for furthering our physics understanding of inertial confinement fusion implosions and capsule performance. Anomalous degradation in the compression component of yield was observed, consistent with the "factor of 2" degradation previously reported by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at a 50% H3e atom fraction in D2 using plastic capsules [Rygg, Phys. Plasmas 13, 052702 (2006)]. However, clean calculations (i.e., no fuel-shell mixing) predict the shock component of yield quite well, contrary to the result reported by MIT but consistent with Los Alamos National Laboratory results in D2/H3e [Wilson et al., J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 112, 022015 (2008)]. X-ray imaging suggests less-than-predicted compression of capsules containing H3e. Leading candidate explanations are poorly understood equation of state for gas mixtures and unanticipated particle pressure variation with increasing H3e addition.

Thomas Young's contributions to geometrical optics.

PubMed

Atchison, David A; Charman, W Neil

2011-07-01

In addition to his work on physical optics, Thomas Young (1773-1829) made several contributions to geometrical optics, most of which received little recognition in his time or since. We describe and assess some of these contributions: Young's construction (the basis for much of his geometric work), paraxial refraction equations, oblique astigmatism and field curvature, and gradient-index optics. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2011 Optometrists Association Australia.

Current subsidence rates due to compaction of Holocene sediments in southern Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meckel, T.A.; ten Brink, Uri S.; Williams, S.J.

2006-01-01

Relative contributions of geologic and anthropogenic processes to subsidence of southern Louisiana are vigorously debated. Of these, shallow sediment compaction is often considered dominant, although this has never been directly observed or effectively demonstrated. Quantitative understanding of subsidence is important for predicting relative sea level rise, storm surge flooding due to hurricanes, and for successful wetland restoration. Despite many shallow borings, few appropriate stratigraphic and geotechnical data are available for site-specific calculations. We overcome this by determining present compaction rates from Monte Carlo simulations of the incremental sedimentation and compaction of stratigraphies typical of the Holocene of southern Louisiana. This approach generates distributions of present compaction rates that are not expected to exceed 5 mm/yr, but may locally. Locations with present subsidence rates greater than the predicted maximum probable shallow compaction rates are likely influenced by additional processes.

Experimental characterization of enhanced SNCR process with carbonaceous gas additives.

PubMed

Yao, Ting; Duan, Yufeng; Yang, Zhizhong; Li, Yuan; Wang, Linwei; Zhu, Chun; Zhou, Qiang; Zhang, Jun; She, Min; Liu, Meng

2017-06-01

Carbonaceous gases such as CO and alkanes are commonly used as additives to enhance the selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) performance due to their high reducibility. This study compared the effect of CO and CH 4 on NO reduction in a tubular reactor with simulated flue gas. The enhancement of C 3 H 8 on SNCR process was tested at extremely low temperature, i.e. 650 °C. Experimental results suggested that reactions between NH 3 and SO 2 were favored at low temperatures and the competition for NH 3 between SO 2 and NO was influenced by gas additives. A maximum downward shift of 25 °C and 100 °C in temperature window for 50% NO reduction efficiency was obtained with the addition of CO and CH 4 , respectively. Considerable CO emission was observed with addition of CH 4 . The addition of CH 4 contributed to the formation of a self-accelerating reaction route within NO/O 2 /NH 3 SNCR reaction system. NO 2 produced from NO accelerates the oxidation of CH 4 to CO, while the oxidation of CH 4 returns to enhance the NO reduction globally. Optimal NO reduction of 44% was achieved with addition of C 3 H 8 at 650 °C. Substantial portion of C 3 H 8 was partially oxidized to CO and the remaining was converted into C 2 H 4 and C 3 H 6 during the SNCR process. Oxidative dehydrogenation of C 3 H 8 was involved. High reactivity of C 3 H 6 and C 2 H 4 favored the further oxidation and cracking to produce CO. These differences in oxidation behavior significantly influence the promotion capacities of CO, CH 4 and C 3 H 8 for NO reduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 31.3302(b)-1 - Additional credit against tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Additional credit against tax. 31.3302(b)-1... credit against tax. (a) In general. In addition to the credit against the tax allowable for contributions... credit allowable against the tax for such year shall be the aggregate of the additional credits allowable...

Kinetic and Potential Sputtering of Lunar Regolith: Contribution of Solar-Wind Heavy Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, F. W.; Harris, P. R.; Meyer, H. M., III; Hijiazi, H.; Barghouty, A. F.

2013-01-01

Sputtering of lunar regolith by protons as well as solar-wind heavy ions is considered. From preliminary measurements of H+, Ar+1, Ar+6 and Ar+9 ion sputtering of JSC-1A AGGL lunar regolith simulant at solar wind velocities, and TRIM simulations of kinetic sputtering yields, the relative contributions of kinetic and potential sputtering contributions are estimated. An 80-fold enhancement of oxygen sputtering by Ar+ over same-velocity H+, and an additional x2 increase for Ar+9 over same-velocity Ar+ was measured. This enhancement persisted to the maximum fluences investigated is approximately 1016/cm (exp2). Modeling studies including the enhanced oxygen ejection by potential sputtering due to the minority heavy ion multicharged ion solar wind component, and the kinetic sputtering contribution of all solar wind constituents, as determined from TRIM sputtering simulations, indicate an overall 35% reduction of near-surface oxygen abundance. XPS analyses of simulant samples exposed to singly and multicharged Ar ions show the characteristic signature of reduced (metallic) Fe, consistent with the preferential ejection of oxygen atoms that can occur in potential sputtering of some metal oxides.

Source contribution analysis of surface particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in northeastern Asia by source-receptor relationships.

PubMed

Inomata, Yayoi; Kajino, Mizuo; Sato, Keiichi; Ohara, Toshimasa; Kurokawa, Jun-ichi; Ueda, Hiromasa; Tang, Ning; Hayakawa, Kazuichi; Ohizumi, Tsuyoshi; Akimoto, Hajime

2013-11-01

We analyzed the source-receptor relationships for particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in northeastern Asia using an aerosol chemical transport model. The model successfully simulated the observed concentrations. In Beijing (China) benzo[a]pyren (BaP) concentrations are due to emissions from its own domain. In Noto, Oki and Tsushima (Japan), transboundary transport from northern China (>40 °N, 40-60%) and central China (30-40 °N, 10-40%) largely influences BaP concentrations from winter to spring, whereas the relative contribution from central China is dominant (90%) in Hedo. In the summer, the contribution from Japanese domestic sources increases (40-80%) at the 4 sites. Contributions from Japan and Russia are additional source of BaP over the northwestern Pacific Ocean in summer. The contribution rates for the concentrations from each domain are different among PAH species depending on their particulate phase oxidation rates. Reaction with O3 on particulate surfaces may be an important component of the PAH oxidation processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food additives.

PubMed

Berglund, F

1978-01-01

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

Irradiation creep due to SIPA under cascade damage conditions

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

Woo, C.H.; Garner, F.A.; Holt, R.A.

1992-12-31

This paper derives the relationships between void swelling and irradiation creep due to Stress-Induced Preferred Absorption (SIPA) and SIPA-Induced Growth (SIG) under cascade damage conditions in an irradiated pressurized tube. It is found that at low swelling rates irradiation creep is a major contribution to the total diametral strain rate of the tube, whereas at high swelling rates the creep becomes a minor contribution. The anisotropy of the corresponding dislocation structure is also predicted to decline as the swelling rate increases. The theoretical predictions are found to agree very well with experimental results.

Energy deposition by heavy ions: Additivity of kinetic and potential energy contributions in hillock formation on CaF2

PubMed Central

Wang, Y. Y.; Grygiel, C.; Dufour, C.; Sun, J. R.; Wang, Z. G.; Zhao, Y. T.; Xiao, G. Q.; Cheng, R.; Zhou, X. M.; Ren, J. R.; Liu, S. D.; Lei, Y.; Sun, Y. B.; Ritter, R.; Gruber, E.; Cassimi, A.; Monnet, I.; Bouffard, S.; Aumayr, F.; Toulemonde, M.

2014-01-01

Modification of surface and bulk properties of solids by irradiation with ion beams is a widely used technique with many applications in material science. In this study, we show that nano-hillocks on CaF2 crystal surfaces can be formed by individual impact of medium energy (3 and 5 MeV) highly charged ions (Xe22+ to Xe30+) as well as swift (kinetic energies between 12 and 58 MeV) heavy xenon ions. For very slow highly charged ions the appearance of hillocks is known to be linked to a threshold in potential energy (Ep) while for swift heavy ions a minimum electronic energy loss per unit length (Se) is necessary. With our results we bridge the gap between these two extreme cases and demonstrate, that with increasing energy deposition via Se the Ep-threshold for hillock production can be lowered substantially. Surprisingly, both mechanisms of energy deposition in the target surface seem to contribute in an additive way, which can be visualized in a phase diagram. We show that the inelastic thermal spike model, originally developed to describe such material modifications for swift heavy ions, can be extended to the case where both kinetic and potential energies are deposited into the surface. PMID:25034006

Energy deposition by heavy ions: additivity of kinetic and potential energy contributions in hillock formation on CaF2.

PubMed

Wang, Y Y; Grygiel, C; Dufour, C; Sun, J R; Wang, Z G; Zhao, Y T; Xiao, G Q; Cheng, R; Zhou, X M; Ren, J R; Liu, S D; Lei, Y; Sun, Y B; Ritter, R; Gruber, E; Cassimi, A; Monnet, I; Bouffard, S; Aumayr, F; Toulemonde, M

2014-07-18

Modification of surface and bulk properties of solids by irradiation with ion beams is a widely used technique with many applications in material science. In this study, we show that nano-hillocks on CaF2 crystal surfaces can be formed by individual impact of medium energy (3 and 5 MeV) highly charged ions (Xe(22+) to Xe(30+)) as well as swift (kinetic energies between 12 and 58 MeV) heavy xenon ions. For very slow highly charged ions the appearance of hillocks is known to be linked to a threshold in potential energy (Ep) while for swift heavy ions a minimum electronic energy loss per unit length (Se) is necessary. With our results we bridge the gap between these two extreme cases and demonstrate, that with increasing energy deposition via Se the Ep-threshold for hillock production can be lowered substantially. Surprisingly, both mechanisms of energy deposition in the target surface seem to contribute in an additive way, which can be visualized in a phase diagram. We show that the inelastic thermal spike model, originally developed to describe such material modifications for swift heavy ions, can be extended to the case where both kinetic and potential energies are deposited into the surface.

ETS Psychometric Contributions: Focus on Test Scores. Research Report. ETS RR-13-15. ETS R&D Scientific and Policy Contributions Series. ETS SPC-13-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Tim

2013-01-01

The purpose of this report is to review ETS psychometric contributions that focus on test scores. Two major sections review contributions based on assessing test scores' measurement characteristics and other contributions about using test scores as predictors in correlational and regression relationships. An additional section reviews additional…

Quantitative investigation of physical factors contributing to gold nanoparticle-mediated proton dose enhancement.

PubMed

Cho, Jongmin; Gonzalez-Lepera, Carlos; Manohar, Nivedh; Kerr, Matthew; Krishnan, Sunil; Cho, Sang Hyun

2016-03-21

Some investigators have shown tumor cell killing enhancement in vitro and tumor regression in mice associated with the loading of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) before proton treatments. Several Monte Carlo (MC) investigations have also demonstrated GNP-mediated proton dose enhancement. However, further studies need to be done to quantify the individual physical factors that contribute to the dose enhancement or cell-kill enhancement (or radiosensitization). Thus, the current study investigated the contributions of particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE), particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE), Auger and secondary electrons, and activation products towards the total dose enhancement. Specifically, GNP-mediated dose enhancement was measured using strips of radiochromic film that were inserted into vials of cylindrical GNPs, i.e. gold nanorods (GNRs), dispersed in a saline solution (0.3 mg of GNRs/g or 0.03% of GNRs by weight), as well as vials containing water only, before proton irradiation. MC simulations were also performed with the tool for particle simulation code using the film measurement setup. Additionally, a high-purity germanium detector system was used to measure the photon spectrum originating from activation products created from the interaction of protons and spherical GNPs present in a saline solution (20 mg of GNPs/g or 2% of GNPs by weight). The dose enhancement due to PIXE/PIGE recorded on the films in the GNR-loaded saline solution was less than the experimental uncertainty of the film dosimetry (<2%). MC simulations showed highly localized dose enhancement (up to a factor 17) in the immediate vicinity (<100 nm) of GNRs, compared with hypothetical water nanorods (WNRs), mostly due to GNR-originated Auger/secondary electrons; however, the average dose enhancement over the entire GNR-loaded vial was found to be minimal (0.1%). The dose enhancement due to the activation products from GNPs was minimal (<0.1%) as well. In conclusion, under the currently

Contributions of temporal segregation, oviposition choice, and non-additive effects of competitors to invasion success of Aedes japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) in North America

PubMed Central

Murrell, Ebony G.; Noden, Bruce H.; Juliano, Steven A.

2015-01-01

The mosquito Aedes japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) has spread rapidly through North America since its introduction in the 1990s. The mechanisms underlying its establishment in container communities occupied by competitors Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus are unclear. Possibilities include (A) temporal separation of A. japonicus from other Aedes, (B) oviposition avoidance by A. japonicus of sites containing heterospecific Aedes larvae, and (C) non-additive competitive effects in assemblages of multiple Aedes. Containers sampled throughout the summer in an oak-hickory forest near Eureka, MO showed peak abundance for A. japonicus occurring significantly earlier in the season than either of the other Aedes species. Despite this, A. japonicus co-occurred with one other Aedes species in 53 % of samples when present, and co-occurred with both other Aedes in 18 % of samples. In a field oviposition experiment, A. japonicus laid significantly more eggs in forest edge containers than in forest interior containers, but did not avoid containers with low or high densities of larvae of A. triseriatus, A. albopictus, or both, compared to containers without larvae. Interspecific competitive effects (measured as decrease in the index of performance, λ′) of A. triseriatus or A. albopictus alone on A. japonicus larvae were not evident at the densities used, but the effect of both Aedes combined was significantly negative and super-additive of effects of individual interspecific competitors. Thus, neither oviposition avoidance of competitors nor non-additive competitive effects contribute to the invasion success of A. japonicus in North America. Distinct seasonal phenology may reduce competitive interactions with resident Aedes. PMID:26101466

Migrants and Refugees in Europe: Challenges, Experiences and Contributions.

PubMed

Schilling, Tobias; Rauscher, Stephan; Menzel, Christian; Reichenauer, Simon; Müller-Schilling, Martina; Schmid, Stephan; Selgrad, Michael

2017-08-01

Due to the current geopolitical situation more refugees from crisis countries were and will be treated in Europe. In 2015 the number of displaced people reached an unprecedented level, with more than one million crossing into Europe. The migration itself can impair both mental and physical health. Therefore, the provision of medical care for refugees and migrants is a novel and major challenge for the health care systems in Europe. In this article we describe our experiences and contribution in providing medical care for refugees who have newly arrived in Stuttgart, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Furthermore, we report our experiences from a tertiary referral University center in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. We focus on challenges in both the outpatient and the inpatient setting, with a special focus on intensive care patients. In addition, we provide an overview about the spectrum of diseases in this specific patient cohort.

Quantifying the relative contribution of climate and human impacts on streamflow at seasonal scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Z.; Zhang, L.; Li, Y.; Zhang, C.

2017-12-01

Both climate change and human activities have induced changes to hydrology. The quantification of their impacts on streamflow is a challenge, especially at the seasonal scale due to seasonality of climate and human impacts, i.e., water use for irrigation and water storage and release due to reservoir operation. In this study, the decomposition method based on the Budyko hypothesis is extended to the seasonal scale and is used to quantify the climate and human impacts on annual and seasonal streamflow changes. The results are further compared and verified with those simulated by the hydrological method of abcd model. Data are split into two periods (1953-1974 and 1975-2005) to quantify the change. Three seasons, including wet, dry and irrigation seasons are defined by introducing the monthly aridity index. In general, results showed a satisfactory agreement between the Budyko decomposition method and abcd model. Both climate change and human activities were found to induce a decrease in streamflow at the annual scale, with 67% of the change contributed by human activities. At the seasonal scale, the human-induced contribution to the reduced stream flow was 64% and 73% for dry and wet seasons, respectively; whereas in the irrigation season, the impact of human activities on reducing the streamflow was more pronounced (180%) since the climate contributes to increased streamflow. In addition, the quantification results were analyzed for each month in the wet season to reveal the effects of intense precipitation and reservoir operation rules during flood season.

Additional historical solid rocket motor burns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedemann, Carsten; Homeister, Maren; Oswald, Michael; Stabroth, Sebastian; Klinkrad, Heiner; Vörsmann, Peter

2009-06-01

The use of orbital solid rocket motors (SRM) is responsible for the release of a high number of slag and Al 2O 3 dust particles which contribute to the space debris environment. This contribution has been modeled for the ESA space debris model MASTER (Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference). The current model version, MASTER-2005, is based on the simulation of 1076 orbital SRM firings which mainly contributed to the long-term debris environment. SRM firings on very low earth orbits which produce only short living particles are not considered. A comparison of the modeled flux with impact data from returned surfaces shows that the shape and quantity of the modeled SRM dust distribution matches that of recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar array measurements very well. However, the absolute flux level for dust is under-predicted for some of the analyzed Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) surfaces. This indicates that some past SRM firings are not included in the current event database. Thus it is necessary to investigate, if additional historical SRM burns, like the retro-burn of low orbiting re-entry capsules, may be responsible for these dust impacts. The most suitable candidates for these firings are the large number of SRM retro-burns of return capsules. This paper focuses on the SRM retro-burns of Russian photoreconnaissance satellites, which were used in high numbers during the time of the LDEF mission. It is discussed which types of satellites and motors may have been responsible for this historical contribution. Altogether, 870 additional SRM retro-burns have been identified. An important task is the identification of such missions to complete the current event data base. Different types of motors have been used to de-orbit both large satellites and small film return capsules. The results of simulation runs are presented.

Memory Variability Is Due to the Contribution of Recollection and Familiarity, Not to Encoding Variability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koen, Joshua D.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

2010-01-01

It is well established that the memory strength of studied items is more variable than the strength of new items on tests of recognition memory, but the reason why this occurs is poorly understood. One account for this old "item variance effect" is based on single-process theory, which proposes that this effect is due to variability in how well…

Contribution of the Hair Follicular Pathway to Total Skin Permeation of Topically Applied and Exposed Chemicals

PubMed Central

Mohd, Fadli; Todo, Hiroaki; Yoshimoto, Masato; Yusuf, Eddy; Sugibayashi, Kenji

2016-01-01

Generally, the blood and skin concentration profiles and steady-state skin concentration of topically applied or exposed chemicals can be calculated from the in vitro skin permeation profile. However, these calculation methods are particularly applicable to chemicals for which the main pathway is via the stratum corneum. If the contribution of hair follicles to the total skin permeation of chemicals can be obtained in detail, their blood and skin concentrations can be more precisely predicted. In the present study, the contribution of the hair follicle pathway to the skin permeation of topically applied or exposed chemicals was calculated from the difference between their permeability coefficients through skin with and without hair follicle plugging, using an in vitro skin permeation experiment. The obtained results reveal that the contribution of the hair follicle pathway can be predicted by using the chemicals’ lipophilicity. For hydrophilic chemicals (logarithm of n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log Ko/w) < 0), a greater reduction of permeation due to hair follicle plugging was observed than for lipophilic chemicals (log Ko/w ≥ 0). In addition, the ratio of this reduction was decreased with an increase in log Ko/w. This consideration of the hair follicle pathway would be helpful to investigate the efficacy and safety of chemicals after topical application or exposure to them because skin permeation and disposition should vary among skins in different body sites due to differences in the density of hair follicles. PMID:27854289

Contribution of the Hair Follicular Pathway to Total Skin Permeation of Topically Applied and Exposed Chemicals.

PubMed

Mohd, Fadli; Todo, Hiroaki; Yoshimoto, Masato; Yusuf, Eddy; Sugibayashi, Kenji

2016-11-15

Generally, the blood and skin concentration profiles and steady-state skin concentration of topically applied or exposed chemicals can be calculated from the in vitro skin permeation profile. However, these calculation methods are particularly applicable to chemicals for which the main pathway is via the stratum corneum. If the contribution of hair follicles to the total skin permeation of chemicals can be obtained in detail, their blood and skin concentrations can be more precisely predicted. In the present study, the contribution of the hair follicle pathway to the skin permeation of topically applied or exposed chemicals was calculated from the difference between their permeability coefficients through skin with and without hair follicle plugging, using an in vitro skin permeation experiment. The obtained results reveal that the contribution of the hair follicle pathway can be predicted by using the chemicals' lipophilicity. For hydrophilic chemicals (logarithm of n -octanol/water partition coefficient (log K o/w ) < 0), a greater reduction of permeation due to hair follicle plugging was observed than for lipophilic chemicals (log K o/w ≥ 0). In addition, the ratio of this reduction was decreased with an increase in log K o/w . This consideration of the hair follicle pathway would be helpful to investigate the efficacy and safety of chemicals after topical application or exposure to them because skin permeation and disposition should vary among skins in different body sites due to differences in the density of hair follicles.

Vienna Contribution to ITRF2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhm, Sigrid; Krásná, Hana; Bachmann, Sabine

2016-12-01

The next realization of the International Terrestrial Reference System, the ITRF2014, was released in the beginning of 2016. The VLBI input to ITRF2014 was provided by the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) and consists of a combination of all Analysis Center contributions. One of these single solutions was contributed by the Vienna Special Analysis Center of the Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation at TU Wien. In this paper we describe the characteristics of the Vienna contribution (calculated using the Vienna VLBI Software VieVS) to ITRF2014 and VTRF2014, respectively. We give a documentation of the included sessions and stations as well as some statistical information which shows the performance of the Vienna contribution compared to the other contributions in the IVS combination. In addition to that, a single TRF solution, VieTRF2014a, which is based on the Vienna input to ITRF2014, is presented and compared to previous TRF solutions. By and large the Vienna contribution does not exhibit any outstanding features when compared to the other submissions, except for the Earth rotation component dUT1, which shows large residuals with respect to the combined solution. The reason for this discrepancy is probably the different parameterization of EOP in VieVS as piecewise linear offsets, necessitating a transformation prior to the combination.

Additive Bilingualism, Schooling, and Special Education: A Minority Group Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landry, R.

1987-01-01

The effect of schooling on the acquisition of an additive type of bilingualism is examined, focusing on additive bilingualism's relation to the ethnolinguistic vitality of linguistic groups and contributions of individual networks of linguistic contacts. A special and regular education merger without domination by a single cultural perspective is…

Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection

PubMed Central

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

2018-01-01

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

Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection.

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

Additive manufacturing of microfluidic glass chips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotz, F.; Helmer, D.; Rapp, B. E.

2018-02-01

Additive manufacturing has gained great interest in the microfluidic community due to the numerous channel designs which can be tested in the early phases of a lab-on-a-chip device development. High resolution additive manufacturing like microstereolithography is largely associated with polymers. Polymers are at a disadvantage compared to other materials due to their softness and low chemical resistance. Whenever high chemical and thermal resistance combined with high optical transparency is needed, glasses become the material of choice. However, glasses are difficult to structure at the microscale requiring hazardous chemicals for etching processes. In this work we present additive manufacturing and high resolution patterning of microfluidic chips in transparent fused silica glass using stereolithography and microlithography. We print an amorphous silica nanocomposite at room temperature using benchtop stereolithography printers and a custom built microlithography system based on a digital mirror device. Using microlithography we printed structures with tens of micron resolution. The printed part is then converted to a transparent fused silica glass using thermal debinding and sintering. Printing of a microfluidic chip can be done within 30 minutes. The heat treatment can be done within two days.

Dissection of additive, dominance, and imprinting effects for production and reproduction traits in Holstein cattle.

PubMed

Jiang, Jicai; Shen, Botong; O'Connell, Jeffrey R; VanRaden, Paul M; Cole, John B; Ma, Li

2017-05-30

Although genome-wide association and genomic selection studies have primarily focused on additive effects, dominance and imprinting effects play an important role in mammalian biology and development. The degree to which these non-additive genetic effects contribute to phenotypic variation and whether QTL acting in a non-additive manner can be detected in genetic association studies remain controversial. To empirically answer these questions, we analyzed a large cattle dataset that consisted of 42,701 genotyped Holstein cows with genotyped parents and phenotypic records for eight production and reproduction traits. SNP genotypes were phased in pedigree to determine the parent-of-origin of alleles, and a three-component GREML was applied to obtain variance decomposition for additive, dominance, and imprinting effects. The results showed a significant non-zero contribution from dominance to production traits but not to reproduction traits. Imprinting effects significantly contributed to both production and reproduction traits. Interestingly, imprinting effects contributed more to reproduction traits than to production traits. Using GWAS and imputation-based fine-mapping analyses, we identified and validated a dominance association signal with milk yield near RUNX2, a candidate gene that has been associated with milk production in mice. When adding non-additive effects into the prediction models, however, we observed little or no increase in prediction accuracy for the eight traits analyzed. Collectively, our results suggested that non-additive effects contributed a non-negligible amount (more for reproduction traits) to the total genetic variance of complex traits in cattle, and detection of QTLs with non-additive effect is possible in GWAS using a large dataset.

Additive Contributions of Childhood Adversity and Recent Stressors to Inflammation at Midlife: Findings from the MIDUS Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hostinar, Camelia E.; Lachman, Margie E.; Mroczek, Daniel K.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Miller, Gregory E.

2015-01-01

We examined the joint contributions of self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and recent life events (RLEs) to inflammation at midlife, by testing 3 competing theoretical models: stress generation, stress accumulation, and early life stress sensitization. We aimed to identify potential mediators between adversity and inflammation.…

Evaluation of inbreeding in laying hens by applying optimum genetic contribution and gene flow theory.

PubMed

König, S; Tsehay, F; Sitzenstock, F; von Borstel, U U; Schmutz, M; Preisinger, R; Simianer, H

2010-04-01

Due to consistent increases of inbreeding of on average 0.95% per generation in layer populations, selection tools should consider both genetic gain and genetic relationships in the long term. The optimum genetic contribution theory using official estimated breeding values for egg production was applied for 3 different lines of a layer breeding program to find the optimal allocations of hens and sires. Constraints in different scenarios encompassed restrictions related to additive genetic relationships, the increase of inbreeding, the number of selected sires and hens, and the number of selected offspring per mating. All these constraints enabled higher genetic gain up to 10.9% at the same level of additive genetic relationships or in lower relationships at the same gain when compared with conventional selection schemes ignoring relationships. Increases of inbreeding and genetic gain were associated with the number of selected sires. For the lowest level of the allowed average relationship at 10%, the optimal number of sires was 70 and the estimated breeding value for egg production of the selected group was 127.9. At the highest relationship constraint (16%), the optimal number of sires decreased to 15, and the average genetic value increased to 139.7. Contributions from selected sires and hens were used to develop specific mating plans to minimize inbreeding in the following generation by applying a simulated annealing algorithm. The additional reduction of average additive genetic relationships for matings was up to 44.9%. An innovative deterministic approach to estimate kinship coefficients between and within defined selection groups based on gene flow theory was applied to compare increases of inbreeding from random matings with layer populations undergoing selection. Large differences in rates of inbreeding were found, and they underline the necessity to establish selection tools controlling long-term relationships. Furthermore, it was suggested to use

Control of pyrite addition in coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Schmid, Bruce K.; Junkin, James E.

1982-12-21

Pyrite addition to a coal liquefaction process (22, 26) is controlled (118) in inverse proportion to the calcium content of the feed coal to maximize the C.sub.5 --900.degree. F. (482.degree. C.) liquid yield per unit weight of pyrite added (110). The pyrite addition is controlled in this manner so as to minimize the amount of pyrite used and thus reduce pyrite contribution to the slurry pumping load and disposal problems connected with pyrite produced slag.

Anatomically ordered tapping interferes more with one-digit addition than two-digit addition: a dual-task fMRI study.

PubMed

Soylu, Firat; Newman, Sharlene D

2016-02-01

Fingers are used as canonical representations for numbers across cultures. In previous imaging studies, it was shown that arithmetic processing activates neural resources that are known to participate in finger movements. Additionally, in one dual-task study, it was shown that anatomically ordered finger tapping disrupts addition and subtraction more than multiplication, possibly due to a long-lasting effect of early finger counting experiences on the neural correlates and organization of addition and subtraction processes. How arithmetic task difficulty and tapping complexity affect the concurrent performance is still unclear. If early finger counting experiences have bearing on the neural correlates of arithmetic in adults, then one would expect anatomically and non-anatomically ordered tapping to have different interference effects, given that finger counting is usually anatomically ordered. To unravel these issues, we studied how (1) arithmetic task difficulty and (2) the complexity of the finger tapping sequence (anatomical vs. non-anatomical ordering) affect concurrent performance and use of key neural circuits using a mixed block/event-related dual-task fMRI design with adult participants. The results suggest that complexity of the tapping sequence modulates interference on addition, and that one-digit addition (fact retrieval), compared to two-digit addition (calculation), is more affected from anatomically ordered tapping. The region-of-interest analysis showed higher left angular gyrus BOLD response for one-digit compared to two-digit addition, and in no-tapping conditions than dual tapping conditions. The results support a specific association between addition fact retrieval and anatomically ordered finger movements in adults, possibly due to finger counting strategies that deploy anatomically ordered finger movements early in the development.

[Analysis of the trend and impact of mortality due to external causes: Mexico, 2000-2013].

PubMed

Dávila Cervantes, Claudio Alberto; Pardo Montaño, Ana Melisa

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze mortality due to the main external causes of death (traffic accidents, other accidents, homicides and suicides) in Mexico, calculating the years of life lost between 0 and 100 years of age and their contribution to the change in life expectancy between 2000 and 2013, at the national level, by sex and age group. Data came from mortality vital statistics of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) [National Institute of Statistics and Geography]. The biggest impact in mortality due to external causes occurred in adolescent and adult males 15-49 years of age; mortality due to these causes remained constant in males and slightly decreased in females. Mortality due to traffic accidents and other accidents decreased, with a positive contribution to life expectancy, but this effect was canceled out by the increase in mortality due to homicides and suicides. Mortality due to external causes can be avoided through interventions, programs and prevention strategies as well as timely treatment. It is necessary to develop multidisciplinary studies on the dynamics of the factors associated with mortality due to these causes.

Additive Technology: Update on Current Materials and Applications in Dentistry.

PubMed

Barazanchi, Abdullah; Li, Kai Chun; Al-Amleh, Basil; Lyons, Karl; Waddell, J Neil

2017-02-01

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is becoming an alternative to subtractive manufacturing or milling in the area of computer-aided manufacturing. Research on material for use in additive manufacturing is ongoing, and a wide variety of materials are being used or developed for use in dentistry. Some materials, however, such as cobalt chromium, still lack sufficient research to allow definite conclusions about the suitability of their use in clinical dental practice. Despite this, due to the wide variety of machines that use additive manufacturing, there is much more flexibility in the build material and geometry when building structures compared with subtractive manufacturing. Overall additive manufacturing produces little material waste and is energy efficient when compared to subtractive manufacturing, due to passivity and the additive layering nature of the build process. Such features make the technique suitable to be used with fabricating structures out of hard to handle materials such as cobalt chromium. The main limitations of this technology include the appearance of steps due to layering of material and difficulty in fabricating certain material generally used in dentistry for use in 3D printing such as ceramics. The current pace of technological development, however, promises exciting possibilities. © 2016 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Evaluation of Fluoride Retention Due to Most Commonly Consumed Estuarine Fishes Among Fish Consuming Population of Andhra Pradesh as a Contributing Factor to Dental Fluorosis: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Ganta, Shravani; Nagaraj, Anup; Pareek, Sonia; Sidiq, Mohsin; Singh, Kushpal; Vishnani, Preeti

2015-01-01

Background Fluoride in drinking water is known for both beneficial and detrimental effects on health. The principal sources of fluoride include water, some species of vegetation, certain edible marine animals, dust and industrial processes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fluoride retention of most commonly consumed estuarine fishes among fish consuming population of Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the amount of fluoride retention due to ten most commonly consumed estuarine fishes as a contributing factor to Fluorosis by SPADNS Spectrophotometric method. The presence and severity of dental fluorosis among fish consuming population was recorded using Community Fluorosis Index. Statistical analysis was done using MedCalc v12.2.1.0 software. Results For Sea water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Indian Sardine (4.22 ppm). Amongst the river water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Catla (1.51 ppm). Also, the mean total fluoride concentrations of all the river fishes in skin, muscle and bone were less (0.86 ppm) as compared to the sea water fishes (2.59 ppm). It was unveiled that sea fishes accumulate relatively large amounts of Fluoride as compared to the river water fishes. The mean Community Fluorosis Index was found to be 1.06 amongst a sampled fish consuming population. Evaluation by Community Index for Dental fluorosis (CFI) suggested that fluorosis is of medium public health importance. Conclusion It was analysed that bone tends to accumulate more amount of fluoride followed by muscle and skin which might be due to the increased permeability and chemical trapping of fluoride inside the tissues. The amount of fluoride present in the fishes is directly related to the severity of fluorosis amongst fish consuming population, suggesting fishes as a contributing factor to fluorosis depending upon the dietary consumption. PMID:26266208

Evaluation of Fluoride Retention Due to Most Commonly Consumed Estuarine Fishes Among Fish Consuming Population of Andhra Pradesh as a Contributing Factor to Dental Fluorosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Ganta, Shravani; Yousuf, Asif; Nagaraj, Anup; Pareek, Sonia; Sidiq, Mohsin; Singh, Kushpal; Vishnani, Preeti

2015-06-01

Fluoride in drinking water is known for both beneficial and detrimental effects on health. The principal sources of fluoride include water, some species of vegetation, certain edible marine animals, dust and industrial processes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fluoride retention of most commonly consumed estuarine fishes among fish consuming population of Andhra Pradesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the amount of fluoride retention due to ten most commonly consumed estuarine fishes as a contributing factor to Fluorosis by SPADNS Spectrophotometric method. The presence and severity of dental fluorosis among fish consuming population was recorded using Community Fluorosis Index. Statistical analysis was done using MedCalc v12.2.1.0 software. For Sea water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Indian Sardine (4.22 ppm). Amongst the river water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Catla (1.51 ppm). Also, the mean total fluoride concentrations of all the river fishes in skin, muscle and bone were less (0.86 ppm) as compared to the sea water fishes (2.59 ppm). It was unveiled that sea fishes accumulate relatively large amounts of Fluoride as compared to the river water fishes. The mean Community Fluorosis Index was found to be 1.06 amongst a sampled fish consuming population. Evaluation by Community Index for Dental fluorosis (CFI) suggested that fluorosis is of medium public health importance. It was analysed that bone tends to accumulate more amount of fluoride followed by muscle and skin which might be due to the increased permeability and chemical trapping of fluoride inside the tissues. The amount of fluoride present in the fishes is directly related to the severity of fluorosis amongst fish consuming population, suggesting fishes as a contributing factor to fluorosis depending upon the dietary consumption.

The contributions of community learning centres (CLCs) to personal and community development in Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Ai Tam Pham

2018-05-01

Community learning centres (CLCs) have been widely established in the Asia-Pacific region as locally managed institutions that offer non-formal educational opportunities and community development activities. Myanmar officially has more than 3,000 centres, which is one of the highest numbers in the region. This article examines the operation of CLCs and their contributions to personal and community development in Padaung, Myanmar. The author's research is based on six weeks of fieldwork in Myanmar for data collection including semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and informal conversations. Her findings suggest that CLCs can contribute to the improvement of both individuals' quality of life and communities' social capital, which facilitates mutually beneficial collective action. The findings also support the conclusion that CLCs can provide additional educational opportunities beyond the formal system, especially for adults and members of rural communities, e.g. farmers. However, due to constraints in terms of budget, implementing capacity and socio-economic factors, the outreach of CLC activities is still somewhat limited and has yet to reach its full potential.

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

PubMed

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

2016-11-01

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

Case report: failure under azithromycin treatment in a case of bacteremia due to Salmonella enterica Paratyphi A.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Tetsuro; Hayakawa, Kayoko; Mawatari, Momoko; Mezaki, Kazuhisa; Takeshita, Nozomi; Kutsuna, Satoshi; Fujiya, Yoshihiro; Kanagawa, Shuzo; Ohmagari, Norio; Kato, Yasuyuki; Morita, Masatomo

2014-07-20

Limited information is available regarding the clinical efficacy of azithromycin for the treatment of enteric fever due to fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi among travelers returning to their home countries. We report a case of a 52-year-old Japanese man who returned from India, who developed a fever of 39°C with no accompanying symptoms 10 days after returning to Japan from a 1-month business trip to Delhi, India. His blood culture results were positive for Salmonella Paratyphi A. He was treated with 14 days of ceftriaxone, after which he remained afebrile for 18 days before his body temperature again rose to 39°C with no apparent symptoms. He was then empirically given 500 mg of azithromycin, but experienced clinical and microbiological failure of azithromycin treatment for enteric fever due to Salmonella Paratyphi A. However, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of azithromycin was not elevated (8 mg/L). He was again given ceftriaxone for 14 days with no signs of recurrence during the follow-up. There are limited data available for the treatment of enteric fever using azithromycin in travelers from developed countries who are not immune to the disease, and thus, careful follow-up is necessary. In our case, the low azithromycin dose might have contributed the treatment failure. Additional clinical data are needed to determine the rate of success, MIC, and contributing factors for success and/or failure of azithromycin treatment for both Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi infections.

The effect of activated carbon addition on membrane bioreactor processes for wastewater treatment and reclamation - A critical review.

PubMed

Skouteris, George; Saroj, Devendra; Melidis, Paraschos; Hai, Faisal I; Ouki, Sabèha

2015-06-01

This review concentrates on the effect of activated carbon (AC) addition to membrane bioreactors (MBRs) treating wastewaters. Use of AC-assisted MBRs combines adsorption, biodegradation and membrane filtration. This can lead to advanced removal of recalcitrant pollutants and mitigation of membrane fouling. The relative contribution of adsorption and biodegradation to overall removal achieved by an AC-assisted MBR process can vary, and "biological AC" may not fully develop due to competition of target pollutants with bulk organics in wastewater. Thus periodic replenishment of spent AC is necessary. Sludge retention time (SRT) governs the frequency of spent AC withdrawal and addition of fresh AC, and is an important parameter that significantly influences the performance of AC-assisted MBRs. Of utmost importance is AC dosage because AC overdose may aggravate membrane fouling, increase sludge viscosity, impair mass transfer and reduce sludge dewaterability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foreign and Domestic Contributions to Springtime Ozone Pollution over China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, R.; Lin, J.; Yan, Y.; Lin, W.; Chen, H.

2017-12-01

Ozone is a critical air pollutant that damages human health and vegetation. Previous studies for the United States and Europe have shown large influences of foreign emissions on domestic ozone levels, whereas the relative contributions of foreign versus domestic emissions are much less clear for China. Here, we use a global-regional two-way coupled model system based on GEOS-Chem to quantify the contributions to springtime ozone over China from anthropogenic emissions in major source regions across the globe. Our results indicate considerable influences of foreign anthropogenic pollution on China's ozone pollution. Together, foreign anthropogenic emissions enhance springtime surface ozone over China by 3 12 ppb. Of all ozone over China produced by global anthropogenic emissions, foreign emissions contribute 40% near the surface, and the contribution increases with altitude until a value of 80% in the upper troposphere. Impact from Japan and Korea is 1 2 ppb over east coastal regions, and negligible in inland. Anthropogenic emissions of South and South-East Asia increase ozone over Tibet and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau by up to 5 ppb, and their contribution increases with height due to strong vertical transport. Pollution from North America and Europe mainly accompanies strong westerly winds and frequent cyclonic activities that are favorable to long-range transport. European anthropogenic pollution enhances surface ozone by 1 3 ppb over West and North China. Despite a much longer transport distance, the contribution from North America is greater than European contribution due to the nearly doubled amount of anthropogenic NMVOC emissions. The high percentage contribution of foreign anthropogenic emissions to China's ozone pollution can be partly explained by excessive domestic NOx emissions that suppress ozone production efficiency and even destroy ozone. Our study is relevant to Chinese ozone pollution control and global environmental protection collaboration.

The Influence of TiO2 Addition on the Modulus of Rupture of Alumina-Magnesia Refractory Castables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Wenjie; Deng, Chengji; Zhu, Hongxi

2015-08-01

The addition of TiO2 to alumina-magnesia refractory castables could accelerate the in situ spinel and calcium hexa-aluminate (CA6) formation and change the phase evolution, which will have direct effect on the overall modulus of rupture values. The cold (CMOR) and hot (HMOR) modulus of rupture, thermal expansion, and elastic modulus of alumina-magnesia refractory castables with different amounts of TiO2 were measured. The correlation of CMOR, theoretical strength, fracture toughness, and the fractal dimension of the fracture surface for these compositions were investigated. HMOR data were described using the model based on Varshni approach and Adam-Gibbs theory. The influence of TiO2 addition on the modulus of rupture of alumina-magnesia refractory castables was related to microcracks derived from expansive phase formation and pore filling or viscous bridging due to the presence of liquid phase at high temperature. The contribution of the above factors to the modulus of rupture for castables varied with the temperature.

Anharmonic quantum contribution to vibrational dephasing.

PubMed

Barik, Debashis; Ray, Deb Shankar

2004-07-22

Based on a quantum Langevin equation and its corresponding Hamiltonian within a c-number formalism we calculate the vibrational dephasing rate of a cubic oscillator. It is shown that leading order quantum correction due to anharmonicity of the potential makes a significant contribution to the rate and the frequency shift. We compare our theoretical estimates with those obtained from experiments for small diatomics N(2), O(2), and CO.

Non-additivity of molecule-surface van der Waals potentials from force measurements.

PubMed

Wagner, Christian; Fournier, Norman; Ruiz, Victor G; Li, Chen; Müllen, Klaus; Rohlfing, Michael; Tkatchenko, Alexandre; Temirov, Ruslan; Tautz, F Stefan

2014-11-26

Van der Waals (vdW) forces act ubiquitously in condensed matter. Despite being weak on an atomic level, they substantially influence molecular and biological systems due to their long range and system-size scaling. The difficulty to isolate and measure vdW forces on a single-molecule level causes our present understanding to be strongly theory based. Here we show measurements of the attractive potential between differently sized organic molecules and a metal surface using an atomic force microscope. Our choice of molecules and the large molecule-surface separation cause this attraction to be purely of vdW type. The experiment allows testing the asymptotic vdW force law and its validity range. We find a superlinear growth of the vdW attraction with molecular size, originating from the increased deconfinement of electrons in the molecules. Because such non-additive vdW contributions are not accounted for in most first-principles or empirical calculations, we suggest further development in that direction.

Australia's contribution to global immunisation.

PubMed

Ruff, Tilman A; Taylor, Kate; Nolan, Terry

2012-12-01

To review Australian contributions to global immunisation. We summarise Australian scientific and program contributions to vaccines and global immunisation, describe key developments and strengths in Australia's national immunisation program, and outline how both of these can link with Australia's increasing international development budget to build Australia's future contribution to global immunisation. Australian contributions to vaccines and immunisation have been substantial, and Australia offers a range of good practices in its domestic and development approaches. There are major opportunities to build on this strong track record. These include committing to help roll out important new life-saving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and human papilloma virus (HPV) to the children who need them most, but whose communities can least afford them. Australia is one of a few countries expanding their aid budgets towards 0.7% development assistance and other development commitments. Given the importance of immunisation to health gains, Australia is well placed to expand its investment in immunisation within its development portfolio. The GAVI Alliance is the best-established global mechanism to do this. Additionally, however, Australia could harness other national and regional mechanisms to support low and middle-income countries, thereby complementing GAVI's focus and global needs. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

Extreme methane emissions from a Swiss hydropower reservoir: contribution from bubbling sediments.

PubMed

Delsontro, Tonya; McGinnis, Daniel F; Sobek, Sebastian; Ostrovsky, Ilia; Wehrli, Bernhard

2010-04-01

Methane emission pathways and their importance were quantified during a yearlong survey of a temperate hydropower reservoir. Measurements using gas traps indicated very high ebullition rates, but due to the stochastic nature of ebullition a mass balance approach was crucial to deduce system-wide methane sources and losses. Methane diffusion from the sediment was generally low and seasonally stable and did not account for the high concentration of dissolved methane measured in the reservoir discharge. A strong positive correlation between water temperature and the observed dissolved methane concentration enabled us to quantify the dissolved methane addition from bubble dissolution using a system-wide mass balance. Finally, knowing the contribution due to bubble dissolution, we used a bubble model to estimate bubble emission directly to the atmosphere. Our results indicated that the total methane emission from Lake Wohlen was on average >150 mg CH(4) m(-2) d(-1), which is the highest ever documented for a midlatitude reservoir. The substantial temperature-dependent methane emissions discovered in this 90-year-old reservoir indicate that temperate water bodies can be an important but overlooked methane source.

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) with Additional Therapy for Superficial Esophageal Cancer with Submucosal Invasion.

PubMed

Ikeda, Atsuki; Hoshi, Namiko; Yoshizaki, Tetsuya; Fujishima, Yoshimi; Ishida, Tsukasa; Morita, Yoshinori; Ejima, Yasuo; Toyonaga, Takashi; Kakechi, Yoshihiro; Yokosaki, Hiroshi; Azuma, Takeshi

2015-01-01

The standard treatment for submucosal esophageal cancer is esophagectomy or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). However, these treatment modalities could deteriorate the general condition and quality of life of the patients who are intolerant to invasive therapy. It is therefore important and beneficial to develop less invasive treatment protocols for these patients. The study included 43 patients who were clinically suspected of mucosa or submucosal esophageal cancer but underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as a primary treatment, due to the patients' poor performance statuses and/or preferences for less invasive therapy. According to the pathological findings and patient's general condition, whether the patient underwent additional treatments or remained hospitalized without additional treatments was thereafter decided for each patient. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of these patients. Fifteen patients underwent additional surgery, 11 patients underwent CRT/radiation therapy (RT) and 17 patients were followed without additional treatments. During the 3-year follow-up period, the relapse-free survival rates in the patients who received or did not receive additional treatments were 88% and 64%, respectively (95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.76, p=0.04). The relapse-free and overall survival rates in the patients with additional treatments were equivalent or superior to those described in previous reports of the standard treatments. Preceding ESD contributed to reduce the local relapse significantly to approximately 3.5% and additional CRT-related toxicities. Preceding ESD is very effective for the local control of cancer, and useful for histologically confirming the high-risk factors of relapse, such as ≥submucosal layer 2 (SM2) invasion and lymphovascular involvements. ESD with additional therapy may be a promising strategy for optimizing the selection of therapy depending on the patient's general condition.

The contribution to future flood risk in the Severn Estuary from extreme sea level rise due to ice sheet mass loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, N.; Bates, P. D.; Siddall, M.

2013-12-01

The rate at which sea levels will rise in the coming century is of great interest to decision makers tasked with developing mitigation policies to cope with the risk of coastal inundation. Accurate estimates of future sea levels are vital in the provision of effective policy. Recent reports from UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) suggest that mean sea levels in the UK may rise by as much as 80 cm by 2100; however, a great deal of uncertainty surrounds model predictions, particularly the contribution from ice sheets responding to climatic warming. For this reason, the application of semi-empirical modelling approaches for sea level rise predictions has increased of late, the results from which suggest that the rate of sea level rise may be greater than previously thought, exceeding 1 m by 2100. Furthermore, studies in the Red Sea indicate that rapid sea level rise beyond 1m per century has occurred in the past. In light of such research, the latest UKCIP assessment has included a H++ scenario for sea level rise in the UK of up to 1.9 m which is defined as improbable but, crucially, physically plausible. The significance of such low-probability sea level rise scenarios upon the estimation of future flood risk is assessed using the Somerset levels (UK) as a case study. A simple asymmetric probability distribution is constructed to include sea level rise scenarios of up to 1.9 m by 2100 which are added to a current 1:200 year event water level to force a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model of coastal inundation. From the resulting ensemble predictions an estimation of risk by 2100 is established. The results indicate that although the likelihood of extreme sea level rise due to rapid ice sheet mass loss is low, the resulting hazard can be large, resulting in a significant (27%) increase to the projected annual risk. Furthermore, current defence construction guidelines for the coming century in the UK are expected to account for 95% of the sea level rise distribution

Mapping watershed potential to contribute phosphorus from geologic materials to receiving streams, southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terziotti, Silvia; Hoos, Anne B.; Harned, Douglas; Garcia, Ana Maria

2010-01-01

As part of the southeastern United States SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) water-quality model implementation, the U.S. Geological Survey created a dataset to characterize the contribution of phosphorus to streams from weathering and erosion of surficial geologic materials. SPARROW provides estimates of total nitrogen and phosphorus loads in surface waters from point and nonpoint sources. The characterization of the contribution of phosphorus from geologic materials is important to help separate the effects of natural or background sources of phosphorus from anthropogenic sources of phosphorus, such as municipal wastewater or agricultural practices. The potential of a watershed to contribute phosphorus from naturally occurring geologic materials to streams was characterized by using geochemical data from bed-sediment samples collected from first-order streams in relatively undisturbed watersheds as part of the multiyear U.S. Geological Survey National Geochemical Survey. The spatial pattern of bed-sediment phosphorus concentration is offered as a tool to represent the best available information at the regional scale. One issue may weaken the use of bed-sediment phosphorus concentration as a surrogate for the potential for geologic materials in the watershed to contribute to instream levels of phosphorus-an unknown part of the variability in bed-sediment phosphorus concentration may be due to the rates of net deposition and processing of phosphorus in the streambed rather than to variability in the potential of the watershed's geologic materials to contribute phosphorus to the stream. Two additional datasets were created to represent the potential of a watershed to contribute phosphorus from geologic materials disturbed by mining activities from active mines and inactive mines.

Strangeness contribution to the proton spin from lattice QCD.

PubMed

Bali, Gunnar S; Collins, Sara; Göckeler, Meinulf; Horsley, Roger; Nakamura, Yoshifumi; Nobile, Andrea; Pleiter, Dirk; Rakow, P E L; Schäfer, Andreas; Schierholz, Gerrit; Zanotti, James M

2012-06-01

We compute the strangeness and light-quark contributions Δs, Δu, and Δd to the proton spin in n(f)=2 lattice QCD at a pion mass of about 285 MeV and at a lattice spacing a≈0.073 fm, using the nonperturbatively improved Sheikholeslami-Wohlert Wilson action. We carry out the renormalization of these matrix elements, which involves mixing between contributions from different quark flavors. Our main result is the small negative value Δs(MS)(√(7.4) GeV)=-0.020(10)(4) of the strangeness contribution to the nucleon spin. The second error is an estimate of the uncertainty, due to the missing extrapolation to the physical point.

Winter streamflow analysis in frozen, alpine catchments to quantify groundwater contribution and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoelzle, Michael; Weiler, Markus

2016-04-01

Alpine catchments are often considered as quickly responding systems where streamflow contributions from subsurface storages (groundwater) are mostly negligible due to the steep topography, low permeable bedrock and the absence of well-developed soils. Many studies in high altitude catchments have hence focused on water stored in snowpack and glaciers or on rainfall-runoff processes as the dominant streamflow contributions. Interestingly less effort has been devoted to winter streamflow analysis when melt- or rainfall-driven contributions are switched off due to the frozen state of the catchment. Considering projected changes in the alpine cryosphere (e.g. snow, glacier, permafrost) quantification of groundwater storage and contribution to streamflow is crucial to assess the social and ecological implications for downstream areas (e.g. water temperature, drought propagation). In this study we hypothesize that groundwater is the main streamflow contribution during winter and thus being responsible for the perennial regime of many alpine catchments. The hypothesis is investigated with well-known methods based on recession and breakpoint analysis of the streamflow regimes and temperature data to determine frozen periods. Analyzing nine catchments in Switzerland with mean elevation between 1000 and 2400 m asl, we found that above a mean elevation of 1800 m asl winter recessions are sufficient long and persistent enough to quantify groundwater contribution to streamflow and to characterize the properties of subsurface storage. The results show that groundwater in alpine catchment is the dominant streamflow contribution for nearly half a year and accountable for several hundred millimeter of annual streamflow. In sub-alpine catchments, driven by a mix of snowmelt and rainfall, a clear quantification of groundwater contributions is rather challenging due to discontinuous frozen periods in winter. We found that the inter-annual variability of different streamflow

75 FR 22159 - Major Portion Prices and Due Date for Additional Royalty Payments on Indian Gas Production in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-27

... of major portion prices for calendar year 2008. SUMMARY: Final regulations for valuing gas produced from Indian leases, published August 10, 1999, require MMS to determine major portion prices and notify... provides major portion prices for the 12 months of calendar year 2008. DATES: The due date to pay...

Switchgrass cultivars alter microbial contribution to deep soil C

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial, cellulosic biofuel feedstock capable of growing under a wide variety of climatic conditions on land marginally suited to cultivated crops. Due to its perennial nature and deep rooting characteristics, switchgrass contributes to soil C sequestration ...

Active mineral additives of sapropel ashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-01-01

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

Differential growth and yield by canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) arising from alterations in chemical properties of sandy soils due to additions of fly ash.

PubMed

Yunusa, Isa A M; Manoharan, Veeragathipillai; Harris, Rob; Lawrie, Roy; Pal, Yash; Quiton, Jonathan T; Bell, Richard; Eamus, Derek

2013-03-30

There is a need for field trials on testing agronomic potential of coal fly ash to engender routine use of this technology. Two field trials were undertaken with alkaline and acidic fly ashes supplied at between 3 and 6 Mg ha⁻¹ to acidic soils and sown to wheat and canola at Richmond (Eastern Australia) and to wheat only at Merredin (Western Australia). Ash addition marginally (P< 0.10) raised the pH in the top soil layers at both sites. The exceptionally dry season at both sites constrained yields and thwarted any likelihood of gaining yield benefits from ash-induced improvements in soil conditions. Yield improvements due to ash addition were absent at Merredin and only marginal at Richmond, where no elevated accumulation of B, Mo, Se, P or S in either the straw or seeds of wheat was observed; canola increased accumulation of Mo and Se in its shoot with acidic fly ash, but it was well below phyto toxic levels. Simulations of wheat using APSIM at Richmond over a 100-year period (1909-2008) predicted yield increases in 52% of years with addition of ash at 3.0 Mg ha⁻¹ compared with 24% of years with addition of ash at 6.0 Mg ha⁻¹. The simulated yield increases did not exceed 40% over the control with addition of 6 Mg ha⁻¹ ash, but was between 40% and 50% with an addition rate of 3 Mg ha⁻¹. We found no evidence of phytotoxicity in either crop in this unusually dry year and there is still a need for further field assessment in years with favourable rainfall to enable development of clear recommendations on fly ash rates for optimum yield benefits. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

The effects of cereal additives in low-fat sausages and meatballs. Part 1: Untreated and enzyme-treated rye bran.

PubMed

Petersson, Karin; Godard, Ophélie; Eliasson, Ann-Charlotte; Tornberg, Eva

2014-01-01

Rye bran was added to frankfurter-type sausages and meatballs with the aim of producing low-fat products with increased dietary fibre content. The addition of untreated rye bran to sausages was detrimental, causing a substantial increase in frying loss (20% compared to 13.2%). The addition of rye bran treated with hydrolytic enzymes reduced the frying loss to 15.2-16.4%. The firmness was also improved by the treatments (12.8-14.2 N compared to 8.8 N). Enzymatic treatment of rye bran did not however improve the water-holding capacity or the texture of sausages compared to the rye bran that had only been soaked in water. The reason could be that enzymes degraded the solubilized fraction of the dietary fibre, leaving small fragments that cannot contribute to the water-holding capacity and the texture of the sausages. The benefits of treating rye bran in water were not seen in meatballs, probably due to the more particulate structure of meatballs, which is not as sensitive to additives. © 2013.

Force-velocity properties' contribution to bilateral deficit during ballistic push-off.

PubMed

Samozino, Pierre; Rejc, Enrico; di Prampero, Pietro Enrico; Belli, Alain; Morin, Jean-Benoît

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to quantify the contribution of the force-velocity (F-v) properties to bilateral force deficit (BLD) in ballistic lower limb push-off and to relate it to individual F-v mechanical properties of the lower limbs. The F-v relation was individually assessed from mechanical measurements for 14 subjects during maximal ballistic lower limb push-offs; its contribution to BLD was then investigated using a theoretical macroscopic approach, considering both the mechanical constraints of movement dynamics and the maximal external capabilities of the lower limb neuromuscular system. During ballistic lower limb push-off, the maximum force each lower limb can produce was lower during bilateral than unilateral actions, thus leading to a BLD of 36.7% ± 5.7%. The decrease in force due to the F-v mechanical properties amounted to 19.9% ± 3.6% of the force developed during BL push-offs, which represents a nonneural contribution to BLD of 43.5% ± 9.1%. This contribution to BLD that cannot be attributed to changes in neural features was negatively correlated to the maximum unloaded extension velocity of the lower limb (r = -0.977, P < 0.001). During ballistic lower limb push-off, BLD is due to both neural alterations and F-v mechanical properties, the latter being associated with the change in movement velocity between bilateral and unilateral actions. The level of the contribution of the F-v properties depends on the individual F-v mechanical profile of the entire lower limb neuromuscular system: the more the F-v profile is oriented toward velocity capabilities, the lower the loss of force from unilateral to bilateral push-offs due to changes in movement velocity.

Contributions of groundwater pumping to global sea level rise: Continental-scale and interannual analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, P. J. F.; Chen, Y.; Lo, M. H.; Wada, Y.; Famiglietti, J. S.; Reager, J. T., II; Zhang, C.; Wu, R. J.

2017-12-01

Groundwater depletion (GWD) is an anthropogenic driver of changes in terrestrial water storage (TWS). Despite small in magnitudes comparing to most terrestrial hydrologic fluxes, it has important long-term contributions to global sea level rise (SLR). Past studies on the evaluation of the contributions from GWD to SLR were generally limited to a global-scale context and a long-term average perspective. This study examines the impacts of GWD on both terrestrial and atmospheric water balances and quantify the respective contribution to global sea level rise (SLR) using a global climate modelling approach. The annual contributions to global SLR from each continent during the modelling period 1900-1999 are quantified and compared. The contribution from each continent can be decomposed into a direct effect via the change in continental river discharges (R) and an indirect effect via the change in atmosphere water vapour convergence from ocean to land (C). An increase in R and a reduction in C would contribute positively to global SLR. The contribution due to GWD to SLR is compared with the contribution due to natural variability of TWS. Through this study, different dynamics and mechanisms responsible for the GWD contribution to SLR in different continents and time horizons can be identified for better understanding this globally significant environmental issue under warming climate.

Productivity loss due to overweight and obesity: a systematic review of indirect costs

PubMed Central

Goettler, Andrea; Grosse, Anna

2017-01-01

Objective The increasingly high levels of overweight and obesity among the workforce are accompanied by a hidden cost burden due to losses in productivity. This study reviews the extent of indirect cost of overweight and obesity. Methods A systematic search was conducted in eight electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, PsychInfo, Cinahl, EconLit and ClinicalTrial.gov). Additional studies were added from reference lists of original studies and reviews. Studies were eligible if they were published between January 2000 and June 2017 and included monetary estimates of indirect costs of overweight and obesity. The authors reviewed studies independently and assessed their quality. Results Of the 3626 search results, 50 studies met the inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed substantial costs due to lost productivity among workers with obesity. Especially absenteeism and presenteeism contribute to high indirect costs. However, the methodologies and results vary greatly, especially regarding the cost of overweight, which was even associated with lower indirect costs than normal weight in three studies. Conclusion The evidence predominantly confirms substantial short-term and long-term indirect costs of overweight and obesity in the absence of effective customised prevention programmes and thus demonstrates the extent of the burden of obesity beyond the healthcare sector. PMID:28982806

Additivity vs Synergism: Investigation of the Additive Interaction of Cinnamon Bark Oil and Meropenem in Combinatory Therapy.

PubMed

Yang, Shun-Kai; Yusoff, Khatijah; Mai, Chun-Wai; Lim, Wei-Meng; Yap, Wai-Sum; Lim, Swee-Hua Erin; Lai, Kok-Song

2017-11-04

Combinatory therapies have been commonly applied in the clinical setting to tackle multi-drug resistant bacterial infections and these have frequently proven to be effective. Specifically, combinatory therapies resulting in synergistic interactions between antibiotics and adjuvant have been the main focus due to their effectiveness, sidelining the effects of additivity, which also lowers the minimal effective dosage of either antimicrobial agent. Thus, this study was undertaken to look at the effects of additivity between essential oils and antibiotic, via the use of cinnamon bark essential oil (CBO) and meropenem as a model for additivity. Comparisons between synergistic and additive interaction of CBO were performed in terms of the ability of CBO to disrupt bacterial membrane, via zeta potential measurement, outer membrane permeability assay and scanning electron microscopy. It has been found that the additivity interaction between CBO and meropenem showed similar membrane disruption ability when compared to those synergistic combinations which was previously reported. Hence, results based on our studies strongly suggest that additive interaction acts on a par with synergistic interaction. Therefore, further investigation in additive interaction between antibiotics and adjuvant should be performed for a more in depth understanding of the mechanism and the impacts of such interaction.

Assessing the Risk of Crew Injury Due to Dynamic Loads During Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somers, J. T.; Gernhardt, M.; Newby, N.

2014-01-01

Spaceflight requires tremendous amounts of energy to achieve Earth orbit and to attain escape velocity for interplanetary missions. Although the majority of the energy is managed in such a way as to limit the accelerations on the crew, several mission phases may result in crew exposure to dynamic loads. In the automotive industry, risk of serious injury can be tolerated because the probability of a crash is remote each time a person enters a vehicle, resulting in a low total risk of injury. For spaceflight, the level of acceptable injury risk must be lower to achieve a low total risk of injury because the dynamic loads are expected on each flight. To mitigate the risk of injury due to dynamic loads, the NASA Human Research Program has developed a research plan to inform the knowledge gaps and develop relevant tools for assessing injury risk. The risk of injury due to dynamic loads can be further subdivided into extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors. Extrinsic risk factors include the vehicle dynamic profile, seat and restraint design, and spacesuit design. Human tolerance to loads varies considerably depending on the direction, amplitude, and rise-time of acceleration therefore the orientation of the body to the dynamic vector is critical to determining crew risk of injury. Although a particular vehicle dynamic profile may be safe for a particular design, the seat, restraint, and suit designs can affect the risk of injury due to localized effects. In addition, characteristics intrinsic to the crewmember may also contribute to the risk of injury, such as crewmember sex, age, anthropometry, and deconditioning due to spaceflight, and each astronaut may have a different risk profile because of these factors. The purpose of the research plan is to address any knowledge gaps in the risk factors to mitigate injury risk. Methods for assessing injury risk have been well documented in other analogous industries and include human volunteer testing, human exposure to dynamic

Glyoxal contribution to aerosols over Los Angeles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcerak, Ernie

2012-01-01

Laboratory and field studies have indicated that glyoxal (chemical formula OCHCHO), an atmospheric oxidation product of isoprene and aromatic compounds, may contribute to secondary organic aerosols in the atmosphere, which can block sunlight and affect atmospheric chemistry. Some aerosols are primary aerosols, emitted directly into the atmosphere, while others are secondary, formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Washenfelder et al. describe in situ glyoxal measurements from Pasadena, Calif., near Los Angeles, made during summer 2010. They used three different methods to calculate the contribution of glyoxal to secondary atmospheric aerosol and found that it is responsible for 0-0.2 microgram per cubic meter, or 0-4%, of the secondary organic aerosol mass. The researchers also compared their results to those of a previous study that calculated the glyoxal contribution to aerosol for Mexico City. Mexico City had higher levels of organic aerosol mass from glyoxal. They suggest that the lower contribution of glyoxal to aerosol concentrations for Los Angeles may be due to differences in the composition or water content of the aerosols above the two cities. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2011JD016314, 2011)

Food additives and preschool children.

PubMed

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

2013-02-01

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

Additive manufacturing for steels: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zadi-Maad, A.; Rohib, R.; Irawan, A.

2018-01-01

Additive manufacturing (AM) of steels involves the layer by layer consolidation of powder or wire feedstock using a heating beam to form near net shape products. For the past decades, the AM technique reaches the maturation of both research grade and commercial production due to significant research work from academic, government and industrial research organization worldwide. AM process has been implemented to replace the conventional process of steel fabrication due to its potentially lower cost and flexibility manufacturing. This paper provides a review of previous research related to the AM methods followed by current challenges issues. The relationship between microstructure, mechanical properties, and process parameters will be discussed. Future trends and recommendation for further works are also provided.

Estimating Additive and Non-Additive Genetic Variances and Predicting Genetic Merits Using Genome-Wide Dense Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers

PubMed Central

Su, Guosheng; Christensen, Ole F.; Ostersen, Tage; Henryon, Mark; Lund, Mogens S.

2012-01-01

Non-additive genetic variation is usually ignored when genome-wide markers are used to study the genetic architecture and genomic prediction of complex traits in human, wild life, model organisms or farm animals. However, non-additive genetic effects may have an important contribution to total genetic variation of complex traits. This study presented a genomic BLUP model including additive and non-additive genetic effects, in which additive and non-additive genetic relation matrices were constructed from information of genome-wide dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. In addition, this study for the first time proposed a method to construct dominance relationship matrix using SNP markers and demonstrated it in detail. The proposed model was implemented to investigate the amounts of additive genetic, dominance and epistatic variations, and assessed the accuracy and unbiasedness of genomic predictions for daily gain in pigs. In the analysis of daily gain, four linear models were used: 1) a simple additive genetic model (MA), 2) a model including both additive and additive by additive epistatic genetic effects (MAE), 3) a model including both additive and dominance genetic effects (MAD), and 4) a full model including all three genetic components (MAED). Estimates of narrow-sense heritability were 0.397, 0.373, 0.379 and 0.357 for models MA, MAE, MAD and MAED, respectively. Estimated dominance variance and additive by additive epistatic variance accounted for 5.6% and 9.5% of the total phenotypic variance, respectively. Based on model MAED, the estimate of broad-sense heritability was 0.506. Reliabilities of genomic predicted breeding values for the animals without performance records were 28.5%, 28.8%, 29.2% and 29.5% for models MA, MAE, MAD and MAED, respectively. In addition, models including non-additive genetic effects improved unbiasedness of genomic predictions. PMID:23028912

Expectations and limitations due to brachial plexus injury: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mancuso, Carol A; Lee, Steve K; Dy, Christopher J; Landers, Zoe A; Model, Zina; Wolfe, Scott W

2015-12-01

This study described physical and psychosocial limitations associated with adult brachial plexus injuries (BPI) and patients' expectations of BPI surgery. During in-person interviews, preoperative patients were asked about expectations of surgery and preoperative and postoperative patients were asked about limitations due to BPI. Postoperative patients also rated improvement in condition after surgery. Data were analyzed with qualitative and quantitative techniques. Ten preoperative and 13 postoperative patients were interviewed; mean age was 37 years, 19 were men, all were employed/students, and most injuries were due to trauma. Preoperative patients cited several main expectations, including pain-related issues, and improvement in arm movement, self-care, family interactions, and global life function. Work-related expectations were tailored to employment type. Preoperative and postoperative patients reported that pain, altered sensation, difficulty managing self-care, becoming physically and financially dependent, and disability in work/school were major issues. All patients reported making major compensations, particularly using the uninjured arm. Most reported multiple mental health effects, were distressed with long recovery times, were self-conscious about appearance, and avoided public situations. Additional stresses were finding and paying for BPI surgery. Some reported BPI impacted overall physical health, life priorities, and decision-making processes. Four postoperative patients reported hardly any improvement, four reported some/a good deal, and five reported a great deal of improvement. BPI is a life-altering event affecting physical function, mental well-being, financial situation, relationships, self-image, and plans for the future. This study contributes to clinical practice by highlighting topics to address to provide comprehensive BPI patient-centered care.

Effects of additional data on Bayesian clustering.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Keisuke

2017-10-01

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

The dilemma of allergy to food additives.

PubMed

Bahna, Sami L; Burkhardt, Joshua G

2018-01-01

To provide a brief summary on food additives and to outline a practical approach for evaluating subjects suspected of having reactions to food additives. Information was derived from selected reviews and original articles published in peer-reviewed journals, supplemented by the clinical experience of the authors. Priority was given to studies that used blinded, placebo controlled, oral challenges to confirm adverse reactions to food additives. In addition, selected, appropriately evaluated case reports were included. A large number of food additives are widely used in the food industry. Allergic reactions to additives seem to be rare but are very likely underdiagnosed, primarily due to a low index of suspicion. A wide variety of symptoms to food additives have been reported, but a cause-and-effect relationship has not been well documented in the majority of cases. Reactions to food additives should be suspected in patients who report symptoms related to multiple foods or to a certain food when commercially prepared but not when home made. It is also prudent to investigate food additives in subjects considered to have "idiopathic" reactions. Except for a limited number of natural additives, there is a small role for skin tests or in vitro testing. Oral challenge, in stages, with commonly used additives is the definitive procedure for detecting the offending agent. Once the specific additive is identified, management is strict avoidance, which can be difficult.

Identification methods of key contributing factors in crashes with high numbers of fatalities and injuries in China.

PubMed

Chen, Yikai; Li, Yiming; King, Mark; Shi, Qin; Wang, Changjun; Li, Pingfan

2016-11-16

In China, serious road traffic crashes (SRTCs) are those in which there are 10-30 fatalities, 50-100 serious injuries, or a total cost of 50-100 million RMB (U.S.$8-16 M), and particularly serious road traffic crashes (PSRTCs) are those that are more severe or costly. Due to the large number of fatalities and injuries as well as the negative public reaction they elicit, SRTCs and PSRTCs have become of great concern to China during recent years. The aim of this study is to identify the main factors contributing to these road traffic crashes and to propose preventive measures to reduce their number. 49 contributing factors of the SRTCs and PSRTCs that occurred from 2007 to 2013 were collected from the database "In-depth investigation and analysis system for major road traffic crashes" (IIASMRTC) and were analyzed through the integrated use of principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering to determine the primary and secondary groups of contributing factors. Speeding and overloading of passengers were the primary contributing factors, featuring in up to 66.3 and 32.6% of accidents, respectively. Two secondary contributing factors were road related: lack of or nonstandard roadside safety infrastructure and slippery roads due to rain, snow, or ice. The current approach to SRTCs and PSRTCs is focused on the attribution of responsibility and the enforcement of regulations considered relevant to particular SRTCs and PSRTCs. It would be more effective to investigate contributing factors and characteristics of SRTCs and PSRTCs as a whole to provide adequate information for safety interventions in regions where SRTCs and PSRTCs are more common. In addition to mandating a driver training program and publicization of the hazards associated with traffic violations, implementation of speed cameras, speed signs, markings, and vehicle-mounted Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are suggested to reduce speeding of passenger vehicles, while increasing regular checks by

24 CFR 235.1218 - Additional eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Additional eligibility requirements... interest due and delinquent interest not to exceed two months; and (2) The original principal amount of the... based on the closing price for three-month forward delivery contracts closest to par but not exceeding...

[Contributions of ludic care in nursing to chemical detoxification due to the use of crack cocaine].

PubMed

Pavanatto, Paola Aparecida; Gehlen, Maria Helena; Ilha, Silomar; Zamberlan, Claudia; Rangel, Rosiane Filipin; Nietsche, Elisabeta Albertina

2015-06-01

to understand the contributions of ludic care in nursing by stimulating the acceptance of chemical detoxification from crack on the perception of people in the detoxification process. an exploratory, descriptive study with a qualitative approach, performed with five people hospitalized for chemical detoxification from crack, from March to July 2013 in a chemical detox unit of a midsize hospital in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview and was subjected to content analysis. Two categories emerged: Ludic care in nursing as a stimulus to the acceptance of chemical detoxification; Ludic care in nursing in the promotion for healthy living after chemical detoxification. ludic care in nursing proved to enhance the acceptance of chemical detoxification from crack in the reality investigated.

Additional boundary conditions and surface exciton dispersion relations

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

Rimbey, P.R.

1977-01-15

The surface-exciton dispersion curves in ZnO are derived from the surface impedances developed by Fuchs and Kliewer (FK) and Rimbey and Mahan (RM) including retardation. There exists a distinctive splitting between the two dispersions, the FK additional boundary conditions having longitudinal character, the RM additional boundary conditions being transverse. Surface-mode attenuation due to spatial dispersion is more pronouced in the RM formalism, although inclusion of a phenomenological damping parameter does not alter either dispersion curve. (AIP)

Low-Temperature Additive Performance in Jet A Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

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

A Genome-Wide Association Analysis Reveals Epistatic Cancellation of Additive Genetic Variance for Root Length in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Lachowiec, Jennifer; Shen, Xia; Queitsch, Christine; Carlborg, Örjan

2015-01-01

Efforts to identify loci underlying complex traits generally assume that most genetic variance is additive. Here, we examined the genetics of Arabidopsis thaliana root length and found that the genomic narrow-sense heritability for this trait in the examined population was statistically zero. The low amount of additive genetic variance that could be captured by the genome-wide genotypes likely explains why no associations to root length could be found using standard additive-model-based genome-wide association (GWA) approaches. However, as the broad-sense heritability for root length was significantly larger, and primarily due to epistasis, we also performed an epistatic GWA analysis to map loci contributing to the epistatic genetic variance. Four interacting pairs of loci were revealed, involving seven chromosomal loci that passed a standard multiple-testing corrected significance threshold. The genotype-phenotype maps for these pairs revealed epistasis that cancelled out the additive genetic variance, explaining why these loci were not detected in the additive GWA analysis. Small population sizes, such as in our experiment, increase the risk of identifying false epistatic interactions due to testing for associations with very large numbers of multi-marker genotypes in few phenotyped individuals. Therefore, we estimated the false-positive risk using a new statistical approach that suggested half of the associated pairs to be true positive associations. Our experimental evaluation of candidate genes within the seven associated loci suggests that this estimate is conservative; we identified functional candidate genes that affected root development in four loci that were part of three of the pairs. The statistical epistatic analyses were thus indispensable for confirming known, and identifying new, candidate genes for root length in this population of wild-collected A. thaliana accessions. We also illustrate how epistatic cancellation of the additive genetic variance

Titanium dioxide food additive (E171) induces ROS formation and genotoxicity: contribution of micro and nano-sized fractions.

PubMed

Proquin, Héloïse; Rodríguez-Ibarra, Carolina; Moonen, Carolyn G J; Urrutia Ortega, Ismael M; Briedé, Jacob J; de Kok, Theo M; van Loveren, Henk; Chirino, Yolanda I

2017-01-01

Since 1969, the European Union approves food-grade titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), also known as E171 colouring food additive. E171 is a mixture of micro-sized particles (MPs) and nano-sized particles (NPs). Previous studies have indicated adverse effects of oral exposure to E171, i.e. facilitation of colon tumour growth. This could potentially be partially mediated by the capacity to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of the present study is to determine whether E171 exposure induces ROS formation and DNA damage in an in vitro model using human Caco-2 and HCT116 cells and to investigate the contribution of the separate MPs and NPs TiO 2 fractions to these effects. After suspension of the particles in Hanks' balanced salt solution buffer and cell culture medium with either bovine serum albumin (BSA) or foetal bovine serum, characterization of the particles was performed by dynamic light scattering, ROS formation was determined by electron spin/paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and DNA damage was determined by the comet and micronucleus assays. The results showed that E171, MPs and NPs are stable in cell culture medium with 0.05% BSA. The capacity for ROS generation in a cell-free environment was highest for E171, followed by NPs and MPs. Only MPs were capable to induce ROS formation in exposed Caco-2 cells. E171, MPs and NPs all induced single-strand DNA breaks. Chromosome damage was shown to be induced by E171, as tested with the micronucleus assay in HCT116 cells. In conclusion, E171 has the capability to induce ROS formation in a cell-free environment and E171, MPs and NPs have genotoxic potential. The capacity of E171 to induce ROS formation and DNA damage raises concerns about potential adverse effects associated with E171 (TiO 2 ) in food. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How Much Do Additional Mailings and Telephone Calls Contribute to Response Rates in a Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhart, Q.; Haviland, Amelia M.; Kallaur, Paul N.; Edwards, Carol A.; Brown, Julie A.; Elliott, Marc N.

2015-01-01

Surveys often spend substantial money on multiple mailings and telephone calls to ensure high overall response rates and adequate representation of hard-to-reach demographic subgroups. We examine the extent to which an additional mailing and additional sets of telephone calls are effective in attaining these goals across a variety of subgroups in…

Progranulin Overproduction Due to Fli-1 Deficiency Contributes to the Resistance of Dermal Fibroblasts to Tumor Necrosis Factor in Systemic Sclerosis.

PubMed

Ichimura, Yohei; Asano, Yoshihide; Akamata, Kaname; Noda, Shinji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Takahashi, Takehiro; Toyama, Tetsuo; Tada, Yayoi; Sugaya, Makoto; Sato, Shinichi; Kadono, Takafumi

2015-12-01

Progranulin is a growth factor that is active in wound repair and is an antagonist of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors, regulating fibroblast activation, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Because long-standing activation of gene programs related to wound healing is a hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc), we sought to investigate the role of progranulin in SSc. Progranulin expression levels in human and murine skin samples were determined by immunohistochemical analysis and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The role of progranulin in fibroblast activation was examined using a gene-silencing technique. Progranulin levels in serum obtained from 60 patients with SSc and 16 healthy control subjects were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Progranulin expression was increased in SSc dermal fibroblasts compared with normal dermal fibroblasts, both in vivo and in vitro. Transcription factor Fli-1, a deficiency of which is involved in the activation of SSc dermal fibroblasts, served as a potent repressor of the progranulin gene, and Fli-1(+/-) mice and bleomycin-treated wild-type mice exhibited up-regulated expression of progranulin in dermal fibroblasts. SSc dermal fibroblasts were resistant to the antifibrotic effect of TNF, but this resistance was reversed by gene silencing of progranulin. Serum progranulin levels were elevated in patients with early diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), especially in those with inflammatory skin symptoms, and were positively correlated with the C-reactive protein level. Progranulin overproduction due to Fli-1 deficiency may contribute to the constitutive activation of SSc dermal fibroblasts by antagonizing the antifibrotic effect of TNF. Progranulin may also be involved in the inflammatory process associated with progressive skin sclerosis in early dcSSc. © 2015, American College of Rheumatology.

Contributions of South American research centers to Carbohydrate Research.

PubMed

Stortz, Carlos A

2014-03-24

The present article shows the objective figures of the contributions of South American research centers to Carbohydrate Research during its 50years of history, measured in terms of members of the Editorial Board, number of articles and citations to them, together with a country-based comparison, and the progression of these contributions with time. In addition, it also shows the subjective feelings of the author toward the same journal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contributions of South American research centers to Carbohydrate Research.

PubMed

Stortz, Carlos A

2015-02-11

The present article shows the objective figures of the contributions of South American research centers to Carbohydrate Research during its 50 years of history, measured in terms of members of the Editorial Board, number of articles and citations to them, together with a country-based comparison, and the progression of these contributions with time. In addition, it also shows the subjective feelings of the author toward the same journal. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Study of the dislocation contribution to the internal friction background of gold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baur, J.; Benoit, W.

1987-04-01

The dislocation contribution to the internal friction (IF) background is studied in annealed gold samples containing various dilute concentrations of platinum impurities. The measurements are performed in the kHz frequency range in order to determine the loss mechanism responsible for the high IF background observed at these low frequencies. To this end, the IF background was systematically measured as a function of frequency, vibration amplitude, temperature, and impurity concentration. The experimental results show that the high dislocation contribution observed in annealed samples is strain-amplitude independent for amplitudes in the range 10-7 to 2×10-6, but rapidly decreases for amplitudes smaller than 10-7. In particular, the dislocation contribution tends to zero when the strain amplitude tends to zero. Furthermore, this contribution is frequency independent. These observations demonstrate that the dislocation contribution cannot be explained by relaxations. In particular, this contribution cannot be attributed to a viscous damping of the dislocation motion. On the contrary, the experiments show that the IF background due to dislocations must be explained by hysteretic and athermal motions of dislocations interacting with point defects. However, these hysteretic motions are not due to breakaway of dislocations from pinning points distributed along their length. The experimental results can be explained by the presence of point defects close to the dislocations, but not on them. The mechanical energy loss is attributed to hysteretic motions of dislocations between potential minima created by point defects.

Additional Support Needs Reforms and Social Justice in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddell, Sheila; Stead, Joan; Weedon, Elisabet; Wright, Kevin

2010-01-01

New additional support-needs legislation in Scotland sought to recognise the way in which poverty, as well as individual impairment, contribute to the creation of children's difficulties in learning. As well as identifying a wider range of needs, the legislation sought to provide parents, irrespective of social background, with more powerful means…

Laboratory investigation of surface processes on airless bodies due to electrostatic dust mobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Hood, N.; Schwan, J.; Hsu, H. W.; Horanyi, M.

2017-12-01

Electrostatic dust mobilization on the surfaces of airless bodies due to direct exposure to solar wind and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been suggested from a number of unusual planetary observations and supported by our recent laboratory experiments. This electrostatic process may have a significant contribution in the evolution of these surfaces in addition to other surface processes, e.g., thermal fragmentation. The critical questions are how this process changes the surface physical characteristics and how efficient this process can be. We report new laboratory experiments that record dust activities as function of the incoming fluxes of photons or energetic electrons over a long exposure time under Earth gravity. Dust is observed to hop and move on the surface, causing the significant change in surface morphology and becoming smoother over time. Our results indicate that the dynamics of dust mobilization may be complicated by temporal charging effect as dust moves. Various sizes and types of dust are examined, showing large effects on dust mobilization. These laboratory data will help us to predict the electrostatic surface processes and estimate their timescales in space conditions.

Muscle Weakness and Fibrosis Due to Cell Autonomous and Non-cell Autonomous Events in Collagen VI Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy.

PubMed

Noguchi, Satoru; Ogawa, Megumu; Malicdan, May Christine; Nonaka, Ikuya; Nishino, Ichizo

2017-02-01

Congenital muscular dystrophies with collagen VI deficiency are inherited muscle disorders with a broad spectrum of clinical presentation and are caused by mutations in one of COL6A1-3 genes. Muscle pathology is characterized by fiber size variation and increased interstitial fibrosis and adipogenesis. In this study, we define critical events that contribute to muscle weakness and fibrosis in a mouse model with collagen VI deficiency. The Col6a1 GT/GT mice develop non-progressive weakness from younger age, accompanied by stunted muscle growth due to reduced IGF-1 signaling activity. In addition, the Col6a1 GT/GT mice have high numbers of interstitial skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitor cells, which dramatically increase with repeated myofiber necrosis/regeneration. Our results suggest that impaired neonatal muscle growth and the activation of the mesenchymal cells in skeletal muscles contribute to the pathology of collagen VI deficient muscular dystrophy, and more importantly, provide the insights on the therapeutic strategies for collagen VI deficiency. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Additive manufacturing of tunable lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlichting, Katja; Novak, Tobias; Heinrich, Andreas

2017-02-01

Individual additive manufacturing of optical systems based on 3D Printing offers varied possibilities in design and usage. In addition to the additive manufacturing procedure, the usage of tunable lenses allows further advantages for intelligent optical systems. Our goal is to bring the advantages of additive manufacturing together with the huge potential of tunable lenses. We produced tunable lenses as a bundle without any further processing steps, like polishing. The lenses were designed and directly printed with a 3D Printer as a package. The design contains the membrane as an optical part as well as the mechanical parts of the lens, like the attachments for the sleeves which contain the oil. The dynamic optical lenses were filled with an oil. The focal length of the lenses changes due to a change of the radius of curvature. This change is caused by changing the pressure in the inside of the lens. In addition to that, we designed lenses with special structures to obtain different areas with an individual optical power. We want to discuss the huge potential of this technology for several applications. Further, an appropriate controlling system is needed. Wéll show the possibilities to control and regulate the optical power of the lenses. The lenses could be used for illumination tasks, and in the future, for individual measurement tasks. The main advantage is the individuality and the possibility to create an individual design which completely fulfills the requirements for any specific application.

Behavior Analytic Contributions to the Study of Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubina, Richard M., Jr.; Morrison, Rebecca S.; Lee, David L.

2006-01-01

As researchers continue to study creativity, a behavior analytic perspective may provide new vistas by offering an additional perspective. Contemporary behavior analysis began with B. F. Skinner and offers a selectionist approach to the scientific investigation of creativity. Behavior analysis contributes to the study of creativity by…

Magnetic and lattice contributions to the magnetocaloric effect in Sm1-xSrxMnO3 manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliev, A. M.; Batdalov, A. B.; Khanov, L. N.

2018-04-01

A method is proposed to estimate the lattice and magnetic contributions to the total magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in materials with magnetostructural phase transitions. The method is based on two assumptions: (a) the lattice contribution is proportional to magnetostriction and (b) the magnetic contribution obeys a field dependence ΔTm ˜ Hn. Temperature and magnetic field dependences of the MCE and magnetostriction are used to estimate the contributions. Estimations of the contributions in Sm0.6Sr0.4MnO3 manganite are made for cases when n = 0.66 and n = 0.75. Analysis shows that in the area of the maximum of the effect for n = 0.66, the magnetic subsystem contributes about 58% of the total MCE, and the remaining 42% are due to a change in the entropy of the lattice. In the case of n = 0.75, the magnetic contribution remains predominant, but the ratio of the contributions changes: the magnetic contribution counts for 53% and the lattice contribution equals to 47%. The ratio of contributions varies with the temperature and magnetic field. The results of estimation agree with direct measurements of the MCE in Sm0.5Sr0.5MnO3 manganite, where almost the total effect is due to a change in the magnetic entropy.

Common Ion Effects In Zeoponic Substrates: Dissolution And Cation Exchange Variations Due to Additions of Calcite, Dolomite and Wollastonite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beiersdorfer, R. E.; Ming, D. W.; Galindo, C., Jr.

2003-01-01

c1inoptilolite-rich tuff-hydroxyapatite mixture (zeoponic substrate) has the potential to serve as a synthetic soil-additive for plant growth. Essential plant macro-nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, ammonium and potassium are released into solution via dissolution of the hydroxyapatite and cation exchange on zeolite charged sites. Plant growth experiments resulting in low yield for wheat have been attributed to a Ca deficiency caused by a high degree of cation exchange by the zeolite. Batch-equilibration experiments were performed in order to determine if the Ca deficiency can be remedied by the addition of a second Ca-bearing, soluble, mineral such as calcite, dolomite or wollastonite. Variations in the amount of calcite, dolomite or wollastonite resulted in systematic changes in the concentrations of Ca and P. The addition of calcite, dolomite or wollastonite to the zeoponic substrate resulted in an exponential decrease in the phosphorous concentration in solution. The exponential rate of decay was greatest for calcite (5.60 wt. % -I), intermediate for wollastonite (2.85 wt.% -I) and least for dolomite (1.58 wt.% -I). Additions of the three minerals resulted in linear increases in the calcium concentration in solution. The rate of increase was greatest for calcite (3.64), intermediate for wollastonite (2.41) and least for dolomite (0.61). The observed changes in P and Ca concentration are consistent with the solubilities of calcite, dolomite and wollastonite and with changes expected from a common ion effect with Ca. Keywords: zeolite, zeoponics, common-ion effect, clinoptilolite, hydroxyapatite

Contributing Factors for Acute Illness/Injury from Childhood Pesticide Exposure in North Carolina, USA, 2007–2013

PubMed Central

Barros, Nirmalla; Langley, Ricky; Buhler, Wayne; Brantham, Kelly

2016-01-01

Between 2007 and 2013, there were 685 events with evidence of a relationship between pesticide exposure and acute illness/injury among persons less than 18 years old in North Carolina (United States). Median age of children affected was 4.3 years (range: 0.2–17.9). Distribution by gender was similar across all age groups. One fatality and four high severity events were observed. The greatest proportion (42%) of events had ocular exposures, followed by dermal (25%) and inhalation (18%) exposures. When more than one route of exposure occurred, dermal and ocular routes were the most common (46%). Almost all events took place indoors and 32 events involved contact with pets. Insecticides (53%) and insect repellants (31%) were the most frequent agents contributing to these events. Manual application of pesticides contributed to the greatest number of events (25%), while application through a pressurized can and use of a trigger pump were involved in 21% and 15% of events, respectively. Additional contributors were due to inappropriate storage of pesticides and improper use of the pesticide. These contributing factors can be removed or minimized if pesticides are stored outside the residence or out of the reach of children and pets, and adequate ventilation is ensured whenever pesticides are applied. PMID:29051410

Years of Life Lost Due to External Causes of Death in the Lodz Province, Poland

PubMed Central

Pikala, Malgorzata; Bryla, Marek; Bryla, Pawel; Maniecka-Bryla, Irena

2014-01-01

Background The aim of the study is the analysis of years of life lost due to external causes of death, particularly due to traffic accidents and suicides. Materials and Methods The study material includes a database containing information gathered from 376,281 death certificates of inhabitants of the Lodz province who died between 1999 and 2010. The Lodz province is characterized by the highest mortality rates in Poland. The SEYLLp (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person) and the SEYLLd (per death) indices were used to determine years of life lost. Joinpoint models were used to analyze time trends. Results In 2010, deaths due to external causes constituted 6.0% of the total number of deaths. The standardized death rate (SDR) due to external causes was 110.0 per 100,000 males and was five times higher than for females (22.0 per 100,000 females). In 2010, the SEYLLp due to external causes was 3746 per 100,000 males and 721 per 100,000 females. Among males, suicides and traffic accidents were the most common causes of death (the values of the SEYLLp were: 1098 years and 887 years per 100,000 people, respectively). Among females, the SEYLLp values were 183 years due to traffic accidents and 143 years due to suicides (per 100,000 people). Conclusions A decrease in the number of years of life lost due to external causes is much higher among females. The authors observe that a growing number of suicides contribute to an increase in the value of the SEYLLp index. This directly contributes to over-mortality of males due to external causes. The analysis of the years of life lost focuses on the social and economic aspects of premature mortality due to external causes. PMID:24810942

Productivity loss due to overweight and obesity: a systematic review of indirect costs.

PubMed

Goettler, Andrea; Grosse, Anna; Sonntag, Diana

2017-10-05

The increasingly high levels of overweight and obesity among the workforce are accompanied by a hidden cost burden due to losses in productivity. This study reviews the extent of indirect cost of overweight and obesity. A systematic search was conducted in eight electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, PsychInfo, Cinahl, EconLit and ClinicalTrial.gov). Additional studies were added from reference lists of original studies and reviews. Studies were eligible if they were published between January 2000 and June 2017 and included monetary estimates of indirect costs of overweight and obesity. The authors reviewed studies independently and assessed their quality. Of the 3626 search results, 50 studies met the inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed substantial costs due to lost productivity among workers with obesity. Especially absenteeism and presenteeism contribute to high indirect costs. However, the methodologies and results vary greatly, especially regarding the cost of overweight, which was even associated with lower indirect costs than normal weight in three studies. The evidence predominantly confirms substantial short-term and long-term indirect costs of overweight and obesity in the absence of effective customised prevention programmes and thus demonstrates the extent of the burden of obesity beyond the healthcare sector. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

26 CFR 1.162-15 - Contributions, dues, etc.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... direct relationship to the taxpayer's business and are made with a reasonable expectation of a financial return commensurate with the amount of the donation may constitute allowable deductions as business expenses, provided the donation is not made for a purpose for which a deduction is not allowable by reason...

Leaf Litter Mixtures Alter Microbial Community Development: Mechanisms for Non-Additive Effects in Litter Decomposition

PubMed Central

Chapman, Samantha K.; Newman, Gregory S.; Hart, Stephen C.; Schweitzer, Jennifer A.; Koch, George W.

2013-01-01

To what extent microbial community composition can explain variability in ecosystem processes remains an open question in ecology. Microbial decomposer communities can change during litter decomposition due to biotic interactions and shifting substrate availability. Though relative abundance of decomposers may change due to mixing leaf litter, linking these shifts to the non-additive patterns often recorded in mixed species litter decomposition rates has been elusive, and links community composition to ecosystem function. We extracted phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) from single species and mixed species leaf litterbags after 10 and 27 months of decomposition in a mixed conifer forest. Total PLFA concentrations were 70% higher on litter mixtures than single litter types after 10 months, but were only 20% higher after 27 months. Similarly, fungal-to-bacterial ratios differed between mixed and single litter types after 10 months of decomposition, but equalized over time. Microbial community composition, as indicated by principal components analyses, differed due to both litter mixing and stage of litter decomposition. PLFA biomarkers a15∶0 and cy17∶0, which indicate gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria respectively, in particular drove these shifts. Total PLFA correlated significantly with single litter mass loss early in decomposition but not at later stages. We conclude that litter mixing alters microbial community development, which can contribute to synergisms in litter decomposition. These findings advance our understanding of how changing forest biodiversity can alter microbial communities and the ecosystem processes they mediate. PMID:23658639

Employer involvement in defined contribution investment education.

PubMed

Blau, G; VanDerhei, J L

2000-01-01

In this paper the authors consider the personnel problems that may arise for defined contribution plan sponsors if major market corrections cause older employees to delay retirement beyond previous expectations. We move from that basic premise to argue that, given the continued evolution from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) retirement plans, employers need to be more "proactive" in educating their employees about their retirement planning. A human resources perspective is used to support this argument, apart from and in addition to legal considerations such as ERISA Section 404(c). Specifics of employer involvement and its place as a component of an organization's culture are discussed. Finally, recommendations are given for employers to consider.

Mapping Emissions that Contribute to Air Pollution Using Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastien, L. A. J.; Mcdonald, B. C.; Brown, N. J.; Harley, R.

2014-12-01

The adjoint of the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) is used to map emissions that contribute to air pollution at receptors of interest. Adjoint tools provide an efficient way to calculate the sensitivity of a model response to a large number of model inputs, a task that would require thousands of simulations using a more traditional forward sensitivity approach. Initial applications of this technique, demonstrated here, are to benzene and directly-emitted diesel particulate matter, for which atmospheric reactions are neglected. Emissions of these pollutants are strongly influenced by light-duty gasoline vehicles and heavy-duty diesel trucks, respectively. We study air quality responses in three receptor areas where populations have been identified as especially susceptible to, and adversely affected by air pollution. Population-weighted air basin-wide responses for each pollutant are also evaluated for the entire San Francisco Bay area. High-resolution (1 km horizontal grid) emission inventories have been developed for on-road motor vehicle emission sources, based on observed traffic count data. Emission estimates represent diurnal, day of week, and seasonal variations of on-road vehicle activity, with separate descriptions for gasoline and diesel sources. Emissions that contribute to air pollution at each receptor have been mapped in space and time using the adjoint method. Effects on air quality of both relative (multiplicative) and absolute (additive) perturbations to underlying emission inventories are analyzed. The contributions of local versus upwind sources to air quality in each receptor area are quantified, and weekday/weekend and seasonal variations in the influence of emissions from upwind areas are investigated. The contribution of local sources to the total air pollution burden within the receptor areas increases from about 40% in the summer to about 50% in the winter due to increased atmospheric stagnation. The effectiveness of control

Quantifying O3 Impacts in Urban Areas Due to Wildfires Using a Generalized Additive Model.

PubMed

Gong, Xi; Kaulfus, Aaron; Nair, Udaysankar; Jaffe, Daniel A

2017-11-21

Wildfires emit O 3 precursors but there are large variations in emissions, plume heights, and photochemical processing. These factors make it challenging to model O 3 production from wildfires using Eulerian models. Here we describe a statistical approach to characterize the maximum daily 8-h average O 3 (MDA8) for 8 cities in the U.S. for typical, nonfire, conditions. The statistical model represents between 35% and 81% of the variance in MDA8 for each city. We then examine the residual from the model under conditions with elevated particulate matter (PM) and satellite observed smoke ("smoke days"). For these days, the residuals are elevated by an average of 3-8 ppb (MDA8) compared to nonsmoke days. We found that while smoke days are only 4.1% of all days (May-Sept) they are 19% of days with an MDA8 greater than 75 ppb. We also show that a published method that does not account for transport patterns gives rise to large overestimates in the amount of O 3 from fires, particularly for coastal cities. Finally, we apply this method to a case study from August 2015, and show that the method gives results that are directly applicable to the EPA guidance on excluding data due to an uncontrollable source.

Trends in Labor Force Participation: How Much is Due to Changes in Pensions?

PubMed Central

Rohwedder, Susann

2011-01-01

In the United States, beginning in the late 1980s there was a substantial increase in the labor force participation of men and women in their 60s. Over the same time period the type of pension plans offered by employers shifted strongly from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans. Defined benefit plans typically have optimal retirement ages embedded in their structure which induce early retirement, whereas defined contribution plans do not favor any particular retirement age. Based on panel data, this paper quantifies the increase in participation due to the change in pension structure. The main result is that the pension changes account for a considerable part of the increase, but other factors also made a contribution. PMID:21857886

Treponema denticola chymotrypsin-like proteinase may contribute to orodigestive carcinogenesis through immunomodulation.

PubMed

Nieminen, Mikko T; Listyarifah, Dyah; Hagström, Jaana; Haglund, Caj; Grenier, Daniel; Nordström, Dan; Uitto, Veli-Jukka; Hernandez, Marcela; Yucel-Lindberg, Tülay; Tervahartiala, Taina; Ainola, Mari; Sorsa, Timo

2018-02-06

Periodontal pathogens have been linked to oral and gastrointestinal (orodigestive) carcinogenesis. However, the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Treponema denticola (Td) is associated with severe periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease leading to tooth loss. The anaerobic spirochete Td is an invasive bacteria due to its major virulence factor chymotrypsin-like proteinase. Here we aimed to investigate the presence of Td chymotrypsin-like proteinase (Td-CTLP) in major orodigestive tumours and to elucidate potential mechanisms for Td to contribute to carcinogenesis. The presence of Td-CTLP within orodigestive tumour tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry. Oral, tonsillar, and oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas, alongside gastric, pancreatic, and colon adenocarcinomas were stained with a Td-CTLP-specific antibody. Gingival tissue from periodontitis patients served as positive controls. SDS-PAGE and immunoblot were used to analyse the immumodulatory activity of Td-CTLP in vitro. Td-CTLP was present in majority of orodigestive tumour samples. Td-CTLP was found to convert pro MMP-8 and -9 into their active forms. In addition, Td-CTLP was able to degrade the proteinase inhibitors TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and α-1-antichymotrypsin, as well as complement C1q. Because of its presence within tumours and regulatory activity on proteins critical for the regulation of tumour microenvironment and inflammation, the Td-CTLP may contribute to orodigestive carcinogenesis.

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

PubMed

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

2014-02-28

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

Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions: Steven F. Maier

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Psychologist, 2009

2009-01-01

Steven F. Maier, winner of the Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions, is cited for his work in the fields of learned helplessness; cytokines, depressed mood, and cognitive interference; and the brain structures that produce and counteract learned helplessness. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected bibliography of Maier's…

Analysis Of Resistance And Effective Wake Friction Due To Addition Of Stern Tunnels On Passenger Ship Using Cfd

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrismianto, D.; Tuswan; Manik, P.

2018-03-01

In this study, the stern tunnel to improve the efficiency of ship propulsion system is analysed. Stern tunnels installed on the two sides of the ship stern. Analysis of ship resistance and wake friction of the ship using CFD are carried out. The stern tunnel height (Hw) and length (L) are implemented to find the better stern tunnel form of the ship. The result of analysis showed that model has a high stern tunnels (Hw) of 1,444 m or additional high stern tunnels ratio of 16% and stern long tunnels (L) about 7 m is a model that has the smallest resistance about 1.1137 N or able to make reduction of resistance amount 11.2582%. While, the model with the addition of height of 0.2 m and a length of 9 m of stern tunnel is a model that has the better advanced speed about 4,927% in increase, and better wake friction about 30.4% in reduce.

Nature and prevalence of non-additive toxic effects in industrially relevant mixtures of organic chemicals.

PubMed

Parvez, Shahid; Venkataraman, Chandra; Mukherji, Suparna

2009-06-01

The concentration addition (CA) and the independent action (IA) models are widely used for predicting mixture toxicity based on its composition and individual component dose-response profiles. However, the prediction based on these models may be inaccurate due to interaction among mixture components. In this work, the nature and prevalence of non-additive effects were explored for binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures composed of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs). The toxicity of each individual component and mixture was determined using the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay. For each combination of chemicals specified by the 2(n) factorial design, the percent deviation of the predicted toxic effect from the measured value was used to characterize mixtures as synergistic (positive deviation) and antagonistic (negative deviation). An arbitrary classification scheme was proposed based on the magnitude of deviation (d) as: additive (< or =10%, class-I) and moderately (10< d < or =30 %, class-II), highly (30< d < or =50%, class-III) and very highly (>50%, class-IV) antagonistic/synergistic. Naphthalene, n-butanol, o-xylene, catechol and p-cresol led to synergism in mixtures while 1, 2, 4-trimethylbenzene and 1, 3-dimethylnaphthalene contributed to antagonism. Most of the mixtures depicted additive or antagonistic effect. Synergism was prominent in some of the mixtures, such as, pulp and paper, textile dyes, and a mixture composed of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The organic chemical industry mixture depicted the highest abundance of antagonism and least synergism. Mixture toxicity was found to depend on partition coefficient, molecular connectivity index and relative concentration of the components.

Exposure estimate for FD&C colour additives for the US population.

PubMed

Doell, Diana L; Folmer, Daniel E; Lee, Hyoung S; Butts, Kyla M; Carberry, Susan E

2016-05-01

Dietary exposures to the seven food, drug, and cosmetic (FD&C) colour additives that are approved for general use in food in the United States were estimated for the US population (aged 2 years and older), children (aged 2-5 years) and teenage boys (aged 13-18 years) based on analytical levels of the FD&C colour additives in foods. Approximately 600 foods were chosen for analysis, based on a survey of product labels, for the levels of FD&C colour additives. Dietary exposure was estimated using both 2-day food consumption data from the combined 2007-10 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and 10-14-day food consumption data from the 2007-10 NPD Group, Inc. National Eating Trends - Nutrient Intake Database (NPD NET-NID). Dietary exposure was estimated at the mean and 90th percentile using three different exposure scenarios: low exposure, average exposure and high exposure, to account for the range in the amount of each FD&C colour additive for a given food. For all populations and all exposure scenarios, the highest cumulative eaters-only exposures in food were determined for FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6. In addition, the eaters-only exposure was estimated for individual food categories in order to determine which food categories contributed the most to the exposure for each FD&C colour additive. Breakfast Cereal, Juice Drinks, Soft Drinks, and Frozen Dairy Desserts/Sherbet (also referred to as Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Sherbet (including Bars, Sticks, Sandwiches)) were the major contributing food categories to exposure for multiple FD&C colour additives for all three populations.

POET: Planetary Orbital Evolution due to Tides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penev, Kaloyan

2014-08-01

POET (Planetary Orbital Evolution due to Tides) calculates the orbital evolution of a system consisting of a single star with a single planet in orbit under the influence of tides. The following effects are The evolutions of the semimajor axis of the orbit due to the tidal dissipation in the star and the angular momentum of the stellar convective envelope by the tidal coupling are taken into account. In addition, the evolution includes the transfer of angular momentum between the stellar convective and radiative zones, effect of the stellar evolution on the tidal dissipation efficiency, and stellar core and envelope spins and loss of stellar convective zone angular momentum to a magnetically launched wind. POET can be used out of the box, and can also be extended and modified.

Can Flare Loops Contribute to the White-light Emission of Stellar Superflares?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinzel, P.; Shibata, K.

2018-06-01

Since the discovery of stellar superflares by the Kepler satellite, these extremely energetic events have been studied in analogy to solar flares. Their white-light (WL) continuum emission has been interpreted as being produced by heated ribbons. In this paper, we compute the WL emission from overlying flare loops depending on their density and temperature and show that, under conditions expected during superflares, the continuum brightening due to extended loop arcades can significantly contribute to stellar flux detected by Kepler. This requires electron densities in the loops of 1012‑1013 cm‑3 or higher. We show that such densities, exceeding those typically present in solar-flare loops, can be reached on M-dwarf and solar-type superflare stars with large starspots and much stronger magnetic fields. Quite importantly, the WL radiation of loops is not very sensitive to their temperature and thus both cool as well as hot loops may contribute. We show that the WL intensity emergent from optically thin loops is lower than the blackbody radiation from flare ribbons, but the contribution of loops to total stellar flux can be quite important due to their significant emitting areas. This new scenario for interpreting superflare emission suggests that the observed WL flux is due to a mixture of the ribbon and loop radiation and can be even loop-dominated during the gradual phase of superflares.

Breaking down the contribution of different meteorological mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dufour, Ambroise; Tilinina, Natalia; Zolina, Olga; Gulev, Sergey

2017-04-01

Several mechanisms are held responsible for extreme atmospheric moisture into the Arctic - our case study - : extratropical cyclones, breaking Rossby waves, blocking events, etc. Based on composite analysis, all these phenomena have been associated with above average meridional moisture transport. These individual conclusions call for a synthesis in order to share the credit between the different mechanisms. However, it is impossible to break down the respective contributions by simply using their composites due to the risk of double counting. Indeed, the different phenomena may occur simultaneously and have overlapping regions of influence. As a result, building composites for one phenomenon will likely count in a portion of the others as well. This ambiguity is raised within a probabilistic framework by viewing composites as conditional expectations. For a given event A, the composite is written as the sum of each event's contribution weighted by the event's conditional probability given A. The composites for a set of events can be interpreted as a linear system whose coefficents are conditional probabilities and whose solution is each event's individual contribution. Using data from ERA Interim and cyclone tracks from the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, we solve the linear system in the case of moisture transport through 70°N. The main result is to downgrade the collective influence of extratropical cyclones due to the predominance of weak inconsequential cyclones. Transient eddies are nonetheless responsible for more than 90 % of the transport : it undermines the common but untested assumption that transient eddies are identical to extratropical cyclones.

Thermal Stability of Nanocrystalline Alloys by Solute Additions and A Thermodynamic Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saber, Mostafa

Nanocrystalline alloys show superior properties due to their exceptional microstructure. Thermal stability of these materials is a critical aspect. It is well known that grain boundaries in nanocrystalline microstructures cause a significant increase in the total free energy of the system. A driving force provided to reduce this excess free energy can cause grain growth. The presence of a solute addition within a nanocrystalline alloy can lead to the thermal stability. Kinetic and thermodynamic stabilization are the two basic mechanisms with which stability of a nanoscale grain size can be achieved at high temperatures. The basis of this thesis is to study the effect of solute addition on thermal stability of nanocrystalline alloys. The objective is to determine the effect of Zr addition on the thermal stability of mechanically alloyed nanocrysatillne Fe-Cr and Fe-Ni alloys. In Fe-Cr-Zr alloy system, nanoscale grain size stabilization was maintained up to 900 °C by adding 2 at% Zr. Kinetic pinning by intermetallic particles in the nanoscale range was identified as a primary mechanism of thermal stabilization. In addition to the grain size strengthening, intermetallic particles also contribute to strengthening mechanisms. The analysis of microhardness, XRD data, and measured grain sizes from TEM micrographs suggested that both thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms are possible mechanisms. It was found that alpha → gamma phase transformation in Fe-Cr-Zr system does not influence the grain size stabilization. In the Fe-Ni-Zr alloy system, it was shown that the grain growth in Fe-8Ni-1Zr alloy is much less than that of pure Fe and Fe-8Ni alloy at elevated temperatures. The microstructure of the ternary Fe-8Ni-1Zr alloy remains in the nanoscale range up to 700 °C. Using an in-situ TEM study, it was determined that drastic grain growth occurs when the alpha → gamma phase transformation occurs. Accordingly, there can be a synergistic relationship between grain growth

Nanocrystal Additives for Advanced Lubricants

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

Cooper, Gregory; Lohuis, James; Demas, Nicholaos

The innovations in engine and drivetrain lubricants are mainly driven by ever more stringent regulations, which demand better fuel economy, lower carbon emission, and less pollution. Many technologies are being developed for the next generations of vehicles to achieve these goals. Even if these technologies can be adopted, there still is a significant need for a “drop-in” lubricant solution for the existing ground vehicle fleet to reap immediate fuel savings at the same time reduce the pollution. Dramatic improvements were observed when Pixelligent’s proprietary, mono-dispersed, and highly scalable metal oxide nanocrystals were added to the base oils. The dispersions inmore » base and formulated oils are clear and without any change of appearance and viscosity. However, the benefits provided by the nanocrystals were limited to the base oils due to the interference of exiting additives in the fully formulated oils. Developing a prototype formulation including the nanocrystals that can demonstrate the same improvements observed in the base oils is a critical step toward the commercialization of these advanced nano-additives. A ‘bottom-up’ approach was adopted to develop a prototype lubricant formulation to avoid the complicated interactions with the multitude of additives, only minimal numbers of most essential additives are added, step by step, into the formulation, to ensure that they are compatible with the nanocrystals and do not compromise their tribological performance. Tribological performance are characterized to come up with the best formulations that can demonstrate the commercial potential of the nano-additives.« less

Rare symbionts may contribute to the resilience of coral-algal assemblages.

PubMed

Ziegler, Maren; Eguíluz, Víctor M; Duarte, Carlos M; Voolstra, Christian R

2018-01-01

The association between corals and photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) is the key to the success of reef ecosystems in highly oligotrophic environments, but it is also their Achilles' heel due to its vulnerability to local stressors and the effects of climate change. Research during the last two decades has shaped a view that coral host-Symbiodinium pairings are diverse, but largely exclusive. Deep sequencing has now revealed the existence of a rare diversity of cryptic Symbiodinium assemblages within the coral holobiont, in addition to one or a few abundant algal members. While the contribution of the most abundant resident Symbiodinium species to coral physiology is widely recognized, the significance of the rare and low abundant background Symbiodinium remains a matter of debate. In this study, we assessed how coral-Symbiodinium communities assemble and how rare and abundant components together constitute the Symbiodinium community by analyzing 892 coral samples comprising >110 000 unique Symbiodinium ITS2 marker gene sequences. Using network modeling, we show that host-Symbiodinium communities assemble in non-random 'clusters' of abundant and rare symbionts. Symbiodinium community structure follows the same principles as bacterial communities, for which the functional significance of rare members (the 'rare bacterial biosphere') has long been recognized. Importantly, the inclusion of rare Symbiodinium taxa in robustness analyses revealed a significant contribution to the stability of the host-symbiont community overall. As such, it highlights the potential functions rare symbionts may provide to environmental resilience of the coral holobiont.

Harmonic Resonance in Power Transmission Systems due to the Addition of Shunt Capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Hardik U.

Shunt capacitors are often added in transmission networks at suitable locations to improve the voltage profile. In this thesis, the transmission system in Arizona is considered as a test bed. Many shunt capacitors already exist in the Arizona transmission system and more are planned to be added. Addition of these shunt capacitors may create resonance conditions in response to harmonic voltages and currents. Such resonance, if it occurs, may create problematic issues in the system. It is main objective of this thesis to identify potential problematic effects that could occur after placing new shunt capacitors at selected buses in the Arizona network. Part of the objective is to create a systematic plan for avoidance of resonance issues. For this study, a method of capacitance scan is proposed. The bus admittance matrix is used as a model of the networked transmission system. The calculations on the admittance matrix were done using Matlab. The test bed is the actual transmission system in Arizona; however, for proprietary reasons, bus names are masked in the thesis copy intended for the public domain. The admittance matrix was obtained from data using the PowerWorld Simulator after equivalencing the 2016 summer peak load (planning case). The full Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system data were used. The equivalencing procedure retains only the Arizona portion of the WECC. The capacitor scan results for single capacitor placement and multiple capacitor placement cases are presented. Problematic cases are identified in the form of 'forbidden response. The harmonic voltage impact of known sources of harmonics, mainly large scale HVDC sources, is also presented. Specific key results for the study indicated include: (1) The forbidden zones obtained as per the IEEE 519 standard indicates the bus 10 to be the most problematic bus. (2) The forbidden zones also indicate that switching values for the switched shunt capacitor (if used) at bus 3 should be

Cold Spraying of Armstrong Process Titanium Powder for Additive Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, D.; Fernández, R.; Delloro, F.; Jodoin, B.

2017-04-01

Titanium parts are ideally suited for aerospace applications due to their unique combination of high specific strength and excellent corrosion resistance. However, titanium as bulk material is expensive and challenging/costly to machine. Production of complex titanium parts through additive manufacturing looks promising, but there are still many barriers to overcome before reaching mainstream commercialization. The cold gas dynamic spraying process offers the potential for additive manufacturing of large titanium parts due to its reduced reactive environment, its simplicity to operate, and the high deposition rates it offers. A few challenges are to be addressed before the additive manufacturing potential of titanium by cold gas dynamic spraying can be reached. In particular, it is known that titanium is easy to deposit by cold gas dynamic spraying, but the deposits produced are usually porous when nitrogen is used as the carrier gas. In this work, a method to manufacture low-porosity titanium components at high deposition efficiencies is revealed. The components are produced by combining low-pressure cold spray using nitrogen as the carrier gas with low-cost titanium powder produced using the Armstrong process. The microstructure and mechanical properties of additive manufactured titanium components are investigated.

Long-term warming trends in Korea and contribution of urbanization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, B.; Min, S. K.; Kim, Y. H.; Kim, M. K.; Choi, Y.; Boo, K. O.

2016-12-01

This study provides a systematic investigation of the long-term temperature trends over Korean peninsula in comparison with global temperature trends and presents an updated assessment of the contribution of urban effect. Linear trends are analyzed for three different periods over South Korea in order to consider inhomogeneity due to changes in number of stations: recent 103 years (1912-2014, 6 stations), 61 years (1954-2014, 12 stations) and 42 years (1973-2014, 48 stations). HadCRUT4, MLOST and GISS datasets are used to obtain temperature trends in global mean and each country scales for the same periods. The temperature over South Korea has increased by 1.90°C, 1.35°C, and 0.99°C during 103, 61, and 42 years, respectively. This is equivalent to 1.4-2.6 times larger warming than the global mean trends. The countries located in the Northern mid latitudes exhibit slightly weaker warming trends to Korea (about 1.5 times stronger than of global means), suggesting a considerable impact of urbanization on the local warming over Korea. Updated analyses of the urbanization effect on temperature trends over South Korea suggest that 10-45% of the warming trends are due to urbanization effect, with stronger contributions during the recent decades. First, we compared the recent 42-year temperature trends between city and rural stations using the two approaches based on previous studies. Results show that urbanization effect has contributed to 30-45% of the temperature trends. Secondly, the contribution of urbanization to the temperature increase over Korea has been indirectly estimated using 56 ensemble members of 20CRv2 reanalysis data that include no influence of urbanization. Analysis results for the three periods indicate that urbanization effect could have contributed to the local warming over Korea by 10-25%.

Radiative effects due to North American anthropogenic and lightning emissions: Global and regional modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, Matus Novak

We analyze the contribution of North American (NA) lightning and anthropogenic emissions to summertime ozone concentrations, radiative forcing, and exports from North America using the global University of Maryland chemistry transport model (UMD-CTM) and the regional scale Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem). Lightning NO contributes by 15--20 ppbv to upper tropospheric ozone concentrations over the United States with the effects of NA lightning on ozone seen as far east as North Africa and Europe. Using the UMD-CTM, we compare changes in surface and column ozone amounts due to the NOx State Implementation Plan (SIP) Call with the natural variability in ozone due to changes in meteorology and lightning. Comparing early summer 2004 with 2002, surface ozone decreased by up to 5 ppbv due to the NO x SIP Call while changes in meteorology and lightning resulted in a 0.3--1.4 ppbv increase in surface ozone. Ozone column variability was driven primarily by changes in lightning NO emissions, especially over the North Atlantic. As part of our WRF-Chem analysis, we modify the radiation schemes to use model-calculated ozone (interactive ozone) instead of climatological ozone profiles and conduct multiple 4-day simulations of July 2007. We found that interactive ozone increased the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) by 3 W m-2 decreasing the bias with respect to remotely sensed OLR. The improvement is due to a high bias in the climatological ozone profiles. The interactive ozone had a small impact on mean upper troposphere temperature (-0.15°C). The UMD-CTM simulations indicate that NA anthropogenic emissions are responsible for more ozone export but less ozone radiative forcing than lightning NO emissions. Over the North Atlantic, NA anthropogenic emissions contributed 0.15--0.30 W m-2 to the net downward radiative flux at the tropopause while NA lightning contributed 0.30--0.50 W m-2. The ozone export from anthropogenic emissions was almost twice

Contribution potential of glaciers to water availability in different climate regimes

PubMed Central

Kaser, Georg; Großhauser, Martin; Marzeion, Ben

2010-01-01

Although reliable figures are often missing, considerable detrimental changes due to shrinking glaciers are universally expected for water availability in river systems under the influence of ongoing global climate change. We estimate the contribution potential of seasonally delayed glacier melt water to total water availability in large river systems. We find that the seasonally delayed glacier contribution is largest where rivers enter seasonally arid regions and negligible in the lowlands of river basins governed by monsoon climates. By comparing monthly glacier melt contributions with population densities in different altitude bands within each river basin, we demonstrate that strong human dependence on glacier melt is not collocated with highest population densities in most basins. PMID:21059938

Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682-1771): his anatomic majesty's contributions to the neurosciences.

PubMed

Tubbs, R Shane; Steck, Dominik T; Mortazavi, Martin M; Shoja, Mohammadali M; Loukas, Marios; Cohen-Gadol, Aaron A

2012-07-01

Giovanni Battista Morgagni is considered the Father of Pathology and contributed much to our early understanding of neuropathology. For example, he introduced the concept that diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease must be based on an exact understanding of the pathologic changes in anatomic structures. Additionally, he contributed to what would become the discipline of neurosurgery and, for example, performed trepanation for head trauma. It is the contributions of such early pioneers as Morgagni that our current understanding of the neurosciences is based.

Non-Rigid Earth Contributions to the Precession in Longitude and Indirect Effects on Nutations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrandiz, J. M.; Escapa, A.; Baenas, T.; Getino, J.

2016-12-01

Precession in longitude is affected by the internal structure of the Earth. Although this effect is small, typically described as of second-order, it must be considered in current precession theories due to the stringent accuracy and consistency requirements. The current IAU2006 precession theory is based on Capitaine at al. (2003, 2005). The influence of the Earth's geophysical model is taken into account in IAU2006 only through a sole contribution, the so-called "non-linear effect" computed by Mathews (2004). In elastic Earth models the contributions are twofold. A main part comes from 2nd order terms of the mathematical solution stemming from crossed influences of certain nutation-rising terms. Only the Hamiltonian theory of the non-rigid Earth has succeeded in deriving a solution for those terms so far, and they were not considered in IAU2006 precession theory. Another contributions are caused by geopotential variations resulting from the tidal deformations of the Earth, or redistribution tidal potential. IAU2006 non-linear effect belongs to this category, although it just represents a partial, simplified approach to the total effect (Lambert & Mathews 2006, 2008). The mass redistribution is induced by the gravitational action of Moon and Sun, but also by the tidal variations of the Earth's angular velocity and the resultant changes of the centrifugal potential. We present a comprehensive study of the contributions to the precession in longitude due to the non-rigidity of the Earth, based on the Hamiltonian formalism developed by Getino and Ferrándiz for a two-layer Earth elastic model. To this end, we recall the achievements made by our group recently (Ferrándiz et al 2016, Baenas et al 2016) and complete them by incorporating the contributions due to the tidal variations of the Earth's angular velocity, as well as anelasticity effects consistent with the IERS Conventions. After that, we compute the total final correction to the precession in longitude due

Contribution of Adipose Tissue to Development of Cancer

PubMed Central

Cozzo, Alyssa J.; Fuller, Ashley M.; Makowski, Liza

2018-01-01

Solid tumor growth and metastasis require the interaction of tumor cells with the surrounding tissue, leading to a view of tumors as tissue-level phenomena rather than exclusively cell-intrinsic anomalies. Due to the ubiquitous nature of adipose tissue, many types of solid tumors grow in proximate or direct contact with adipocytes and adipose-associated stromal and vascular components, such as fibroblasts and other connective tissue cells, stem and progenitor cells, endothelial cells, innate and adaptive immune cells, and extracellular signaling and matrix components. Excess adiposity in obesity both increases risk of cancer development and negatively influences prognosis in several cancer types, in part due to interaction with adipose tissue cell populations. Herein, we review the cellular and noncellular constituents of the adipose “organ,” and discuss the mechanisms by which these varied microenvironmental components contribute to tumor development, with special emphasis on obesity. Due to the prevalence of breast and prostate cancers in the United States, their close anatomical proximity to adipose tissue depots, and their complex epidemiologic associations with obesity, we particularly highlight research addressing the contribution of adipose tissue to the initiation and progression of these cancer types. Obesity dramatically modifies the adipose tissue microenvironment in numerous ways, including induction of fibrosis and angiogenesis, increased stem cell abundance, and expansion of proinflammatory immune cells. As many of these changes also resemble shifts observed within the tumor microenvironment, proximity to adipose tissue may present a hospitable environment to developing tumors, providing a critical link between adiposity and tumorigenesis. PMID:29357128

The contribution of major diagnostic causes to socioeconomic differences in disability retirement.

PubMed

Polvinen, Anu; Laaksonen, Mikko; Gould, Raija; Lahelma, Eero; Martikainen, Pekka

2014-07-01

The aim of this study was twofold: to investigate socioeconomic differences in disability retirement (DR) due to major diseases and find out which diseases contribute most to the overall socioeconomic differences in DR. The data were longitudinal register-based (10% sample of Finns) from Statistics Finland. These data included 258 428 participants aged 35-64 years during the follow-up. The participants were employed or unemployed before the follow-up period 1997-2010. Of all participants, 14 303 men and 13 188 women ended up in DR during the follow-up. Socioeconomic status was categorized into upper- and lower-class non-manual employees, manual workers, and self-employed persons. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios for DR due to different diseases. Compared to upper-class non-manual employees, DR was especially high for manual workers whose retirement diagnoses included psychoactive substance use, musculoskeletal diseases (MSD), or cardiovascular diseases. Socioeconomic differences in DR were stronger for younger age groups and men versus women. For females and males, the largest part of the excess DR among manual workers compared to upper-class non-manual employees was due to MSD. In the age group 54-64 years, the contribution of MSD to the total excess was >50% among male manual workers and 75% among female manual workers. Excess DR due to mental disorders concerned only 35-54-year-old manual workers (among 23% men and 26% women). The contribution of MSD to the total excess DR among lower socioeconomic groups was large. Prevention of MSD among manual workers would likely reduce socioeconomic differences in DR.

Chapter 26: Mortality of Marbled Murrelets Due to Oil Pollution in North America

Treesearch

Harry R. Carter; Katherine J. Kuletz

1995-01-01

Mortality of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) due to oil pollution is one of the major threats to murrelet populations. Mortality from large spills and chronic oil pollution has been occurring for several decades but has been documented poorly throughout their range; it probably has contributed to declines in populations, in conjunction...

Economic base determination and influence of several variables against contributions percentage of the GDRP in Aceh Besar district

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andayani, Keumala; Miftahuddin

2018-05-01

The percentage contribution of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in Aceh Besar district is influenced by several leading sectors, such as agriculture, building sector, trade, hotel and restaurant sector, transport and communications, financial sector, leasing and business services, and services sector. Based on the use of Location Quotient (LQ) method and multiple regression model, the effect of labor variables and population to Gross Regional Domestic Product by 2000 constant prices for agriculture and trade. For each addition of one workforce in the trading sector, the trade sector contribution will increase by 0.000014157%. Thus, the trade sector contribution will increase by 0.0000013786% in every addition of one soul of the population. Whereas, for every addition of one human resource in the agricultural sector will be reduced by 0.0002%. In other words, for each addition of one soul of the population will reduce the contribution of the agricultural sector by 0.00008611%.

Time-dependent geoid anomalies at subduction zones due to the seismic cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cambiotti, G.; Sabadini, R.; Yuen, D. A.

2018-01-01

We model the geoid anomalies excited during a megathrust earthquake cycle at subduction zones, including the interseismic phase and the contribution from the infinite series of previous earthquakes, within the frame of self-gravitating, spherically symmetric, compressible, viscoelastic Earth models. The fault cuts the whole 50 km lithosphere, dips 20°, and the slip amplitude, together with the length of the fault, are chosen in order to simulate an Mw = 9.0 earthquake, while the viscosity of the 170 km thick asthenosphere ranges from 1017 to 1020 Pa s. On the basis of a new analysis from the Correspondence Principle, we show that the geoid anomaly is characterized by a periodic anomaly due to the elastic and viscous contribution from past earthquakes and to the back-slip of the interseismic phase, and by a smaller static contribution from the steady-state response to the previous infinite earthquake cycles. For asthenospheric viscosities from 1017-1018 to 1019-1020 Pa s, the characteristic relaxation times of the Earth model change from shorter to longer timescales compared to the 400 yr earthquake recurrence time, which dampen the geoid anomaly for the higher asthenospheric viscosities, since the slower relaxation cannot contribute its whole strength within the interseismic cycle. The geoid anomaly pattern is characterized by a global, time-dependent positive upwarping of the geoid topography, involving the whole hanging wall and partially the footwall compared to the sharper elastic contribution, attaining, for a moment magnitude Mw = 9.0, amplitudes as high as 6.6 cm for the lowermost asthenospheric viscosities during the viscoelastic response compared to the elastic maximum of 3.8 cm. The geoid anomaly vanishes due to the back-slip of the interseismic phase, leading to its disappearance at the end of the cycle before the next earthquake. Our results are of importance for understanding the post-seismic and interseismic geoid patterns at subduction zones.

Non-autoclaved aerated concrete with mineral additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Il'ina, L. V.; Rakov, M. A.

2016-01-01

We investigated the effect of joint grinding of Portland cement clinker, silica and carbonate components and mineral additives to specific surface of 280 - 300 m2/kg on the properties (strength, average density and thermal conductivity) of non-autoclaved aerated concrete, and the porosity of the hardened cement paste produced from Portland cement clinker with mineral additives. The joint grinding of the Portland cement clinker with silica and carbonate components and mineral additives reduces the energy consumption of non-autoclaved aerated concrete production. The efficiency of mineral additives (diopside, wollastonite) is due to the closeness the composition, the type of chemical bonds, physical and chemical characteristics (specific enthalpy of formation, specific entropy) to anhydrous clinker minerals and their hydration products. Considering the influence of these additions on hydration of clinker minerals and formation of hardened cement paste structure, dispersed wollastonite and diopside should be used as mineral additives. The hardness and, consequently, the elastic modulus of diopside are higher than that of hardened cement paste. As a result, there is a redistribution of stresses in the hardened cement paste interporous partitions and hardening, both the partitions and aerated concrete on the whole. The mineral additives introduction allowed to obtain the non-autoclaved aerated concrete with average density 580 kg/m3, compressive strength of 3.3 MPa and thermal conductivity of 0.131 W/(m.°C).

Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions: Alice H. Eagly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Psychologist, 2009

2009-01-01

Alice H. Eagly, winner of the Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions, is cited for her work in the field of social psychology, the psychology of gender, and the use of meta-analytic techniques. She envisions a psychology that extends from individual cognitions to societal structures. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected…

Effect of intratympanic dexamethasone, memantine and piracetam on cellular apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity.

PubMed

Topdag, M; Iseri, M; Gelenli, E; Yardimoglu, M; Yazir, Y; Ulubil, S A; Topdag, D O; Ustundag, E

2012-11-01

This study aimed to contribute to the literature on the prevention and treatment of ototoxicity due to various drugs and chemicals. This study compared the histological effects of intratympanic dexamethasone, memantine and piracetam on cellular apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity, in 36 rats. Dexamethasone and memantine had significant effects on the stria vascularis, organ of Corti and spiral ganglion (p < 0.05). Although piracetam decreased the apoptosis rate, this effect was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Dexamethasone and memantine were found superior to piracetam in reducing apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity. Further studies of this subject are needed, incorporating electron microscopy and auditory brainstem response testing.

Dissection of additive, dominance, and imprinting effects for production and reproduction traits in Holstein cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although genome-wide association and genomic selection studies have primarily focused on additive effects, dominance and imprinting effects play an important role in mammalian biology and development. The degree to which these non-additive genetic effects contribute to phenotypic variation and wheth...

Energy-effective Grinding of Inorganic Solids Using Organic Additives.

PubMed

Mishra, Ratan K; Weibel, Martin; Müller, Thomas; Heinz, Hendrik; Flatt, Robert J

2017-08-09

We present our research findings related to new formulations of the organic additives (grinding aids) needed for the efficient grinding of inorganic solids. Even though the size reduction phenomena of the inorganic solid particles in a ball mill is purely a physical process, the addition of grinding aids in milling media introduces a complex physicochemical process. In addition to further gain in productivity, the organic additive helps to reduce the energy needed for grinding, which in the case of cement clinker has major environmental implications worldwide. This is primarily due to the tremendous amounts of cement produced and almost 30% of the associated electrical energy is consumed for grinding. In this paper, we examine the question of how to optimize these grinding aids linking molecular insight into their working mechanisms, and also how to design chemical additives of improved performance for industrial comminution.

Exposure estimate for FD&C colour additives for the US population

PubMed Central

Folmer, Daniel E.; Lee, Hyoung S.; Butts, Kyla M.; Carberry, Susan E.

2016-01-01

Dietary exposures to the seven food, drug, and cosmetic (FD&C) colour additives that are approved for general use in food in the United States were estimated for the US population (aged 2 years and older), children (aged 2–5 years) and teenage boys (aged 13–18 years) based on analytical levels of the FD&C colour additives in foods. Approximately 600 foods were chosen for analysis, based on a survey of product labels, for the levels of FD&C colour additives. Dietary exposure was estimated using both 2-day food consumption data from the combined 2007–10 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and 10–14-day food consumption data from the 2007–10 NPD Group, Inc. National Eating Trends – Nutrient Intake Database (NPD NET-NID). Dietary exposure was estimated at the mean and 90th percentile using three different exposure scenarios: low exposure, average exposure and high exposure, to account for the range in the amount of each FD&C colour additive for a given food. For all populations and all exposure scenarios, the highest cumulative eaters-only exposures in food were determined for FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6. In addition, the eaters-only exposure was estimated for individual food categories in order to determine which food categories contributed the most to the exposure for each FD&C colour additive. Breakfast Cereal, Juice Drinks, Soft Drinks, and Frozen Dairy Desserts/Sherbet (also referred to as Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Sherbet (including Bars, Sticks, Sandwiches)) were the major contributing food categories to exposure for multiple FD&C colour additives for all three populations. PMID:27092991

Absence from work due to occupational and non-occupational accidents.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Kirsten; Laursen, Bjarne

2013-02-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate absence from work in Denmark due to occupational and non-occupational accidents. Since the beginning of the last decade, political focus has been placed on the population's working capacity and the scope of absence due to illness. Absence from work is estimated at between 3% and 6% of working hours in the EU and costs are estimated at approximately 2.5% of GNP. Victims of accidents treated at two emergency departments were interviewed regarding absence for the injured, the family and others. All answers were linked to the hospital information on the injury, so that it was possible to examine the relation between absence and injury type, and cause of the accident. In total, 1,479 injured persons were interviewed. 36% of these reported absence from work by themselves or others. In mean, an injury caused 3.21 days of absence. Based on this the total absence due to injuries in Denmark was estimated to 1,822,000 workdays, corresponding to approximately 6% of the total absence from work due to all types of illness. Non-occupational injuries resulted in more absence than did occupational injuries. Absence due to accidents contributed to a considerable part of the total absence from work, and non-occupational accidents caused more absence than did occupational accidents.

Contribution of acidic components to the total acid number (TAN) of bio-oil

DOE PAGES

Park, Lydia K-E.; Liu, Jiaojun; Yiacoumi, Sotira; ...

2017-03-28

Bio-oil or pyrolysis oil — a product of thermochemical decomposition of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions — holds great potential to be a substitute for nonrenewable fossil fuels. But, its high acidity, which is primarily due to the degradation of hemicelluloses, limits its applications. For the evaluation of bio-oil production and treatment, it is essential to accurately measure the acidity of bio-oil. The total acid number (TAN), which is defined as the amount of potassium hydroxide needed to titrate one gram of a sample and has been established as an ASTM method to measure the acidity of petroleum products, has beenmore » employed to investigate the acidity of bio-oil. The TAN values of different concentrations of bio-oil components such as standard solutions of acetic acid, propionic acid, vanillic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, hydroxymethylfurfural, and phenol were analyzed according to the ASTM D664 standard method. Our method showed the same linear relationship between the TAN values and the molar concentrations of acetic, propionic, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A different linear relationship was found for vanillic acid, due to the presence of multiple functional groups that can contribute to the TAN value. Furthermore, the influence of the titration solvent on the TAN values has been determined by comparing the TAN values and titration curves obtained from the standard method with results from the TAN analysis in aqueous environment and with equilibrium modeling results. Aqueous bio-oil samples with a known amount of acetic acid added were also analyzed. The additional acetic acid in bio-oil samples caused a proportional increase in the TAN values. These results of this research indicate that the TAN value of a sample with acids acting as monoprotic acids in the titration solvent can be converted to the molar concentration of total acids. For a sample containing acids that act as diprotic and polyprotic acids, however, its TAN value

Contribution of acidic components to the total acid number (TAN) of bio-oil

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

Park, Lydia K-E.; Liu, Jiaojun; Yiacoumi, Sotira

Bio-oil or pyrolysis oil — a product of thermochemical decomposition of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions — holds great potential to be a substitute for nonrenewable fossil fuels. But, its high acidity, which is primarily due to the degradation of hemicelluloses, limits its applications. For the evaluation of bio-oil production and treatment, it is essential to accurately measure the acidity of bio-oil. The total acid number (TAN), which is defined as the amount of potassium hydroxide needed to titrate one gram of a sample and has been established as an ASTM method to measure the acidity of petroleum products, has beenmore » employed to investigate the acidity of bio-oil. The TAN values of different concentrations of bio-oil components such as standard solutions of acetic acid, propionic acid, vanillic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, hydroxymethylfurfural, and phenol were analyzed according to the ASTM D664 standard method. Our method showed the same linear relationship between the TAN values and the molar concentrations of acetic, propionic, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A different linear relationship was found for vanillic acid, due to the presence of multiple functional groups that can contribute to the TAN value. Furthermore, the influence of the titration solvent on the TAN values has been determined by comparing the TAN values and titration curves obtained from the standard method with results from the TAN analysis in aqueous environment and with equilibrium modeling results. Aqueous bio-oil samples with a known amount of acetic acid added were also analyzed. The additional acetic acid in bio-oil samples caused a proportional increase in the TAN values. These results of this research indicate that the TAN value of a sample with acids acting as monoprotic acids in the titration solvent can be converted to the molar concentration of total acids. For a sample containing acids that act as diprotic and polyprotic acids, however, its TAN value

The Additional Uses of CALL in the Endangered Language Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Monica

2004-01-01

This paper considers the additional uses of CALL in the Endangered Language (EL) context. It briefly reviews ELs and reports on CALL for ELs in general. It then reviews the extra uses of CALL for ELs; these include changing negative attitudes towards the language, arousing interest in the language and contributing to language maintenance and…

Quantitative assessment of the contribution of sodium-dependent taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) to the hepatic uptake of rosuvastatin, pitavastatin and fluvastatin.

PubMed

Bi, Yi-an; Qiu, Xi; Rotter, Charles J; Kimoto, Emi; Piotrowski, Mary; Varma, Manthena V; Ei-Kattan, Ayman F; Lai, Yurong

2013-11-01

Hepatic uptake transport is often the rate-determining step in the systemic clearance of drugs. The ability to predict uptake clearance and to determine the contribution of individual transporters to overall hepatic uptake is therefore critical in assessing the potential pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability associated with drug-drug interactions and pharmacogenetics. The present study revisited the interaction of statin drugs, including pitavastatin, fluvastatin and rosuvastatin, with the sodium-dependent taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) using gene transfected cell models. In addition, the uptake clearance and the contribution of NTCP to the overall hepatic uptake were assessed using in vitro hepatocyte models. Then NTCP protein expression was measured by a targeted proteomics transporter quantification method to confirm the presence and stability of NTCP expression in suspended and cultured hepatocyte models. It was concluded that NTCP-mediated uptake contributed significantly to active hepatic uptake in hepatocyte models for all three statins. However, the contribution of NTCP-mediated uptake to the overall active hepatic uptake was compound-dependent and varied from about 24% to 45%. Understanding the contribution of individual transporter proteins to the overall hepatic uptake and its functional variability when other active hepatic uptake pathways are interrupted could improve the current prediction practice used to assess the pharmacokinetic variability due to drug-drug interactions, pharmacogenetics and physiopathological conditions in humans. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dosimetric variations due to interfraction organ deformation in cervical cancer brachytherapy.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kazuma; Murakami, Naoya; Wakita, Akihisa; Nakamura, Satoshi; Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Umezawa, Rei; Takahashi, Kana; Inaba, Koji; Igaki, Hiroshi; Ito, Yoshinori; Shigematsu, Naoyuki; Itami, Jun

2015-12-01

We quantitatively estimated dosimetric variations due to interfraction organ deformation in multi-fractionated high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) for cervical cancer using a novel surface-based non-rigid deformable registration. As the number of consecutive HDRBT fractions increased, simple addition of dose-volume histogram parameters significantly overestimated the dose, compared with distribution-based dose addition. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Gao, Huiwang; Yao, Xiaohong; Shi, Zongbo; Shi, Jinhui; Yu, Yang; Meng, Ling; Guo, Xinyu

2018-02-01

In this study, five on-board microcosm experiments were performed in the subtropical gyre, the Kuroshio Extension region of the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO), and the Yellow Sea (YS) in order to investigate phytoplankton growth following the addition of artificially modified mineral dust (AM dust) and various nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), N + P, and N + P + Fe). The two experiments carried out with AM-dust addition in the subtropical gyre showed a maximum chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration increase of 1.7- and 2.8-fold, while the cell abundance of large-sized phytoplankton ( > 5 µm) showed a 1.8- and 3.9-fold increase, respectively, relative to the controls. However, in the Kuroshio Extension region and the YS, the increases in maximum Chl a and cell abundance of large-sized phytoplankton following AM-dust addition were at most 1.3-fold and 1.7-fold larger than those in the controls, respectively. A net conversion efficiency index (NCEI) newly proposed in this study, size-fractionated Chl a, and the abundance of large-sized phytoplankton were analysed to determine which nutrients contribute to supporting phytoplankton growth. Our results demonstrate that a combination of nutrients, N-P or N + P + Fe, is responsible for phytoplankton growth in the subtropical gyre following AM-dust addition. Single nutrient addition, i.e., N in the Kuroshio Extension region and P or N in the YS, controls the phytoplankton growth following AM-dust addition. In the AM-dust-addition experiments, in which the increased N-P or P was identified to determine phytoplankton growth, the dissolved inorganic P from AM dust (8.6 nmol L-1) was much lower than the theoretically estimated minimum P demand (˜ 20 nmol L-1) for phytoplankton growth. These observations suggest that additional supply augments the bioavailable P stock in incubated seawater with AM-dust addition, most likely due to an enhanced solubility of P from AM dust or the remineralization of the dissolved

Contributions of Work-Related Stress and Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Engagement: Additive and Interactive Effects.

PubMed

Mérida-López, Sergio; Extremera, Natalio; Rey, Lourdes

2017-09-29

This study examined the additive and interactive effects of role stress and emotional intelligence for predicting engagement among 288 teachers. Emotional intelligence and engagement were positively associated. Role ambiguity and role conflict showed negative associations with vigor and dedication scores. The interaction of role ambiguity and emotional intelligence was significant in explaining engagement dimensions. Similar results were found considering overall teacher engagement. Emotional intelligence boosted engagement when the levels of role ambiguity were higher. Our findings suggest the need for future research examining the impact of job hindrances on the links between emotional intelligence and teachers' occupational well-being indicators. Finally, the implications for emotional intelligence training in education are discussed.

Potential contributions of root decomposition to the nitrogen cycle in arctic forest and tundra.

PubMed

Träger, Sabrina; Milbau, Ann; Wilson, Scott D

2017-12-01

Plant contributions to the nitrogen (N) cycle from decomposition are likely to be altered by vegetation shifts associated with climate change. Roots account for the majority of soil organic matter input from vegetation, but little is known about differences between vegetation types in their root contributions to nutrient cycling. Here, we examine the potential contribution of fine roots to the N cycle in forest and tundra to gain insight into belowground consequences of the widely observed increase in woody vegetation that accompanies climate change in the Arctic. We combined measurements of root production from minirhizotron images with tissue analysis of roots from differing root diameter and color classes to obtain potential N input following decomposition. In addition, we tested for changes in N concentration of roots during early stages of decomposition, and investigated whether vegetation type (forest or tundra) affected changes in tissue N concentration during decomposition. For completeness, we also present respective measurements of leaves. The potential N input from roots was twofold greater in forest than in tundra, mainly due to greater root production in forest. Potential N input varied with root diameter and color, but this variation tended to be similar in forest and tundra. As for roots, the potential N input from leaves was significantly greater in forest than in tundra. Vegetation type had no effect on changes in root or leaf N concentration after 1 year of decomposition. Our results suggest that shifts in vegetation that accompany climate change in the Arctic will likely increase plant-associated potential N input both belowground and aboveground. In contrast, shifts in vegetation might not alter changes in tissue N concentration during early stages of decomposition. Overall, differences between forest and tundra in potential contribution of decomposing roots to the N cycle reinforce differences between habitats that occur for leaves.

Evolution of stationary wave patterns in mesospheric water vapor due to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demirhan Barı, Deniz; Gabriel, Axel; Sezginer Ünal, Yurdanur

2016-07-01

The variability in the observed stationary wave patterns of the mesospheric water vapor (H2O) is investigated using CMIP5 RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 projections. The change in the vertical and meridional wave structure at northern mid- and polar latitudes associated to the zonal and meridional eddy heat fluxes is discussed by analyzing the advection of H2O due to residual wind components. The alteration in the characteristics of the stationary wave-1 pattern of the lower mesospheric H2O (up to about 75km) related to change in the projected radiative forcing is observed for the years from 2006 to 2100. Additionally the remarkable effect of the increase in global temperature on the zonal asymmetries in small-scale transient waves and parameterized gravity waves, which largely contribute to the observed stationary wave patterns of H2O in the upper mesosphere, is analyzed. For validation purposes, the derived stratospheric patterns are verified against the eddy heat fluxes and residual advection terms derived from Aura/MLS satellite data between 2004-2010 and the reference period of the CMIP5 MPI dataset (1976-2005) providing confidence in the applied method.

Joint effects of heterogeneous estrogenic chemicals in the E-screen--exploring the applicability of concentration addition.

PubMed

Silva, Elisabete; Rajapakse, Nissanka; Scholze, Martin; Backhaus, Thomas; Ermler, Sibylle; Kortenkamp, Andreas

2011-08-01

In the last few years, significant advances have been made toward understanding the joint action of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A number of studies have demonstrated that the combined effects of different types of EDCs (e.g., estrogenic, antiandrogenic, or thyroid-disrupting agents) can be predicted by the model of concentration addition (CA). However, there is still limited information on the effects of mixtures of large numbers of chemicals with varied structural features, which are more representative of realistic human exposure scenarios. The work presented here aims at filling this gap. Using a breast cancer cell proliferation assay (E-Screen), we assessed the joint effects of five mixtures, containing between 3 and 16 estrogenic agents, including compounds as diverse as steroidal hormones (endogenous and synthetic), pesticides, cosmetic additives, and phytoestrogens. CA was employed to predict mixture effects, which were then compared with experimental outcomes. The effects of two of the mixtures tested were additive, being accurately predicted by CA. However, for the three other mixtures, CA slightly overestimated the experimental observations. In view of these results, we hypothesized that the deviations were due to increased metabolism of steroidal estrogens in the mixture setting. We investigated this by testing the impact of two such mixtures on the activation and expression of steroidal estrogen metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1, CYP 1B1, and CYP 3A4. Activation of CYP 1B1 and, consequently, a reduction in the levels of steroidal estrogens in the mixture could contribute to the shortfall from the additivity prediction that we observed.

Lead speciation in indoor dust: a case study to assess old paint contribution in a Canadian urban house

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

Beauchemin, Suzanne; MacLean, Lachlan C.W.; Rasmussen, Pat E.

Residents in older homes may experience increased lead (Pb) exposures due to release of lead from interior paints manufactured in past decades, especially pre-1960s. The objective of the study was to determine the speciation of Pb in settled dust from an urban home built during WWII. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and micro-X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were performed on samples of paint (380-2,920 mg Pb kg{sup -1}) and dust (200-1,000 mg Pb kg{sup -1}) collected prior to renovation. All dust samples exhibited a Pb XANES signature similar to that of Pb found in paint. Bulk XANES and micro-XRD identified Pbmore » species commonly found as white paint pigments (Pb oxide, Pb sulfate, and Pb carbonate) as well as rutile, a titanium-based pigment, in the <150 {micro}m house dust samples. In the dust fraction <36 {micro}m, half of the Pb was associated with the Fe-oxyhydroxides, suggesting additional contribution of outdoor sources to Pb in the finer dust. These results confirm that old paints still contribute to Pb in the settled dust for this 65-year-old home. The Pb speciation also provided a clearer understanding of the Pb bioaccessibility: Pb carbonate > Pb oxide > Pb sulfate. This study underscores the importance of taking precautions to minimize exposures to Pb in house dust, especially in homes where old paint is exposed due to renovations or deterioration of painted surfaces.« less

Lead Speciation in Indoor Dust: A Case Study to Assess Old Paint Contribution in a Canadian Urban House

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

S Beauchemin; L MacLean; P Rasmussen

Residents in older homes may experience increased lead (Pb) exposures due to release of lead from interior paints manufactured in past decades, especially pre-1960s. The objective of the study was to determine the speciation of Pb in settled dust from an urban home built during WWII. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and micro-X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were performed on samples of paint (380-2,920 mg Pb kg{sup -1}) and dust (200-1,000 mg Pb kg{sup -1}) collected prior to renovation. All dust samples exhibited a Pb XANES signature similar to that of Pb found in paint. Bulk XANES and micro-XRD identified Pbmore » species commonly found as white paint pigments (Pb oxide, Pb sulfate, and Pb carbonate) as well as rutile, a titanium-based pigment, in the <150 m house dust samples. In the dust fraction <36 {mu}m, half of the Pb was associated with the Fe-oxyhydroxides, suggesting additional contribution of outdoor sources to Pb in the finer dust. These results confirm that old paints still contribute to Pb in the settled dust for this 65-year-old home. The Pb speciation also provided a clearer understanding of the Pb bioaccessibility: Pb carbonate > Pb oxide > Pb sulfate. This study underscores the importance of taking precautions to minimize exposures to Pb in house dust, especially in homes where old paint is exposed due to renovations or deterioration of painted surfaces.« less

Contamination Effects Due to Space Environmental Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Philip T.; Paquin, Krista C. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Molecular and particulate contaminants are commonly generated from the orbital spacecraft operations that are under the influence of the space environment. Once generated, these contaminants may attach to the surfaces of the spacecraft or may remain in the vicinity of the spacecraft. In the event these contaminants come to rest on the surfaces of the spacecraft or situated in the line-of-sight of the observation path, they will create various degrees of contamination effect which may cause undesirable effects for normal spacecraft operations, There will be circumstances in which the spacecraft may be subjected to special space environment due to operational conditions. Interactions between contaminants and special space environment may alter or greatly increase the contamination effect due to the synergistic effect. This paper will address the various types of contamination generation on orbit, the general effects of the contamination on spacecraft systems, and the typical impacts on the spacecraft operations due to the contamination effect. In addition, this paper will explain the contamination effect induced by the space environment and will discuss the intensified contamination effect resulting from the synergistic effect with the special space environment.

24 CFR 115.304 - Agencies eligible for contributions funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

.... Contributions funding consists of five categories: (1) Complaint processing (CP) funds; (2) Special enforcement...) funds; and (5) Partnership (P) funds. (b) CP funds. (1) Agencies receiving CP funds will receive such... percent of the agency's total FHAP payment amount for the preceding year, in addition to CP funds...

24 CFR 115.304 - Agencies eligible for contributions funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... Contributions funding consists of five categories: (1) Complaint processing (CP) funds; (2) Special enforcement...) funds; and (5) Partnership (P) funds. (b) CP funds. (1) Agencies receiving CP funds will receive such... percent of the agency's total FHAP payment amount for the preceding year, in addition to CP funds...

24 CFR 115.304 - Agencies eligible for contributions funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... Contributions funding consists of five categories: (1) Complaint processing (CP) funds; (2) Special enforcement...) funds; and (5) Partnership (P) funds. (b) CP funds. (1) Agencies receiving CP funds will receive such... percent of the agency's total FHAP payment amount for the preceding year, in addition to CP funds...

24 CFR 115.304 - Agencies eligible for contributions funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... Contributions funding consists of five categories: (1) Complaint processing (CP) funds; (2) Special enforcement...) funds; and (5) Partnership (P) funds. (b) CP funds. (1) Agencies receiving CP funds will receive such... percent of the agency's total FHAP payment amount for the preceding year, in addition to CP funds...

24 CFR 115.304 - Agencies eligible for contributions funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

.... Contributions funding consists of five categories: (1) Complaint processing (CP) funds; (2) Special enforcement...) funds; and (5) Partnership (P) funds. (b) CP funds. (1) Agencies receiving CP funds will receive such... percent of the agency's total FHAP payment amount for the preceding year, in addition to CP funds...

Death from Barotrauma Due to Compressed Air: A Medico-legal Analysis.

PubMed

Giugliano, Pasquale; Massoni, Francesco; Crisci, Antonello; Ricci, Serafino

2016-11-01

Lesions of the digestive tract due to barotrauma resulting from compressed air application are not common, are rarely lethal, and largely affect the sigmoid and descending colon. Moreover, their pathogenic mechanism is a topic of discussion because these lesions have multiple characteristics. Here, the authors describe an autoptic case of death from lesions of the ascending and transverse segments, with perforations and bleeding suffusions as well as ischemic areas covered the colonic wall that was extremely thinned, congested, and hemorrhagic, with considerable flattening leading to disappearance of the mucosal folds and with numerous petechial hemorrhages. The pathological framework of lung congestion made it possible to identify the mechanism responsible for this death as depletion of the heart's pumping function, which contributed significantly to the acute respiratory failure due to respiratory distress as well as to reduced mobility of the diaphragm due to intestinal distension. Acute heart failure played an important role in this death. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Co-digestion of manure and industrial waste--The effects of trace element addition.

PubMed

Nordell, Erik; Nilsson, Britt; Nilsson Påledal, Sören; Karisalmi, Kaisa; Moestedt, Jan

2016-01-01

Manure is one of the most common substrates for biogas production. Manure from dairy- and swine animals are often considered to stabilize the biogas process by contributing nutrients and trace elements needed for the biogas process. In this study two lab-scale reactors were used to evaluate the effects of trace element addition during co-digestion of manure from swine- and dairy animals with industrial waste. The substrate used contained high background concentrations of both cobalt and nickel, which are considered to be the most important trace elements. In the reactor receiving additional trace elements, the volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was 89% lower than in the control reactor. The lower VFA concentration contributed to a more digested digestate, and thus lower methane emissions in the subsequent storage. Also, the biogas production rate increased with 24% and the biogas production yield with 10%, both as a result of the additional trace elements at high organic loading rates. All in all, even though 50% of the feedstock consisted of manure, trace element addition resulted in multiple positive effects and a more reliable process with stable and high yield. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contribution of biomass combustion to air pollutant emissions =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncalves, Catia Vanessa Maio

composition. Significant differences between the use of traditional combustion equipment versus modern equipments were also observed. These differences are due to higher combustion efficiency of modern equipment, reflecting the smallest amount of particulate matter, organic carbon and carbon monoxide released. With regard to experimental wildland fires in shrub dominated areas, it was observed that the largest organic fraction in the samples studied was mainly composed by vegetation pyrolysis products. The major organic components in the smoke samples were pyrolysates of vegetation cuticles, mainly comprising steradienes and sterol derivatives, carbohydrates from the breakdown of cellulose, aliphatic lipids from vegetation waxes and methoxyphenols from the lignin thermal degradation. Despite being a banned practice in our country, agriculture/garden waste burning is actually quite common. To assess the particulate matter composition, the smoke from three different agriculture/garden residues have been sampled into 3 different size fractions (PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and PM>10). Despite distribution patterns of organic compounds in particulate matter varied among residues, the amounts of phenolics (polyphenol and guaiacyl derivatives) and organic acids were always predominant over other organic compounds in the organosoluble fraction of smoke. Among biomarkers, levoglucosan, beta-sitosterol and phytol were detected in appreciable amounts in the smoke of all agriculture/garden residues. In addition, inositol may be considered as an eventual tracer for the smoke from potato haulm burning. It was shown that the prevailing ambient conditions (such as high humidity in the atmosphere) likely contributed to atmospheric processes (e.g. coagulation and hygroscopic growth), which influenced the particle size characteristics of the smoke tracers, shifting their distribution to larger diameters. An assessment of household biomass consumption was also made through a national scale survey. The

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-12-01

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

Additive Manufacturing: Unlocking the Evolution of Energy Materials

PubMed Central

Zhakeyev, Adilet; Wang, Panfeng; Shu, Wenmiao; Wang, Huizhi

2017-01-01

Abstract The global energy infrastructure is undergoing a drastic transformation towards renewable energy, posing huge challenges on the energy materials research, development and manufacturing. Additive manufacturing has shown its promise to change the way how future energy system can be designed and delivered. It offers capability in manufacturing complex 3D structures, with near‐complete design freedom and high sustainability due to minimal use of materials and toxic chemicals. Recent literatures have reported that additive manufacturing could unlock the evolution of energy materials and chemistries with unprecedented performance in the way that could never be achieved by conventional manufacturing techniques. This comprehensive review will fill the gap in communicating on recent breakthroughs in additive manufacturing for energy material and device applications. It will underpin the discoveries on what 3D functional energy structures can be created without design constraints, which bespoke energy materials could be additively manufactured with customised solutions, and how the additively manufactured devices could be integrated into energy systems. This review will also highlight emerging and important applications in energy additive manufacturing, including fuel cells, batteries, hydrogen, solar cell as well as carbon capture and storage. PMID:29051861

Additive Manufacturing: Unlocking the Evolution of Energy Materials.

PubMed

Zhakeyev, Adilet; Wang, Panfeng; Zhang, Li; Shu, Wenmiao; Wang, Huizhi; Xuan, Jin

2017-10-01

The global energy infrastructure is undergoing a drastic transformation towards renewable energy, posing huge challenges on the energy materials research, development and manufacturing. Additive manufacturing has shown its promise to change the way how future energy system can be designed and delivered. It offers capability in manufacturing complex 3D structures, with near-complete design freedom and high sustainability due to minimal use of materials and toxic chemicals. Recent literatures have reported that additive manufacturing could unlock the evolution of energy materials and chemistries with unprecedented performance in the way that could never be achieved by conventional manufacturing techniques. This comprehensive review will fill the gap in communicating on recent breakthroughs in additive manufacturing for energy material and device applications. It will underpin the discoveries on what 3D functional energy structures can be created without design constraints, which bespoke energy materials could be additively manufactured with customised solutions, and how the additively manufactured devices could be integrated into energy systems. This review will also highlight emerging and important applications in energy additive manufacturing, including fuel cells, batteries, hydrogen, solar cell as well as carbon capture and storage.

29 CFR 1620.33 - Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful violations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.33 Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... overtime compensation under the FLSA. This is true both of the additional wages required by the Act to be...

29 CFR 1620.33 - Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful violations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.33 Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... overtime compensation under the FLSA. This is true both of the additional wages required by the Act to be...

29 CFR 1620.33 - Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful violations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.33 Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... overtime compensation under the FLSA. This is true both of the additional wages required by the Act to be...

29 CFR 1620.33 - Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful violations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.33 Recovery of wages due; injunctions; penalties for willful... overtime compensation under the FLSA. This is true both of the additional wages required by the Act to be...

Independent Contributions of the Central Executive, Intelligence, and In-Class Attentive Behavior to Developmental Change in the Strategies Used to Solve Addition Problems

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.; Hoard, Mary K.; Nugent, Lara

2012-01-01

Children’s (n = 275) use of retrieval, decomposition (e.g., 7 = 4+3, and thus 6+7=6+4+3), and counting to solve additional problems was longitudinally assessed from first to fourth grade, and intelligence, working memory, and in-class attentive behavior was assessed in one or several grades. The goal was to assess the relation between capacity of the central executive component of working memory, controlling for intelligence and in-class attentive behavior, and grade-related changes in children’s use of these strategies. The predictor on intercept effects from multilevel models revealed that children with higher central executive capacity correctly retrieved more facts and used the most sophisticated counting procedure more frequently and accurately than did their lower capacity peers at the beginning of first grade, but the predictor on slope effects indicated that this advantage disappeared (retrieval) or declined in importance (counting) from first to fourth grade. The predictor on slope effects also revealed that from first through fourth grade, children with higher capacity adopted the decomposition strategy more quickly than did other children. The results remained robust with controls for children’s sex, race, school site, speed of encoding Arabic numerals and articulating number words, and mathematics achievement in kindergarten. The results also revealed that intelligence and in-class attentive behavior independently contributed to children’s strategy development. PMID:22698947

Independent contributions of the central executive, intelligence, and in-class attentive behavior to developmental change in the strategies used to solve addition problems.

PubMed

Geary, David C; Hoard, Mary K; Nugent, Lara

2012-09-01

Children's (N=275) use of retrieval, decomposition (e.g., 7=4+3 and thus 6+7=6+4+3), and counting to solve additional problems was longitudinally assessed from first grade to fourth grade, and intelligence, working memory, and in-class attentive behavior was assessed in one or several grades. The goal was to assess the relation between capacity of the central executive component of working memory, controlling for intelligence and in-class attentive behavior, and grade-related changes in children's use of these strategies. The predictor on intercept effects from multilevel models revealed that children with higher central executive capacity correctly retrieved more facts and used the most sophisticated counting procedure more frequently and accurately than their lower capacity peers at the beginning of first grade, but the predictor on slope effects indicated that this advantage disappeared (retrieval) or declined in importance (counting) from first grade to fourth grade. The predictor on slope effects also revealed that from first grade to fourth grade, children with higher capacity adopted the decomposition strategy more quickly than other children. The results remained robust with controls for children's sex, race, school site, speed of encoding Arabic numerals and articulating number words, and mathematics achievement in kindergarten. The results also revealed that intelligence and in-class attentive behavior independently contributed to children's strategy development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contributions of Work-Related Stress and Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Engagement: Additive and Interactive Effects

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This study examined the additive and interactive effects of role stress and emotional intelligence for predicting engagement among 288 teachers. Emotional intelligence and engagement were positively associated. Role ambiguity and role conflict showed negative associations with vigor and dedication scores. The interaction of role ambiguity and emotional intelligence was significant in explaining engagement dimensions. Similar results were found considering overall teacher engagement. Emotional intelligence boosted engagement when the levels of role ambiguity were higher. Our findings suggest the need for future research examining the impact of job hindrances on the links between emotional intelligence and teachers’ occupational well-being indicators. Finally, the implications for emotional intelligence training in education are discussed. PMID:28961218

Process Control and Development for Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing with Embedded Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hehr, Adam J.

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a recent additive manufacturing technology which combines ultrasonic metal welding, CNC machining, and mechanized foil layering to create large gapless near net-shape metallic parts. The process has been attracting much attention lately due to its low formation temperature, the capability to join dissimilar metals, and the ability to create complex design features not possible with traditional subtractive processes alone. These process attributes enable light-weighting of structures and components in an unprecedented way. However, UAM is currently limited to niche areas due to the lack of quality tracking and inadequate scientific understanding of the process. As a result, this thesis work is focused on improving both component quality tracking and process understanding through the use of average electrical power input to the welder. Additionally, the understanding and application space of embedding fibers into metals using UAM is investigated, with particular focus on NiTi shape memory alloy fibers.

Neural crest contributions to the lamprey head

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCauley, David W.; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne

2003-01-01

The neural crest is a vertebrate-specific cell population that contributes to the facial skeleton and other derivatives. We have performed focal DiI injection into the cranial neural tube of the developing lamprey in order to follow the migratory pathways of discrete groups of cells from origin to destination and to compare neural crest migratory pathways in a basal vertebrate to those of gnathostomes. The results show that the general pathways of cranial neural crest migration are conserved throughout the vertebrates, with cells migrating in streams analogous to the mandibular and hyoid streams. Caudal branchial neural crest cells migrate ventrally as a sheet of cells from the hindbrain and super-pharyngeal region of the neural tube and form a cylinder surrounding a core of mesoderm in each pharyngeal arch, similar to that seen in zebrafish and axolotl. In addition to these similarities, we also uncovered important differences. Migration into the presumptive caudal branchial arches of the lamprey involves both rostral and caudal movements of neural crest cells that have not been described in gnathostomes, suggesting that barriers that constrain rostrocaudal movement of cranial neural crest cells may have arisen after the agnathan/gnathostome split. Accordingly, neural crest cells from a single axial level contributed to multiple arches and there was extensive mixing between populations. There was no apparent filling of neural crest derivatives in a ventral-to-dorsal order, as has been observed in higher vertebrates, nor did we find evidence of a neural crest contribution to cranial sensory ganglia. These results suggest that migratory constraints and additional neural crest derivatives arose later in gnathostome evolution.

Additives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smalheer, C. V.

1973-01-01

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

Hexagonalization of correlation functions II: two-particle contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleury, Thiago; Komatsu, Shota

2018-02-01

In this work, we compute one-loop planar five-point functions in N=4 super-Yang-Mills using integrability. As in the previous work, we decompose the correlation functions into hexagon form factors and glue them using the weight factors which depend on the cross-ratios. The main new ingredient in the computation, as compared to the four-point functions studied in the previous paper, is the two-particle mirror contribution. We develop techniques to evaluate it and find agreement with the perturbative results in all the cases we analyzed. In addition, we consider next-to-extremal four-point functions, which are known to be protected, and show that the sum of one-particle and two-particle contributions at one loop adds up to zero as expected. The tools developed in this work would be useful for computing higher-particle contributions which would be relevant for more complicated quantities such as higher-loop corrections and non-planar correlators.

Male-specific contributions to the Brazilian population of Espirito Santo.

PubMed

de F Figueiredo, Raquel; Ambrosio, Isabela B; Braganholi, Danilo F; Chemale, Gustavo; Martins, Joyce A; Gomes, Veronica; Gusmão, Leonor; Cicarelli, Regina M B

2016-05-01

Y chromosome markers have been widely studied due to their various applications in the fields of forensic and evolutionary genetics. In this study, 35 Y-SNPs and 17 Y-STRs were genotyped in 253 males from the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. A total of 18 haplogroups and 243 haplotypes were detected; the haplogroup and haplotype diversities were 0.7794 and 0.9997, respectively. Genetic distance analysis using the Y-STR data showed no statistically significant differences between Espirito Santo and other admixed populations from Brazil. The classification of paternal lineages based on haplogroups showed a predominant European contribution (85.88%), followed by African (11.37%) and Amerindian (2.75%) contributions.

Signal enhancement due to high-Z nanofilm electrodes in parallel plate ionization chambers with variable microgaps.

PubMed

Brivio, Davide; Sajo, Erno; Zygmanski, Piotr

2017-12-01

We developed a method for measuring signal enhancement produced by high-Z nanofilm electrodes in parallel plate ionization chambers with variable thickness microgaps. We used a laboratory-made variable gap parallel plate ionization chamber with nanofilm electrodes made of aluminum-aluminum (Al-Al) and aluminum-tantalum (Al-Ta). The electrodes were evaporated on 1 mm thick glass substrates. The interelectrode air gap was varied from 3 μm to 1 cm. The gap size was measured using a digital micrometer and it was confirmed by capacitance measurements. The electric field in the chamber was kept between 0.1 kV/cm and 1 kV/cm for all the gap sizes by applying appropriate compensating voltages. The chamber was exposed to 120 kVp X-rays. The current was measured using a commercial data acquisition system with temporal resolution of 600 Hz. In addition, radiation transport simulations were carried out to characterize the dose, D(x), high-energy electron current, J(x), and deposited charge, Q(x), as a function of distance, x, from the electrodes. A deterministic method was selected over Monte Carlo due to its ability to produce results with 10 nm spatial resolution without stochastic uncertainties. Experimental signal enhancement ratio, SER(G) which we defined as the ratio of signal for Al-air-Ta to signal for Al-air-Al for each gap size, was compared to computations. The individual contributions of dose, electron current, and charge deposition to the signal enhancement were determined. Experimental signals matched computed data for all gap sizes after accounting for several contributions to the signal: (a) charge carrier generated via ionization due to the energy deposited in the air gap, D(x); (b) high-energy electron current, J(x), leaking from high-Z electrode (Ta) toward low-Z electrode (Al); (c) deposited charge in the air gap, Q(x); and (d) the decreased collection efficiency for large gaps (>~500 μm). Q(x) accounts for the electrons below 100 eV, which are

Polymer: bioceramic composites optimization by tetracycline addition.

PubMed

Pataro, André L; Oliveira, Michele F; Teixeira, Karina I R; Turchetti-Maia, Regina M M; Lopes, Miriam T P; Wykrota, Francisco H L; Sinisterra, Rubén D; Cortés, Maria E

2007-05-04

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of composites of poly-lactic acid polymer (PLA) and copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid (PLGA), dispersed in a bioceramic matrix, Osteosynt (BC), to which tetracycline (TC) was added. The in vitro test used direct contact test (ASTM F-813) and elution test (USP-XXIII, ISO 10993-5), and in vivo evaluation was performed after subcutaneous implantation in outbread Swiss mice. The 0.01% (w/w) TC addition did not affect composite cytotoxicity in vitro. The macroscopic and histologic evaluation in vivo after 1, 7, 13, 21, 28 and 56 days showed an initial intense infiltrate of inflammatory cells for most of the groups. The tissue showed normal pattern after 21 days for all the groups. TC addition exhibited significantly larger reduction of inflammation signs (Mann-Whitney test, p<0.05) in the critical period of the resolution of the inflammatory process. Angiogenesis, cellular adsorption and fibrous deposit were observed on SEM evaluation. In conclusion, TC addition optimized composites polymer/bioceramic biocompatibility, contributing to anti-inflammatory response during the early phases of the wound healing process.

Contribution of Cultural Eutrophication to Marsh Loss in Jamaica Bay (NY)

EPA Science Inventory

Loss of salt marsh area in the Jamaica Bay Estuary (NY) has accelerated in recent years, with loss rates as high as 45 acres per year. A contributing factor to this acceleration is likely cultural eutrophication due to over 6 decades of sewage effluent inputs. We examined marsh...

Delineating baseflow contribution areas for streams - A model and methods comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Reynold; Frind, Michael E.; Frind, Emil O.; Jones, Jon P.; Sousa, Marcelo R.; Rudolph, David L.; Molson, John W.; Nowak, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

This study addresses the delineation of areas that contribute baseflow to a stream reach, also known as stream capture zones. Such areas can be delineated using standard well capture zone delineation methods, with three important differences: (1) natural gradients are smaller compared to those produced by supply wells and are therefore subject to greater numerical errors, (2) stream discharge varies seasonally, and (3) stream discharge varies spatially. This study focuses on model-related uncertainties due to model characteristics, discretization schemes, delineation methods, and particle tracking algorithms. The methodology is applied to the Alder Creek watershed in southwestern Ontario. Four different model codes are compared: HydroGeoSphere, WATFLOW, MODFLOW, and FEFLOW. In addition, two delineation methods are compared: reverse particle tracking and reverse transport, where the latter considers local-scale parameter uncertainty by using a macrodispersion term to produce a capture probability plume. The results from this study indicate that different models can calibrate acceptably well to the same data and produce very similar distributions of hydraulic head, but can produce different capture zones. The stream capture zone is found to be highly sensitive to the particle tracking algorithm. It was also found that particle tracking by itself, if applied to complex systems such as the Alder Creek watershed, would require considerable subjective judgement in the delineation of stream capture zones. Reverse transport is an alternative and more reliable approach that provides probability intervals for the baseflow contribution areas, taking uncertainty into account. The two approaches can be used together to enhance the confidence in the final outcome.

Worsened physical condition due to climate change contributes to the increasing hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay.

PubMed

Du, Jiabi; Shen, Jian; Park, Kyeong; Wang, Ya Ping; Yu, Xin

2018-07-15

There are increasing concerns about the impact of worsened physical condition on hypoxia in a variety of coastal systems, especially considering the influence of changing climate. In this study, an EOF analysis of the DO data for 1985-2012, a long-term numerical simulation of vertical exchange, and statistical analysis were applied to understand the underlying mechanisms for the variation of DO condition in Chesapeake Bay. Three types of analysis consistently demonstrated that both biological and physical conditions contribute equally to seasonal and interannual variations of the hypoxic condition in Chesapeake Bay. We found the physical condition (vertical exchange+temperature) determines the spatial and seasonal pattern of the hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay. The EOF analysis showed that the first mode, which was highly related to the physical forcings and correlated with the summer hypoxia volume, can be well explained by seasonal and interannual variations of physical variables and biological activities, while the second mode is significantly correlated with the estuarine circulation and river discharge. The weakened vertical exchange and increased water temperature since the 1980s demonstrated a worsened physical condition over the past few decades. Under changing climate (e.g., warming, accelerated sea-level rise, altered precipitation and wind patterns), Chesapeake Bay is likely to experience a worsened physical condition, which will amplify the negative impact of anthropogenic inputs on eutrophication and consequently require more efforts for nutrient reduction to improve the water quality condition in Chesapeake Bay. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incipient motion in gravel bed rivers due to energetic turbulent flow events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valyrakis, Manousos

2013-04-01

This contribution reviews recent developments and contributions in the field of incipient motion and entrainment of coarse sediment grains due to the action of near bed turbulent flows. Specifically, traditional shear based spatio-temporally averaged concepts and instantaneous stress tensor criteria are contrasted to the newly proposed flow event based impulse and energy criteria. The energy criterion, suggests that only sufficiently energetic turbulent events can remove a particle from its resting position on the bed surface and result on its entrainment downstream. While the impulse and energy criteria are interconnected through the energy-impulse equation, the later appears to be more versatile and appropriate for generalising to sediment transport. These flow event based criteria have a sound physical basis for describing the intermittent character of particle entrainment as inherited by near boundary turbulence at near threshold conditions. These criteria can be derived from fundamental laws of physics such as Newtonian classical mechanics and the Lagrange equations respectively. The energetic events that are capable of performing geomorphic work at the scale of individual particles are shown to follow a power law, meaning that more energetic events (capable of removing larger stones) are expected to occur less frequently. In addition, this paper discusses the role of the coefficient of energy transfer efficiency introduced in the energy equation for particle entrainment. A preliminary investigation from analysis of a series of mobile grain flume experiments illustrates that different signatures of turbulence or sequence of flow structures may have different effectiveness towards particle transport. Characteristic cases of specific energetic flow events and the associated particle response are shown and classified with regard to the time required for complete entrainment. Finally these findings are commented with respect to the implications for sediment

Status of DORIS contribution to ITRF2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreaux, G.; Lemoine, F. G.; Soudarin, L.; Willis, P.; Stepanek, P.; Ferrage, P.; Otten, M.; Kuzin, S.

2013-12-01

In the context of the forthcoming realization of the forthcoming of ITRF 2013, the IDS Combination Center is involved in the estimation of DORIS stations positions/velocities as well as Earth orientation parameters from DORIS data. These computations are based on the latest series of all of the 6 IDS Analysis Centers multi-satellite weekly SINEX solutions from January 1993 to December 2013. Due to some technical issues remaining on Cryosat-2: 1993 to mid-2010, and mid-2010 to 2013. The first objective of this study is to analyze the preliminary version of the DORIS contribution to ITRF2013 from 1993-2010 in terms of (1) geocenter and scale solutions; (2) stations positions. The second purpose is to compare this new DORIS ITRF realization to the previous one (for ITRF2008). Then, we will conclude by addressing latest news on the IDS actions and schedule for final delivery of the entire DORIS contribution to ITRF2013 to IERS.

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

PubMed

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

2010-06-01

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

Experimental analysis of thread movement in bolted connections due to vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramey, G. ED; Jenkins, Robert C.

1994-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify the main design parameters contributing to loosening of bolts due to vibration and to identify their relative importance and degree of contribution to bolt loosening. Vibration testing was conducted on a shaketable with a controlled-random input in the dynamic testing laboratory of the Structural Test Division of MSFC. Test specimens which contained one test bolt were vibrated for a fixed amount of time and percentage of pre-load loss was measured. Each specimen tested implemented some combination of eleven design parameters as dictated by the design of experiment methodology employed. The eleven design parameters were: bolt size (diameter), lubrication on bolt, hole tolerance, initial pre-load, nut locking device, grip length, thread pitch, lubrication between mating materials, class of fit, joint configuration and mass of configuration. These parameters were chosen for this experiment because they are believed to be the design parameters having the greatest impact on bolt loosening. Two values of each design parameter were used and each combination of parameters tested was subjected to two different directions of vibration and two different g-levels of vibration. One replication was made for each test to gain some indication of experimental error and repeatability and to give some degree of statistical credibility to the data, resulting in a total of 96 tests being performed. The results of the investigation indicated that nut locking devices, joint configuration, fastener size, and mass of configuration were significant in bolt loosening due to vibration. The results of this test can be utilized to further research the complex problem of bolt loosening due to vibration.

Due diligence responsibilities of the professional geologist

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

Hobbs, G.W.

1991-03-01

Whether in the role of independent consultant or company employee, a geologist has certain professional obligations in the evaluation of an oil and gas submittal from a third party. 'Due diligence' is the term used to describe the analysis of an investment opportunity. Due diligence involves a multidisciplinary examination of both the technical and business aspects of a submittal. In addition to the obvious geological considerations, prospect evaluations should include relevant details about the specific technical documentation reviewed, information sources, and how the data were verified. Full disclosure of ownership, technical risks, and negative aspects of the prospect should bemore » included along with the positive elements. After the geological analysis is completed, the economic merits of the prospect should be analyzed, incorporating all lease burdens and terms of participation into the calculations. Estimated exploration, development, and operating costs, together with projected annual production, cash flow, and reserves must be examined as to their reasonableness. Finally, the due diligence review should include a thorough check on the reputation, financial condition, technical and managerial expertise, and prior track record of the operator. Bank, trade, legal, and prior partner references should be contacted. The successful professional geologist in today's competitive world must have multidisciplinary skills. A solid background in geology and geophysics, a basic understanding of the principles of petroleum engineering and economics, and the wits of a private eye are needed for good due diligence work.« less

Long-Term Warming Trends in Korea and Contribution of Urbanization: An Updated Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Bo-Joung; Kim, Yeon-Hee; Min, Seung-Ki; Kim, Maeng-Ki; Choi, Youngeun; Boo, Kyung-On; Shim, Sungbo

2017-10-01

This study conducted an updated analysis of the long-term temperature trends over South Korea and reassessed the contribution of the urbanization effect to the local warming trends. Linear trends were analyzed for three different periods over South Korea in order to consider possible inhomogeneity due to changes in the number of available stations: recent 103 years (1912-2014), 61 years (1954-2014), and 42 years (1973-2014). The local temperature has increased by 1.90°C, 1.35°C, and 0.99°C during the three periods, respectively, which are found 1.4-2.6 times larger than the global land mean trends. The countries located in the northern middle and high latitudes exhibit similar warming trends (about 1.5 times stronger than the global mean), suggesting a weak influence of urbanization on the local warming over South Korea. Urbanization contribution is assessed using two methods. First, results from "city minus rural" methods showed that 30-45% of the local warming trends during recent four decades are likely due to the urbanization effect, depending on station classification methods and analysis periods. Results from an "observation minus reanalysis" method using the Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) data sets (v2 and v2c) indicated about 25-30% contribution of the urbanization effect to the local warming trend during the recent six decades. However, the urbanization contribution was estimated as low as 3-11% when considering the century-long period. Our results confirm large uncertainties in the estimation of urbanization contribution when using shorter-term periods and suggest that the urbanization contribution to the century-long warming trends could be much lower.

A-to-I RNA Editing Contributes to Proteomic Diversity in Cancer.

PubMed

Peng, Xinxin; Xu, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yumeng; Hawke, David H; Yu, Shuangxing; Han, Leng; Zhou, Zhicheng; Mojumdar, Kamalika; Jeong, Kang Jin; Labrie, Marilyne; Tsang, Yiu Huen; Zhang, Minying; Lu, Yiling; Hwu, Patrick; Scott, Kenneth L; Liang, Han; Mills, Gordon B

2018-05-14

Adenosine (A) to inosine (I) RNA editing introduces many nucleotide changes in cancer transcriptomes. However, due to the complexity of post-transcriptional regulation, the contribution of RNA editing to proteomic diversity in human cancers remains unclear. Here, we performed an integrated analysis of TCGA genomic data and CPTAC proteomic data. Despite limited site diversity, we demonstrate that A-to-I RNA editing contributes to proteomic diversity in breast cancer through changes in amino acid sequences. We validate the presence of editing events at both RNA and protein levels. The edited COPA protein increases proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells in vitro. Our study suggests an important contribution of A-to-I RNA editing to protein diversity in cancer and highlights its translational potential. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

18 CFR 367.59 - Additions and retirements of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... relatively large number or related small cost, an appropriate average book cost of the units, with due... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Additions and retirements of property. 367.59 Section 367.59 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY...

18 CFR 367.59 - Additions and retirements of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... relatively large number or related small cost, an appropriate average book cost of the units, with due... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Additions and retirements of property. 367.59 Section 367.59 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY...

18 CFR 367.59 - Additions and retirements of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... relatively large number or related small cost, an appropriate average book cost of the units, with due... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Additions and retirements of property. 367.59 Section 367.59 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY...

18 CFR 367.59 - Additions and retirements of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... relatively large number or related small cost, an appropriate average book cost of the units, with due... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Additions and retirements of property. 367.59 Section 367.59 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY...

18 CFR 367.59 - Additions and retirements of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... relatively large number or related small cost, an appropriate average book cost of the units, with due... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Additions and retirements of property. 367.59 Section 367.59 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY...

Additives enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.

PubMed

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

2017-11-01

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

Rubber friction: The contribution from the area of real contact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, A.; Miyashita, N.; Espallargas, N.; Persson, B. N. J.

2018-06-01

There are two contributions to the friction force when a rubber block is sliding on a hard and rough substrate surface, namely, a contribution Fad = τf A from the area of real contact A and a viscoelastic contribution Fvisc from the pulsating forces exerted by the substrate asperities on the rubber block. Here we present experimental results obtained at different sliding speeds and temperatures, and we show that the temperature dependency of the shear stress τf, for temperatures above the rubber glass transition temperature Tg, is weaker than that of the bulk viscoelastic modulus. The physical origin of τf for T > Tg is discussed, and we propose that its temperature dependency is determined by the rubber molecule segment mobility at the sliding interface, which is higher than in the bulk because of increased free-volume effect due to the short-wavelength surface roughness. This is consistent with the often observed reduction in the glass transition temperature in nanometer-thick surface layers of glassy polymers. For temperatures T < Tg, the shear stress τf is nearly velocity independent and of similar magnitude as observed for glassy polymers such as PMMA or polyethylene. In this case, the rubber undergoes plastic deformations in the asperity contact regions and the contact area is determined by the rubber penetration hardness. For this case, we propose that the frictional shear stress is due to slip at the interface between the rubber and a transfer film adsorbed on the concrete surface.

Reconceptualising "Identity Slippage": Additional Language Learning and (L2) Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, William

2009-01-01

This paper reconsiders the theoretical concept of "identity slippage" by considering a detailed exegesis of three model conversations taught to learners of Japanese as an additional language. To inform my analysis of these conversations and how they contribute to identity slippage, I have used the work of the systemic-functional linguist Jay Lemke…

Investigation of Color in a Fusion Protein Using Advanced Analytical Techniques: Delineating Contributions from Oxidation Products and Process Related Impurities.

PubMed

Song, Hangtian; Xu, Jianlin; Jin, Mi; Huang, Chao; Bongers, Jacob; Bai, He; Wu, Wei; Ludwig, Richard; Li, Zhengjian; Tao, Li; Das, Tapan K

2016-04-01

Discoloration of protein therapeutics has drawn increased attention recently due to concerns of potential impact on quality and safety. Investigation of discoloration in protein therapeutics for comparability is particularly challenging primarily for two reasons. First, the description of color or discoloration is to certain extent a subjective characteristic rather than a quantitative attribute. Secondly, the species contributing to discoloration may arise from multiple sources and are typically present at trace levels. Our purpose is to development a systematic approach that allows effective identification of the color generating species in protein therapeutics. A yellow-brown discoloration event observed in a therapeutic protein was investigated by optical spectroscopy, ultra-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry (MS). Majority of the color generating species were identified as oxidatively modified protein. The location of the oxidized amino acid residues were identified by MS/MS. In addition, the impact of process-related impurities co-purified from media on discoloration was also investigated. Finally a semi-quantitative scale to estimate the contribution of each color source is presented, which revealed oxidized peptides are the major contributors. A systematic approach was developed for identification of the color generating species in protein therapeutics and for estimation of the contribution of each color source.

Atrial contribution to ventricular filling in mitral stenosis.

PubMed

Meisner, J S; Keren, G; Pajaro, O E; Mani, A; Strom, J A; Frater, R W; Laniado, S; Yellin, E L

1991-10-01

The importance of the contribution of atrial systole to ventricular filling in mitral stenosis is controversial. The cause of reduced cardiac output following the onset of atrial fibrillation may be due to an increased heart rate, a loss of booster pump function, or both. We studied the atrial contribution to filling under a variety of conditions by combining noninvasive studies of patients with computer modeling. Thirty patients in sinus rhythm with mild-to-severe stenosis were studied with two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography for measurement of mitral flow velocity and mitral valve area (MVA). The mean +/- SD atrial contribution to left ventricular filling volume was 18 +/- 10% and varied inversely with mitral resistance. Patients with mild mitral stenosis (MVA, 1.8 +/- 0.7 cm2) and severe mitral stenosis (MVA, 0.9 +/- 0.2 cm2) had atrial contributions of 29 +/- 4% and 9 +/- 5%, respectively. The pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for these trends were further investigated by the computer model. In modeled severe mitral stenosis, increasing heart rate from 75 to 150 beats/min caused an increase of 5.2 mm Hg in mean left atrial pressure, whereas loss of atrial contraction at a heart rate of 150 beats/min caused only a 1.3 mm Hg increase. The atrial booster pump contributes less to ventricular filling in mitral stenosis than in the normal heart, and the loss of atrial pump function is less important than the effect of increasing heart rate as the cause of decompensation during atrial fibrillation.

Additive effects due to biochar and endophyte application enable soybean to enhance nutrient uptake and modulate nutritional parameters* #

PubMed Central

Waqas, Muhammad; Kim, Yoon-Ha; Khan, Abdul Latif; Shahzad, Raheem; Asaf, Sajjad; Hamayun, Muhammad; Kang, Sang-Mo; Khan, Muhammad Aaqil; Lee, In-Jung

2017-01-01

We studied the effects of hardwood-derived biochar (BC) and the phytohormone-producing endophyte Galactomyces geotrichum WLL1 in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) with respect to basic, macro-and micronutrient uptakes and assimilations, and their subsequent effects on the regulation of functional amino acids, isoflavones, fatty acid composition, total sugar contents, total phenolic contents, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging activity. The assimilation of basic nutrients such as nitrogen was up-regulated, leaving carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen unaffected in BC+G. geotrichum-treated soybean plants. In comparison, the uptakes of macro-and micronutrients fluctuated in the individual or co-application of BC and G. geotrichum in soybean plant organs and rhizospheric substrate. Moreover, the same attribute was recorded for the regulation of functional amino acids, isoflavones, fatty acid composition, total sugar contents, total phenolic contents, and DPPH-scavenging activity. Collectively, these results showed that BC+G. geotrichum-treated soybean yielded better results than did the plants treated with individual applications. It was concluded that BC is an additional nutriment source and that the G. geotrichum acts as a plant biostimulating source and the effects of both are additive towards plant growth promotion. Strategies involving the incorporation of BC and endophytic symbiosis may help achieve eco-friendly agricultural production, thus reducing the excessive use of chemical agents. PMID:28124840

Contribution of calcium oxalate to soil-exchangeable calcium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dauer, Jenny M.; Perakis, Steven S.

2013-01-01

Acid deposition and repeated biomass harvest have decreased soil calcium (Ca) availability in many temperate forests worldwide, yet existing methods for assessing available soil Ca do not fully characterize soil Ca forms. To account for discrepancies in ecosystem Ca budgets, it has been hypothesized that the highly insoluble biomineral Ca oxalate might represent an additional soil Ca pool that is not detected in standard measures of soil-exchangeable Ca. We asked whether several standard method extractants for soil-exchangeable Ca could also access Ca held in Ca oxalate crystals using spike recovery tests in both pure solutions and soil extractions. In solutions of the extractants ammonium chloride, ammonium acetate, and barium chloride, we observed 2% to 104% dissolution of Ca oxalate crystals, with dissolution increasing with both solution molarity and ionic potential of cation extractant. In spike recovery tests using a low-Ca soil, we estimate that 1 M ammonium acetate extraction dissolved sufficient Ca oxalate to contribute an additional 52% to standard measurements of soil-exchangeable Ca. However, in a high-Ca soil, the amount of Ca oxalate spike that would dissolve in 1 M ammonium acetate extraction was difficult to detect against the large pool of exchangeable Ca. We conclude that Ca oxalate can contribute substantially to standard estimates of soil-exchangeable Ca in acid forest soils with low soil-exchangeable Ca. Consequently, measures of exchangeable Ca are unlikely to fully resolve discrepancies in ecosystem Ca mass balance unless the contribution of Ca oxalate to exchangeable Ca is also assessed.

Assessing non-additive effects in GBLUP model.

PubMed

Vieira, I C; Dos Santos, J P R; Pires, L P M; Lima, B M; Gonçalves, F M A; Balestre, M

2017-05-10

Understanding non-additive effects in the expression of quantitative traits is very important in genotype selection, especially in species where the commercial products are clones or hybrids. The use of molecular markers has allowed the study of non-additive genetic effects on a genomic level, in addition to a better understanding of its importance in quantitative traits. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavior of the GBLUP model in different genetic models and relationship matrices and their influence on the estimates of genetic parameters. We used real data of the circumference at breast height in Eucalyptus spp and simulated data from a population of F 2 . Three commonly reported kinship structures in the literature were adopted. The simulation results showed that the inclusion of epistatic kinship improved prediction estimates of genomic breeding values. However, the non-additive effects were not accurately recovered. The Fisher information matrix for real dataset showed high collinearity in estimates of additive, dominant, and epistatic variance, causing no gain in the prediction of the unobserved data and convergence problems. Estimates presented differences of genetic parameters and correlations considering the different kinship structures. Our results show that the inclusion of non-additive effects can improve the predictive ability or even the prediction of additive effects. However, the high distortions observed in the variance estimates when the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumption is violated due to the presence of selection or inbreeding can converge at zero gains in models that consider epistasis in genomic kinship.

Additive manufacturing in production: challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahuja, Bhrigu; Karg, Michael; Schmidt, Michael

2015-03-01

Additive manufacturing, characterized by its inherent layer by layer fabrication methodology has been coined by many as the latest revolution in the manufacturing industry. Due to its diversification of Materials, processes, system technology and applications, Additive Manufacturing has been synonymized with terminology such as Rapid prototyping, 3D printing, free-form fabrication, Additive Layer Manufacturing, etc. A huge media and public interest in the technology has led to an innovative attempt of exploring the technology for applications beyond the scope of the traditional engineering industry. Nevertheless, it is believed that a critical factor for the long-term success of Additive Manufacturing would be its ability to fulfill the requirements defined by the traditional manufacturing industry. A parallel development in market trends and product requirements has also lead to a wider scope of opportunities for Additive Manufacturing. The presented paper discusses some of the key challenges which are critical to ensure that Additive Manufacturing is truly accepted as a mainstream production technology in the industry. These challenges would highlight on various aspects of production such as product requirements, process management, data management, intellectual property, work flow management, quality assurance, resource planning, etc. In Addition, changing market trends such as product life cycle, mass customization, sustainability, environmental impact and localized production will form the foundation for the follow up discussion on the current limitations and the corresponding research opportunities. A discussion on ongoing research to address these challenges would include topics like process monitoring, design complexity, process standardization, multi-material and hybrid fabrication, new material development, etc.

The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation.

PubMed

Damjanovic, Katarina; Blackall, Linda L; Webster, Nicole S; van Oppen, Madeleine J H

2017-09-01

The decline of coral reefs due to anthropogenic disturbances is having devastating impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here we highlight the potential and challenges of microbial manipulation strategies to enhance coral tolerance to stress and contribute to coral reef restoration and protection. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Electric utility use of fireside additives. Final report

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

Locklin, D.W.; Krause, H.H.; Anson, D.

1980-01-01

Fireside additives have been used or proposed for use in fossil-fired utility boilers to combat a number of problems related to boiler performance and reliability. These problems include corrosion, fouling, superheat control, and acidic emissions. Fuel additives and other fireside additives have been used mainly with oil firing; however, there is growing experience with additives in coal-firing, especially for flyash conditioning to improve the performance of electrostatic precipitators. In decisions regarding the selection and use of additives, utilities have had to rely extensively on empiricism, due partly to an incomplete understanding of processes involved and partly to the limited amountmore » of quantitative data. The study reported here was sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute to assemble and analyze pertinent operating experience and to recommend guidelines for utility decisions on the use of additives. The combined results of the state-of-the-art review of technical literature and a special survey of utility experience are reported. A total of 38 utilities participated in the survey, providing information on trials conducted on 104 units in 93 different plants. Altogether, 445 separate trials were reported, each representing a unit/additive/fuel combination. Additives used in these trials included 90 different additive formulations, both pure compounds and proprietary products. These formulations were categorized into 37 generic classes according to their chemical constituents, and the results of the survey are presented by these generic classes. The findings are organized according to the operating problems for which fireside additives are used. Guidelines are presented for utility use in additive selection and in planning additive trials.« less

Confidence limits for contribution plots in multivariate statistical process control using bootstrap estimates.

PubMed

Babamoradi, Hamid; van den Berg, Frans; Rinnan, Åsmund

2016-02-18

In Multivariate Statistical Process Control, when a fault is expected or detected in the process, contribution plots are essential for operators and optimization engineers in identifying those process variables that were affected by or might be the cause of the fault. The traditional way of interpreting a contribution plot is to examine the largest contributing process variables as the most probable faulty ones. This might result in false readings purely due to the differences in natural variation, measurement uncertainties, etc. It is more reasonable to compare variable contributions for new process runs with historical results achieved under Normal Operating Conditions, where confidence limits for contribution plots estimated from training data are used to judge new production runs. Asymptotic methods cannot provide confidence limits for contribution plots, leaving re-sampling methods as the only option. We suggest bootstrap re-sampling to build confidence limits for all contribution plots in online PCA-based MSPC. The new strategy to estimate CLs is compared to the previously reported CLs for contribution plots. An industrial batch process dataset was used to illustrate the concepts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Promoted nitrogen dissolution due to the addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt; some effects of additives on the growth of GaN single crystals using the sodium flux method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morishita, Masanori; Kawamura, Fumio; Kawahara, Minoru; Yoshimura, Masashi; Mori, Yusuke; Sasaki, Takatomo

2005-10-01

The effect of the addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt on the promotion of nitrogen dissolution was examined quantitatively in the growth of GaN single crystals using the sodium flux method. The addition of Li or Ca to Ga-Na melt increased both the solubility of solid GaN and that of gaseous nitrogen against the solution. The increase in the solubility of gaseous nitrogen seems to be caused by additives having a high binding energy with nitrogen. We measured the solubility of GaN and that of gaseous nitrogen against Ga-Na, Ga-Na-Li and Ga-Na-Ca melt in this study. On the basis of these data, we clarified the relationship between the N/Ga ratio in the solution and the coloration of GaN crystals grown in each system, and between changes in the yield of GaN and the absolute value of supersaturation.

Maintenance of genetic variation in human personality: Testing evolutionary models by estimating heritability due to common causal variants and investigating the effect of distant inbreeding

PubMed Central

Verweij, Karin J.H.; Yang, Jian; Lahti, Jari; Veijola, Juha; Hintsanen, Mirka; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Heinonen, Kati; Pouta, Anneli; Pesonen, Anu-Katriina; Widen, Elisabeth; Taanila, Anja; Isohanni, Matti; Miettunen, Jouko; Palotie, Aarno; Penke, Lars; Service, Susan K.; Heath, Andrew C.; Montgomery, Grant W.; Raitakari, Olli; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Räikkönen, Katri; Eriksson, Johan G; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Lehtimäki, Terho; Martin, Nicholas G.; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Visscher, Peter M.; Keller, Matthew C.; Zietsch, Brendan P.

2012-01-01

Personality traits are basic dimensions of behavioural variation, and twin, family, and adoption studies show that around 30% of the between-individual variation is due to genetic variation. There is rapidly-growing interest in understanding the evolutionary basis of this genetic variation. Several evolutionary mechanisms could explain how genetic variation is maintained in traits, and each of these makes predictions in terms of the relative contribution of rare and common genetic variants to personality variation, the magnitude of nonadditive genetic influences, and whether personality is affected by inbreeding. Using genome-wide SNP data from >8,000 individuals, we estimated that little variation in the Cloninger personality dimensions (7.2% on average) is due to the combined effect of common, additive genetic variants across the genome, suggesting that most heritable variation in personality is due to rare variant effects and/or a combination of dominance and epistasis. Furthermore, higher levels of inbreeding were associated with less socially-desirable personality trait levels in three of the four personality dimensions. These findings are consistent with genetic variation in personality traits having been maintained by mutation-selection balance. PMID:23025612

Do assortative preferences contribute to assortative mating for adiposity?

PubMed Central

Fisher, Claire I; Fincher, Corey L; Hahn, Amanda C; Little, Anthony C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Jones, Benedict C

2014-01-01

Assortative mating for adiposity, whereby levels of adiposity in romantic partners tend to be positively correlated, has implications for population health due to the combined effects of partners' levels of adiposity on fertility and/or offspring health. Although assortative preferences for cues of adiposity, whereby leaner people are inherently more attracted to leaner individuals, have been proposed as a factor in assortative mating for adiposity, there have been no direct tests of this issue. Because of this, and because of recent work suggesting that facial cues of adiposity convey information about others' health that may be particularly important for mate preferences, we tested the contribution of assortative preferences for facial cues of adiposity to assortative mating for adiposity (assessed from body mass index, BMI) in a sample of romantic couples. Romantic partners' BMIs were positively correlated and this correlation was not due to the effects of age or relationship duration. However, although men and women with leaner partners showed stronger preferences for cues of low levels of adiposity, controlling for these preferences did not weaken the correlation between partners' BMIs. Indeed, own BMI and preferences were uncorrelated. These results suggest that assortative preferences for facial cues of adiposity contribute little (if at all) to assortative mating for adiposity. PMID:24168811

Additive Manufacturing of Metastable Beta Titanium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yannetta, Christopher J.

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

Argentine Population Genetic Structure: Large Variance in Amerindian Contribution

PubMed Central

Seldin, Michael F.; Tian, Chao; Shigeta, Russell; Scherbarth, Hugo R.; Silva, Gabriel; Belmont, John W.; Kittles, Rick; Gamron, Susana; Allevi, Alberto; Palatnik, Simon A.; Alvarellos, Alejandro; Paira, Sergio; Caprarulo, Cesar; Guillerón, Carolina; Catoggio, Luis J.; Prigione, Cristina; Berbotto, Guillermo A.; García, Mercedes A.; Perandones, Carlos E.; Pons-Estel, Bernardo A.; Alarcon-Riquelme, Marta E.

2011-01-01

Argentine population genetic structure was examined using a set of 78 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to assess the contributions of European, Amerindian, and African ancestry in 94 individuals members of this population. Using the Bayesian clustering algorithm STRUCTURE, the mean European contribution was 78%, the Amerindian contribution was 19.4%, and the African contribution was 2.5%. Similar results were found using weighted least mean square method: European, 80.2%; Amerindian, 18.1%; and African, 1.7%. Consistent with previous studies the current results showed very few individuals (four of 94) with greater than 10% African admixture. Notably, when individual admixture was examined, the Amerindian and European admixture showed a very large variance and individual Amerindian contribution ranged from 1.5 to 84.5% in the 94 individual Argentine subjects. These results indicate that admixture must be considered when clinical epidemiology or case control genetic analyses are studied in this population. Moreover, the current study provides a set of informative SNPs that can be used to ascertain or control for this potentially hidden stratification. In addition, the large variance in admixture proportions in individual Argentine subjects shown by this study suggests that this population is appropriate for future admixture mapping studies. PMID:17177183

26 CFR 1.401(m)-1 - Employee contributions and matching contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Employee contributions and matching.... § 1.401(m)-1 Employee contributions and matching contributions. (a) General nondiscrimination rules—(1... not satisfy section 401(a) for a plan year unless the amount of employee contributions and matching...

The Contribution of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Conduct Problems to Bullying in Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viding, Essi; Simmonds, Elizabeth; Petrides, K. V.; Frederickson, Norah

2009-01-01

Background: Although a lot is known about the association of conduct problems with bullying, less attention has been paid to co-occurring traits, such as callous-unemotional (CU) traits that might additionally contribute to the risk of engaging in bullying. This study investigated the contribution of CU traits to direct and indirect bullying,…

Method of introducing additive into a reaction gas flow

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

Michelfelder, S.; Chughtai, M.Y.

1984-04-03

A method of continuously introducing additive, which is conveyed by gaseous and/or liquid carriers, into a turbulent reaction gas flow in the combustion chamber of a steam generator having dry ash withdrawal for selective removal, in a dry manner, of environmentally harmful gaseous noxious materials, such as sulfur, chlorine, and chlorine compounds, which are contained in a hot reaction gas flow which results after a complete or incomplete flame combustion of solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels. Depending upon the additive introduced, heat is stored and/or used for decomposition reactions. The additive, is first introduced at one or more input locations,more » due to locally different pressure conditions in the combustion chamber, into one or more recirculation flows which are within the system and are closed. The additive is subsequently withdrawn from these recirculation flows and is introduced into the reaction gas flow.« less

Contribution of Nutrient Pollution to Water Scarcity in the Water-Rich Northeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hale, R. L.; Lopez, C.; Vorosmarty, C. J.

2015-12-01

Most studies of water stress focus on water-scarce regions such as drylands. Yet, even water-rich regions can be water stressed due to local water withdrawals that exceed supply or due to water pollution that makes water unusable. The northeastern United States (NE) is a water-rich region relative to the rest of the country, as it concentrates about 50% of total renewable water of the country. Yes the NE features relatively high water withdrawals, ~50 km3/yr, for thermo-power generation, agriculture, and industry, as well as to support a human population of about 70 million. At the same time, rivers and streams in the NE suffer from nutrient pollution, largely from agricultural and urban land uses. We asked: to what extent is the NE water stressed, and how do water withdrawals and water quality each contribute to water scarcity across the NE? We used information on county-level water withdrawals and runoff to calculate a water scarcity index (WSI) for 200 hydrologic units across the NE from 1987 to 2002. We used data on surface water concentrations of nitrogen to calculate the additional water necessary to dilute surface water pollution to weak, moderate, and strong water quality standards derived from the literature. Only considering withdrawals, we found that approximately 10% of the NE was water stressed. Incorporating a moderate water quality standard, 25% of the NE was water stressed. We calculated a dilution burden by sectors of water users and found that public utilities faced 41% of the total dilution burden for the region, followed by irrigation users at 21%. Our results illustrate that even water rich regions can experience water stress and even scarcity, where withdrawals exceed surface water supplies. Water quality contributes to water stress and can change the spatial patterns of water stress across a region. The common approach to address scarcity has required the use of inter-basin water transfers, or in the case of water quality-caused scarcity

26 CFR 1.401(m)-1 - Employee contributions and matching contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... contributions. 1.401(m)-1 Section 1.401(m)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE... Plans, Etc. § 1.401(m)-1 Employee contributions and matching contributions. (a) General... contributions satisfies the nondiscrimination test of section 401(m) under paragraph (b) of this section and the...

Podocyte Glutamatergic Signaling Contributes to the Function of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier

PubMed Central

Giardino, Laura; Armelloni, Silvia; Corbelli, Alessandro; Mattinzoli, Deborah; Zennaro, Cristina; Guerrot, Dominique; Tourrel, Fabien; Ikehata, Masami; Li, Min; Berra, Silvia; Carraro, Michele; Messa, Piergiorgio

2009-01-01

Podocytes possess the complete machinery for glutamatergic signaling, raising the possibility that neuron-like signaling contributes to glomerular function. To test this, we studied mice and cells lacking Rab3A, a small GTPase that regulates glutamate exocytosis. In addition, we blocked the glutamate ionotropic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) with specific antagonists. In mice, the absence of Rab3A and blockade of NMDAR both associated with an increased urinary albumin/creatinine ratio. In humans, NMDAR blockade, obtained by addition of ketamine to general anesthesia, also had an albuminuric effect. In vitro, Rab3A-null podocytes displayed a dysregulated release of glutamate with higher rates of spontaneous exocytosis, explained by a reduction in Rab3A effectors resulting in freedom of vesicles from the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, NMDAR antagonism led to profound cytoskeletal remodeling and redistribution of nephrin in cultured podocytes; the addition of the agonist NMDA reversed these changes. In summary, these results suggest that glutamatergic signaling driven by podocytes contributes to the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier and that derangements in this signaling may lead to proteinuric renal diseases. PMID:19578006

Making health care safer: What is the contribution of health psychology?

PubMed

Vincent, Charles; Wearden, Alison; French, David P

2015-11-01

While health care brings great benefits, all treatments, and many investigations, carry some risk. As patients, we should be told of the risks of specific treatments but we are also at risk from failings in the health care system itself. We suggest that, while there are many examples of individual health psychologists who have made important contributions, this has not yet translated into a broader disciplinary engagement. Health psychologists have devoted much more attention to patients and devoted much less attention to the potentially huge impact of studying and intervening with staff, clinical practice, and organizations. We believe that there are considerable opportunities for health psychology to engage more closely with patient safety and, more importantly, that this would be of great benefit to both patients and staff. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? While health care brings great benefits, all treatments, and many investigations, carry some risk. Patients are also at risk from failings in the health care system itself. Studies using review of medical records in many countries have found that between 8% and 12% of patients in hospital suffer an unintended harm due to health care. What does this study add? There are many examples of individual psychologists who have made important contributions, but this has not yet translated into a broader disciplinary engagement. There are considerable opportunities for health psychology to engage more closely with patient safety. These include health behaviour change, teamwork, communication after medical error, diagnosis and decision making, organisational culture, and improving compliance with rules and standards. Psychologists providing a clinical service to specialist services in any area could expand their remit from supporting patients to a more general support and engagement with safety and quality initiatives. Health psychologists have models to understand the behaviour of people

Hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon g — 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guevara, Adolfo

2016-10-01

We have computed the hadronic light-by-light (LbL) contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment aμ in the frame of Chiral Perturbation Theory with the inclusion of the lightest resonance multiplets as dynamical fields (RχT). It is essential to give a more accurate prediction of this hadronic contribution due to the future projects of J-Parc and FNAL on reducing the uncertainty in this observable. We, therefore, computed the pseudoscalar transition form factor and proposed the measurement of the e+ e - →μ+ μ- π0 cross section and dimuon invariant mass spectrum to determine more accurately its parameters. Then, we evaluated the pion exchange contribution to αμ, obtaining (6.66 ± 0.21) • 10-10. By comparing the pion exchange contribution and the pion-pole approximation to the corresponding transition form factor (πTFF) we recalled that the latter underestimates the complete πTFF by (15-20)%. Then, we obtained the η(') TFF, obtaining a total contribution of the lightest pseudoscalar exchanges of (10.47 ± 0.54) • 10-10, in agreement with previous results and with smaller error.

Complex shaped boron carbides from negative additive manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ryan; Chandrasekaran, Swetha; Du Frane, Wyatt L.; ...

2018-03-13

In this paper, complex shaped boron carbide with carbon (B 4C/C) at near-full densities were achieved for the first time using negative additive manufacturing techniques via gelcasting. Negative additive manufacturing involves 3D printing of sacrificial molds used for casting negative copies. B 4C powder distributions and rheology of suspensions were optimized to successfully cast complex shapes. In addition to demonstrating scalability of these complex geometries, hierarchically meso-porous structures were also shown to be possible from this technique. Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (RF) polymer was selected as the gelling agent and can also pyrolyze into a carbon aerogel network to act as the sinteringmore » aid for B 4C. Finally, due to the highly effective distribution of in situ carbon for the B 4C matrix, near-full sintered density of 97–98% of theoretical maximum density was achieved.« less

Complex shaped boron carbides from negative additive manufacturing

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

Lu, Ryan; Chandrasekaran, Swetha; Du Frane, Wyatt L.

In this paper, complex shaped boron carbide with carbon (B 4C/C) at near-full densities were achieved for the first time using negative additive manufacturing techniques via gelcasting. Negative additive manufacturing involves 3D printing of sacrificial molds used for casting negative copies. B 4C powder distributions and rheology of suspensions were optimized to successfully cast complex shapes. In addition to demonstrating scalability of these complex geometries, hierarchically meso-porous structures were also shown to be possible from this technique. Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (RF) polymer was selected as the gelling agent and can also pyrolyze into a carbon aerogel network to act as the sinteringmore » aid for B 4C. Finally, due to the highly effective distribution of in situ carbon for the B 4C matrix, near-full sintered density of 97–98% of theoretical maximum density was achieved.« less

Estimation of Additive, Dominance, and Imprinting Genetic Variance Using Genomic Data

PubMed Central

Lopes, Marcos S.; Bastiaansen, John W. M.; Janss, Luc; Knol, Egbert F.; Bovenhuis, Henk

2015-01-01

Traditionally, exploration of genetic variance in humans, plants, and livestock species has been limited mostly to the use of additive effects estimated using pedigree data. However, with the development of dense panels of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the exploration of genetic variation of complex traits is moving from quantifying the resemblance between family members to the dissection of genetic variation at individual loci. With SNPs, we were able to quantify the contribution of additive, dominance, and imprinting variance to the total genetic variance by using a SNP regression method. The method was validated in simulated data and applied to three traits (number of teats, backfat, and lifetime daily gain) in three purebred pig populations. In simulated data, the estimates of additive, dominance, and imprinting variance were very close to the simulated values. In real data, dominance effects account for a substantial proportion of the total genetic variance (up to 44%) for these traits in these populations. The contribution of imprinting to the total phenotypic variance of the evaluated traits was relatively small (1–3%). Our results indicate a strong relationship between additive variance explained per chromosome and chromosome length, which has been described previously for other traits in other species. We also show that a similar linear relationship exists for dominance and imprinting variance. These novel results improve our understanding of the genetic architecture of the evaluated traits and shows promise to apply the SNP regression method to other traits and species, including human diseases. PMID:26438289

Non-additive dissipation in open quantum networks out of equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchison, Mark T.; Plenio, Martin B.

2018-03-01

We theoretically study a simple non-equilibrium quantum network whose dynamics can be expressed and exactly solved in terms of a time-local master equation. Specifically, we consider a pair of coupled fermionic modes, each one locally exchanging energy and particles with an independent, macroscopic thermal reservoir. We show that the generator of the asymptotic master equation is not additive, i.e. it cannot be expressed as a sum of contributions describing the action of each reservoir alone. Instead, we identify an additional interference term that generates coherences in the energy eigenbasis, associated with the current of conserved particles flowing in the steady state. Notably, non-additivity arises even for wide-band reservoirs coupled arbitrarily weakly to the system. Our results shed light on the non-trivial interplay between multiple thermal noise sources in modular open quantum systems.

Influence of bio-additives on combustion of liquid fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patsch, Marek; Durčanský, Peter

2016-06-01

In this contribution there are analyses of the course of the pressure curves, which were measured in the diesel engine MD UR IV, which is often used in cogeneration units. The results of the analyses confront the properties and quality of fuels. The measuring was realized with a constant rotation speed of the engine and by using different fuels. The fuels were pure diesel fuels and diesel fuel with bio-additives of hydrogenate RO (rape oil), FAME, and bioethanol.

Estimating the average length of hospitalization due to pneumonia: a fuzzy approach.

PubMed

Nascimento, L F C; Rizol, P M S R; Peneluppi, A P

2014-08-29

Exposure to air pollutants is associated with hospitalizations due to pneumonia in children. We hypothesized the length of hospitalization due to pneumonia may be dependent on air pollutant concentrations. Therefore, we built a computational model using fuzzy logic tools to predict the mean time of hospitalization due to pneumonia in children living in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. The model was built with four inputs related to pollutant concentrations and effective temperature, and the output was related to the mean length of hospitalization. Each input had two membership functions and the output had four membership functions, generating 16 rules. The model was validated against real data, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate model performance. The values predicted by the model were significantly correlated with real data. Sulfur dioxide and particulate matter significantly predicted the mean length of hospitalization in lags 0, 1, and 2. This model can contribute to the care provided to children with pneumonia.

Estimating the average length of hospitalization due to pneumonia: a fuzzy approach.

PubMed

Nascimento, L F C; Rizol, P M S R; Peneluppi, A P

2014-11-01

Exposure to air pollutants is associated with hospitalizations due to pneumonia in children. We hypothesized the length of hospitalization due to pneumonia may be dependent on air pollutant concentrations. Therefore, we built a computational model using fuzzy logic tools to predict the mean time of hospitalization due to pneumonia in children living in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. The model was built with four inputs related to pollutant concentrations and effective temperature, and the output was related to the mean length of hospitalization. Each input had two membership functions and the output had four membership functions, generating 16 rules. The model was validated against real data, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate model performance. The values predicted by the model were significantly correlated with real data. Sulfur dioxide and particulate matter significantly predicted the mean length of hospitalization in lags 0, 1, and 2. This model can contribute to the care provided to children with pneumonia.

Additive Manufacturing of Biomaterials, Tissues, and Organs.

PubMed

Zadpoor, Amir A; Malda, Jos

2017-01-01

The introduction of additive manufacturing (AM), often referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing, has initiated what some believe to be a manufacturing revolution, and has expedited the development of the field of biofabrication. Moreover, recent advances in AM have facilitated further development of patient-specific healthcare solutions. Customization of many healthcare products and services, such as implants, drug delivery devices, medical instruments, prosthetics, and in vitro models, would have been extremely challenging-if not impossible-without AM technologies. The current special issue of the Annals of Biomedical Engineering presents the latest trends in application of AM techniques to healthcare-related areas of research. As a prelude to this special issue, we review here the most important areas of biomedical research and clinical practice that have benefited from recent developments in additive manufacturing techniques. This editorial, therefore, aims to sketch the research landscape within which the other contributions of the special issue can be better understood and positioned. In what follows, we briefly review the application of additive manufacturing techniques in studies addressing biomaterials, (re)generation of tissues and organs, disease models, drug delivery systems, implants, medical instruments, prosthetics, orthotics, and AM objects used for medical visualization and communication.

Protease Activated Receptor-2 Contributes to Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Antoniak, Silvio; Sparkenbaugh, Erica M.; Tencati, Michael; Rojas, Mauricio; Mackman, Nigel; Pawlinski, Rafal

2013-01-01

Heart failure is a major clinical problem worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated an important role for G protein-coupled receptors, including protease-activated receptors (PARs), in the pathology of heart hypertrophy and failure. Activation of PAR-2 on cardiomyocytes has been shown to induce hypertrophic growth in vitro. PAR-2 also contributes to myocardial infarction and heart remodeling after ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this study, we found that PAR-2 induced hypertrophic growth of cultured rat neonatal cardiomyocytes in a MEK1/2 and p38 dependent manner. In addition, PAR-2 activation on mouse cardiomyocytes increased expression of the pro-fibrotic chemokine MCP-1. Furthermore, cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of PAR-2 in mice induced heart hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, inflammation and heart failure. Finally, in a mouse model of myocardial infarction induced by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, PAR-2 deficiency attenuated heart remodeling and improved heart function independently of its contribution to the size of the initial infarct. Taken together, our data indicate that PAR-2 signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertrophy and heart failure. PMID:24312345

Performance and energy systems contributions during upper-body sprint interval exercise

PubMed Central

Franchini, Emerson; Takito, Monica Yuri; Dal’Molin Kiss, Maria Augusta Peduti

2016-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the performance and energy systems contribution during four upper-body Wingate tests interspersed by 3-min intervals. Fourteen well-trained male adult Judo athletes voluntarily took part in the present study. These athletes were from state to national level, were in their competitive period, but not engaged in any weight loss procedure. Energy systems contributions were estimated using oxygen uptake and blood lactate measurements. The main results indicated that there was higher glycolytic contribution compared to oxidative (P<0.001) during bout 1, but lower glycolytic contribution was observed compared to the phosphagen system (adenosine triphosphate-creatine phosphate, ATP-PCr) contribution during bout 3 (P<0.001), lower glycolytic contribution compared to oxidative and ATP-PCr (P<0.001 for both comparisons) contributions during bout 4 and lower oxidative compared to ATP-PCr during bout 4 (P=0.040). For the energy system contribution across Wingate bouts, the ATP-PCr contribution during bout 1 was lower than that observed during bout 4 (P=0.005), and the glycolytic system presented higher percentage contribution in the first bout compared to the third and fourth bouts (P<0.001 for both comparisons), and higher percentage participation in the second compared to the fourth bout (P<0.001). These results suggest that absolute oxidative and ATP-PCr participations were kept constant across Wingate tests, but there was an increase in relative participation of ATP-PCr in bout 4 compared to bout 1, probably due to the partial phosphocreatine resynthesis during intervals and to the decreased glycolytic activity. PMID:28119874

Evolutionary dynamics of public goods games with diverse contributions in finite populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Wu, Bin; Chen, Xiaojie; Wang, Long

2010-05-01

The public goods game is a powerful metaphor for exploring the maintenance of social cooperative behavior in a group of interactional selfish players. Here we study the emergence of cooperation in the public goods games with diverse contributions in finite populations. The theory of stochastic process is innovatively adopted to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of the public goods games involving a diversity of contributions. In the limit of rare mutations, the general stationary distribution of this stochastic process can be analytically approximated by means of diffusion theory. Moreover, we demonstrate that increasing the diversity of contributions greatly reduces the probability of finding the population in a homogeneous state full of defectors. This increase also raises the expectation of the total contribution in the entire population and thus promotes social cooperation. Furthermore, by investigating the evolutionary dynamics of optional public goods games with diverse contributions, we find that nonparticipation can assist players who contribute more in resisting invasion and taking over individuals who contribute less. In addition, numerical simulations are performed to confirm our analytical results. Our results may provide insight into the effect of diverse contributions on cooperative behaviors in the real world.

Experimental analysis of thread movement in bolted connections due to vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramsey, G. ED; Jenkins, Robert C.

1995-01-01

This is the final report of research project NAS8-39131 #33 sponsored by NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and carried out by the Civil Engineering Department of Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama) and personnel of MSFC. The objective of this study was to identify the main design parameters contributing to the loosening of bolts due to vibration and to identify their relative importance and degree of contribution to bolt loosening. Vibration testing was conducted on a shaketable with a controlled-random input in the dynamic testing laboratory of the Structural Test Division of MSFC. Test specimens which contained one test bolt were vibrated for a fixed amount of time and a percentage of pre-load loss was measured. Each specimen tested implemented some combination of eleven design parameters as dictated by the design of experiment methodology employed. The eleven design parameters were: bolt size (diameter), lubrication on bolt, hole tolerance, initial pre-load, nut locking device, grip length, thread pitch, lubrication between mating materials, class of fit, joint configuration, and mass of configuration. These parameters were chosen for this experiment because they are believed to be the design parameters having the greatest impact on bolt loosening. Two values of each design parameter were used and each combination of parameters tested was subjected to two different directions of vibration and two different g-levels of vibration. One replication was made for each test to gain some indication of experimental error and repeatability and to give some degree of statistical credibility to the data, resulting in a total of 96 tests being performed. The results of the investigation indicated that nut locking devices, joint configuration, fastener size, and mass of configuration were significant in bolt loosening due to vibration. The results of this test can be utilized to further research the complex problem of bolt loosening due to vibration.

12 CFR 1291.2 - Required annual AHP contributions; allocation of contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Required annual AHP contributions; allocation of contributions. 1291.2 Section 1291.2 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY HOUSING GOALS AND MISSION FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANKS' AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.2 Required annual AHP contributions; allocation of contributions. (a) Annual...

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Disability Pension Due To Mental Diagnoses: Limited Importance of Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety, and Chronic Fatigue.

PubMed

Narusyte, Jurgita; Ropponen, Annina; Alexanderson, Kristina; Svedberg, Pia

2016-02-01

Previous research indicates that liability to disability pension (DP) due to mental diagnoses is moderately influenced by genetic factors. This study investigates whether genetic contributions to the liability to DP due to mood and neurotic diagnoses overlap with the genetic influences on major depression (MD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or chronic fatigue (CF). A prospective cohort study including 9,985 female twins born in Sweden 1933-1958. The presence of MD, GAD, and CF was assessed by computer-assisted telephone interviews conducted in 1998-2002. Data on DP due to mood and neurotic diagnoses were obtained from nationwide registers for the years 1998-2010. Common genetic and environmental influences on the phenotypes were estimated by applying structural equation modeling. The prevalence of MD/GAD was 30%, CF 8%, and DP due to mood and neurotic diagnoses 3% in 2010. Genetic effects on MD/GAD explained 31% of the total genetic variation in DP, whereas genetic contributions in common with CF were small and not significant. The majority of the total non-shared environmental variance in DP (85%) was explained by the factors that were unique to DP. Large proportions of genetic and non-shared environmental influences in DP due to mood and neurotic diagnoses were not explained by the contributions from MD/GAD or CF. The results suggest that the process leading to DP is complex and influenced by factors other than those related to the disorder underlying DP.

Influence of ZrO2 addition on the microstructure and discharge properties of Mg-Zr-O protective layers in alternating current plasma display panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Bingang; Liu, Chunliang; Song, Zhongxiao; Liu, Liu; Fan, Yufeng; Xia, Xing; Fan, Duowang

2005-08-01

Mg-Zr-O protective layers for alternating current plasma display panels were deposited by e-beam evaporation. The effect of the ZrO2 addition on both the discharge properties [firing voltage Vf, minimum sustaining voltage Vs, and memory coefficient (MC)] and the microstructure of deposited Mg-Zr-O films were investigated. The results show that the film microstructure changes and the electron emission enhancement due to the ZrO2 addition are the main reasons for the improvements of the discharge properties of Mg-Zr-O films. A small amount of Zr solution in MgO under its solid solubility can effectively increase the outer-shell valence electron emission yield so as to decrease Vf and Vs compared with using a pure MgO protective layer. The ZrO2/(MgO +ZrO2) ratio has a great effect on the film surface conditions. Proper surface morphologies make a good contribution to obtain large MC in accordance with lower firing voltage.

Ambient Ammonium Contribution to total Nitrogen Deposition ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

There has been a wealth of evidence over the last decade illustrating the rising importance of reduced inorganic nitrogen (NHx = ammonia gas, NH3, plus particulate ammonium, p-NH4) in the overall atmospheric mass balance and deposition of nitrogen as emissions of oxidized nitrogen have decreased throughout a period of stable or increasing NH3 emissions. In addition, the fraction of ambient ammonia relative to p-NH4 generally has risen as a result of decreases in both oxides of nitrogen and sulfur emissions. EPA plans to consider ecological effects related to deposition of nitrogen, of which NHx is a contributing component, in the review of secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur (NOx/SOx standard). Although these ecological effects are associated with total nitrogen deposition, it will be important to understand the emissions sources contributing to the total nitrogen deposition and to understand how much of the total nitrogen deposition is from deposition of NHx versus other nitrogen species. Because p-NH4 contributes to nitrogen deposition and can also be a significant component of particulate matter, there is a potential overlap in addressing nitrogen based deposition effects in the secondary PM and NOx/SOx NAAQS. Consequently, there is a policy interest in quantifying the contribution of p-NH4 to total nitrogen deposition. While dry deposition of p-NH4 is calculated through a variety of modeling app

Standard expected years of life lost due to tuberculosis in Poland.

PubMed

Bryła, M; Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk, E; Maniecka-Bryła, I

2017-02-01

Central European countries such as Poland have higher tuberculosis (TB) morbidity and mortality than Western European Union countries. To evaluate changes in mortality due to TB during the period 1999-2012 in Poland and years of life lost due to the disease. Information obtained from 5 219 205 death certificates in Poland during the period 1999-2012 was used for the study. Crude (CDRs) and standardised (SDRs) death rates due to TB were analysed. Standard expected years of life lost per living person (SEYLLp) was also calculated. In Poland, TB and related complications contributed 0.23% of total deaths from 1999 to 2012. The SEYLLp was 3.46 per 10 000 population in 1999 and 1.88 in 2012. It was respectively 5.75 and 3.12 for males, and 1.31 and 0.72 for females. The SEYLLp index decreased over the period (annual per cent change [APC] -4.27%, P < 0.05); the decrease was greater in females than in males (APC -4.75%, P < 0.05 vs. APC -4.15%, P < 0.05). Despite an improvement in the epidemiological situation, TB remains the most common single cause of death due to an infectious agent in Poland.

26 CFR 1.6695-2 - Tax return preparer due diligence requirements for determining earned income credit eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Tax return preparer due diligence requirements... the Tax, Additional Amounts, and Assessable Penalties § 1.6695-2 Tax return preparer due diligence requirements for determining earned income credit eligibility. (a) Penalty for failure to meet due diligence...

10 CFR 52.80 - Contents of applications; additional technical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... 52.80 Section 52.80 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROVALS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Combined Licenses § 52.80 Contents of applications; additional technical... the circumstances associated with the loss of large areas of the plant due to explosions or fire as...

10 CFR 52.80 - Contents of applications; additional technical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... 52.80 Section 52.80 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROVALS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Combined Licenses § 52.80 Contents of applications; additional technical... the circumstances associated with the loss of large areas of the plant due to explosions or fire as...

10 CFR 52.80 - Contents of applications; additional technical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... 52.80 Section 52.80 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROVALS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Combined Licenses § 52.80 Contents of applications; additional technical... the circumstances associated with the loss of large areas of the plant due to explosions or fire as...

10 CFR 52.80 - Contents of applications; additional technical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... 52.80 Section 52.80 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROVALS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Combined Licenses § 52.80 Contents of applications; additional technical... the circumstances associated with the loss of large areas of the plant due to explosions or fire as...

Comparing Models and Methods for the Delineation of Stream Baseflow Contribution Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, R.; Frind, M.; Frind, E. O.; Jones, J. P.; Sousa, M.; Rudolph, D. L.; Nowak, W.

2016-12-01

This study addresses the delineation of areas that contribute baseflow to a stream reach, also known as stream capture zones. Such areas can be delineated using standard well capture zone delineation methods, with three important differences: (1) natural gradients are smaller compared to those produced by supply wells and are therefore subject to greater numerical errors, (2) stream discharge varies seasonally, and (3) stream discharge varies spatially. This study focuses on model-related uncertainties due to parameter non-uniqueness, discretization schemes, and particle tracking algorithms. The methodology is applied to the Alder Creek watershed in southwestern Ontario. Four different model codes are compared: HydroGeoSphere, WATFLOW, MODFLOW, and FEFLOW. In addition, two delineation methods are compared: reverse particle tracking and reverse transport, where the latter considers local-scale parameter uncertainty by using a macrodispersion term to produce a capture probability plume. The results from this study indicate that different models can calibrate acceptably well to the same data and produce very similar distributions of hydraulic head, but can produce different capture zones. The stream capture zone is found to be highly sensitive to the particle tracking algorithm. It was also found that particle tracking by itself, if applied to complex systems such as the Alder Creek watershed, would require considerable subjective judgement in the delineation of stream capture zones. Reverse transport is an alternate approach that provides probability intervals for the baseflow contribution areas. In situations where the two approaches agree, the confidence in the delineation is reinforced.

Massive ovarian edema, due to adjacent appendicitis.

PubMed

Callen, Andrew L; Illangasekare, Tushani; Poder, Liina

2017-04-01

Massive ovarian edema is a benign clinical entity, the imaging findings of which can mimic an adnexal mass or ovarian torsion. In the setting of acute abdominal pain, identifying massive ovarian edema is a key in avoiding potential fertility-threatening surgery in young women. In addition, it is important to consider other contributing pathology when ovarian edema is secondary to another process. We present a case of a young woman presenting with subacute abdominal pain, whose initial workup revealed marked enlarged right ovary. Further imaging, diagnostic tests, and eventually diagnostic laparoscopy revealed that the ovarian enlargement was secondary to subacute appendicitis, rather than a primary adnexal process. We review the classic ultrasound and MRI imaging findings and pitfalls that relate to this diagnosis.

Productivity and growth performance of edamame (Glycin Max L Merril) due to the addition of sitokinin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohmawati, Irma; Ulfah, Maria

2018-05-01

Global market demand towards edamame is quite high, but production of edamame is still very low. Edamame have to increased its production. Many researchers stated that sitokinin effect on the activities of enzymes in metabolic processes of plants. This research aims to analyze response of plant physiological Edamame applied with hormones sitokinin especially in aspects of growth and productivity. The research was carried out in March-May 2017. This study used a Randomized Complete Design method with three treatment factors that is A (unannounced sitokinin hormone), B (hormone siokinin 0.5 mL) C (hormone sitokinin 1 mL) with 5 repetitions. The parameters observed were higher plants, number of leaves, and the weight of the fruit. Research shows that treatment with hormone sitokinin effect on the growth and the production of edamame. The addition of the sitokinin hormones can increase the growth of leaves, stems, and fruit productivity. Results of the study showed treatment C (sitokinin 1 mL) gives signifcant effect. At the age of 48 HST by administering hormones 1 mL, has an average height of 28.8 cm, average number of leaves 15, and heavy weight fruit 17.43 grams.

Impact of Diabetic Complications on Balance and Falls: Contribution of the Vestibular System

PubMed Central

Lin, James; Staecker, Hinrich; Whitney, Susan L.; Kluding, Patricia M.

2016-01-01

Diabetes causes many complications, including retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy, which are well understood as contributing to gait instability and falls. A less understood complication of diabetes is the effect on the vestibular system. The vestibular system contributes significantly to balance in static and dynamic conditions by providing spatially orienting information. It is noteworthy that diabetes has been reported to affect vestibular function in both animal and clinical studies. Pathophysiological changes in peripheral and central vestibular structures due to diabetes have been noted. Vestibular dysfunction is associated with impaired balance and a higher risk of falls. As the prevalence of diabetes increases, so does the potential for falls due to diabetic complications. The purpose of this perspective article is to present evidence on the pathophysiology of diabetes-related complications and their influence on balance and falls, with specific attention to emerging evidence of vestibular dysfunction due to diabetes. Understanding this relationship may be useful for screening (by physical therapists) for possible vestibular dysfunction in people with diabetes and for further developing and testing the efficacy of interventions to reduce falls in this population. PMID:26251477

Delineating baseflow contribution areas for streams - A model and methods comparison.

PubMed

Chow, Reynold; Frind, Michael E; Frind, Emil O; Jones, Jon P; Sousa, Marcelo R; Rudolph, David L; Molson, John W; Nowak, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

This study addresses the delineation of areas that contribute baseflow to a stream reach, also known as stream capture zones. Such areas can be delineated using standard well capture zone delineation methods, with three important differences: (1) natural gradients are smaller compared to those produced by supply wells and are therefore subject to greater numerical errors, (2) stream discharge varies seasonally, and (3) stream discharge varies spatially. This study focuses on model-related uncertainties due to model characteristics, discretization schemes, delineation methods, and particle tracking algorithms. The methodology is applied to the Alder Creek watershed in southwestern Ontario. Four different model codes are compared: HydroGeoSphere, WATFLOW, MODFLOW, and FEFLOW. In addition, two delineation methods are compared: reverse particle tracking and reverse transport, where the latter considers local-scale parameter uncertainty by using a macrodispersion term to produce a capture probability plume. The results from this study indicate that different models can calibrate acceptably well to the same data and produce very similar distributions of hydraulic head, but can produce different capture zones. The stream capture zone is found to be highly sensitive to the particle tracking algorithm. It was also found that particle tracking by itself, if applied to complex systems such as the Alder Creek watershed, would require considerable subjective judgement in the delineation of stream capture zones. Reverse transport is an alternative and more reliable approach that provides probability intervals for the baseflow contribution areas, taking uncertainty into account. The two approaches can be used together to enhance the confidence in the final outcome. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rubber friction: The contribution from the area of real contact.

PubMed

Tiwari, A; Miyashita, N; Espallargas, N; Persson, B N J

2018-06-14

There are two contributions to the friction force when a rubber block is sliding on a hard and rough substrate surface, namely, a contribution F ad = τ f A from the area of real contact A and a viscoelastic contribution F visc from the pulsating forces exerted by the substrate asperities on the rubber block. Here we present experimental results obtained at different sliding speeds and temperatures, and we show that the temperature dependency of the shear stress τ f , for temperatures above the rubber glass transition temperature T g , is weaker than that of the bulk viscoelastic modulus. The physical origin of τ f for T > T g is discussed, and we propose that its temperature dependency is determined by the rubber molecule segment mobility at the sliding interface, which is higher than in the bulk because of increased free-volume effect due to the short-wavelength surface roughness. This is consistent with the often observed reduction in the glass transition temperature in nanometer-thick surface layers of glassy polymers. For temperatures T < T g , the shear stress τ f is nearly velocity independent and of similar magnitude as observed for glassy polymers such as PMMA or polyethylene. In this case, the rubber undergoes plastic deformations in the asperity contact regions and the contact area is determined by the rubber penetration hardness. For this case, we propose that the frictional shear stress is due to slip at the interface between the rubber and a transfer film adsorbed on the concrete surface.

5 CFR 3601.104 - Additional limitations on gifts between DoD employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Additional limitations on gifts between... gifts between DoD employees. The following limitations shall apply to gifts from groups of DoD employees that include a subordinate and to voluntary contributions to gifts for superiors permitted under 5 CFR...

Contribution of internal exposures to the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident.

PubMed

Balonov, M I; Anspaugh, L R; Bouville, A; Likhtarev, I A

2007-01-01

The main pathways leading to exposure of members of the general public due to the Chernobyl accident were external exposure from radionuclides deposited on the ground and ingestion of contaminated terrestrial food products. The collective dose to the thyroid was nearly 1.5 million man Gy in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine with nearly half received by children and adolescents. The collective effective dose received in 1986-2005 by approximately five million residents living in the affected areas of the three countries was approximately 50,000 man Sv with approximately 40% from ingestion. That contribution might have been larger if countermeasures had not been applied. The main radionuclide contributing to both external and internal effective dose is 137Cs with smaller contributions of 134Cs and 90Sr and negligible contribution of transuranic elements. The major demonstrated radiation-caused health effect of the Chernobyl accident has been an elevated incidence of thyroid cancer in children.

Parallel bulk heterojunction photovoltaics based on all-conjugated block copolymer additives

DOE PAGES

Mok, Jorge W.; Kipp, Dylan; Hasbun, Luis R.; ...

2016-08-23

We demonstrated that the addition of block copolymers to binary donor–acceptor blends represents an effective approach to target equilibrium, co-continuous morphologies of interpenetrating donors and acceptors in our recent study. We report a study of the impact of all-conjugated poly(thieno[3,4-b]-thiophene-co-benzodithiophene)-b-polynaphthalene diimide (PTB7-b-PNDI) block copolymer additives on the electronic properties and photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic active layers comprised of a PTB7 donor and a phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM61) acceptor. We find that small amounts of BCP additives lead to improved performance due to a large increase in the device open-circuit voltage (VOC), and the VOC is pinnedmore » to this higher value for higher BCP additive loadings. Such results contrast prior studies of ternary blend OPVs where either a continuous change in VOC or a value of VOC pinned to the lowest value is observed. We hypothesize and provide evidence in the form of device and morphology analyses that the impact of VOC is likely due to the formation of a parallel bulk heterojunction made up of isolated PCBM and PNDI acceptor domains separated by intermediate PTB7 donor domains. Our work demonstrates that all-conjugated block copolymers can be utilized as additives to both dictate morphology and modulate the electronic properties of the active layer.« less

Parallel bulk heterojunction photovoltaics based on all-conjugated block copolymer additives

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

Mok, Jorge W.; Kipp, Dylan; Hasbun, Luis R.

We demonstrated that the addition of block copolymers to binary donor–acceptor blends represents an effective approach to target equilibrium, co-continuous morphologies of interpenetrating donors and acceptors in our recent study. We report a study of the impact of all-conjugated poly(thieno[3,4-b]-thiophene-co-benzodithiophene)-b-polynaphthalene diimide (PTB7-b-PNDI) block copolymer additives on the electronic properties and photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic active layers comprised of a PTB7 donor and a phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM61) acceptor. We find that small amounts of BCP additives lead to improved performance due to a large increase in the device open-circuit voltage (VOC), and the VOC is pinnedmore » to this higher value for higher BCP additive loadings. Such results contrast prior studies of ternary blend OPVs where either a continuous change in VOC or a value of VOC pinned to the lowest value is observed. We hypothesize and provide evidence in the form of device and morphology analyses that the impact of VOC is likely due to the formation of a parallel bulk heterojunction made up of isolated PCBM and PNDI acceptor domains separated by intermediate PTB7 donor domains. Our work demonstrates that all-conjugated block copolymers can be utilized as additives to both dictate morphology and modulate the electronic properties of the active layer.« less

Ergonomics Contribution in Maintainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teymourian, Kiumars; Seneviratne, Dammika; Galar, Diego

2017-09-01

The objective of this paper is to describe an ergonomics contribution in maintainability. The economical designs, inputs and training helps to increase the maintainability indicators for industrial devices. This analysis can be helpful, among other cases, to compare systems, to achieve a better design regarding maintainability requirements, to improve this maintainability under specific industrial environment and to foresee maintainability problems due to eventual changes in a device operation conditions. With this purpose, this work first introduces the notion of ergonomics and human factors, maintainability and the implementation of assessment of human postures, including some important postures to perform maintenance activities. A simulation approach is used to identify the critical posture of the maintenance personnel and implements the defined postures with minimal loads on the personnel who use the equipment in a practical scenario. The simulation inputs are given to the designers to improve the workplace/equipment in order to high level of maintainability. Finally, the work concludes summarizing the more significant aspects and suggesting future research.

Additive and non-additive genetic components of the jack male life history in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

PubMed

Forest, Adriana R; Semeniuk, Christina A D; Heath, Daniel D; Pitcher, Trevor E

2016-08-01

Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, exhibit alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) where males exist in two phenotypes: large "hooknose" males and smaller "jacks" that reach sexual maturity after only 1 year in seawater. The mechanisms that determine "jacking rate"-the rate at which males precociously sexually mature-are known to involve both genetics and differential growth rates, where individuals that become jacks exhibit higher growth earlier in life. The additive genetic components have been studied and it is known that jack sires produce significantly more jack offspring than hooknose sires, and vice versa. The current study was the first to investigate both additive and non-additive genetic components underlying jacking through the use of a full-factorial breeding design using all hooknose sires. The effect of dams and sires descendant from a marker-assisted broodstock program that identified "high performance" and "low performance" lines using growth- and survival-related gene markers was also studied. Finally, the relative growth of jack, hooknose, and female offspring was examined. No significant dam, sire, or interaction effects were observed in this study, and the maternal, additive, and non-additive components underlying jacking were small. Differences in jacking rates in this study were determined by dam performance line, where dams that originated from the low performance line produced significantly more jacks. Jack offspring in this study had a significantly larger body size than both hooknose males and females starting 1 year post-fertilization. This study provides novel information regarding the genetic architecture underlying ARTs in Chinook salmon that could have implications for the aquaculture industry, where jacks are not favoured due to their small body size and poor flesh quality.

How are things adding up? Neural differences between arithmetic operations are due to general problem solving strategies.

PubMed

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf

2014-05-15

A number of previous studies have interpreted differences in brain activation between arithmetic operation types (e.g. addition and multiplication) as evidence in favor of distinct cortical representations, processes or neural systems. It is still not clear how differences in general task complexity contribute to these neural differences. Here, we used a mental arithmetic paradigm to disentangle brain areas related to general problem solving from those involved in operation type specific processes (addition versus multiplication). We orthogonally varied operation type and complexity. Importantly, complexity was defined not only based on surface criteria (for example number size), but also on the basis of individual participants' strategy ratings, which were validated in a detailed behavioral analysis. We replicated previously reported operation type effects in our analyses based on surface criteria. However, these effects vanished when controlling for individual strategies. Instead, procedural strategies contrasted with memory retrieval reliably activated fronto-parietal and motor regions, while retrieval strategies activated parietal cortices. This challenges views that operation types rely on partially different neural systems, and suggests that previously reported differences between operation types may have emerged due to invalid measures of complexity. We conclude that mental arithmetic is a powerful paradigm to study brain networks of abstract problem solving, as long as individual participants' strategies are taken into account. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High redshift signatures in the 21 cm forest due to cosmic string wakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tashiro, Hiroyuki; Sekiguchi, Toyokazu; Silk, Joseph

2014-01-01

Cosmic strings induce minihalo formation in the early universe. The resultant minihalos cluster in string wakes and create a ``21 cm forest'' against the cosmic microwave background (CMB) spectrum. Such a 21 cm forest can contribute to angular fluctuations of redshifted 21 cm signals integrated along the line of sight. We calculate the root-mean-square amplitude of the 21 cm fluctuations due to strings and show that these fluctuations can dominate signals from minihalos due to primordial density fluctuations at high redshift (zgtrsim10), even if the string tension is below the current upper bound, Gμ < 1.5 × 10-7. Our results also predict that the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) can potentially detect the 21 cm fluctuations due to strings with Gμ ≈ 7.5 × 10-8 for the single frequency band case and 4.0 × 10-8 for the multi-frequency band case.

A novel addition polyimide adhesive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St.clair, T. L.; Progar, D. J.

1981-01-01

An addition polyimide adhesive, LARC 13, was developed which shows promise for bonding both titanium and composites for applications which require service temperatures in excess of 533 K. The LARC 13 is based on an oligomeric bis nadimide containing a meta linked aromatic diamine. The adhesive melts prior to polymerization due to its oligomeric nature, thereby allowing it to be processed at 344 kPa or less. Therefore, LARC 13 is ideal for the bonding of honeycomb sandwich structures. After melting, the resin thermosets during the cure of the nadic endcaps to a highly crosslinked system. Few volatiles are evolved, thus allowing large enclosed structures to be bonded. Preparation of the adhesive as well as bonding, aging, and testing of lap shear and honeycomb samples are discussed.

Electromotive force due to magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations in sheared rotating turbulence

DOE PAGES

Squire, J.; Bhattacharjee, A.

2015-11-02

Here, this article presents a calculation of the mean electromotive force arising from general small-scale magnetohydrodynamical turbulence, within the framework of the second-order correlation approximation. With the goal of improving understanding of the accretion disk dynamo, effects arising through small-scale magnetic fluctuations, velocity gradients, density and turbulence stratification, and rotation, are included. The primary result, which supplements numerical findings, is that an off-diagonal turbulent resistivity due to magnetic fluctuations can produce large-scale dynamo action-the magnetic analog of the "shear-current" effect. In addition, consideration of alpha effects in the stratified regions of disks gives the puzzling result that there is nomore » strong prediction for a sign of alpha, since the effects due to kinetic and magnetic fluctuations, as well as those due to shear and rotation, are each of opposing signs and tend to cancel each other.« less

The supplementary motor area contributes to the timing of the anticipatory postural adjustment during step initiation in participants with and without Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Jacobs, J V; Lou, J S; Kraakevik, J A; Horak, F B

2009-12-01

The supplementary motor area (SMA) is thought to contribute to the generation of anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs, which act to stabilize supporting body segments prior to movement), but its precise role remains unclear. In addition, participants with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit impaired function of the SMA as well as decreased amplitudes and altered timing of the APA during step initiation, but the contribution of the SMA to these impairments also remains unclear. To determine how the SMA contributes to generating the APA and to the impaired APAs of participants with PD, we examined the voluntary steps of eight participants with PD and eight participants without PD, before and after disrupting the SMA and dorsolateral premotor cortex (dlPMC), in separate sessions, with 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Both groups exhibited decreased durations of their APAs after rTMS over the SMA but not over the dlPMC. Peak amplitudes of the APAs were unaffected by rTMS to either site. The symptom severity of the participants with PD positively correlated with the extent that rTMS over the SMA affected the durations of their APAs. The results suggest that the SMA contributes to the timing of the APA and that participants with PD exhibit impaired timing of their APAs, in part, due to progressive dysfunction of circuits associated with the SMA.

LDHA is a direct target of miR-30d-5p and contributes to aggressive progression of gallbladder carcinoma.

PubMed

He, Yuting; Chen, Xiaolong; Yu, Yan; Li, Juan; Hu, Qiuyue; Xue, Chen; Chen, Jianan; Shen, Shen; Luo, Yonggang; Ren, Fang; Li, Chao; Bao, Jie; Yan, Jingya; Qian, Guowu; Ren, Zhigang; Sun, Ranran; Cui, Guangying

2018-06-01

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most general biliary tract malignancy, with poor prognosis due to rapid tumor progression and lack of specific symptoms. Lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDHA) can promote Warburg effect to produce lactate and Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) in aerobic condition, which contributes to oncogenesis metastasis and drug resistance in various cancers. However, the expression and functional role of LDHA in GBC are largely unknown. We determined that LDHA was over-expressed in GBC tumor tissues compared with normal tissues, which was also an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of GBC patients by tissue microarrays analysis. In addition, RNAi-mediated LDHA silencing could suppress the GBC cell proliferation, invasion, colony formation and glycolysis while promoting cell apoptosis in vitro. Similar results were observed in GBC cells treated with LDHA specific inhibitor FX11. Moreover, we confirmed that knockdown of LDHA could inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, we found that the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of LDHA mRNA was the direct target of microRNA-30d-5p (miR-30d-5p), which was low expressed in GBC tissues and associated with poor prognosis of GBC patients. Our findings disclose a novel role for miR-30d-5p/LDHA axis contribute to aggressive progression by reprogramming the metabolic process in GBC cells, and suggest a potential application of miR-30d-5p/LDHA axis in prognosis prediction and GBC treatment. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Population-specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halsey, Samniqueka J.; Bell, Timothy J.; McEachern, A. Kathryn; Pavlovic, Noel B.

2016-01-01

Restoration efforts can be improved by understanding how variations in life-history traits occur within populations of the same species living in different environments. This can be done by first understanding the demographic responses of natural occurring populations. Population viability analysis continues to be useful to species management and conservation with sensitivity analysis aiding in the understanding of population dynamics. In this study, using life-table response experiments and elasticity analyses, we investigated how population-specific life-history demographic responses contributed to the metapopulation viability of the Federally threatened Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Specifically, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) Subpopulations occupying different environments within a metapopulation have independent demographic responses and (2) advancing succession results in a shift from a demographic response focused on growth and fecundity to one dominated by stasis. Our results showed that reintroductions had a positive contribution to the metapopulation growth rate as compared to native populations which had a negative contribution. We found no difference in succession on the contribution to metapopulation viability. In addition, we identified distinct population-specific contributions to metapopulation viability and were able to associate specific life-history demographic responses. For example, the positive impact of Miller High Dunes population on the metapopulation growth rate resulted from high growth contributions, whereas increased time of plant in stasis for the State Park Big Blowout population resulted in negative contributions. A greater understanding of how separate populations respond in their corresponding environment may ultimately lead to more effective management strategies aimed at reducing extinction risk. We propose the continued use of sensitivity analyses to evaluate population-specific demographic influences on

The contribution of tropical cyclones to rainfall in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agustín Breña-Naranjo, J.; Pedrozo-Acuña, Adrián; Pozos-Estrada, Oscar; Jiménez-López, Salma A.; López-López, Marco R.

Investigating the contribution of tropical cyclones to the terrestrial water cycle can help quantify the benefits and hazards caused by the rainfall generated from this type of hydro-meteorological event. Rainfall induced by tropical cyclones can enhance both flood risk and groundwater recharge, and it is therefore important to characterise its minimum, mean and maximum contributions to a region or country's water balance. This work evaluates the rainfall contribution of tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes across Mexico from 1998 to 2013 using the satellite-derived precipitation dataset TMPA 3B42. Additionally, the sensitivity of rainfall to other datasets was assessed: the national rain gauge observation network, real-time satellite rainfall and a merged product that combines rain gauges with non-calibrated space-borne rainfall measurements. The lower Baja California peninsula had the highest contribution from cyclonic rainfall in relative terms (∼40% of its total annual rainfall), whereas the contributions in the rest of the country showed a low-to-medium dependence on tropical cyclones, with mean values ranging from 0% to 20%. In quantitative terms, southern regions of Mexico can receive more than 2400 mm of cyclonic rainfall during years with significant TC activity. Moreover, (a) the number of tropical cyclones impacting Mexico has been significantly increasing since 1998, but cyclonic contributions in relative and quantitative terms have not been increasing, and (b) wind speed and rainfall intensity during cyclones are not highly correlated. Future work should evaluate the impacts of such contributions on surface and groundwater hydrological processes and connect the knowledge gaps between the magnitude of tropical cyclones, flood hazards, and economic losses.

43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

43 CFR 418.36 - Incentives for additional long term conservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... be reduced by the incremental amount of evaporation which occurs as a result of the increased surface area of the reservoir due to the additional storage. The evaporation rate used will be either the net evaporation measured or the net historical average after precipitation is taken into account. The method of...

Complex T Cell Interactions Contribute to Helicobacter pylori Gastritis in Mice

PubMed Central

Gray, Brian M.; Fontaine, Clinton A.; Poe, Sara A.

2013-01-01

Disease due to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori varies in severity from asymptomatic to peptic ulcer disease and cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that one source of this variation is an abnormal host response. The goal of this study was to use a mouse model of H. pylori gastritis to investigate the roles of regulatory T cells (Treg) as well as proinflammatory T cells (Th1 and Th17) in gastritis, gastric T cell engraftment, and gastric cytokine production. Our results support published data indicating that severe gastritis in T cell recipient mice is due to failure of Treg engraftment, that Treg ameliorate gastritis, and that the proinflammatory response is attributable to interactions between several cell subsets and cytokines. We confirmed that gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is essential for induction of gastritis but showed that IFN-γ-producing CD4 T cells are not necessary. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) also contributed to gastritis, but to a lesser extent than IFN-γ. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL-17F were also elevated in association with disease. These results indicate that while H. pylori-specific CD4+ T cells and IFN-γ are both essential for induction of gastritis due to H. pylori, IFN-γ production by T cells is not essential. It is likely that other proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17F and TNF-α, shown to be elevated in this model, also contribute to the induction of disease. We suggest that gastritis due to H. pylori is associated with loss of immunoregulation and alteration of several cytokines and cell subsets and cannot be attributed to a single immune pathway. PMID:23264048

Implementation and evaluation of PM2.5 source contribution ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Source culpability assessments are useful for developing effective emissions control programs. The Integrated Source Apportionment Method (ISAM) has been implemented in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to track contributions from source groups and regions to ambient levels and deposited amounts of primary and secondary inorganic PM2.5. Confidence in this approach is established by comparing ISAM source contribution estimates to emissions zero-out simulations recognizing that these approaches are not always expected to provide the same answer. The comparisons are expected to be most similar for more linear processes such as those involving primary emissions of PM2.5 and most different for non-linear systems like ammonium nitrate formation. Primarily emitted PM2.5 (e.g. elemental carbon), sulfur dioxide, ammonia, and nitrogen oxide contribution estimates compare well to zero-out estimates for ambient concentration and deposition. PM2.5 sulfate ion relationships are strong, but nonlinearity is evident and shown to be related to aqueous phase oxidation reactions in the host model. ISAM and zero-out contribution estimates are less strongly related for PM2.5 ammonium nitrate, resulting from instances of non-linear chemistry and negative responses (increases in PM2.5 due to decreases in emissions). ISAM is demonstrated in the context of an annual simulation tracking well characterized emissions source sectors and boundary conditions shows source contri

Postfixed brachial plexus radiculopathy due to thoracic disc herniation in a collegiate wrestler: a case report.

PubMed

Kuzma, Scott A; Doberstein, Scott T; Rushlow, David R

2013-01-01

To present the unique case of a collegiate wrestler with C7 neurologic symptoms due to T1-T2 disc herniation. A 23-year-old male collegiate wrestler injured his neck in a wrestling tournament match and experienced pain, weakness, and numbness in his left upper extremity. He completed that match and 1 additional match that day with mild symptoms. Evaluation by a certified athletic trainer 6 days postinjury showed radiculopathy in the C7 distribution of his left upper extremity. He was evaluated further by the team physician, a primary care physician, and a neurosurgeon. Cervical spine injury, stinger/burner, peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, thoracic outlet syndrome, brachial plexus radiculopathy. The patient initially underwent nonoperative management with ice, heat, massage, electrical stimulation, shortwave diathermy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without symptom resolution. Cervical spine radiographs were negative for bony pathologic conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging showed evidence of T1-T2 disc herniation. The patient underwent surgery to resolve the symptoms and enable him to participate for the remainder of the wrestling season. Whereas brachial plexus radiculopathy commonly is seen in collision sports, a postfixed brachial plexus in which the T2 nerve root has substantial contribution to the innervation of the upper extremity is a rare anatomic variation with which many health care providers are unfamiliar. The injury sustained by the wrestler appeared to be C7 radiculopathy due to a brachial plexus traction injury. However, it ultimately was diagnosed as radiculopathy due to a T1-T2 thoracic intervertebral disc herniation causing impingement of a postfixed brachial plexus and required surgical intervention. Athletic trainers and physicians need to be aware of the anatomic variations of the brachial plexus when evaluating and caring for patients with suspected brachial plexus radiculopathies.

Effect of mineral additives on structure and properties of concrete for pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobol, Khrystyna; Markiv, Taras; Hunyak, Oleksii

2017-12-01

Concrete pavements is an attractive alternative to asphalt pavements because of its lower cost and higher durability. Major contribution to sustainable development can be made by partial replacement of cement in concrete pavement with supplementary cementitious materials of different nature and origin. In this paper, the effect of natural zeolite and perlite additives in complex with chemical admixtures on the structure and properties of concrete for pavement was studied. Compressive and flexural strength test was used to study the mechanical behavior of designed concrete under load. Generally, the compressive strength of both control concrete and concrete containing mineral additives levels at the later ages of hardening. The microstructure analysis of concrete with mineral additives of different nature activity showed the formation of additional amount of hydration products such as tobermorite type calcium hydrosilicate which provide self-reinforcement of hardening concrete system.

IR-laser assisted additive freeform optics manufacturing.

PubMed

Hong, Zhihan; Liang, Rongguang

2017-08-02

Computer-controlled additive manufacturing (AM) processes, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, create 3D objects by the successive adding of a material or materials. While there have been tremendous developments in AM, the 3D printing of optics is lagging due to the limits in materials and tight requirements for optical applicaitons. We propose a new precision additive freeform optics manufacturing (AFOM) method using an pulsed infrared (IR) laser. Compared to ultraviolet (UV) curable materials, thermally curable optical silicones have a number of advantages, such as strong UV stability, non-yellowing, and high transmission, making it particularly suitable for optical applications. Pulsed IR laser radiation offers a distinct advantage in processing optical silicones, as the high peak intensity achieved in the focal region allows for curing the material quickly, while the brief duration of the laser-material interaction creates a negligible heat-affected zone.

20 CFR 345.120 - Assessment and collection of contributions or underpayments of contributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Assessment and collection of contributions or underpayments of contributions. 345.120 Section 345.120 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT EMPLOYERS' CONTRIBUTIONS AND CONTRIBUTION REPORTS Reporting and Collecting Contributions...

Vertebral body bone strength: the contribution of individual trabecular element morphology.

PubMed

Parkinson, I H; Badiei, A; Stauber, M; Codrington, J; Müller, R; Fazzalari, N L

2012-07-01

Although the amount of bone explains the largest amount of variability in bone strength, there is still a significant proportion unaccounted for. The morphology of individual bone trabeculae explains a further proportion of the variability in bone strength and bone elements that contribute to bone strength depending on the direction of loading. Micro-CT imaging enables measurement of bone microarchitecture and subsequently mechanical strength of the same sample. It is possible using micro-CT data to perform morphometric analysis on individual rod and plate bone trabeculae using a volumetric spatial decomposition algorithm and hence determine their contribution to bone strength. Twelve pairs of vertebral bodies (T12/L1 or L4/L5) were harvested from human cadavers, and bone cubes (10 × 10 × 10 mm) were obtained. After micro-CT imaging, a volumetric spatial decomposition algorithm was applied, and measures of individual trabecular elements were obtained. Bone strength was measured in compression, where one bone specimen from each vertebral segment was tested supero-inferiorly (SI) and the paired specimen was tested antero-posteriorly (AP). Bone volume fraction was the strongest individual determinant of SI strength (r(2) = 0.77, p < 0.0001) and AP (r(2) = 0.54, p < 0.0001). The determination of SI strength was improved to r(2) = 0.87 with the addition of mean rod length and relative plate bone volume fraction. The determination of AP strength was improved to r(2) = 0.85 with the addition of mean rod volume and relative rod bone volume fraction. Microarchitectural measures of individual trabeculae that contribute to bone strength have been identified. In addition to the contribution of BV/TV, trabecular rod morphology increased the determination of AP strength by 57%, whereas measures of trabecular plate and rod morphology increased determination of SI strength by 13%. Decomposing vertebral body bone architecture into its constituent

Land subsidence in Yunlin, Taiwan, due to Agricultural and Domestic Water Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, K.; Lin, P.; Lin, Z.

2013-12-01

Subsidence in a layered aquifer is caused by groundwater excess extraction and results in complicated problems in Taiwan. Commonly, responsibility to subsidence for agricultural and domestic water users is difficulty to identify due to the lack of quantitative evidences. An integrated model was proposed to analyze subsidence problem. The flow field utilizes analytical solution for pumping in a layered system from Neuman and Witherspoon (1969) to calculate the head drawdown variation. The subsidence estimation applies Terzaghi (1943) one-dimensional consolidation theory to calculate the deformation in each layer. The proposed model was applied to estimate land subsidence and drawdown variation at the Yuanchang Township of Yunlin County in Taiwan. Groundwater data for dry-season periods were used for calibration and validation. Seasonal effect in groundwater variation was first filtered out. Dry-season pumping effect on land subsidence was analyzed. The results show that multi-layer pumping contributes more in subsidence than single-layer pumping on the response of drawdown and land subsidence in aquifer 2 with a contribution of 97% total change at Yuanchang station. Pumping in aquifer 2 contributes more significant than pumping in aquifer 3 to cause change in drawdown and land subsidence in aquifer 2 with a contribution of 70% total change at Yuanchang station. Larger area of subsidence in Yuanchang Township was attributed pumping at aquifer 2 while pumping at aquifer 3 results in significant subsidence near the well field. The single-layer user contributes most area of subsidence but the multi-layer user generates more serious subsidence.

The contribution of China's emissions to global climate forcing.

PubMed

Li, Bengang; Gasser, Thomas; Ciais, Philippe; Piao, Shilong; Tao, Shu; Balkanski, Yves; Hauglustaine, Didier; Boisier, Juan-Pablo; Chen, Zhuo; Huang, Mengtian; Li, Laurent Zhaoxin; Li, Yue; Liu, Hongyan; Liu, Junfeng; Peng, Shushi; Shen, Zehao; Sun, Zhenzhong; Wang, Rong; Wang, Tao; Yin, Guodong; Yin, Yi; Zeng, Hui; Zeng, Zhenzhong; Zhou, Feng

2016-03-17

Knowledge of the contribution that individual countries have made to global radiative forcing is important to the implementation of the agreement on "common but differentiated responsibilities" reached by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Over the past three decades, China has experienced rapid economic development, accompanied by increased emission of greenhouse gases, ozone precursors and aerosols, but the magnitude of the associated radiative forcing has remained unclear. Here we use a global coupled biogeochemistry-climate model and a chemistry and transport model to quantify China's present-day contribution to global radiative forcing due to well-mixed greenhouse gases, short-lived atmospheric climate forcers and land-use-induced regional surface albedo changes. We find that China contributes 10% ± 4% of the current global radiative forcing. China's relative contribution to the positive (warming) component of global radiative forcing, mainly induced by well-mixed greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols, is 12% ± 2%. Its relative contribution to the negative (cooling) component is 15% ± 6%, dominated by the effect of sulfate and nitrate aerosols. China's strongest contributions are 0.16 ± 0.02 watts per square metre for CO2 from fossil fuel burning, 0.13 ± 0.05 watts per square metre for CH4, -0.11 ± 0.05 watts per square metre for sulfate aerosols, and 0.09 ± 0.06 watts per square metre for black carbon aerosols. China's eventual goal of improving air quality will result in changes in radiative forcing in the coming years: a reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions would drive a faster future warming, unless offset by larger reductions of radiative forcing from well-mixed greenhouse gases and black carbon.

Molecular genetic contributions to socioeconomic status and intelligence.

PubMed

Marioni, Riccardo E; Davies, Gail; Hayward, Caroline; Liewald, Dave; Kerr, Shona M; Campbell, Archie; Luciano, Michelle; Smith, Blair H; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Hocking, Lynne J; Hastie, Nicholas D; Wright, Alan F; Porteous, David J; Visscher, Peter M; Deary, Ian J

2014-05-01

Education, socioeconomic status, and intelligence are commonly used as predictors of health outcomes, social environment, and mortality. Education and socioeconomic status are typically viewed as environmental variables although both correlate with intelligence, which has a substantial genetic basis. Using data from 6815 unrelated subjects from the Generation Scotland study, we examined the genetic contributions to these variables and their genetic correlations. Subjects underwent genome-wide testing for common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). DNA-derived heritability estimates and genetic correlations were calculated using the 'Genome-wide Complex Trait Analyses' (GCTA) procedures. 21% of the variation in education, 18% of the variation in socioeconomic status, and 29% of the variation in general cognitive ability was explained by variation in common SNPs (SEs ~ 5%). The SNP-based genetic correlations of education and socioeconomic status with general intelligence were 0.95 (SE 0.13) and 0.26 (0.16), respectively. There are genetic contributions to intelligence and education with near-complete overlap between common additive SNP effects on these traits (genetic correlation ~ 1). Genetic influences on socioeconomic status are also associated with the genetic foundations of intelligence. The results are also compatible with substantial environmental contributions to socioeconomic status.

The effect of additional ankle and midfoot mobilizations on plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Shashua, Anat; Flechter, Shlomo; Avidan, Liat; Ofir, Dani; Melayev, Alex; Kalichman, Leonid

2015-04-01

A single-blind randomized controlled trial. To evaluate the efficacy of ankle and midfoot mobilization on pain and function of patients with plantar fasciitis (PF). Plantar fasciitis is a degenerative process of the plantar fascia, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 10%. Limited ankle dorsiflexion is a common finding and apparently acts as a contributing factor to the development of PF. Fifty patients with PF, aged 23 to 73 years, were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Both groups received 8 treatments, twice a week, consisting of stretching exercises and ultrasound. In addition, the intervention group received mobilization of the ankle and midfoot joints. Dorsiflexion range of motion was measured at the beginning and at the end of treatment. The results were evaluated by 3 outcomes: the numeric pain-rating scale, Lower Extremity Functional Scale, and algometry. No significant difference was found between groups in any of the outcomes. Both groups showed a significant difference in the numeric pain-rating scale and Lower Extremity Functional Scale. Both groups significantly improved in dorsiflexion range of motion, with no difference between groups. The addition of ankle and foot joint mobilization aimed at improving dorsiflexion range of motion is not more effective than stretching and ultrasound alone in treating PF. The association between limited ankle dorsiflexion and PF is most probably due to soft tissue limitations, not the joints. Trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number NCT01439932). Therapy, level 1b.

Government regulation and public opposition create high additional costs for field trials with GM crops in Switzerland.

PubMed

Bernauer, Thomas; Tribaldos, Theresa; Luginbühl, Carolin; Winzeler, Michael

2011-12-01

Field trials with GM crops are not only plant science experiments. They are also social experiments concerning the implications of government imposed regulatory constraints and public opposition for scientific activity. We assess these implications by estimating additional costs due to government regulation and public opposition in a recent set of field trials in Switzerland. We find that for every Euro spent on research, an additional 78 cents were spent on security, an additional 31 cents on biosafety, and an additional 17 cents on government regulatory supervision. Hence the total additional spending due to government regulation and public opposition was around 1.26 Euros for every Euro spent on the research per se. These estimates are conservative; they do not include additional costs that are hard to monetize (e.g. stakeholder information and dialogue activities, involvement of various government agencies). We conclude that further field experiments with GM crops in Switzerland are unlikely unless protected sites are set up to reduce these additional costs.

Enhanced Contribution of HLA in Pediatric Onset Ulcerative Colitis.

PubMed

Venkateswaran, Suresh; Prince, Jarod; Cutler, David J; Marigorta, Urko M; Okou, David T; Prahalad, Sampath; Mack, David; Boyle, Brendan; Walters, Thomas; Griffiths, Anne; Sauer, Cary G; LeLeiko, Neal; Keljo, David; Markowitz, James; Baker, Susan S; Rosh, Joel; Pfefferkorn, Marian; Heyman, Melvin B; Patel, Ashish; Otley, Anthony; Baldassano, Robert; Noe, Joshua; Rufo, Paul; Oliva-Hemker, Maria; Davis, Sonia; Zwick, Michael E; Gibson, Greg; Denson, Lee A; Hyams, Jeffrey; Kugathasan, Subra

2018-03-19

The genetic contributions to pediatric onset ulcerative colitis (UC), characterized by severe disease and extensive colonic involvement, are largely unknown. In adult onset UC, Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) has identified numerous loci, most of which have a modest susceptibility risk (OR 0.84-1.14), with the exception of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region on Chromosome 6 (OR 3.59). To study the genetic contribution to exclusive pediatric onset UC, a GWAS was performed on 466 cases with 2099 healthy controls using UK Biobank array. SNP2HLA was used to impute classical HLA alleles and their corresponding amino acids, and the results are compared with adult onset UC. HLA explained the almost entire association signal, dominated with 191 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (p = 5 x 10-8 to 5 x 10-10). Although very small effects, established SNPs in adult onset UC loci had similar direction and magnitude in pediatric onset UC. SNP2HLA imputation identified HLA-DRB1*0103 (odds ratio [OR] = 6.941, p = 1.92*10-13) as the most significant association for pediatric UC compared with adult onset UC (OR = 3.59). Further conditioning showed independent effects for HLA-DRB1*1301 (OR = 2.25, p = 7.92*10-9) and another SNP rs17188113 (OR = 0.48, p = 7.56*10-9). Two HLA-DRB1 causal alleles are shared with adult onset UC, while at least 2 signals are unique to pediatric UC. Subsequent stratified analyses indicated that HLA-DRB1*0103 has stronger association for extensive disease (E4: OR = 8.28, p = 4.66x10-10) and female gender (OR = 8.85, p = 4.82x10-13). In pediatric onset UC, the HLA explains almost the entire genetic associations. In addition, the HLA association is approximately twice as strong in pediatric UC compared with adults, due to a combination of novel and shared effects. We speculate the paramount importance of antigenic stimulation either by infectious or noninfectious stimuli as a causal event in pediatric UC onset.

Understanding the contribution of common childhood illnesses and opportunistic infections to morbidity and mortality in children living with HIV in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

Modi, Surbhi; Chiu, Alex; Ng'eno, Bernadette; Kellerman, Scott E; Sugandhi, Nandita; Muhe, Lulu

2013-11-01

Although antiretroviral treatment (ART) has reduced the incidence of HIV-related opportunistic infections among children living with HIV, access to ART remains limited for children, especially in resource-limited settings. This paper reviews current knowledge on the contribution of opportunistic infections and common childhood illnesses to morbidity and mortality in children living with HIV, highlights interventions known to improve the health of children, and identifies research gaps for further exploration. Literature review of peer-reviewed articles and abstracts combined with expert opinion and operational experience. Morbidity and mortality due to opportunistic infections has decreased in both developed and resource-limited countries. However, the burden of HIV-related infections remains high, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of HIV-infected children live. Limitations in diagnostic capacity in resource-limited settings have resulted in a relative paucity of data on opportunistic infections in children. Additionally, the reliance on clinical diagnosis means that opportunistic infections are often confused with common childhood illnesseswhich also contribute to excess morbidity and mortality in these children. Although several preventive interventions have been shown to decrease opportunistic infection-related mortality, implementation of many of these interventions remains inconsistent. In order to reduce opportunistic infection-related mortality, early ART must be expanded, training for front-line clinicians must be improved, and additional research is needed to improve screening and diagnostic algorithms.

Contribution of Chlorophyll Fluorescence to the Reflectance of Corn Foliage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Petya K. Entcheva; Middleton, Elizabeth M.; Corp, L. A.; McMurtrey, J. E.; Kim, M. S.; Chappelle, E. W.; Butcher, L. M.; Ranson, K. Jon (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

To assess the contribution of chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) to apparent reflectance (Ra) in the red/far-red, spectra were collected on a C4 agricultural species (corn, Zea Mays L.) under conditions ranging from nitrogen deficiency to excess. A significant contribution of ChlF to Ra was observed, with on average 10-25% at 685nm and 2-6% at 740nm of Ra being due to ChlF. Higher ChlF was consistently measured from the abaxial leaf surface as compared to the adaxial. Using 350-665nm excitation, the study confirms the trends in three ChlF ratios established previously by active F technology, suggesting that the ChlF utility this technology has developed for monitoring vegetation physiological status is likely applicable also under natural solar illumination.

Application of energy derivative method to determine the structural components' contribution to deceleration in crashes.

PubMed

Nagasaka, Kei; Mizuno, Koji; Thomson, Robert

2018-03-26

For occupant protection, it is important to understand how a car's deceleration time history in crashes can be designed using efficient of energy absorption by a car body's structure. In a previous paper, the authors proposed an energy derivative method to determine each structural component's contribution to the longitudinal deceleration of a car passenger compartment in crashes. In this study, this method was extended to 2 dimensions in order to analyze various crash test conditions. The contribution of each structure estimated from the energy derivative method was compared to that from a conventional finite element (FE) analysis method using cross-sectional forces. A 2-dimensional energy derivative method was established. A simple FE model with a structural column connected to a rigid body was used to confirm the validity of this method and to compare with the result of cross-sectional forces determined using conventional analysis. Applying this method to a full-width frontal impact simulation of a car FE model, the contribution and the cross-sectional forces of the front rails were compared. In addition, this method was applied to a pedestrian headform FE simulation in order to determine the influence of the structural and inertia forces of the hood structures on the deceleration of the headform undergoing planar motion. In an oblique impact of the simple column and rigid body model, the sum of the contributions of each part agrees with the rigid body deceleration, which indicates the validity of the 2-dimensional energy derivative method. Using the energy derivative method, it was observed that each part of the column contributes to the deceleration of the rigid body by collapsing in the sequence from front to rear, whereas the cross-sectional force at the rear of the column cannot detect the continuous collapse. In the full-width impact of a car, the contributions of the front rails estimated in the energy derivative method was smaller than that using the

Food additives

PubMed Central

Spencer, Michael

1974-01-01

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

The Contributions of Memory and Vocabulary to Non-Verbal Ability Scores in Adolescents with Intellectual Disability

PubMed Central

Mungkhetklang, Chantanee; Bavin, Edith L.; Crewther, Sheila G.; Goharpey, Nahal; Parsons, Carl

2016-01-01

It is usually assumed that performance on non-verbal intelligence tests reflects visual cognitive processing and that aspects of working memory (WM) will be involved. However, the unique contribution of memory to non-verbal scores is not clear, nor is the unique contribution of vocabulary. Thus, we aimed to investigate these contributions. Non-verbal test scores for 17 individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and 39 children with typical development (TD) of similar mental age were compared to determine the unique contribution of visual and verbal short-term memory (STM) and WM and the additional variance contributed by vocabulary scores. No significant group differences were found in the non-verbal test scores or receptive vocabulary scores, but there was a significant difference in expressive vocabulary. Regression analyses indicate that for the TD group STM and WM (both visual and verbal) contributed similar variance to the non-verbal scores. For the ID group, visual STM and verbal WM contributed most of the variance to the non-verbal test scores. The addition of vocabulary scores to the model contributed greater variance for both groups. More unique variance was contributed by vocabulary than memory for the TD group, whereas for the ID group memory contributed more than vocabulary. Visual and auditory memory and vocabulary contributed significantly to solving visual non-verbal problems for both the TD group and the ID group. However, for each group, there were different weightings of these variables. Our findings indicate that for individuals with TD, vocabulary is the major factor in solving non-verbal problems, not memory, whereas for adolescents with ID, visual STM, and verbal WM are more influential than vocabulary, suggesting different pathways to achieve solutions to non-verbal problems. PMID:28082922

Feline leprosy due to Candidatus 'Mycobacterium lepraefelis': Further clinical and molecular characterisation of eight previously reported cases and an additional 30 cases.

PubMed

O'Brien, Carolyn R; Malik, Richard; Globan, Maria; Reppas, George; McCowan, Christina; Fyfe, Janet A

2017-09-01

This paper, the last in a series of three on 'feline leprosy', provides a detailed description of disease referable to the previously unnamed species, Candidatus 'Mycobacterium lepraefelis', a close relative of the human pathogens Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Cases were sourced retrospectively and prospectively for this observational study, describing clinical, geographical and molecular microbiological data for cats definitively diagnosed with Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' infection. A total of 145 cases of feline leprosy were scrutinised; 114 'new' cases were sourced from the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) records, veterinary pathology laboratories or veterinarians, and 31 cases were derived from six published studies. Thirty-eight cats were definitively diagnosed with Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' infection. Typically, cats tended to be middle-aged or older when first infected, with a male predilection. Affected cats typically had widespread cutaneous lesions, in some cases after initially localised disease. Advanced cases were often systemically unwell. All cats had outdoor access. The histological picture was lepromatous in the majority of patients, although two cases had tuberculoid disease. In one case that underwent necropsy, lesions were evident in the liver, spleen and lungs. Treatment was varied, although most cats received a combination of oral clarithromycin and rifampicin. Prognosis for recovery was variable, but typically poor. Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' typically causes high bacterial index (lepromatous) feline leprosy that in some cases progresses to systemic mycobacteriosis. The disease has a variable clinical course and prognosis. Many cases either died or were euthanased due to the infection. Multilocus sequence analysis reveals a heterogeneous picture and further analysis of draft genome sequencing may give clues to the taxonomy and epidemiology of this organism. Prospective treatment trials and

The importance of taxonomic resolution for additive beta diversity as revealed through DNA barcoding.

PubMed

Bringloe, Trevor T; Cottenie, Karl; Martin, Gillian K; Adamowicz, Sarah J

2016-12-01

Additive diversity partitioning (α, β, and γ) is commonly used to study the distribution of species-level diversity across spatial scales. Here, we first investigate whether published studies of additive diversity partitioning show signs of difficulty attaining species-level resolution due to inherent limitations with morphological identifications. Second, we present a DNA barcoding approach to delineate specimens of stream caddisfly larvae (order Trichoptera) and consider the importance of taxonomic resolution on classical (additive) measures of beta (β) diversity. Caddisfly larvae were sampled using a hierarchical spatial design in two regions (subarctic Churchill, Manitoba, Canada; temperate Pennsylvania, USA) and then additively partitioned according to Barcode Index Numbers (molecular clusters that serve as a proxy for species), genus, and family levels; diversity components were expressed as proportional species turnover. We screened 114 articles of additive diversity partitioning and found that a third reported difficulties with achieving species-level identifications, with a clear taxonomic tendency towards challenges identifying invertebrate taxa. Regarding our own study, caddisfly BINs appeared to show greater subregional turnover (e.g., proportional additive β) compared to genus or family levels. Diversity component studies failing to achieve species resolution due to morphological identifications may therefore be underestimating diversity turnover at larger spatial scales.

Hadronic Contribution to Muon g-2 with Systematic Error Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. H.; Worstell, W. A.

1996-05-01

We have performed a new evaluation of the hadronic contribution to a_μ=(g-2)/2 of the muon with explicit correlations of systematic errors among the experimental data on σ( e^+e^- → hadrons ). Our result for the lowest order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution is a_μ^hvp = 701.7(7.6)(13.4) × 10-10 where the total systematic error contributions from below and above √s = 1.4 GeV are (12.5) × 10-10 and (4.8) × 10-10 respectively. Therefore new measurements on σ( e^+e^- → hadrons ) below 1.4 GeV in Novosibirsk, Russia can significantly reduce the total error on a_μ^hvp. This contrasts with a previous evaluation which indicated that the dominant error is due to the energy region above 1.4 GeV. The latter analysis correlated systematic errors at each energy point separately but not across energy ranges as we have done. Combination with higher order hadronic contributions is required for a new measurement of a_μ at Brookhaven National Laboratory to be sensitive to electroweak and possibly supergravity and muon substructure effects. Our analysis may also be applied to calculations of hadronic contributions to the running of α(s) at √s= M_Z, the hyperfine structure of muonium, and the running of sin^2 θW in Møller scattering. The analysis of the new Novosibirsk data will also be given.

Improved Carbon Flux Observations over Urban Areas Using Carbonyl Sulfide (COS) to Differentiate Contributions from Biosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whelan, M.; LaFranchi, B. W.; Bambha, R.; Michelsen, H. A.; Fischer, M. L.; Graven, H. D.; Baker, I. T.; Guilderson, T.; Campbell, J. E.

2016-12-01

Direct measurement and attribution of carbon exchange over urban areas is challenging because of the heterogeneity of the landscape and errors introduced by flux source partitioning. One important contribution to uncertainty is the influence of the urban biosphere on the regional carbon budget. Atmospheric observations of carbonyl sulfide (COS) are an emerging tool for estimating gross primary productivity: COS is consumed in plant leaves by parallel pathways to CO2 uptake, without the additional complexity of an analogous respiration term. This study makes use of COS measurements to better understand fluctuations in total CO2 concentrations over an urban region due to the balance of photosynthesis and respiration. In situ ground-based observations of trace gas concentrations were made from a tower in Livermore, CA, USA, and interpreted with WRF-STILT back trajectories and gridded data sets (e.g. VULCAN, a new anthropogenic COS inventory), supplemented with biosphere models (SiB, CASA-GFED3). CO2, 14CO2, and CO observations were used to first parse the contribution of fossil fuel emissions to total CO2. Changes in the remainder CO2 was differentiated as the sum of biosphere components with associated uncertainties. This approach could be used to better validate carbon emissions reduction measures and ecosytem-based carbon capture projects on the regional scale.

Surface modification of biomaterials and biomedical devices using additive manufacturing.

PubMed

Bose, Susmita; Robertson, Samuel Ford; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

2018-01-15

The demand for synthetic biomaterials in medical devices, pharmaceutical products and, tissue replacement applications are growing steadily due to aging population worldwide. The use for patient matched devices is also increasing due to availability and integration of new technologies. Applications of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing (3DP) in biomaterials have also increased significantly over the past decade towards traditional as well as innovative next generation Class I, II and III devices. In this review, we have focused our attention towards the use of AM in surface modified biomaterials to enhance their in vitro and in vivo performances. Specifically, we have discussed the use of AM to deliberately modify the surfaces of different classes of biomaterials with spatial specificity in a single manufacturing process as well as commented on the future outlook towards surface modification using AM. It is widely understood that the success of implanted medical devices depends largely on favorable material-tissue interactions. Additive manufacturing has gained traction as a viable and unique approach to engineered biomaterials, for both bulk and surface properties that improve implant outcomes. This review explores how additive manufacturing techniques have been and can be used to augment the surfaces of biomedical devices for direct clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal Variability of Antibiotics Fluxes in Wastewater and Contribution from Hospitals

PubMed Central

Coutu, Sylvain; Rossi, Luca; Barry, D. A.; Rudaz, Serge; Vernaz, Nathalie

2013-01-01

Significant quantities of antibiotics are used in all parts of the globe to treat diseases with bacterial origins. After ingestion, antibiotics are excreted by the patient and transmitted in due course to the aquatic environment. This study examined temporal fluctuations (monthly time scale) in antibiotic sources (ambulatory sales and data from a hospital dispensary) for Lausanne, Switzerland. Source variability (i.e., antibiotic consumption, monthly data for 2006–2010) were examined in detail for nine antibiotics – azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, metronidazole, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, from which two main conclusions were reached. First, some substances – azithromycin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin – displayed high seasonality in their consumption, with the winter peak being up to three times higher than the summer minimum. This seasonality in consumption resulted in seasonality in Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PECs). In addition, the seasonality in PECs was also influenced by that in the base wastewater flow. Second, the contribution of hospitals to the total load of antibiotics reaching the Lausanne Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) fluctuated markedly on a monthly time scale, but with no seasonal pattern detected. That is, there was no connection between fluctuations in ambulatory and hospital consumption for the substances investigated. PMID:23320096

Water addition, evaporation and water holding capacity of poultry litter.

PubMed

Dunlop, Mark W; Blackall, Patrick J; Stuetz, Richard M

2015-12-15

Litter moisture content has been related to ammonia, dust and odour emissions as well as bird health and welfare. Improved understanding of the water holding properties of poultry litter as well as water additions to litter and evaporation from litter will contribute to improved litter moisture management during the meat chicken grow-out. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how management and environmental conditions over the course of a grow-out affect the volume of water A) applied to litter, B) able to be stored in litter, and C) evaporated from litter on a daily basis. The same unit of measurement has been used to enable direct comparison-litres of water per square metre of poultry shed floor area, L/m(2), assuming a litter depth of 5cm. An equation was developed to estimate the amount of water added to litter from bird excretion and drinking spillage, which are sources of regular water application to the litter. Using this equation showed that water applied to litter from these sources changes over the course of a grow-out, and can be as much as 3.2L/m(2)/day. Over a 56day grow-out, the total quantity of water added to the litter was estimated to be 104L/m(2). Litter porosity, water holding capacity and water evaporation rates from litter were measured experimentally. Litter porosity decreased and water holding capacity increased over the course of a grow-out due to manure addition. Water evaporation rates at 25°C and 50% relative humidity ranged from 0.5 to 10L/m(2)/day. Evaporation rates increased with litter moisture content and air speed. Maintaining dry litter at the peak of a grow-out is likely to be challenging because evaporation rates from dry litter may be insufficient to remove the quantity of water added to the litter on a daily basis. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genomewide association study for susceptibility genes contributing to familial Parkinson disease

PubMed Central

Pankratz, Nathan; Wilk, Jemma B.; Latourelle, Jeanne C.; DeStefano, Anita L.; Halter, Cheryl; Pugh, Elizabeth W.; Doheny, Kimberly F.; Gusella, James F.; Nichols, William C.

2009-01-01

Five genes have been identified that contribute to Mendelian forms of Parkinson disease (PD); however, mutations have been found in fewer than 5% of patients, suggesting that additional genes contribute to disease risk. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on sporadic PD, we have performed the first genomewide association study (GWAS) in familial PD. Genotyping was performed with the Illumina HumanCNV370Duo array in 857 familial PD cases and 867 controls. A logistic model was employed to test for association under additive and recessive modes of inheritance after adjusting for gender and age. No result met genomewide significance based on a conservative Bonferroni correction. The strongest association result was with SNPs in the GAK/DGKQ region on chromosome 4 (additive model: p = 3.4 × 10−6; OR = 1.69). Consistent evidence of association was also observed to the chromosomal regions containing SNCA (additive model: p = 5.5 × 10−5; OR = 1.35) and MAPT (recessive model: p = 2.0 × 10−5; OR = 0.56). Both of these genes have been implicated previously in PD susceptibility; however, neither was identified in previous GWAS studies of PD. Meta-analysis was performed using data from a previous case–control GWAS, and yielded improved p values for several regions, including GAK/DGKQ (additive model: p = 2.5 × 10−7) and the MAPT region (recessive model: p = 9.8 × 10−6; additive model: p = 4.8 × 10−5). These data suggest the identification of new susceptibility alleles for PD in the GAK/DGKQ region, and also provide further support for the role of SNCA and MAPT in PD susceptibility. PMID:18985386

Water-leaving contribution to polarized radiation field over ocean.

PubMed

Zhai, Peng-Wang; Knobelspiesse, Kirk; Ibrahim, Amir; Franz, Bryan A; Hu, Yongxiang; Gao, Meng; Frouin, Robert

2017-08-07

The top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation field from a coupled atmosphere-ocean system (CAOS) includes contributions from the atmosphere, surface, and water body. Atmospheric correction of ocean color imagery is to retrieve water-leaving radiance from the TOA measurement, from which ocean bio-optical properties can be obtained. Knowledge of the absolute and relative magnitudes of water-leaving signal in the TOA radiation field is important for designing new atmospheric correction algorithms and developing retrieval algorithms for new ocean biogeochemical parameters. In this paper we present a systematic sensitivity study of water-leaving contribution to the TOA radiation field, from 340 nm to 865 nm, with polarization included. Ocean water inherent optical properties are derived from bio-optical models for two kinds of waters, one dominated by phytoplankton (PDW) and the other by non-algae particles (NDW). In addition to elastic scattering, Raman scattering and fluorescence from dissolved organic matter in ocean waters are included. Our sensitivity study shows that the polarized reflectance is minimized for both CAOS and ocean signals in the backscattering half plane, which leads to numerical instability when calculating water leaving relative contribution, the ratio between polarized water leaving and CAOS signals. If the backscattering plane is excluded, the water-leaving polarized signal contributes less than 9% to the TOA polarized reflectance for PDW in the whole spectra. For NDW, the polarized water leaving contribution can be as much as 20% in the wavelength range from 470 to 670 nm. For wavelengths shorter than 452 nm or longer than 865 nm, the water leaving contribution to the TOA polarized reflectance is in general smaller than 5% for NDW. For the TOA total reflectance, the water-leaving contribution has maximum values ranging from 7% to 16% at variable wavelengths from 400 nm to 550 nm from PDW. The water leaving contribution to the TOA total reflectance can

Water-Leaving Contribution to Polarized Radiation Field Over Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhai, Peng-Wang; Knobelspiesse, Kirk D.; Ibrahim, Amir; Franz, Bryan A.; Hu, Yongxiang; Gao, Meng; Frouin, Robert

2017-01-01

The top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation field from a coupled atmosphere-ocean system (CAOS) includes contributions from the atmosphere, surface, and water body. Atmo-spheric correction of ocean color imagery is to retrieve water-leaving radiance from the TOA measurement, from which ocean bio-optical properties can be obtained. Knowledge of the ab-solute and relative magnitudes of water-leaving signal in the TOA radiation field is important for designing new atmospheric correction algorithms and developing retrieval algorithms for new ocean biogeochemical parameters. In this paper we present a systematic sensitivity study of water-leaving contribution to the TOA radiation field, from 340 nm to 865 nm, with polarization included. Ocean water inherent optical properties are derived from bio-optical models for two kinds of waters, one dominated by phytoplankton (PDW) and the other by non-algae particles (NDW). In addition to elastic scattering, Raman scattering and fluorescence from dissolved organic matter in ocean waters are included. Our sensitivity study shows that the polarized reflectance is minimized for both CAOS and ocean signals in the backscattering half plane, which leads to numerical instability when calculating water leaving relative contribution, the ratio between polarized water leaving and CAOS signals. If the backscattering plane is excluded, the water-leaving polarized signal contributes less than 9% to the TOA polarized reflectance for PDW in the whole spectra. For NDW, the polarized water leaving contribution can be as much as 20% in the wavelength range from 470 to 670 nm. For wavelengths shorter than 452 nm or longer than 865 nm, the water leaving contribution to the TOA polarized reflectance is in general smaller than 5% for NDW. For the TOA total reflectance, the water-leaving contribution has maximum values ranging from 7% to 16% at variable wavelengths from 400 nm to 550 nm from PDW. The water leaving contribution to the TOA total reflectance

Sulfur degassing due to contact metamorphism during flood basalt eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yallup, Christine; Edmonds, Marie; Turchyn, Alexandra V.

2013-11-01

We present a study aimed at quantifying the potential for generating sulfur-rich gas emissions from the devolatilization of sediments accompanying sill emplacement during flood basalt eruptions. The potential contribution of sulfur-rich gases from sediments might augment substantially the magma-derived sulfur gases and hence impact regional and global climate. We demonstrate, from a detailed outcrop-scale study, that sulfur and total organic carbon have been devolatilized from shales immediately surrounding a 3-m thick dolerite sill on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Localized partial melting occurred within a few centimetres of the contact in the shale, generating melt-filled cracks. Pyrite decomposed on heating within 80 cm of the contact, generating sulfur-rich gases (a mixture of H2S and SO2) and pyrrhotite. The pyrrhotite shows 32S enrichment, due to loss of 34S-enriched SO2. Further decomposition and oxidation of pyrrhotite resulted in hematite and/or magnetite within a few cm of the contact. Iron sulfates were produced during retrogressive cooling and oxidation within 20 cm of the contact. Decarbonation of the sediments due to heating is also observed, particularly along the upper contact of the sill, where increasing δ13C is consistent with loss of methane gas. The geochemical and mineralogical features observed in the shales are consistent with a short-lived intrusion, emplaced in <5 h. The dolerite magma contains pervasive pyrite and localized sulfur concentrations greater than the sulfur concentration at sulfide liquid saturation, consistent with addition of sulfur (perhaps from sediments) at a late stage. Our study provides evidence for desulfurization, as well as decarbonation, of shales adjacent to an igneous intrusion. The liberated fluids, rich in sulfur and carbon, are likely to be focused along regions of low pore fluid pressure along the margins of the sill. The sulfur gases liberated from the sediments would have augmented the sulfur dioxide (and

Direct observation of lubricant additives using tomography techniques

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

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

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

Time-dependent London approach: Dissipation due to out-of-core normal excitations by moving vortices

DOE PAGES

Kogan, V. G.

2018-03-19

The dissipative currents due to normal excitations are included in the London description. The resulting time-dependent London equations are solved for a moving vortex and a moving vortex lattice. It is shown that the field distribution of a moving vortex loses its cylindrical symmetry. It experiences contraction that is stronger in the direction of the motion than in the direction normal to the velocity v. The London contribution of normal currents to dissipation is small relative to the Bardeen-Stephen core dissipation at small velocities, but it approaches the latter at high velocities, where this contribution is no longer proportional tomore » v 2. Here, to minimize the London contribution to dissipation, the vortex lattice is oriented so as to have one of the unit cell vectors along the velocity. This effect is seen in experiments and predicted within the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory.« less

Time-dependent London approach: Dissipation due to out-of-core normal excitations by moving vortices

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

Kogan, V. G.

The dissipative currents due to normal excitations are included in the London description. The resulting time-dependent London equations are solved for a moving vortex and a moving vortex lattice. It is shown that the field distribution of a moving vortex loses its cylindrical symmetry. It experiences contraction that is stronger in the direction of the motion than in the direction normal to the velocity v. The London contribution of normal currents to dissipation is small relative to the Bardeen-Stephen core dissipation at small velocities, but it approaches the latter at high velocities, where this contribution is no longer proportional tomore » v 2. Here, to minimize the London contribution to dissipation, the vortex lattice is oriented so as to have one of the unit cell vectors along the velocity. This effect is seen in experiments and predicted within the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory.« less

Time-dependent London approach: Dissipation due to out-of-core normal excitations by moving vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kogan, V. G.

2018-03-01

The dissipative currents due to normal excitations are included in the London description. The resulting time-dependent London equations are solved for a moving vortex and a moving vortex lattice. It is shown that the field distribution of a moving vortex loses its cylindrical symmetry. It experiences contraction that is stronger in the direction of the motion than in the direction normal to the velocity v . The London contribution of normal currents to dissipation is small relative to the Bardeen-Stephen core dissipation at small velocities, but it approaches the latter at high velocities, where this contribution is no longer proportional to v2. To minimize the London contribution to dissipation, the vortex lattice is oriented so as to have one of the unit cell vectors along the velocity. This effect is seen in experiments and predicted within the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory.

Probabilistic Forecasting of Life and Economic Losses due to Natural Disasters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, C. C.; Tebbens, S. F.

2014-12-01

The magnitude of natural hazard events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods are traditionally measured by wind speed, energy release, or discharge. In this study we investigate the scaling of the magnitude of individual events of the 20th and 21stcentury in terms of economic and life losses in the United States and worldwide. Economic losses are subdivided into insured and total losses. Some data sets are inflation or population adjusted. Forecasts associated with these events are of interest to insurance, reinsurance, and emergency management agencies. Plots of cumulative size-frequency distributions of economic and life loss are well-fit by power functions and thus exhibit self-similar scaling. This self-similar scaling property permits use of frequent small events to estimate the rate of occurrence of less frequent larger events. Examining the power scaling behavior of loss data for disasters permits: forecasting the probability of occurrence of a disaster over a wide range of years (1 to 10 to 1,000 years); comparing losses associated with one type of disaster to another; comparing disasters in one region to similar disasters in another region; and, measuring the effectiveness of planning and mitigation strategies. In the United States, life losses due to flood and tornado cumulative-frequency distributions have steeper slopes, indicating that frequent smaller events contribute the majority of losses. In contrast, life losses due to hurricanes and earthquakes have shallower slopes, indicating that the few larger events contribute the majority of losses. Disaster planning and mitigation strategies should incorporate these differences.

Humic acids as pseudocapacitive electrolyte additive for electrochemical double layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasiński, Krzysztof; Walkowiak, Mariusz; Lota, Grzegorz

2014-06-01

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

[Hepatomegaly due to glycogen storage disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Flotats Bastardas, M; Miserachs Barba, M; Ricart Cumeras, A; Clemente León, M; Gussinyer Canadell, M; Yeste Fernández, D; Albisu Aparicio, María A; Carrascosa Lezcano, A

2007-08-01

Patients with type 1 diabetes and poor metabolic control can develop hepatomegaly due to intrahepatic glycogen deposition. If these patients also have elevated liver enzymes, dyslipidemia, cushingoid features and delayed growth or sexual maturation, Mauriac syndrome can be diagnosed. This disorder is common and reversible with optimization of insulin therapy. We report three adolescents with type 1 diabetes and a long-standing history of poor glycemic control, who developed hepatomegaly, elevated liver enzymes and dyslipidemia with preserved liver function. One of these patients also had delayed growth and another had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Liver ultrasound showed changes suggestive of glycogenosis. In all three patients, optimization of insulin therapy achieved good glycemic control and reversed the manifestations within 2 weeks. The etiology of Mauriac syndrome is controversial since both prolonged hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinization produce glycogen accumulation in the liver. Hypercortisolism (due to ketosis or hypoglycemia) contributes to glycogen storage and also causes growth and sexual maturation delay.

Contribution of SHANK3 Mutations to Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Moessner, Rainald ; Marshall, Christian R. ; Sutcliffe, James S. ; Skaug, Jennifer ; Pinto, Dalila ; Vincent, John ; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie ; Fernandez, Bridget ; Roberts, Wendy ; Szatmari, Peter ; Scherer, Stephen W. 

2007-01-01

Mutations in SHANK3, which encodes a synaptic scaffolding protein, have been described in subjects with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To assess the quantitative contribution of SHANK3 to the pathogenesis of autism, we determined the frequency of DNA sequence and copy-number variants in this gene in 400 ASD-affected subjects ascertained in Canada. One de novo mutation and two gene deletions were discovered, indicating a contribution of 0.75% in this cohort. One additional SHANK3 deletion was characterized in two ASD-affected siblings from another collection, which brings the total number of published mutations in unrelated ASD-affected families to seven. The combined data provide support that haploinsufficiency of SHANK3 can cause a monogenic form of autism in sufficient frequency to warrant consideration in clinical diagnostic testing. PMID:17999366

Compositional, thermal and microstructural characterization of the Nopal (opuntia ficus indica), for addition in commercial cement mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández Carrillo, C. G.; Gómez-Cuaspud, J. A.; E Martínez Suarez, C.

2017-12-01

The Nopal (opuntia ficus indica) from remote times has contributed like food and additive product in prehispanic constructions; although it grows in all the Colombian territory is very little used and its contribution in mixtures of Colombian cement is unknown. In order to evaluate the hydration characteristics of Nopal, several Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were performed to evaluate the optimal temperature of dehydration. Initially, the results show that around 175°C the weight loss is approximately 95%, this mass loss corresponds to the process of physical removal, suggesting that at least a remaining amount of 5% (w/w) has the ability to retain large amounts of water which is stored in the micro-structural deposits of Nopal. The evaluation by means Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), confirm that the whole cactus structure enables the water storage at cellular level. The results of infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis allowed the qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of the presence of functional groups and elemental chemical composition of Nopal respectively, mainly related with polysaccharide functional groups, which corresponds to 85% of the total composition. Other functional groups, are related with protein and mineral components. This found characteristics are relevant for the water retention in process that require the decrease of water consumption and the reinforcing of mechanical properties and durability, due to ability of Nopal mucilage to restore its hydration characteristics.

Reconciling projections of the Antarctic contribution to sea level rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Tamsin; Holden, Philip; Edwards, Neil; Wernecke, Andreas

2017-04-01

Two recent studies of the Antarctic contribution to sea level rise this century had best estimates that differed by an order of magnitude (around 10 cm and 1 m by 2100). The first, Ritz et al. (2015), used a model calibrated with satellite data, giving a 5% probability of exceeding 30cm by 2100 for sea level rise due to Antarctic instability. The second, DeConto and Pollard (2016), used a model evaluated with reconstructions of palaeo-sea level. They did not estimate probabilities, but using a simple assumption here about the distribution shape gives up to a 5% chance of Antarctic contribution exceeding 2.3 m this century with total sea level rise approaching 3 m. If robust, this would have very substantial implications for global adaptation to climate change. How are we to make sense of this apparent inconsistency? How much is down to the data - does the past tell us we will face widespread and rapid Antarctic ice losses in the future? How much is due to the mechanism of rapid ice loss ('cliff failure') proposed in the latter paper, or other parameterisation choices in these low resolution models (GRISLI and PISM, respectively)? How much is due to choices made in the ensemble design and calibration? How do these projections compare with high resolution, grounding line resolving models such as BISICLES? Could we reduce the huge uncertainties in the palaeo-study? Emulation provides a powerful tool for understanding these questions and reconciling the projections. By describing the three numerical ice sheet models with statistical models, we can re-analyse the ensembles and re-do the calibrations under a common statistical framework. This reduces uncertainty in the PISM study because it allows massive sampling of the parameter space, which reduces the sensitivity to reconstructed palaeo-sea level values and also narrows the probability intervals because the simple assumption about distribution shape above is no longer needed. We present reconciled probabilistic

On axial temperature gradients due to large pressure drops in dense fluid chromatography.

PubMed

Colgate, Sam O; Berger, Terry A

2015-03-13

The effect of energy degradation (Degradation is the creation of net entropy resulting from irreversibility.) accompanying pressure drops across chromatographic columns is examined with regard to explaining axial temperature gradients in both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). The observed effects of warming and cooling can be explained equally well in the language of thermodynamics or fluid dynamics. The necessary equivalence of these treatments is reviewed here to show the legitimacy of using whichever one supports the simpler determination of features of interest. The determination of temperature profiles in columns by direct application of the laws of thermodynamics is somewhat simpler than applying them indirectly by solving the Navier-Stokes (NS) equations. Both disciplines show that the preferred strategy for minimizing the reduction in peak quality caused by temperature gradients is to operate columns as nearly adiabatically as possible (i.e. as Joule-Thomson expansions). This useful fact, however, is not widely familiar or appreciated in the chromatography community due to some misunderstanding of the meaning of certain terms and expressions used in these disciplines. In fluid dynamics, the terms "resistive heating" or "frictional heating" have been widely used as synonyms for the dissipation function, Φ, in the NS energy equation. These terms have been widely used by chromatographers as well, but often misinterpreted as due to friction between the mobile phase and the column packing, when in fact Φ describes the increase in entropy of the system (dissipation, ∫TdSuniv>0) due to the irreversible decompression of the mobile phase. Two distinctly different contributions to the irreversibility are identified; (1) ΔSext, viscous dissipation of work done by the external surroundings driving the flow (the pump) contributing to its warming, and (2) ΔSint, entropy change accompanying decompression of

Contributions to Crustal Mechanics on Europa from Subterranean Ocean Vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, Robert

2016-03-01

The recent discovery of subduction zones on Europa demonstrated a significant step forward in understanding the moon's surface mechanics. This work promotes the additional consideration that the surface mechanics have contributions from small relative pressure differentials in the subsurface ocean that create cracks in the surface which are then filled, sealed and healed. Crack formation can be small, as interior pressure can relatively easily breach the surface crust, generating cracks followed by common fracture formation backfilled with frozen liquid. This process will slowly increase the overall surface area of the moon with each sealed crack and fracture increasing the total surface area. This creeping growth of surface area monotonically decreases subsurface pressure which can eventually catastrophically subduct large areas of surface and so is consistent with current knowledge of observational topology on Europa. This tendency is attributed to a relatively lower energy threshold to crack the surface from interior overpressures, but a higher energy threshold to crush the spherical surface due to subsurface underpressures. Proposed mechanisms for pressure differentials include tidal forces whose Fourier components build up the resonant oscillatory modes of the subsurface ocean creating periodic under and overpressure events below the crust. This mechanism provides a means to continually reform the surface of the moon over short geological time scales. This work supported in part by federal Grant NRC-HQ-84-14-G-0059.

Communication: Origin of the contributions to DNA structure in phages

PubMed Central

Myers, Christopher G.; Pettitt, B. Montgomery

2013-01-01

Cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) data of the interior of phages show ordering of the interior DNA that has been interpreted as a nearly perfectly ordered polymer. We show surface-induced correlations, excluded volume, and electrostatic forces are sufficient to predict most of the major features of the current structural data for DNA packaged within viral capsids without additional ordering due to elastic bending forces for the polymer. Current models assume highly-ordered, even spooled, hexagonally packed conformations based on interpretation of cryo-EM density maps. We show herein that the surface induced packing of short (6mer), unconnected DNA polymer segments is the only necessary ingredient in creating ringed densities consistent with experimental density maps. This implies the ensemble of possible conformations of polymeric DNA within the capsid that are consistent with cryo-EM data may be much larger than implied by traditional interpretations where such rings can only result from highly-ordered spool-like conformations. This opens the possibility of a more disordered, entropically-driven view of phage packaging thermodynamics. We also show the electrostatics of the DNA contributes a large portion of the internal hydrostatic and osmotic pressures of a phage virion, suggesting that nonlinear elastic anomalies might reduce the overall elastic bending enthalpy of more disordered conformations to have allowable free energies. PMID:23444988

Communication: Origin of the contributions to DNA structure in phages.

PubMed

Myers, Christopher G; Pettitt, B Montgomery

2013-02-21

Cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) data of the interior of phages show ordering of the interior DNA that has been interpreted as a nearly perfectly ordered polymer. We show surface-induced correlations, excluded volume, and electrostatic forces are sufficient to predict most of the major features of the current structural data for DNA packaged within viral capsids without additional ordering due to elastic bending forces for the polymer. Current models assume highly-ordered, even spooled, hexagonally packed conformations based on interpretation of cryo-EM density maps. We show herein that the surface induced packing of short (6mer), unconnected DNA polymer segments is the only necessary ingredient in creating ringed densities consistent with experimental density maps. This implies the ensemble of possible conformations of polymeric DNA within the capsid that are consistent with cryo-EM data may be much larger than implied by traditional interpretations where such rings can only result from highly-ordered spool-like conformations. This opens the possibility of a more disordered, entropically-driven view of phage packaging thermodynamics. We also show the electrostatics of the DNA contributes a large portion of the internal hydrostatic and osmotic pressures of a phage virion, suggesting that nonlinear elastic anomalies might reduce the overall elastic bending enthalpy of more disordered conformations to have allowable free energies.

Fate of water pumped from underground and contributions to sea-level rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Lo, Min-Hui; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Reager, John T.; Famiglietti, James S.; Wu, Ren-Jie; Tseng, Yu-Heng

2016-08-01

The contributions from terrestrial water sources to sea-level rise, other than ice caps and glaciers, are highly uncertain and heavily debated. Recent assessments indicate that groundwater depletion (GWD) may become the most important positive terrestrial contribution over the next 50 years, probably equal in magnitude to the current contributions from glaciers and ice caps. However, the existing estimates assume that nearly 100% of groundwater extracted eventually ends up in the oceans. Owing to limited knowledge of the pathways and mechanisms governing the ultimate fate of pumped groundwater, the relative fraction of global GWD that contributes to sea-level rise remains unknown. Here, using a coupled climate-hydrological model simulation, we show that only 80% of GWD ends up in the ocean. An increase in runoff to the ocean accounts for roughly two-thirds, whereas the remainder results from the enhanced net flux of precipitation minus evaporation over the ocean, due to increased atmospheric vapour transport from the land to the ocean. The contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise amounted to 0.02 (+/-0.004) mm yr-1 in 1900 and increased to 0.27 (+/-0.04) mm yr-1 in 2000. This indicates that existing studies have substantially overestimated the contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise by a cumulative amount of at least 10 mm during the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. With other terrestrial water contributions included, we estimate the net terrestrial water contribution during the period 1993-2010 to be +0.12 (+/-0.04) mm yr-1, suggesting that the net terrestrial water contribution reported in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report report is probably overestimated by a factor of three.

Effect of Additives on the Selectivity and Reactivity of Enzymes.

PubMed

Liang, Yi-Ru; Wu, Qi; Lin, Xian-Fu

2017-01-01

Enzymes have been widely used as efficient, eco-friendly, and biodegradable catalysts in organic chemistry due to their mild reaction conditions and high selectivity and efficiency. In recent years, the catalytic promiscuity of many enzymes in unnatural reactions has been revealed and studied by chemists and biochemists, which has expanded the application potential of enzymes. To enhance the selectivity and activity of enzymes in their natural or promiscuous reactions, many methods have been recommended, such as protein engineering, process engineering, and media engineering. Among them, the additive approach is very attractive because of its simplicity to use and high efficiency. In this paper, we will review the recent developments about the applications of additives to improve the catalytic performances of enzymes in their natural and promiscuous reactions. These additives include water, organic bases, water mimics, cosolvents, crown ethers, salts, surfactants, and some particular molecular additives. © 2017 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improvements in Operational Readiness by Distributing Manufacturing Capability in the Supply Chain through Additive Manufacturing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

inefficiencies of a more complex system. Additional time may also be due to the longer distances traveled . The fulfillment time for a requisition to...Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time ...advanced manufacturing methods with additive manufacturing. This work decomposes the additive manufacturing processes into 11 primary functions. The time

Solid-State Additive Manufacturing for Heat Exchangers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norfolk, Mark; Johnson, Hilary

2015-03-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2008-04-01

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

Physical disability contributes to caregiver stress in dementia caregivers.

PubMed

Bruce, David G; Paley, Glenys A; Nichols, Pamela; Roberts, David; Underwood, Peter J; Schaper, Frank

2005-03-01

Previous findings of studies on the impact of physical illness on caregiver health have been inconsistent. The authors wanted to determine whether physical disability, as determined by the SF-12 survey that provides information on both physical and mental health problems, contributes to caregiver stress. The authors interviewed 91 primary caregivers (aged 38-85 years) of persons with dementia who had been referred by their family physicians for the first time for formal support services or memory evaluation. Caregivers completed the SF-12 version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey that generates Mental Component Summary (MCS) and Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores and reported on caregiver stress and concurrent medical conditions and medications. Most caregivers reported stress (76.9%), having medical conditions (72.4%), or taking medications (67%). The MCS but not the PCS scores were significantly lower than community norms, indicating an excess of disability due to mental health problems. Nevertheless, 40.7% had PCS scores indicating some degree of physical disability. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, PCS scores but not the presence of medical problems were independently associated with caregiver stress. Chronic disability as assessed by SF-12 PCS scores is independently associated with caregiver stress. These data suggest that caregivers of persons with dementia should be assessed for disabling physical conditions and mental health problems. In addition, reducing the impact of physical disability could ameliorate caregiver stress.

Do Spawning Salmon Contribute Marine-Derived Contaminants to Southeast Alaskan Streams?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagorski, S. A.; Hudson, J. P.; Fellman, J.; Hood, E. W.; Vermilyea, A.; Krabbenhoft, D. P.; Ylitalo, G.

2016-12-01

Pacific salmon are well known contributors of marine-derived nutrients and carbon to freshwater systems where they spawn and die. A potentially negative side effect of their freshwater spawning legacy is their additional contribution of pollutants accumulated during the marine phase of their life cycle. Alaskan salmon, which undergo the majority of their bodily growth in the North Pacific, are being exposed to rising concentrations of pollutants in the waters and foodwebs of the north Pacific. In this study we investigated the contribution of mercury and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by spawning Pacific salmon to five streams in the vicinity of Juneau, Alaska. Using a nested experimental design inherent in streams with natural migration barriers or steep density gradients, we collected samples from stream reaches with and without spawning salmon. We measured total and methyl mercury in filtered water, suspended particulates, streambed sediment, biofilm on incubated leaf packs, two taxa of benthic macroinvertebrate larvae, and rearing and/or resident fishes. The benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes were also analyzed for a suite of POPs, consisting of historic and current use pesticides and historic and urban use chemicals. For most parameters, contaminant concentrations were higher in the lower reaches where salmon spawners were present, with stronger effects in the streams with higher spawner densities. For example, in the two streams with the highest spawner densities, filtered methylmercury was an order of magnitude higher in the lower stream reach and comprised up to 33% of the total mercury. Alder leaf packs resulted in particularly consistent spatial patterns, while benthic macroinvertebrate larvae results were the least spatially consistent for both mercury and POPs. Although fish tissue mercury concentrations were not uniformly higher in lower stream reaches across our 5 study streams due to upstream sources of mercury and different fish species and

Nurse middle managers contributions to patient-centred care: A 'managerial work' analysis.

PubMed

Lalleman, Pcb; Smid, Gac; Dikken, J; Lagerwey, M D; Schuurmans, M J

2017-10-01

Nurse middle managers are in an ideal position to facilitate patient-centred care. However, their contribution is underexposed in literature due to difficulties to articulate this in practice. This paper explores how nurse middle managers contribute to patient-centred care in hospitals. A combination of time-use analysis and ethnographic work was used to disclose their contribution to patient-centred care at a micro level. Sixteen nurse managers were shadowed for over 560 hours in four hospitals. Some nurse middle managers seldom contribute to patient-centred care. Others are involved in direct patient care, but this does not result in patient-centred practices. At one hospital, the nurse middle managers did contribute to patient-centred care. Here balancing between "organizing work" and "caring work" is seen as a precondition for their patient-centeredness. Other important themes are feedback mechanisms; place matters; with whom to talk and how to frame the issues at stake; and behavioral style. Both "hands-on" and "heads-on" caring work of nurse middle managers enhances their patient-centeredness. This study is the first of its kind to obtain insight in the often difficult to articulate "doings" of nurse middle managers with regard to patient-centred care through combining time-use analysis with ethnographic work. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Drug Use, Personality and Partner Violence: A Model of Separate, Additive, Contributions in an Active Drug User Sample

PubMed Central

Jaffe, Adi; Pedersen, William C.; Fisher, Dennis G.; Reynolds, Grace L.; Hershberger, Scott L.; Reise, Steve; Bentler, Peter

2010-01-01

Drug use is considered a main contributing factor to crime and violence. This research examined the evidence regarding the relationship between drug abuse and the occurrence of intimate partner violence. Current drug using men were assessed on aggression related personality variables, their drug use, and the occurrence of violence in their close relationships. A latent aggression factor and recent amphetamine use were the only variables found to be significantly associated with violence. No other drug use variables were found to be associated with violence by the participant and the overall drug use factor was not found to be associated with violence or aggressive personality. The widely accepted notion that increased substance use directly leads to increases in violent behavior was only partially supported, at least within this drug using population. The assessment of aggressive personality, rather than of drug use, is suggested for correctional as well as clinical settings in which drug users are prevalent when determining susceptibility to violence. PMID:21165162

Modeling gamma radiation dose in dwellings due to building materials.

PubMed

de Jong, Peter; van Dijk, Willem

2008-01-01

A model is presented that calculates the absorbed dose rate in air of gamma radiation emitted by building materials in a rectangular body construction. The basis for these calculations is formed by a fixed set of specific absorbed dose rates (the dose rate per Bq kg(-1) 238U, 232Th, and 40K), as determined for a standard geometry with the dimensions 4 x 5 x 2.8 m3. Using the computer codes Marmer and MicroShield, correction factors are assessed that quantify the influence of several room and material related parameters on the specific absorbed dose rates. The investigated parameters are the position in the construction; the thickness, density, and dimensions of the construction parts; the contribution from the outer leave; the presence of doors and windows; the attenuation by internal partition walls; the contribution from building materials present in adjacent rooms; and the effect of non-equilibrium due to 222Rn exhalation. To verify the precision, the proposed method is applied to three Dutch reference dwellings, i.e., a row house, a coupled house, and a gallery apartment. The averaged difference with MCNP calculations is found to be 4%.

Genetic programming for evolving due-date assignment models in job shop environments.

PubMed

Nguyen, Su; Zhang, Mengjie; Johnston, Mark; Tan, Kay Chen

2014-01-01

Due-date assignment plays an important role in scheduling systems and strongly influences the delivery performance of job shops. Because of the stochastic and dynamic nature of job shops, the development of general due-date assignment models (DDAMs) is complicated. In this study, two genetic programming (GP) methods are proposed to evolve DDAMs for job shop environments. The experimental results show that the evolved DDAMs can make more accurate estimates than other existing dynamic DDAMs with promising reusability. In addition, the evolved operation-based DDAMs show better performance than the evolved DDAMs employing aggregate information of jobs and machines.

Do shared etiological factors contribute to the relationship between sexual orientation and depression?

PubMed

Zietsch, B P; Verweij, K J H; Heath, A C; Madden, P A F; Martin, N G; Nelson, E C; Lynskey, M T

2012-03-01

Gays, lesbians and bisexuals (i.e. non-heterosexuals) have been found to be at much greater risk for many psychiatric symptoms and disorders, including depression. This may be due in part to prejudice and discrimination experienced by non-heterosexuals, but studies controlling for minority stress, or performed in very socially liberal countries, suggest that other mechanisms must also play a role. Here we test the viability of common cause (shared genetic or environmental etiology) explanations of elevated depression rates in non-heterosexuals. A community-based sample of adult twins (n=9884 individuals) completed surveys investigating the genetics of psychiatric disorder, and were also asked about their sexual orientation. Large subsets of the sample were asked about adverse childhood experiences such as sexual abuse, physical abuse and risky family environment, and also about number of older brothers, paternal and maternal age, and number of close friends. Data were analyzed using the classical twin design. Non-heterosexual males and females had higher rates of lifetime depression than their heterosexual counterparts. Genetic factors accounted for 31% and 44% of variation in sexual orientation and depression respectively. Bivariate analysis revealed that genetic factors accounted for a majority (60%) of the correlation between sexual orientation and depression. In addition, childhood sexual abuse and risky family environment were significant predictors of both sexual orientation and depression, further contributing to their correlation. Non-heterosexual men and women had elevated rates of lifetime depression, partly due to shared etiological factors, although causality cannot be definitively resolved.

Do shared etiological factors contribute to the relationship between sexual orientation and depression?

PubMed Central

Zietsch, Brendan P.; Verweij, Karin J. H.; Heath, Andrew C.; Madden, Pamela A. F.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Nelson, Elliot C.; Lynskey, Michael T.

2013-01-01

Background Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals (i.e. nonheterosexuals) have been found to be at much greater risk for many psychiatric symptoms and disorders, including depression. This may be due in part to prejudice and discrimination experienced by nonheterosexuals, but studies controlling for minority stress, or performed in very socially liberal countries, suggest that other mechanisms must also play a role. Here we test the viability of common cause (shared genetic or environmental etiology) explanations of elevated depression rates in nonheterosexuals. Method A community-based sample of adult twins (N=9884 individuals) completed surveys investigating the genetics of psychiatric disorder, and were also asked about their sexual orientation. Large subsets of the sample were asked about adverse childhood experiences such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, and risky family environment, and also about number of older brothers, paternal and maternal age, and number of close friends. Data were analysed using the classical twin design. Results Nonheterosexual males and females had higher rates of lifetime depression than their heterosexual counterparts. Genetic factors accounted for 31% and 44% of variation in sexual orientation and depression, respectively. Bivariate analysis revealed that genetic factors accounted for a majority (60%) of the correlation between sexual orientation and depression. In addition, childhood sexual abuse and risky family environment were significant predictors of both sexual orientation and depression, further contributing to their correlation. Conclusions Nonheterosexual men and women had elevated rates of lifetime depression, partly due to shared etiological factors, although causality cannot be definitively resolved. PMID:21867592

Additional results on space environmental effects on polymer matrix composites: Experiment A0180

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tennyson, R. C.

1992-01-01

Additional experimental results on the atomic oxygen erosion of boron, Kevlar, and graphite fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composites are presented. Damage of composite laminates due to micrometeoroid/debris impacts is also examined with particular emphasis on the relationship between damage area and actual hole size due to particle penetration. Special attention is given to one micrometeoroid impact on an aluminum base plate which resulted in ejecta visible on an adjoining vertical flange structure.

Changes in air temperature and its relation to ambulance transports due to heat stroke in all 47 prefectures of Japan.

PubMed

Murakami, Shoko; Miyatake, Nobuyuki; Sakano, Noriko

2012-09-01

Changes in air temperature and its relation to ambulance transports due to heat stroke in all 47 prefectures, in Japan were evaluated. Data on air temperature were obtained from the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Data on ambulance transports due to heat stroke was directly obtained from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, Japan. We also used the number of deaths due to heat stroke from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, and population data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Chronological changes in parameters of air temperature were analyzed. In addition, the relation between air temperature and ambulance transports due to heat stroke in August 2010 was also evaluated by using an ecological study. Positive and significant changes in the parameters of air temperature that is, the mean air temperature, mean of the highest air temperature, and mean of the lowest air temperature were noted in all 47 prefectures. In addition, changes in air temperature were accelerated when adjusted for observation years. Ambulance transports due to heat stroke was significantly correlated with air temperature in the ecological study. The highest air temperature was significantly linked to ambulance transports due to heat stroke, especially in elderly subjects. Global warming was demonstrated in all 47 prefectures in Japan. In addition, the higher air temperature was closely associated with higher ambulance transports due to heat stroke in Japan.

Contributions to the Earth's Obliquity Rate, Precession, and Nutation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James G.

1994-01-01

The precession and nutation of the Earth's equator arise from solar, lunar, and planetary torques on the oblate Earth. The mean lunar orbit plane is nearly coincident with the ecliptic plane. A small tilt out of the ecliptic is caused by planetary perturbations and the Earth's gravitational harmonic J(sub 2). These planetary perturbations on the lunar orbit result in torques on the oblate Earth which contribute to precession, obliquity rate, and nutation while the J(sub 2) perturbations contribute to precession and nutation. Small additional contributions to the secular rates arise from tidal effects and planetary torques on the Earth's bulge. The total correction to the obliquity rate is -0.024 sec/century, it is an observable motion in space (the much larger conventional obliquity rate is wholly from the motion of the ecliptic, not the equator), and it is not present in the IAU-adopted expressions for the orientation of the Earth's equator. The effects have generally been allowed for in past nutation theories and some precession theories. For the planetary effect, the contributions to the 18.6 yr nutation are -0.03 mas (milliarcseconds) for the in-phase Delta(psi) plus out-of-phase contributions of 0.14 mas in Delta(psi) and -0.03 mas in Delta(sub epsilon). The latter terms demonstrate that out-of-phase contributions can arise by means other than dissipation. The sum of the contributions to the precession rate is considered and the inferred value of the moment of inertia combination (C-A)/C, which is used to scale the coefficients in the nutation series, is evaluated. Using an updated value for the precession rate, the rigid body (C-A)/C =0.003 273 763 4 which, in combination with a satellite-derived J(sub 2), gives a normalized polar moment of inertia C/MR(exp 2) = 0.330 700 7. The planetary contributions to the precession and obliquity rates are not constant for long times causing accelerations in both quantities. Acceleration in precession also arises from

The contribution of migrant breeds to the genetic gain of beef traits of German Vorderwald and Hinterwald cattle.

PubMed

Hartwig, S; Wellmann, R; Hamann, H; Bennewitz, J

2014-12-01

During the past decades, migrant contributions have accumulated in many local breeds. Cross-breeding was carried out to mitigate the risk of inbreeding depression and to improve the performance of local breeds. However, breeding activities for local breeds were not as intensive and target oriented as for popular high-yielding breeds. Therefore, even if performance improved, the gap between the performance of local and popular breeds increased for many traits. Furthermore, the genetic originality of local breeds declined due to the increasing contributions of migrant breeds. This study examined the importance of migrant breed influences for the realization of breeding progress of beef traits of German Vorderwald and Hinterwald cattle. The results show that there is a high amount of migrant contributions and their effects on performance are substantial for most traits. The effect of the French cattle breed Montbéliard (p-value 0.014) on daily gain of Vorderwald bulls at test station was positive. The effects of Vorderwald ancestors (p-value for daily gain 0.007 and p-value for net gain 0.004) were positive for both traits under consideration in the population of Hinterwald cattle. Additionally, the effect of remaining breeds (p-value 0.030) on net gain of Hinterwald cattle in the field was also positive. The estimated effect of Fleckvieh ancestors on net gain of Hinterwald cattle was even larger but not significant. Breeding values adjusted for the effects of the migrant breeds showed little genetic trend. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Molecular genetic contributions to socioeconomic status and intelligence

PubMed Central

Marioni, Riccardo E.; Davies, Gail; Hayward, Caroline; Liewald, Dave; Kerr, Shona M.; Campbell, Archie; Luciano, Michelle; Smith, Blair H.; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Hocking, Lynne J.; Hastie, Nicholas D.; Wright, Alan F.; Porteous, David J.; Visscher, Peter M.; Deary, Ian J.

2014-01-01

Education, socioeconomic status, and intelligence are commonly used as predictors of health outcomes, social environment, and mortality. Education and socioeconomic status are typically viewed as environmental variables although both correlate with intelligence, which has a substantial genetic basis. Using data from 6815 unrelated subjects from the Generation Scotland study, we examined the genetic contributions to these variables and their genetic correlations. Subjects underwent genome-wide testing for common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). DNA-derived heritability estimates and genetic correlations were calculated using the ‘Genome-wide Complex Trait Analyses’ (GCTA) procedures. 21% of the variation in education, 18% of the variation in socioeconomic status, and 29% of the variation in general cognitive ability was explained by variation in common SNPs (SEs ~ 5%). The SNP-based genetic correlations of education and socioeconomic status with general intelligence were 0.95 (SE 0.13) and 0.26 (0.16), respectively. There are genetic contributions to intelligence and education with near-complete overlap between common additive SNP effects on these traits (genetic correlation ~ 1). Genetic influences on socioeconomic status are also associated with the genetic foundations of intelligence. The results are also compatible with substantial environmental contributions to socioeconomic status. PMID:24944428

Contribution of color signals to ocular following responses.

PubMed

Matsuura, Kiyoto; Kawano, Kenji; Inaba, Naoko; Miura, Kenichiro

2016-10-01

Ocular following responses (OFRs) are elicited at ultra-short latencies (< 60 ms) by sudden movements of the visual scene. In this study, we investigated the roles of color signals in OFRs in monkeys. To make physiologically isoluminant sinusoidal color gratings, we estimated the physiologically isoluminant points using OFRs and found that the physiologically isoluminant points were nearly independent of the spatiotemporal frequency of the gratings. We recorded OFRs induced by the motion of physiologically isoluminant color gratings and found that OFRs elicited by the motion of color gratings had different spatiotemporal frequency tuning from those elicited by the motion of luminance gratings. Additionally, OFRs to isoluminant color gratings had smaller peak responses, suggesting that color signals weakly contribute to OFRs compared with luminance signals. OFRs to the motion of stimuli composed of luminance and color signals were also examined. We found that color signals largely contributed to OFRs under low luminance signals regardless of whether color signals moved in the same or opposite direction to luminance signals. These results provide evidence of the multichannel visual computations underlying motor responses. We conclude that, in everyday situations, color information contributes cooperatively with luminance information to the generation of ocular tracking behaviors. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sex Bias and Maternal Contribution to Gene Expression Divergence in Drosophila Blastoderm Embryos

PubMed Central

Paris, Mathilde; Villalta, Jacqueline E.; Eisen, Michael B.; Lott, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Early embryogenesis is a unique developmental stage where genetic control of development is handed off from mother to zygote. Yet the contribution of this transition to the evolution of gene expression is poorly understood. Here we study two aspects of gene expression specific to early embryogenesis in Drosophila: sex-biased gene expression prior to the onset of canonical X chromosomal dosage compensation, and the contribution of maternally supplied mRNAs. We sequenced mRNAs from individual unfertilized eggs and precisely staged and sexed blastoderm embryos, and compared levels between D. melanogaster, D. yakuba, D. pseudoobscura and D. virilis. First, we find that mRNA content is highly conserved for a given stage and that studies relying on pooled embryos likely systematically overstate the degree of gene expression divergence. Unlike studies done on larvae and adults where most species show a larger proportion of genes with male-biased expression, we find that transcripts in Drosophila embryos are largely female-biased in all species, likely due to incomplete dosage compensation prior to the activation of the canonical dosage compensation mechanism. The divergence of sex-biased gene expression across species is observed to be often due to lineage-specific decrease of expression; the most drastic example of which is the overall reduction of male expression from the neo-X chromosome in D. pseudoobscura, leading to a pervasive female-bias on this chromosome. We see no evidence for a faster evolution of expression on the X chromosome in embryos (no “faster-X” effect), unlike in adults, and contrary to a previous study on pooled non-sexed embryos. Finally, we find that most genes are conserved in regard to their maternal or zygotic origin of transcription, and present evidence that differences in maternal contribution to the blastoderm transcript pool may be due to species-specific divergence of transcript degradation rates. PMID:26485701

Electric contributions to magnetic force microscopy response from graphene and MoS{sub 2} nanosheets

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

Li, Lu Hua, E-mail: luhua.li@deakin.edu.au; Chen, Ying

Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) signals have recently been detected from whole pieces of mechanically exfoliated graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) nanosheets, and magnetism of the two nanomaterials was claimed based on these observations. However, non-magnetic interactions or artefacts are commonly associated with MFM signals, which make the interpretation of MFM signals not straightforward. A systematic investigation has been done to examine possible sources of the MFM signals from graphene and MoS{sub 2} nanosheets and whether the MFM signals can be correlated with magnetism. It is found that the MFM signals have significant non-magnetic contributions due to capacitive and electrostaticmore » interactions between the nanosheets and conductive cantilever tip, as demonstrated by electric force microscopy and scanning Kevin probe microscopy analyses. In addition, the MFM signals of graphene and MoS{sub 2} nanosheets are not responsive to reversed magnetic field of the magnetic cantilever tip. Therefore, the observed MFM response is mainly from electric artefacts and not compelling enough to correlate with magnetism of graphene and MoS{sub 2} nanosheets.« less

Research and application of microbial enzymes--India's contribution.

PubMed

Chand, Subhash; Mishra, Prashant

2003-01-01

Enzymes have attracted the attention of scientists world over due to their wide range of physiological, analytical and industrial applications. Although enzymes have been isolated, purified and studied from microbial, animal and plant sources, microorganisms represent the most common source of enzymes due to their broad biochemical diversity, feasibility of mass culture and ease of genetic manipulation. With the advent of molecular biology techniques, a number of genes of industrially important enzymes has been cloned and expressed in order to improve the production of enzymes, substrate utilization and other commercially useful properties. Special attention has been focused on enzymes isolated from thermophiles due to their inherent stability and industrial applications. In addition, a variety of methods have been employed to modify enzymes for their industrial usage including strain improvement, chemical modifications, modification of reaction environment, immobilization and protein engineering. A wide range of applications of enzymes in different bioprocess industries is discussed.

Does anonymous sperm donation increase the risk for unions between relatives and the incidence of autosomal recessive diseases due to consanguinity?

PubMed

Serre, Jean-Louis; Leutenegger, Anne-Louise; Bernheim, Alain; Fellous, Marc; Rouen, Alexandre; Siffroi, Jean-Pierre

2014-03-01

In France gamete donation and notably sperm donation are anonymous. It has been claimed that anonymous artificial insemination by donor (AID) could highly contribute to an increase in the level of consanguinity and the incidence of autosomal recessive diseases, due to the unions between offspring of anonymous donors, unaware of their biological kinship, with the special case of unions between half-siblings. The actual incidence of consanguinity due to AID was compared with that resulting from the two other main sources of consanguinity and recessive diseases, i.e. voluntary unions between related individuals or inadvertent unions between the offspring of a common unknown male ancestor (false paternity). From these data, we estimated that expected unions in France between half sibs per year are 0.12 between offspring of sperm donors (1.2 every 10 years) and 0.5 between offspring of common male ancestors through false paternity (5 every 10 years). More generally, the inadvertent unions between false paternity offspring are roughly four times more frequent than those resulting from anonymous AID. We estimated that in the future, when AID has been in practice for several generations, out the 820 000 annual births in France, respectively, 6 and 25 births will be consanguineous through an unknown common ancestor related to anonymous AID and to a false paternity, both of which are negligible when compared with the 1256 children born from first-degree cousins. About 672 children per year are born with a recessive genetic disease due to the panmictic risk and additional affected cases due to consanguinity would be 34.54 for first-cousin offspring, 0.33 for offspring of individuals related due to false paternity and 0.079 for offspring of individuals related due to anonymous AID. Anonymous AID would therefore be responsible for 0.46% of consanguineous births and for 0.01% of recessive diseases. Therefore, the effect of anonymous AID on half-sibling unions, consanguinity and

Risk in nuclear power plants due to natural hazard phenomena

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

Lu, S.C.

1995-12-01

For the safety of nuclear power plants, it is important to identify potential areas of vulnerabilities to internal as well as external events to which nuclear power plants are exposed. This paper summarizes the risk in nuclear power plants due to natural hazard phenomena such as earthquakes, winds and tornadoes, floods, etc. The reported results are based on a limited number of probabilistic risk assessments (PRAS) performed for a few of the operating nuclear power plants within the United States. The summary includes an importance ranking of various natural hazard phenomena based on their contribution to the plant risk alongmore » with insights observed from the PRA studies.« less

The C allele of JAK2 rs4495487 is an additional candidate locus that contributes to myeloproliferative neoplasm predisposition in the Japanese population

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) are myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) characterized in most cases by a unique somatic mutation, JAK2 V617F. Recent studies revealed that JAK2 V617F occurs more frequently in a specific JAK2 haplotype, named JAK2 46/1 or GGCC haplotype, which is tagged by rs10974944 (C/G) and/or rs12343867 (T/C). This study examined the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the JAK2 locus on MPNs in a Japanese population. Methods We sequenced 24 JAK2 SNPs in Japanese patients with PV. We then genotyped 138 MPN patients (33 PV, 96 ET, and 9 PMF) with known JAK2 mutational status and 107 controls for a novel SNP, in addition to two SNPs known to be part of the 46/1 haplotype (rs10974944 and rs12343867). Associations with risk of MPN were estimated by odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals using logistic regression. Results A novel locus, rs4495487 (T/C), with a mutated T allele was significantly associated with PV. Similar to rs10974944 and rs12343867, rs4495487 in the JAK2 locus is significantly associated with JAK2-positive MPN. Based on the results of SNP analysis of the three JAK2 locus, we defined the "GCC genotype" as having at least one minor allele in each SNP (G allele in rs10974944, C allele in rs4495487, and C allele in rs12343867). The GCC genotype was associated with increased risk of both JAK2 V617F-positive and JAK2 V617F-negative MPN. In ET patients, leukocyte count and hemoglobin were significantly associated with JAK2 V617F, rather than the GCC genotype. In contrast, none of the JAK2 V617F-negative ET patients without the GCC genotype had thrombosis, and splenomegaly was frequently seen in this subset of ET patients. PV patients without the GCC genotype were significantly associated with high platelet count. Conclusions Our results indicate that the C allele of JAK2 rs4495487, in addition to the 46/1 haplotype, contributes significantly to the

Nutrient-limited conditions determine the responses of foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry to nitrogen addition: A global meta-analysis.

PubMed

You, Chengming; Wu, Fuzhong; Yang, Wanqin; Xu, Zhenfeng; Tan, Bo; Yue, Kai; Ni, Xiangyin

2018-06-08

To test the hypothesis that nutrient-limited conditions can determine the responses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry to N addition, a meta-analysis was conducted to identify the different responses of foliar N and P concentrations and N-to-P ratios to N addition under N limitation, N and P co-limitation and P limitation. N addition increased the foliar N-to-P ratios and N concentrations by 46.2% and 30.2%, respectively, under N limitation, by 18.7% and 19.7% under N and P co-limitation, and by 4.7% and 12.9% under P limitation. However, different responses of foliar P concentrations to N addition were observed under different nutrient limitations, and negative, positive, and neutral effects on P concentrations were observed under N limitation, P limitation and N and P co-limitation, respectively. Generally, the effects of N addition on N-to-P ratios and N concentrations in herbaceous plants were dramatically larger than those in woody plants (with the exception of the N-to-P ratio under N limitation), but the opposite situation was true for P concentrations. The changes in N-to-P ratios were closely correlated with the changes in N and P concentrations, indicating that the changes in both N and P concentrations due to N addition can drive N and P stoichiometry, but the relative sizes of the contributions of N and P varied greatly with different nutrient limitations. Specifically, the changes in N-to-P ratios may indicate a minimum threshold, which is consistent with the homeostatic mechanism. In brief, increasing N deposition may aggravate P limitation under N-limited conditions but improve P limitation under P-limited conditions. The findings highlight the importance of nutrient-limited conditions in the stoichiometric response to N addition, thereby advancing our ability to predict global plant growth with increasing N deposition in the future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relative Contribution of nirK- and nirS- Bacterial Denitrifiers as Well as Fungal Denitrifiers to Nitrous Oxide Production from Dairy Manure Compost.

PubMed

Maeda, Koki; Toyoda, Sakae; Philippot, Laurent; Hattori, Shohei; Nakajima, Keiichi; Ito, Yumi; Yoshida, Naohiro

2017-12-19

The relative contribution of fungi, bacteria, and nirS and nirK denirifiers to nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission with unknown isotopic signature from dairy manure compost was examined by selective inhibition techniques. Chloramphenicol (CHP), cycloheximide (CYH), and diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC) were used to suppress the activity of bacteria, fungi, and nirK-possessing denitrifiers, respectively. Produced N 2 O were surveyed to isotopocule analysis, and its 15 N site preference (SP) and δ 18 O values were compared. Bacteria, fungi, nirS, and nirK gene abundances were compared by qPCR. The results showed that N 2 O production was strongly inhibited by CHP addition in surface pile samples (82.2%) as well as in nitrite-amended core samples (98.4%), while CYH addition did not inhibit the N 2 O production. N 2 O with unknown isotopic signature (SP = 15.3-16.2‰), accompanied by δ 18 O (19.0-26.8‰) values which were close to bacterial denitrification, was also suppressed by CHP and DDTC addition (95.3%) indicating that nirK denitrifiers were responsible for this N 2 O production despite being less abundant than nirS denitrifiers. Altogether, our results suggest that bacteria are important for N 2 O production with different SP values both from compost surface and pile core. However, further work is required to decipher whether N 2 O with unknown isotopic signature is mostly due to nirK denitrifiers that are taxonomically different from the SP-characterized strains and therefore have different SP values rather than also being interwoven with the contribution of the NO-detoxifying pathway and/or of co-denitrification.

Modelling of additive manufacturing processes: a review and classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavropoulos, Panagiotis; Foteinopoulos, Panagis

2018-03-01

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a very promising technology; however, there are a number of open issues related to the different AM processes. The literature on modelling the existing AM processes is reviewed and classified. A categorization of the different AM processes in process groups, according to the process mechanism, has been conducted and the most important issues are stated. Suggestions are made as to which approach is more appropriate according to the key performance indicator desired to be modelled and a discussion is included as to the way that future modelling work can better contribute to improving today's AM process understanding.

Examining the Relative Contributions of Content Knowledge and Strategic Processing to Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aukerman, Maren; Brown, Rachel; Mokhtari, Kouider; Valencia, Sheila; Palincsar, Annemarie

2015-01-01

The essays below were prepared following the LRA session organized by Janice Almasi entitled, "Examining the relative contributions of content knowledge and strategic processing to comprehension." What unites these essays are the personal and historical stances that each writer has taken; in addition, the essays are rich with…

A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, Joseph E.; Halbig, Michael C.; Singh, Mrityunjay

2015-01-01

In a NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) sponsored program entitled "A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing," evaluation of emerging materials and additive manufacturing technologies was carried out. These technologies may enable fully non-metallic gas turbine engines in the future. This paper highlights the results of engine system trade studies which were carried out to estimate reduction in engine emissions and fuel burn enabled due to advanced materials and manufacturing processes. A number of key engine components were identified in which advanced materials and additive manufacturing processes would provide the most significant benefits to engine operation. In addition, feasibility of using additive manufacturing technologies to fabricate gas turbine engine components from polymer and ceramic matrix composite were demonstrated. A wide variety of prototype components (inlet guide vanes (IGV), acoustic liners, engine access door, were additively manufactured using high temperature polymer materials. Ceramic matrix composite components included first stage nozzle segments and high pressure turbine nozzle segments for a cooled doublet vane. In addition, IGVs and acoustic liners were tested in simulated engine conditions in test rigs. The test results are reported and discussed in detail.

A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, Joseph E.; Halbig, Michael C.; Singh, Mrityunjay

2015-01-01

In a NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) sponsored program entitled "A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing", evaluation of emerging materials and additive manufacturing technologies was carried out. These technologies may enable fully non-metallic gas turbine engines in the future. This paper highlights the results of engine system trade studies which were carried out to estimate reduction in engine emissions and fuel burn enabled due to advanced materials and manufacturing processes. A number of key engine components were identified in which advanced materials and additive manufacturing processes would provide the most significant benefits to engine operation. In addition, feasibility of using additive manufacturing technologies to fabricate gas turbine engine components from polymer and ceramic matrix composite were demonstrated. A wide variety of prototype components (inlet guide vanes (IGV), acoustic liners, engine access door) were additively manufactured using high temperature polymer materials. Ceramic matrix composite components included first stage nozzle segments and high pressure turbine nozzle segments for a cooled doublet vane. In addition, IGVs and acoustic liners were tested in simulated engine conditions in test rigs. The test results are reported and discussed in detail.

Assessing Potential Additional PFAS Retention Processes in the Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusseau, M. L.

2017-12-01

Understanding the transport and fate of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in the subsurface is critical for accurate risk assessments and design of effective remedial actions. Current conceptual and mathematical models are based on an assumption that solid-phase adsorption is the sole source of retention for PFASs. However, additional retention processes may be relevant for PFAS compounds in vadose-zone systems and in source zones that contain trapped immiscible organic liquids. These include adsorption at the air-water interface, partitioning to the soil atmosphere, adsorption at the NAPL-water interface, and absorption by NAPL. A multi-process retention model is proposed to account for these potential additional sources of PFAS retardation. An initial assessment of the relative magnitudes and significance of these retention processes was conducted for three representative PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH). Data collected from the literature were used to determine measured or estimated values for the relevant distribution coefficients, which were in turn used to calculate retardation factors for a representative porous medium. Adsorption at the air-water interface was shown to be a primary source of retention for PFOA and PFOS, contributing approximately 80% of total retardation. Adsorption to NAPL-water interfaces and absorption by bulk NAPL were also shown to be significant sources of retention for PFOS and PFOA. The latter process was the predominant source of retention for 8:2 FTOH, contributing 98% of total retardation. These results indicate that we may anticipate significant retention of PFASs by these additional processes. In such cases, retardation of PFASs in source areas may be significantly greater than what is typically estimated based on the standard assumption of solid-phase adsorption as the sole retention mechanism. This has significant ramifications for

Fate of Water Pumped from Underground and Contributions to Sea Level Rise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Lo, Min-Hui; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Reager, John T.; Famiglietti, James S.; Wu, Ren-Jie; Tseng, Yu-Heng

2016-01-01

The contributions from terrestrial water sources to sea-level rise, other than ice caps and glaciers, are highly uncertain and heavily debated1-5. Recent assessments indicate that groundwater depletion (GWD) may become the most important positive terrestrial contribution6-10 over the next 50 years, probably equal in magnitude to the current contributions from glaciers and ice caps6. However, the existing estimates assume that nearly 100% of groundwater extracted eventually ends up in the oceans. Owing to limited knowledge of the pathways and mechanisms governing the ultimate fate of pumped groundwater, the relative fraction of global GWD that contributes to sea-level rise remains unknown. Here, using a coupled climate-hydrological model11,12 simulation, we show that only 80% of GWDends up in the ocean. An increase in runo to the ocean accounts for roughly two-thirds, whereas the remainder results from the enhanced net flux of precipitation minus evaporation over the ocean, due to increased atmospheric vapour transport from the land to the ocean. The contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise amounted to 0.02 (+/- 0.004)mm yr(sup-1) in 1900 and increased to 0.27 (+/- 0.04)mm yr(sup-1) in 2000. This indicates that existing studies have substantially overestimated the contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise by a cumulative amount of at least 10 mm during the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. With other terrestrial water contributions included, we estimate the net terrestrial water contribution during the period 1993-2010 to be +0.12 +/-0.04)mm yr(sup-1), suggesting that the net terrestrialwater contribution reported in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report report is probably overestimated by a factor of three.

Additives for high-temperature liquid lubricants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, Emil A.; Yavrouian, Andre H.; Repar, John

1988-01-01

A preliminary research program was conducted to demonstrate a new concept for additives to liquid lubricants. It was demonstrated that suspensions of o-phthalonitrile and a substituted 1,2-maleonitrile in mineral oil and dilute solutions of o-phthalonitrile and tetrafluoro-o-phthalonitrile extended the lifetime of bearings under boundary lubricating conditions. The solutions exhibited coefficients of friction under high loads of 0.02-0.03. These results were consistent with the hypothesis that these compounds react with the hot metal surface to form a planar lubricating film by means of a metal or metal oxide template reaction. Also, the adherence was very strong due to the chelating action of the planar macrocycles postulated to form under the experimental conditions.

The contribution of China’s emissions to global climate forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bengang; Gasser, Thomas; Ciais, Philippe; Piao, Shilong; Tao, Shu; Balkanski, Yves; Hauglustaine, Didier; Boisier, Juan-Pablo; Chen, Zhuo; Huang, Mengtian; Li, Laurent Zhaoxin; Li, Yue; Liu, Hongyan; Liu, Junfeng; Peng, Shushi; Shen, Zehao; Sun, Zhenzhong; Wang, Rong; Wang, Tao; Yin, Guodong; Yin, Yi; Zeng, Hui; Zeng, Zhenzhong; Zhou, Feng

2016-03-01

Knowledge of the contribution that individual countries have made to global radiative forcing is important to the implementation of the agreement on “common but differentiated responsibilities” reached by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Over the past three decades, China has experienced rapid economic development, accompanied by increased emission of greenhouse gases, ozone precursors and aerosols, but the magnitude of the associated radiative forcing has remained unclear. Here we use a global coupled biogeochemistry-climate model and a chemistry and transport model to quantify China’s present-day contribution to global radiative forcing due to well-mixed greenhouse gases, short-lived atmospheric climate forcers and land-use-induced regional surface albedo changes. We find that China contributes 10% ± 4% of the current global radiative forcing. China’s relative contribution to the positive (warming) component of global radiative forcing, mainly induced by well-mixed greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols, is 12% ± 2%. Its relative contribution to the negative (cooling) component is 15% ± 6%, dominated by the effect of sulfate and nitrate aerosols. China’s strongest contributions are 0.16 ± 0.02 watts per square metre for CO2 from fossil fuel burning, 0.13 ± 0.05 watts per square metre for CH4, -0.11 ± 0.05 watts per square metre for sulfate aerosols, and 0.09 ± 0.06 watts per square metre for black carbon aerosols. China’s eventual goal of improving air quality will result in changes in radiative forcing in the coming years: a reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions would drive a faster future warming, unless offset by larger reductions of radiative forcing from well-mixed greenhouse gases and black carbon.

Genetic contributions to antisocial personality and behavior: a meta-analytic review from an evolutionary perspective.

PubMed

Ferguson, Christopher J

2010-01-01

Evidence from behavioral genetics supports the conclusion that a significant amount of the variance in antisocial personality and behavior (APB) is due to genetic contributions. Many scientific fields such as psychology, medicine, and criminal justice struggle to incorporate this information with preexisting paradigms that focused exclusively on external or learned etiology of antisocial behavior. The current paper presents a meta-analytic review of behavioral genetic etiological studies of APB. Results indicated that 56% of the variance in APB can be explained through genetic influences, with 11% due to shared non-genetic influences, and 31% due to unique non-genetic influences. This data is discussed in relation to evolutionary psychological theory.

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.; Fryer, C. L.; Greeff, C. W.; Johns, H. M.; Montgomery, D. S.; Schmidt, D. W.; Šmíd, M.

2018-01-01

This Letter presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5-35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. These results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.

Profile of heating rate due to aerosols using lidar and skyradiometer in SKYNET Hefei site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z.; Liu, D.; Xie, C.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols have a significant impact on climate due to their important role in modifying atmosphere energy budget. On global scale, the direct radiative forcing is estimated to be in the range of -0.9 to -0.1 Wm-2 for aerosols [1]. Yet, these estimates are subject to very large uncertainties because of uncertainties in spatial and temporal variations of aerosols. At local scales, as aerosol properties can vary spatially and temporally, radiative forcing due to aerosols can be also very different and it can exceed the global value by an order of magnitude. Hence, it is very important to investigate aerosol loading, properties, and radiative forcing due to them in detail on local regions of climate significance. Haze and dust events in Hefei, China are explored by Lidar and Skyradiometer. Aerosol optical properties including the AOD, SSA, AAE and size distribution are analysed by using the SKYRAD.PACK [2] and presented in this paper. Furthermore, the radiative forcing due to aerosols and the heating rate in the ATM are also calculated using SBDART model [3]. The results are shown that the vertical heating rate is tightly related to aerosol profile. References: 1. IPCC. 2007. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basic. Contribution of Working Group I Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. Solomon S, Qing D H, Manning M, et al. eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, N Y, USA. 2. Nakajima, T., G. Tonna, R. Rao, Y. Kaufman, and B. Holben, 1996: Use of sky brightness measurements from ground for remote sensing of particulate poly dispersions, Appl. Opt., 35, 2672-2686. 3. Ricchiazzi et al 1998. SBDART: a research and teaching software tool for plane-parallel radiative transfer in the Earth's atmosphere,Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society,79,2101-2114.

Addition of PM2.5 into the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of China and the Contribution to Air Pollution Control: The Case Study of Wuhan, China

PubMed Central

You, Mingqing

2014-01-01

PM2.5 has gradually become a major environmental problem of China with its rapid economic development, urbanization, and increasing of motor vehicles. Findings and awareness of serious PM2.5 pollution make the PM2.5 a new criterion pollutant of the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) revised in 2012. The 2012 NAAQS sets the PM2.5 concentrate limitation with the 24-hour average value and the annual mean value. Wuhan is quite typical among central and southern China in climate, economy, development level, and energy consumption. The data are cited from the official website of Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau and cover the period from 1 January to 30 June 2013. The data definitely confirm the existence of serious PM2.5 pollution in Wuhan and indicate that the addition of PM2.5 as a criterion pollutant significantly brings down the attainment rate of air quality. The example of Wuhan reveals that local governments should take measures to reduce the emission of PM2.5 if it affects the attainment rate and the performance evaluation value of air quality. The main contribution of 2012 NAAQS is that it brings down the attainment rate of the air quality and forces local governmental officials to take the measures accordingly. PMID:24982994

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

DOE PAGES

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

2018-02-28

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

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

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

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

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

Current use and potential of additive manufacturing for optical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunelle, Matthew; Ferralli, Ian; Whitsitt, Rebecca; Medicus, Kate

2017-10-01

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has become widely used in recent years for the creation of both prototype and end-use parts. Because the parts are created in a layer-by-layer manner, the flexibility of additive manufacturing is unparalleled and has opened the design space to enable features like undercuts and internal channels which cannot exist on traditional, subtractively manufactured parts. This flexibility can also be leveraged for optical applications. This paper outlines some of the current uses of 3D printing in the optical manufacturing process at Optimax. Several materials and additive technologies are utilized, including polymer printing through fused deposition modeling, which creates parts by depositing a softened thermoplastic filament in a layerwise fashion. Stereolithography, which uses light to cure layers of a photopolymer resin, will also be discussed. These technologies are used to manufacture functional prototypes, fixtures, sealed housings, and other components. Additionally, metal printing through selective laser melting, which uses a laser to melt metal powder layers into a dense solid, will be discussed due to the potential to manufacture thermally stable opticalmechanical assembly frameworks and functional optics. Examples of several additively manufactured optical components will be shown.

Sensory Profile and Consumer Acceptability of Prebiotic White Chocolate with Sucrose Substitutes and the Addition of Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum).

PubMed

Morais Ferreira, Janaína Madruga; Azevedo, Bruna Marcacini; Luccas, Valdecir; Bolini, Helena Maria André

2017-03-01

Functional food is a product containing nutrients that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the descriptive sensory profile and consumers' acceptance of functional (prebiotic) white chocolates with and without the addition of an antioxidant source (goji berry [GB]) and sucrose replacement. The descriptive sensory profile was determined by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) with trained assessors (n = 12), and the acceptance test was performed with 120 consumers. The correlation of descriptive and hedonic data was determined by partial least squares (PLS). The results of QDA indicated that GB reduces the perception of most aroma and flavor attributes, and enhances the bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, astringency, and most of the texture attributes. The consumers' acceptance of the chocolates was positive for all sensory characteristics, with acceptance scores above 6 on a 9-point scale. According to the PLS regression analysis, the descriptors cream color and cocoa butter flavor contributed positively to the acceptance of functional white chocolates. Therefore, prebiotic white chocolate with or without the addition of GB is innovative and can attract consumers, due to its functional properties, being a promising alternative for the food industry. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Supergravity contributions to inflation in models with non-minimal coupling to gravity

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

Das, Kumar; Dutta, Koushik; Domcke, Valerie, E-mail: kumar.das@saha.ac.in, E-mail: valerie.domcke@apc.univ-paris7.fr, E-mail: koushik.dutta@saha.ac.in

2017-03-01

This paper provides a systematic study of supergravity contributions relevant for inflationary model building in Jordan frame supergravity. In this framework, canonical kinetic terms in the Jordan frame result in the separation of the Jordan frame scalar potential into a tree-level term and a supergravity contribution which is potentially dangerous for sustaining inflation. We show that if the vacuum energy necessary for driving inflation originates dominantly from the F-term of an auxiliary field (i.e. not the inflaton), the supergravity corrections to the Jordan frame scalar potential are generically suppressed. Moreover, these supergravity contributions identically vanish if the superpotential vanishes alongmore » the inflationary trajectory. On the other hand, if the F-term associated with the inflaton dominates the vacuum energy, the supergravity contributions are generically comparable to the globally supersymmetric contributions. In addition, the non-minimal coupling to gravity inherent to Jordan frame supergravity significantly impacts the inflationary model depending on the size and sign of this coupling. We discuss the phenomenology of some representative inflationary models, and point out the relation to the recently much discussed cosmological 'attractor' models.« less

Inspection of additive manufactured parts using laser ultrasonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lévesque, D.; Bescond, C.; Lord, M.; Cao, X.; Wanjara, P.; Monchalin, J.-P.

2016-02-01

Additive manufacturing is a novel technology of high importance for global sustainability of resources. As additive manufacturing involves typically layer-by-layer fusion of the feedstock (wire or powder), an important characteristic of the fabricated metallic structural parts, such as those used in aero-engines, is the performance, which is highly related to the presence of defects, such as cracks, lack of fusion or bonding between layers, and porosity. For this purpose, laser ultrasonics is very attractive due to its non-contact nature and is especially suited for the analysis of parts of complex geometries. In addition, the technique is well adapted to online implementation and real-time measurement during the manufacturing process. The inspection can be performed from either the top deposited layer or the underside of the substrate and the defects can be visualized using laser ultrasonics combined with the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT). In this work, a variety of results obtained off-line on INCONEL® 718 and Ti-6Al-4V coupons that were manufactured using laser powder, laser wire, or electron beam wire deposition are reported and most defects detected were further confirmed by X-ray micro-computed tomography.

Percentage-based Author Contribution Index: a universal measure of author contribution to scientific articles.

PubMed

Boyer, Stéphane; Ikeda, Takayoshi; Lefort, Marie-Caroline; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Schmidt, Jason M

2017-01-01

Deciphering the amount of work provided by different co-authors of a scientific paper has been a recurrent problem in science. Despite the myriad of metrics available, the scientific community still largely relies on the position in the list of authors to evaluate contributions, a metric that attributes subjective and unfounded credit to co-authors. We propose an easy to apply, universally comparable and fair metric to measure and report co-authors contribution in the scientific literature. The proposed Author Contribution Index (ACI) is based on contribution percentages provided by the authors, preferably at the time of submission. Researchers can use ACI to compare the contributions of different authors, describe the contribution profile of a particular researcher or analyse how contribution changes through time. We provide such an analysis based on contribution percentages provided by 97 scientists from the field of ecology who voluntarily responded to an online anonymous survey. ACI is simple to understand and to implement because it is based solely on percentage contributions and the number of co-authors. It provides a continuous score that reflects the contribution of one author as compared to the average contribution of all other authors. For example, ACI(i) = 3, means that author i contributed three times more than what the other authors contributed on average. Our analysis comprised 836 papers published in 2014-2016 and revealed patterns of ACI values that relate to career advancement. There are many examples of author contribution indices that have been proposed but none has really been adopted by scientific journals. Many of the proposed solutions are either too complicated, not accurate enough or not comparable across articles, authors and disciplines. The author contribution index presented here addresses these three major issues and has the potential to contribute to more transparency in the science literature. If adopted by scientific journals, it

26 CFR 31.3302(b)-2 - Proof of additional credit under section 3302(b).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... year to any person having individuals in his employ; and (b) To the district director a certificate of...) showing for the taxpayer— (1) The total remuneration with respect to which contributions were required to... Commissioner or the district director may deem necessary to establish the right to the additional credit...

Race and Leadership Development among College Students: The Additive Value of Collective Racial Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugan, John P.; Kodama, Corinne M.; Gebhardt, Matthew C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to contribute to the college student leadership literature through a more complex examination of the influences of race on socially responsible leadership development. Data represented 8,510 participants from 101 colleges and universities in the United States. Results provided evidence of the additive value of…

Variables Associated with Grade R English Additional Language Acquisition in Multilingual Rural Mpumalanga Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moodley, P.; Kritzinger, A.; Vinck, B.

2016-01-01

In a previous study Moodley, Kritzinger and Vinck (2014) found that formal English Additional Language (EAL) instruction contributed significantly better to listening and speaking skills in Grade R learners, than did a play-based approach. The finding in multilingual rural Mpumalanga schools was in agreement with numerous studies elsewhere.…

Land loss due to recent hurricanes in coastal Louisiana, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Kranenburg, Christine J.; Barras, John A.; Brock, John C.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to improve estimates of wetland land loss in two study regions of coastal Louisiana, U.S.A., due to the extreme storms that impacted the region between 2004 and 2009. The estimates are based on change-detection-mapping analysis that incorporates pre and postlandfall (Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike) fractional-water classifications using a combination of high-resolution (<5 m) QuickBird, IKONOS, and GeoEye-1, and medium-resolution (30 m) Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery. This process was applied in two study areas: the Hackberry area located in the southwestern part of chenier plain that was impacted by Hurricanes Rita (September 24, 2005) and Ike (September 13, 2008), and the Delacroix area located in the eastern delta plain that was impacted by Hurricanes Katrina (August 29, 2005) and Gustav (September 1, 2008). In both areas, effects of the hurricanes include enlargement of existing bodies of open water and erosion of fringing marsh areas. Surge-removed marsh was easily identified in stable marshes but was difficult to identify in degraded or flooded marshes. Persistent land loss in the Hackberry area due to Hurricane Rita was approximately 5.8% and increased by an additional 7.9% due to Hurricane Ike, although this additional area may yet recover. About 80% of the Hackberry study area remained unchanged since 2003. In the Delacroix area, persistent land loss due to Hurricane Katrina measured approximately 4.9% of the study area, while Hurricane Gustav caused minimal impact of 0.6% land loss by November 2009. Continued recovery in this area may further erase Hurricane Gustav's impact in the absence of new storm events.

Hybrid Residual Flexibility/Mass-Additive Method for Structural Dynamic Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tinker, M. L.

2003-01-01

A large fixture was designed and constructed for modal vibration testing of International Space Station elements. This fixed-base test fixture, which weighs thousands of pounds and is anchored to a massive concrete floor, initially utilized spherical bearings and pendulum mechanisms to simulate Shuttle orbiter boundary constraints for launch of the hardware. Many difficulties were encountered during a checkout test of the common module prototype structure, mainly due to undesirable friction and excessive clearances in the test-article-to-fixture interface bearings. Measured mode shapes and frequencies were not representative of orbiter-constrained modes due to the friction and clearance effects in the bearings. As a result, a major redesign effort for the interface mechanisms was undertaken. The total cost of the fixture design, construction and checkout, and redesign was over $2 million. Because of the problems experienced with fixed-base testing, alternative free-suspension methods were studied, including the residual flexibility and mass-additive approaches. Free-suspension structural dynamics test methods utilize soft elastic bungee cords and overhead frame suspension systems that are less complex and much less expensive than fixed-base systems. The cost of free-suspension fixturing is on the order of tens of thousands of dollars as opposed to millions, for large fixed-base fixturing. In addition, free-suspension test configurations are portable, allowing modal tests to be done at sites without modal test facilities. For example, a mass-additive modal test of the ASTRO-1 Shuttle payload was done at the Kennedy Space Center launch site. In this Technical Memorandum, the mass-additive and residual flexibility test methods are described in detail. A discussion of a hybrid approach that combines the best characteristics of each method follows and is the focus of the study.

Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing: Route to High Structural Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palanivel, S.; Sidhar, H.; Mishra, R. S.

2015-03-01

Aerospace and automotive industries provide the next big opportunities for additive manufacturing. Currently, the additive industry is confronted with four major challenges that have been identified in this article. These challenges need to be addressed for the additive technologies to march into new frontiers and create additional markets. Specific potential success in the transportation sectors is dependent on the ability to manufacture complicated structures with high performance. Most of the techniques used for metal-based additive manufacturing are fusion based because of their ability to fulfill the computer-aided design to component vision. Although these techniques aid in fabrication of complex shapes, achieving high structural performance is a key problem due to the liquid-solid phase transformation. In this article, friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) is shown as a potential solid-state process for attaining high-performance lightweight alloys for simpler geometrical applications. To illustrate FSAM as a high-performance route, manufactured builds of Mg-4Y-3Nd and AA5083 are shown as examples. In the Mg-based alloy, an average hardness of 120 HV was achieved in the built structure and was significantly higher than that of the base material (97 HV). Similarly for the Al-based alloy, compared with the base hardness of 88 HV, the average built hardness was 104 HV. A potential application of FSAM is illustrated by taking an example of a simple stiffener assembly.

Diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Summary The conjugate addition reaction has been a useful tool in the formation of carbon–carbon bonds. The utility of this reaction has been demonstrated in the synthesis of many natural products, materials, and pharmacological agents. In the last three decades, there has been a significant increase in the development of asymmetric variants of this reaction. Unfortunately, conjugate addition reactions using α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams remain underdeveloped due to their inherently low reactivity. This review highlights the work that has been done on both diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams. PMID:25977728

Experimental determination of the Yawing Moment due to Yawing Contributed by the Wing, Fuselage, and Vertical Tail of a Midwing Airplane Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1943-06-01

derivative Cnr, the rate of change of yawing-momer.t coefficient with yawing angular velocity, contributed ’by the wing, the fuselage, and the...derivative Cn , the rate of change of yawing--moraent coefficient with yawing angular velocity. Al- though theoretical methods for obtaining the...yaw. T CD -3 SYMBOLS ’n rate of change of yawing-moment coefficient with yawing angular velocity per unit of rh/2V ÖCn/d (^-’ \\ 27 J P

A-to-I RNA Editing Contributes to Proteomic Diversity in Cancer. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Adenosine (A) to inosine (I) RNA editing introduces many nucleotide changes in cancer transcriptomes. However, due to the complexity of post-transcriptional regulation, the contribution of RNA editing to proteomic diversity in human cancers remains unclear. Here, we performed an integrated analysis of TCGA genomic data and CPTAC proteomic data. Despite limited site diversity, we demonstrate that A-to-I RNA editing contributes to proteomic diversity in breast cancer through changes in amino acid sequences. We validate the presence of editing events at both RNA and protein levels.

38 CFR 3.361 - Benefits under 38 U.S.C. 1151(a) for additional disability or death due to hospital care, medical...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Care, treatment, or examination. To establish that carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill... additional disability or death (as explained in paragraph (c) of this section); and (i) VA failed to exercise...

Occurrence of additive brominated flame retardants in aquatic organisms from Tai Lake and Yangtze River in Eastern China, 2009-2012.

PubMed

Su, Guanyong; Saunders, David; Yu, Yijun; Yu, Hongxia; Zhang, Xiaowei; Liu, Hongling; Giesy, John P

2014-11-01

Since the phase-out of PBDEs, reports regarding occurrences of these compounds in the environment have become less frequent. To characterize potential influences of the phase-out of PBDEs' on concentrations in the environment, trends in concentrations as a function of time were investigated for two additive brominated flame retardants, PBDEs and HBCDs. Three aquatic species, including shrimp, common carp, and yellow catfish, were collected from Meiliang Bay of Tai Lake, 2009-2012. The analysis of PBDEs in three aquatic organisms has shown a downward-trend in the first three years but a significant upward-trend in the final year. Concentrations of HBCDs have not shown temporal increases in the investigated environments. Concentrations of both PBDEs and HBCDs in the three studied organisms increased as a function of trophic level, which suggested that these additive flame retardants can be biomagnified through the food web of Tai Lake. In accordance with previous publications, PBDE-47 contributed the greatest proportion of ∑PBDEs and had a detection frequency of 100%. α-HBCD was the predominate isomer that contributed to ∑HBCDs. Both β-HBCD and γ-HBCD were likely detected at lesser concentrations than the α-isomer due to differences in bioavailability. Concentrations of ∑PBDEs in the three aquatic organisms from Tai Lake ranged from 1.13 to 97.59 ng g(-1) lipid. These concentrations were generally less than those in biota from other countries, but equal to those found at other locations in China. Specimens from the Yangtze River had greater concentrations of ∑HBCDs (169.6-316.5 ng g(-1) lipid) than those collected at Tai Lake, which were comparatively greater than many reported concentrations in freshwater organisms from other countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Authorship and contribution disclosures

PubMed Central

Sauermann, Henry; Haeussler, Carolin

2017-01-01

Most scientific research is performed by teams, and for a long time, observers have inferred individual team members’ contributions by interpreting author order on published articles. In response to increasing concerns about this approach, journals are adopting policies that require the disclosure of individual authors’ contributions. However, it is not clear whether and how these disclosures improve upon the conventional approach. Moreover, there is little evidence on how contribution statements are written and how they are used by readers. We begin to address these questions in two studies. Guided by a conceptual model, Study 1 examines the relationship between author order and contribution statements on more than 12,000 articles to understand what information is provided by each. This analysis quantifies the risk of error when inferring contributions from author order and shows how this risk increases with team size and for certain types of authors. At the same time, the analysis suggests that some components of the value of contributions are reflected in author order but not in currently used contribution statements. Complementing the bibliometric analysis, Study 2 analyzes survey data from more than 6000 corresponding authors to examine how contribution statements are written and used. This analysis highlights important differences between fields and between senior versus junior scientists, as well as strongly diverging views about the benefits and limitations of contribution statements. On the basis of both studies, we highlight important avenues for future research and consider implications for a broad range of stakeholders. PMID:29152564

Emission Sectoral Contributions of Foreign Emissions to Particulate Matter Concentrations over South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, E.; Kim, S.; Kim, H. C.; Kim, B. U.; Cho, J. H.; Woo, J. H.

2017-12-01

In this study, we investigated the contributions of major emission source categories located upwind of South Korea to Particulate Matter (PM) in South Korea. In general, air quality in South Korea is affected by anthropogenic air pollutants emitted from foreign countries including China. Some studies reported that foreign emissions contributed 50 % of annual surface PM total mass concentrations in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, South Korea in 2014. Previous studies examined PM contributions of foreign emissions from all sectors considering meteorological variations. However, little studies conducted to assess contributions of specific foreign source categories. Therefore, we attempted to estimate sectoral contributions of foreign emissions from China to South Korea PM using our air quality forecasting system. We used Model Inter-Comparison Study in Asia 2010 for foreign emissions and Clean Air Policy Support System 2010 emission inventories for domestic emissions. To quantify contributions of major emission sectors to South Korea PM, we applied the Community Multi-scale Air Quality system with brute force method by perturbing emissions from industrial, residential, fossil-fuel power plants, transportation, and agriculture sectors in China. We noted that industrial sector was pre-dominant over the region except during cold season for primary PMs when residential emissions drastically increase due to heating demand. This study will benefit ensemble air quality forecasting and refined control strategy design by providing quantitative assessment on seasonal contributions of foreign emissions from major source categories.

Assessment of ecosystem productivity damage due to land use.

PubMed

Kaenchan, Piyanon; Guinée, Jeroen; Gheewala, Shabbir H

2018-04-15

Land use can affect ecosystems on land and their services. Because land use has mainly local effects, damage to ecosystem productivity due to land use should be modelled spatially dependent. Unfortunately, even though land use of impacts are particular importance for countries whose economies are highly agriculture-based, ecosystem productivity damage due to land use has not yet been assessed in Thailand so far. This study presents the method for assessing the damage to ecosystem productivity due to land use (land occupation and land transformation) in Thailand. Ecosystem productivity damage is expressed through net primary production (NPP). To convert the damage into monetary units, this study performs an economic valuation of NPP using the production function approach. The results show that the value of marginal product of NPP is around 10-15 Thai baht (THB) (1 USD≈36 THB), per tonne dry weight biomass. The results are applied to the case of biodiesel production. The method presented in this paper could be a guideline for future land use impact assessment research. In addition, converting the NPP damage results into monetary units facilitates integration of impact assessment and economic analysis results for supporting decision support tools such as cost benefit analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The contribution of social capital and coping strategies to functioning and quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Boehm, Amnon; Eisenberg, Elon; Lampel, Shirly

2011-01-01

The study aimed to determine the degree to which social capital (a combination of social resources that can be beneficial to a person's physical health and well-being), personal coping strategies, and additional personal and disease-related factors, contribute to the functioning and quality of life (QoL) of fibromyalgia (FM) patients. In the assessment of their functioning and QoL, 175 Israeli FM patients completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) (dependent variables). In addition, they completed a modified Social Capital Questionnaires (which tests 3 subtypes of social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking), COPE-Multidimensional Coping Inventory (measures the use of problem vs. emotional-focused coping strategies), and a personal demographic questionnaire (independent variables). A multivariate regression analysis was used to assess the relative contribution of each independent variable to functioning and QoL of these patients. The regression analysis showed that: (1) Bonding social capital and particularly the friend-connections component of bonding social capital contributed to the FIQ score and to the SF-36 parameters of social function, mental health, and bodily pain. (2) Problem-focused coping strategy contributed to the mental health parameter of the SF-36, whereas emotional-focused coping strategy contributed negatively to the FIQ score and to the mental health, general health, and bodily pain parameters of the SF-36. (3) In addition, duration of FM symptoms contributed to the SF-36 parameters of general health, social function, mental health, and bodily pain but not to the FIQ score; whereas, work status contributed significantly to the variance of FIQ. Bonding social capital, problem-solving coping strategies, and the duration of FM contribute positively to functioning and QoL of FM patients; whereas, emotional-focused coping strategies do the opposite. Further research to test the effects of

Gut Microbiota: A Contributing Factor to Obesity

PubMed Central

Harakeh, Steve M.; Khan, Imran; Kumosani, Taha; Barbour, Elie; Almasaudi, Saad B.; Bahijri, Suhad M.; Alfadul, Sulaiman M.; Ajabnoor, Ghada M. A.; Azhar, Esam I.

2016-01-01

Obesity, a global epidemic of the modern era, is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes. The pervasiveness of obesity and overweight in both developed as well as developing populations is on the rise and placing a huge burden on health and economic resources. Consequently, research to control this emerging epidemic is of utmost importance. Recently, host interactions with their resident gut microbiota (GM) have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of many metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and CVD. Around 1014 microorganisms reside within the lower human intestine and many of these 1014 microorganisms have developed mutualistic or commensal associations with the host and actively involved in many physiological processes of the host. However, dysbiosis (altered gut microbial composition) with other predisposing genetic and environmental factors, may contribute to host metabolic disorders resulting in many ailments. Therefore, delineating the role of GM as a contributing factor to obesity is the main objective of this review. Obesity research, as a field is expanding rapidly due to major advances in nutrigenomics, metabolomics, RNA silencing, epigenetics, and other disciplines that may result in the emergence of new technologies and methods to better interpret causal relationships between microbiota and obesity. PMID:27625997

Contribution of honeybee drones of different age to colonial thermoregulation*

PubMed Central

Kovac, Helmut; Stabentheiner, Anton; Brodschneider, Robert

2011-01-01

In addition to honeybee workers, drones also contribute to colonial thermoregulation. We show the drones’ contribution to thermoregulation at 5 different experimental temperatures ranging from 15–34 °C. The frequency and the degree of endothermy depended on the drones’ local ambient temperature and age. Location on brood or non-brood areas had no influence. The frequency of endothermic drones and the intensity of endothermy increased with decreasing temperature. 30% of drones of 8 days and older heated their thorax by more than 1 °C above the abdomen. The youngest drones (0–2 days) did not exceed this level of endothermy. Though young drones were less often engaged in active heat production, their contribution to brood warming was not insignificant because their abundance on the brood nest was 3.5 times higher than that of the oldest drones (≥13 days). Results suggest that the stimulus for the drones’ increased frequency of heating at low experimental temperatures was their low local ambient air and/or comb temperature. PMID:22140282

Contribution of honeybee drones of different age to colonial thermoregulation.

PubMed

Kovac, Helmut; Stabentheiner, Anton; Brodschneider, Robert

2009-01-01

In addition to honeybee workers, drones also contribute to colonial thermoregulation. We show the drones' contribution to thermoregulation at 5 different experimental temperatures ranging from 15-34 °C. The frequency and the degree of endothermy depended on the drones' local ambient temperature and age. Location on brood or non-brood areas had no influence. The frequency of endothermic drones and the intensity of endothermy increased with decreasing temperature. 30% of drones of 8 days and older heated their thorax by more than 1 °C above the abdomen. The youngest drones (0-2 days) did not exceed this level of endothermy. Though young drones were less often engaged in active heat production, their contribution to brood warming was not insignificant because their abundance on the brood nest was 3.5 times higher than that of the oldest drones (≥13 days). Results suggest that the stimulus for the drones' increased frequency of heating at low experimental temperatures was their low local ambient air and/or comb temperature.

Uric acid contributes greatly to hepatic antioxidant capacity besides protein.

PubMed

Mikami, T; Sorimachi, M

2017-12-20

Uric acid is the end-product of purine nucleotide metabolism and an increase in uric acid concentration in the body results in hyperuricemia, ultimately leading to gout. However, uric acid is a potent antioxidant and interacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS) to be non-enzymatically converted to allantoin. Uric acid accounts for approximately 60 % of antioxidant capacity in the plasma; however, its contribution to tissue antioxidant capacity is unknown. In this study, the contribution of uric acid to tissue antioxidant capacity and its conversion to allantoin by scavenging ROS in tissue were examined. The results showed that a decrease in hepatic uric acid content via allopurinol administration significantly reduced hepatic total-radical trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) content in protein-free cytosol. Additionally, treating protein-free cytosol with uricase led to a further reduction of hepatic TRAP content. Allantoin was also detected in the solution containing protein-free cytosol that reacted with ROS. These findings suggest that in the absence of protein, uric acid contributes greatly to antioxidant capacity in the liver, where uric acid is converted to allantoin by scavenging ROS.

Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Contributes to Fluid Intelligence Through Multinetwork Connectivity.

PubMed

Cole, Michael W; Ito, Takuya; Braver, Todd S

2015-10-01

Our ability to effectively adapt to novel circumstances--as measured by general fluid intelligence--has recently been tied to the global connectivity of lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC). Global connectivity is a broad measure that summarizes both within-network connectivity and across-network connectivity. We used additional graph theoretical measures to better characterize the nature of LPFC connectivity and its relationship with fluid intelligence. We specifically hypothesized that LPFC is a connector hub with an across-network connectivity that contributes to fluid intelligence independent of within-network connectivity. We verified that LPFC was in the top 10% of brain regions in terms of across-network connectivity, suggesting it is a strong connector hub. Importantly, we found that the LPFC across-network connectivity predicted individuals' fluid intelligence and this correlation remained statistically significant when controlling for global connectivity (which includes within-network connectivity). This supports the conclusion that across-network connectivity independently contributes to the relationship between LPFC connectivity and intelligence. These results suggest that LPFC contributes to fluid intelligence by being a connector hub with a truly global multisystem connectivity throughout the brain.

Influence of ethanol vapor addition on the surface modification of polyethylene in a dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Deynse, Annick; Morent, Rino; Leys, Christophe; De Geyter, Nathalie

2017-10-01

In this paper, ethanol vapor up to 50% is added to an argon, air or nitrogen dielectric barrier discharge at medium pressure to profoundly investigate the effect of ethanol addition on the surface modification of low density polyethylene (LDPE). Water contact angle (WCA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements show that the ethanol vapor addition effect on the LDPE surface depends on the used carrier gas. Adding ethanol to an argon plasma has no significant effect on the wettability nor on the chemical composition of LDPE compared to a pure argon plasma treatment. Ethanol addition does however slightly increase the LDPE surface roughness. Addition of small amounts of ethanol vapor to an air plasma makes it possible to incorporate additional nitrogen and oxygen groups on the LDPE surface, resulting in an extra decrease of 11% in WCA value. Moreover, the LDPE surface roughness is slightly increased due to the ethanol vapor addition. The most significant effect of ethanol addition is however observed when nitrogen is used as carrier gas. After an N2/2% ethanol plasma treatment, an 85% reduction in WCA value to 8.5° is found compared to a pure N2 plasma treatment. This very hydrophilic LDPE surface is obtained due to a significantly high incorporation of oxygen and nitrogen groups on the surface with an O/C and N/C ratio reaching 32% and 53% respectively. FTIR measurements also reveal that the observed extremely high wettability of LDPE is not the result of plasma activation but is due to plasma polymerization effects occurring on the surface resulting into the deposition of a plasma polymer containing ketones, amides as well as Cdbnd N groups. In addition, ageing studies have also been conducted and these studies reveal that for all carrier gases, ethanol addition to the discharge gas significantly suppresses the ageing effect. All the above mentioned conclusions therefore indicate that ethanol vapor based plasmas can be an excellent tool to increase

Quantifying the contribution of ambient and indoor-generated fine particles to indoor air in residential environments.

PubMed

MacNeill, M; Kearney, J; Wallace, L; Gibson, M; Héroux, M E; Kuchta, J; Guernsey, J R; Wheeler, A J

2014-08-01

Indoor fine particles (FPs) are a combination of ambient particles that have infiltrated indoors, and particles that have been generated indoors from activities such as cooking. The objective of this paper was to estimate the infiltration factor (Finf ) and the ambient/non-ambient components of indoor FPs. To do this, continuous measurements were collected indoors and outdoors for seven consecutive days in 50 non-smoking homes in Halifax, Nova Scotia in both summer and winter using DustTrak (TSI Inc) photometers. Additionally, indoor and outdoor gravimetric measurements were made for each 24-h period in each home, using Harvard impactors (HI). A computerized algorithm was developed to remove (censor) peaks due to indoor sources. The censored indoor/outdoor ratio was then used to estimate daily Finfs and to determine the ambient and non-ambient components of total indoor concentrations. Finf estimates in Halifax (daily summer median = 0.80; daily winter median = 0.55) were higher than have been reported in other parts of Canada. In both winter and summer, the majority of FP was of ambient origin (daily winter median = 59%; daily summer median = 84%). Predictors of the non-ambient component included various cooking variables, combustion sources, relative humidity, and factors influencing ventilation. This work highlights the fact that regional factors can influence the contribution of ambient particles to indoor residential concentrations. Ambient and non-ambient particles have different risk management approaches, composition, and likely toxicity. Therefore, a better understanding of their contribution to the indoor environment is important to manage the health risks associated with fine particles (FPs) effectively. As well, a better understanding of the factors Finf can help improve exposure assessment and contribute to reduced exposure misclassification in epidemiologic studies. © 2013 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Indoor Air © 2013 John Wiley & Sons

Contribution of Chronic Conditions to the Disability Burden across Smoking Categories in Middle-Aged Adults, Belgium.

PubMed

Yokota, Renata Tiene de Carvalho; Nusselder, Wilma Johanna; Robine, Jean-Marie; Tafforeau, Jean; Deboosere, Patrick; Van Oyen, Herman

2016-01-01

Smoking is considered the single most important preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, contributing to increased incidence and severity of disabling conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of chronic conditions to the disability burden across smoking categories in middle-aged adults in Belgium. Data from 10,224 individuals aged 40 to 60 years who participated in the 1997, 2001, 2004, or 2008 Health Interview Surveys in Belgium were used. Smoking status was defined as never, former (cessation ≥2 years), former (cessation <2 years), occasional light (<20 cigarettes/day), daily light, and daily heavy (≥20 cigarettes/day). To attribute disability to chronic conditions, binomial additive hazards models were fitted separately for each smoking category adjusted for gender, except for former (cessation <2 years) and occasional light smokers due to the small sample size. An increasing trend in the disability prevalence was observed across smoking categories in men (never = 4.8%, former (cessation ≥2 years) = 5.8%, daily light = 7.8%, daily heavy = 10.7%) and women (never = 7.6%, former (cessation ≥2 years) = 8.0%, daily light = 10.2%, daily heavy = 12.0%). Musculoskeletal conditions showed a substantial contribution to the disability burden in men and women across all smoking categories. Other important contributors were depression and cardiovascular diseases in never smokers; depression, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes in former smokers (cessation ≥2 years); chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases in daily light smokers; cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases in men and depression and diabetes in women daily heavy smokers. Beyond the well-known effect of smoking on mortality, our findings showed an increasing trend of the disability prevalence and different contributors to the disability burden across smoking categories. This information can be useful from a public

Peripheral Visual Cues Contribute to the Perception of Object Movement During Self-Movement

PubMed Central

Rogers, Cassandra; Warren, Paul A.

2017-01-01

Safe movement through the environment requires us to monitor our surroundings for moving objects or people. However, identification of moving objects in the scene is complicated by self-movement, which adds motion across the retina. To identify world-relative object movement, the brain thus has to ‘compensate for’ or ‘parse out’ the components of retinal motion that are due to self-movement. We have previously demonstrated that retinal cues arising from central vision contribute to solving this problem. Here, we investigate the contribution of peripheral vision, commonly thought to provide strong cues to self-movement. Stationary participants viewed a large field of view display, with radial flow patterns presented in the periphery, and judged the trajectory of a centrally presented probe. Across two experiments, we demonstrate and quantify the contribution of peripheral optic flow to flow parsing during forward and backward movement. PMID:29201335

Contribution of vascular endothelial growth factor to the Nottingham prognostic index in node-negative breast cancer

PubMed Central

Coradini, D; Boracchi, P; Daidone, M Grazia; Pellizzaro, C; Miodini, P; Ammatuna, M; Tomasic, G; Biganzoli, E

2001-01-01

The prognostic contribution of intratumour VEGF, the most important factor in tumour-induced angiogenesis, to NPI was evaluated by using flexible modelling in a series of 226 N-primary breast cancer patients in which steroid receptors and cell proliferation were also accounted for. VEGF provided an additional prognostic contribution to NPI mainly within ER-poor tumours. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaignhttp://www.bjcancer.com PMID:11556826

[Anthropology engaged against Ebola (2014-2016): approaches, contributions and new questions].

PubMed

Desclaux, Alice; Anoko, Julienne

2017-10-02

Anthropologists contributed to the response to the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in three ways : as Ebola experts, cultural mediators between populations and caregivers, and researchers. This article presents a preliminary review of approaches, contributions and related issues based on a literature review, case studies and debates. The anthropological research discussed in this article concerns four themes : epidemiological contexts of transmission ; cultural interpretation of illness and social responses ; social construction of stakeholders' experience ; critical analysis of public health interventions. In addition to insightful contributions, particularly regarding the socio-political contexts and their interfaces with global public health measures, anthropologists tested forms of communication to facilitate access of public health actors to their results. However, these heterogeneous forms of engagement raise a number of questions, especially when they reflect anthropological interpretations that exclude any critical or reflexive dimension, or when anthropology is considered to be similar to social intervention. Nevertheless, anthropological research provides a major contribution, which could be even greater if transnational networks set up by researchers to analyse the socio-political, economic and biocultural dimensions of emerging epidemics are supported in order to improve ?preparedness? for future health crises.

Dietary arsenic exposure in Brazil: The contribution of rice and beans.

PubMed

Ciminelli, Virginia S T; Gasparon, Massimo; Ng, Jack C; Silva, Gabriela C; Caldeira, Claudia L

2017-02-01

The human health risk associated with arsenic in food in Southeast Brazil was quantified. Based on the most commonly consumed food types in the Brazilian diet, the maximum inorganic As (iAs) daily intake from food (0.255 μg kg -1 body weight per day) is approximately 9% of the Benchmark Dose Lower Limit (BMDL 0.5 ) of 3 μg kg -1 body weight per day set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Joint Expert Committee in Food Additives (JECFA). When water is included, the contribution of food to the total intake varies from 96.9% to 39.7%. Rice and beans, the main Brazilian staple food, contribute between 67 and 90% of the total As intake from food (46-79% from rice and 11-23% from beans). The substantial contribution of beans to total As food intake is reported for the first time. The broad range of As concentrations in rice and beans highlights the variable and potentially large contribution of both to As food intake in places where diet consists largely of these two food categories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Men increase contributions to a public good when under sexual competition

PubMed Central

Tognetti, Arnaud; Dubois, Dimitri; Faurie, Charlotte; Willinger, Marc

2016-01-01

Why humans cooperate in large groups and with non-kin remains a puzzle for researchers across the natural and social sciences. Investigating whether cooperation is sexually selected could contribute to an understanding of the evolution of human cooperation. Competition for access to mates could indeed select for cooperation. Using controlled laboratory experiments, we analyse whether and how the sex composition of a social environment, testosterone level, and relationship status affect contributions to a public good. The results show that variation in sex composition alters the amount of money that single men (but not men in a couple or women) contribute to a public good. Notably, in line with the competitive helping hypothesis, awareness of the presence of a woman leads to larger contributions by single men, most likely by triggering their competitiveness to be the most cooperative man in the group. However, we find no link between basal testosterone level and cooperativeness. We argue that men, notably single men, adopt cooperative behaviours as a signalling strategy in the context of mate choice and hence that cooperation is partly sexually selected. Our findings highlight the need to consider sexual selection as an additional mechanism for cooperation. PMID:27412070

Investigation on factors that contribute to the abandonment of building in construction industry in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farhayu Ariffin, Nur; Jaafar, Mohd Faizal Md; Idris Ali, Mohamad; Irwan Ramli, Noram; Muthusamy, Khairunisa; Shukor Lim, Nor Hasanah Abdul

2018-03-01

In Malaysia, the construction sector is one of the important sectors that contribute to economic growth and employments. However, a major concern facing the construction industry is the growing rate of delays in project delivery. In the worse cases, the projects were abandoned due to some reasons when the contract period ended. Abandoned building defines as construction work that has been continuously stalled for 6 months or more, during the project completion period or beyond the scheduled date of completion. When the projects become abandoned, it gives an adverse effect on many parties such as the developer, contractor, consultant and also client. According to previous researchers, the abandonment of building causes a serious problem and need some mitigation plan to avoid this problem from occurring. This study will investigate the fundamental factors that contribute to the abandonment of building and projects in Malaysia based on the current data of the abandoned building in most states in Malaysia. The data was collected from the respondents who is in the construction industry and had experience working with abandoned housing project. Form the respondents perspective, it shows that the main factor contribute to the building abandonment is due to the financial problem facing by the developer company.

Microcolumn Formation due to Induced-Charge Electroosmosis in a Floating Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugioka, Hideyuki; Dan, Hironobu; Hanazawa, Yuya

2017-10-01

Self-organization of particles is important since it may provide new functional materials. Previously, by using two-dimensional multiphysics simulations, we theoretically showed microcolumn formation due to induced-charge electroosmosis (ICEO). In this study, we experimentally demonstrate that gold leaves on a water surface move slowly and dynamically form a microcolumn due to a hydrodynamic interaction under an ac electric field. Further, by numerically analyzing video data, we show the time evolutions of the maximum cluster length and the maximum cluster area. In addition, by cluster analysis, we show the dependences of the average velocity on the applied voltage and frequency to clarify the phenomena. We believe that our findings make a new stage in the development of new functional materials on a water surface.

26 CFR 1.118-1 - Contributions to the capital of a corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... through voluntary pro rata payments by its shareholders, the amounts so received being credited to its... individual shareholders, and will be treated as an addition to and as a part of the operating capital of the company. Section 118 also applies to contributions to capital made by persons other than shareholders. For...

Iatrogenic acute pancreatitis due to hypercalcemia in a child with pseudohypoparathyroidism.

PubMed

Feyles, Francesca; Mussa, Alessandro; Peiretti, Valentina; Tessaris, Daniele; Santanera, Arianna; Corrias, Andrea; de Sanctis, Luisa; Calvo, Luigi

2014-01-01

Pancreatitis due to hypercalcemia is very rare in children, and its pathogenetic role is still debated. The following report describes a case of acute pancreatitis secondary to hypercalcemia in a 6-year-old boy with pseudohypoparathyroidism treated with calcium and vitamin D. Pseudohypoparathyroidism is characterized by parathormone (PTH) resistance, high PTH levels and hypocalcemia which need to be corrected with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. The patient was admitted for severe abdominal pain and vomiting associated with high plasma amylase, lipase and calcium levels. Hypercalcemia due to vitamin D and calcium overtreatment was probably responsible for the acute pancreatitis in this case. High serum calcium levels seem to sensitize patients to pancreatitis, even if the mechanism through which it happens is not completely understood. Moreover, the importance of concomitant predisposing factors, either acquired or especially genetic, needs to be further defined. Even though a rare occurance in childhood, hypercalcemia should be considered as a cause of pancreatitis and it should be examined together with the other etiologies that may contribute to the development of this disease.

Trojan Horse Transit Contributes to Blood-Brain Barrier Crossing of a Eukaryotic Pathogen

PubMed Central

Santiago-Tirado, Felipe H.; Onken, Michael D.; Cooper, John A.; Klein, Robyn S.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the central nervous system (CNS) by restricting the passage of molecules and microorganisms. Despite this barrier, however, the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans invades the brain, causing a meningoencephalitis that is estimated to kill over 600,000 people annually. Cryptococcal infection begins in the lung, and experimental evidence suggests that host phagocytes play a role in subsequent dissemination, although this role remains ill defined. Additionally, the disparate experimental approaches that have been used to probe various potential routes of BBB transit make it impossible to assess their relative contributions, confounding any integrated understanding of cryptococcal brain entry. Here we used an in vitro model BBB to show that a “Trojan horse” mechanism contributes significantly to fungal barrier crossing and that host factors regulate this process independently of free fungal transit. We also, for the first time, directly imaged C. neoformans-containing phagocytes crossing the BBB, showing that they do so via transendothelial pores. Finally, we found that Trojan horse crossing enables CNS entry of fungal mutants that cannot otherwise traverse the BBB, and we demonstrate additional intercellular interactions that may contribute to brain entry. Our work elucidates the mechanism of cryptococcal brain invasion and offers approaches to study other neuropathogens. PMID:28143979

Higher-order electric multipole contributions to retarded non-additive three-body dispersion interaction energies between atoms: Equilateral triangle and collinear configurations

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

Salam, A., E-mail: salama@wfu.edu

2013-12-28

The theory of molecular quantum electrodynamics (QED) is used to calculate higher electric multipole contributions to the dispersion energy shift between three atoms or molecules arranged in a straight line or in an equilateral triangle configuration. As in two-body potentials, three-body dispersion interactions are viewed in the QED formalism to arise from exchange of virtual photons between coupled pairs of particles. By employing an interaction Hamiltonian that is quadratic in the electric displacement field means that third-order perturbation theory can be used to yield the energy shift for a particular combination of electric multipole polarizable species, with only six time-orderedmore » diagrams needing to be summed over. Specific potentials evaluated include dipole-dipole-quadrupole (DDQ), dipole-quadrupole-quadrupole (DQQ), and dipole-dipole-octupole (DDO) terms. For the geometries of interest, near-zone limiting forms are found to exhibit an R{sup −11} dependence on separation distance for the DDQ interaction, and an R{sup −13} behaviour for DQQ and DDO shifts, agreeing with an earlier semi-classical computation. Retardation weakens the potential in each case by R{sup −1} in the far-zone. It is found that by decomposing the octupole moment into its irreducible components of weights-1 and -3 that the former contribution to the DDO potential may be taken to be a higher-order correction to the leading triple dipole energy shift.« less

Individual contributions of climate and vegetation change to soil moisture trends across multiple spatial scales.

PubMed

Feng, Huihui

2016-09-07

Climate and vegetation change are two dominating factors for soil moisture trend. However, their individual contributions remain unknown due to their complex interaction. Here, I separated their contributions through a trajectory-based method across the global, regional and local scales. Our results demonstrated that climate change accounted for 98.78% and 114.64% of the global drying and wetting trend. Vegetation change exhibited a relatively weak influence (contributing 1.22% and -14.64% of the global drying and wetting) because it occurred in a limited area on land. Regionally, the impact of vegetation change cannot be neglected, which contributed -40.21% of the soil moisture change in the wetting zone. Locally, the contributions strongly correlated to the local environmental characteristics. Vegetation negatively affected soil moisture trends in the dry and sparsely vegetated regions and positively in the wet and densely vegetated regions. I conclude that individual contributions of climate and vegetation change vary at the global, regional and local scales. Climate change dominates the soil moisture trends, while vegetation change acts as a regulator to drying or wetting the soil under the changing climate.

Reducing nitrogen loss and phytotoxicity during beer vinasse composting with biochar addition.

PubMed

Wang, Xueqin; Zhao, Yue; Wang, Huan; Zhao, Xinyu; Cui, Hongyang; Wei, Zimin

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of composting of beer vinasse generated from brewing industry, the effect of biochar amendment on beer vinasse composting was also evaluated based on the changes of different physicochemical parameters, phytotoxicity and final compost quality. Four different treatments were performed of beer vinasse with biochar addition at 0, 5%, 10%, 15% (w/w dry basis). The final product obtained from beer vinasse composting was phytotoxicity-free (GI: 120.8%), mature (C/N: 19.88, NH 4 + -N: 295.0mg/kg, DOC: 9.76g/kg) and nutrient-rich (especially for P: 1.92%) compost except high N loss (60.76%), which had the potential to be as soil amendment or fertilizer. Biochar addition contributed to decomposition of DOC indicating higher microbial activity and attain phytotoxicity-free standard rapidly. N loss significantly reduced by 27% with biochar at 15% addition. And 15% biochar addition ensured all parameters, which was involved in composts quality, to attain the mature standard. Therefore, it was suggested that biochar addition at 15% was optimal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the contribution of land transport and shipping emissions to tropospheric ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mertens, Mariano; Grewe, Volker; Rieger, Vanessa S.; Jöckel, Patrick

2018-04-01

We quantify the contribution of land transport and shipping emissions to tropospheric ozone for the first time with a chemistry-climate model including an advanced tagging method (also known as source apportionment), which considers not only the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx, NO, and NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) separately, but also their non-linear interaction in producing ozone. For summer conditions a contribution of land transport emissions to ground-level ozone of up to 18 % in North America and Southern Europe is estimated, which corresponds to 12 and 10 nmol mol-1, respectively. The simulation results indicate a contribution of shipping emissions to ground-level ozone during summer on the order of up to 30 % in the North Pacific Ocean (up to 12 nmol mol-1) and 20 % in the North Atlantic Ocean (12 nmol mol-1). With respect to the contribution to the tropospheric ozone burden, we quantified values of 8 and 6 % for land transport and shipping emissions, respectively. Overall, the emissions from land transport contribute around 20 % to the net ozone production near the source regions, while shipping emissions contribute up to 52 % to the net ozone production in the North Pacific Ocean. To put these estimates in the context of literature values, we review previous studies. Most of them used the perturbation approach, in which the results for two simulations, one with all emissions and one with changed emissions for the source of interest, are compared. For a better comparability with these studies, we also performed additional perturbation simulations, which allow for a consistent comparison of results using the perturbation and the tagging approach. The comparison shows that the results strongly depend on the chosen methodology (tagging or perturbation approach) and on the strength of the perturbation. A more in-depth analysis for the land transport emissions reveals that the two approaches give different results

Contributions to the Earth's obliquity rate, precession, and nutation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James G.

1994-01-01

The precession and nutation of the Earth's equator arise from solar, lunar, and planetary torques on the oblate Earth. The mean lunar orbit plane is nearly coincident with the ecliptic plane. A small tilt out of the ecliptic is caused by planetary perturbations and the Earth's gravitational harmonic J(sub2). These planetary perturbations on the lunar orbit result in torques on the oblate Earth which contribute to precession, obliquity rate, and nutation while the J(sub 2) perturbations contribute to precession and nutation. Small additional contributions to the secular rates arise from tidal effects and planetary torques on the Earth's bulge. The total correction to the obliquity rate is -0.024sec/century, it is an observable motion in space (the much larger conventional obliquity rate is wholly from the motion of the ecliptic, not the equator), and it is not present in the IAU-adopted expressions for the orientation of the Earth's equator. The J(sub2) effects have generally been allowed for in past nutation theories and some procession theories. For the planetary effect, the contributions to the 18.6 yr nutation are -0.03 mas (milliarcseconds) for the in-phase Delta phi plus out-of-phase contributions of 0.14 mas in Delta phi and -0.03 mas in Delta epsilon. The latter terms demonstrate that out-of-phase contributions can arise by means other than dissipation. The sum of the contributions to the precession rate is considered and the inferred value of the moment of inertia combination (C-A)/C, which is used to scale the coefficients in the nutation series, is evaluated. Using an updated value for the precession rate, the rigid body (C-A)/C = 0.003 273 763 4 which, in combination with a satellite-derived J(sub2), gives a normalized polar moment of inertia C/MR(exp2) = 0.330 700 7. The planetary contributions to the precession and obliquity rates are not constant for long times causing accelerations in both quantities. Acceleration in precession also arises from tides

Non-pairwise additivity of the leading-order dispersion energy

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

Hollett, Joshua W., E-mail: j.hollett@uwinnipeg.ca

2015-02-28

The leading-order (i.e., dipole-dipole) dispersion energy is calculated for one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) infinite lattices, and an infinite 1D array of infinitely long lines, of doubly occupied locally harmonic wells. The dispersion energy is decomposed into pairwise and non-pairwise additive components. By varying the force constant and separation of the wells, the non-pairwise additive contribution to the dispersion energy is shown to depend on the overlap of density between neighboring wells. As well separation is increased, the non-pairwise additivity of the dispersion energy decays. The different rates of decay for 1D and 2D lattices of wells is explained inmore » terms of a Jacobian effect that influences the number of nearest neighbors. For an array of infinitely long lines of wells spaced 5 bohrs apart, and an inter-well spacing of 3 bohrs within a line, the non-pairwise additive component of the leading-order dispersion energy is −0.11 kJ mol{sup −1} well{sup −1}, which is 7% of the total. The polarizability of the wells and the density overlap between them are small in comparison to that of the atomic densities that arise from the molecular density partitioning used in post-density-functional theory (DFT) damped dispersion corrections, or DFT-D methods. Therefore, the nonadditivity of the leading-order dispersion observed here is a conservative estimate of that in molecular clusters.« less

Analysis of fluorine addition to the vanguard first stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1957-01-01

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

Defining an additivity framework for mixture research in inducible whole-cell biosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Betancor, K.; Ritz, C.; Fernández-Piñas, F.; Leganés, F.; Rodea-Palomares, I.

2015-11-01

A novel additivity framework for mixture effect modelling in the context of whole cell inducible biosensors has been mathematically developed and implemented in R. The proposed method is a multivariate extension of the effective dose (EDp) concept. Specifically, the extension accounts for differential maximal effects among analytes and response inhibition beyond the maximum permissive concentrations. This allows a multivariate extension of Loewe additivity, enabling direct application in a biphasic dose-response framework. The proposed additivity definition was validated, and its applicability illustrated by studying the response of the cyanobacterial biosensor Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 pBG2120 to binary mixtures of Zn, Cu, Cd, Ag, Co and Hg. The novel method allowed by the first time to model complete dose-response profiles of an inducible whole cell biosensor to mixtures. In addition, the approach also allowed identification and quantification of departures from additivity (interactions) among analytes. The biosensor was found to respond in a near additive way to heavy metal mixtures except when Hg, Co and Ag were present, in which case strong interactions occurred. The method is a useful contribution for the whole cell biosensors discipline and related areas allowing to perform appropriate assessment of mixture effects in non-monotonic dose-response frameworks

How Can Supervisors Contribute to the Return to Work of Employees Who have Experienced Depression?

PubMed

Negrini, Alessia; Corbière, Marc; Lecomte, Tania; Coutu, Marie-France; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; St-Arnaud, Louise; Durand, Marie-José; Gragnano, Andrea; Berbiche, Djamal

2018-06-01

Background In Western countries, work disability due to depression is a widespread problem that generates enormous costs. Objective The goal of this study was to determine the types and prevalence of supervisor contributions during the different phases of the return-to-work (RTW) process (before and during the sick-leave absence, and during the RTW preparations) of employees diagnosed with depression. Moreover, we sought to determine which contributions actually facilitate employees' RTW, and to identify the work accommodations most frequently implemented by supervisors at the actual time of their employee's RTW. Methods Telephone interviews were conducted in Québec (Canada) with 74 supervisors working with employees who were already back at work or still on sick leave due to depression. A sub-sample of 46 supervisors who had already taken measures to facilitate their employees' RTW was questioned about the work accommodations implemented. Results Most of the supervisors got along well with their employees before their sick leave and 72% stayed in contact with them during their leave. Nearly 90% of the supervisors encouraged their employees to focus primarily on their recovery before their RTW, but 43% pressured their employees to RTW as soon as possible. Cox regression analyses performed for the entire sample revealed that "the supervisors' intention to take measures to facilitate their employees' RTW" was the only significant predictor of the RTW at the time of the interview. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that 50% of the employees were expected to RTW within the first 8 months of absence. Four of the most frequently implemented work accommodations were actions directly involving the supervisor (i.e. providing assistance, feedback, recognition, and emotional support to the employee). Conclusions This study shed light on the less explored point of view of the supervisor involved in the RTW process of employees post-depression. It highlighted the most

Energy system contribution to 400-metre and 800-metre track running.

PubMed

Duffield, Rob; Dawson, Brian; Goodman, Carmel

2005-03-01

As a wide range of values has been reported for the relative energetics of 400-m and 800-m track running events, this study aimed to quantify the respective aerobic and anaerobic energy contributions to these events during track running. Sixteen trained 400-m (11 males, 5 females) and 11 trained 800-m (9 males, 2 females) athletes participated in this study. The participants performed (on separate days) a laboratory graded exercsie test and multiple race time-trials. The relative energy system contribution was calculated by multiple methods based upon measures of race VO2, accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD), blood lactate and estimated phosphocreatine degradation (lactate/PCr). The aerobic/anaerobic energy system contribution (AOD method) to the 400-m event was calculated as 41/59% (male) and 45/55% (female). For the 800-m event, an increased aerobic involvement was noted with a 60/40% (male) and 70/30% (female) respective contribution. Significant (P < 0.05) negative correlations were noted between race performance and anaerobic energy system involvement (lactate/PCr) for the male 800-m and female 400-m events (r = - 0.77 and - 0.87 respectively). These track running data compare well with previous estimates of the relative energy system contributions to the 400-m and 800-m events. Additionally, the relative importance and speed of interaction of the respective metabolic pathways has implications to training for these events.

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

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

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.

This work presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5–35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. Thesemore » results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.« less

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

DOE PAGES

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.; ...

2018-01-10

This work presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5–35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. Thesemore » results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.« less

Internal additive noise effects in stochastic resonance using organic field effect transistor

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

Suzuki, Yoshiharu; Asakawa, Naoki; Matsubara, Kiyohiko

Stochastic resonance phenomenon was observed in organic field effect transistor using poly(3-hexylthiophene), which enhances performance of signal transmission with application of noise. The enhancement of correlation coefficient between the input and output signals was low, and the variation of correlation coefficient was not remarkable with respect to the intensity of external noise, which was due to the existence of internal additive noise following the nonlinear threshold response. In other words, internal additive noise plays a positive role on the capability of approximately constant signal transmission regardless of noise intensity, which can be said “homeostatic” behavior or “noise robustness” against externalmore » noise. Furthermore, internal additive noise causes emergence of the stochastic resonance effect even on the threshold unit without internal additive noise on which the correlation coefficient usually decreases monotonically.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-09-01

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

Damage in gamma titanium aluminides due to small particle impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stief, P. S.; Rubal, M. P.; Gray, G. T., III; Pereiras, J. M.

1998-10-01

Initiation of cracking due to small particle impacts on low ductility intermetallics is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The gamma titanium aluminide alloys of interest which are being considered for elevated temperature structural applications in aircraft engines exhibit tensile ductilities on the order of 1-2%. Cracking due to any source, including small particle impacts, is of concern given the rapid growth of cracks in fatigue. This investigation focuses on a model geometry which reproduces the rear face cracking that is induced by a small particle impinging on an air foil leading edge. Small steel spheres are projected onto thin plates at velocities ranging from 76 to 305 ms ; cracking is thereby induced on the rear surface of the plates. Through finite element analyses of the dynamic impact event and some analytical estimates, we examine the hypothesis that crack initiation due to small particle impacts can be correlated with material ductility and with the severity and spatial extent of the straining during the impact event. In addition, with the use of static indentation tests in which similar strain distributions are present, some insight is gained into the difference in ductility between high and low strain rates. 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Attributing uncertainty in streamflow simulations due to variable inputs via the Quantile Flow Deviation metric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoaib, Syed Abu; Marshall, Lucy; Sharma, Ashish

2018-06-01

Every model to characterise a real world process is affected by uncertainty. Selecting a suitable model is a vital aspect of engineering planning and design. Observation or input errors make the prediction of modelled responses more uncertain. By way of a recently developed attribution metric, this study is aimed at developing a method for analysing variability in model inputs together with model structure variability to quantify their relative contributions in typical hydrological modelling applications. The Quantile Flow Deviation (QFD) metric is used to assess these alternate sources of uncertainty. The Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP) precipitation data for four different Australian catchments is used to analyse the impact of spatial rainfall variability on simulated streamflow variability via the QFD. The QFD metric attributes the variability in flow ensembles to uncertainty associated with the selection of a model structure and input time series. For the case study catchments, the relative contribution of input uncertainty due to rainfall is higher than that due to potential evapotranspiration, and overall input uncertainty is significant compared to model structure and parameter uncertainty. Overall, this study investigates the propagation of input uncertainty in a daily streamflow modelling scenario and demonstrates how input errors manifest across different streamflow magnitudes.

Callous-unemotional behaviors in early childhood: Genetic and environmental contributions to stability and change.

PubMed

Flom, Megan; Saudino, Kimberly J

2017-10-01

Callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors demonstrate meaningful individual differences in early childhood, even in nonclinical samples with low mean levels of CU, but the factors underlying this variation have not been examined. This study investigated genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences and to sources of continuity and change in CU in toddler twins (145 monozygotic, 169 dizygotic) assessed at ages 2 and 3 years. CU, as assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), was moderately stable across age (r = .45, p < .0001). Longitudinal biometric analyses revealed genetic and nonshared environmental influences on CU at both ages, with no significant contribution from shared environmental factors. Stability from age 2 to 3 was due to genetic factors, whereas change was due to both genetic and nonshared environmental influences. This genetic and nonshared environmental change was substantial, suggesting malleability of CU in early childhood. Over 50% of the genetic influences and 100% of the nonshared environmental influences on CU at age 3 were independent of those that operated at age 2. Implications of novel sources of variance across age are discussed.

Effect of the prefermentative addition of five enological tannins on anthocyanins and color in red wines.

PubMed

Liu, Yan-Xia; Liang, Na-Na; Wang, Jun; Pan, Qiu-Hong; Duan, Chang-Qing

2013-01-01

The effects of prefermentation addition of 5 exogenous tannins with different-origin anthocyanins and color characteristics were investigated in "Cabernet Sauvignon wines" at the end of alcoholic fermentation and the end of malolactic fermentation, and after 6 mo and 9 mo of bottle aging, respectively. The results showed that the application of GSKT2 could significantly retard the degradation of most anthocyanins in the process of alcoholic fermentation and the decrease of some pyranoanthocyanins during the subsequent 3 stages, thus causing more yellowness of wine in comparison with the control. Three other condensed tannins, GSKT1, QUET, and GSET, had a positive impact only on several anthocyanin components. Four condensed tannins all contributed to more redness, suggesting that the action mechanism might be to protect wine against oxidation or contribute to form copigmented anthocyanidins, or polymeric pigments. The application of FOLT (hydrolysable tannin) did not produce any influence on wine redness even after 9 mo of bottle aging. This work provides some reasons for the reasonable application of tannin additives. The prefermentative application of condensed tannins overall could protect some pigment components from degradation and enhance wine redness. Tannin additives with different origins have different effectiveness. The tannin additive obtained from grape skins, like GSKT2, could produce significant promotion on both redness and yellowness in wine. The prefermentation addition of hydroxylase tannin like FOLT seems not to have a significant effect on wine color. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Carbon fixation in sediments of Sino-Pacific seas-differential contributions of bacterial and archaeal domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Anindita; Cao, Wenrui; Zhang, Hongjie; Saren, Gaowa; Jiang, Mingyu; Yu, Xinke

2017-11-01

Oceanic stretches experiencing perpetual darkness and extreme limitation of utilizable organic matter often rely on chemosynthetic carbon (C)-fixation. However, C-fixation is not limited to carbon-deplete environments alone but might also occur in varying degrees in carbon-replete locales depending on the nature and concentration of utilizable carbon, electron donors and acceptors. Quantification of microbial C-fixation and relative contribution of domains bacteria and archaea are therefore crucial. The present experiment estimates the differential rates of C-fixation by archaea and bacteria along with the effects of different electron donors. Four Sino-Pacific marine sediments from Bashi strait (Western Pacific Warm Pool), East China Sea, South China Sea and Okinawa Trough were examined. Total microbial C-uptake was estimated by doping of aqueous NaH14CO3. Total bacterial C-uptake was measured by blocking archaeal metabolism using inhibitor GC7. Archaeal contribution was estimated by subtracting total bacterial from total microbial C-uptake. Effect of electron donor addition was analyzed by spiking with ammonium, sulfide, and reduced metals. Results suggested that C-fixation in marine sediments was not the function of archaea alone, which was in contrast to results from several recent publications. C-fixing bacteria are also equally active. Often in spite of great effort of one domain to fix carbon, the system does not become net C-fixing due to equal and opposite C-releasing activity of the other domain. Thus a C-releasing bacterial or archaeal community can become C-fixing with the change of nature and concentration of electron donors.

Factors contributing to adolescent obesity.

PubMed

Al-Kloub, Manal I; Froelicher, Erika S

2009-06-01

Obesity in children is a significant public health concern. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Jordanian children, and adolescents has increased in the last decade. The consequences of obesity to health in childhood and adulthood have both medical, and economic cost to individuals and society. This paper reviews the factors that contribute to adolescent obesity and emphasizes behavioral and environmental factors. An individual's behaviors such as increased consumption of high caloric foods, increased sedentary activity while decreasing physical activity has been identified as key issues in the development of obesity. Additionally, the current environment in homes, schools, and neighborhoods tend to discourage a healthy lifestyle. A comprehensive approach that involves the whole community is the best strategy for preventing adolescent obesity. Nurses are in a unique position to provide leadership in developing programs for healthier lifestyle choices for adolescents' and adoption of these goals into their daily lives.

Additive effects of electronic and nuclear energy losses in irradiation-induced amorphization of zircon

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

Zarkadoula, Eva; Toulemonde, Marcel; Weber, William J.

2015-12-28

We used a combination of ion cascades and the unified thermal spike model to study the electronic effects from 800 keV Kr and Xe ion irradiation in zircon. We compared the damage production for four cases: (a) due to ion cascades alone, (b) due to ion cascades with the electronic energy loss activated as a friction term, (c) due to the thermal spike from the combined electronic and nuclear energy losses, and (d) due to ion cascades with electronic stopping and the electron-phonon interactions superimposed. We found that taking the electronic energy loss out as a friction term results in reducedmore » damage, while the electronic electron-phonon interactions have additive impact on the final damage created per ion.« less

Toward a Greater Kerguelen large igneous province: Evolving mantle source contributions in and around the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olierook, Hugo K. H.; Merle, Renaud E.; Jourdan, Fred

2017-06-01

The link between the Kerguelen large igneous province and several moderately-voluminous magmatic domains emplaced on continental crust near the relict triple junction of eastern Gondwana remains tentative. In particular, linking Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic ratios of the 90,000 km2 submerged Naturaliste Plateau at the relict triple junction of eastern Gondwana to the Kerguelen LIP were difficult due to previous age estimates of ca. 100 Ma. Sericite hydrothermal plateau ages as old as 127.6 ± 0.6 Ma indicate that the volcanism on the plateau began at or prior to ca. 128 Ma, which is > 25 m.y. older than previous estimations. These ages are closely matched by the then-nearby ca. 140-130 Ma Comei, 137-130 Ma Bunbury, 124 Ma Wallaby Plateau and 118-117 Ma Rajmahal-Bengal-Sylhet magmatic provinces. The Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic characteristics of the majority of these ca. 140-117 Ma circum-eastern Gondwana magmatic provinces display only source contributions from the depleted asthenosphere and lithosphere with negligible contribution from the Kerguelen mantle plume. The Comei Province shows a direct plume-related melt signature, probably because it sits directly in the center of the modeled plume head position at 140-130 Ma. We suggest that the Kerguelen mantle plume provided the additional heat necessary to melt the asthenosphere and lithosphere of the circum-eastern Gondwanan magmatic provinces. Only after the motion of the Kerguelen plume head into the nascent Indian Ocean at ca. 100-95 Ma does a significant melt contribution from the Kerguelen mantle plume become evident in the isotopic signature, a signal that persists until the present-day. Despite differences in source contributions over time, it is clear that the Kerguelen mantle plume is necessary for the production of all the circum-eastern Gondwana magmatic domains, which we propose should be referred to as the Greater Kerguelen Large Igneous Province.

Contribution of different PSC types to Arctic ozone depletion caused by chlorine activation and denitrification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirner, Oliver; Khosrawi, Farah; Müller, Rolf; Weimer, Michael; Ruhnke, Roland

2017-04-01

Heterogeneous reactions on the surfaces of PSC particles and denitrification of the stratosphere are the cause for polar ozone depletion in spring. In a former study we investigated the impact of different types of PSCs on Antarctic ozone depletion with the help of the chemistry-climate model ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric chemistry (EMAC). In this study, we investigate the impact of PSCs on Arctic ozone loss. One standard and four sensitivity EMAC simulations (nudged with ERA-Interim) have been performed to evaluate the contribution of liquid, NAT and ice particles to ozone depletion in the Arctic winters 2010/2011 and 2015/2016 due to chlorine activation by heterogeneous chemistry on their surfaces and due to denitrification of the stratosphere. In the first three sensitivity simulations, we changed the heterogeneous chemistry on PSC particles by switching on and off the chemistry on liquid, NAT and ice particles. One further sensitivity simulation without NAT formation (only liquid and ice particles) was performed to evaluate the contribution of NAT to Arctic ozone depletion due to denitrification of the stratosphere. With the help of these different EMAC simulations, we will show the significance of liquid, NAT and ice particles to Arctic ozone depletion caused by chlorine activation and denitrification.

Cross-reactions between xanthates and rubber additives.

PubMed

Sasseville, Denis; Al-Sowaidi, Mowza; Moreau, Linda

2007-09-01

We previously described allergic contact dermatitis from xanthates used in the recovery of metals from mining ores. We observed cross-reactions with carbamates, believed to be due to the common "dithio" nucleus shared by both groups. The present study was undertaken to establish the rate of cross-reactions between xanthates and rubber additives. Between November 2002 and December 2005, 1,220 consecutive patients were patch-tested with sodium isopropyl xanthate 10% in petrolatum (pet) and with potassium amyl xanthate 10% pet and later 5% pet, in addition to the North American Contact Dermatitis Group standard series and other series as required by their conditions. Fifty-one patients reacted to xanthates, carbamates, or thiurams; 26 reacted to xanthates only, and these reactions were felt to be irritant. Twenty-five patients reacted to xanthates and/or to one or more of the rubber additives, 12 had positive reactions to xanthates and to either carba mix or thiuram mix, 10 reacted to xanthates and carba mix, 9 reacted to xanthates and thiuram mix, and 8 showed positive reactions to xanthates and both mixes. However, 13 patients had positive reactions to carba mix and thiuram mix but did not react to xanthates. Six patients reacted to other rubber additives such as mercaptobenzothiazole, black rubber mix, and mixed dialkyl thioureas. Five of these patients also reacted to xanthates, 4 reacted to xanthates and carba mix, and 3 reacted to xanthates, carba mix, and thiuram mix. Of patients sensitized to carbamates, thiurams, or mercaptobenzothiazole, 50% exhibit cross-reactions with xanthates. Xanthates are irritants, and their patch-test concentrations should be lowered to 5% or less.

[The dialogues between anthropology and health: contributions to public policies].

PubMed

Langdon, Esther Jean

2014-04-01

In order to examine the development of anthropological paradigms and their dialogue with medicine, I divide the discussion into two general, but non-exclusive, approaches: one that focuses on health and disease as social and cultural experience and construction, and another that examines health from an interactional and political perspective. For the first approach, I focus on North American and French theories that find resonance in the anthropological dialogue in Brazil. For the second political approach, the discussion originates in the dialogue among anthropologists in Latin America who have been developing models to contribute to an interdisciplinary approach necessary for health policies and intervention in health. The concepts of practices in self-care and intermedicality, among others, are explored due to their contribution in anthropology to public policies in health. These anthropologists have argued that health practices should be understood through the notions of autonomy, collectivity, agency and praxis, as opposed to the notions of the biomedical perspective characterized as being universalist, biological, individualist and a-historical.

[Elastography as an additional tool in breast sonography. Technical principles and clinical applications].

PubMed

Rjosk-Dendorfer, D; Reichelt, A; Clevert, D-A

2014-03-01

In recent years the use of elastography in addition to sonography has become a routine clinical tool for the characterization of breast masses. Whereas free hand compression elastography results in qualitative imaging of tissue stiffness due to induced compression, shear wave elastography displays quantitative information of tissue displacement. Recent studies have investigated the use of elastography in addition to sonography and improvement of specificity in differentiating benign from malignant breast masses could be shown. Therefore, additional use of elastography could help to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies in benign breast lesions especially in category IV lesions of the ultrasound breast imaging reporting data system (US-BI-RADS).

Dietary Additive Probiotics Modulation of the Intestinal Microbiota.

PubMed

Hu, Shenglan; Wang, Li; Jiang, Zongyong

2017-01-01

The importance of the intestinal microbiota of animals is widely acknowledged because of its vital role in the health of animals. There are complex communities of microbiota, which colonize the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal microbiota are conductive to animal health and the development of the host immune system. Probiotics are commonly used dietary additives where they provide the host with many beneficial functions, such as modulating intestinal homeostasis and promoting gut health. These beneficial effects of probiotics may accrue from the inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria and promoting the growth of beneficial flora in the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics colonization and its impact on gut microbiota members are highly species specific. Different probiotics have been shown to have dramatically different capacities of modulation physiological function. This review summarizes existing studies of the influence of dietary additive probiotics on the gut microbiota in different animals, such as humans, mice, pigs and chickens, to clarify the contribution of different kinds of probiotics to the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, the probable mechanism for the benefits of dietary supplementation with probiotics will be discussed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Comparison of Extreme Pressure Additive Treat Rates in Soybean and Mineral Oils Under Boundary Lubrication Conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Traditionally, it is considered that, under boundary lubrication conditions, the reduction in friction and wear is mostly dependent on Extreme Pressure (EP) additives, rather than the basestock. However, several studies indicate that vegetable oils also contribute to the lubricity under this regime...

Biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite scaffolds processed by lithography-based additive manufacturing.